Earthen Series Part One**Follow Aija, Zuri and Ze, as they are plunged into the dark world of aliens who are working to destroy the human race and take over the Earth; as they are faced with difficult decisions regarding love, feelings, abilities, t...
---- Aija is a Volunteer at the Pristine School at Innermost. She works along with Zuri and Ze, who are her friends.
---- Aija witnesses a strange event one night – light emanating from Rez's body. The kidnapper is after her soul, next, but he leaves her alive and goes away. Another man finds her, he wants to take her somewhere else - Aija though wary of him agrees.
---- Aija learns of the existence of the aliens – the Ytai. Also, about the R'ies and H'eon, Harvesting and Àvo from Etrie. Etrie tells her that the man, who Harvested Rez (Thieron), will now go after her. He tells her that the spy/kidnapper's name is Luka. Etrie asks her to work along with him.
---- Aija's parents tell her that she has received the notice for engagement from The Leadership. She hates the idea of it, but there is no escape.
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****7.3 - Aija****
Aija picked up the photograph and stormed out of the study.
She walked out into the chilly night and went to the glasshouse. She sat on a stone bench and threw the photo into a cluster of blooming hydrangea; without as much as a glance at it. She just sat there wondering on what basis the Leadership decided who and when a person should marry. It wasn't fair. And, it didn't just end at that. The Leadership also gave orders for the number of children a couple must have. Now that Aija thought of it, it seemed absolutely ridiculous to her. Had no one fallen in love? Had no one protested this outrageous control of the Leadership over its people?
A while later, when she felt calm enough, she reached for the photo. She found it half covered in mud. She picked it up, rubbed the dirt off against her jeans, and looked at it. The boy was handsome; he looked only a year or two older than her. And she had seen him before. He looked much older than she remembered last seeing him – of course, it had been years since they had met each other.
It was Quinn Ardal Ersco. He was the son of the Director of the Research Institute. She had met him when she had gone to her father's workplace several times when she was very young. Back then, his father Amir Ersco was still a Scientist and had worked on a project for her father's company. Aija and Quinn had spent several days during summer break playing together; it was also when she had wondered if Quinn came over to her place only to play with her dog – Terra.
The daughter of the biggest company married to the son of the Director of the Research Institute – she could see how the Leadership was thinking, now.
Moments later, Rei entered the glasshouse. He smiled at her, "I knew you would be here."
Aija slid across the bench to give him space to sit next to her. "Did they ask you to come all the way from medical school just to convince me?"
Rei laughed. He looked so much like their mother that sometimes she felt like looking at Addithri when she saw him. Did Rei ever felt the same when he looked at her? She looked a lot like Addithri too.
"Something like that." he grinned. "But, I won't convince you, just like I didn't convince you to take up medicine or science."
"Won't Ma and Pa get angry if they find out you didn't do your duty?"
"No. They love me too much." Rei winked, his voice held traces of laughter.
They sat in silence for some time.
"Surprised to find it is Quinn?" he broke their silence.
"Yes, and no," she admitted.
Rei studied her as her fingers fidgeted with the photo.
"You do what you want, Aija," he whispered.
She looked at him, wondering what gave him the courage to say that.
"Tell me, if you were in my position, what would you do?"
Rei sighed as he ran his fingers through his thick black hair. "I would take the chance and meet the person. You never know if you will like someone unless you meet them."
They sat in silence as she considered his words.
"How's school?" she changed the topic.
"Good." he said and added, "Is there someone you like? Is that why you are hesitating to meet Quinn?"
Aija was taken aback by the candidness of his voice. Rei continued to look at her for a response, but she just sat there, staring back at him.
"Who is he or she?"
She knew then that she had delayed her response. He might not even believe if she refused, but she did so anyway.
"No one, really," she answered, trying hard to not think of Ze.
Rei stayed quiet, but she knew he didn't believe her. Not completely.
"I'll support you," he assured her.
"With what?" she laughed it off. "Rei, I don't like anyone, not like that. It's just that I feel it is unfair for the Leadership to decide who and when I marry. How do they know we will want to live with each other for the rest of our lives? What if I hate him?"
Rei put an arm around her. They stayed like that for a long time, before he spoke, "If you don't want to do this, tell me. I'll help you. You don't have to do anything that you don't like."
"What can you do?"
"I don't know," he admitted, "but, you make sure you let me know."
Aija hugged her brother. Rei had always been protective of her.
There was nothing one could do against the Leadership, but he would probably do something if it were for her.
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