Afterglow

Chapter 3 - on Earth

SIRIADE'S POV

Three weeks had passed when another school year started at Brightsun Academy. Three of my classes are done today, and I'm currently in the cafeteria, taking a quick break as I feel famished. 

"What's yours, kid?" said the Mister on the other side of the counter. 

"I would like to take one piece of pizza, one order of pasta, and one order of apple, please," I said that made the Mister nod before taking my orders.

Only one minute has passed before the Mister put my order in front of me. I smiled before taking the tray of my food. "Thank you."

Tray of food in both of my hands, I walked carefully while feeling how heavy my bag was with books on it. I should have dropped my books in my locker. We wouldn't need it anyway as the Professor in my next class is not around. When I found an available table, I quickly walked towards it until I realized someone was also seated on the other side of the table when I was seated. 

When I look up, my breathing stalled. My eyes are gazing at the face of an unfamiliar man sitting on the other side of the table in front of me. His face is looking cold with a pale complexion while the ends of his striking white hair were almost touching the bridge of his nose. He has bristly eyebrows that make him look like he's always questioning as his nose was looking aquiline just like some known actors have. 

I know it's rude to stare, but I just can't stop it as I felt like I've finally met the man who has exceeded the ranking of my past crushes. He's so handsome I forgot that I'm supposed to be eating, making me realize that the man in front of me must be feeling embarrassed because of what I just did. 

I cleared my throat before glancing down on my tray, hiding my face because of embarrassment before taking the fork in my tray and started to eat. Gosh, Siri! If only Bernadette is here, she can stop me from looking like an i***t in front of a man who just became added to my crush's list. 

But anyway, as I said, the man wasn't familiar. He must be new here only that everyone did not notice it because everyone was already busy. Maybe, introducing myself and welcoming him wouldn't hurt. 

I cleared my throat before glancing up at the man in front of me and flashes the bright I've ever had. "Hello, nice to meet you. My name is Siriadne. You can call me Siri for short. Are you new here? I hadn't seen you when the classes started so maybe, you are new here, right?"

Silence. The man in front of me looked dumbfounded while his eyes are trained on his food, not moving even a bit until I saw his eyes moving. It was like everything in my surroundings turned blurry, and the time became slowly while looking at his blue eyes that are now staring right back at me.  

"Are all humans this nosy?" 

Until what he said ruined the magic around me. Gosh, this man! Is he saying that I'm noisy? I was about to talk when he cut me off by taking his food and walked away, far from the table I'm sitting, before taking another table near the cafeteria's entrance. 

"Tch! Be thankful that you're my new crush. If only you're with the nerds, I will gladly sit away far from you," I muttered before giving my attention to my food. 

"Oh, god! Siriadne! You're so blessed!" Bernadette said that suddenly appeared behind me. 

"What do you mean?" I said, eating my pizza. 

Bernadette seated beside me while she was looking at my new crush eating alone at his table. "That was Alixer Nimrod. I only heard a few things about him because Alixer was such a loner, said everyone who approached him, but it doesn't matter! He's so handsome I couldn't breathe just looking at him," Bernadette said before turning her gaze at me. "You're so blessed. Anyone said that he's not talkative, so we didn't really hear his voice but you. How was it? What was his voice sound like?"

I raised a brow at Bernadette before turning my gaze on my new crush named Alixer Nimrod. "Just someone telling you you're noisy." 

AL IXER'S POV

I quickly hide in a shadow when I saw two White Steorras passing. When Father said that I must live like a human and blend in, I never thought it would work as the humans are all looking like us. I was really shocked at the first time that I went out of my ship but as the days passed by, I was getting used to seeing humans. Especially how beautiful they do things on their planet. And Father was right when he said that female humans have an incomparable beauty. 

Just like the one who was talking to me earlier in the place they called the cafeteria. She has a beauty that makes me want to look at her the whole day, but I don't know humans yet. I don't know what the woman will react once she knew that I wanted to stare at her the whole day. 

I shake my head as I realized what I'm thinking. Father was right. I can be easily distracted by the things that Earth has, especially that female human who's named was Siriadne. She was quite famous, and her name has been running to my mind for some time, but just like what I promised to Father, I can't fail this mission.

When the two White Steorra already passed by, I teleported myself to the front door of the abandoned house before quietly taking the rusty stair until I had a chance to see an edge where I can climb to get on the top of the abandoned house. I tightly hold the tube with my left hand while my right foot was being supported by the handrail before I pushed myself up and was able to stand on the drip edge of the abandoned house. 

I moved slowly, making my steps steady as I can feel how yielding the roof of the abandoned house on my feet until I got beside the old chimney where I can drop my hidden camera. Mr. Hawk chirps lowly in my shoulder as if he was warning me to be careful before answering my pet companion with a nod. 

Let's start this mission.