In The Moment

We land at the International ground station, in Nibius Prime, and we are immediately ambushed and swarmed by many news channels reporters, journalists, and bloggers, the moment we stepped foot into the lobby, but I just stay silent not saying a single word, while Xuilana shouts them, seemingly enjoying the attention that we are getting.

"go away, he doesn't want to talk!"

the military personnel that were escorting us, start making a clear path to the outside for us, I take a step outside and I stare in awe at the many skyscrapers that stretch out to the clouds, I take in a deep breathe and my lungs get filled with the rich oxygen, I then think to myself amazed.

"the air quality of this planet, is out of this world, Earth's polluted air doesn't compare to this."

I take a couple of steps towards a transport vehicle that is guarded by soldiers, but then I begin to feel light headed for some reason, and my field of vision starts to blur, and I stumble on my own steps, Xuilana notices me and as she grabs on to my arm, she asks concerned.

"Brian are you okay?"

I nod.

"yeah just feeling a bit light headed is all."

she assists me inside the vehicle, while the military personnel, keep the crowd from surrounding the vehicle, and as we sit down I think to myself.

"this whole situation feels so surreal."

no matter how I look at things, the scenery of this city is very similar looking to how the major cities of earth used to look like before humans became space explorers, even the current vehicle I'm riding in, sounds like it's running on fossil fuel, and even feel the engine rumbling, I then think to myself.

"I never thought I would ever experience riding a primitive vehicle like this in my lifetime."

Xuilana looks at me and asks still concerned.

"are you still feeling light headed?"

I answer.

"yeah I'm fine."

after an hour of being driven I ask the driver.

"excuse me, where are you taking us?"

he asks.

"didn't the president tell you?"

I answer.

"no."

he replies while paying attention to the road.

"I'm taking you to your house."

me and Xuilana look at each other surprised on what the driver said, I then ask her.

"did the president ever mention about gifting me a house?"

she shakes her head.

"I don't think so, but it makes sense that he would, since he probably doesn't want to make you homeless."

I think to myself.

"sounds logical, I just wish he would have told me about it though."

I then ask the driver.

"how far is it?"

he answers.

"just outside of the city."

I look to Xuilana and ask.

"are you coming all the way with me?"

she answers.

"yeah obviously."

I ask.

"oh so you don't need to go home yet, aren't your parents missing you?"

she looks out the window and answers with a sad tone in her voice.

"my family is at Terra, so no, there is no one at my house waiting for me."

I respond with another question.

"do you miss them?"

she replies annoyed.

"damn it Brian, what's with you and all of these stupid questions, are you some kind of journalist?"

I reply.

"my bad."

I then think to myself.

"maybe she is on bad terms with her parents, either way I shouldn't pry into her personal life any further.

she sighs and replies with an apologetic tone

"I'm sorry, it's just I don't like talking about my parents is all."

I respond.

"understood, you won't hear me mention them again."

a few minutes pass by and she goes on a tirade.

"ugh they just drive me up the walls, like my mom."

she wags her finger at me and imitates the voice of what I assume is her mother.

"Lana you need to learn how to cook of you want to hook in a good man."

she then puffs out her chest and uses a gruff sounding voice to imitate what I assume is her father.

"Lana you can't depend on us all of your life, you need to go out there and get a job."

I chuckle and think to myself.

"oh and here I assumed they were on bad terms or something."

she grumbles to me, while pouting.

"what's so funny Brian this is serious stuff, that I'm talking about."

I respond while smiling.

"I think they are just being parents."

she directs her displeasure towards me.

"idiot you should be siding with me, I thought you were my friend mphm."

she doesn't let me me respond and then she asks.

"well you must know what I'm talking about right?"

I look out the window.

"I wish I did, I don't have any memories of my parents, my sister Maria told me that they died in a space battle when I was very young."

she replies with guilt in her voice.

"I'm sorry I didn't know."

I respond.

"it's fine, I don't have any strong feelings for their deaths, because I didn't have any attachments to them."

Xuilana slides close to me and places her head on my shoulder and asks.

"so it was just you and your sister?"

I answer.

"yeah since we didn't have any family on earth, we lived in an orphanage, until my sister was old enough to leave, and then adopted me there after, so if anything she is the closest thing to a parent that I've ever had."

Xuilana begins sobbing and wiping her tears off on my shoulders, and she responds while sniffling.

"I didn't know you had such a sad life Brian."

I reply.

"most of the people I knew, had similar situations of losing many family members, because of the path of destruction that the A.I. left in their way."

she finishes wiping off her tears and she says with determination.

"don't worry Brian, I will show you the great things that life has to offer."

I smile and respond.

"I will be in your care."

she blushes and replies while nervously scratching her cheek with her finger.

"don't get the wrong Ideas with what I'm saying."

I tease her.

"ah I see, if I'm too much to handle, then introduce me to some of your friends and maybe they can show me some fun things."

she blushes while looking into my eyes, I then say feeling a bit nervous.

"um or maybe not."

I then think to myself.

"maybe I shouldn't have teased her like that."

she replies with a serious demeanor with a hint of jealousy.

"I think I can handle you."

I playfully roll my eyes and I respond trying to hide how nervous I am.

"ha, I doubt it."

she puts her hand on my cheek and as she gently turns my head, she whispers seriously.

"Brian what is going on with me, why does my heart race whenever I'm near you?"

I feel my face turn red, and get taken a back with what she said, I then reply with my heart racing while looking into her light brown eyes.

"I don't know, I think maybe we've been spending too much time together."

she replies while leaning closer to me.

"maybe, but I don't think my heart should be aching when I hear you talk about meeting other women."

I gulp nervously and think to myself.

"what the hell kind of situation is this, I've never experienced these kind of things with anyone of the opposite sex."

I take a deep breath and think to myself.

"well I might as well try kissing her to see if there is something to this and not just a fleeting moment."

I firmly put my hands on her shoulders and ask.

"do you like me, even though I'm not an elf?"

she replies.

"I think so, I don't ever recall feeling like this for anyone."

after hearing her say that, I make up my mind and lean in closer for a kiss, she does the same thing once she noticed what I'm doing, and then as our lips touch for a kiss, I think to myself while

getting lost in the moment.

"I can't believe this is real, what the hell am I even doing anymore?"

our lip stay locked for a few more seconds and then as she slowly pulls away, she asks smiling.

"so what do you think?"

I reply.

"it was great."

she clears her throat and asks.

"I meant what do you think about me, do you like me the same way even though I'm not a human?"

I think to myself.

"I have a reason why, but I don't think it's a good idea to tell her that she reminds me of my sister, that would make it sound like I have some kind weird sister complex."

I reply nervously.

"well I don't want to weird you out, if I tell you."

she sighs, and says.

"fine then I'll tell you why I like you."

she takes a deep breath and says.

"honestly you give off the same aura that my brother used to have before he became a pilot."

I think to myself.

"oh shit, she likes me for the same weird reason why I like her."

feeling dispirited for her reason for liking me, I ask.

"oh I see so you like me because I remind you of your brother?"

while smiling, she answers like it's normal.

"yeah basically."

I look down at my feet and laugh in pity for myself, Xuilana notices this and asks concerned

"are you okay, did I say something wrong?"

I give a weak reply.

"no."

she then says smiling

"now it's your turn to tell me, why you like me."

I think to myself.

"well at least she won't think I'm weird for saying that I like her because she reminds me of my sister."

I answer.

"pretty much the same reason, you remind me of my sister."

she takes that as a compliment and replies smiling.

"do I really, that's good."

dumbfounded with her reaction, I ask.

"so you don't think that's a weird reason?"

she answers.

"no it's pretty common for elf couples to form because they see the same traits that are similar to family members."

I sigh in relief.

"oh so what I said is normal here?"

I then go in for another quick kiss, after pulling away she asks.

"so what do we do now, I'm not experienced with these kind of things?"

I shrug my shoulders.

"I guess we should just go with the flow and see where our feelings take us."

she blushes and says.

"maybe I should ask mother about this, she knows about these kind of things, and she will be thrilled to hear, that I've found a man."

I chuckles as she continues rambling.

"or maybe my friends who are already married, they could also give me advise about this."

I then think to myself.

"at least I can finally try to live a normal life, and not have to worry about protecting the survival of the human race."

I then hear her blurt out something embarrassing.

"I wonder if we can have kids."

she slowly turns her head to me, looking completely mortified, she then asks nervously.

"you didn't hear anything I just said right?"

I smile and tease her some more.

"oh you mean the whole having kids thing, no I didn't hear that."

feeling completely embarrassed with what she had just said, Xuilana covers her face and stays quiet the whole ride to my house, the driver comes to a stop in front of a house that is located in a suburban area, he turns around and says with a grin.

"we have arrived, I hope you two lovebirds enjoy yourselves."

Xuilana breaks her silence and asks him.

"you heard all of that?"

he answers still grinning.

"you two will make beautiful looking babies."

Xuilana's brain completely explodes with embarrassment, and she doesn't utter a single word, I respond while getting me and her out of the vehicle.

"thank you for driving us here, and have a good day."

he rolls down the window and as he gives me the keys to the house, he says.

"I wish you good luck, with the your new life here with The Great Elf Empire, human and with that good woman you got there."

I had no response to him since I was also feeling embarrassed with everything that transpired between me and Xuilana, I hold her hand and say to her.

"if you can hear me, I'll be in your care."

she replies avoiding eye contact.

"yes and I'll also be in your care."

after saying that, we go inside my house and see what kind of life I can live here.