Chapter Theme Music: Daijoubu ~ Doki Doki Literature Club OST60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWXdhXzMrm
<12/05/2011 - 08:55 | Saffrin Middle School (GA Studies), Austell, GA, USA>
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As expected, Lumina managed to make a full recovery two days after the wedding. As amazing as her abilities were, I told her to hold off on using any special tricks until we better understood how it all works with energy consumption, and she agreed.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKixLMejVVH
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I didn't get to spend the weekend with her properly, but I knew there was still plenty of time ahead of us. After all the time I spent with her in the past, it was easier for me to come up with new and exciting ideas for us to have some fun. Whether it was walking around at night, watching movies, playing board games together, or going out to eat together, I knew my long list of things to do would wind up being infinite in length.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4vLmydd5QP
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As I sat by the usual gang in my Monday classroom, I let the familiar gaiety wash over me from my fresh memories of the ceremony, as did Lumina. We were at that fun phase now of staring deeply into each other's eyes with her mirror, chanting each other's names over and over until we ran out of breath. Our love made us crazier, but I wasn't crazy for loving her. I wished I could be there with her in person now, holding her, telling her over and over how much of a cutie she is. Just the thought of being with her in person made my heart soar, my mind sinking into the vice of new infatuation.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRB17Dt1YGE
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"—And he was just staring dumbfounded."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWowJ8PJob
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"Did you ask him why?"60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM76jTU1hic
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While Laura and Banarus conversed with each other, I knew I could get away with letting my dreamy and spacy expressions show a little. The class day might have been boring, but Lumina was all my mind could think about, every aspect, every detail, every concept; it all equated to the essence of Lumina.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipFYpj9bao
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Lumina sighed after realizing there was nothing within the class to talk about. I would normally let her listen in on interesting topics of discussions, though Georgia Studies was never-ever interesting to either of us. "Another day, another snore fest in class."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpfECrfxKb
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"Yeah..." I didn't care. Hearing her speak to me at all right now meant the world to me. Every breath she took, every gesture she made, and that amazing blushing smile she made every time I complimented her in the mirror ranked top on priority. As I reminded myself that she was now my wife, I felt like partying so much in the excitement that my body shuttered a little.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCAy9Ymtni
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"I just wish your friends would talk about something more interesting."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJCBYKQwxU
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"I wonder if there are any other fieldtrips we could go on."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImQGX8CwAb
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"I see. Had enough fun on the last one?"60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9Bn0TGzZ8
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"More than you realize Lumina. This winter has been so perfect." I couldn't stop the watering love reflecting through my eyes as I thought back and considered how lucky we both were. Wahsega was the best moment of my life, and then it was followed up by the next best moment of my life. I enjoyed all of it because of her, because of Lumina, because I got to be near Lumina and synchronize my feelings with her. "Wahsega was so amazing! And I guess I did kind of enjoy pretending to be a girl for the whole day."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8nGEUOpaAq
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Lumina laughed loudly at my response, mainly because the mention of it brought back every single memory of Wahsega so strongly, as if it happened today. "It's a strange system. Your wife loves getting off on humiliating people, and my husband is a cross-dresser... There's a statement I can never take back."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwU0JEjaHjz
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"Now that we're married, what do you think we should do next?" I started tracing and scribbling my finger on the flat surface of my desk, getting more into the mood by the thought of our possible honeymoon.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HCzCjM8UP
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"Like what? Us being married is really the best thing, but you don't actually expect us to have a physical honeymoon, do ya? I wasn't kidding when I told you we can't have sex while you're down there."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8G5OC0DHT1
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"Well, I understand the problem with that..." Really, I do. Even though I was thinking about it more and more, becoming less embarrassed about the idea of having sex with Lumina, I knew it was a physical impossibility for us until I'm up there with her someday. "But Lumina, I still want to have some fun going out with you. I want to try several new places, have lots of new experiences with you, and spending all the time I have with you. Maybe we can have a month of super romantic dating."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmLaNqw37DV
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"You really mean that?" Lumina got even more excited, reminding us that given the circumstances and differences of our worlds, I would have to be the provider and inventor of our new moments.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBXmm3yKGc
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"We should go on another date very soon, just for the fun of it. We can consider that to be our honeymoon, just the two of us."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19Owu78qOJ
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"You always have the simplest ideas Reed. Nothing's too complicated for you to work out." I knew now I made her happier, and we both started shifting our voices to be lovelier than before, in the mood only for romance. "Okay. Let's figure something out after school gets out today, okay?"60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0b0gnOJlf
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"It's a date... Wait, you want to phase out the connection like before?" I want to keep looking into her eyes, into her soul for as long as I could, to get lost in her never-ending beauty until I could become one with her in every manner.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUoqKdzJ4W
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"Just until this worst class ends. I can't stand it here."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqsJH4Bovl
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I guess Lumina gets bored of these classes as well. Even mighty Altiri are no match for the desolate, spirit-crushing annoyance of public school. "Very well. I'll call you right back if you doddle though."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAlN5KcmksB
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"You know I won't." Lumina left me with those words as she phased out the connection, promising to see me again very soon within the same day.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡls6wSc3NdB
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I knew the connection was phased after getting used to the different sensations of how the telepathy feels passively, but even though she was only leaving me for a moment, my mind couldn't shake the thought of her away. My lips curved into the strongest smile of bliss ever; my eyes might as well have become heart-shaped. Lumina... My love. My wife. My soul mate. Lumina. Lumina, Lumina, Lumina. Just invoking her name brings me to life inside, an energy so certain and electric.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkxB3nrDIGP
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"You seem quite happy today." I didn't realize until many seconds after - that Zero was talking about me.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxynpyLIkt
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"Nah, he's just staring off into space."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3epPfhPere
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I have to give it to Banarus on this one. She doesn't know the difference between the instance and when I'm talking to Lumina, but this time, I really was letting my mind wander. Why wouldn't I? Thoughts about Lumina are the best thoughts I can have. "As a matter of fact, I am." There's no sense in my lying about how I feel inside. I think I might be the happiest person on Earth.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqy5inSP93
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"Oooh! Did something happen with you and Lumina?" Suddenly hyper and excited, Laura floated off her seat by squatting halfway, trying to get up in my face as usual.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWu3c6aU5fT
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Her question came at me out of nowhere, so she did catch me off guard. Who knows whether I was still blushing from earlier or not? "What do you mean did something happen? Things have been happening. Lumina and I have been an item for a while now, but you already know that." Why are they picking on me all the sudden? Now I have to make sure I don't say anything crazy or suspicious.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZMEAJAW7l
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"I still have not seen this Lumina though." At last, Banarus let us all know how skeptical she was of Lumina's entire existence, and she wasn't afraid to show it. "It's kind of hard to believe you found someone so special when you won't even show her around."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogsFKEZzQY
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She's not for someone to gawk at! "I'm sorry, but I have my personal reasons for doing that. Lumina's life is a bit more personal than the average person." I knew it was the right thing to say, but my ammunition didn't carry the same kick it had before.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnFjzqMnCp
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Laura played the role of detective right beside Banarus, so much that I imagined her in a Sherlock Holmes outfit. "Didn't you say you were going together with Lumina at Wahsega? Somebody has to know her from there."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB8iN55DGc4
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At least they waited a full month to say something about it. "Well, I only said that Lumina was arriving to Wahsega at the same time. I didn't say anything about her enrolling or registering in any of the official classes and other activities."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzl3FlfoXnm
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"So she was just there illegally, and nobody knew it but you?" Zero sounded the least bit convinced. I had told her before that I was sneaking Lumina into Wahsega behind the backs of all chaperones, and on a few technicalities, I did do exactly that, in our own special way. So I don't see why she's bringing it up again. "Cause I was watching pretty closely when you went to the dance, and I didn't see you hanging around anyone outside the ordinary."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWmPwFYs6w
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This is getting out of hand. I have to change the subject before they decide Lumina is too interesting to ignore. "Look. Everything about the situation is more complicated than you can understand. Yes, Lumina was there with me. No, nobody around here got to actually meet her. And yes, I did my best to keep her presence out of sight and mind from all the teachers. Really, it wasn't that hard for me to sneak out of the cabin Saturday night."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSWvZVe3Oz
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Before I could realize the mistake I just made, Laura and Banarus both shared their sudden blushing expression and outburst, loud enough for everyone to hear, though thankfully without sufficient context. "You snuck out to be with your girlfriend that night?" Both spoke at the same time with the same words.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YdbHsh5Xy
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I decided to just go with it, since that's actually what happened. I mean, is it really unbelievable for a guy to sneak out of a cabin to meet his girlfriend outside, assuming that's how they're envisioning the scenario? "Well forgive me for spending one night with Lumina under some different scenery."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqUpYr47XzL
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This time, I didn't know why, but all three of them gasped at once, Zero with the most shocked expression. "You and her spent the night together? Reed!"60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE9JQIJj3gF
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Talk any louder, and the whole school will jump to conclusions! "Jesus! It's not as if I walked out there and started banging." Just saying that was too embarrassing, and it had Banarus laughing too hard to keep up with the conversation, but I focused on the reactions of everyone else, whom seemed less interested after that tiny clarification... Zero, why would you think that's what I meant? "I meant what I said literally; it wasn't a euphemism." I was glad to have the extra understanding Lumina gave me that night though. If it weren't for her one-day boot camp on mature language, I would have never survived this long under their pressure.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH42rLS63up
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"Awh, still a virgin!" Banarus tried to tease me about it, under the assumption that I would have been embarrassed to admit it...60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAI41UKaV2
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Okay, so maybe I am a little, but it's not as if Lumina and I actually can do those things together anyway. Since when is it uncool to be a virgin at my age though? "That supposed to be a bad thing?"60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lRRMCz9iZ
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They ignored my question, with Zero patting me on the back instead. "I guess we should just be happy that you have someone like that."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHTnIqF8o8G
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"Yes, you should." I finally got to relax, sensing that the worst of their prying was over. When I answered Zero, it brought my mood back to where it was moments ago, how dreamy Lumina is. "After all said and done, I know that she's the one I'll be with forever."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGc2nikviPn
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"Aawwh!" Laura, Zero, and Banarus all gave me the same response, looking at me and the mysterious woman like we were a cute couple.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7t1XpIa8Z
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Then, Laura threw another curve at me. "Are you going to marry her one day?"60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9B1RaacemF
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If I had been drinking water, I would have instinctively splashed it back out, with my eyes wide with the ironic surprise. "Why are you so passive about saying that...?" Wait, how do I answer this question? I can't just let them know I'm already married to Lumina, or they would wring my neck for answers. At the same time, I don't want to lie to them.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡthex9tTtcy
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"What do you mean? I think it's a fair question. Right Banarus?" Laura glanced to Banarus for confirmation, and Banarus gave all of us two very slow and certain vertical nods.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSTHDR99f0
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I was pinned to the wall now, granting myself the little time I didn't have to think about this. If I simply lie to everyone right now and give them the most expected answer of 'Maybe one day,' then it would be a total fib. I can't just come right out and admit that we are married already either. I'm sure that would cause issues; I was warned that it would already. Plus, even if I did let it slip, they would then want to see the proof, which is sitting in a computer on the opposite end of the universe! "I... Where I go and what I do isn't anyone's business." I knew that wasn't my best line, but I was getting too nervous to come up with anything but a simple evasion.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2oDxa7s7pN
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Laura just stuck to her guns and kept giving me that annoying teasing face of doubt. "Oooh, that sounds like honeymoon secrets to me. You probably got married in secret already while we weren't looking."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOGr8rJB3H
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"No way! How do you already know about that?" Without thinking, I stood up out of my seat to gesture my panicked response. I couldn't figure out how Laura was able to see through me this easily!60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApYVxnUVXz
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Mirroring my panicked surprise, all three of them jumped their hands on their desks for lift off, screaming their shock right into my face. "Whaaaaat?!"60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AJ8Xenp3n
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"Keep it down, girls!" Ms. Hill wasn't happy about the huge disruption to our independent classwork, but she didn't beat them over the head either.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBoUwrOvAU
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"Eh?" I didn't understand what was going on right away. It made no sense for them to be this shocked at something I said if Laura figured it out already— Oh, you gotta be kidding me!60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXAcacJu7wl
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"So then, you are married to her already?" Banarus wasn't her usual cheery self anymore. She wasn't really upset by the news, just too shocked to crack any more jokes about the moment.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoie0K1d6kW
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What the hell just happened? How did that just happen?60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK6XrM9NQjv
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"You're holding out on us!" Laura's eyes got crazy, reminding me of some of the scarier sides to a few anime flicks I've seen. She was smiling too, desperate and crazy for the details. "I was only kidding about the honeymoon thing, but to think you already have one in progress? Give me all the juicy details!" Nobody had seen Laura this energetic before, but who wouldn't be after hearing someone in eighth grade getting married to an unseen sweetheart?60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgM18Ns6GB
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"Hold on a sec," Zero interrupted, now turning to directly ask to my face. "Are you actually married to Lumina?"60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNHo3siZb4
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Zero is skeptical, but that's to be expected. She wouldn't ask me the same question even knowing I slipped up if she believed it to be true. She's sharp as always... But I didn't mean to let it slip like that; it was an accident! What do I do now? If Laura and Banarus actually suspect that there is more going on between me and Lumina... There's no reason to try lying only to Zero... But I have to find a stopping point fast! What to say... Come on, think of what to say! "Well..." My face started burning red with embarrassment, and I couldn't look her in the eyes. Part of me wants them to know, even though I know where it will lead, but I don't know what to say anymore. I can't tell them I'm not married with a poker face.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGuzzVzGjxz
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"But..." Zero's expressions contorted a little, as she finally came to the same reaction her other two friends made. "How?! You're only fifteen! Marriage isn't legal at that age."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFGXuwgQ1xv
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Hit with that small epiphany, Banarus put her finger on her cheek to think, with Laura to follow. "Oh yeah, that is true."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDk96pfpR0j
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"Care to explain?"60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0EWM7ePbX
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The three of them all started looking at me, staring in wait for me to explain the impossible! Their mix of surprise and skepticism scrambled my mind... I've been ambushed! Do I call Lumina back now and have her freak out with me? If I did let Lumina know about this now, she would slap me on both sides of the face asking me how I could be this stupid, so I won't be doing that. But I have to say something... "Look... Marriages for people of different ages do exist. They're just not common." I'm screwed!60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNjuosTtEi
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Sharing her confusion with me, Banarus tried to unravel the mystery with her gang. "But I thought you would have been married over here."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXP148r5LjR
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"Hell no!" This is it! This is my way out! I read somewhere that people of younger ages can get married in other countries. In some cases, it's forced marriages. The point is, this didn't technically happen in the United States. My body might have been left in Georgia to rot, but all of my entire essence and attendance was elsewhere. "I wasn't lying when I said I hated Georgia, so I really didn't get married here."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbR4eIKQRxt
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"When did it happen?" Zero was totally zoned in on me too, desperate for the clarification she could wrap her head around.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtY8oPhByz
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"December first, this year." There's no going back now. I just literally admitted to the three of them by my own volition that I was married to Lumina. However, I still have a chance to make this seem more normal than they realize.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhA1xqjS6t
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"That was five days ago!" Ignoring the limit on the noise, Laura couldn't help herself in pointing out the shocking revelation, one I didn't really care for.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1mt6k9y3B
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"Getting to my point, Lumina and I went to a different nation for a while. Over there, the marriage in full legality has been declared and documented, even though those documents are not going to be made public. Lumina has to keep some of those things secret from most people."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCk1TY2yUDf
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Still not convinced, Zero tried to level with me by learning more. "But, that doesn't make any sense. What country would even allow somebody your age to marry?"60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyC0oCBml3p
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Country, country... "Ehheem... I'd rather not say." I'm up against a wall here! Now they know Lumina isn't from the U.S. That leaves many other nations up for guess, but they're never going to get it right anyway, which means I can't tell them anything.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3BjD043PKJ
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"Oh, why not?" Banarus crossed her arms with some disappointment. "This is all sounding like a lame excuse to pretend like you are married."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYPynQnFZY
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"What would I ever have to gain by pretending something like that?" I had to quickly shut up and calm my breathing. I shouldn't be this upset to hear her say that, but it was similar enough of an insinuation that everything about Lumina and her world wasn't real. Nothing about that wedding was make-believe for me; every moment I've spent with Lumina has been the most real thing to me in my entire life! "Come on guys! I'm trying to be truthful here, but there are just things about the two of us we can't talk about. I'd rather just leave it at that than to try lying to you." If they can't respect that, then I'll have no choice but to start setting up an emergency story of fake information for them to feed off of.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5gk727Ivf
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Banarus and the others stared at me in silence, obviously trying to get a read on what motivations I would have for being so secretive about everything. At the same time, I could see the struggle of doubt fighting within all of them.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtcCkSAr0l
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"I can't talk about where she is from. All I can say to you right now, is that we really are married; nothing about this is pretend."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExeJw851kE
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"That's so amazing Reed!" Laura grabbed my own hands as a means of congratulating me, leaving me to believe she had less trouble believing all of this.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRiUx7ED8A1
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"Yeah..."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBybW9FLoS
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"But where exactly is she from? I take it she's not from the United States?"60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipgHBcRmWN
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Oh Zero, I'm so sorry about this. "Not exactly..." It's cruel. I know it's cruel. But I haven't technically lied to them yet. I want to keep it that way.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo5mG6D15z2
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"Mexico?"60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ15lYUuyQ60
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"Eh, no." I'm pretty sure I would know if Lumina was an el Latino.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrV2DM4wYwq
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"Britain?" Laura got in on the action too, taking wild guesses of random counties.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhixUQVVXwO
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Banarus wanted to be more precise however, and reminded Laura of the other detail. "No. Think of countries that have loose marriage restrictions."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmGtg8vRKL5
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The nerve of them all... I let out a fair sigh to get their attention before they would waste any more of their time. "It's no use guessing all of them. I'm not going to rule out each option for you. That would just be stupid on my part."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6Ov404dJq
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"I don't get why it has to stay a secret though. Is she like, a space alien or something?"60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyoj589ppJ1
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While my face started turning white, Laura laughed at Banarus's idea, imitating what her idea of an alien was by putting fingers on both sides of her mouth. "That would be the best! I – am – from – planet – Neptune. We come in peace." They all started laughing at the mockery Laura was making.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwTR0qwfbn
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I on the other hand wanted to sink down into a hole and die. You've got to be kidding me. I'm so glad Lumina isn't here to see this right now... Don't panic! Don't even react! It would be suspicious if I reacted to it now.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2wGsgiUEg
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"Oh, I get it now!" With the blazing buzz of a breakthrough in the mystery, Zero seemed so happy with the answer she thought of on her own, while all of us waited on her silently to elaborate. "Think about it. A foreign nation, keeping secrets... Lumina is either an international spy, or, she's enlisted in some kind of military branch."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJy7VcJpouH
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What did I say earlier? She's the sharp one. Zero might have missed over the crazy accurate guess Laura glossed over, but she managed to put enough pieces together to get one thing right. Altiri aggressor groups are essentially deployable units of the Altiri military. In essence, Lumina is in the military, even though it runs different than other armies on Earth. But now I have to admit some of this in order to make it more believable... Actually, military secrets might seem more plausible to some of them.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9oVVtNuOT
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"Well, I would feel really stupid calling her a spy. She's not some kind of secret CIA agent from another country."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVqqSlAMcY
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"But she is in the military, right?" Zero didn't second guess herself, and she waited on my confirmation before going with the theory.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHlWToxlr3k
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"... She's in a military... I just can't say which one." I'm sure nobody has ever heard of the Altiri military before, and these girls are sure to Google anything I say at this point.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMndxn5PKc
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"So that's why you're so protective of her!" Satisfied with enough for Zero to draw the rest of her own conclusions, she sat there with her head turned in deeper thought.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtiemsmVei
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Again, it's not technically a lie; just a colossal misdirection.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGgYzaAvO9w
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"Whaaat?" Banarus wasn't happy to hear it, but only because she didn't guess correctly first.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡho4Yr6Py4r
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"That was good thinking Zero." In fact, Laura's appraisal of Zero must have gone up twenty points based on how impressed she sounded. Then she turned her attention back onto me. "Still, Reed, come on! So what if she is in the military? Don't you at least have something like a photograph, or something else to describe to us what she looks like?"60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gXI08UQr4
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"No, I don't." Telepathy just doesn't work that way. I can't ask everyone to form a circle and link hands to share my perceptual senses with the others during my link with Lumina, because it just doesn't work that way. I asked her those kinds of questions until I ran out of breath long ago, so I would know, depressing as the truth may be. "I'm not allowed to keep a photograph of Lumina in public anyway. Communications between us are severely restricted as well. So I can't just dial her up and have her speak to you."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydxv4VFc5W
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"Aoh!" Laura deflated, disappointed.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRHgpPFaLa
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"And if that weren't bad enough, try to imagine the usual physical distance between us. Lumina and I aren't able to be together all the time. She gets called back to her home so often, I only have the winter each year with her in Georgia. Once it's April or May, I don't get to see her or even hear from her at all, until it's late September, or even mid-October, maybe August if I'm really lucky. Things are still great between us, but it already isn't easy for me to handle what I have, to..." My voice slowed down to a stop when I saw the growing distraught and despair in all of their faces. I didn't understand why they were looking at me like this, as if I were explaining to them how my cat died.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEXyVQx411N
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Laura conferred with the others before turning back to me, her sour expression unchanged. "Long distance, and only less than half the entire year? I'm sorry Reed. I didn't know things were that messy."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8tJIJAa22
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Even Zero seemed visibly upset. "No kidding. One moment, you're having fun. And the next, you're separated for such a long consecutive amount of time..."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8QaypA0Jia
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Well, it certainly is quieter now... At least they finally stopped asking me questions. If I knew sharing the most painful aspect of this would shut them all up, I would have said so sooner. Still, they don't need to be all down and depressed on my behalf. "There's no need to feel bad about it. Sure, the summers are not going to be fun, nor will they be easy for me to deal with. But I'm willing to endure it, because I love her more than anything in the world. Six months of solitude and longing are not going to break up what we have."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFURrKai3I7
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"Still, that's some rough shit dude. Even I couldn't put up with something like that." Banarus got all serious on me, enough to freak me out a little, but this time, I felt like she was actually speaking to me on a real level unlike ever before.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fAsqhLmfs
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Still, it is weird. I wasn't expecting them to feel bad for me even a little, considering what I wasn't telling them. I wasn't trying to make them understand the hardships of all this... But I guess it works. I just hope they don't ask to see Lumina at least. Thoughtography isn't a power anybody has. "I..."60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtws766yef7
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"You don't have to tell us about this if you don't want to." In a full reversal, Laura wasn't curious to learn more about us anymore, having presumed I was torn up about everything inside.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCu6cMSkSXu
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Unable to say anymore, I just let my stare drift down to my desk, following their desolate moods. I kind of feel guilty about this. I know I'm the one who upset them by keeping everything all hush-hush, but... I kind of want to tell them anyway, deep down. Man, this sucks! Here they all are, a wonderful band of friends I could have, if only the real truth could be delivered to them, even just one of them...60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2MK4lRSVE
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But what happened between me and Maddison can never-ever happen again, not under any formats, not under any circumstances! Besides, I got so lucky with that situation. Because Maddison didn't blab my secret to the world after all, my reputation here didn't budge in any direction. If she did share it, I wouldn't even be sitting with these three right now. Instead, I'd be alone, isolated in a corner with the school constantly laughing at me, as the others who used to know me pretend I don't even exist. I don't think Laura, Banarus, or Zero would ever behave that way, but I can't be sure anymore. So, this is just the way things have to be. I'd rather get the chance to hang out with them on some level than to be ostracized from their presence entirely.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJyOU900PW
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"Tell Lumina, whenever you can, that we're all happy for you." Banarus's concern wasn't unexpected given how I made her and the others feel, but I didn't challenge her on it.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWE11fEwyzS
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"Sure, but, will she be okay with us knowing what we know?"60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyxLTcrYHmf
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Zero? You're so far away from knowing anything, that I feel terrible for keeping it from you. Still, they have a point. I don't want to let rip to Lumina that I accidently slipped to these three that I was married to her, but she's going to find out anyway. Even if I tried to pretend like the conversations never happened, sooner or later, someone like Zero or Banarus is going to bring up the concept of our marriage, thinking it's only a private chat between them and myself, when it will actually be between them, myself, and Lumina. In either case, I'm the one who's going to get grilled for it anyway."Well, she might have a few questions towards me, but she should be fine with the amount you all know. After all, she isn't some crazy person who would kill me for this much." Or so I hope.
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