Chapter Theme Music: Dumb ~ Clannald OST87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12rXCOm4W8
<09/27/2011 - 09:00 | Saffrin Middle School (GA Studies), Austell, GA, USA>
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzolN7XVzbf
"Oh, but I thought you liked the new hair style." Lumina spun in a cute excited twirl, showing off and flapping her new pigtails in front of her mirror to show me all the hard work her sisters did on her new appearance.87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJmA5NJYYvE
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9ScFX0HxM
"When did I say I didn't?" Lumina showed me this morning already, so seeing them again wasn't going to feel as shocking as the first time. "Lack of surprise doesn't mean I don't like them Lumina. You look great actually!"87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVc7GJFxTEU
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWBua9qRBi
"Yep. They are great... Now it's your turn Reed. When are you going to get a makeover?"87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZDRl0zxo3
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEts9diUcE
"You think I should get braids or something? I could do ponytails too if I grow my hair out long enough." We both knew I wasn't serious, though Lumina might continue pretending as if I were. It's another contest to see which one of us can be the most silly. Let the games begin!87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVsSOMRBsGT
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmGSupwjFPW
"I see your feminine side is still perfectly alive. I guess the purge wasn't responsible for prolonging it after all."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwz1vStIAzU
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVmXypgoQ5
"I don't know. Maybe it's because I hate heathens so much, I can't even condone the thought of being one percent masculine. Either way, it's the same reason I can only hang out with girls."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQyWTpynfr
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQ23j49f6b
"So long as you don't get carried away," she added with warning.87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYU4onLGg1
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBnUYlJ2mGS
Yeah, she doesn't have to warn me though. "By the way, are your lips always such a beautiful blue? Or do you have access to lipstick up there?"87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqGoEnMe1i
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSdpzO4WWn
"It's natural coloring for us Altiri. Something to do with the air, but of course I'm no expert on it. I'm glad you like it though."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXBdJrdJRZ
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAu743ydUCB
"Of course I do..." As I sat at my desk surrounded by the usual gang of people, I tuned the world out for Lumina's sake, focusing only on her. After I complimented her looks, I perched my dreamy face on my hands, too engulfed in these feelings to care what expression I might be making. Instead, I went much further. "I don't normally get a chance to see what you look like. The connection always has to be so strong before our vision can swap like this. But who would have thought you look so amazing?"87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3CiKMnczIZ
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnsWyDHrgMD
"I'll accept that as a compliment."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5djbjf0ntt
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTWfpU8fAg
I was happy to make Lumina smile again. Despite what I promised myself earlier, it was too difficult for me to retain the visual memory of Lumina's face and body due to last summer's meddling. I recently had her stand in front of her mirror while I stood in front of mine, staring deeply into each other's eyes as I happily complimented her ethereal beauty. It was getting harder for me to tell if I naturally found her this attractive by default, or if I only came to this conclusion because I was now in love with her, but the difference mattered not. For an ancient Altiri alien, Lumina is quite the attractive woman, even if she looks like she's nineteen or twenty years old.87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomzfYqLWtR
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20AmPs9fDQ
There to break the silent immersion we had wrapped ourselves into, Banarus pointed at me with laughter in her voice. "What's with that weird look on your face?"87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJgpdAxQTq
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9MCIfd52D
Lumina started doing the same, laughing directly at me, though her voice and gesture was so much cuter when she did it. "Better control your expressions Reed. I know I'm irresistible to you, but people will find out about us if you drool over me all the time."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qguNah300
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCqaIbRJdq
"Oh, shut up!" It was getting easier for me to expect when Lumina was about to tease me about anything or not. In this scenario, she was too correct. I have to mute my external expressions, so that people don't get too suspicious. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjCPze5cvn
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIwfTniCkH
"I don't think that will be enough to save you."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DDqroUbod
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxH5O8JxsM
Right on cue to prove Lumina right, Laura took sudden interest in me and asked me something with a brazen grin to her name. "So, how are things between you and Lumina?"87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWzaDzsdDf
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOYKkJulWd
"Great," I thought. Here we go. Lumina somehow knew ahead of time that I wasn't doing enough to hide how serene I was inside. People wouldn't normally ask me why I'm happy if ever I were in the past, but the problem with that is, I've never been this happy before, so my external mood always defaults to something dark or pessimistic.87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnOioL7bPKb
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCAdFLAGks
"Told ya so!"87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT08hiwy7i8
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rSOlYoOyW
I might as well try to nip this in the bud before it gets out of hand like before. Things can't get too bad this time; they already know Lumina's name since I plastered it onto an eraser before. "Well, things are great actually. I'm having more fun hanging out with her lately, so I would say things are swell."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wY5z5ECdE
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxR509qJjU6
"Oh!" Banarus interjected desperately. "Can I see a picture of her?" 87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3iPv2pEFC
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiISeifA2iS
"What?" Did she forget the last conversation we had about this? I already explained this to everyone, but it's as if they forgot all about it. "No. Look, I told you before, Lumina is a secret for very important reasons. I can't share anything else about her, not even her photos." Even if I did have photos of her on me, there's about a forty percent chance people would instantly realize she isn't human like the rest of us.87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxCCCt7hLx
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVtbLZ6Cf8
"That's because you don't have any photos to share..."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdAqOWrWqw5
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FQSSJPDRx
"Thanks for stating the obvious Lumina. Now I'm really bummed out."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkomNvlpZjc
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfvLh5cyAu
"Sorry. I wasn't trying to tease you that time."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2QNbBVUHh
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡciC3BmkN0W
"Do your parents think it's weird though?"87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjlfFHdze1
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvCLhniMTm
I couldn't help but get a little bit nervous anytime Zero asked me something about this secret. She's as intelligent as I am, if not more, hiding herself behind a shyness that we both share. If I'm not careful with her, my secret will be exposed instantly. Still, I thought even she knew this much by now from what I explained earlier. "What? You must not understand my situation at all. Even my parents know nothing about this."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6HJPKAEKqb
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYq4Nf0de2l
"What? You're dating in secret?! That's so deviant of you!" Kate, as much as she didn't speak to me directly was finally interested enough to treat our conversation as if we were leaking juicy details. I still failed to see why it was a big deal though.87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡscthKWWQu8
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBynRgAq1G
"You may have just said too much."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7xHFPk685
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbiEjX931PH
Before I could even register Lumina's warning, Banarus added on to the mysteries, forcing me to take care of the present situation falling out of my grasp. "How do they not know about it? That's crazy! How are you spending time with her if you have to hide everything all the time?"87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKur0kGKnyc
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubxezVFG8n
When I'm desperate enough, life finds a way... "I never said it was easy. But it's imperative that my folks in particular don't find out a single thing. I know for a fact that my parents would never accept the situation as it is; they would never accept us at all." I have to at least claim this much, even if Lumina thinks I've gone too far. If rumors spread to the entire school that I'm so much as dating somebody, those rumors could float to my parents inadvertently, since they sometimes enter the school to pick me up out of here.87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeiZETyQIMe
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhv525ZE7AL
"But they're your family," Zero argued.87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYA43QMaWI
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdBgmfVbmNC
Yeah, well that's debatable. "That's the point, Zero. As long as there is even a remote chance that they can do some kind of damage, then even they cannot know about it." I was most certain of this now. My father would probably disown me. My mother would fight to have me sent to a dangerous mental institution until I'm a walking zombie, and Peterson would just laugh at me before doing the exact same thing. While I'm still unsure about my real father, the other two are totally against me; they would never have my back in this situation, even if they did somehow believe that Lumina is real. I would be happy to live on my own right now if I could... But I can't, and that's why this must remain a secret for now.87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRIwfDSfTSq
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7QsoPbz4V
Still, I shouldn't have underestimated the curiosity of the girls around me with the topic already brought up. Laura took her turn in trying to pry information from my cold, locked brain. "Is she like a secret agent from another country?"87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3FVRtlzl78
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1RJQWLc6Gp
"More like a cop, probably." Banarus took guesses for me before I could get a word in. "I bet that gives you some good cosplay options though."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPElYOVOw92
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFVTAjti3K
The others starting laughing at the comment Banarus made, and Kate swopped in shortly after to deliver their collective ultimatum. "But what's she like anyway? Is there really no chance of us meeting her?"87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZtmNXBOHNJ
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzdz2wsYgrn
It's like they don't care about what I told them earlier when I put my foot down on the topic. They all want to meet her, to get to know the real Lumina, not that I blame them. Honestly, I want that too, but it's not as if Lumina can land her space ship down here and greet us in person. So sadly, the possibility of that is nil. "Well... I seriously doubt there could be. But Lumina is such an amazing person. I can't possibly describe how cool she is in a single class period."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvpgme8GWk
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD8vKCd8FRc
"Is this like something that is supposed to be dangerous?" Without relenting, Zero affirmed that she and the others were going to keep poking and prodding until I was blue in the face.87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZh1uDOU86J
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKI5OLX65l
"They're asking the kinds of questions best avoided Reed. Change the subject!"87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4vydDc9sA6
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa3KShWdTry
I felt the only right thing to do was to follow Lumina's advice. I have to be very careful how I do this though. If I change the subject too fast, it won't seem natural. I have to pretend like this secret isn't as sinister or crazy as their minds make it out to be. "Dangerous?" I repeated, starting with Zero's assumptions. "No, not particularly. But there would be a massive problem for me if family members found out. Then again, that's not the only reason I'm protecting her privacy... Look, Lumina made me promise not to ever give away too much about her, to anybody, and that includes my friends. Due to certain circumstances, I have no choice but to respect that privacy."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz5YKvvUPiA
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3KW7Si1Lf7
Banarus stared at me with such a strange look, like she was looking directly into the soul of a total stranger. It made me feel less comfortable, until Kate suddenly did the very thing I was trying to accomplish all along. "Hey? Did anyone hear about that field trip coming up?"87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7NEn4DgHxw
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0gkc0dRbn
"Field trip?" I instantly played along, trying to put one weird conversation behind an ordinary one.87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSa8ZHP67As
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQtaQ4Tys8
"Good. Subject is changed... You're getting better at knowing what to say these days."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ebuAiD5j7
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0sIDpKmkt
"When it counts anyway." I can't take the credit for it this time though. I didn't think any of them would relent, but I am curious about the actual details of this field trip. My classes never get to go on these expensive adventures.87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNrFRerZEk
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ71yGeryzV
Banarus made the first inquiry, as if she heard about it before. "You mean, the one for honors literature?"87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb99L6WiPNy
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgClwIKStIa
"Is it only for that group?" Zero wanted to know more as well, trying discover the details for this mysterious endeavor. Even she had forgotten about Lumina.87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0lmfrGDt8
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ385q7agUuX
Kate finally elaborated on the details so scarce, reading out the requirements to join. "No. Ms. Dang is letting her personal honors Lit class join too, but only if they buy their own tickets."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vGz5LZonl
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rMiJFboHx
So that means, I could be eligible too? "Okay, I'll bite. What is this field trip about anyway?" I happen to have a late class with Ms. Dang, so this means even I could go if I wanted to. However, I've had it with the boring trips to old museums.87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VOHRfPRgd
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdvr8TmK3VM
Without hesitation, Laura cleared up my confusion with few words. "It's a field trip to Wahsega! It's basically like a camping trip."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcQLN6hVgK
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAVAPevpRsb
"You know what? I think I'll go too." Zero simply announced her plans, seeming excited about the idea of a weekend camping trip somewhere in another place.87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYPIoKVm7X
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXw2kYMbWn
"Wow! Everyone is already going."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMThZU9WwI
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSEwLwz27Nn
"Do you want to go there too?"87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd07BkT7Oez
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdo8Udj0wKE
Laura turned back to me with another question before I could talk to Lumina on the matter. "You should come too Reed. How many chances do you think you'd get to go on a field trip?"87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhaylOHh5Dc
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsnePGbiJ4
"And now you're purely invited."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRiq3DdfMd
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9cK4fK3GnD
"Gee, I don't know. I'd have to look more into it first. I don't know what kind of field trip this would be." I didn't have to lie this time. I'm already sure I wasn't going to bother, but something Laura just told me made it impossible for me to say no automatically.87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfrrQTRAerd
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBEHoLjlLaN
She's right after all. How many field trips have I really been on in all the time I've been alive? Once high school is over, there won't be any more field trips, because there won't be any more school. The ones I've been to have not been very great, but they have not been terrible either. I should at least look into it before I decide. I don't even know what Wahsega is!87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDlNmpXBV0
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwcR0fjAHm
"Wahsega? I feel like I've heard that name before... But I've never seen anyone take field trips to the place. I've never seen it before anyway." Even Lumina in her limitless memory of the world has no knowledge about the place.87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDOpLCXh6k
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5UA4uuvjK
"They said it was like a large camping trip, as in a camp. Imagine summer school, but only for a day or two, out in nature. I think that's what they are projecting. But until I look into it some more, I won't know for certain."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUfKYUEVsVr
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLUcOsZEdR
"Guess what I'm going to wear while I'm there." While Banarus made excitement with the rest of everyone, I sat in verbal silence, having my own conversation with my girlfriend.87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnno1E1tcZu
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPxSkICc2e
"I don't disagree with the idea though," Lumina countered. "Maybe we can actually go there together, just you me."87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUuBijZcMnR
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGiuhQMMCsO
My body shot straight up as my eyes opened wide with intense excitement. "That's an excellent idea! We can both go to camp together, using our telepathy to share every part of it!" I couldn't hide my sudden excitement from the others, and I felt like a ditz for not having the idea myself. Even if it turned out to be as boring as a museum, sharing that experience with Lumina would be amazing as always! Now I have to know more about this little camp.87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqrxBLtEEJ
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwALszSUYpb
Right as made up my mind, the bells of the school rang throughout, forcing everybody to enter their transition from the first class to the second. "It's time for me to go find out what this is all about!"87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJL1EGmxzss
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfAL0xr7BI
"But you still have class, don't you?"87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarZAVcNUsH
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYOG4su0yaY
"I'll look at it all right after lunch!" I can go to the media center real quick while I'm on my lunch period, without needing a pass to do so. It's the best time I will have the opportunity. A weekend getaway with the woman I love, without anybody else ever knowing about it? What could possibly be more romantic?
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbiJsVK9Wtj
