“I don’t understand,” he says blankly, spinning around in my chair.

I’ve kept my window open tonight, so X can see the stars. He likes to look at them from here, with his big big eyes. His shadow spins on the floor as he goes, four arms going round and round.

“I don’t either,” I reply and collapse into my covers.

“I thought you had to prove yourself as a mate? You proved yourself.”

“So did I,” I sigh and recount today’s unfortunate event when my promposal went spectacularly wrong. Last time I checked, it had one hundred thousand views on TikTok.

“Perhaps bigger plants next time. Females like plants on my planet too.”

I think of the roses that Cindy threw back in my face. I think she knew roses had thorns.

“What kind of plants?”

“Oh, the biggest the better. My male parent once got my female parent a plant so big it took up the majority of our entry room. It almost broke the ceiling.”

“Did she like it?”

X nods.

Every night since I was twelve, X had visited my room. It’s part of his school exchange programme, however they work it in out of space. He was to write a report at some point, sadly if I did the same I’d probably be locked away.

It was scary at first, but his questions have always been pretty strange.

“What is better for the human diet? Red fruit or green fruit?”

“What is the purpose of bath salts?”

“Why was Constantinople’s name changed?”

Tonight he surprised me with a profound question for once. And for once, I didn’t know the answer.

It stung as well after today’s events.

But then again, maybe I shouldn’t have dumped Cindy two months ago for her best friend and then dumped her too.

I just thought we’d be better as friends.

Now I don’t know.

“Bigger plants next time,” X confirms and keeps spinning.

I pull the duvet cover over my head, relieving the horrible event over in my head and wondering how I’ll face my peers tomorrow.

“Noted.”