CHAPTER 5
DAWN GOLDEN
My eyes open to brilliant sunlight streaming into the bedroom. The white curtains beside the archway that leads to the sea billow in the late morning sun.
“Are you awake now?” Kyon asks. He’s lying beside me with his head on a couple of ivory-colored pillows. I panic for a second when I see him, but then I remember where I am.
“Yes,” I say, stretching. I’m still in the same clothes as yesterday, which makes me feel better. He didn’t try anything criminal last night.
“Do you feel well? You slept a long time.” He turns away and sets a tablet on the table beside him, giving me a view of his back. My eyes skim over his bare skin. Do I feel well? No, I don’t. I hate the disturbing feelings he inspires in me: fear¸ hatred, attraction . . .
I rub my eyes. “I usually don’t sleep as long as most Etharians. I’m used to shorter days and nights. I get tired more often.”
“That will change over time. Are you hungry now?” he asks.
“I’m starving,” I reply, sitting up against my pillow.
He frowns, and right away I can tell that he’s taking me way too seriously. “Do you feel faint? I’ve already ordered you some pancakes. You should’ve eaten last night!”
I hold up my hand to stave off a bigger freak-out. “I’m not really starving, Kyon. It’s just an expression. I’m moderately hungry.”
He pauses, considering what I just told him. “Your idioms are confusing,” he replies.
“I know,” I murmur, “but they’re a habit. It’s hard to change them. So when I tell you I’m starving, I just mean I’d like to eat soon.”
“How did you survive on Earth? No one there says what they mean.”
I scoff. “Like it’s any different here.”
“I say what I mean.”
“And you mean what you say.”
“Is that wrong?”
“It is when it’s in direct opposition to me,” I reply.
“You don’t know what you don’t know, Kricket.”
“Does anyone really know what they don’t know, Kyon? And you’d be surprised what I know.”
“Would I?’
“Mmm.”
“What do you know?” he asks.
I lean near him and whisper secretively, “It’s very dark in Pretty Town.” I straighten again. “You can quote me.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
“It means you’re dark,” I reply.
“And you think I’m pretty?” he asks. He doesn’t know if he should be offended or flattered, but I think he’s leaning toward the former.
“Are those the pancakes?” I ask, avoiding the question as a gleaming hovercart glides into our room and comes to rest at the side of the bed. “Are we eating in bed?”
“You showed such a propensity for it last night that I thought you might enjoy dining here. Afterward, I can show you the rest of the island.”
The cart opens up, jettisoning two silver-colored, floating trays. One stops in front of me. When I touch it, the lid opens, revealing a huge stack of pancakes. I glance at Kyon. He has an equal stack of pancakes on his plate. He picks up his fork and says, “You know these aren’t very good for Pretty Town.”
I nearly choke. When I can speak once more, I murmur, “I think Pretty Town can handle it.”
When we’re finished eating, Kyon shows me how to nudge the tray away. It glides to the hovercart and inserts itself inside. The hovercart floats away then, probably headed for the dishery. I head for the Commodus, and then into the shower in the lavare. From there I get made over in the dressing room. I emerge from behind the white doors wearing a black two-piece bathing suit with a matching, flowy wrap skirt and an ivory scoop neck top.
Kyon has his back to me as he stands in the archway, watching the sea. He must have showered outside or went for a swim because his hair is wet, but it’s pulled back from his face. He has changed into loose-fitting dove-gray swim shorts and a soft white shirt. Turning to face me when he hears me approach, his eyes fall on my hair. It was braided by the robotic beauty-bots.
Kyon touches the small of my back and guides me outside onto to patio. “The boathouse is this way,” he says.
Before I step onto the sand, I ask, “Is it safe?”
“For you.” He waits for me to step down on the white sand. When I do, he takes me down to the beach. I slip off my sandals and we walk along the shore together. The sand is hot, so I wade into the water and splash around to cool off.
“I’ll teach you,” he says, gesturing to the water.
“Teach me what?”