//------------------------------// // Chapter 15- Love and Doubt // Story: The Thirty-Moon Roommate // by Lux //------------------------------// Chapter 15 - Love and Doubt You and Twilight made it to the restaurant after your adventure in the magic shop. All the while you began to ask her what her interests were. It was clear through the seemingly hour long conversation at the restaurant that she was very much a bookworm, which was no wonder considering her interest at the shop. The library nearby, therefore, was definitely where you had to take her next. Even though you learned much about her love of reading and magic in your travels, you still knew little about her. “Twilight,” you said as you sat and watched her pour over books like someone studying for a test, “Can I ask you a question?” “Sure,” she replied turning the book she was reading upside down so as not to lose her spot. “We’ve been together for about a day now, but I feel that if we’re going to be together for I don’t know how long, I want to get to know you more.” “That makes sense,” she said, “It’s not that I’ve been avoiding this, just that I’m kind of an open book. But whatever question you have, I’m all ears.” “Ok, first, when you’re…home, what do you look like?” “You mean back in my world?” she asked before mulling the question, “I sort of look like this.” “Sort of?” you said, “What do you mean by sort of?” “Err…well…I’m purple,” she said with a shrug, “but my hair and eyes look similar.” “Purple huh? That’s interesting. Well, you have no problem with me as I like the color purple.” “You do? Well, whereas yours is a choice, I was kind of born like that.” “So you mean not everyone there is purple?” “Oh no. We’re a whole rainbow of colors! My one friend is blue, another is pink, and another is white for example.” “So if I visited there, what color do you think I’d be?” “Hm….” she said staring at you for a moment, “Hard to say. Then again, I didn’t know I’d look this way coming to your world.” “Well, I think you look just fine,” you said trying not to let your eyes wander. “Aww…you’re so nice. Anyway do you have other questions about me?” “Well, besides liking magic and books, what else do you like?” “I like going outdoors and exploring, visiting my friends and relatives, traveling to new places, going to parties. How about you?” “I try to do those things, but my job kind of prevents me from just getting up and doing what I like.” “That’s a shame,” she said, “Where I come from there are jobs of course, but we’re free to do other things of course.” “Ok, one other question,” you said feeling emboldened by the way the conversation was going, “Do you have a significant other?” Twilight stared at you for a moment, as if unsure what she heard. Surely she knew what you meant by significant other, even if she never had one. You didn’t feel comfortable trying to explain this to her, as where this conversation was heading was towards dangerous personal territory. But just when you anticipated a question or a curt rejection of your prying to your question, Twilight merely sighed. “No, I don’t anyone in my life like that. Oh I’ve had some crushes here and there, but they didn’t last. Why do you ask?” “Uhhh…” you said pausing for a moment to choose your words, “No reason. Just something for getting to know you.” “Is that normal for people from your world to ask others about their romantic relationships?” “Well, only for special people, I guess.” “Special people huh?” Twilight said cocking her head to the side, “What kind of special person?” “Those who you’re friends with, really friends with?” “Oh, I see,” Twilight said before wearing a curious look. “I think. So, what about you?” “What do you mean?” “You wanted to know so much about whether I have a special someone, but do you have a special someone in your life?” “Well, I guess I could say I’m like you in that department,” you said with a shrug. “I had some girlfriends in the past, but nothing really happened. I guess what I was looking for in a relationship wasn’t what I could find with them. Maybe my expectations were too high.” “Alright then, what are your expectations?” Twilight said matter-of-fact like. “What do you mean?” “I love solving problems,” Twilight said proudly, “especially puzzles. What it sounds like is you have a puzzle with your relationship. The first thing to solving this is seeing what you have to work with. So, what are you looking for? What’s your goal in this?” “Well, goal wise…I want a girlfriend?” “Um…I think that’s kind of…obvious with you talking about people having a special someone” Twilight said while somehow removing her being a choice from the whole equation. “No, what I meant by goal was what qualities you’re looking for in an ideal girlfriend?” “I guess I’m looking for someone who’s smart.” “Smart huh? Ok, that’s a good start. How smart?” “Well, smart like you actually.” “Ah, I see. Alright, what else are you looking for in your special someone?” “She has to be kind, caring and friendly, not emotionally detached,” you said as you watched Twilight making a mental checklist, “She should be dependable, not like needing to be there for me all the time, but, you know, when it mattered. And, she should have a sense of humor, but not over the top.” “Is that all?” Twilight said as if waiting for another point. “No…I think that’s it. I know that anyone is more than those qualities, but these are definitely what I’d like to see in my special someone.” “Alright, well they all seem like really good qualities to me,” she said with a smile, “Funny, they all actually apply to….” Her voice trailed off for a moment as if she was reviewing the mental list once more like a person rereading a chapter in a book for clarity. Suddenly her eyes went wide with surprise as if a light suddenly was turned on in the dark. “Apply to…” you said echoing her last statement while confused at the pause. “Never mind,” she said shaking her head, “It was just something silly I thought of.” “Silly? Well, what was it?” “Well, looking at all those qualities, it seems they match perfectly with me. But that can’t be right! I mean, the qualities are correct, but surely you’re thinking of someone else.” She looked at you for what felt like forever, as if to get some confirmation from you.  You knew what she wanted you to say, that you were just friends with her and nothing more. It would be easy for you to lie. After all, love at first sight was just something in stories, right? But as you opened your mouth to declare that you were simply friends with Twilight, you hesitated. It was only a few seconds, but to you and especially Twilight it spoke louder than anything you could say. “Oh my gosh!” she exclaimed as her eyes went wide, “You do like me as a special someone, don’t you?” “I…I think I do,” you said slightly confused. “No…now’s not the time for uncertainty. I want to know, do you like me as a friend, or something more?” “I like you, Twilight,” you said as the words poured out of your mouth, “I never felt this way before with anyone I knew. I know this is crazy. We just met and you’re from another world, but I can’t just ignore this any longer. The moment we first touch it was magic. I felt you, not just your hand but your spirit and your love. Surely you felt that too, right?”” Having nothing more to say, you waited for her to respond. Instead, she looked like a sudden wind would blow her over. “Twilight, say something. You’re starting to scare me.” “I…I felt it too when you took my hand. I…think I like you, too. Oh this makes no sense! We just met less than a day ago! How could we be like each other like this?” “I don’t know, we just do,” you said with a chuckle. “I’m sorry, but I can’t.” “You can’t what?” “I can’t let this relationship continue. You’re from her, and I’m going to be going home sometime soon. If our relationship continues, if we fall in love, we’d be only breaking each other’s hearts when we have to leave. So, I’m sorry, but even though I want to like you more, I can’t. I just can’t.” The words struck you like lightning, destroying any promise of a future together. You could see Twilight on the verge of crying when she said this, not seeing a way out from this problem. You couldn’t believe that she with all her smarts would find a way out of this, that the two of you would make it work. But as you mulled the situation in your mind you knew it was a tough predicament. There was no way she could stay here on Earth, not when she longed to return home. If she stepped through that portal, there was no telling when and even if she would be able to return to this place and to you. Something did cross your mind, a flicker of inspiration but also a big sacrifice for you. Was this idea one to assure that your love would last, or was it one you would regret? The two of you returned to your apartment, no longer in the mood to see the sights of the city. You didn’t speak to Twilight, and neither was she interested in talking. It was clear the two had their minds filled with thoughts and emotions colliding with each other like magical energies. Love, sadness, confusion, and wonder; all these clouded your thoughts and hers as the sun began to set on the day.