"Dance with me?"

"I don't think that's a great idea."

Emery sighed, focusing on stopping herself from rolling her eyes. "What's the point of coming to a dance, if you don't actually dance?"

"It'll draw too much attention. We aren't here because people want to watch us dance with humans."

"I don't care what everyone wants, Roman."

"Emery—"

Emery shook her head, holding out her hand. "I wasn't actually asking." She reached down, grabbing on to Roman's hand. "Dance with me." She tugged her hand gently, smiling as he stood up.

"You're putting yourself in danger."

"I'm already in danger." Emery smiled up at him as his hands landed on either side of her hips as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Because of me."

"I don't want to keep hiding us."

"Emery," Roman paused, closing his eyes. "We can't."

"Why not?"

"It's too dangerous. You are being targeted from both sides just by being associated with me, for standing up for Atrian rights. Things will only get worse if they know."

"You're doing that thing again where you try to make decisions for me."

"I'm just trying to keep you safe."

"But I'm not. Not being with you isn't going to change that."

"No, but being with me will make it worse."

"You don't know that."

"And you don't know that it won't."

"Maybe it will. So what?"

"Your life is worth more than some relationship. It's worth more than just being some byline in the history of human and Atrian relationships."

"My life is worth what I decide it is. And I want my life to include you. We don't know what any of this will mean in twenty years. For all we know, we will crash and burn and it won't even matter."

"That's convincing."

Emery stopped moving, holding Roman's gaze. "Are you ashamed of me?"

Roman looked away, trying not to pay attention to all of the eyes on them. "You know the answer to that. But it doesn't change any—"

Emery cut off his sentence with her lips, pulling her arms tighter around his neck.

"What are you doing," Roman asked, as he pulled away.

"I don't care what they think. I don't care what they say. I don't care that you think you are the reason for all of the problems in my life. I'm not going to be the one hiding from this. I'm not ashamed of you. You have about five seconds to freak out and pretend I'm completely crazy, if you want anyone to believe there's nothing more going on here. Otherwise I'm going to kiss you again."

"This isn't going to be easy."

"Human girl falls in love with alien boy. Trust me. I'm not expecting easy."

"Nothing is going to change. I can't even take you out on dates."

"We'll get creative."

"What lunch under the bleachers?"

"Math class in the janitor's closet."

Laughing, Roman shook his head. "They won't understand."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe we'll help them understand. Maybe they'll want to stage dates for us. Show the world that anything is possible. That humans and Atrians don't have to be separated."

"Your five seconds are up. What's your choice?"

Pulling back from Emery slightly, Roman shook his head. "You say it like there was ever a real choice."