Page 3 of My Brother's Alien Match
And now that Taylor was moving up in the company we worked for, brushing shoulders with the elites more and more, it was even more awkward. He was expected to be a guest at the Cherry Blossom Ball because he had helped plan the event this year. But Neil and his family were attendees every year.
Alien Mates flew to the forefront of my mind. I bit my lip but couldn’t help voicing it.
“You should take someone else,” I said gently. “As a big middle finger. Someone hot. Especially if Neil is there with that twat you broke up over.”
Taylor looked at me.
“I’m listening,” he said.
I swallowed, already knowing what he would say.
“The Alien Mates app—” I started, and he immediately rolled his eyes.
“That’s a hookup app. It’s not for dating.”
I paused.
“I’ve never heard that.”
“It’s for people who want to exploit each other based on their appearances?—”
“Isn’t that the same as every other dating app there is?”
He blinked.
“I’m not an alien hunter. I want someone I connect with.”
“It’s just a date!” I said incredulously. “And it's to a fancy ball at that. Someone will go with you if only for the free food and atmosphere. You’ll have your pick.”
“Oh great, just what I want. Someone to hang out with who has no interest in actually spending time with me for the entire evening.”
This timeIrolled my eyes.
“Jesus, Taylor, you’d chat with the guy first. You’re not going to invite an asshole, right?”
He crossed his arms.
“I’m not doing it.”
I shrugged, jaw tightening, and hit play on the movie again, but I could barely take it in. For some reason, Taylor’s denial of myvery goodidea irked me a little. Did he prefer to sit around and mope? Maybe hewantedto see Neil dancing with that other guy all night. Maybe helikedthe drama and heartbreak.
That thought was cruel and simply not true, and I immediately felt a stab of guilt for thinking it. As far as I knew, he loved Neil. They’d certainly never been able to be in a room together without touching in some way and the way they’d looked at each other—yeah. They’d seemed so in love that it had made me feel jealous and lonely sometimes.
But that didn’t mean my idea was a bad one. Getting a date that blew Neil out of the water would be a good distraction. It could turn a night that would be hell into something empowering.
I glanced at my brother.
He was watching the movie with a sullen expression, not even noticing the jump scares. Like me, I didn’t think he was watching at all.
Taylor was the older brother, but for some reason, I’d always felt the need to take care of him. He was smart, popular, outgoing, and strong. But behind closed doors, when he could let his guard down, he was like this. Vulnerable, emotional, worried. When it was just us, I had always been the one he leaned on.
Maybe this was one of those times when I needed to take matters into my own hands.
Chapter Two
ROBIN
As soon as I crawled into bed, I tugged the covers over my head and pulled out my phone.
