He’s the single most beautiful person I’ve ever seen in my life. Glowing yellow curls, broad shoulders, pecs as big as couch cushions…
His puppy dog eyes vanish, replaced with obvious joy.
“But, you know, you don't look human. We don'thave blue skin unless it's some kind of, I don't know, health thing.”
For some reason, this makes him laugh, and I think it's because I'm rambling nervously,but what the hell else am I supposed to do with a piece of the skysitting at my kitchen table looking at me like...
“Anyway, we need to figure out how to send you home.”
He nods, that little furrow still in his brow, which I find concerning since all of his natural instincts seem to lead him to smile at all times.
“What is it?” I ask.
Please, don’t tell me I’m beautiful again.
“Or,” he says, “I could stay.”
“Stay?”
“Not forever,” he says but shrugs his blue shoulders.“I am fascinated by humans, and I am here. Maybe I could…”He waves his hands around. “Stay and learn about the humans.”
I can’t stop the choking sound I make. “No. You… I mean, you can't go anywhere.”
He nods. “Yes.”
“Because you don't look human, and it's a small town. People are gonna notice.”
He nods again. “Yes.”
He’s clearly trying to prove he understands, but I’m not convinced.
Unlike the rest of him, his bright blonde hair that sometimes glows and his skin that changes with the sky outside, his eyes stay the same, a dark, almost fathomless brown.
They settle on me like a heavy weight and his mouth—pink, plump lips—twitches slightly. “Maybe I could stay with you for a little while.”
My heart gives one big thump in my chest.That sounds like a terrible idea, but I also can't bring myself to say no to him.
“Okay. I think it's going to take time to figure this out anyway, right?”I stand at the sink and look out into my backyard that leads into the forest behind my house.“Maybe it's as simple as reversing what you did the first time.”
“Reversing?” he asks.
I grunt, tap my fingers on the kitchen counter.“What if you went back to the waypoint and just reached back out for home?”
He nods. “Perhaps. It is not a bad idea.We could certainly try.”
I turn back to face him with my hip pressed against the counter.“I couldn't drive you out today anyway. I have to go to work.”
He smiles. “Humans, they all have busy lives.” He seems to find this notion endearing.
“Maybe.I don't think I'm as busy as some people, but sure.”
On the table, my phone rings.Starlight's head shoots forward to look at it.“What is that?” he asks.
“Oh, it's just my phone.”I walk over and pick it up off the table. “It's Mackenzie.”I ignore the call, set it back down.“Um, it's how we communicate with each other.”
He shakes his head, still staring at my phone, now face down on the table. “The sound it made.”
“The sound?” I ask, looking down at it. It’s just a little jingle, the preset that came with the phone. “Do you mean music?” I ask.
