By Elizabeth Jane Shelton

Therrus wanted to hate the cold.

Thick snow spilled over the tops of his snow boots, soaking his socks and numbing his shins and feet. The frigid air assaulted him, stinging his hidden scales and causing his holographically-projected skin to turn bright red. He took a deep breath, the wintry Connecticut chill sharp in his lungs. It was nearly unbearable.

Or, it would have been, if his insides hadn’t been completely warmed by Annie’s smile.

“Come on, Luke, we’re nearly there!” She grabbed one of his gloved hands and yanked him along the trail, curly auburn hair spilling from her beanie.

“Are you going to tell me where there is yet?” Therrus asked.

Annie laughed, the sound chasing the numbness from his fingers and toes. “And spoil the surprise? Never.”

Therrus chuckled. Annie normally wasn’t one for keeping secrets. She wore her heart on her sleeve, her words spilling out so fast that Therrus had been grateful, on more than one occasion, that he’d spent years perfecting his English. He wasn’t sure his digital translator could have kept up with her.

“This better not be a repeat of the bonfire incident.”

“How was I supposed to know chocolate has caffeine?” Annie huffed. “I can’t believe that was your first s’more. Don’t they make them in Sweden?”

He suppressed a grimace. She’d caught him speaking to his handler once in Civaran. He’d said it was Swedish. He hated lying to her, but if she knew the truth…

Instead, Therrus forced a smile. “If it makes you feel better, I did enjoy the s’more. You know, until I didn’t.” The chocolate’s minuscule caffeine dosage might not have landed him in the hospital if he’d remembered to take his immunity pills.

“Well, now we know. No coffee. No chocolate.” Annie grinned back at him again, blue eyes teasing. “A tragic existence.”

She has no idea. He felt a pang in his chest. He wished he could fit in. On Earth. With her.

Time to change the subject. “At least I can reach the coffee.”

“No fair! I can’t help my height!”

It was how they’d met. The elderly local grocer hadn’t asked questions when Therrus offered to help around the store. Therrus had been stocking items when he’d spotted Annie’s diminutive form climbing the shelves to reach her favorite coffee.

Since then, she’d taught him more about what it meant to be human than he’d learned in any book or movie.

And he’d introduced her to Star Wars.

An equivalent trade, in his opinion.

Suddenly, she gasped. “We’re here!”

The trail spit them out in a clearing featuring a pond the size of a swimming pool. It was completely frozen over.

Annie pulled some odd-looking shoes out of her bag. They looked like boots but had blades on the underside. Therrus vaguely remembered them from his studies. “Ice skates?” He looked from the shoes to the pond, apprehensive. “You mean we’re going out there?”

“Of course! Don’t the Swedish ice skate?”

“Oh, yeah. It’s just… is this safe?”

She rolled her eyes. “I skate here every year! We’ll be fine.”

Therrus smiled. If it made Annie happy, what’s the worst that could happen? He sat down and began lacing his boots.

Annie wobbled, grimacing. “I never get these laces tight enough.”

“Here, let me help.” Therrus re-laced her boots. When he glanced up, Annie’s expression filled him with warmth all over again, and he hoped his projection wasn’t blushing. “You, uh… You should go first.”

“Don’t tell me you’re afraid! Fear is the path to the dark side, Luke.” She giggled, and to his amazement, stepped backward onto the ice, skating confidently away from him.

Therrus rolled his eyes and stood, barely keeping his balance on the thin blades. “Of course not. Fear is unbecoming of a Jedi.”

Then, to prove it, he stepped gingerly onto the frozen surface of the pond.

For a moment, he felt almost graceful as he glided forward. That feeling lasted approximately three seconds until he lost his balance, pinwheeled, and landed flat on his back.

He heard a crunch that sounded an awful lot like the shattering of expensive technology.

Annie’s laugh faltered. “Luke, what…”

Therrus winced and managed to roll onto his hands and knees. He spotted his reflection in the ice, and his heart stopped His real green, scaly face stared back at him.

He looked up. “Annie, I…”

“Who are you?” she asked, voice quavering, eyes wide as she backed away.

Cold rushed in, squeezing his heart in an icy fist. He’d imagined this moment a thousand ways, but the reality was far more painful. I’ll lose my job. I’ll lose her.

Somehow, the second thought was worse.

He at least owed her the truth. “My name is Therrus. I’m a Civaran researcher from the Galactic Union. From a galaxy far, far away.”

She blinked. “You’re… an alien?”

“Yeah.” He stared down at his inhuman reflection, unwilling to watch her expression. “I’m sorry I lied to you. I just… I like you. I didn’t want you to see me like this.” He swallowed. “I’ll… I’ll go.”

He heard a sound, and when he looked up, he was surprised to find Annie kneeling cautiously in front of him, searching his face for… something. Then she smiled tentatively, laying a hand on his shoulder. Her touch warmed him. “You don’t have to go. I won’t tell anyone.”

His eyes widened. “You… You won’t?”

She shrugged. “Luke James, Therrus… You’re just you, aren’t you?” She grinned. “And I like you, too. Just… no more lies, okay?” She stood and held out a hand.

He blinked, frozen. That was it? Annie was just… okay with this? With him?

When he didn’t move, she shook her head. “Come on, Therrus!” Her eyes twinkled. “Even aliens should learn to ice skate!”

Her casual use of his real name jolted him, and he grinned, taking her hand.

Therrus couldn’t hate the cold. Not when Annie was with him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elizabeth Jane Shelton has loved stories of every kind since she was young, although fantasy is her favorite. She strives to write stories that are both entertaining and meaningful, and she hopes to impact others and honor her Creator with her writing. If she’s not working on a story, it’s probably because she’s writing code at her job as a software engineer.

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