The Space Speculation: Book 2 ~Painful Past~

Chapter 2: Love at First Sight

That night at dinner they served Spaghetti from Earth, my favorite. 

I only played with my food though; most of the time I was staring at Colin, who sat across from me.

 I couldn't believe it. His name was beautiful too! 

Every time he would glance my way, I would divert my attention to my plate so he wouldn't see me staring at him.

 Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him smile at something King Hayden had said. 

He had the most adorable grin! Just curved up at the corner of his mouth, a small smile turning into laughter. I knew one thing; I was in love with him, from the very beginning. Love at first sight--the whole bit. The only question was, was he in love with me? 

I found out that night.

The stars were out, and we could see the whole solar system just by standing outside.

 The children could use a cheap telescope and look down at Earth to see all the humans running around. 

The parents let them do what they want until they fall asleep, which was easy because the kids usually conk out on the ground outside after playing with their friends for a couple of hours.

After dinner, I headed towards the door and stepped outside to look at the stars.

 Mother had told me to be home by 85:30, so I spent my time sitting cross-legged on the ground. We learned it from the humans, but it's very tricky for a Plutonian to sit criss-cross-applesauce because we have so many legs. I had mastered it.

I heard the door shut behind me and Colin sat down beside me. 

I held my breath. 

"Hey," he said, tilting his head to look at the night sky.

 "I never got your name." He flashed a smile at me. 

I giggled. "Uh, well, I'm, um..." I stuttered, then took a deep breath.

 "My name is uh, Paithenia." 

He nodded.

 I shivered as a cold wind blew across Pluto.

 "It's chilly out, isn't it," I said. 

Colin looked embarrassed. 

"Sorry, would you like my coat?"

 "Oh, no, I wasn't suggesting anything, you know..." 

"Yeah but you look freezing, I mean..."

 "No really, it's fine..."

 "No, I want you to be warm." He smiled a nervous smile. 

"Well thanks," I said as he insisted on putting his impossibly warm Shishin wool coat over my shoulders. 

We sat together for a couple moments, just staring at the stars.

 "So," Colin said, breaking the silence, 

"uh, Paithenia. Um, have you ever been to Neptune?" 

I shook my head. 

"No. What's it like?" 

Colin put his chins on his fists, thinking. 

"Well," he started, 

"it's . . . interesting. There's this huge castle where the royal family and their servants live, and there's this beautiful room that, before she died, my mother decorated for a young woman to stay in. You know, when me and my brother get married." He blushed. 

"It has peachy-pink walls and pink silk curtains. It has no windows, but Mom liked curtains. She said they brighten up a room. The wooden frame on the bed has a beautiful design of a Fursonian flower and is also light pink. It was a beautiful room. Mom was saving it for our wives, and she always wished she could live to see our marriages."

 Colin sniffed. I put a hand on his shoulder as if to say, "I'm here for you", and he lifted his head with a sad smile. 

Suddenly he stood up and wiped his eyes. 

"I should get to bed. You too, Paithenia."

 He offered some of his hands, and I took them. 

"See you tomorrow," he said, gazing into my eyes. 

Then he went inside, and I was alone.

 I shuddered happily and sighed.

 My sweet Colin, I thought, Goodnight.

This section was written by Melina