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As the familiar tones that Earth held faded around them, the Betsy-II finally launched out of the Earth’s atmosphere. After years of training for this exact mission, they were finally doing it. For real. Jonas, the captain of the ship, finally let go of his console as the ship’s autopilot mode kicked in. He looked over his shoulder to find his two best friends Wuan and Dondó talking, and went up to them to join their conversation. He’d known the two since their early years at Star Corps Academy. Him and Wuan met at some lecture, and have been close ever since. It wasn’t until they met Dondó at some frat party that the trio really began.
“Hey, man! Isn’t this awesome?” Dondó yelled out at Jonas, somehow already holding a beer in his left hand.
“Yeah, it really is.” Jonas said as he walked closer to the two.
“I can’t believe we’re doing this for real after all those simulations! It feels like a dream.” Wuan said, holding an empty solo cup in his right hand.
“Yeah, it feels so surreal.” He said, giving his full attention to him
“Yo, Jonas check it out.” Dondó said motioning towards Maria and Laurel, the two girls on board.
“Uh.. What about ‘em?”
“Isn’t that Maria? Dude, you totally had a thing for her!”
“Yeah. Had. That was completely in the past. We’re just friends.”
“Ha! ‘Just friends!’ Tell it to her! She’s a psycho bitch, Jonas! She’s totally in love with you!”
Maria faced turned red from anger as she heard the insult. She walked over towards to Dondó.
“Who you callin’ bitch? You think you’re so macho, huh? She yelled at him
“Maria, he doesn’t mean it. Don’t listen to him.”
Wuan was still standing there, tuning out the argument unfolding in front of him. He’d hate to admit it, but he was a bit jealous of the way Jonas was so quick to defend this girl. The way he looked at her should’ve been the way he looked at him.
But he knew that Jonas would never be with him. After knowing him for all these years and only ever seeing him with women, his chances were low.
Dondó walked out in the midst of the argument, leaving the two and Wuan behind.
Wuan barely noticed him leave, as his thoughts were still on the Captain. His thoughts were soon to be interrupted by Jonas saying “I love you” to Maria.
“He loves her?” He thought to himself. He walked back to his pod, not wanting to hear them flirt any longer.
“You love me? You really mean it, Jonas?”
“Uh.. Yeah.” He said, his view focused on Wuan walking away behind her.
“Oh, Jonas! I’ve missed you!” She said, pulling the Captain into a tight hug. His thoughts still were focused on his best friend, though.
"Why’d he leave? Did I say something?” He stopped thinking about him once he heard Maria’s voice again
“What do you say you come to my pod, Jonas?” She said in almost a whisper, that made his thick glasses fog up as she said it.
“Yeah, that sounds.. nice.”
Laurel was still there, pretending to look at the artificial plants so she could listen in on their conversation.
“God, when will she ever move on from him? I could treat her so much better…” She thought as she saw the two of them leave together.
—————
The interior of Maria’s pod was already somewhat decorated, despite the fact that the ship just took off. There were small posters of various girl rock bands from the 90s taped next to her bed, and a small bullet shaped tube of lipstick standing on her dresser.
The two were sitting in Maria’s bed, kissing while being pressed against her bed frame. Her mauve lipstick left stains on his lips and the skin around them. He forgot all about Wuan at that moment, and instead focused on how good she smelt, a mixture of vanilla and coconut. At that moment, he was sure that he loved her.
“Jonas, could we.. do what we used to do? When we were really together?”
“You mean..”
“Yeah.”
He thought about it for a moment. He really loved her, and she was very pretty.
“Just once.”
—————
His emotions confronted him almost immediately after. He did love her, he really thought he did, but he felt remorse.
“I’m sorry. I.. I have to go.”
“Don’t go! You’ll feel better in the morning! Please!”
“I can’t lead you on like this.” He quickly threw on what he was wearing under his suit, a navy t-shirt and boxers, and awkwardly walked out of her pod.
He wanted to talk to someone about it, and what better person would be his best friend, Wuan? He was a good listener, especially when it came to Jonas’ problems.
He walked through the hallway, and found his pod. He knocked without thinking.
Wuan opened the door, he was slightly confused at the sight of Jonas wearing something so casual, as he was always the type to dress professional.
“Dude.. Can I talk to you about something?”
“Sure! Uh.. come in.”
He led him in to the room, and the two
of them sat on his bed, talking.
“I just.. I keep leading her on. And I thought I loved her. But I don’t know if I really do.” He had his head in his hands, his fingers are buried in his shaggy brown hair.
“Jonas.. I know there’s something better in you. I know you’re better than that.”
“You mean it?” He looked up to make eye contact with him, noticing his brownish-greenish eyes in a way he hadn’t noticed them before.
“Yeah. I really do.” His face felt hot has he blushed from the eye contact.
“Hey, you okay?” He said, gently touching his cheek with the back of his hand. “You seem hot.”
“Oh, uh.. yeah, I’m fine.” The touch only made him blush even harder. “It must be hot in here.”
“It’s only like, 15 degrees.”
“Oh.”
“Uh, well, I’m glad I could talk to you, man.”
“Yeah. Anytime.”
—————
Maria was still in her pod. She put on whatever she could find in her suitcase and decided to unpack everything. Anything to get him of her mind. His suit still lied on the floor, and her lipstick was still smudged.
She found a small framed photo of her and Laurel from their first day of the Academy. They’d known each other since their junior year of high school. She traced over the engraved frame with her finger before displaying the photo on her dresser.
“I should really catch up with her soon.” She thought while unpacking the rest of her stuff. “I wonder what she’s doing now.
—————
The day went by fast, as it would be nighttime back on Earth right about then. Maria was busy in the kitchen preparing whatever premade meal Star Corps had provided. Laurel was also in the kitchen, just talking to her.
“Yeah, I think the worst part about being in space is having to eat this shit.” She says, as she removes the frozen meal from its plastic bag.
“What even is that supposed to be? Meat?”
“Uh.. I think so? I can’t care less at this point, anyways.” She said as she tossed it into the microwave.
“Honestly, I just want to save this planet and get the hell out of here.” She adds
“Well, it isn’t so bad, I guess.”
“We’re grouped with three alcoholic assholes and a robot. I don’t think it’s that good either.”
She slightly smiled at the comment calling them ‘assholes’, maybe she did move on.
“I mean two alcoholic assholes, I’ve never seen Jonas drink.”
“He can’t handle that stuff.”
“Yeah.”
“Hey, Maria! Is the food done or what? I’m starving over here!” Dondó yelled from across the room
“Your fatass is always starving! Be patient!” She yelled back.
“Damn.” Laurel said after the few silent moments that followed.
“He’s so annoying. You know he called me a bitch earlier.”
“Oh, you okay?”
Something about the way she asked was so endearing. Like someone actually cared about her feelings instead of dismissing them like Jonas did.
“What? Oh, yeah, he doesn’t bother me that badly.”
“Well, if he does, if any guy does.. You can talk to me.”
“Thanks.. God, what would I do without you?”
That made Laurel smile, it was nice knowing she loved her, even if it would only ever be platonic.