Shooting Star and Swallow's Song

Something's Going On

It only took a few minutes to reach the diner. They continued to exchange pleasantries, talking about how beautiful the town was and what was in it. Part of the way over, George told Steph he was going to hang back with Alex and once he was walking beside her, proceeded to ask her opinions of the town, wanting to get it from someone who just arrived. Sometimes they spoke a little quietly, but not to prevent Steph from hearing. Still, she kept looking back to them with playful suspicion, sometimes asking for the two to speak up. They acted conspiratorially, but weren't really talking about anything secret. It felt fun to tease Steph with her dad.

At one point, Alex felt her phone buzz and so slipped her hand into her pocket with a little struggle before pulling it out. She looked at the screen.

Steph: hyd?

Alex grinned and shook her head, looking forward to Steph who glanced back to her after a couple seconds. She could now see the phone in her free hand.

She typed a reply.

Alex: Doing pretty awesome. What about you?

Without looking, Steph typed back and Alex felt another another text come in.

Steph: Pretty good, but there's this super cute girl following me around everywhere I go.

Steph: Is it still stalking if you like it?

Alex blushed as Steph confidently looked back for her reaction before facing forward again. Uncertain what to respond with, she sent a simple reply.

Alex: No

Alex: Not stalking

After a few seconds she got a response.

Steph: Good cause I was hoping to keep her around

Alex: I'm sure that won't be a problem

They exchanged a warm look as Steph looked back once again.

Right before they arrived, George had returned to the front, looking to Steph as she glanced at her pocket a moment before pulling out her phone. She was still pulling the wagon, but slowed down a bit as soon as she looked at the lit up screen. Steph started to turn her head back to Alex, but then looked forward again. Steph continued to pull the wagon with one hand as she apparently typed out a message for a few seconds and then returned the phone to her pocket.

She could hear George ask, "You keep getting texts. One of your friends?"

Steph replied hesitantly, "Uh...something like that."

Who is she talking about? Wait...is it that girl? Emily?

"Would your 'something like that' friend want to join us?"

"I...don't think they can make it."

"Aww, that's too bad. Maybe next time," George said.

Alex was extremely tempted to ask, but didn't want to come across as nosy to Steph or her dad.

As they reached the diner entrance they could see a statue of a miner greeting them, surrounded by a small stone wall. Beyond that were bright colorful flowers placed in wooden pots with metal bands. Just above those hung the diner's sign, a dark brown colored bear silhouette above the name. They stopped a little off from that point.

Steph couldn't seem to meet Alex's gaze as she broke down the canopy of the wagon.

Fuck. It is her, isn't it?

Alex forgot her concern though for a second when she realized it was time for Steph to lift her out.

How's this ever going to make me want to try and get better?