Chapter 8

 

Jen’s point of view

 

Five hours after Nick left, my shift finished. It was only about 6pm, but it was dark due to it being the winter months. Many thoughts reeled through my mind as I left the bar and stood on the street to gather my wits. He seemed like a nice guy, but he might be in danger if he found out about………… but I didn’t have to worry about it now.

 

Howie: Ooh, I was right!  She’s definitely got a secret!

AJ: *stares at Howie*

 

What if I didn’t let him find out? That was the answer. I knew he’d be looking for me when I was at the bar, but he didn’t know when all of my shifts were. I sighed as I pushed the topic of worry to the back of my mind and began to walk towards my car.

I was stopped as a black shadow dropped from the rooftop next to me silently.

“You’re up early, Tohja” I commented as I continued my way towards the blue Taurus parked by the roadside.

“I don’t like him! I’d be careful,” the short, stealthy figure warned in his deep voice.

 

AJ: Tohja can talk?  What the hell?

 

“Who? Nick?” I asked. “He’s harmless. Don’t worry yourself. He likes me, not hates me!”

“That’s my point!” Tohja stated, running forward to block my path. “You know he’s a Backstreet Boy, right?”

“Yeah, and….?”

“Well, you know….. hundred of crazed fans…….  screaming humans……” Tohja pointed out.

 

Kevin: Screaming humans?  Okay, so that makes it sound like Tohja’s not human.

AJ: But what the hell is he then?

Nick: This is probably one of those weird sci-fi stories about aliens and shit.

 

“It doesn’t bother me, Tohja!” I stated, pushing past him.

 “OK, so I have a problem with aliens. But I still don’t like him!”

 

Nick: Ha, I was right!  Aliens!

 

“You don’t like any humans.”

“Except Karlos,” Tohja corrected firmly.

“OK, except the one human who didn’t freak out when he found out about us, but no other humans!”

 

Howie: Us?  That must mean she’s an alien or something too!  That’s her secret!

Brian: Congrats, Nick, you’re stalking an alien.

Nick: Hey, if she’s a hot alien, who the hell cares?  And anyway, I’m not stalking her!

AJ: *snorts*  What do you call it then?

Nick: *glares*

 

I opened the door to my car, “You wanna lift back home or what?”

 

 

Nick’s point of view

 

“Hey, guys!” I hailed as I entered the room.

Brian, AJ and Howie were lounging around. They waved in response and Brian stood up.

“You ready to play some b-ball?”

 

AJ: *rolls eyes*  There goes Rok with the b-ball again.

 

I nodded. Brian turned to the others.

“You guys wanna join?” he asked.

“No thanks, guys. Enjoy yourselves!” he replied.

 

Howie: Who’s ‘he’?  Me?

AJ: Nah, it’s gotta be me, D.  You know you don’t get that many lines.

Howie: *sighs sadly*  I know…

 

AJ, who looked like he was trying to doze off, waved with his hand as if to imply ‘go ahead without me’.

 

Howie: Hey, I think it was me!  I got a line!  Whoo-hoo!

 

We were just about to leave when AJ called to me: “Nicky, where have you been disappearing to?”

I spun around, “Huh?”

“The past few days. You sneaked off somewhere,” he explained.

 

AJ: *imitating Nick*  Oh, I was just off stalking this alien chick.

Nick: Shut up!

 

“Nowhere important,” I tried to sound casual.

“Is it a girl?” he questioned.

“Why?”

“It’s a girl, isn’t it?” he smirked mischievously.

 

AJ: Not quite.  It’s an alien, but close.

Nick: Well, she’s a girl alien!

 

“That’s for me to know and you to, hopefully, never find out!” I stated, grinning back at him.

“Yep! It’s a girl, alright!” he claimed gleefully.

I growled in mock anger as I turned for the door, catching a glimpse of Howie smirking behind the book he was reading.

I laughed out loud myself with Brian when we had left the room. You can never hide your lovelife from the band’s biggest flirt!

After about two hours of shooting hoops with Brian, we decided to go back inside.

 

AJ: Two freaking hours?  Jesus!

 

Kevin had now appeared in the room with Howie and AJ. They were watching something on the News.

“What’s up?” Brian queried, plonking down next to his cousin on the couch.

I shoved AJ off the end of the couch that he had sprawled himself across for a nap.

 

Nick: Ha ha!

AJ: You little shit.

Nick: Who you calling ‘little’?  You know I can take you!

AJ: *snorts* Ha, in your dreams!

Kevin: Well, I can take you both, so shut up!

Brian: Not anymore you can’t, cuz!  You’re an old man!

Kevin: Hey, cuz, I can still kick your scrawny ass too, so shut up, and let’s get on with the story.

AJ: Ooh, Kev’s getting into this thing too now!

 

He sat up and shot a hateful glare towards me as he joined us in front of the TV set.

“There’s something about UFO’s!” Kevin stated.

“UFO’s? C’mon, don’t tell me you believe that bull!” AJ moaned.

“Hey, it looks a bit convincing to me,” Howie pointed out. “Look, it says the entire crowd at this outdoor rock concert saw this UFO fly overhead. What’s more the concert was being broadcast live!”

AJ frowned, “Well, I ain’t convinced!”

The news topic changed, so Kevin switched the set off.

He stood up and headed for the kitchen to get some coffee, while AJ turned to face me.

“So, who’s this girl then?” he asked, grinning foolishly.

 

Jen’s point of view

 

I sat staring at the news. Something was going on. UFO’s? It had to be…….. them. But why where they here?

 

Howie: Ooh, who’s ‘them’, I wonder?  Her people?  From her planet?

AJ: Dude, if you shut up, D, we’ll find out!

 

Tohja wandered in from the kitchen and looked over to the TV.

His eyes widened. “They’re early!!”

“Maybe they’re just doing a survey of the US or something?” I suggested, but I doubted that myself.

“Either way,” I continued, “I’m gonna act normally, since they’d be more direct if they wanted us.”

 

AJ: A survey of the US?  What the hell would they want to survey us about?  More likely they’re coming to kill us all off like on “Independence Day”!

Brian: *sings* “It’s the end of the world as we know it…”