COSMIC

22 - Who Can I Be Now?

The following morning, I awoke to sunlight shining brightly through my window, an indication that it was already late morning. My thoughts returned instantly to my night with David. The memory of us dancing in the center of the living room was still fresh and for a brief moment, I let myself float back in time to remember the feeling of being in his arms.

Though it was our final evening alone together, it didn't last long, despite how much we both wanted time to stand still. But my mom was to return home from work soon, so we spent our time enjoying our few remaining dances despite how cheesy we felt while doing so. But it was simple. Little was said between us, as we had already said everything we could think of. All that remained was to be in each other's company and cherish the moment. The silence was comfortable.

Our world was interrupted, though, by the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. In a moment of panic, we switched off the radio and the lone lamp that remained lit, only grasping for the hope that my mom hadn't noticed. Quickly, in a flurry of steps, David and I rushed to the back door. With only a few seconds before Mom would open the front door, he kissed me one last time, the hurry of the moment filling it with passion we hadn't fully expressed. It was brief, but left me breathless all the same, as he grabbed the door handle and stepped outside.

"I will see you tomorrow," he whispered, before rushing down the porch and vanishing into the night.

Following his departure, I slipped into my room and closed the door only moments before Mom entered the house. I listened intently for any signs of her suspicions and dreaded her calling out to me. But it never came. Instead, she went into her room and quietly closed the door--just like every other night.

I breathed a sigh of relief and climbed into bed, curling up my legs as I laid on my side and feeling every possible emotion of someone helplessly in love.

So there I laid, mere hours later and it was morning--the morning of our last meeting with David. It was almost unbelievable that we were actually saying goodbye and that this would be the last time I'd get to see him--not just as a fan, but a friend and lover. But then I realized, and hoped, that we would stay friends and lovers forever. Whatever was between us, it was impossible to forget. Suddenly, I realized I needed to tell him that before it was too late.

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When evening arrived, Nancy and I met with the gang in the woods as usual. David's absence for several days had allowed our parents' suspicions to cool and we found ourselves with renewed freedom to go out at night. Still, the location of our meeting place remained secret and so did the coordination of our plans.

Now the candles were lit, signaling we were ready for our final rendezvous. In a matter of seconds, as if he were waiting for us already, David appeared seemingly out of thin air--a sight I had become familiar with, however unlikely that would seem. And according to his personality, he was never one to go out quietly. On this night, he stood fully clothed as an alien--the alien he had created on our planet--wearing a bodysuit of pink and silver stripes, glossy, bright red boots and makeup that made his face glow and sparkle in the moonlight.

I stared in awe, surprised by the attire that inspired fascination and curiosity about the man who wore it. This was what the world had come to know and only appeared on television, a contrast to the man I had personally discovered. Yet, it was familiar all the same, reminding me of the ever-changing person David was.

A few giggles of amazement mixed with excitement went around the group, while David and I shared a knowing grin. "Well," he began. "I felt that since this is our last visit together, I should make it interesting."

I laughed. "Cheesy as always. But I like it." I nodded thoughtfully while looking him up and down.

The moment passed and I assumed his next move would be to sit down around the fire, but he didn't budge. Standing before us all, David's demeanor changed to indicate he was about to say something important.