Read The Settlers for Free Online Page B

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    Like what? The Queen of Spain?  
    No, I can wait until I'm married to be his queen, Audra said. But right now I should be his princess.
    Tasneem sighed. Audra. Listen to me. I'm going to explain something that you don't get, because if I don't, you'll never ever be with David forever. I know you want that, so you have to listen to me.  
    Audra exhaled in frustration. Look, I --
    Audra . Listen to me. David is not like every other boy you've ever know. Don't you see that? David doesn't have a romantic bone in his body. And even if he did, he's twelve years old. He has plenty of time to be romantic later if he wants to. But he won't be, because David is like a robot. He just wants to consume knowledge. He wants to know everything. David wants to be the person in the world who knows everything about everything, because that's who David is. Do you understand? You will never be more important to him than a conversation he'll have with someone who knows something he doesn't know.
    Audra began to cry.  
    Tasneem pinched her eyes shut and took a long, slow breath. Audra, look at it this way, she started.
    No! No, I won't look at it your way, Audra said. Your way sucks, Tasneem. And just because you don't have a boyfriend, don't try to screw up what I have. And don't screw things up with me, either, because I know boys, I know lots of boys, and I can probably convince one of them to be your boyfriend or something.
    Gee, thanks, Tasneem said. But you're completely missing my point.  
    No, you're missing mine , Audra said. And it's too bad, because this is my stop, and now we're not friends.  
    Okay, Tasneem said.
    Audra had been in the middle of rushing off of the train, anxious to have the final word. But Tasneem's acceptance had stopped her short.  
    You're just like him, Audra said in a wounded voice. It's like I don't really matter to either one of you.
    The car's door began to close.
    No, no, Audra said, and she squeezed through the narrowing space. Then she stood outside the car and watched as it hummed slowly away, carrying Tasneem with it.  
    Tasneem turned her attention back to the view ahead, and her long, slow ride to Callisto City. She wasn't worried about Audra. These tantrums usually passed, and they would be friends again in a few days. Instead, she thought about the band. They hadn't been good, although there had been a woman playing a slide guitar, and Tasneem had closed her eyes during the woman's solo and been transported to a quiet, mournful place. She liked it.  
    Tasneem's pocket vibrated.  
    Her eyes snapped open -- she hadn't realized that she had closed them -- and she retrieved her wristband from her jacket and put it on. She had forgotten that she'd removed it. She tapped the top of the band, and answered the incoming call.
    Tasneem?  
    It was David.  

    He had been on the ground outside her compartment when she finally arrived. He had a tablet on his knees, and was furiously writing things.  
    David? she asked.
    He kept writing, so she waited. A few minutes passed, and still she waited.
    Finally he put the tablet down. Tasneem, he said. I'm sorry. It's late.  
    It's not too bad, she said. Come inside.  
    He got to his feet and followed her through the door.  
    Mom? Tasneem called. I'm home. David's here.
    Anjali appeared in the doorway of the sleeping quarters. David, she said. Hello.  
    You should tell her what you told me, Tasneem said.  
    Anjali looked at her daughter, then back at David. Is something wrong?  
    David looked at the floor. Mrs. Kyoh, I have been living alone.
    Anjali nodded. I know. Tasneem has told me. She says you are a very grown-up boy, and that she knows you are not in danger on your own. I believe her.  
    So far the Station Administration didn't know, Tasneem interjected.  
    David looked away.  
    David? Anjali asked, not unkindly. How did that escape their notice?  
    Tasneem touched his shoulder. It's okay to tell her.  
    Anjali waited patiently. She looked