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feelings—about Allister keep you from making friends with Sean. I’m sure he could use a friend right now. You remember what it was like, always being the new boy, and he’s had to make a much bigger adjustment than you ever did.”
    “I guess.”  
    Knowing they’re right doesn’t improve my mood. Besides, it’s not just his relationship to Allister that makes me not trust Sean. He pissed me off before I knew anything about that, the way he looked at M when he met her at lunch today. Sure, any Martian would be blown away by meeting the Princess everyone thought was dead. It is a big deal.  
    But there was more in his expression than that. Something . . . possessive. I didn’t like it. Still don’t.
    My folks going all fan-club over his family doesn’t help. Or Allister treating Sean like the son he never had, when he always treats me like some nobody trying to worm my way into the Sovereign’s affections. Like what’s between M and me is all in my head.  
    “I’m going to bed,” I say, not wanting to talk about it any more.  
    “Do the dishes first,” Dad says.
    I blink at him. I do the dishes at least half the time, but I always volunteer. I can’t remember ever being told to do them.
    “You promised you would when you left,” he reminds me.
    Oh, yeah. “Because Allister was giving you guys that look about letting me go out after dinner. Why do you let him tell you what to do in your own house?”  
    “He’s a powerful man, Rigel,” my mother murmurs. “There’s nothing to be gained by antagonizing him.”
    “He was powerful back on Mars, in the old days. What power does he have here? Really? What can he do to you—to any of us—if we don’t listen to him?”
    I really want to know. But instead of answering, my dad says, “Just do the dishes, Rigel.”
    “Fine.”  
    I go into the dining room—we never eat in the kitchen when we have company—and gather up the dinner dishes. It takes me like two minutes to put the dishes in the cupboard that doubles as an ionic sterilizer and push the button. Presto. Dishes are washed and put away in one easy step. Allister must not know about this little remodel, or he’d have suggested I do some other chore instead. I almost find it amusing.
    Almost.
    Because I know these extra chores are just one more way for him to put me in my place. A place that’s miles beneath the Sovereign. One more reminder that I’m nowhere near her class. That if Faxon had never overthrown the monarchy and we were all back on Mars, I’d never be allowed anywhere near her. That I’m not good enough to speak to her, let alone be her boyfriend. Her soulmate.  
    The worst of it is, sometimes I worry he’s right.

    I’m still in a lousy mood the next morning. I haven’t had any serious alone time with M since Friday and being apart from her sucks. And she’ll have taekwondo this afternoon, so we won’t get a chance today, either. At least we have four classes together.
    Feeling a serious need to see her, I walk a little faster to Geometry. Before I even reach the classroom, I sense her brath and the knot inside me starts to relax. I turn in the direction of her vibe and see her hurrying toward me, a worried expression on her adorable face.
    “I’m so sorry!” she whispers the moment she reaches me. “I couldn’t get out of the house last night. Would you believe—”
    “Hey, M!” It’s Sean, striding down the hall like he owns it, a big grin on his face. “It was great meeting your family last night. Hope we can all get together again soon. Oh, hey, Rigel.” He totally says it as an afterthought, like he didn’t even notice me standing here. Jerk.
    I barely nod. “Sean.”  
    “Well, catch you later, M.” With another smile and a wave—completely for M—he continues on his way.
    “He met your family last night?” I ask. “Why didn’t you tell me that?” It sounds way more like an accusation than I mean it to. Insecure, much?  
    And it makes M