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an excerpt

Chapter 1
Arram

I sighed and rolled my eyes at my best friend, Chas. “Of course I’ll be back in time for your wedding. Why did you have to schedule it in the middle of my trip though? You are going to owe me big.” I smiled, even though I really did feel a little annoyed.
I watched as the anxious furrow in his forehead smoothed itself out. He chuckled. “You know as little about weddings as I did Arram, if you think that the husband-to-be is consulted about any of this. Deciding to propose was the last matter I have had any say in. And I’m not complaining. You can’t even imagine...” He let his voice trail off, suggesting untold horrors.
I smiled, in spite of myself. “Really? I didn’t think Jane was the type of girl to be difficult about this sort of thing.”
“No. Not Jane. She’s been great. It’s everyone else. She shields me from it as much as possible. But it seems my great great aunt Gertrude’s neighbors hunting expedition takes precedence over my best man’s annual trip to Earth. I don’t understand all the social rules behind that, but that’s the way it is. Take it up with the king.”
“Your great aunt Gertrude?” I asked, raising one eyebrow.
“And she doesn’t even exist. See how unimportant we are?” Abruptly, Charles stopped smiling. “I am sorry about your trip. Are your parents expecting you on a certain day or can you reschedule?”
“No, it’s not THAT complicated. I never tell them an exact date, since I wouldn’t be able to change it. I’ll just have to shuffle a few things around. If I leave next week, I can be back a day or two before the wedding.” I stopped, puzzled. “Is that OK? Do you need me for anything beforehand?”
“You’re going to leave me alone with all of this?” He exclaimed in mock horror. “Nah…I don’t want to cut into your time with your family. You don’t get to see them much.” A mischievous look came into his eyes. “I have a great idea. Why don’t I come with you? Then we can both show up at the wedding at the same time as the guests. Much less stressful.”
I scowled at him. “Remember what happened the last time I took someone with me? That didn’t work out so well. Besides, you couldn’t be away from Jane for that long. You’d go insane. Or else you would make ME go insane.”
He grinned broadly, completely unabashed. After praising her charms for another minute or two, he thanked me, apologized again, and slapped me on the back. Then he dashed out of the room, anxious to spend a last few solitary moments with Jane before her family arrived. He was understandably concerned about how they would change things.

I rested my forehead on the palm of my hand, rubbing my temple with my thumb. I had made this trip every year for ten years—ever since I stepped through the gate and left Earth when I was twelve. When I was younger, it was so easy. It was just an adventure. I couldn’t remember being worried about where I would stay or what I would eat. I just wanted to come here. Every year, I got a little wiser, and every year, I was a little more afraid to make the trip. I was careful not to examine the fear too closely. I couldn’t stop visiting my parents and my sister, not while there was an option. Maybe someday we would figure out a way to get them through the gate also. Even if they came here, though, I would still want to visit Earth. Not only was it beautiful, but someone needed to look after the interests of people on Earth. No one else understood the people there as well as I did, because I was the only one who had been born there.