Chapter 3 – Independent Study
"So where's your next class?" Darius asked as they stepped into the hall.
"I'm not sure," T'ara said. "I was not told what subjects I'd be taking—only to tag along with the designated student. Which is you."
"Seems pretty lax of the school to let an extraterrestrial just roam around."
"I come in peace."
"So they say in the movies." He grinned. "Well, if you're with me, we're going to the science lab."
"Oh?" Her eyes widened. "Are you going to dissect me?"
"I wish," Darius said, maybe a little too honestly.
Her scales cooled from gold to an icy blue. "Actually, I don't wish to go to the lab."
"I was joking! Come on."
"Really? Because your mouth and brain said the same thing at the same time."
"Slip of the tongue—mind—whatever. I'm not going to do it."
"Ah. Then I suppose it's fine. But no touching."
"Touching is required. You didn't mind it before."
"Before I wasn't able to see what you might do."
"Those stray thoughts are a product of hormonal changes. Pay them no mind."
"Really? They occur approximately every five seconds—and they're quite vivid."
"It's biology," he muttered.
Her scales warmed back to yellow. "Then it is fine."
"Good. By the way, why do your scales change color?"
"I can't say. A product of Earth's environment, perhaps. It never used to happen before."
"Fascinating," he said.
She arched a brow. "In your language, that word usually precedes something messy."
"Not this time." He hesitated. "Probably."
⸻
The door to the science lab groaned open, releasing the sharp smell of sanitizer and formaldehyde. The fluorescent lights flickered overhead—Earth's least-impressive technology on full display.
"Okay," Darius said, sweeping an arm across the room, "this is home base. Beakers, microscopes, models of things people pretend to understand."
T'ara stepped in like she was entering a temple. "There is… so much glass," she whispered, running a webbed finger along a test-tube rack. "You humans worship reflection?"
"You're not wrong," he said. "With a pretty enough face and enough followers, you can rule the world."
Her brow knit. "Followers?"
"People who like your reflections more than their own."
She considered that. "Strange religion."
"Yeah," he said. "We call it social media."
⸻
The rest of the class trickled in—whispers, elbows, not-so-subtle glances. Darius could already feel the eyes on them. The alien girl. The nerd. The rumored couple.
"Do not be alarmed," T'ara said calmly. "They are merely observing. You are the one who invited an extraterrestrial to your place of worship."
"Yeah, and now I'm gonna need a bodyguard."
"For protection?"
"For ego damage."
Her scales shimmered green—a new color.
"What's that one mean?"
She looked down, surprised. "I think… amusement."
"Good. We'll need a lot of that."
He guided her toward the microscopes. "Alright, lab day. Grab a lens. We're starting small."
"How small?"
He adjusted the focus for her. "That's pond water. Whole ecosystems living in a single drop."
Her eyes widened. "Oh… it's alive."
"Yep. Welcome to Earth biology."
"It is beautiful," she said, wonder softening every syllable.
He smiled before he could stop himself. "Yeah. It is."
She looked up from the eyepiece and caught him staring. "You were not looking at the slide when you said that."
"Observational bias."
"Biology again?" she teased.
"Something like that."
She turned back to the microscope, pretending not to notice his blush. "You are a fascinating specimen, Darius Williams."
"Specimen?" he sputtered. "I thought we agreed—no dissections!"
"I am only observing." She smiled, her scales glinting gold again. "For now."