Private Little Girl, Big World

[Astri Elyse]

Tag: Zaiya Ceti

"You... you want me to teach you how to fight?"

Astri was taken aback. Sure, she obviously knew more than Zaiya, who was a self-professed novice when it came to martial arts. But Astri herself was still remedial compared to other Echani her age. Did she have the right to teach the girl next to her how to fight? Could she do it safely, efficiently, and most importantly, correctly? The role of a teacher was one she'd never played before, ever.

But... surely there was no harm in showing her the first tier of styles, right? Enough for Zaiya to learn how to defend herself? Even Astri had shown mastery over those. And, well, couldn't it be a way to thank her new friend for helping her out?

"I think... I think I could teach you a little," she said quietly, "I-I don't know about your friends though. If they want to be Battlemasters, then it sounds like they're both already beyond what I can do."

She didn't need Zaiya to teach her about Lovalla colors in return, but Astri couldn't pretend she wasn't interested in learning about them. She hadn't been able to take her eyes off the girl's swirling patterns since they'd met.

"And... it would be really nice to learn about... um, your colors, thank you."

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

"Great!" Zaiya said, giving a little shoulder shimmy and ripple of joyful teal blue hues. "You'll have to let me know where your cresh will be and who your roommates are. Do you have a master yet?" she asked curiously.

"Depending on your schedule, I can come visit and see you during my weekend overnights, and we can train then," Zaiya told her, flashing her a grin. "I just have to look for a place to stay." little subtle hints that Zaiya's schedule likely wasn't similar to that of Astri Elyse .

"And don't worry about my friends. You'll like them. I'll introduce you to them. They are very awesome and friendly and always open to train or spar or just hang out."

They began their route through the great Jedi Hallway. It was here that Zaiya would slow and start to review what signs and things could point them towards the archives.

Spoiler: Gear

Robe and cool jewelry | BCA - Solid State Hologram Tool Band

 

[Astri Elyse]

Tag: Zaiya Ceti

"No." Astri shook her head, "no master. I've only been here a couple of days, and I've heard that most Padawans don't get one, actually..."

Something about too many students and not enough Jedi to train them. She didn't understand the specifics of it. As long as there were classes, though, Astri didn't think she'd have much of a problem. She'd always been better at learning from a book than from a teacher anyways. Plus, that way she didn't have to talk to anyone either...

But then Zaiya brought something up that disturbed Astri.

"D-do you not have a place to live?"

Surely, Zaiya wasn't homeless, right? She was in the temple! Someone here had to be willing to help her! Astri didn't know who to reach out to about that, but the Order would help her if she was in need, right? That was what Jedi did... right?

"Could your friends help with that, maybe?"

Suddenly, Astri no longer cared about finding the archives. What good would books be, if Zaiya didn't have some form of shelter? Books didn't make for good shelter, they were knocked over too easily. She needed, like, walls and a roof. Of duracrete or durasteel.

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

"Oh okay. Do you want to get a master quickly or are you happy to try and see what options there are available first?" Zaiya asked Astri Elyse . From what she understood, there were other neat places younglings could go, like the Agricorps, Medical Corps, Educational Corps, or the Exploration Corps from what she read in the books Braze Kai'el let her borrow. "There's the Agricultural Corps, Medical Corps, Educational Corps, or the Exploration Corps!"

Honestly, Medicorps and Exploration Corps sounded like a lot of fun.

However, that question was drowned out when Astri suddenly became concerned about Zaiya's sleeping accommodations. A warm smile shone down on the Echani girl, and Zaiya gave her a comforting nudge on her own shoulder since both her hands were busy carrying her box and the scanner.

"It's fine. I live on Commoner so I don't have a place to live here. " At Astra's still concerned expression, Zaiya admitted, "I'm not part of the Order, but I have several friends who are. Aris was the one who helped me find out I can use the Force, but said I should research where I want to learn more about it. Since he's part of the Order, I've been visiting a lot and learning what the New Jedi Order is about to see if I want to join."

"I can't stay with Aris because he doesn't live here. Braze stays with his Master. Loomi does as well. I just met Colette but she said she stays with her mate. I have some money so I can find a room in a hotel nearby; I'll just have to take a public shuttle to come to the temple since I don't have my own shuttle and I don't know how to drive one."

 

[Astri Elyse]

Tag: Zaiya Ceti

"Oh okay. Do you want to get a master quickly or are you happy to try and see what options there are available first?"

"I, umm... I don't really know how any of that works. I-I thought the Jedi Masters made those decisions, but that's really just an assumption..."

It struck Astri just how little she knew about the Order and how it operated. How little she knew about the Jedi, beyond the stories that got passed around by the people, and the histories as they were written. There may have been thousands of Jedi, but there were trillions of people in the galaxy. Even most people on Coruscant would never meet a Jedi in the flesh.

Make that double, for Eshan, which was naturally isolationist even though it was a member of the Galactic Alliance.

Zaiya went on to explain that, no, she wasn't homeless, and Astri found herself sighing in relief. She'd hate to find out that her new friend didn't have anywhere to live. But... staying in hotels wasn't sustainable long term either, especially by her lonesome. Wait... was she on her lonesome? Did she have a legal guardian? How did her people feel about someone her age being on her own?

"I'm glad you have a place to stay, for now, at least," Astri looked unsure for a moment, but then asked, "but, umm... where are your parents?"

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

That question dampened the vibrancy of Zaiya's patterns, but she didn't lose her smile. It was more bittersweet now than a wretched ache. Gesturing with a nod of her head for the pair to continue their search, Zaiya was honest to Astri Elyse regarding the matter, "They both passed; at the present time, I'm a ward under the University of Commoner under a student international visa." she explained, revealing why she was moving about and traveling on her own.

"My guardian, Dr. Isak, allows me to travel as long as I am with one of the companion droids, but I .. might have reprogrammed it to stay in its charging bay while I hang out with my friends." Okay, not a might; Zaiya did it.

Otherwise, it would have been difficult to go looking around or hanging out with her friends and have it follow her around! Not to mention, make her stand out more like a sore thumb.

"Hmm... I thought Aris mentioned the archives might be in the southern wing last time I talked to him..."

 

[Astri Elyse]

Tag: Zaiya Ceti

"They both passed; at the present time, I'm a ward under the University of Commoner under a student international visa."

Astri's eyes widened, and then she visibly cringed. Talk about a swing and a miss. She'd just been trying to make casual conversation, and ensure that her new friend was safe and taken care of and... well, now she'd reminded Zaiya that both her parents were dead. Wonderful. This was why Astri shied away from conversation: she always said the wrong thing at the wrong time.

"I-I'm sorry," Astri deflated, "my, um, my mom died a long time ago. I-I know it isn't the same as losing both your parents, but I understand. A little bit, anyways."

Zaiya went on to explain how she'd reprogrammed her droid guardian. Astri read a lot, but mechanics, electronics, and programming were some of the things she'd never found interest in, and therefore had no knowledge of. How Zaiya could have done that was genuinely beyond her ability to understand, but she did think it was really cool that the girl knew how to do that.

"In the southern wing?" Astri questioned, choosing to momentarily brush over the name Zaiya had just dropped, "how, um, how many Jedi friends do you have here?"

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

At that revelation from Astri Elyse , Zaiya's patterns were swept empathetically. If she had her hands free, she might have wanted to reach over and hug the Echani, but as it was, she first had to make sure if that was even okay.

"I'm sorry about your mother, Astri," she said, only to add, "You don't need to apologize for asking, though. I miss them a lot, but it is getting better now. Little by little." While her friends could never replace the familial bonds she had with her parents when she was young, it felt good to be connected again to others, to have those friendships, and to get a little taste of belonging once more.

At the other question, Zaiya bit her lip. "Mmmhm.... Although maybe I should have asked Aris for a map the last time I was here." would have worked out better that way.

Turning towards Astri, Zaiya brightened at the ability to talk about her friends, "Umm.. well.. there is Aris. He's my first real friend, so I guess you can call him my best friend. Then there is Braze, and Loomi. I know them the best after Aris. I just met Aris's sister, and I think she is also in the Order too. Her name is Vera. I've also met Shan, Colette... " Zaiya gave a thoughtful scrunch of her forehead, thinking of everyone she managed to meet so far.

"Then I just met you!" She grinned at Astri Elyse , adding, "So... eight?"

 

[Astri Elyse]

Tag: Zaiya Ceti

The truth was that Astri couldn't even miss her mother. She hadn't ever known her. All she could miss was the mom-shaped hole in her life that had never been filled in by anything or anyone. Maternal figures and female role models simply weren't things she'd ever really had growing up, and that was a problem that was vastly different than what Zaiya had gone through. She actually—presumably—had known her parents and had known them long enough to miss them, and not just what they were supposed to represent.

"I'm sorry about your mother, Astri," she said, only to add, "You don't need to apologize for asking, though. I miss them a lot, but it is getting better now. Little by little."

What did she say to that? Astri truly didn't know, and instead just gave the girl a sad smile and a small nod.

Thankfully, Zaiya seemed happy to jump into counting all her newfound friends, and Astri was more than content to follow along with that. Eight whole Jedi that she could call her friends? Astri hadn't had eight friends in her whole life, much less in the short amount of time Zaiya had been visiting the Order. She wasn't one for jealousy, but she couldn't help but wish she made friends as easily as the Lovalla did.

"T-that's a lot of friends," Astri's voice was hesitant, "c-could you, umm, introduce me to a couple of them?"

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

​

"T-that's a lot of friends," Astri's voice was hesitant, "c-could you, umm, introduce me to a couple of them?"

“Of course! I’d be super happy to!” Zaiya exclaimed, genuinely excited at the prospect of introducing Astri Elyse to all her friends. The Lovalla teen was sure that everyone would be happy to meet Astri.

“You’ll really like them and I’m sure they will like you too!” Zaiya added, smiling and shimmering in a vibrant dazzle of joyful colors.

“Aris is my best friend; I met him first and he introduced me to the others,” she explained, visiblely brightening to the point of glowing in delighted cerulean and gold flecked iridescent color tones. It was evident that Aris Noble
meant a lot to Zaiya. By this point, Zaiya has determined that Aris is now her best friend. After everything, talking to Colette and Shan Pavond , and how close they were now, it made sense right?

“He tends to be quiet but he’s very nice and likes to help out. He’s cute when he gets really passionate about something, like trying new foods to eat.” She grinned, thinking back at their joint food festival vendor shenanigans sharing food and trying as many delicious yummy things to eat.

“@Braze amazes me with how he can contort his body and how he’s able to manipulate the force. He also has been helping me out a lot regarding what it means to be a Jedi,” zaiya added, explaining about the Half Echani.

“@Loomi is super sweet and adorably cute. She can feel others emotions and also project her own. We just celebrated her birthday too!”

A pause then Zaiya glanced around. Nothing seemed familiar. Hmm…

“You know Astri, I’m sorry I think I’m lost now too.” Zaiya admitted with apologetic embarrassment.

 

[Astri Elyse]

Tag: Zaiya Ceti

Astri blinked at Zaiya's excitement. Not that she wasn't grateful that Zaiya was willing to accept her request, it was just... the young Echani wasn't used to people being this happy around her. Or people willing to do her favor. Or people in general, really. She was just as enthused, but Astri wasn't quite sure how to show it, other than to punch Zaiya—not at all out of a desire to hurt her, but because her people expressed themselves through sparring.

She didn't have a lot of experience expressing excitement, or really most feelings, in "normal" ways. She just tried for a small smile.

"Y-you sure seem to like Aris a lot," Astri noted, more curious than she ought to be, "i-is he a friend? Or is he a boyfriend?"

There were others too, of course. This Loomi and this Braze. They seemed nice enough by Zaiya's description, but the cadence in her voice as she talked about them was different. Markedly so. At least, Astri thought it was... but she supposed that could have been a fanciful imagination. Maybe she was just reading into things too much—she had a bad habit of that.

Zaiya stopped them, eyes examining their surroundings. Astri kind of knew what the Lovalla was about to say, even before she opened her mouth...

“You know Astri, I’m sorry I think I’m lost now too.”

"That's okay! At least we're lost together?"

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

​

"Y-you sure seem to like Aris a lot," Astri noted, more curious than she ought to be, "i-is he a friend? Or is he a boyfriend?"

"Huh?" Zaiya's face and arms shimmered in a confused ombre of iridescent dove grey and bright orange at Astri Elyse's question. Well, the Echani wasn't wrong; Zaiya did like Aris Noble a lot. Colette even mentioned that it was obvious she loved him too. After thinking about it, Zaiya realized it made sense. She did love him. He was her friend, and she cared deeply about him -- what he thought, what he did, and his safety. That's why she had worked so hard to make the aural dampers and the self-molding helm earpiece to protect his eyes.

She didn't want Aris to be at a disadvantage if he ever got into another fight.

"I do like him a lot." She paused, then clarified, "I love him. He is very, very special to me." Zaiya didn't ever want him to stop being her friend. She felt close to him and loved spending time together. Seeing him laugh and smile, sharing meals, and just hanging out -- it all made her so happy. He looked so handsome in his new robes, and being with him just felt so... great. The mere thought of losing Aris often sent Zaiya into a mild panic, much like when she spoke to Shan about Aris, Loomi , and Braze Kai'el . The last time she did that, Aris flicked her head with his finger and told her to stop overthinking it, assuring her that he was okay with what they were doing -- holding hands, being close, and hanging out together. It didn't matter what anyone else thought.

There was another term Astri Elyse mentioned, though, that Zaiya didn't quite understand. So the Lovalla teen took it literally. Aris was a boy and her friend, so it made sense to her.

Zaiya gave a beaming grin, her skin radiating a luminous display of gold-flecked bright blue hues. "Yeah, he is a boy and my friend, so yes, he is my boy friend."

Her grin widened into a conspiratorial giggle when Astri said that at least they were lost together. "Haha, you're right. At least we are lost together."

Hmm... but now what to do?

"Is there anything else you want to do, or would you like to keep walking around trying to find the archives? I don't mind."

 

[Astri Elyse]

Tag: Zaiya Ceti

"I love him. He is very, very special to me."

Astri's eyes went wide, like silver dinner plates. She hadn't expected this blatant of a confession. It was dizzying, to hear her new friend admit this so easily. What even was love? She didn't think she had an answer to that, but it was clear that Zaiya did. She was so sure and so certain that Astri didn't think she could bring herself to challenge the notion.

Not that she would have anyways—what right did she have to ask Zaiya if she was sure about being in love with Aris when she herself didn't even know how to qualify—

"Yeah, he is a boy and my friend, so yes, he is my boy friend."

Wait, whuh?

"Oh..." Astri found herself stutter free for once, "umm, 'boyfriend' doesn't quite mean what you think it means, I think. What I'm asking is, umm, doyouwanttomarryhim?!"

That might have been a little rushed, but Astri hoped Zaiya was able to understand it. Because the mere idea had her cheeks turning pink, and she didn't think she could even speak those words again.

"We can keep walking..." But Astri's mind wasn't really on finding the archives anymore. Not at all. "I... didn't really have anything to do today anyways."

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

​

"Oh..." Astri found herself stutter free for once, "umm, 'boyfriend' doesn't quite mean what you think it means, I think. What I'm asking is, umm, doyouwanttomarryhim?!"

"Wait, what?" Zaiya gave a double take at Astri Elyse , a bemused and puzzled expression of inquiry sending a medley of colorful tones over her skin in confusion. Did I hear her correctly? Zaiya mused, uncertain for a second. Boyfriend doesn't mean what I think I mean?

At least, that was what the Lovalla teenager was second-guessing herself until the last part finally clicked.

doyouwanttomarryhim?!

Marry him? Marry Aris Noble ? As in, get married to him? Wha… I — "What?" Heat instantly flooded Zaiya's face. She wasn't so clueless as to not know what marrying meant. It was another way of saying being someone's mate. That sudden thought made the Lovalla teen flustered, the mottled spots and stripes over her face and arms shimmering coral in her embarrassment.

"I… umm… It doesn't. I mean, things don't w-work like that with me — I mean, m-my kind." This must be poetic karma for the brief embarrassment she'd given Braze Kai'el and Loomi with her question.

"Well, umm… my kind requires forging an empathic bond before anything like that… and I don't know if I can bond with anyone who isn't a Lovalla. I mean, I'm learning more about bonds with the Force and I can feel things when I touch or hold hands with Aris, but like… I don't think that means that…" She paused, rocking on her feet, uncertain and embarrassed. The question made her rethink everything she knew.

"Or would it??" Now she was second-guessing herself. Astri had really made Zaiya start to wonder about herself and Aris in a way she hadn't before. They were comfortable with each other. She enjoyed his company. Loved being with him. Cared for him a lot and didn't want him to get hurt. She felt and thought he felt the same way. But then again, he did tell her to not overthink things...

"Like… even if we did have one… Aris would have to show interest, and he hasn't seemed to, at least how I think someone would show that they are interested in a mate." Right? Then again, upon further consideration, Zaiya wasn't sure how someone who wasn't a Lovalla would show that they were interested in her in a romantic sense. "Plus he isn't a Lovalla, so it's not like I can know the way others do with me. If I was, I guess I would be showing interest colors, but no one has even mentioned anything like —"

But who would? Who would know what those interest colors even meant? Wait, was there something more? How does one tell? They were best friends. And did all the best friend things. Was there... a difference with a boyfriend?

Zaiya quickly closed her mouth and looked at Astri with a focused expression, "How can you tell if someone is your boyfriend and that they do want to marry you?"

Zaiya had no clue regarding courtship rituals for other species, and she hadn't gone to any mandatory sex ed courses yet. By all intents and purposes, she was still very young to even think of having a mate. Or a boyfriend... right?

Was there a specific age that they did?

 

[Astri Elyse]

Tag: Zaiya Ceti

Holy cannoli, Zaiya was having a melt down.

Astri felt more than a little guilty that she'd put her friend in this state: blush-y and uncertain, pink spotting both her cheeks and her luminescent patterns. She should have known that the Lovalla didn't quite understand her question about liking Aris, not with the way Zaiya had explained how she loved him. And now, because she had blurted out her silly question, Zaiya was beside herself with embarrassment—questioning her own feelings, and even her own biology!

"How can you tell if someone is your boyfriend and that they do want to marry you?"

"I-I don't know!" Astri was half panicked, half bewildered, "in all the holovids, they just know. They do things like take you out to dinner, and get you flowers, a-and fight over you with other men! T-that's my only frame of reference, I haven't ever had a boyfriend!"

Astri also... had never had any interest in a boy before. Which, considering how she spent most of her time on her lonesome, made sense she would be lacking in such a typical, juvenile experience.

"D-does he hold your hand?" And then her eyes got even wider, as the greatest of all signs occurred to her. "H-H-HAS HE KISSED YOU?!"

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Would people just know? That seemed utterly frustrating to Zaiya. Not at Astri Elyse , of course, but because Zaiya thought back to all the holonovels and holoseries, she saw as well, and it seemed that Astri was correct. People just knew. It made no sense at all. Honestly, she preferred to know things straight away, just like Colette said. Zaiya had no idea why people couldn't just be upfront with what they felt so that no one would be confused about what was what.

Mentally, Zaiya went through the list Astri provided her. Dinner? Well, they went out to eat at different places, but that was normal. Flowers? No, Aris Noble didn't get her any flowers. And why would flowers mean anything in particular?

Aren't flowers just pretty? Who wouldn't want to get some flowers—oh wait, Colette wouldn't. She probably would want them to stay where they were growing all free to do what flowers in the wild do.

Umm.. what else? Fight over me with other men? No, Aris didn't do that. Although he did fight others to protect me and keep me safe. That was different. That was just normal too! You want to protect and keep your friends safe!

"D-does he hold your hand?" And then her eyes got even wider, as the greatest of all signs occurred to her. "H-H-HAS HE KISSED YOU?!"

Zaiyas face began to flush in embarrassment. Not because of any dawning crushes, but because now she felt she wasn't aware at all how things worked. Cultures and expectations were strange outside of what she knew for Lovalla. Will she need to read up on what typical courtships were for other cultures?

"I... umm, well yes, we hold hands, but that's how we always are. I'm the one who is always trying to grab his hand and he said it is okay. Sometimes he reaches for my hand too!" but... that was just because it was nice to hold hands and feel that connection between them resonate. It felt as if she were connected to him and she was able to feel how he was feeling as well.

Wait -- Kissing now was an issue?

Eyes wide, Zaiya's colors appeared to dampen into a perplexed tone: " Umm, no he hasn't, but how is kissing a sign? My parents used to give me kisses on my forehead and cheek all the time! Isn't it just another way to show you are happy and delighted to see them or because you care about them?" While she hadn't done this with Aris, she was very curious about how kissing meant one had a boyfriend.

 

[Astri Elyse]

Tag: Zaiya Ceti

They held hands! They held hands and the books and holoseries said that meant they were dating! Oh, poor Zaiya! She'd been tricked into dating someone and she didn't even know! And all because—

"Well, uh... that usually means... but maybe not—"

"I... umm, well yes, we hold hands, but that's how we always are. I'm the one who is always trying to grab his hand and he said it is okay. Sometimes he reaches for my hand too!"

Wait, she was the one who initially initiated? But if she was initially initiating, then she probably hadn't been tricked into dating him. Were they even dating then? Was Aris even aware of what holding hands and kissing meant, or was he just as in the dark as Zaiya? Was it up to her to teach them? She hoped not! She had no idea what she was talking about!

And then Zaiya talked about how her parents kissed her on the head, and yeah some cultures actually used cheek kissing as a greeting and—

Astri was dizzy. She grabbed Zaiya by the shoulders, gently, but suddenly. Face beet red, she leaned into her new friend, as serious as ever.

"Has he kissed you on the lips?!"

Well, actually, she supposed Zaiya just said he hadn't kissed her at all. But Astri was quickly running out of ways to determine if they were dating or not, and if Zaiya might have been misled or not, and this was the last tidbit of knowledge she had.

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

"I… w-wait, what?!" Zaiya exclaimed, her eyes widening into saucers at the question.

"No! There has been no kissing!" Certainly not on the lips or anywhere else. Now, the Lovalla teen was starting to wonder if it would be bad to kiss a friend on the cheek. Why was there so much emphasis on kissing?

Astri Elyse appeared so serious, and when the Echani grabbed Zaiya by the shoulders, the flood of her emotions flowed over to Zaiya -- which didn't help the situation at all! In came the waves of alarm, anxiety, and flushed embarrassment about the topic. Now Zaiya couldn't help but also feel embarrassed, her markings heating up into a bright coral hue.

"Aris has never tried to. Neither have I!" The urge had never occurred to Zaiya. After all, Aris wasn't a Lovalla. It wasn't like he could form a bond with her in that way, right? Heat made her face feel so awkwardly hot. Another ripple of dark orange, pale grey, and coral tones flushed her skin, a drizzle of pulsing silver bioluminescent shimmer indicating just how confused her thoughts were.

Oh, wait. Did the Force allow her to do something like that too? Now, her mind was racing at those possibilities.

No, no, don't overthink it. You are overthinking, Zaiya.

"We are just friends. Best friends!" Zaiya explained, although the way she said it made it seem as if she was trying to convince herself too. Astri had, quite unknowingly, planted a seed in the Lovalla teen's mind.

 

[Astri Elyse]

Tag: Zaiya Ceti

"No! There has been no kissing!"

Astri breathed out in relief. She hadn't even realized how worked up she was until now, holding onto Zaiya's shoulders as if both their lives depended on it. Which, upon reflection, but basically violating the Lovalla's space. Astri quickly jumped back, a foot or so away, lips pursed and with a faint blush on her cheeks. Which, in of itself, was nothing compared to the rapid changing of color Zaiya's patterns were going through.

She was forcing a whirlwind of emotions through the girl.

"S-sorry!" Astri stammered out, "but, um, that's good? I think? Unless you want him to kiss you, in which case, him not kissing you isn't good I guess..."

She'd known this girl for all of twenty minutes, and yet here she was, getting mixed up in her love life. Which, frankly, was none of Astri's business. It was kind of rude to dig into too. Maybe this was why she preferred books to people, or maybe this was why she had to spend her time with books instead of people.

"I get overly excited sometimes..." Astri trailed off.

This was such a silly thing to get worked up over. Zaiya could do what she wanted with whom she wanted—she was her own person! Astri liked her new friend... but maybe she'd come on a little strong, immediately peeling into the girl's love life. Or lack thereof.

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

​

This... was a lot to take in -- and think about.

Zaiya stood there, completely bewildered, feeling like a Bantha caught in the headlights. Her skin patterns shimmered and spun into a chaotic medley of kaleidoscopic tones, reflecting her swirling emotions. Uncertainty and embarrassment flooded her mind, making it hard to process everything that was being thrown at her. These questions put her on the spot, and she wasn't sure how to answer.

"Is it good? I mean... I think so?" she stammered. Why would I want Aris to kiss me? Wait, do I want to kiss him? The thought hadn't crossed her mind before, but maybe in a moment of overwhelming excitement, she might feel like kissing him on the cheek. But was that good or bad?

"Umm... do I want to kiss him?" Zaiya mused aloud, her palms starting to get clammy as she flexed her grip around the box she carried and the handle of the tech scanner. "I mean, I guess on the cheek would be fine... but only if he was okay with it."

Should I try to kiss him on the cheek?

Seeing Astri Elyse 's chagrined expression, Zaiya shook her head and gave a half-smile. She was still overwhelmed, but she didn't want Astri to feel bad. It was clear that Astri was just concerned, and Zaiya had no clue about the intricacies of boyfriends and what it meant to have one. Or even how one knew if they did.

"It's okay. I don't have a clue about all that either. My kind just does their best at finding another Lovalla, and after interacting with each other for a while, they may start forming a bond. Then they can show interest in each other and want to be each other's mates. Is a boyfriend a mate too?"