I woke up at four in the morning, it was Friday, my last day off before I had to go back to work. I should’ve slept in, just to get back into the schedule, but I got up to go running anyway. It was the first time in the past week I woke up to run, with everything happening I really didn’t get a chance to keep my routine up.
I drug myself off the couch and slugged my way into the bedroom, Luna was still sleeping like a rock, still in human form. Quietly I made my way to my dresser, but maneuvering was slightly difficult because of the piles of worn clothes strewn throughout the place. I’d have to talk to her about using the hamper again when she woke up.
It didn’t take too long for me to grab my pants and shoes and after double and triple checking that my door was secured enough for me to feel comfortable leaving Luna alone in the same building as Mr. King, I was off. I didn’t take long into my run to start thinking about Luna and how I was going to get her back to where she belonged. Weird, normally when I run I think about my time in the Marines, back when I was fast, back when everything was normal. But not this time, this time I thought about Luna I could barely go twenty feet without her popping back into my thoughts when I was trying to think of something new.
This never happened, I always would think about ten or twenty things when I ran, but this time my thoughts enveloped her, probably because we’ve pretty much attached at the hip for the past week. It did feel weird not having Luna with me while I ran, but during our run to Wal Mart I failed to get her excursive gear, that was probably a good thing, I think I’ve caught enough people staring at Luna’s more ‘noticeable’ assets as it was anyway.
My run lasted barely thirty minutes, less than half of what it usually takes, but I needed to get back to the flat before Luna woke up. I didn’t want Luna to get worried and go looking for me, that would be way too much to deal with early in the morning, also adding the freaks in this neighborhood, that’d be a tad too much for me to deal with at the moment.
I ran up the stairs to my apartment and checked the door, unlocked. I pushed the door open, ready to do whatever needed to be done. But what was inside I didn’t really expect I saw Luna on the couch watching the morning news and sitting next to her was Jamie. Luna let Jamie in, not sure why but I was relieved to see that it was only Jamie, anyone else I may have been worried.
“Good morning Aedan,” said Luna as she popped up from the couch. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
“You have?” I asked, “When exactly did you wake up?”
“When you walked into the bedroom,” she replied. “I didn’t want to worry you if I got up unexpectedly.”
“You’ve been worrying me ever since you got here,” I said smiling while I placed my hand on her shoulder, “You’ve just been so busy acquainting yourself that you haven’t noticed.”
“Well I knew how to do everything here I wouldn’t really need you.”
“What are you two talking about?” Jamie asked to gain our attention, “She’s never been to St. Louis before?”
“Yeah,” I said quickly. “She’s from Kansas City, like me, but she’s been in Colombia at the university for a few years she decided to-“
“Pay you a visit and all of her luggage on the plane got lost,” Jamie finished, “She’s also looking for a job because she’s planning to live here.”
“H-how… how did YOU know?”
“I popped in about twenty minutes ago to see if you were awake,” she explained, “I was slightly surprised to see a girl like Luna answer the door, but she was nice enough to let me in, I asked the obvious and she answered.”
“Oh… yeah, that makes since.”
“You think?” Jamie said letting out a giggle alongside Luna. “Why did you never introduce me to such a wonderful person?”
“Yes Aedan…” Luna added. “Why didn’t you introduce me to Jamie?”
“I guess it slipped my mind…”
“Well I forgive you for your mistake.” Luna said, “So long as you don’t do it again.”
“Whatever you say, princess.” I replied with the utmost of sarcasm.
“Well aren’t you two are adorable,” Jamie said smiling. “The two of you make a very cute couple.”
“We’re NOT a couple.” Luna and I said simultaneously.
“I know,” Jamie said letting out a laugh. “But the two of you just seem to be that close.”
“We’ve been friends for a long time,” I replied. “We’ve never been anything more.”
“Ok, ok I get it…” Jamie said rolling her eyes, “You’ve been just ‘friends’.”
“That’s right… just ‘friends’.”
“You don’t have to keep saying that, or else I’ll start believing something different,” Jamie smirked. “But as I said already, I was here to see if you were awake and as you know I must’ve just missed you.”
“Which begs the question,” Luna interjected, tilting her head like a puppy. “What did you want to speak with Aedan about?”
“Well…” Jamie said scratching her chin, “I was going to ask him to dinner and a movie Saturday, IF his schedule allowed it.”
Luna and I were taken back by this revelation. I knew that Jamie had shown a growing interest in me, but for some odd reason I didn’t think for one second that she was going to ask me out. She sat there on the couch waiting for me to say something, probably ‘yes’, because like I said before, she’s a very good looking girl, but I still had an obligation to Luna and this would postpone her getting back home yet again.
“Well Jamie…” I said trying to think of the most polite way to say no. “I am really b-”
“He’d love to,” Luna interrupted. “Aedan really needs to get out more.”
I was speechless, never in my life had another person made me go out on a date. I cast my eyes over to Luna, the smile on her face was cute, yet deviousness almost as if she had planned it. No matter what Luna was going to have to answer for it when Jamie left, which now didn’t look like it would be long.
“That’s fantastic,” Jamie said getting up. “I’ll be ready at six; YOU can pick the place… Oh and Aedan…” she said brushing her hand across my chest as she walked past me to the door. “I hate Chinese food.”
And with that the door closed behind her, leaving only me and the reason for the dumbfounded look on my face left in the room. I turned my attention to Luna she still held that smile.
“And THAT was for?” I asked.
“I think you need to get out more,” Luna replied still smiling. “I think you’ll thank me for it in time.”
“I could think of a few things to do to you right now,” I said stepping before her. “Seriously why did you do that?”
“You need it, THAT’S why,” She said. “You’ve been working so hard trying to make me feel at home, you’ve spent a great deal of your currency on me and you’ve made me an identity AND a life so I could stay safe… in truth my entire time here I haven’t seen you do anything for yourself.”
“You realize that you’re on a foreign planet, you have no knowledge of the world around you and you have no money… I’d do this for anyone in that situation.”
“And yet you fail to admit that you haven’t done anything for yourself over the past week.”
“That’s not the point,” I said. “You spoke for me when I was going to-“
“Aedan,” Luna interrupted wrapping her arms around me and staring me square in the eyes with her own two sapphires. “For too long I’ve seen you stressed out, giving everything for someone you didn’t even know, even letting me stay in your home when you had no idea how I was going to react.” She leaned in closer, “You need to have time for yourself.”
“What about you?” I asked, “You still need my help, you and I still need to-“
I was interrupted by Luna’s finger pressing against my lips as she drew even closer. “You’ve taught me enough about your world for now,” she whispered. “I can take care of myself.”
“Are you sure?” I asked. “Because I’m sure I could-“
“Yes I’m sure.” Luna replied rolling her eyes. “I’m not a child you know, I’m-“
“Over one thousand years old?” I asked with the utmost sarcasm.
“Exactly,” She replied, finally releasing me. “The day is still early, do you have any plans for it?”
“I didn’t have plans for anything until YOU set me up with Jamie.”
“Are you still upset about that?”
“I’m not upset…” I said, folding my arms. “I’m just shocked that you’d do that.”
“Don’t you like her?” she asked. “I wasn’t trying to make it too obvious for her but… well it’s a little-“
“I like her…” I said. “As a friend.”
“Just a friend?”
“Yes…” I reiterated. “Just a friend.”
“You seem to only have friends and enemies Aedan,” Luna said concerned. “Why don’t you wish to have anything more than what you already have?”
“I’m content with what I have…” I replied trying to walk past her. “That’s all you can ask for.”
“Content isn’t happy…” Luna said placing her hand on my shoulder.
“It’s close enough for me,” I said brushing her hand off. “What about you? Are you happy in your little pony world?”
Luna paused for a second, as if I said something that struck a nerve, not a big nerve, but one that was enough to rate a reaction like hers.
“I am content…” she said looking away.
Maybe what I said was a little bit too personal, I’d never seen her like this. She was that ‘woman’ mad, as in ‘I’m angry but I’m not going to tell you why because you should know why’ kind of angry. But I’m a guy; I didn’t know what she was angry about.
“Uh Luna…” I said passively, “you still wanna watch T.V.?”
“I suppose…” she said sitting on the opposite end of the couch, away from me.
Now I really knew she was angry, every time before today she would sit next to me. I was kind of lucky come to think about it, because if we were in a relationship I’d have to sleep on the couch anyway. Several hours had passed and the local channel was starting to show the Cardinals getting ready to play the Dodgers. I looked over to Luna; she still looked pretty upset over what I had said earlier. I still had no idea what I said to make her so upset, but I also knew that now wasn’t a time to let my pride get in the way.
“I’m sorry…”
“What?” Luna asked, finally looking over to me.
“For what I said earlier… I’m sorry…”
“Are you?”
“For what it’s worth… yes I am.”
“Then I forgive you.” Luna said scooting to my side.
“Just like that?” I asked.
“Just like that…” Luna replied, “I realize I was wrong for speaking for you… and now you have to do something you don’t want to.”
“Don’t feel too bad, princess.” I said, “I’m used to THAT kind of thing happening, besides, I actually might have some fun.”
“Glad you’re looking at it with an open mind,” Luna said growing a smile.
“Might as well…” I said chuckling. “Haven’t been on a date in months.”
“Aedan…” Luna said. “There was something that I wanted to ask you.”
“Go for it.”
“While Jamie and I waited for you we did talk a little.”
“I know…” I said confused, “You told me.”
“I know but there were a few things she asked me that confused me a little.”
“Ok… what were they?”
“Well…” she said thinking back to a few hours ago. “She asked me how you were in bed.”
“What?!”
“I know, she asked me how you slept in a bed… I told her I’ve never seen you sleep in a bed, so I couldn’t tell her.”
“Is that all?” I asked covering my face with my hand.
“Oh no…” Luna said continuing, “After I answered that she then asked me if I had ever slept with you.”
“And what did you say to that?” I asked fearing the answer.
“I told her that we did sleep together on the couch,” Luna answered to my horror. “And I told her that it was wonderful, you just seemed to encompass me and make me feel special.”
“Oh God…” I quivered. “THAT’S why she was talking to me like that…”
“Like what?” Luna asked. “I answered her truthfully, is that a problem?”
“Luna…” I said pulling her close. “Apparently there WAS something I forgot to tell you about…”
I pulled her into me again and whispered the meaning of both phrases into her ear. When I looked at her face I saw that it became as red as a tomato. I was slightly surprised that she’d never heard those terms, but then again, she was from a show for little girls.
“T-THAT’S what that means?” she stuttered.
“Afraid so…” I replied.
“So she thinks we’ve….”
“Yup…”
“I-I didn’t mean to… to…”
“It’s fine Luna, you didn’t know.” I said reassuringly, “But it will make Jamie and my date a tad bit more awkward for me.”
“You really think so?”
“Yeah, it’s no big deal…” I said. “You just want to watch the game now?”
“Yes…” Luna replied. “I could use something to get my mind off of what I’ve just heard…”
The two of us sat there, thinking about what just happened. After the game was over we just went about our daily business. Knowing that tomorrow was going to be the real challenge.