Chapter Theme Music: With You ~ Claire Willis50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDCrfmdmnO
<10/27/2011 - 22:11 | Link Street, Marietta, GA, USA>
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJeaEjIRSo
"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.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPBXzt2lhL
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTKporgcMv
"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?"50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp43fZiIt7Z
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeX8OMccsi5
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!"50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwr3fhCRwc
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8lRXEv74V
"..."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLC9OdMfGx
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm27LmI6Ac7
"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.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yr4wy4B5K
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtecz7EQWg
"It's not?"50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAEdDezlohc
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Qg9oGVv3F
"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?"50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08MtSzYA4E
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcoq3HPMFR
"Must you even keep track?"50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfyq96DyDPy
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDSAtmHjBM
"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."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFlQhynjl7m
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfE8pp8qRdC
"Don't even remind me," she warned. "I want to keep next summer as far from my thoughts as possible."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrC45Y6KBhx
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkajx2kJi9
"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."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzTFl9YVe7A
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qnZI4QjjY
"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.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7kAy6F6FIM
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhowqCyTTDN
"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."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyMXb3PhDz
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYXhZPPHsGa
"Right... But I feel like you have a point to make?"50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwiDlloPmhU
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8R2PocRzkz
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."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55qhl6sIdZ
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0ZysKmVW8
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.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOM2CnzujD
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1vvqMnhGx
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?"50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0Hjxjgnys
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukjQsXXX4l
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?!"50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpoEAcHkTEm
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7fooLKLqw
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.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡse6ifdXkiG
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd717GUb18a
"I... I..." She can't even get any words out!50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEjNghmVCWq
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVtU7bwGge
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—"50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhyj6EeXWJ6
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjoV4efEFE
"Of course!"50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtcp1ByjFOS
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfHigrzAMU
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.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3KeXv24p9m
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKX4xkYX2Y
"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.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPvQO8Tzu6
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepO1uQ9ziF
"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.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGTm2Q1Erd
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡveWhqkLU0X
"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.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡurvNrpi3Pv
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvcNnH6D27
"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!50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeGvzbszEE6
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQsS8N30aH
"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."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHHj4ua9Cz
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIA2ngiKEHi
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?"50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4wuByEX4w
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwfljssgVj
"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."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHkqnIW1d6e
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLAvtsl22of
"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."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVf8k268ix
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjIBnwx3t37
"Oh, Reed! You always know just the right thing to say."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCfZNp8VR8q
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDeDD2PwQG
"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."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLlifLiykZ
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFscNr4P83
"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.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCT3Fn8tmJp
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDn2E7KO4yJ
"They say there's a first time for everything. But if it can be done, it can be done."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNjGTklryCY
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlfO3cUxXd
"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."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36XPNcDOTg
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFWkQyiDfFU
"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!50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSbkRSMGn8
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXyt2Q723X
"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."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgJnUX8bVA
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF68bPMXabM
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?"50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpp4R4EVylJ
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZdJuDOerv
"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."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhgsjIOBXn
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzCESzfhw4
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."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotJ9BhRalx
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOyMbUiigl
"The funny part, is that it only takes you a week or less to decide on something so important."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fwUYeIpAE
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaa5iPRQ1T6
"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.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJ6lZvGN1x
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4VhRMW1gd
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."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiy3cqpq0vH
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXSACxo9On
"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?"50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqRhlVKAPJo
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXC6ieTfYg7
"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."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGK6VnlrtTQ
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDjwHwe0cpV
"Yeah, go ahead. I have to find some way to sleep anyway, Lumina."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRewr6DcEvE
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlhGbQqkWXN
"Kay, thanks! Love you!" She was practically shouting her love to me, so I did the same.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWEJld47Hn
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6ngkgbOm5
"Love you too Lumina!"50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNW80JQIy2
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVZ1zfIVyt
"Have a good night!"50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYX4o2beuR
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb0PYMUe8L8
"You too Lumina. We'll be together again tomorrow."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tMDd2Ls7d
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlAtINUtWq
"Yeah."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwdCRfw2KZ
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlb4PVBqFjX
"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.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GXsjApmf7
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wru0e6Yml
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.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRPexWrg0D
