Free How to Marry an Alien by Magan Vernon

think I would have found it on my own. The
officer's quarters looked no different than Jen's area, and the
only difference from where Ace's hall was and my dad's was that Ace
and Monte's area was only about thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit, the
normal temperature on Calta.
    I tapped two quick knocks on dad's door
before he answered. I guess I forgot what time it was since dad was
in an old Air Force t-shirt and plaid pajama pants.
    "Alex?" he questioned, his voice rising
slightly. "Is everything alright?"
    "Oh, yeah, it's fine. Sorry did we wake you?"
I asked.
    "No, no." He shook his head before opening
the door the rest of the way. "I was just watching some
television."
    He moved to the side so that Ace and I could
walk past him.
    Dad's apartment was basically the same layout
as Jen's except for a little bigger and even though dad had lived
there for over ten years there was barely a trace of anything
personal. He only had one framed picture of me when I was a baby
that stood next to a Circe-issued lamp on an end table.
    "So what can I help you two with?" Dad shut
the door and walked toward us, picking up the remote and turning
off whatever sport he was watching on TV.
    "Well, mister security alien somehow didn't
find in his research that my roommate is dating Riley." I motioned
my head in Ace's direction.
    "Riley?" dad asked. "As in the Riley that
interned here with you last summer?"
    I nodded. "The same."
    "She surely had her memory erased before we
released her, right? There is no way that she would remember you or
Ace or anything about Circe." Dad stood stiffly in front of the
TV.
    "Yeah, she had her memory erased, but that
doesn't erase my memory of her! How can this be possible? Now she
is dating my roommate and I'm going to have to deal with seeing a
girl that pointed a gun to my head," I whined plopping down on the
sofa.
    "Wait a second." Dad held up his hand. "Did
you just say that your roommate is dating her? I thought you were
assigned to an all-girl's floor?"
    Oh great. Not him too.
    "It is an all-girl's dorm, sir," Ace piped
in. "Alex tells me that these two girls are actually each other's
mates. I told her it was preposterous, but she seems pretty adamant
about it."
    I rolled my eyes. How many times was I going
to have to go through this with Ace?
    "Okay." Dad nodded his head slowly, taking
the seat next to me on the couch and Ace took the chaise next to
us. "Why don't you go to the resident assistant and see if you can
move rooms?"
    "Ugh, I wish it were that simple." I leaned
back on the couch, resting my head against the overly stuffed,
white cushions. "My dorm is one of the only ones opened for the
summer, and we are housing all the kids for band camp."
    Dad rubbed his chin. "I'm all out of other
ideas. I really don't think it will be that big of a deal. She
doesn't remember you, so you won't have to worry about her
bothering you. Besides you might not see her that much anyway."
    I looked from Ace to my dad. Neither of them
were much help, nor was Jen. I guess I would just have to figure
out what to do on my own.
    I sighed. "Okay, I guess I can try to live
with it for now."
    I sat back up and then pulled myself up to my
feet. Ace followed suit and stood next to me.
    "Is that all you needed?" dad asked.
    All I needed? He really didn't actually help
with anything. "Yeah, I guess."
    "You sure?" He pulled himself up from the
couch. "You don't need anything else? Your classes are going
okay?"
    "It's only been a day, Dad. There really
isn't much to talk about."
    "Oh." He nodded. The awkwardness was so thick
it would have to be cut with a knife. We both had nothing else to
say, and I think both of us knew that the problem had not been
solved.
    "Well, I think we ought to get going. Ace
should take me back to my dorm before it gets too late. I have
early classes tomorrow." Ace and I headed for the door with dad
following close behind.
    "Okay, Alex, if you are sure. Call me if you
need anything." He opened the door, and I