Free Starcrossed by Brenda Hiatt Page A

He shrugged. “Anyway, it can’t last forever—though starting next week, after my birthday, I’ll have Driver’s Ed most evenings for a while. But hey, we’re together now, right?”  
    I smiled up at him, my heart beating faster. “We are. And I think we should make the most of that.”
    He lowered his lips to mine and for a while nothing else in the world—nothing else in the universe—mattered. Kissing Rigel always felt so right, so perfect. So intense. I sometimes worried I’d get used to this, that each kiss couldn’t go on being better than the last one indefinitely. But so far, that worry hadn’t materialized. Not even close.
    After a blissful half hour or so, Rigel noticed I was shivering, even though I hadn’t noticed myself.  
    “Come on,” he said. “We need to get you warmed up.”  
    We walked down the block to Dream Cream for hot chocolate, then it was time for me to get home, since it was my night to make dinner. Cold rain and all, I wished the afternoon didn’t have to end.
    On my front porch, Rigel gave me one last kiss, then handed me the umbrella. “Here, you keep this. You can take it with you next time you go to the O’Garas’ house.”
    “Subtle,” I said, giving him a grin and another quick kiss. “But I’ll bring it.”  
    I watched him ride off, still smiling, savoring the glow of our time together. But then I looked up at the darkening sky and sighed. Winter was nearly here, which meant fewer and fewer afternoons like this one. Aunt Theresa’s rules, Allister’s visits, new evening commitments, the worsening weather—sometimes it seemed like the world was conspiring to keep Rigel and me apart.
    But that was silly. Soon Allister would leave again and everything would go back to normal. Why shouldn’t it?

C HAPTER 10

    Nuath (NOO-ath): the underground human colony on Mars

    “I feel like I understand the American perspective a lot better now,” Molly said several nights later, when we finally finished going everything we’d covered so far in U.S. History.  
    “You’re a good teacher, M.” Sean grinned at me as he flipped his book closed. “Thanks.”
    “I’m glad I could help.” I was almost sorry we were done. I’d enjoyed my visits to their house more than I’d expected to, especially the parts where I learned more about Mars. I was also becoming better friends with Molly . . . and with Sean.
    As though he’d read my thoughts, Sean said, “You know, you don’t have to tell your aunt we’re caught up. There must be more you want to know, plus there’s still lots of stuff you can tell us about America—and Earth. Stuff that everyone takes for granted.”
    My eagerness at learning more Martian stuff battled with wariness, in case Rigel was right about Sean. Even after Rigel and I spent that magical Thursday afternoon together, then another hour Saturday, he was definitely still jealous. I’d even sensed it in church, when the O’Garas showed up and sat with us and the Stuarts—and Sean didn’t even try to sit next to me.  
    “Worth a try,” I said after only the briefest hesitation. “So, what else can you tell me about Mars?”
    Sean laughed. “That’s like asking, ‘What else can you tell us about Earth?’ Where would you start?”
    “Good point.” I relaxed, laughing along with him. “Let’s see. You’ve already told me some political stuff and your parents gave me a little Nuathan history when I was here Sunday night. But what it was like to actually live there? I still can’t quite imagine it.”
      “You’ll, um, you’d love it there, M.” Sean spoke with conviction. “Of course, things got a little crazy the year before we left, but most of our time growing up was great. I really miss it sometimes.”
    Molly nodded eagerly. “Me, too. And he’s right, you’d love it! Everybody’s super friendly. And . . . you never have to hide what you really are.”  
    “That must get old, huh?” Sean asked.
    It was cool that he