In A Perfect World | Novella

Prologue

"In a perfect world, you know we'd be able to see every single one of these stars." I point up, one hand on the back of my head tickled by the grass. Looking up at the faded twinkling of the late night's stars.

"Sometimes you make me really wanna read your mind," the boy beside me laughed. His deep voice rumbles onto the ground and I feel it crawl up my skin.

The soft wind kissed my frostbit cheeks, lonely phantoms of the fall haunting us. Brown leaves, dancing in the wind; nothing but silhouettes. I liked it this way. It's so peaceful. So far away from the cadence of town-folk chatter and mind-numbing gossips in class.

"If you could be any one of those constellations, which one would you be?" I asked, turning to him.

I admired him. The way his big eyes reflected the night sky just enough that I can still see the blue wonders in them. His soft skin blurs all the colours together and folded onto the creases of his cheeks whenever he smiled. He had both his hands behind his head and I laid beside his strong arms. His curly hair fell away from his face but a few strayed, dancing with the breeze.

"Orion, probably," he said the lowness of his voice, soothing. Words, misting into the night light.

"Why?" I asked.

"I don't know. It's the only one I know." He turned to me, a toothy grin as he laughed like a child. The innocence in his eyes brought me home.

I laughed with him, unable to help what my heart drowned into - love. Undeniable, insurmountable love. Still, I wished that it held the both of us. Wrapped us in its warm grip and never let go.

I could watch him for a lifetime. Just as how I could watch sunsets forevermore. Maybe if he were a story I could tell it too, over and over. Turn him into folklore that one day would be told in history books. Words that described him would be turned into immortal quotes for the lovers that would follow. The boy, so beautiful it ruined worlds.

If I died, I want his name on my epitaph. My killer, my beloved.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He whispered, probably noticing my gawking. In a perfect world, I would have blushed like a schoolgirl. Tugging my hair and giggling.

"You don't want it," I whisper back. I can feel the wind dying down. The stars fade into the back. The grass felt like thorns and leaves all gone into dust. A pebble in my throat rises as he inched closer while his eyes danced over mine. They're just as blue as ever.

"How do you know what I want?" He asked and I smiled.

I feel it. The storm in my gaze threatened to obscure my view of him. "Not yet. Not just yet." I thought.

He blurs, the remnants of his face only remained when he reached out for my cheek. I closed my eyes, letting his fingertips leave marks on my skin. Phantoms that I'd let haunt me for the rest of my days.

But like ghosts, he fades.

"Because in a perfect world, you'd actually be here."

Then he's gone.