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It was a sunny day in Highland, Texas.
And it was a clear sky as well, which was common for the summer, nothing in the sky except the birds!
Until… something descended from the sky.
A small, nacho-shaped ship.
It soared downwards, not being noticed by anyone for some unknown reason.
Soon, the ship landed behind Highland’s local mall. The doors opened, and out came 2 teenage aliens.
They were both bald and pale, with peach skin in an hourglass-like shape in the middle of their faces, their eyes were fully white, no pupils in sight.
One of them had broad shoulders, short eyebrows, a rounded nose, small eyes, and sharp teeth with green robes and a circular plate on his chest with a star in the middle. He was 16.
The shorter one was thinner, had an overbite, bigger eyes, bigger, sharper nose, and red robes with a belt with a comet symbol in the middle. And more notably was wearing mascara, eyeliner, and earrings. She was 12, and the 16 year old happened to be her brother.
The taller one smiled sharply “We have arrived, Beryl!”
“Can we just get to the stores now, Bartholomew?” Beryl sighed, she wanted to spend all of her allowance today.
Bartholomew began to rush there “Race ‘ya!”
“Hey no fair! Quit being childish!”
She began to run after her brother until they were both inside.
Beryl immediately went up the escalator and found her destination… Hot Topic, her favorite store in the universe!
Bartholomew took his precious time walking up the stairs, he hated to admit it, but escalators and elevators scared him, he definitely watched too much Final Destination with his sister (which she definitely forced him to watch with her).
When he walked in, he immediately saw Beryl looking at the jewelry.
Bartholomew smiled before walking around, he mainly liked those “bag charms” that came in those blind boxes, so he headed to the shelves where they were.
Until something… no, someone caught his eye. A blonde haired teenage girl walked into the store, boots thumping as she looked around.
Around her neck were a pair of headphones, much older ones from before her time, but she wasn’t very fond of modern technology. Clipped to her ripped jeans, was a very old portable CD player. Her blue eyes looked around the store, calculating. She didn’t come here to shop. She couldn’t afford anything here, actually. What she came here to do was attempt to steal, maybe a pin or if she thinks she’s lucky, a band tee. Whatever seems easiest.
She hummed whatever song was playing through her headphones, aimlessly walking until she found a bowl of pins, adjacent to a shelf full of blind boxes. She dug her hand in, wondering if they had any with her favorite bands.
Bartholomew did a double take, before realizing.
10 years ago, the Highland park, the little blonde-haired girl who he and a 2-year-old Beryl played with!
It was really her!
Bartholomew instantly wanted to walk up to her and greet her!
But then he thought about it.
What if… she didn’t remember? They were both 6, after all.
Bartholomew chickened out and sighed, grabbing a few blind boxes and getting in the check out line, right in front of his sister, who had stacks of items of all sorts in her arms.
Afterwards, they headed to the food court for lunch, ordered some quesadillas (Beryl’s was covered in the spiciest sauce they had) and they sat down and ate.
Hungry after stuffing her pockets with pins, the blonde haired girl, Noelle, went over to the food court. She had a plate of nachos in her hand and sat behind the strangest people she’s ever seen. She quirked an eyebrow in curiosity. Was there an event happening here or something?
She grabbed her nachos and made her way over to the other table.
“Sorry!” She said, not wanting to sound like she was meaning to interrupt “I don’t meant to barge in on strangers, but is there a convention happening later? Are those cosplays?” She wasn’t much for cons, but Highland was a small town, very few events happened here.
Bartholomew flinched hearing the girl’s voice, and turned around to look at her. He was nervous, but he hid it with a smile.
“You aren’t interrupting anything at all! Noe- I mean… Uhhh… hmm…”
He had to think of what to say, well, lying was the best policy after all! According to his fathers, at least!
“Oh, these outfits!?! Heh, well… they are uniforms! He grinned, nudging Beryl.
She turned around “Hm? Oh, yeah, uniforms… right…”
Noelle tilted her head “Uh- Highland High doesn't have uniforms” she said, thinking they were talking about the local school. “Are you guys from some private school or something?” She briefly wonders what private school students were doing in such a rinky dink, nowhere town.
“Yeah…” Beryl said with a mouthful of food “I guess you can say we aren’t from around here…”
Bartholomew spoke again “We just thought it would be nice to shop here for a bit, that’s all!”
Noelle couldn't help but snort “Why? There are much better malls, I’m sure. Especially if you guys aren’t from here- this town kinda sucks” she shrugged and ate a nacho chip.
“Well, this is the only town we really get to go to… we actually had to get special permission from our.. ahem… fathers, to be able to come here for a few hours.”
Noelle’s eyes instantly widened “Wait- did you say ‘fathers’?” She suddenly found herself excitingly taking a seat next to Bartholomew “No freaking way! I have two dads too!” She grinned. It was so rare to find other kids her age with same sex parents.
Bartholomew smiled back “Sure did! They got married when I was 6, and my sister was 2! I don’t remember much, but apparently there was a lot of drama between one of their parents, oh! I should probably introduce myself! I’m Bartholomew! Bartholomew Benvolio! And this is my little sister, Beryl Beatrice! But please just call us Barthie and Beryl!”
It was when Bartholomew said his own name that Noelle had gotten quiet and stared at him, concentratingly as he talked. She swore she heard that name before and it didn’t click until he said the name ‘Barthie’
“Oh shit! You’re the kid from the park!” Her eyes widened in surprise “Like um- shit- uh I’m Noelle!” She exclaimed, thinking she should probably say her name before assuming he remembered her “Noelle Beavis…uh- Head” she said the final surname quietly, rather embarrassed by it. Nevertheless, she offered her hand “I think we met before! Did you ever visit Highland Park as a little kid?”
Bartholomew BEAMED with joy! “I do! I actually recognized you at Hot Topic! But I was too nervous to say anything!” He turned to his sister “Beryl, do you remember Noelle?”
Beryl stared deeply into Noelle’s soul, blinking slowly.
“Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh no. Not at all.” She shrugged her head before focusing on her food again, stealing a bite from her brother’s food as well.
“Uh-” Noelle awkwardly smiled “That’s okay! I think you were probably a baby or something” if her memory serves her right.
She turned back to Bartholomew “But anyways, what are the odds!” A genuine smile returned to her face “How are you? What about your family? I kinda remember you guys leaving quickly like- I didn’t even get to say goodbye!”
“I really don’t remember why we left either… I felt pretty sad when we went back home, my fathers are doing well, they actually adopted our youngest sibling shortly before Beryl’s 12th birthday! Her name is Birdie Bernadette! She’s mostly Brazilian!” He smiled before pulling out his communicator (or “Space Phone”) and pulling up a picture of her.
Noelle looked down at the device and nodded “Ohh! Cute! Congrats on the new sibling!” She smiled “I still have no siblings..” she admitted “But that’s okay! My Dads could not handle another kid” she laughed.
“Ah.. Heh Heh… HUMOROUS.” His voice cracked.
He was in the middle of “Space Puberty”, which caused him to slowly lose his laugh, and it’s gotten worse with time.
Bartholomew blushed and covered his mouth.
Noelle was quiet for a moment before laughing “Dude…haha, no offense but what the hell was that?” She asked, referring to his voice crack and weird attempt at laughing. It seems her personality from a toddler didn’t change much.
“Just… forget this ever happened…”
Beryl was holding in her laughter, which she luckily still had although she had been starting “Space Puberty” as well. But thankfully, she had a couple years of laughing left.
Bartholomew continued their conversation. “ANYWAY… uhm… did you have any more questions?” He smiled sheepishly.
Noelle thought for a moment “Yeah- I got one, I think. Where do you guys live if not here?” She seemed genuinely curious. Nobody just visits Highland, most can't even point it out on the state map.
“Well… uh…”
Beryl chimed in “France, we come from France!” It was a quote from one of her comfort movies, but thought it would be funny to say.
The blonde teen made a face, flabbergasted and confused. “France? As in Europe? What are you doing in America then?”
“Well… we immigrated! And are uh… in the suburbs! We live currently in a town about 10 minutes away! And uh… this is the closest mall we have!”
Noelle seemed to buy that excuse. “Damn! 10 minutes and this is the closest mall you have? That sucks!” There are much better malls, though Highlands was a nice size, she supposed.
Bartholomew and Beryl had finished their food when Beryl noticed the Spencer’s store nearby.
“Bartholomew! Can we pleaaaase go in there! I'll let you cover my eyes whenever you see anything inappropriate again!"
Bartholomew sighed, before getting up “Noelle? Did you want to go shopping with us some more?”
“Oh sure!” Noelle ate the remaining nachos she had before standing up as well. “A lot of my friends think the mall sucks because of online shopping so I barely get to go with anyone!”
Soon, they went into some stores together, buying all sorts of trinkets (Bartholomew covered for Noelle so she didn’t have to steal, hallelujah that he had a job).
They were talking while shopping about their many crushes, Bartholomew even mentioned that he had a girlfriend! The “most beautiful lady in the universe!” named Clementine! While Beryl stayed quiet, claiming she didn’t have a crush, which was a lie.
She liked an intersex/genderfluid kid in her class, who’s name was Mercury. They were bullied alongside Beryl. And they happened to be Beryl’s best (and only) friend.
Noelle didn’t have any crushes, nor a current relationship so she ended up rattling about her old flings, instead. She particularly bad mouthed this one boy she dated who had a “sucky band”, and who wanted her to join after graduation. She turned bim down.
Soon, they all sat down at the same table as the sun began to set and all the malls began to close for the night.
Noelle stretched her limbs “Man! Is it late already?” She asked as she looked around at all the shops with their gates lowered. She pulled out her phone, to check the time at first but then got an idea.
“Hey! do you guys have phone numbers or socials or something? I’d love to keep in touch!”
Bartholomew nodded “I do!!! Beryl’s phone is at home! Allow me to write my number down!”
He tore a piece of a small notebook he kept in his pocket and wrote it down, after putting the pen back in his pocket, his communicator began to ring.
It was one of his dads, so he answered, unknowingly putting it on speaker.
“Hello?”
“Barthie! Both Birdie and your father are sick! Birdie has vomited all over the bathroom and your father has… ahem… diarrhea. You must come home and quarantine! I’m sorry for the inconvenience…”
“Okay dad, we’ll be there ASAP!”
“What is this… “ASAP”? Sounds droll…”
A muffled “Yes, yes, humor- AAAAAAAAAAAA” could be heard on the phone.
“Okay dad, we’ll be there as soon as we can… I love you, bye.”
He hung up and sighed.
“Guess we have to leave… you can give me a text anytime! At least we finally get to say goodbye!”
Noelle, having heard the whole conversation, seemed extremely confused at first but then smiled once Bartholomew addressed her. She shouldn't pry into others' personal lives.
“Ah- yeah! I’ll text you!” She promised as she stood up “It was really cool getting to see you and your sister again, after a really long time! I had a lot of fun with you guys!”
Bartholomew and Beryl began to walk, but they waved.
“Farewell! We’ll be back soon!”
“Yeah… farewell… I guess.”
Noelle waved back “Bye! Hope to see you later then!”
She waited until they were out of sight to walk towards the mall’s exit. She grabbed her bike from the parking lot and peddled her way back home in Highland Gardens.
After thumping up the stairs, she was home at last! A small apartment complex that she lived in since she could remember. She greeted her folks, who were busy watching television before making her way to her room, closing the door behind her.
Once she got comfy in bed, she pulled her phone and messaged the number Bartholomew gave her.
“Hey!!” Read the text. She hoped to get a reply soon. And smiled when she saw he was typing.