This was the sort of situation Joseph would have been better at handling. Really he could handle any situation, but this one in particular would have been his specialty. My twin brother had had the ability to make everyone comfortable. He could talk to anyone, settle any dispute, and most of all he knew how to use words in a way no normal teen could. I say teen because he died before he made it out of his teen years. I’m sure his skills would have gotten even better.

Angie was thinking the same thing. She didn’t need to say it out loud. I could see it in her face, and in the split-second change in her when Rachel got to the root of her story. She was stepping into Joseph’s role because I couldn’t. I was the opposite of him when it came to dealing with situations, especially when it came to using words.

Yet I needed to find words because once the tacos were eaten—turned out in addition to being really nerdy Carl was also really good at cooking— we were back in our circle on the floor sitting in silence. Well, everyone but Rachel.

“I’m going to go check on her.” Angie started to get up.

I held out a hand to stop her. “No. I will.”

“You can’t check on a girl in the bathroom,” Angie glared at me.

“I won’t walk in on her or anything. But she trusts me the most.” I jumped to my feet before Angie could argue anymore.

I walked back toward the bedroom area and knocked on the bathroom door. “Hey, it’s Noah. Are you okay?”

“You can come in,” she called.

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

I turned the knob and opened the door. She was sitting up on the counter next to the sink. Her eyes were red, and it didn’t take a genius to realize she was crying.

“Are you all right?” I struggled to figure out what to say.

“Yes. Sorry. I’m just.” She closed her eyes for a moment. I waited patiently until she opened them again. I got lost in the circles of brown. “I’m ashamed.”

“What do you have to be ashamed of?”

“That I fell for their lies. That I never questioned anything.” She tilted her head back and looked up at the bare bulbs hanging from the ceiling. “You must think I’m horrible.”

“Horrible?” I stepped further into the small room. “Of course not.”

“I keep thinking about how quickly I ran. I took care of myself and no one else. I even left Alda to fend for herself.” She sighed.

I didn’t know who Alda was, but it didn’t seem like the right time to ask. “I’m glad you ran. I mean, I’m glad you ran here. To me.” Then I realized what I said. “Oh. Wait. I don’t mean that you ran to me. I mean that you ran to Earth and met me.”

“I know what you mean.” She smiled. A bright smile that lit up her whole face. “And that’s the best part of any of this. Well, that and air. The best part of Earth so far is meeting you and getting to breathe air.”

“Wow. I’m equal to air to you so far?” I relaxed. I was much more comfortable when I could use humor.

“I doubt it’s just so far. If anything I’m more glad by the minute.”

“Me too.” I put my hand over hers where it rested on the counter beside her. I couldn’t stop touching her hands.

“Thanks for not sending me off.” Fresh tears spilled down her face.

“Oh no. Don’t cry. And of course I wouldn’t have. I’m not like that. And I already told you I’m glad you found me.”

“Even if I was raised by a people who have destroyed innocents?”

“Yes.” I didn’t hesitate with my answer. “Even if you were.”

“You have nice lips.” She reached out and ran her pinky finger over my closed lips. “Sorry if that is a strange thing to say, but they draw me in.” She removed her finger.

“Draw you in how?”

“Like I wish I could kiss you.” She looked down at her lap. “I’m silly. With everything else going on I have thoughts like that. And now I’m telling you. You make it too easy to be honest.”

“If it makes you feel any better, I’d like it if you kissed me. Or well, if I could kiss you. I don’t think it really matters who starts it. Just that we’re both involved.” Yes, I needed Joseph here. He was also much better when it came to girls. I’d had a few girlfriends over the years, but this was different. Rachel was different, and I could barely think straight around her.

“Would it be selfish if I did?”

“How would kissing me be selfish?” I really hoped this didn’t tie back into the Caspian guy. She said the Lexas were really tall. I guess that would make him much taller than me, though at 5’11” I wasn’t short. I had a feeling he also had a whole lot on my frame. I went to the gym, but no one would have confused me for a fitness model.

“Because the others are out there waiting. Because I’ve led a crazy creature to Earth and who knows who else. Because I still haven’t found my brother. Because I’m stuck wearing this medallion around my neck.”

“How do any of those things mean us kissing would be selfish?” If she wanted me to talk her out of kissing me, I wasn’t going to help.

She smiled and raked her teeth over her bottom lip. And that was it. I was undone. The most gorgeous girl I’d ever met was asking me to kiss her. I wasn’t going to pass up that opportunity. I leaned down, cupped her face with my hand, and let my lips meet hers.

They were soft, exactly the way I pictured, and pretty soon I knew a chaste little kiss wasn’t going to cut it. I deepened the kiss, eager to explore her mouth, and loving the soft moan that my attention elicited. She tasted sweet, like taffy-candy, and I couldn’t get enough.

She wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me in. And that was it. I could have died in that moment and felt as if I’d lived fully.

But I didn’t die. Instead we were interrupted.

“Are you serious?” Angie snapped from behind me. “Noah. Really?”

Rachel pulled back away from me, and I turned ready to face Angie’s wrath. But her anger disappeared and was replaced by a smile. She was smiling. Maybe this was all one big messed up dream.

“Why are you smiling?” I really hoped it wasn’t a dream.

“Because you’re glowing. You never glow anymore. You never even look happy. I like when you’re happy.”

Rachel hopped down from the counter. “I started it so you can blame me. I asked him to kiss me.”

“I just told you guys I’m glad he’s happy. But you do need to get out here. We can’t do anything unless we know more of the story.”

“We’ll be right out.”

Angie shook her head and headed through the doorway.

I looked at Rachel. “So, yeah. Was that what you expected?”

She shook her head and panic struck me.

She smiled. “It was better than I expected. I didn’t know a kiss could feel like that.”

“Neither did I.” After the relief set in I brushed my lips against hers. “And just so you know, that wasn’t selfish at all because you made me feel something I never thought I would again.”

“Happiness?” She wrapped her hand around mine.

I nodded, resisting the urge to claim her lips again.

“You gave me that for the first time.” She headed out of the bathroom, pulling me with her.