Free Alienated by Melissa Landers

senses with a quick tug of his own T-shirt.
    “Don’t.” She chewed the end of her braid and stood on tiptoe, darting a glance around his shoulder toward Cara’s bedroom. “Maybe she’ll really do it this time.”
    “Do what?”
    “Dump the pendejo .”
    Aelyx hadn’t studied Spanish as thoroughly as English, so he didn’t understand her last word. However, the sentiment behind it was clear. The narrowed glares Tori had fired at Eric showed she loathed the insufferable dolt even more than he did.
    Several minutes of silence passed between them before Eric tore into the hallway and continued straight out the front door, slamming it behind him without a backward glance.
    When Cara padded silently into the living room blotting her eyes with a tissue, Tori bolted across the room to embrace her. Arms encircled waists in a tangle of contrasting dark and ivory limbs as the girls clung to each other. Aelyx felt he should contribute in some way, but he knew nothing about the emotional distress of human females.
    “I can bring him back,” he said. “I’m not sure why you partnered with a male like that, but I can find a way to tolerate him if it’s what you want.”
    “No,” she said while scrubbing away a tear. “Let him go.” Cara seemed to recover quickly. She made her way into the kitchen, where she devoured two slices of cake. There were no more tears. If anything, her laughter seemed a bit too loud. But when she returned to the living room to fasten her neck-lace, her fingers shook, and she couldn’t manage the task.
    “Can I help?” he offered.
    She gave him the neck-lace and turned to gather her thick red waves. Aelyx approached her bare neck with caution, though he couldn’t discern why. Something about the warmth from her body and the citrusy scent of her shampoo unnerved him, and he accidentally snagged a lock of her hair three times before fastening the clasp. Careful to avoid further contact, he moved back into his own safe space and told her, “All done.”
    She spun around and touched her chest to straighten the neck-lace, then pulled the crumpled tissue across her nose, giving him a small smile. “Thanks. It really is beautiful.”
    Aelyx averted his eyes. A knot lodged deep in his belly when he considered what his plans would do to Cara. Judging by the set of Tori’s stiff, folded arms and her avoidance of his gaze, Cara would lose her closest friend next. But what could he do? The fate of one human paled in comparison to the fate of an entire planet, especially one as extraordinary as L’eihr.
    “It’s only a common pebble,” he said, more harshly than he’d intended. “But I’m glad you like it.”
    Then he left her with a flicker of confusion behind her eyes as he returned to his room for the evening.

Chapter Six

    M ONDAY , O CTOBER 19
Take Me to Your Cheerleader.

Today, Aelyx has reached an important human milestone: his first day of school. And my mom stepped in like a boss, commemorating the occasion with a dozen embarrassing photos of our guest. Which I am TOTALLY posting here, because I’m a good friend like that.

So here we are, armed with backpacks and lunch boxes, ready to embark on the perilous journey through high school. (Actually, the not-so-perilous journey through the private, gated woods leading to high school.) But I know Aelyx will never forget this. It’s going to be a great day!

Posted by Cara Sweeney 7:02 a.m.
    What a crock—this was going to be a craptacular day.
    But nobody would ever know it, because Cara lived by the first rule of debate: never let ’em see you sweat. She also lived by the first rule of getting over your asshole ex-boyfriend: never let ’em know it hurts.
    She cranked up the stereo until her teeth vibrated in time with each screaming guitar riff, then tipped her head back and squeezed a few eyedrops beneath her lids to hide the evidence of her heartbreak. A little dab of skin cream smoothed the puffiness around her eyes, and after a