I have so many ideas and plans for this story, this will definitely be my longest book yet. A few people have asked if Rosie will be seven throughout the entire book, and no, the majority of the book will take place when she is an adult. I'm excited for us all to grow up along with Rosie and Icah.

Expect many updates for this in the future <3

Chapter Three 

November 3rd, 2006

I clamber up onto the bus and find the nearest available seat. I still felt shaky and unstable from being sick only minutes before, so the hour-long bus-ride was a bit of a relief.

I don't hate school. Second grade isn't nearly as bad as kindergarten was. In kindergarten none of the kids wanted to be friends with me because I was four years old, and not six like the rest of them. They'd call me a baby all the time, which was not true. Just because I was four at the time, doesn't mean I wasn't as smart as them.

Now that I'm seven, things are different. I have a good friend, Mikael, who is the only kid in our grade that doesn't live on some sort of farm here in Oklahoma. He lives in an apartment in town, which I get to go to next Saturday for his ninth birthday party. I like apartments, because they are high up, and you can see the sky so much better when you are high up in a building.

I stare out the window of the bus, and watch the sun rise even higher in the sky. I almost forget about Icah, until a flutter erupts through my veins, as if he purposely did so to remind me that he's still here, listening, watching, existing within me.

When we arrived at the school, I hopped off the bus, where Mikael was waiting for me. I ran up to him, and he held his backpack tightly against his chest.

"I brought a secret." He said and glanced all around the both of us to make sure nobody else was listening.

"What secret?" I inquire, and peer into his backpack, which he thrusts away from me.

"I can't show you here."

"Why not?"

"Because it's a secret." He beckons me to follow him, and eagerly I do. I was never good at being patient, so I wanted to know what it was that he brought.

We walk into the school, and over to the tiny neon-colored lockers. His was a neon yellow, which I much preferred over the neon green one that I was stuck with.

We huddled inside his locker, where he looked around us once more, making sure nobody was paying attention before he slowly pulled open his backpack.

Inside was a white jar.

"What's in it?" I ask, and he pushes his glasses that were falling down his nose back up.

"Open it."

I reach my hand inside his backpack and remove the glass lid of the jar.

Inside the jar were cookies, a lot of cookies.

"A cookie jar?"

"I took it off the counter when my mom wasn't looking."

I stare at him, horrified, I couldn't imagine doing that. My mother would tell my father, and he'd punish me for being a thief. "Aren't you afraid of getting in trouble?"

He looked at me like I was stupid, which made me annoyed, "That's why I did it when she wasn't looking. Duh."

And suddenly I felt stupid. Mikael was a lot like Jeffery, he always made me feel this way. I guess that's the difference between a kid who lives on a farm and a kid who lives in town. They always think they are better than you.

"Grab one." He continues, "But don't let anyone else see you eat it."

I grabbed a cookie, and he did too, just as the bell rang, indicating that it was time for us to get to class.

I glanced down at the cookie in my hands, and my stomach turned. The thought of eating it after what happened earlier this morning made me dizzy. When Mikael wasn't looking, I stuffed the cookie in my pocket, and maybe I could eat it later.

I grab Mikael's arm before he left to class, "I have a secret too, but I have to show you later, okay?"

He nodded, giving me an enthusiastic smile before running down the hall, and I followed him.

Me and Mikael, and all our classmates began to fill into the classroom, as we each got into our desks. Our teacher, Mrs. Morice greeted us with a very flashy smile that made me jealous because her teeth were so white.

"Good morning you guys." She said cheerfully as the final remaining students ran into the classroom and went to sit down. "What a gorgeous Wednesday morning this is, how are you all today?"

The room erupted into a multitude of the word; "Good."

Mrs. Morice smiled even wider at that, "Oh that's lovely to hear, did you all finish the homework I assigned you last night?"

Once again, the room filled to the brink of students shouting, only this time it was the word; "Yes."

"Very good." Mrs. Morice nodded her head, "June," she turned to the girl who sat in the desk beside me. She and I haven't spoken much, but I always thought she had very cool shoes. They lit up every time she walked. "Will you collect the homework from everyone and put them on my desk?"

"Yes, teacher." June replied, as she stood to do just that.

I placed my homework readily on my desk for June to take. When she did, Mrs. Morice began to explain what the day's agenda was going to be.

I looked over at Mikael, who sat three desks over from mine. He was trying to chew on a cookie and only took a bite when he knew Mrs. Morice wasn't looking.

Though the cookie didn't look appetizing, my stomach was empty, and I felt starving, but I was afraid to eat again due to Icah's refusal to keep anything down.

Once Mrs. Morice started on reviewing our math homework, I inevitably zoned out. I thought about everything that wasn't math. From aliens, to Mikael's upcoming birthday party.

"Is there a particular motive that you wish to pursue by sitting here?"

I nearly jump in my seat at hearing Icah's voice, and quickly looked around. It sounded like he has spoken directly in my ear and yet, he was nowhere to be seen.

Where was he?

"Do you not comprehend that we can communicate without bodily presence? I assure you, it is not, by any means, my preferred way to contact."

I feel my heart racing. He was talking to me in my mind.

And so, I think the words, "You're in my head."

"I am everywhere in you."

But I can mostly feel him crawling in my brain, and I didn't like it. So, I say the words in my head, "I don't like you in my brain."

"I apologize."

"I can feel your hands in my thoughts."

"Yes, you were thinking about that human boy child."

"You mean Mikael."

"That one, yes."

I frown, "Can you read his thoughts too?"

"I am only connected with you, Rosie."

"This is weird."

He doesn't respond, so I turn my attention back on whatever Mrs. Morice was saying.

The four hours before lunch passed slower than I wished it would. The closer the clock came to hitting 12:00, the slower it seemed to spin.

By the time the bell rang, I was practically itching to leave my seat.

I was the first to stand up and reach the door, as I waited for Mikael to follow me. I wanted to show him Icah, and have him know that my secret alien was so much cooler than a jar full of stolen cookies.

As all the students fled to the cafeteria, Mikael and I broke off down the hall to the bathrooms. I walked into the girl's bathroom, but Mikael stopped right outside the door.

"This is the girl's bathroom." He said, and I rolled my eyes.

"It's only for a second."

He considered this, and finally shrugged, while walking in behind me.

I closed the door, and locked it, and then turned to my best friend. "I found a secret last night."

"What secret?"

"You have to promise not to tell anyone."

I could tell he was growing impatient, "I promise, now tell me."

So I did, I told him about how I was staring out my window when I should have been asleep, and I told him about the star I saw fall, and the boy who detached from it and feel in the back of our fields. I recalled how I had sneaked out of the house to meet said alien boy, only to have him enter my body to live in.

When I was done explaining, Mikael stared at me as though I had grown a second, or even a third head.

"You're lying."

My enthusiasm shattered; I didn't expect him to not believe me. "I'm telling the truth."

"But aliens aren't real."

"Yes they are." I argued, "He's here right now, inside me."

Mikael pushed his glasses up off his nose with his finger, a gesture he did a lot, "Then I want to see him."

Me, being terribly annoyed and insulted that my best friend would call me a liar, felt entirely confident that Icah would perform just as I wanted him to. "Okay," I took a step back, "Icah," I say, "Come out."

I was prepared to give Mikael a smug grin once he saw that I most certainly was not lying.

But, I didn't, because Icah never came out.

"Icah?"

Nothing.

I thought back to class, when he spoke to me through my mind. I quickly formed the words in my thoughts, "Icah, where are you? Why won't you come out?"

No answer.

"Icah?"

As expected, I was met with silence.

Mikael was grinning at me, displaying the smug look that I should be wearing. "I told you aliens aren't real. You're just messing with me."

"He won't come out for some reason." I protest, but he just shakes his head.

"I'm hungry, Rosie. I want to go get some lunch before Mrs. Morice finds us gone."

"But-"

"Just stop. I don't believe you, stop trying to trick me."

"I'm not."

He rolled his brown eyes and I felt myself grow red in humiliation and irritation. Why would Icah ignore me and not come out? Now Mikael thinks I'm a liar, and I don't even blame him.

I look terribly stupid

Mikael left the bathroom, leaving me alone under the flickering neon light. I stared at myself in the mirror, the red in my face still vibrant, and my annoyance at an all-time high.

Not even Jeffery the rabbit would disappoint me this greatly.

I glanced up at my reflection only to see Icah standing behind me. His gaze locked on the door.

I spun around to him, "Now you come out?" I shout, "Why didn't you come out when Mikael was here?"

He didn't look at me as he spoke, "I find that many humans on this planet do not believe in living beings that are not exclusive to this world."

"What?"

And now he turns to me, "That is, what I believe, to be arrogance."

The way he speaks confuses me, and because I'm still angry that he made me look like a fool in front Mikael, I have no patience to spare. "You didn't answer my question."

"I do not wish to be seen, Rosie. I am still only learning of this earth myself."

"But Mikael won't hurt you."

"Human sanity is a fragile thing. To witness something that he does not believe in, could make his actions irrational. I am only looking out for your safety."

I frown, "That's not fair."

"I do not see how fairness has a part in it."

"You can't stay hidden inside me forever."

"We are forever connected, Rosie." He emphasized the word 'forever' which made my frown deepen, not that I thought that was possible.

The door suddenly opened, and just like that Icah vanished back inside me. Mrs. Morice peeked her head through the door, "There you are Rosie." The relief visible in her tone, "Hurry up and come to lunch."

"Yes ma'am." I say, as I hop over to the door and leave along-side her. I could feel Icah inside me but pushed all thoughts of him away. I was still mad at him, and though I planned to forgive him eventually, now is not the time that I'm going to do it. I'm going to sit and stew about it for a minute. Maybe I can convince him to show himself to Mikael later. Somehow, I'll find a way to get him to come out.  He's wrong about Mikael. Mikael will be able to handle seeing him, he won't freak out. Besides, he's an alien, what does an alien know about human minds?