| Chapter 25

I didn't go back home after that night. I left with David. My mother, fearing for my safety, had driven up to Chicago and already made home in my uncle's guest room. With no place for me to sleep, I stayed in David's room, air mattress on the floor, eyes to the ceiling.

That was how I remained for days. Just listening. Staring at nothing. I avoided the news on my phone because I felt like the media outlets had got it all wrong. Every article was titled "The sky has fallen," and my name was listed as the awkward hero.

I wasn't a hero. And the sky didn't fall.

A ship fell. And with it, the last of an alien dynasty. The Pylons had already started to pack their ships. Only three colonies remained, purely to help restore the destroyed parts of the city.

Vera.

I hadn't seen her since that night. Sometimes I looked at the window and wondered if she'd be there. She had a thing for them, you know. Not doors. Doors were too conventional. Vera was the farthest from normal.

Maybe that's what I like.

I could go on about the things I liked about her. I didn't realize what they were until I couldn't look into the stars in her eyes. Kind of like a drug, I needed a fix. But I knew I wouldn't get it and had to deal with it.

Right?

The news talked about her father, and I wondered if that was accurate at all. They said he'd lived, which was great. She needed some good in her life, especially after all that had happened. And having what was left of her family at her side made it all right in the end.

It was sort of how I felt. After all of this, after everything I'd learned about my dad, I felt a sense of closure. And in the end, I felt all right, too.

I just can't get her out of my head.

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The morning sun came in bright through David's window. And like I'd done every other day when I opened my eyes, I didn't move. I laid there on the mattress that had been blown up just for me, hands on my head. My fingers pulled on parts of my hair as I took in a deep breath.

I thought the day wouldn't be any different, considering everyone left me alone after it all. But when a knock came to the door and it slowly opened, I lifted my head to look at it.

David was there, smiling wearily at me. He tapped the doorknob before motioning his head out into the hall. "So, you gon' brush your teeth or what?" he asked me, lifting his brows. "Or you gon' wait until like dinner to do it? That's nasty, by the way. You stink."

Grumbling, I dropped back down on the bed and sighed.

David cleared his throat. "And that means my room probably stinks." I heard him sniff the air. "Does it stink? Dude, don't make my room smell, man."

"Do I need to talk to the police again?" I muttered, staring at the streaks of light dancing across the ceiling. "I've answered their questions, I've done my job."

"No, you're good." David tapped the doorknob again. "I just think you need to get up."

"Get up and do what?" Lifting just my head to look at my cousin, unlike me, David was dressed. Not fancy, but he was ready for the day. Myself, on the other hand, I didn't even have a shirt on. What was the point?

But as I watched the expressions on his face change, it intrigued me enough to get me to prop myself up on my elbows to get a better look at him. Why was he smiling at me like that? "What am I supposed to do?"

David nodded his head towards the hallway. "I mean, if you go outside, you can probably catch your girlfriend before she leaves."

My eyes widened. I sat up straight. "What?" Vera?

Glancing back in the room, David shrugged. "She's been coming around for days but your ass don't wanna get up, so—"

I jumped up, nearly falling into the nightstand next to David's bed. My knee hit the edge of it. I hissed when the small, sharp pain shot up my leg.

"—I think if you want to catch her before she's gone for good, you need to wash your ass, brush your teeth and go say goodbye."

Say goodbye? I glanced out of the bedroom window, looking out at the clear skies. Perfect for flying, perfect for leaving. She'd said it before, that was their original plan. And if she wasn't a part of the cleaning up squad, then why would she have to stay?

With my hand on my knee, I hobbled closer to the door. David cocked a brow as he looked down at me. "Dude, you do stink," he said.

I grumbled and scratched the side of my head. Looking at the disgust on his face, I rolled my eyes, and asked, "Where are they leaving from? Is there a location or something?"

David stepped back, putting space between us. "Yeah. Near the lake." He stepped back again and placed his hand over his nose. "Just take a bath first, Gus. Seriously."

As David turned to walk away, I gripped the side of his doorway. My fingers dug into the panel. While thoughts ran through my head—what to do, what to say—I knew the answers to my question were obvious. She ran through my mind for a reason. Saying goodbye was the only thing that made sense.

"Let's go, Gus," I said to myself, trying to motivate myself. But when I turned and felt the pain shoot up my leg again, I grimaced and slammed the door shut.

After I get some more Sapphire.

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The sun was high in the sky as I hurried off the Chicago blue line. According to the day's news, I still had time to get the first Pylon ship to head back home. And because it was all over television, there were crowds huddled near the lake, with phones raised to record the ship on the water. It confused me; after the mayhem downtown, no one hated the aliens. They wanted videos, memories, a chance to get them on camera.

But I didn't want to record; I didn't want any of that. As I pushed through the crowd, I searched the sea of heads. For her.

"Hey, watch it!" a woman complained when my elbow hit her side.

Before I could apologize, I bumped into someone else. He wasn't as polite as the woman and grabbed the collar of my shirt. "Hey," he growled.

Quickly, I lifted my hands in defense, cringing as I tried to look as apologetic as I could. "I'm sorry," I said to him, then glanced back at the first woman who hadn't moved but lifted her phone up higher, "I'm really sorry."

He dropped me, pushed me, but I needed that momentum. When I stumbled deeper into the crowd, I saw the barricade separating the people from the ships. Police guarded the line, guns in their hands. I couldn't help but look at them longer than I should've, yet the moment I saw a Pylon, I found the strength to move again.

I shifted through the crowd, closer to the edge, and waved my hand up high so I'd be seen. "Hey!" I called to the Pylon. When he looked at me, I waved harder, faster. "Hey!"

The Pylon man stopped for a moment, scratching the side of his head before he fully turned and approached me. His hands pressed against the barricades as he squinted his eyes. "Yes?" he called back.

I tried to get closer, but a police officer stepped in the way. I almost bumped into the taller man's chest, and I had to take a step back into the crowd to avoid falling.

Still, I kept my eyes on the Pylon. "I need to see Vera, please! Is she here? I just—"

"Vera?" The Pylon straightened. "Our Vera?"

Quickly, I nodded.

The officer in front of me glanced back at the Pylon, wondering what he'd say. And when the Pylon sighed and pushed apart the barricade, creating an entrance, the officer grumbled before he sidestepped to give me room.

"Let him in," the Pylon said as he motioned me to come closer. "I think he's expected."

They expected me, who knew?

The Pylon did, his fellow alien-brothers were aware. Everyone bowed to me as I passed through the barricades, leaving behind the human crowd to get closer to the ships. There were six of them parked along the sands, engines humming. Stationary.

I had time.

"Vera!" I cupped my hands over my mouth as I called out her name and spun in a circle. I scanned the Pylons in the crowds in search for her, watched as they passed bags to one another.

None of them were her.

"Vera!" I called again. And again.

I wondered if anyone knew where she was. It was obvious she was leaving, a lot of them were. But I just had to say goodbye to the girl I barely knew.

I needed to look into her eyes just one more time.

"Gus?

The sound of Vera's voice made me turn around. When I saw her face, my heart stopped.

There she was, standing by the side of an open door leading into one of the ships. Her hand was against the wall as she leaned against it, looking at me.

I slowly walked towards her. "Vera."

She simply smiled at me, not moving closer. I couldn't help but watch her. The way the wind pushed her curls, the way the light hit the corners of her bright eyes so perfectly, I could've just fell to my knees right there. Just happy. Glad.

"Hi," she said with a small wave of her fingers.

When I was just a foot in front of her, I stopped. I bit my lip. "I thought you'd be gone already. You aren't leaving?"

"No, I am." Vera pushed loose strands of hair behind her ear. She was dressed differently than I was used to. The first time I'd seen her, she looked like a teen ready to run away, jeans with hoodies and sneakers to match. The second, a little more formal. But his time she wore Pylon garments lined with white stones around the sides. It was black, like the night sky, and the stones could've been stars.

Were her eyes the sun?

Nodding slowly, I looked away to keep from staring at her. I watched the other Pylons load more supplies on the ship. "Oh, that's cool." I tried not to sound upset. Clearing my throat, I continued, "Is your dad okay to travel?"

"He is." Vera pushed away from the ship and took a step towards me. "I need to get him back to the other ships for better care. Then he'll rest before we go back home. To our planet."

"Oh." She really is leaving. "How long does it usually take to get back?"

"Hmmm." Vera looked up at the sky in thought. "With the way our ships move, about a year. I'll be asleep for half of it, though, so it isn't so bad. I'm excited, considering I've never been there before. I heard it's nice."

Bringing her gaze back down to mine, she smiled. "It's been fun here, though."

"Fun," I laughed, rolling my eyes as I shook my head. "If what happened was fun, then I think I've had enough of it for a while. Just want to go back home and rest then if that's the case."

Vera took another step closer. "Haven't you been resting though?" Her brows were knitted, concerned. "I tried to visit you, but David said you were up in his room the whole time."

She came more than once? I blinked, focusing on the look in her eyes. "How many times did you stop by?"

"A few." She shrugged. "I knew you were hurt bad, so I didn't argue. Your mom's nice too—"

She met my mom.

"—Kept giving me tea—"

Maybe she met my aunt...

"—And bread with butter—"

No, that's my mom.

"—And besides," Vera shrugged again, but with the brightest smile I'd seen on her yet, "just knowing you were safe up there was good for me. Considering how many times you saved me, you needed a break from the city."

"Yeah. The city." To think I'd spent mornings wishing she'd come see me, and she did. But out of respect gave me the privacy I deserved—or, what she thought I needed.

I didn't know what I needed until I couldn't see it.

Vera's hand reached up to touch my face, coaxing me to look into her eyes. "The damage isn't permanent. Cities always bounce back, you know."

"Yeah." I leaned into her touch. "But what about people?"

I'd said it. As subtle as I could, my feelings left me with the smallest question: what about people? Cities bounced back; cities flourished. But when a person's heart is broken, yearning for a missing piece, how does a person bounce back? Can the heart beat again?

Vera's hand slid away from my face. "People do too," she said.

Before I could add to what she said, I watched her turn around. My mouth dropped, hand extended, because I wasn't ready for her to leave. This wasn't the goodbye I wanted; I hadn't even the chance to say the words.

Yet, when she simply reached behind the wall of the ship for a small bag and turned back towards me, I sighed. Relieved.

Especially when she moved to stand in front of me again. "All people do, every time," she said.

"Do they?" I asked as she held the bag between us. Her fingers played with the string holding it closed. Tilting my head, I squinted as I tried to figure out what it could be. "Vera, what's—"

"I knew you'd come here before I left." Vera looked up at me, smiling. "Call it intuition or something, but I had the feeling. Especially after you found out I'd be leaving." She pushed the bag in my direction. "That's why I made sure David would tell you."

"David." I blinked, taking the bag. "You—"

"Yes." She nodded, biting the corner of her lip. "I needed you to come here. So, I can give these to you."

"What?" I opened the bag with just one hand. Inside the sack were seeds. So many of them. "Are these?" I couldn't finish my question, but I knew she was aware of what I was trying to ask.

Vera nodded. "Rosepon seeds." Pressing her hand over the sack, she forced it closed. Then grabbed both of my hands to hold them firm over them. "I think humans really need these."

"But why give them to me?" I asked, my voice quiet, curious, and afraid.

The tips of Vera's shoes hit mine as she closed the gap between us. "Remember how I said Pylons can tell humans apart, know the good from the bad. From the moment I saw you, all I saw was good. And that's why I kept coming back to you."

Something fluttered in my chest. My heart? My soul? I wasn't sure which, but I felt warm. The tips of her fingers sent sparks through my skin, just like before.

"So, I'm giving you these so that the next time the sky falls, you'll be ready."

I pulled my lip between my teeth as I looked into her eyes. Say something, damn it. "What if I said I'm falling? What then?"

The smile that pulled her lips, the way her eyes flickered, I wanted to grab her. I wanted to kiss her just once more, just like she'd done to me back on the ship.

But Vera took the initiative. She pressed herself up on the tips of her toes and moved her face just centimeters from mine. "It takes a while to fall from up high," she breathed against my lips, eyes flicking up to look into mine, "but when you're about to crash, I'll come back and catch you."

I chuckled, dropped the seeds, and grabbed her face with both hands. I knelt and kissed her full on the lips, savoring the sweet taste of her, knowing it could very well be the last I'd ever have.

And when she pulled back to turn and leave, cheeks flushed and eyes as bright as the sun, she whispered, "Just catch me, too."

Slowly bending down, unable to take my eyes off her as she entered the ship again, I grabbed the bag in my hand. Maybe I didn't have to say goodbye. If I was going to catch her, I needed to be ready, waiting, willing.

As she turned back to look at me once more, I shot her a small smile and said, "I'll see you later, Vera."