Alienus

Chapter Thirty Four

I don't think I'll ever forget Ren's reaction to seeing me. They took me straight to him. He'd been assigned Field duty and was busy digging something on the ground. When I called his name, he turned to look back. His hazel eyes widened and a big smile split his lips wide. He bounded over to me and wrapped me in his arms, saying "So good to see you, Red." in my ear.

He held me close for a while before he introduced me to his friends, I nodded politely at all of them, my hand clasped tightly with my childhood friend's.

Both of us grinned widely at each other and I felt the urge to hug him again, so I did.

"I've missed you so much." I told him.

When I let go, he was still smiling. Then he looked down at our hands and said, "I got you all muddy."

I laughed at that and was about to reply when the District Leader asked us to get back to work. Ren and I shared a grin and kneeled on the ground, digging our hands into the soil, weeding and airing it out.

He caught me up on everything that was happening. He told me he'd taken up Art and I raised my eyebrows, "I didn't know you were interested in Art!" I exclaimed.

He chuckled, "Neither did I, but I think I'm doing okay."

"You have to show me your work!" I demanded.

He nodded, grinning.

We worked comfortably for a few minutes in silence. Perspiration had started dotting my forehead and immediately my suit stretched out a hood for me, covering my head from the sun. The insides of my suit started to cool itself and my skin automatically cooled in response.

Ren noticed the hood that had come out of my suit and whistled, "Your suit is so much cooler!" He said.

I tossed him a grin then asked the question that had been bothering me since I'd come here, "Why are you wearing your night suit anyway?"

Because it was made from the same material as the night suits at my District.

Ren blinked at me.

"Night suit?"

I nodded, jerking my head towards his suit, "Isn't that the night suit?" I asked.

Ren laughed, "We don't have night suits. This is our work suits."

"Oh." I said, looking down at my hands.

"Do you know, the soil on this planet can leave a stain on your hands if you leave them in the soil too long?" Ren told me.

I laughed, "That's what gloves are for." I said.

Ren threw me a funny look, "What gloves?" He asked me.

I stilled. "Gloves that they give while doing work..." I trailed off as Ren started shake his head.

"We don't get gloves." He said, still smiling.

I went quiet. Is this how different our lives have been?

Ren nudged me, "So tell me about your District?" He said.

I'm shaken out of my reverie at that, "Before that, I might need to speak to the District Leaders about my schedule." I said.

"Why?" He asked tossing me a confused glance.

"I was given detention," I said, throwing him a smirk, "I'm to be confined to the rooms except for work and Education and my works on Day Seven, Eight and Nine are doubled."

Ren tossed me a horrified look, "Doubled? What'll you do, work through the night?" He asked.

I stared at him. What'd he mean by work through the night?