Malik sat beside Bradley in the dining facility and wondered why the man had a strange look on his face.
“What’s up with you?” his curiosity got the best of him. His real concern was why the artillery specialist wasn’t beside him. Ever since the assessment, the two were rarely not together. Malik looked forward to their constant argument: Lindsay trying to shove Bunodic food down Bradley’s throat and Bradley fighting her off.
Bradley sighed and gazed at his tray.
“I’m worried about Lizzie.” he admitted. Malik’s eyes widened as his heart rate increased.
“Everything okay; what happened to her?” he panicked.
“No, it’s nothing like that! I mean, she should be fine, right? She’s starting to hang out with the other aliens here.”
“… I’ve noticed that. Well, she is the only female human here. They seem to be really interested in her.” Malik realized. He struggled to restrain his smirk; Malik always suspected Bradley to have an interest in Lindsay. He guessed that it was bound to happen. Regardless of the fact she had a husband, Lindsay was appealing. Malik even had a small interest in her but it was slight. He didn't know if it was because she was the only human female there. Would his attention move to another woman if there was an additional one on the crew? Perhaps, he admitted to himself.
“Some more than others.” Bradley mumbled, distracting Malik from his inner thoughts.
“Wait, what? Who?” he tried to remember who gave the woman any extra attention. Everyone who isn't human, he chuckled in his mind. He paid little attention to what the others did after practice. Malik always concluded that Lindsay would be with Bradley. He noticed that the “vampire lady” Agnab and “bunny rabbit” Naav spoke to her every opportunity they had. The scary “devil woman” Snil as well, Malik shuddered; that one made him as uneasy as General Ehsa! Either way, he saw none of them showing Lindsay more than platonic affections. Extreme fascination but nothing that should’ve caused Bradley concern.
“The Baron has been taking her out on dates damn near every night…” Bradley declared. Malik choked on his drink at his comments. When he calmed, Malik stared at the man.
“Who?! A what?! Oh, shut the fuck up!” he laughed. Brad was exaggerating, Malik thought. Lindsay was married; Malik expected she would never cheat on her spouse, no matter how far away they were from Earth. A small thought made him blush: if she was to be unfaithful, Malik hoped that it would at least be with her own kind…
“I’m serious! She’s always trying to say they ain’t that. But I know dates when I see ‘em! Well… hear about ‘em. The first one they had, he invited her to some recital.”
“The first one? How many have they had…?”
"He been taking her somewhere every day this week.” Bradley huffed. Malik studied the man and what he said.
“Maybe they’re not really dates. Maybe he’s just showing her around Buno.”
“Okay, so why not let one of us do that?”
“Really? Um, maybe because we’ve never been here before? Where would any of us take her? The tavern? The marketplace? The bay?” Malik laughed. “I’m just going to say it. I think you really like Lizzie…”
“Of course, I like her; I wouldn’t be concerned…”
“I mean, really like her. This is jealousy, man.”
“What?!”
“It is! Listen to yourself. The Baron, who’s probably been coming here since before we all were born, is showing Lizzie around the place. This is the first time any human has been here; he’s just showing her around. And then, there’s you: moping because of it.”
“I ain’t moping!”
“Okay. Whatever makes you sleep better at night!”
“You ain’t worried…?”
“Nope. Even if there was something going on between the two, it’s not my place to worry. I’m not her husband,” he gave Bradley a harsh glance. The man sighed and nodded. “I seriously doubt there’s something between the two, anyhow. What makes you think we’d be compatible with anyone here? I mean, he’s an alien… a blue-skinned alien… reminds me of them ‘Avatar’ things. Just with blue skin. And no ears; where the hell are his ears?! And black, beady eyes… like a spider. Could you imagine little blue spider babies…? I don’t want to.” Malik shuddered once more. His rambling made Bradley laugh.
“Maybe you’re right.” he agreed. Bradley was about to add something until he saw Lindsay approaching the table. Another point Bradley didn’t want to reveal was that she had also been absent from breakfast in the facility. But, Bradley knew Malik would reason Lindsay probably ate in her room.
“Morning!” she beamed. Lindsay put a dish of something dull yellow and brilliant red in front of her as she sat across from the two men. “What’s good?”
“I hope whatever you’re about to eat! Okay, what in the hell is that?” Malik pointed at her plate.
“Oh. It’s called kobaw. I think it’s like a stew. It’s how it was served, anyway,” she informed. The men winced as Lindsay placed a forkful in her mouth and chewed. When the woman finished, she shrugged. “Eh. Not as good as Ajom or dworl. Better than roval though…” Lindsay put another forkful in her mouth.
“Who, what and how…??”
“You know, I really don’t think our stomachs can process all this alien food! You’re gonna get sick!” Bradley warned. Lindsay laughed and shook her head.
“It’s fine! Areiv said that Bunodic food is digestible for any species, including us!”
“Wait. ‘Areiv’? You’re on a first name basis with the Baron?” Malik widened his eyes at Lindsay.
“Don’t you start,” Lindsay pointed her fork at him. “It’s bad enough I gotta hear it from him every damn day!”
“Okay, speaking of: glad you’re here! You can clear some things up for me. Tell me about these dates with… Areiv.” Malik stressed the alien’s name. Lindsay shot a glance at Bradley.
“First of all, they’re not dates! Why would you tell him that?!”
“I call it like I see it…”
“Oh, my God; he’s just being nice!”
“Yeah? How come he don’t invite us? Maybe I would’ve liked to have gone to that recital…”
“Really, Brad?” Lindsay smirked at him. She covered her mouth when she saw that Bradley became red.
“… No. But! Give me a damn chance to say no, right?” he gazed at Malik for support. Malik stuck his hands up.
“Definitely not in that argument; don’t drag me into that! So! Your non-dates with Areiv go well, right?”
“Why do I have a feeling you don’t believe me…?”
“No, I do! Where does he take you?”
“Just around. Like last night; did you guys know that there was a festival? Buno usually has one right before the races start.”
“Is that why you didn’t answer your door this morning? He had you out so late?”
“Okay, ‘dad’, let me tell you something: I overslept for like, three minutes! And Areiv got me back home at a respectable time!”
“Never mind him! I want to know about this recital thing. Because when I hear ‘recital’, I think ballet and shit.”
“Oh! So, yeah. It was a musical one. It was… about me…” Lindsay stuffed more food in her mouth to keep from blushing. The two stared at the woman.
“Oh? How could you tell?”
“Well, the thing is you gotta close your eyes to experience it. The story plays out in your mind that way. It was really beautiful.” Lindsay explained. Others gathered in the dining facility, along with the other members of the Earth team.
It was a reason Lindsay decided to not dine in the facility for the week; she feared the glances she would receive. As a few passed by the Earth team’s table, they spoke softly and pointed at her. Some gave nods and smiles of admiration while others were confident enough to compliment Lindsay's attire in the recital.
“Lizzie… what exactly were you doing in this recital?” Bradley asked her lowly.
“Recital? What recital?” David asked. Lindsay scoffed as she filled her mouth once again.
“God, it was nothing special!”
“Nothing special, my ass! Do you not see that they’re treating you like a celebrity?” Malik pointed out with a smile.
“Who’s treating who like a celebrity?” Tim sat at the table. Lindsay finished her bite and huffed.
“They made me queen of Buno, okay?!”
“Whoa… queen of Buno…? When did this happen?!” Yoji looked at Lindsay.
“Okay, I’m lost. What does any of this have to do with a recital?” David asked. Lindsay rolled her eyes but looked at the others.
“I’m only gonna explain this once more. A few days ago, Areiv aske-”
“You’re allowed to call him by his first name?” Steve’s eyes widened.
“She’s allowed to call the Royal Magistrate by his first name, too…” Bradley pointed out. Lindsay narrowed her eyes at him.
“We’re all allowed to call them by their first names, okay?! Anyway! So, Areiv asked me to attend a recital with him a few days ago an-”
“You went on a date with him?!” it was Tim’s turn to widen his eyes. Bradley glanced at him and nodded.
“Thank you, Tim! I’m not the only one who don’t wanna sugarcoat it!”
“Wow. I guess… what happens on Buno, stays on Buno…” David let out a smirk. Lindsay widened her eyes as the other earthlings snickered.
“It was not a date!!!” once again, she brought further attention to the table. “He… just wanted to show me around. Can I finish the story?!”
“So long as there’s no sex…” Tim gave her a shrewd grin.
“Hold on; I’d want to hear about that…” Steve stared at Lindsay. She groaned.
“Anyway! A Legoomian recital is… magical, I guess you can call it. They play from their hearts and when you close your eyes, the story unfolds. The one Areiv took me to was about me being the queen of Buno.”
“Ooooh, okay; now that makes more sense!” Yoji nodded.
“Wow. They like you that much…? I wonder why we don’t get the same treatment.” Steve questioned. Lindsay was about to respond until Agnab approached their table. The Olenion displayed her jagged smile at the group but concentrated more on the Earth woman.
“Good morning, Earth team! Lizzie, you’re finally here! I was questioning if the recital was too extreme for you. I hate that I missed it; Naeco and Snil told me all about it. How did the Baron take it?” she asked. Lindsay cringed at the Olenion’s remarks; she had hoped that the alien wouldn’t bring up his name!
“What? Something happened that offended him?” Malik glanced at Agnab. She shook her head, holding her grin.
“On the contrary, so I was informed! Didn’t Lizzie mention it to you?”
“She said that she was queen of Buno.” Yoji tried.
“Yes! Lizzie was queen and the Baron… was her baron.”
“Ah! Is that so?!” Bradley shot a stare at Lindsay.
“Oh, fuck my life…”
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