Starstruck

Chapter 11c: Magnetic field (part 3)

CHAPTER 11

Magnetic field (part 3)

His look, his touch, dragged a smile out of me. "It feels pretty special to me," I admitted. "But...you all say I'm a Martian, too. So why don't you want your parents to know about it?"

Now he looked away. "I guess I was worried they'd get all weird about it. We're only fifteen, after all." I thought he sounded evasive, but then he met my eyes again, pleadingly. "Are you okay with it being our secret, M? For now?"

I nodded. As if I could deny him anything, when he looked at me like that? Though I still didn't really understand.

"Thanks. I'll explain it all soon, I promise."

I wasn't sure if he meant to me, or to his parents. He'd said he couldn't read my mind, but--

"Kids?" came his mother's voice from downstairs. "We need to get going, if we're going to stop for dinner."

"Coming, Mom," Rigel called back.

Still holding my hand, he led me out of the little observatory and down the stairs. I hoped I'd get a chance to see the rest of the house sometime soon.

On the way to the game, Rigel's parents kept the conversation light--intentionally, I thought. Like maybe they didn't want me asking more questions yet. They talked about some of the places they'd lived before Indiana, which included Colorado and St. Louis and even Australia, before Rigel was born. And they talked a little about other Echtrans--expatriate Martians--they knew, who were scattered around the country. But nothing about my real parents, which was what I most wanted to know.

Halfway to Springdale, we pulled in to Rory's Steakhouse, a little place I'd heard of but never been to. Not surprising, since Aunt Theresa and Uncle Louie went out to eat maybe twice a year, and hadn't taken me along since I was twelve. I felt a little awkward letting them pay for my dinner--one of Rory's famous pork tenderloin sandwiches--but they insisted.

Back in the car, I tried to work up the nerve to ask more questions about my origins, but between the distraction of having Rigel right next to me, sometimes even touching me, and the running dialogue between his parents, now about the upcoming game, I never quite managed it. And then we were at Springdale and the opportunity was over. For now. I told myself there was still the trip back, and that I was definitely going to get more info out of them then.

"Rigel, you'd better go join the team," Mr. Stuart said as we all got out of the car. "I see the bus is already here. Marsha, would you like to sit with us, or will some of your friends be here?"

I was torn, but figured I'd never get anything out of them during the game, so I opted for honesty. "I sort of promised my friend Brianna I'd sit with her."

"That's fine," said Dr. Stuart with her warm smile. "You'll have more fun that way, I'm sure. We can all meet down on the field after the game."

Nodding, I turned toward the stands but Rigel took my hand and stopped me. "Walk with me first?" he asked, and something in his eyes made my heart speed up again.

"Sure."

He led me in the direction of the team bus, over by Springdale's gym, but before we reached it, he swerved off to the right, behind a corner of the building. Another corner jutted out a few yards further down, which put us in a slightly secluded angle--at least, no one was directly in sight at the moment.

Rigel stopped and looked down at me, a tiny frown between his dark brows. "I was, um, wondering... That is, would it be okay..." He paused and cleared his throat.

"What, Rigel?" I couldn't imagine what could make him so nervous all of a sudden.

"Could I have a...a kiss for luck?" he asked in a rush.

Oh! I could tell from the heat in my face that I'd suddenly gone bright red--but I nodded. I'd been wanting this, dying for this, ever since that first quick kiss on Wednesday, and now I was at least as nervous as he was. My heart pounding like a jackhammer, I tilted my face up and waited.

As he lowered his lips to mine--slowly, this time--I let my eyes flutter closed. And at the first touch of his mouth, all my nervousness magically disappeared. He felt wonderful. Amazing. Impossibly fabulous.

Without even thinking about it, I slid my hands up his shoulders, and at the same time I felt his arms come around my waist. His lips were firm, warm...perfect. I thought I might just die from happiness.

Even though it was about five times longer than our first kiss, it was still over way too soon. With obvious reluctance, he pulled away, then planted one last feather-light kiss on the corner of my mouth before straightening up.

"If I don't have the best game of my life now, it'll be a miracle." His voice was husky, which kept his words from being as light as he probably intended them. "I'll see you after."

He touched my cheek one more time, then hurried off around the corner to go join the team for warmups.

I stayed where I was for a couple of minutes, waiting for my heart to slow to--well, not normal, but maybe only double speed. Then, in a euphoric daze, I smoothed my hair and headed for the visitor bleachers on the far side of the field to find Bri, already eager for the game to be over so I could be with Rigel again.

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