The Difference of You and Me

"Are there any more questions in your mind, Katarina? Since you wanted to hear everything this time, I'll let you; besides, I think that you believe me now, do you not?" 

I nodded my head with a smile. "Then, why did you decide to become a singer? I was in high school at that time, and it was because of a certain someone that I got to know your band. And, if you are from the future, does that mean that both Cameron and Tim are, too?"

"Certain someone? Although I hate to think about it, are you talking about your ex now? In front of your boyfriend?" I rolled my eyes as he crossed his arms and turned his back on me. "I cannot believe you could talk about your past lover to me, Katarina! You are hurting me!"

"Oh, please. It is not like I have loved you since I was ten! I told you that my younger self had suppressed all of my childhood memories, and they are only coming to me in dreams!"

"Even so! How could you talk about other men while you are with me?" he pouted. 

I grunted. "Cut it out. Answer my questions." His lips shut tight, and he sat on the bed beside me. Riley whispered the words, "Yes, ma'am."

"Cameron and Tim, they are not my real brothers, and they are both from this world. Just like you had a family that adopted you, I had something like it although they did not legally adopted me into their family, but they loved me as if I was a part of it. They loved music; they would always carry a musical instrument whenever we hung out, and basically, that was how the band was born, and I would not deny that the band's fame has helped me forget about you for a little while. The guys... They know how desperate I was to find you again, and they suggested that you could be one of our fans and it'd make it easier for me to meet you once more."

"Which was true." I replied with a grin. "I was indeed your fan."

Riley looked into my eyes as they sparkled. "Yes." His voice was soft and added, "You were; and that was why when I saw you that night, I could not let you get away so easily. I practically begged them to let us take you home, no matter how much the management might hate it. But then, the band had fallen into the pits after that. Cameron needed to take over their family business; and Tim, being that he was only eighteen years old then, it was his job to finish his studies. Just like that, the band sunk down from the top."

This was a story that I had always wished to know: why they suddenly stopped producing music and how they left all of their fans heartbroken when they announced that they had disbanded. It was a sad story, but then I felt sure that if they had told their supporters the truth behind the disbandment, they would assure them of their love and give them encouragement. But it could be that they did not want to give us any false hope and waited for their huge comeback. 

"So... Who is it this ex?" My head threw back with another groan, making the man sitting beside me laugh. "Was he a classmate of yours in high school?"

"Yeah, his name was Jonah. Things were great between us, but then right after we graduated, I've lost all contact with him. It was like a fire that had been put out slowly by the wind; that was how we lost our love. Since then, I did not want to do anything anymore with another man; honestly, I never thought I would fall for you. Heck, you are a celebrity! How can I ever have a chance with you? Think about it!" I finished my confession with a giggle.

"Little do you know that everything I've ever done was for you?"

"Yeah, which was funny, and yet, I feel thankful for you." I clapped my hands and looked at him. "One more question! If you had been here since 2009, then how are you not old still? How is your hair still black? Shouldn't you have aged even just a little, though?"

Riley leaned back, pushing his arms back as his hands rested on the mattress to support his weight. "It might be that I am not from this world and that I age slowly, or maybe not at all. I can never be sure."

"Wow. Do you have immortality or anything of the sort?"

Riley laughed loudly and shook his head in amusement. "No. I could die, be it on this world or my own." I flinched, straightening my back as he questioned my stare. 

"Then, could your life be in any danger because you are not from here? Are you going to die if you don't go back there in time?"

It was as though I hit the right mark because Riley turned away from me. His fingers intertwined as he fiddled with his thumbs, as if he were nervous. I called his name and repeated my question. I demanded an answer, since this was really what I wanted to know. His right hand ran through his dark hair with a sigh before looking back into my eyes. I swallowed, scared of the words that his mouth would let out at this moment.

"I'd already been here for fourteen years; some people might say that it was nothing to worry about, even though they know about who and what I truly am. Still, I am somebody that is not from here and must go back to where I belong. If I do not, then everything in this world might start becoming toxic for me—the air, the food, the water—and eventually kill me. Body fluids from people in this world are not an exception; in fact, it is what I should most be careful of."

I stood up, panicked, and Riley stared at me with a confused expression on his face. "So that was the reason why you do not drink alcohol?"

Riley grinned. "As expected from a doctor who perfected her board examination; yes, Katarina, that is correct. Not to worry, though, we can still kiss." He pursed his lips jokingly, making me shake my head in disbelief. I could not believe that was the only thing that he could think of to say to me for some assurance. Although his words, I won't deny, had made my brain imagine the two of us sharing a passionate kiss under the moonlight, it was a good thing that Riley did not have a superpower that could read one's mind, or else I am done. 

"Didn't you just say that it might be dangerous for you? Wouldn't kissing be able to transmit bodily fluids?"

Riley was struck by my words; his eyes turned away from my gaze, and then a sigh was released from his lips. I did not want to upset him; however, I would not want him to risk his life just because he wanted our lips to touch. His head shook from the left to the right, and I could tell what was going on in his brain—that he should not have told me all of this, for he would not be able to fool me because I am a doctor. 

I sat back down on the bed, but Riley's stare remained on his feet. I rested my hand on top of his with a smile. "But that would only happen if you chose not to enter the portal that would help you get back to your world, isn't that right? Which only means that not one of those things of which you spoke of are toxic for you at the moment."

Riley's eyes sparkled, suddenly grabbing my hand and pulling me close to his face. Surprised, I pushed him away. "Not so fast, Martins!"

"What!" he whined and pouted. "Did you not say that because you wanted to kiss me, too? What are you stopping me for? As far as I know, you love me too." My face flushed; I could not deny that he was right; however, I would not want to be viewed as easy, but then my feelings for him are ever growing, and that is something that I would never hide anymore. I felt his hand caress my cheek; his hazel-brown eyes were looking right at me as they went down to my lips. He leaned closer, eyes closed, and his hand was at the back of my head, pulling me in. I could not resist; it was as if my body had its own brain. 

"Wow, really?" A voice echoed through the hallway. I pushed Riley. It was Shanaia who was standing by the door with her arms crossed and eyebrows raised. "I just wanted to ask the two of you whether or not you'd like for me to order some food in, and this is what you are doing?"

I blushed and turned away from her gaze. I stuttered when I tried to explain that it was not like what she's thinking, yet Shanaia was not one bit convinced. She has a smirk lining up on her perfectly sculptured face—a teasing one, that is—while Riley smacked one pillow on his bed and glared at his close friend. "Talk about bad timing! I should have closed the damn door!" 

"What, sad that I've interrupted, Martins? That is the moment you've been waiting for, huh?"

"I should have had you buy ice cream outside, Shan!"

"Oh, shut up, Riley. We already know how crazy you are about Katarina! I am starving; what would you like to eat, darling?" She was asking me, or that was what I thought considering that her eyes were looking at me. Her lips curled up into a smile. 

"Pizza is fine. I like it."

"Perfect." Shanaia held out her hand and told Riley, "We need money if we are going to order in."