Page 2 of I Think I’m in Love with an Alien

JazzyPlum: Maybe I’ll answer that next time. 😊

Seeker: It is more than one fact. My turn? Let’s see. I love to travel, especially what most people would consider extreme tourism.

Jeneticist: Whoa. You mean like parachuting into a disaster zone?

Seeker: Not quite to that extent, but I definitely go off the beaten path.

Stargazer: Remind me never to let you plan my holidays.

JazzyPlum: 🤣

Stargazer: I’ll take a shot. I’m a second dan black belt in judo.

SquidHead: Our muscle has entered the chat. Me next! I work in tech, 100% remote. I’m in charge of some pretty important code. That’s all I’m at liberty to say.

FarfromHome: You design websites, got it.

SquidHead: Hey!

JazzyPlum: FFH is teasing you.

FarfromHome: Am I?

Jeneticist: You’re also the only one who hasn’t shared a fact.

FarfromHome: I am the smartest person any of you will ever encounter.

Stargazer: You sure seem to think so.

SquidHead: Are you in Mensa?

Seeker: What’s Mensa?

JazzyPlum: An organization for people with a high IQ.

Jeneticist: This was fun! I have to get going, but I’ll send the picture I mentioned in the forum thread when I find it in my digital files.

Seeker: Talk to you soon, J.

Jeneticist: 😊

1

Jennette

I have a huge crush on someone I’ve never even met.

Depending on your definition, it might not be the first time either. Do fictional characters count? If they do, then I’ve fallen many times, usually with aliens in video games. Why romance humans when I can experience the glorious fantasy of hooking up with a sexy purple person with three eyes and head tails? I’ve got a soft spot for monsters in certain romance novels too. Trust me, horns and tails are no obstacle.

But this is a real person, someone I’ve been talking to online for about six months. Seeker is part of a group chat that I started, funneling invitations through direct messages on the Aliens Among Us website. I staunchly believe that online friends are every bit as important as in-person connections. These days, my in-person friends are a bit scarce. My high school friends aren’t in town anymore, and my college friends have scattered, which leaves me with work acquaintances.

I’m a bit lonely, actually. But sometimes, the streams can cross. Or at least I hope that’s true. Because my online friends agreed to go to Rellows, Utah, which is a really special place. They’ve been hosting Outer Space Con—a.k.a. Space Con—since the seventies. It’s a quirky little town and I can’t wait to explore all the strangeness it has to offer.

My phone rings. Glancing at the number makes me sigh as I answer, “Hi, Mom.”

“You’re not really going off alone to meet a bunch of strangers from the internet, right? Tell me Glynnis got that wrong.”

Glynnis is my little sister and she’s never once opted not to tattle on me. Not since I stole some chocolate chip cookies that were meant for the school bake sale when I was seven. This time, however, I was counting on how regularly she reports in. It saves me making the phone calls anyway.