would. My school day had ended about 15 minutes ago on that warm Autumn day, and it was time to get to work.

This was my sophomore year in high school, and unlike anyone else I knew, I had committed myself to one job... writing. Over the summer break, I hadn't been able to do much. Mother wouldn't let me have a moment's peace... she was always nagging me about something. I had managed to scribble out a few poems, but that was about it. What I wanted to do was write my first novel. I'd scratch it down on paper, and then mail it to a publisher. I'd be on the New York Times Bestseller list in no time, and soon, everybody would know the name Abigail McGregor. But, between my mother and then the school work, I hadn't even gotten started with this project.

I had, however, found the place to do my work. I had to escape from my mother, so I couldn't stay in, or too near home. I didn't really have to worry about any one else bothering me though. I didn't have all that many friends... most people in the school saw me as "that weird nerd girl" and just tried to avoid me. And so, I could have basically gone anywhere and people would just stay away. The park that was couple of blocks away from my house was most convenient.

This all brings me back to the day when this story begins. I had managed to finish all of my homework early, hence I was determined to spend the remainder of the afternoon, sitting on that park bench, in the shade of the trees, writing. A full pad of paper. A package of brand new, black ballpoint pens. A binder to put each finished page in. Solitude. I was missing just one thing: an idea. So there I sat, for at least half an hour, wasting what I knew to be a rare scrap of free time.

Three girls who I knew strolled by. First was Laurel Crighouse. She was a senior, and I despised her. She was all of those things every girl wanted to be. With her long, straight blond haier, perfect tan, the big blue eyes, long legs, fully developped cleavage; she was easily the most beautiful girl in the school, and hence was the most popular, too. And don't think she didn't know it. She was so damn condescending to other girls.I looked down in disgust, through my glasses, at the two tree bark colored braids that reached down almost to my lap, and my chubby arms... I was about as different as could be.

Along with her came Anna Afform and Nicole Whimsey. They were both in my grade, and acted as lauren's twin shadows. At least I had a personality of my own.

Either they didn't notice me or chose to ignore my pressence. Not that I really cared. And so, Iturned back to my work. I wrote "Chapter 1" on the top of the one sheet of paper. At least then I could say I had gotten something done. I stared down at the paper.

"Greetings." a mechanical and definetly masculine voice said, and then paused. "Greetings." he said again. I looked up to see a tall, skinny, blond boy who looked a few years older than myself. He wore glasses, too, and ahd a pale complexion. "Greetings."a third time. Another pause and then "Greetings." again. He said "Greetings" one more time, and then silence. I looked at him, puzzled.

"Umm... hi." I responded. "Can I help you with someting?" I wasn't quite sure what the best reply was. I didn't really want to be rude, but I wasn't particularly interested in conversation at that time ,either. And repeating himself six times - what was with that?

"I was Arthurgallon. I was from the planet Zetett, and went here, to earth, to study human life." he stated in the same tone. Once again I had was unsure what to say, or how to react at all to this bizarre statement. He spoke again in a moment, though. "I am Arthurgallon. I am from the planet Zetett, and have come here, to earth, to study human life." Silence again. What was he doing? HE began once more, "I will be Arthurgallon. I will come fro mthe plan..."

"What the hell are you doing?!" I interrupetd loudly. He looked a little taken aback by my outburst, and I felt a little sorry about being so impolite. "I'm sorry. I just don't undrstand why you keep repeating youself in different ways like that." I said more calmly, not quite ready to discuss his saying he was extraterrestrial.

"I was trying to determine the proper tense to use when speaking with you." A puase. "I am trying to..."

"Ok, ok, use the present tense." tHere was another period of time where niethr of us spoke. I hated awkward silences and I was certain that he expected me t osay something. "My name's Abigail." I extended my hand towards him, to shake. He took a step back. 'Maybe he really is an alien' I thought.

Arthurgallon changed the subject. "Is this your home? I think it looks very nice." I was about to answer, when he started again, "Is this Abigail's home? You think it looks very nice." "Is this Ab..."

"What are you doing now?!" I broke in with an exasperated tone.

"What do you mean?" "What does Abigail mean?" "Wha..."

"What's with the repetition?"

"Oh, I'm trying to determine hwich person to speak in: first, second or third." "Oh, you are trying..."

"First person!" I stopped him. "So what do you want from me?" I asked. "I mean, I'm busy writing here, and I'd rather not be disturbed."

"Hmm..." he grabbed the pad of paper fom my lap. "Doesn't look you've gotten much work done."

I grabbed the pad back. "All the more reason for me to be left alone." I spoke the words sharply.

"Are you visitted by extraterrestrial biological entities often, Abigail?" he suddnely asked.

"No. It's not an experience I've had before."

"Then I would think you'd be more interested than your acting."

"Quite frankly, I don't believe that you're an extraterrestrial."

"Why wouldn't you believe me?"

"I see no proof. You look like a human. You talk like a human. You're dressed..." I stopped, and looked. He wore a pink polo shirt and bright yellow shorts. "...sort of like a human." I said hesitantly.

"The operation on my appearance was done so that I would cause a minimum disturbance among your planet's inhabitants." Alien or not, this individuall had thought ahead of time about how to answer just about every question.

"Alright then, what do you want from me?" I had asked the question before, but was still looking for an answer.

"I have several questions and actions that I have been oredered to ask of the first earthling I found."

"Go ahead." I was curious about what exactly his purpose was.

"First of all, I need for you to french kiss me."

"WHAT?!" I could hardly believe that nayone would have the nerve to say something like that.

"I need for you to french kiss me." he repeated calmly.

"How could that possibly have any relevance to you, or your planet?"

"I am only carrying out orders."

"Well I refuse."

"I find your lack of cooperation troubling. Take me to your leader, so that I can report you misbehavior."

"I don't have a leader."

"That explains your lack of discipline. I didn't want to have to threaten or potentially hurt you, but I suppose that I must." His voice had become slightly more aggressive, which frightened me a little.

I didn't think he was an alien at all, but he could have easily been insane, not to mention dangerous. As he reached for something in his back pocket, I oculdn't help but fear the worst: that he had a gun. I thought of getting up and trying to run away, but what good would that do? If I really had something to be afraid of, then he would chase me down or fire at me.

He finally found the object he had been searching for. On his right index finger, dangled a tan rubberband. I let out a huge sigh of relief, and even a small bout of laughter.

"What is so funny?" he inquired, as serious as ever.

"I expected you to pull out some shot gun or knife... but a rubberband?!"

"This device has been disguised... it's really a didntegrator. I can reduce you to a singe atom with this weapon. Now complay with my wishes, or suffer the consequences."

"So it's french you or be disintegrated?" I questioned. He nodded. By now I was just sort of curious about how he'd react if I did agree to his request. Hence, I said, "Alright, I'll kiss you." I struggled to keep a straight face as I spoke the words.

"Wow! Really..." the boy began, no longer in his usuall tone, before realizing his mistake. He then stammered, "I mean... ummm..."

"Oh, just cut it out." I interrrupted. "Look, you blew your own cover, so don't bother trying ot recover it."

"Ok, I'm sorry. I just thought... I mean... oh forget it. I'm sorry... you can just go back to your writing. No need for you to waste any more of your time on stupid jerk like me." He turned around and took a couple steps, before I stopped him.

"I wouldn't say that you're stupid."

"Oh come on," he exclaimed, flailing his arms all around." I thought I could talk you into frenching me by pretending I was an alien!"

"Well, the idea was pretty unusuall, but you carried it out well. I mean the talking in different tenses and persons... that was pretty clever. If you tried it on a girl like Laurel over there," I pointed towards her "she might have actually fallen for the whole thing."

"Yeah, I knew that. But I'm not interested in some dimwit like her. Look, it's my senior year of high school, and I just moved into town. I've never had a girlfriend before, so I don't want to have to lower myself to her level to get my first kiss."

"Well how did you know that I was any different?" I had never met him, so he couldn't have known from experience.

"I asked around a little." I could see that he was starting to blush. He then ratttled out, "But anyway, you can get back to your work. Sorry for the disturbance."

He was midway in his turning direction, when I haulted him again. "Wait a second." I quickly ripped off a corner from my piece of paper and jotted down my phone number. "Give me a call sometime." I said, handing it to him. He looked me in the eye, to see if I was joking, I guess. Once he realized that I was sincere, he folded the number and paced it, with the rubber band, in his back pocket. He smiled at me and then walked away.

Single women are always saying that they're "looking for Mr. Right". Well, by nine o'clock that evening, "Arthurgallon (his real name as Arthur) and I were ging out. So, I guess that you could say it was when I wanted most of all to be alone, that I was meeting Mr. Right.