Until the Stars Go Down

chapter four

There is something enchanting about Californian Autumns. Everyone talks about Californian summers, sure, but do they tell you just how beautiful a crisp October night in California is? The sky is full of stars, you're not sweating bullets and you get to wear your favourite sweaters. That's a perfect night for me, right there.

Not exactly the perfect night -- that would comprise of me getting a good seven hours of sleep -- but fairly close.

Before I can bum myself out with the details of my barely existent sleeping pattern, I decide to grab the book I'm currently reading -- The Isle of Roses and Thorns by Adam Baker. It's the first book of the Isle Trilogy. It's about a mystery island, Kelari, on a planet called Paroma, where people who are 'traitors" are sent away to, as a punishment. This island has been branded as dangerous and almost inhabitable for the rest of the world, and the only people who live there are the people who have supposedly betrayed the government. There's something about the found-family trope mixed with a fantasy island filled to the brim with premonitions and omens that really gets me going. I've had a thing for fantasy young-adult fictions for as long as I can remember. Introduce a slow-burn romance that feels too good to be true, and my panties are on the floor. It's more than just about a romance. Imagining a world beyond everything that our world is, almost makes me wistful, hopeful for a life that doesn't revolve around humans working themselves to their graves.

My love for fantasies stems from my childhood obsession with the likes of Percy Jackson or Harry Potter. They're classics for a good reason.

I fish my phone out and check the time. It's almost midnight and I contemplate whether I should continue reading my book in my room, or take it outside. My eyes drift over to my window, and the starry night glimmers like tiny flecks of diamonds across the sky. I quickly make my mind up and grab the handy flashlight that sits on my desk.

Walking into the living room, I see Lexi snuggled up next to the girl she's currently seeing -- Vanessa. They see me enter and Lexi shoots me a quick smile. I point in the direction of the kitchen, awkwardly smiling back. "I'll be out of your hair, gimme just a second."

Lexi rolls her eyes, playfully, and Vanessa chuckles. "You are welcome to join us, Nova. We're just having a Mamma Mia marathon."

"Thanks Vanessa, but I'll probably just read a bit," I politely decline. "But you guys have fun watching Meryl Streep randomly burst into melodies."

Hearing this, Lexi groans out loud. "Oh God, we're so gay." This ignites a laugh in Vanessa and I. As I start walking in the direction of the kitchen, I see Vanessa lean in and leave a peck on Lexi's forehead. "Yes, we are."

Ignoring the obvious glaring daggers flying into my ever-so-single chest, I walked into the kitchen only to see Jackie sitting on the granite countertop, a pint of Ben & Jerry's in one hand, and a large spoon -- that could easily moonlight as a spatula for little people -- in the other, and a bottle of rose sitting next to her. She looks up when she sees me enter and places the pint next to her. Her lips flatten when the kitchen echoes with Lexi and Vanessa's giggles. "A second more with them and I would have puked my insides out."

Throwing a glance behind my shoulder, I respond, "I think they are cute."

Jackie blechs. I drop my stuff on the kitchen counter before quietly walking over to her. Grabbing another spoon, I take a seat next to her. "Chocolate Therapy?"

"No, it's some crappy dairy-free vanilla." I shrug and dig in anyway.

Silence stretches between us and the only sound we can hear for a while is the sound of the cast of Mamma Mia randomly breaking into a song, followed by an occasional giggle.

A few minutes later, Jackie clears the throat. I perk up. "You know, I talked to Dev about the date Lexi was pestering me about."

"Oh," I muse. "How did that go?"

Jackie snorts. "What do you think, Novie? I'm stuffing my face with shitty ice cream and a bottle of wine I bought at Costco." Pausing for a second, she takes a swig of the said wine before passing it to me. "He said that he doesn't see me that way, and if I have started feeling something for him, maybe we should just stop messing around completely." She finally looks up from toying with the hem of her old high school t-shirt. I am taken aback when I notice the tears that pool her brown eyes. Instinctively, my arms wrap around her shoulder and she rests her head. "I feel so stupid, Novie. I--I genuinely thought that he might be into me. I was so close to letting go of my stupid pride and begging him to take me. All that and just for a guy? I am so glad that my pride stepped in and told him that he's an 'imbecile, egotistic little prick who can go suck his own tiny dick because I'm not going to do it for him anymore'."

My lips quirk up in a half-smile and I squeeze her side. "I am proud of you for standing up to him, babe. You deserve so much better than a dude who led you on for years, only to break your heart like this. I think it's good riddance. Now, you can finally see how hot you are and just how many people would be lucky to be with you. And that too, romantically, because they actually believe in love and don't think it's hocus-pocus."

Jackie gives me a reluctant smile, as she rubs her eyes. "Thanks, Novie. I may not say this out loud often, but I love you and it's moments like these I'm glad that you are my best friend." She hops off the countertop and holds her arms out. "So, before I regret this, give me a hug."

I don't need to be told twice. I jump off the counter and straight into her arms. Her tinier frame completely sinks against mine and I hold her tight. With graduation only about seven months away, my mind is sometimes filled with the dread of parting ways with Jackie and Lexi. I try not to think of it often, but I'm really going to miss living with them. "I love you, too, Jack."

Before either one of us can pull away, Lexi rams into us with a gusto we didn't see coming. "Group hug!"

"Ouch!"

"Lexi!"

"Shut up, you both love me."

A loud click interrupts our group hug and we finally pull away. Vanessa stands in the doorway, with her film camera in her hand. "I couldn't resist."

Lexi strides over to Vanessa and glances at the camera. "Hmm. Not bad, baby." Vanessa grins and pecks Lexi's lips. "Perks of dating a photography major, Lex."