Within The Stars | ✔️

6

~Samara's POV~

I sat by myself in the library later that Saturday, stretching my legs out beneath the table as I read a book. The library was unsurprisingly empty today, considering the fact that most people didn't spend their weekends in the library when they could just go somewhere else.

As I was reading, the chair across the table from me was suddenly pulled out when someone sat down, causing me to lift my head and furrow my brows. "I knew I'd find you here." Poppy told me with a grin, a confused look on my face as I looked at her. "What are you doing here? You hate the library." I said, fiddling absentmindedly with the edges of the page of my book. She shrugged her shoulders, glancing behind her towards the door of the library. "Actually, I wasn't the one who wanted to come here. He did." She admitted, making my gaze flick over to the door.

To my surprise, Sterlyn was stood there, the door swinging shut as he entered the library and looked around, likely trying to find where Poppy had gone. I slammed my book shut as I watched him spot the two of us, beginning to head over towards us. "What?" I asked Poppy, confused, having to force my gaze away from him.

If it wasn't enough that Sterlyn was suddenly here, the door opened again, this time Elias' tall, muscular frame entering the library. "Why is Elias here, too?" I huffed, leaning against the table as I narrowed my eyes at him, annoyed by his mere presence. Sterlyn reached the table, the glare on my face dissolving instantly when he gave me a friendly smile. "Looks like Poppy was right about you being here." He stated, chuckling as he sat down beside her in a seat. Shortly after he arrived, Elias reached the table as well. "I guess it's not too unusual to find a girl like her with her nose buried in a book, though." Elias added, evidently having heard Sterlyn's statement.

Scoffing, I sent him an annoyed look. "A girl like me?" I echoed, unsure whether that was meant to be an insult or not yet I still took offense. He didn't say it as if it were a good thing, after all.

Sterlyn punched Elias in the side, causing him to grunt and place his hand over the spot he'd been hit. "Shut up, Eli." He sighed, making a grumble leave his lips before he sat down in the chair across from me. His legs were long, perhaps too long, even, because I felt his feet hit my ankles when he stretched out his legs. I kicked his feet away from me, wanting my personal leg space, and looked over at Poppy. "So, what brought you guys here, then?" I asked, bouncing my knee absentmindedly.

"Ah, well, I noticed you were gone this morning and we wanted to make sure you were okay. Poppy said you'd probably be here." Sterlyn responded, and he didn't have to specify who the 'we' was for me to know it was only him and Poppy. "Oh." I said softly, a warmth filling my face as I tapped my nails on the cover of my book. "Well, I'm fine. I just went home to take a nap and then decided to go to the library." I assured, shrugging my shoulders gently. He gave me a friendly smile and I looked down at my fingers, wishing that he wasn't so sexy. Every time I looked at him, I just found myself ogling him, so I tried my best to not because I didn't want to seem like a weirdo for staring. I'd made it a rule for myself not to look for more than maybe ten seconds at him.

"You guys don't have to stay here, by the way." I added, looking up at Poppy again. "Especially since you don't even like libraries, and Elias doesn't look like he wants to be within two feet of me, ever."

Poppy giggled whilst Elias scowled, a snort of amusement leaving Sterlyn. "I don't want to leave you to just sit by yourself in the library, though. We showed up and you know I hate leaving you alone." She pouted at me, causing me to roll my eyes and shake my head. "I like being here, Poopy." I said playfully, watching as her tan face formed an embarrassed flush from the nickname that made me snicker.

"Fine, but you better keep up your promise, Sammy." She huffed, giving me a look with raised brows. I paused, cocking my head to the side. "Promise?" I frowned, a little confused as to what she meant. "The mall, remember? You said you'd go with us the next time we go." She reminded me, and my lips parted as I recalled just that. "Oh." I said, nodding my head. "Right, right. I promise, just let me know when." I assured, playing with my hair. She nodded her head in content and stood from the chair, looping her huge bag over her shoulder.

"Love you, Sammy." She chirped, waving me goodbye as she headed out of the library with Elias and Sterlyn. That left me alone again, my nails tapping on the cover of my book as I watched the three of them leave.

I stretched my arms over my head as I leaned back in my chair, a yawn leaving my lips. Though I had told Poppy that I had no problem with being at the library, which I didn't, I now couldn't quite get back into reading. I just couldn't focus any longer, so I decided to simply shove my book into my purse and I stood up from the chair, my stomach grumbling slightly from hunger.

Looping my purse over my shoulder, I pushed in the chair and left the library, heading out to my car. I had only just reached my car and gotten the door open when I heard the sound of someone calling my name, causing me to lift my head and look over my shoulder in confusion. To my surprise, I spotted Poppy running my way, causing me to furrow my brows and set my purse in the passenger's seat. "Poppy?" I said, cocking my head to the side as I turned towards her. "I thought you left already." I mentioned, noticing that Elias and Sterlyn were talking to one another next to her car. More specifically, it looked kind of like Sterlyn was scolding Elias for something whilst Elias just stood there, looking bored and slightly irritated.

"Well, I was trying to, but Ster is too busy scolding Eli. So I've just been waiting for them to shut up, basically." She told me as she neared me, rolling her eyes. I laughed, tucking my hair behind my ear as the wind blew through it.

"And I thought you were staying here to read some more, so what about you? What are you doing?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked down at me. I bit my cheek and gestured to my car. "I'm hungry, so I wanted to get some food before I went back home." I told her, watching as her eyes lit up excitedly. "Food?!" She gasped, and I immediately knew what that excitement meant. "Can I come?" She hoped.

"What, you just gonna ditch them?" I teased, nodding my head towards the two men over by her car, still talking. She glanced at them and pursed her lips as she looked at them as if they were hopeless. "Guys!" She yelled for them, the sound of her voice causing Elias to immediately look our way. The two of them began over to us, Sterlyn with a frown on his lips. "I thought we were leaving." He said, earning an exasperated look from Poppy. "You two were the ones arguing like idiots." She retorted, causing Eli to purse his lips and send Sterlyn an annoyed look.

"Anyway, Sammy and I wanted to go get something to eat, so I figured I'd ask if you two wanted to come with us or just keep bickering." Poppy told them. Sterlyn ran a hand through his dark hair and Elias nodded his head almost immediately, not to my surprise. "I'll go." He said without a thought, almost making my lips twitch. It wasn't surprising to me, considering he seemed to like to go anywhere that she did. I couldn't say how it was possible that Poppy didn't know about his crush on her, but it wasn't really any of my business, I guess. "Then I'll come, too." Sterlyn decided, and Poppy looked over at me, fiddling with her keys.

"Wanna go to Aba?" I suggested, not surprised to see Poppy's eyes light up. "Yes!" She exclaimed excitedly, as Aba was her favorite restaurant. "I'll meet you there!" She exclaimed, clearly startling Sterlyn when she grabbed his arm and ran over to her car with him in tow. "Eli, you go with Sammy and keep her company on the drive!" She called. My jaw dropped and Elias just stood beside me as stiff as a board, looking just as stun-locked as I felt.

"What?" We both said at once, clearly taken aback. I turned to look up at him and his blue eyes flicked down to mine, a very unhappy look on his face at the predicament he'd been put in with me. That made two, I suppose.