Page 4 of Matched with my Alien Boss
He reached over, patting my shoulder.
“What is it this time?” he asked. “You lonely?”
“No, it's not that... okay, maybe a little.”I chuckled. “It's more the fact that I can't seem to get to know anyone because...”
I shrugged.
“You know. The usual.”
Bill grimaced.
“How long have you been here?” he asked.
“Twenty years,” I said.
He already knew. We'd been friends since college. We'd bonded over being the only aliens on the whole campus. It was still rare for Aliens to be on earth long enough to integrate to the degree we had, and Bill was the only one who had gotten me. We were from different planets, but we related. We were both outsiders. Me more than him.
“So, you've been on earth for twenty years. You grew up here. You're practically human.”
I snorted.
“I may not be very different on the inside, but I just can't seem to get pastthis.” I gesticulated to all of me. “It's the first thing people see and—I don't know. It just feels like no one will ever see past my appearance.”
Bill frowned.
“Come on, Sal,” he said, shaking his head. “I've seen plenty of people throw themselves at you. It's not like you're hard on the eyes.”
“That's not what I mean,” I said.
Even when peoplewereinto me, which granted wasn't an uncommon occurrence, there was something unnerving about it. Like I was an object to fulfil a fantasy. Not a person.
There was no way in hell I was going to explain that to him though. All I'd get was a big eyeroll.
He was giving me a look, waiting for more.
“Let's just watch the game,” I sighed.
Bill didn't argue, so for a while, we drank and ate appies and watched hockey.
When we were getting up to leave, Bill paused while pulling on his coat.
“You should make one of those Alien Mates profiles. Try to meet someone.”
I laughed.
“I'm trying to avoid being judged by appearance alone,” I reminded him. “I don't think a dating app will make me feel much better.
“Don't put a picture up,” he suggested. “Just chat with some people, get to know them, it'll probably make you feel better.”
I considered.
“Yeah, you might be right.”
Bill grinned and patted me on the shoulder.
“I'm always right,” he told me, and I shook my head.
“Will you be at the office tomorrow?”
