the guys (already warned by Anatol that Nick is an Alchibian) were initially embarrassed and did not know if they should behave with Nick-girl differently than with Nick-guy. However, the awkwardness passed very quickly: Chen turned on the broadcast, and the guys got distracted by the girl who suddenly appeared in their company on the holoprojector, and Nick and everyone drank beer, greedily watched what was happening on the holo-screen and shouted together with the Sphinx. (Actually, Josh introduced Nick to the first shot-glass for the first time - other sports games were popular at Centaurus). Nothing foreshadowed trouble ...

“Well, let's, let's ...” Abe almost groaned, one of the guys, all absorbed by what was happening on the screen: “Viking” outnumbered “Sphinx” for more than two points, and it would be difficult for the Kidonian team to win. - Guys, guessing! - he suddenly turned to the other guys. - If the Sphynxes score a goal, Nick shows boobs!

Josh, at that moment just taking a sip from the bottle, gasped and gasped in surprise — he might be outraged loudly, but Nick answered first:

- Show yourself! - the girl, it seems, did not take Abe's words seriously and, at least, her voice sounded funny and not at all offended.

“Abe, you are drunk, calm down,” said Toll (Abe and the truth was clearly not completely drunk) with a laugh, whom he had drunk led to a complacent state. Josh, however, tensed, feeling that it would not end well. Underived Abe was able to calm down, but on the screen, the players of the Sphinx managed to grab the ball from the Vikings and score it at the opponents' goal.

- Go-ol! - Abe screamed the loudest, jumping up again. And suddenly he turned to the other guys, with one movement he unbuttoned his jumpsuit to the navel, with the second he pulled up his t-shirt under his jumpsuit and showed everyone his beer belly and hairy chest. - Hey, Nick, now it's your turn! - in the heat of the moment he shouted to the girl.

Some of the guys laughed, but Nick was no longer laughing.

- Leave me alone! - indignantly she threw back. But Abe already stretched out his arms to her, Josh immediately jumped up from the seat, the girl pressed himself into the back of the sofa on which they sat together, the other guys clung to Abe, pulling him away from Nick, and into Josh until he grappled with Abe. .. and it is not known what would have happened further if the loud voice of Chen was not heard:

- Hey! Do I need to call the police ?! - the hushed guys instantly turned to the landlord. - Arrange a fight in my house - I will expel all! And you, Abe, or calm down now, or fly out the door.

A minute later, Abe together pushed the door (he shouted a little under the door, but he still had to leave), and the guys again clung to the screen of the holoprojector ... but many people had already spoiled the mood, and the fact that Viking was everything still ahead of the "Sphinx" at one point, did not improve it. Nick felt uneasy at all, of course, the girl moved to the very edge of the couch, climbing her legs and pulling her knees up to her chest — looking at her, it seemed to Josh that she wanted to hide in her jumpsuit like a turtle in its shell.

“Nick,” Josh asked the girl anxiously, “do you want to go home?” - she only nodded shortly in response, her head in her shoulders. - Then let's go, - he got up from the sofa and, holding the girl by the shoulders, without saying goodbye, led her out of the room, not wanting to attract the attention of the guys (they probably noticed, but understood everything and didn’t call them).

The air on the street refreshed them - of course, everywhere inside the domed city the air belonged to a closed air circulation system, but in Chen’s room, where nearly a dozen people crammed, the ventilation system could not cope with so many peopleand the air was rather stale - now, on the street, Josh felt it. Fresh air gradually weathered alcohol from the head. Nick silently pressed against the guy, buried his blonde head in his shoulder, and Josh silently stroked her hair, not knowing what to say to her. Finally, the Alchibian broke the silence first.

“Forgive me ... You said you wouldn’t want to choose between me and your friends ...” she said quietly.

“Well, if Abe can act like this with a girl, then ... there will be little loss!” - Josh answered with feeling, and the stiffness disappeared somewhere. “You just need to drink less ... in the sense, not us — Abe.” He is forever, as a drink, so something throws, for which people then feel ashamed.

“Well, yes, I noticed the last time, when he was drunk to call the deputy dean ... I was dissuaded,” Nick lifted her head and still managed to smile. - And then he himself is ashamed of it?

“Well ... when, how,” Josh answered honestly. Nick smiled a little wider, but not too fun. - Listen, since we are alone, maybe we will try to arrange this most romantic evening for two? - decided to offer a guy. - Or you have no mood at all?

The girl looked at the boy a little surprised, and then smiled and answered:

- Well, I do not mind!

***

An improvised romantic evening, smoothly flowing into the night of love, smoothed unpleasant impressions. And the next day, after a short training session (it was Saturday, and although there was a six-day school week at Marsolopolis University, there were fewer classes on Saturdays) when Josh and Nick returned to their room again, the doorbell rang. Abe stood uncertainly on the threshold.

“Well, hello,” Josh greeted: to tell the truth, after yesterday he wasn’t just glad to see a friend, but once he came, he was probably going to apologize. (Although Josh could have sworn that one of the guys had told Abe that he needed to apologize, Abe himself would never have guessed). - You yourself remember what happened yesterday?

- Yes, not so much I drank to remember nothing! - Abe, it seems, sincerely offended, but then also tried to speak peacefully: - Actually, I came to apologize ... Still, Nick is your girlfriend, and I ... well ...

“Good,” Josh replied. “Now I’ll call Nick, and you can apologize to her.”

- I do not need to call, I'm already here! - Nick's voice came out, and the alchibian ran to the door, hugging Josh from behind, as if defending them against Abe. “Hello, Abe,” she looked expectantly at the guest.

“Uh, hi, Nick,” said Abe. - Well, I wanted to apologize for yesterday ... I just drank a little ... Here.

“For the first time, I forgive you,” the girl replied, standing no longer behind Josh, but next to him, but still embracing him. “But you really wouldn't drink that much.”

“Well, y'know ... I just thought you were your boyfriend,” said Abe with conviction. “You were such a boyfriend when you, uh, were a guy.” So I thought that if you were your boyfriend, then ...

Josh, slightly startled, looked attentively at Abe: hadn't he drank for courage before coming here? He looked at Nick - the girl looked at Abe with surprise too.

“I’m half alien, of course,” she answered, “and could miss some subtleties in the customs and psychology of earthmen ...” she didn’t finish the sentences.

“Abe, you're only doing worse now,” Josh said instead of her, reproachfully looking at his friend.

- Damn, what am I to apologize again now? - he answered indignantly.

“He did it,” Josh suggested, wanting to end this soon (and not let Abe blurt out anything else). - With you beer for me, and for Nick ... - he looked back at the girl. - Listen, what do you give to the Alchibians in such cases? Not the same box of chocolates ...

- I agree on a box of chocolates! - laughed Nick. “In the end, nobody ever gave them to me yet,” (Josh thought to himself that yes, he and Nick meet for only two incomplete days ... and, by the way, I should check if Alchibian girls like flowers for traditional earthlings , sweets and wine).

- OK, it will be done! - said Abe with obvious relief from what he was even clearly told what they want from him. - I will bring tonight! ... Read more →