Chapter Theme Music: With You ~ Claire Willis66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRjJnhFdEQ
<10/27/2011 - 22:11 | Link Street, Marietta, GA, USA>
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"So with all of these extra little events, there will still be plenty to learn about. I'm told it's mostly stuff about nature. Plus, the weather reports are showing some promising cold days for it." I could barely contain my excitement by now, as I spoke to Lumina while walking down the streets at night with music playing softly in my ears. The song "With You" by Claire Willis set a perfect tone and atmosphere for how romantic my life felt by now.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQqfqRhtfLL
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"It doesn't take a genius to tell how excited you are about this." Lumina accompanied my conversation, as we both spoke by mouth through my music, still using the telepathy as usual to hang out. "But I'm not able to tell which aspect is making you so excited. Is it everything else? Or do you really want to dress up as a girl that badly?"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0na2vPWdB
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After having that text the other day about Zero's green light to find me a dress, I knew there was no backing out of it. So, I told Lumina today about the whole costume thing. She laughed for some time, but thought it was a joke at first. "Come on Lumina. You should know by now that it's both things at the same time. I'm more than excited though. I feel so wired, I could explode!"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gco1Qz1n3
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"..."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiaYtWzmyIJ
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"But... Maybe that's not the only thing I've been thinking about lately." I shifted back to my telepathic voice, only to ensure I didn't stutter trying to convey myself after returning to a secret topic I've kept to myself all day. Actually, I've been holding this in thought for more than a week.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYrhz2FQy9
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"It's not?"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsv8xBDSaIU
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"Yeah..." It's been gradually getting colder again, shifting away from the traumatizing summer I wanted to forget. I've been hanging out with Lumina more often, so naturally, she's been on my mind five times as often since. I really can't ever stop thinking about her. She's my entire life now. She's my every breath, my guiding star, my entire future. "We've been going out for how long now? It's pretty much November, but I started loving you a bit before the summer. So it's what, five, six months now?"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Jg5uOyWe5
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"Must you even keep track?"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP54uskeX3y
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"I will keep track. Every little detail matters to me now. Still, the amount of time we've spent together doesn't matter as much as what we both have been through, and more importantly, what we are going to keep going through."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxeWVvOmckj
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"Don't even remind me," she warned. "I want to keep next summer as far from my thoughts as possible."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBbwWv8b05b
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"I know. I just, I really have no regrets about the choice I made, the choice to stick with you forever. I've never been more sure of anything else now Lumina. You and I are both true soul mates to each other."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7omIT7G6h
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"I'm so glad you feel that way!" Lumina's echoing voice became so up-pitched and happy, flattered to hear me say such meaningful words.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVY1qGfRnJh
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"So it got me thinking..." I continued pressing forward, even though it sounded like I couldn't possibly have said anything better. "I can't ever imagine a time from now where something goes wrong with us, or when things somehow don't work out. There's nothing that can turn me from you Lumina, not even hell or God himself. I could never end up with somebody else. I could never be happy with anybody else. And I know that you understand me deep down."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QqEvOkctD
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"Right... But I feel like you have a point to make?"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNEEmHVIH4
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Lumina! She's always so intelligent, like she can read my mind without reading my mind. I'm still so nervous about this, surely my face is blushing in the night, but I have nothing left to lose. I'm so happy now, that she'll have no proper sense what I feel unless I come out and say it. "I... I know this isn't exactly grand or typical for most people. You and I have such a unique situation. It makes some things complicated, and for that, I'm sorry. But no matter what happens, I'll never stop loving you! We'll be together through the end of time Lumina, no matter what... So that's why, I feel confident enough now to ask this of you."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttiOjCMPRE
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Lumina didn't verbally reply, but I could feel her react to my words. She was naturally confused, sensing that I had some very important announcement to make, without any clarity on what it might be.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYm1euIIxj
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Before I did anything else, I exhaled so calmly with my eyes shut, before looking back out at the stars in the night sky, crouching lower by bending my knees, though she couldn't visualize it right now. "Lumina? With a strong mind and a heavy heart, will you please accept my proposal of marriage?"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0cugx4yjM0
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There was actually some delay, as Lumina stood frozen, unable to process what I just said for a full second, since it was most unexpected for her. Finally, I heard her gasp in shock. "What?!"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLuz04BhFv
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I kept my pose still and steady, not saying or thinking a single word. I have to wait on her reply... But Lumina wasn't going to respond that quickly. The silence to myself only made me think back on every exact word I just said, how embarrassing it was for me to say. If she declines now, things will be awkward between us to say the least.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3dfeLsXRdb
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"I... I..." She can't even get any words out!66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vEBhdgOb1
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I decided to speak after all, clarifying why I was asking this of her, but I was already shaking with anticipation too, since I've never done this before. "I know it's kind of sudden. I even wondered what it would mean for us, or how it would work. I'm sure we would have to go through the queen to get it done officially. But even so, that's what I want for us! I want to spend the rest of our lives totally devoted to each other. I love you so much Lumina, and my feelings for you just grow every single day. So, I don't know if—"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTopzv2yZI0
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"Of course!"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx6OijrMeI2
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Taken aback by her interruption, I wasn't even able to process her answer before she starting crying, laughing, and cheering through her words at the same time.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7pRa0OWXN
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"Reed, of course I'll marry you! I never thought you would even ask!" Lumina wiped her eyes removing the tears of joy this brought in, and her building wave of new happiness filled the both of us simultaneously.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrqcdURpY9
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"You are okay with this, right Lumina?" I think I already knew there were no subtle doubts, since I could feel her emotions seeping into me, but I wanted to be sure.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNRVItWFolF
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"Of course I am! You just made me the happiest girl in the world Reed! I really wasn't ever expecting you to ask... I guess you can still surprise me today." In Lumina's voice, I could still hear the tears escaping her, breaking boundaries of happiness we never knew existed before.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5m4zRtIQ6q
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"Right... Yes... Excellent! We actually get to take the next step!" She did it! I did it! I asked her to marry me, and she said yes! Now I feel like I will explode for sure!66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWplhwd8atw
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"Marriage is mostly just an official announcement of commitment, but I know it means more to us than that, and I for sure want to go through with it. At least you already figured out that it could never be done through your end."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3c0diiC2Z8
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She means in my world. I checked every law I could think of. They don't have a section for 'secret telepathic alien marriage,' so naturally, she and I can only be wed from the perspective of her own world. While nobody on my planet will ever believe her world exists, everybody in her world knows that Earth and I are as real as ever. It wasn't hard to figure out. "I knew that much easily. Even if humanity were suddenly aware of the Altiri, they would never legally marry us together anyway. So screw them! We'll use your resources, and it will still count, okay?"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlI5YxdTRZJ
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"I know. Getting married even from up here won't count as a legal marriage in the United States or on Earth. People would just think you made it up anyway. Plus, the documentation on our side would state as much, since we don't control any part of Earth."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4EtsZ706hT
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"What's the difference then? Marriage is still marriage, is it not?" Why get so hung up on the semantics of legality or stupid documentation? "Look. I don't need a piece of paper to get it through our heads, Lumina. All I need to know is that I want to go further with you than I've ever gone before. I think we can have a future together so amazing, nobody could ever imagine our happiness. So I don't care who else in the world might think our marriage is fake just because of some stupid difference in traditional standards. If it's real to us, that's all that really matters."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡByBMPRRdob
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"Oh, Reed! You always know just the right thing to say."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFm3yZxVAdG
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"That's because it's you I'm talking to Lumina." I knew what she was getting at. I've personally noticed how poetic and romantic I've become, but it only works when I'm here with her and nobody else. The reason I'm mentally sound when I'm with Lumina isn't because I think less of her compared to somebody else. It's because she's so important to me, there's no one in the universe I'd rather use my time on than her. "I never stutter or mess up my words when I'm with you. My feelings always help me know what I want or need to say to you, no matter how strange or embarrassing. I'd do anything for you Lumina, anything in the whole world."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVzBLzpFy2
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"So you want to marry me huh? It's a first one for sure. No Altiri person has ever been married to a human before." Some reason was obvious, since only four humans have so far been transperated, all of whom were female, while all Altiri are currently female too.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHW0zWP7WqO
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"They say there's a first time for everything. But if it can be done, it can be done."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK6vcqje0U9
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"Right!" Lumina started to sound more like me each second, in how pumped up and excited she was about everything. "I think if my team arranges a special meeting with the queen and the council, we can see about setting one up. The wedding would most likely have to occur within the Altiri Temple itself. Luckily, I think they might like the idea of redecorating the place, since they haven't done so in over ten thousand years."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltdMZ2XxY7
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"Good. It's official then. You and I are engaged, and it feels so exciting!" I feel like I'm on top of the world, like I might blast off as a rocket soaring even higher!66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7NnfOLKr9
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"Wait," she stammered. "What exact date did you have in mind for this? You have to be incredibly careful, and pick a day where you're certain it will be cold in Georgia all day long."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAVnWCGphY
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She's not wrong, so I held my chin standing in the cold night air to ponder it some more. If we're getting married at all, the wedding must take place when Lumina and I are connected. It can't just be any connection either; it has to be a strong one at that. The only time that could potentially happen is deep into this winter. "Actually, we still need some time to prepare other things too, right? I mean, having a real wedding is no walk in the park you know. Let's try for December first. That's almost an exact month from now. Think it will work?"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcz6jF4AtgJ
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"Yeah. I'll put us down for that day then. We'll see about giving this a shot, Reed. I know that the queen will support our decision for us. She has to! I'll beg her if that's what it takes."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAp1W8raCfe
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I chuckled somewhat from the thought, happy knowing just how much Lumina wants to marry me in return. She loves me so much; just knowing that means I can die happy. "I feel so much better now. I've had that on my mind all week."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbjs5oJdJTL
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"The funny part, is that it only takes you a week or less to decide on something so important."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqVwB2x0Rp3
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"Yeah... I don't know if I'll sleep tonight." Everything was going well, so well in fact, that my mind was racing at ten times its usual speed. Even though I've been filled with exciting emotions, I have no way to come down from it at all. I can't help that I love Lumina so much.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPS01P3fKQ
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Lumina started laughing at my predicament, showing only little sympathy since she was so foreign to sleepiness. "You've got too much going on for a fifteen year old about to go on an epic field trip."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwc1kucRlM0
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"Yeah... Except I don't actually worry about the age difference thing. I've learned so much from both of us in the past year, I feel like, on a mental level, I've come so much closer to you already. The scale might not matter anymore. I don't know if it ever did Lumina. I love you too much to care about how old we each are. I'm old enough to know that; so I'm old enough to make this choice for us, you know?"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROeaJTNClz
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"I love you too Reed... Say, you won't mind if I break some of the news to my sisters, right? After all, I'll need all their help to plan this out."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCXeKPjC1N
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"Yeah, go ahead. I have to find some way to sleep anyway, Lumina."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqEETCs2S9
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"Kay, thanks! Love you!" She was practically shouting her love to me, so I did the same.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw10JvlpqMK
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"Love you too Lumina!"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWhGVZqpcX
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"Have a good night!"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9HEz6vMOTI
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"You too Lumina. We'll be together again tomorrow."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Wbln39VUJ
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"Yeah."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW81wVVZEkL
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"And this field trip is going to be awesome! Remember that!" Lumina and I then waved to each other, to our own respective skies before she shut down the connection for me. The familiar sensation of the dying connection always left me mildly dazed, but I recovered enough to start walking home, preparing to end the night. I was only trading this wonderful moment for an even better one.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBz186wsyN
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That right there is how it happened. That's how I, a telepathic fifteen-year-old human became engaged to an incredible woman, who happens to be an Altiri alien from distance space, but I don't sweat the semantics.
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