TWO
A swat lands on my bottom, and I bite down on his shirt.
“I told you not to look. I don’t want you hurting your eyes,” Chale scolds me. “You have not adjusted to our planet yet, and I do not want you to be injured more than you already are.”
“Sorry, Chale,” I whisper.
“Just be a good girl for me and keep your head in my chest until we get to the doctor,” he reminds me. “If you are a good girl, you may even get a little surprise.”
“Surprise?” I ask and pull my head back.
He makes a tsking sound, and I push my bottom lip out.
“I’m not looking. My eyes are closed,” I mumble.
“I know, but keep your head burrowed in my chest. The light can burn through your skin and still hurt your eyes,” he gently replies.
I sigh, and he guides my head back into his chest. I just want to look around and see what’s going on. Where exactly are we?
“The doctor is going to meet us at my home to take a look at you and examine your leg,” Chale explains. “I want you to be a good girl when he comes and not fight him. If you fight him, I will have to spank you or put you in time-out.”
“I’m not a little girl,” I point out.
“You are my Little girl, and you better get used to it. I know you’re not a pet.”
I open my mouth, but Chale pats my back in a rhythmic motion, putting me almost in a trance.
“Yamal is going to do a full body check on you to make sure that you are healthy and don’t need any medical treatment. If everything is okay when he finishes cleaning your leg, we can spend some time together,” he says.
“I’m healthy,” I reply. “Headmistress Helena checked me over the other day and said everything looked okay.”
“We Venkorians are far more advanced than you humans. I want to make sure you are healthy. These examinations will be very frequent; I want to make sure you are always healthy.” He runs his hand through my hair. “There is no arguing with me. This is happening whether you like it or not.”
“No.” I push against his chest. “I don’t want this. I don’t have to do this.”
He can’t force me to be checked over by a random alien. For all I know, they could be plotting to kill me. I am not going to die.
“Leah, you are mine. I paid for you, and I get to do what I want with you,” Chale informs me.
I shake my head and point to myself. It feels a little ridiculous to do this with my eyes closed, but I don’t want them to hurt.
“I am my own person. You may have bought me, but I am in charge of myself, and there’s nothing you can do about it,” I declare.
It’s still surreal that he bought me. Bought me for what?
He chuckles, and my mouth falls open. He can’t seriously be laughing at me, can he?
“You are so cute,” he mumbles and starts walking. “Raydn said his girl was cute, but you arefarcuter than she is.”
“Adryn? Luna?” I perk up and look in what I believe is his direction.
“Adryn. That is his girl.”
“How is she? Is she alive? Okay?” I fire off questions. “Can I see her? Is he treating her well?”
“Relax, Leah,” he gently says.
I shake my head. “I can’t relax when my friend has been here for a long time, and I don’t know how she is doing. No one on the space station knows whether they are alive or not.”
