How to Date an Alien Read Online Free PDF Page A

at the whole small talk thing
and was kind of intimidated by Jen.
    “Well, the Neptunians do like their MSG, so
as long as you aren’t on a diet, you should be good.” She had the
most melodious giggle that didn’t sound anything like my deep
wheezing laugh.
    I picked exactly the same things that Jen put
on her tray, having no idea what I was actually getting. Everything
looked like different colors of gelatin and smelled like unwashed
hair. I was hoping that it all tasted better than it appeared.
    “Hey, we're over here!" Malcolm shouted,
waving his arms at us. We spotted him sitting at a table with the
rest of the interns, behind a huge bear-looking alien.
    Riley ignored us as we sat down, but everyone
else's attention was on us, especially Gavin who scooted over for
me to sit next to him.
    “So, is it true?" Justin asked as he took a
big slurp from a drink that looked like something from a fifth
grade science project.
    “Is what true?” I looked from Jen to Gavin,
who were both staring at me wide-eyed.
    I heard Riley groan from the other end of the
table. “This really should be an obvious one, but I guess that's
not something you learn in high school.” I turned toward her and
she smirked, planting her palms on the table. “We all heard that
you are working with that Caltian who saved you from the
Cephlapod.”
    “Oh, that," I muttered as I watched all the
interns' eyes circle me. “Well, yeah I guess he’s the same one." I
swirled some of the green goop on my plate with my fork and tried
to take a bite, but the smell overpowered me and I had to put the
fork back down. “He hasn’t come right out and said anything about
it.”
    I looked up from my plate, but instead of
seeing the eyes of the interns I caught Ace staring right back at
me from across the room. He looked like he was taking in everything
as his eyes grazed over my table. When he noticed that I caught him
staring, he looked away and pretended to be interested in the
person next to him—as if I hadn't seen anything. Like I could even
ignore the way he looked at me or the way the darkness of his eyes
had sent my pulse to heights I didn't even know existed.
    “If you ask me, I don’t know how you can
stand an alien like that." Gavin shook his head.
    I pried my gaze away from Ace and looked back
at Gavin. “What do you mean?”
    “Caltians are the snobs of the universe and
have no reason to be. They’re like the mutant spawn of burlesque
dancers and emo kids, but somehow can control just about everything
in the universe." He took a big gulp of his drink. “It’s just
sick.”
    I nodded, pretending like I understood, but I
didn’t. How could Gavin have such dislike for someone he didn’t
even know? I’ll admit that I hated the popular girls at school, but
at least I had a reason. They were nothing but mean and only talked
to me when they wanted help on an English assignment or were making
fun of what I was wearing. As far as I could tell, Gavin hadn’t
even talked to a Caltian since we’d been there.
    “You just snarfed my goulash!” I turned to
see a large purple alien who looked like he had a giant octopus on
his head yelling at the bear-like alien behind us.
    “I did no such thing!" The bear stood up,
mounting to almost eight feet tall. His huge paws were held high
over his head, and his short snout curled into his furry face and
exposed a layer of pointy yellow teeth.
    “Liar, I saw you do it!" The octopus spread
his tentacles all around his body as he stood to his full height of
at least seven feet.
    “What are you going to do about it?" the bear
mocked, putting his arms out to the side.
    Before I could even blink, the octopus
launched one of his tentacles across the table, stabbing through
the bear and coming within a millimeter of my face. I closed my
eyes, getting ready for the impact when I felt a force hit me like
a dodgeball, knocking me off the table and slamming my back hard
against the floor. I heard a splashing sound