Starsnatcher - Trapped In An Alien World [COMPLETE]

Chapter 5.x (Bonus Chapter)

When I first wrote this, Lucas got the barebones version. The facts and all. But now, looking back, I want to write more.

This is my diary. I'll go in as much detail as Lucas does.

Put it together with Lucas' diary, don't care.

People have a right to learn how it started.

It all started in a students dorm. We sat in the community room. There were food leftovers, plastic bags and noisy students.

I sat on a couch, textbook open and ear-plugs on.

Layla sat next to me.

I occupied myself with anatomy.

Some Dutch dude asked me to play some stupid games with the others.

I told him off.

Once he was gone, Layla turned to me. She put her fingers in her ears and pulled them out. I removed my earplugs.

"I think he has a point," Layla said.

I blinked.

"I'm referring to my conversation with the walking Dutchman I just had. He thought you took this whole studying thing too seriously."

I didn't reply. I plugged my ears and continued my work.

Layla couldn't understand me. She didn't share my background.

When they came to America, they did so with goals in mind. They wanted me and my brother to become rich. They considered everything less than straight-A's as a failure.

Layla interrupted my train of thought by tapping on my shoulder.

I took out my earplugs.

"You can't focus at all, can you?" she asked. "Not even with perfect silence."

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, you told me you were reading a text, not drawing doodles."

My eyes darted back to my notebook. Indeed. It was a really funny drawing.

"Do you live to work or work to live?" Layla asked.

"I've heard this often enough," I answered. "Clichéd phrase."

"Just say 'clichéd sentence'. No need to sound pretentious."

I sighed.

I grabbed my pencil and looked at my textbook. Then, I closed it.

"You're right, Layla," I said. "I'm taking this too seriously. I think I'll skip the lecture tomorrow."

"I wasn't suggesting that, but if you say so. What do you want to do now? Won't kill you to get some sleep. Or you could get out. Moving can help you with studying later."

"Good ideas. Let me think for a while."

My phone buzzed.

"Who's that?" Layla asked. "One of these guys?"

"Let's hope not."

It was a message by Bianca, a friend of mine, who went hiking near the Leimfeld River. Something awkward flew across the water. She sent me a photo of it.

It was hard to see details. A vague, dumbbell-shaped outline, as shown by the sticky leaves and droplets at its edges, floated above the water. It trusted Bianca not to have made anything up.

Layla peeked over my shoulder. "What's so interesting? What are you gawking at?"

I wondered if I should show her, but I just did. "Wanna look at it? I can ask Bianca where she saw it?"