Setting Fire to the Stars (a MM Sci-Fi Romance)

Chapter 1: Invasion

**(Please note that this chapter contains bullying/harassment, physical and verbal violence, and profanity.)**

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Lauren
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(*tap tap*).  .  . Is this thing on? If you're watching this, put the camera down and back away slowly.

.  . . Wow. Still watching, huh? Someone's nosy. Fine, whatever, it's not like anyone else is gonna watch this crap. Tobias thought it might be good for me to record this so that I don't forget. Also, this isn't a diary, alright? I don't do diaries. It's just. . . therapy? Something like that.

The story you're about to hear is mine (Okay, sorry ours, yeesh. Do you mind? It's my turn to record. No, I don't appreciate your background commentary. Wait your turn and be quiet. Thank you). Anyways, please don't turn this into a movie or something, but in case you do, I want to be played by Timothée Chalamet, okay?

If this was a normal story, it might be a cutesy little romance all about how I fell in love with a super hot guy and how lived happily ever after without any problems ever.

Well, I hate to break it to you, but this isn't that kind of story. Buckle up, bitches, and don't forget the Mountain Dew.

- From the First Entry of the Lauren Everhart Diaries (*CORRECTION BY L. E. : NOT A DIARY!)

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When the spaceships first entered Earth's atmosphere, we all thought they were part of an elaborate hoax. My roommate and I had been chatting between fourth period when they came. Mateo nearly swallowed his cigarette at the sight of the several massive UFOs descending from the mid-day sky, their iridescent black hulls glimmering in the light of the sun.

Never in my eighteen years of life had I ever seen anything like it.

Following the sudden arrival of the foreign spacecrafts, the Headmaster decided to cancel the remainder of our classes for the day and we were dismissed to our dorm rooms. By the time I made it back, Mateo had our television turned on to the local news station. The live feed displayed an army of black ships descending upon cities all around the globe. NASA, ESA, and any amateur with a radio tried to make contact with them. There was no response. Never a good sign.

Now, I wasn't one of those conspiracy nuts, although I did think that there were select things that the bureaucrats of our fine nation were hiding from us. Things like confidential drone programs, mystery bunkers, and maybe one or two extraterrestrial encounters. Call me a skeptic, but Area 51 is famous for its secrets.

Okay, fine, so there's no evidence to prove anything, except that now I was staring out my window, looking at the fucking proof right in front of me. Not just me, but the whole world was watching with bated breath, wondering what the hell would happen next.

Hours passed without any movement from the approaching ships. The government issued a state of emergency, the ear-piercing broadcast of the emergency alert system crawling across each and every working television. The academy encouraged students to stay indoors but my instincts told me to pack up my stuff and run for the hills. I'd already tried calling my mom on both her cell and landline, but there was no answer. After leaving her dozens of texts telling her to take Lucy and get to the nearest military base before shit hit the fan, I tried contacting my brother. Tobias joined the military straight out of high school and last I'd heard, he had been stationed somewhere in Virginia. Mom and Lucy would be safe if they could get in touch with him. Hopefully.