[ WP ] The reason she never called you back was because she was abducted by an alien civilization . She adapted , grew , and lead a rebellion to overthrow the tyrant that ruled there . Today she just texted that she wants to go out again .

I woke up next to some girl on Saturday. I rolled over to look at the time on my phone. It was noon. I also had one new message. I groaned. 
 
 `` Hey... Maddie, I need to go to work soon,'' I said, poking her in the back. That was a lie. I did n't work on weekends. All I needed to do was catch up on some Netflix shows. 
 
 She squirmed a little and got up. She gathered her clothes from last night and got dressed. She lingered at the door. `` My name is Mary, by the way.'' Then she left. I heard the front door close behind her. 
 
 I sighed and checked my phone again. I tapped on the message to open it. It was from someone named Tess. It said... 
 
 > Hi: ) This is Tess. We went out a while ago and i never called u back. Things in my life got a little complicated around that time. But i rlly liked you. Lets go out again? Let me know: ) 
 
 `` Shit.'' I remembered her now. We went on a date to the amusement park. It was the most expensive first date ever. But she was one of the coolest people ever. I was pretty disappointed that she did n't call me afterwards, even though she said she would. I even called *her* a few times, but it said the number was n't in service. That was 3 years ago while I was still in college. I do n't know why I kept her number. Now I was glad I did. 
 
 My fingers sprang to life to respond before I even thought about it. 
 
 > Hi, Tess. Yeah, that sounds awesome. Did you have a place in mind you wanted to go to? 
 
 Send. 
 
 Dammit. That sounded too eager. I should have said I did n't remember her right away or played it off like I had to think about it or... 
 
 She responded. 
 
 > I actually did. How about u meet me at 1212 East Blvd at 8 tonight?: ) 
 
 I replied immediately before even checking my plans. 
 
 > Ok. I'll see you at 8 then! 
 
 I sat upright in my bed and looked at my phone waiting for a reply, even though the conversation was clearly over. Five minutes in I abandoned my phone on the nightstand and went to get some food. I was suddenly hungry. And excited. I was getting a second chance with this chick. Why in the world would she text me now, three years later? I decided to not think about it. I probably would n't even bring it up on the date unless things got really stale. 
 
 My roommate was in the kitchen sitting in his boxers at the counter eating Raisin Bran. He noticed me walk in. Through a mouthful of raisins and bran he said, `` I saw that chick you brought home last night, dude. Nice!'' He swallowed his mouthful of cereal. `` Me and Bobby just hung around the bar after you guys left.'' 
 
 `` Yeah, yeah, she was great. But remember that girl Tess from college like 3 years ago? She texted me today. She wants to go out.'' 
 
 For some reason he put more cereal in his mouth before he spoke. Bits of bran flakes flew from his mouth as he talked. `` No idea what you're talking about, buddy.'' Then he swallowed. Why did he have to do that? 
 
 `` You met her like twice... Well, anyways we're going out tonight. Do you know a restaurant that's on 1212 East Boulevard? That's where she wants to go.'' 
 
 He finished his bowl and walked over to the sink. `` Dude, East Boulevard is super shady. That's where Marshall goes to get his weed, and he said he heard gunshots last time. Lots of gangsta activities over there. I doubt there's a restaurant over that way.'' He dumped the remaining milk down the drain. `` She probably just wants to kill you, bro,'' he added. 
 
 `` Well, I think I'll go anyway. Maybe she wants to do something creative like look up at the stars on a rooftop.'' 
 
 `` Okay, well, take, like, a knife or something.'' 
 
 I rolled my eyes. `` Yeah, okay, Craig.'' 
 
 * 
 
 When 8 rolled around I was walking up to the building. I did n't hear any gunshots on the way, so that was good. Cracks splintered up and down the door. It did n't look like it could keep anyone out, rendering its life as a door useless. 
 
 I felt confident in myself. I cleaned up pretty well, I've been told. I wore a button down shirt and some khakis. Khaki's were nice right? 
 
 I hoped she did n't live here, not out of disgust of poor people or whatever, but just because it seemed like an awful place to live. The stench around the building was powerful and the bricks were all chipped and discolored. Maybe it was better on the inside. 
 
 I knocked. 
 
 No answer. 
 
 I sent her a text saying I was here. I waited a little while. Then I knocked once more time. Almost immediately after the message sent the door opened and rough hands grabbed me by my shirt, interrupting my thoughts about my khakis and throwing me across the room. I landed on cold metal. After I got my bearings I shot to my feet ready to fight. I should have brought that knife. But as soon as I looked at the attacker my courage was drained. 
 
 A guy -- or whatever it was -- towered over me at probably 8 feet tall, two feet taller than me. It had rough dark green skin, like an alligator. Its hands had three fingers and a thumb. He reminded me vaguely of a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, but a million times more terrifying. Its body was massive even hunched over that way. Despite the rippling muscles and reptilian features, its face was most unsettling. It looked human, but noseless. No nose at all. Its eyes were a fiery orange, and its teeth were sharpened to points. Lots of teeth. I would say it was bald too, except for the tens of horns protruding randomly from the top of its scalp. He also wore some kind of weird gold colored armor on his chest. I'll admit I almost shat myself. 
 
 It snarled and lunged at me. I, very heroically, dropped to the floor and covered my head. 
 
 `` Stop!'' a womanly voice yelled forcefully. 
 
 Gator-man looked towards the source of the voice and slowly stepped back. It was still squinting at me. I do n't think it liked me very much. I, too, looked over at the source of the voice and nearly had a heart-attack. 
 
 It was definitely Tess, but she looked like a different person somehow. The girl had short blonde hair. Tess's blonde hair was long. She wore something that looked like dress. It covered her down to her ankles and revealed her shoulders. What looked like gold rings looped around her chest and stopped at her belly. A leather belt covered her stomach and a black silk floated around her legs. Her shoes were flats but were black and fancy looking. On top of her head was a small black and gold hat. I felt underdressed. 
 
 `` Trent, thanks for coming!'' she said in a bubbly voice, much different than the one she used to stop that Teenage Mutant Crazy Bastard. `` Sorry about Tom. He's very protective. That's his job.'' She smiled. 
 
 I got up from my fetal position and tried to smile, but I think it came out like a grimace. 
 
 `` What the fuck is going on?'' I probably should have said it a little more eloquently, but I was a little shaken up from being attacked by an over-sized leather handbag. 
 
 She gave me a sympathetic look. `` I should probably explain some stuff. Let's walk around a little. I'll show you around.'' 
 
 Only then did I look around at the decor. It was all black metal. Lights lined the walls and bathed them in a yellow light. Monitors glowed around all of the walls, too. Each had a different scene on them: TV shows, weird patterns, more monsters like Tom. It was weird. I would probably have fired my interior designer if I were Tess. 
 
 
 She motioned for me to follow her, and I did. We walked down a dim hallway. The walls of this hallway were glass. Weird looking fish darted in and out of view of the dark water behind it. An aquarium? Nice touch. 
 
 `` Alright, Trent. I really liked you. I did n't call because I did n't like our date or anything...'' She looked like she was struggling to say the next part. `` I got abducted by aliens.'' 
 
 `` Oh.'' I squeaked. Then I started laughing uncontrollably. I had to stop walking and put my hand on the glass for balance. Tears started coming out of my eyes. `` Aliens? That's like -- Ha! Ha! Ha! -- the worst excuse I --'' A dark figure rammed the glass where my hand was. The vibration made me jump back. I squinted into the darkness and a bright yellow eye the size of a large pizza stared back at me. Then is was gone. `` Shit, man.'' 
 
 `` Yes. I got abducted by aliens. I know it sounds crazy, but look were you are! Look at this crazy shit! That thing that was in the water is called a Qzarkuido. I ca n't make this stuff up.'' 
 
 I looked into her eyes. Her blue eyes were so honest. I could tell she was sincere. And yeah I could n't really explain that fish thing or Tom the alligator. `` I believe you. Continue.'' 
 
 She sighed like she was relieved. `` Okay. So I was walking to the bus after our date. I tripped on something. That's my last memory on Earth.'' 
 
 My face was contorted in confusion. `` A-Alright then.'' 
 
 She gave a small smile. `` Then I woke up on a space ship. It was awful. I was in cage, and they were torturing me. Doing'experiments.''' She shuddered, and I put my arm around her. We stopped walking and sat down against the glass. Hopefully the Quasimodo thing would leave us alone. `` Then the ship was attacked. I was rescued by cute little aliens. They were blue and, like, 5 feet tall. They took me back to their hideout and explained that those guys who tortured me had taken over their planet. I guess they saw something in me and let me help. Long story short, we beat the bad guys, and they made me'Galactic Earth Correspondent'. Now I'm rich. Tom's my bodyguard. His race took over the planet, but he defected to our side.'' 
 
 My arm was still around her. I did n't really know what else to say to that. All I could think of was how *bad-ass* that sounded. Eventually I said something. `` Well, thanks for texting me back.'' 
 
 She giggled and snuggled closer to me. We just sat against the glass talking all night. We had a lot of catching up to do. 
 
 It was the best date ever. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

