Counting Stars

Chapter 22

2 Years Later

➳  ➳  ➳

➹ Chapter 22 ➹

Calvin

            I lean back on the wall right next to my bed, putting my arms behind my head. I close my eyes in contentment while I mentally thank my sister, Alex, for giving me her room. Compared to my old room, this room is a lot bigger and I have the perfect view of the backyard and the neighboring houses because of the window next to the bed.

            My new room – or Alex's former room – was full of boxes and worn out walls from last week until yesterday. Mom and I fixed it all up so it looks like the perfect room for me. And thanks to my victory as Aven in the Myth-o-magic finals, the new videogame set stands proudly at the corner of the room.

            Alex and Liam are continuing their house-slash-apartment-hunting for college. They both decided to share one house or apartment because they're going to the same college. I'm okay with them dating for two years now but as a brother to Alex, Ash and I agreed to kill Liam if he ever hurts her. But still, I'm happy for Alex because she deserves someone to make her happy.

            I crawl over to the window and run my finger on the window sill. Not more than two years ago, too, my sister and I listened to a strange girl tell a story about her life. And that happened on the same day our older brother showed up. Clarence. I could never forget that name. I was fifteen then and now I'm already seventeen and on my way to senior high, I'm still hoping she'd appear again on this window sill.

            She was really pretty, that goddess. When she said that gods and monsters that existed in Myth-o-magic were real, at first I didn't believe her. She was suddenly holding a silver bow at one tap of her bracelet and that was enough to make me believe her. She said she was actually seventeen then so I figured being a goddess might be hard on her.

            I know she's nineteen now, same age as Ash. When I saw her two years ago, the first thing I noticed was her beauty. But I took a good look at her and saw that there's grief on her eyes, as if there's something heavy weighing her down. I finally understood why when she told us her story. But despite what happened to her, she acted like it was an insignificant scar and she kept a smile on. She was about to leave when she smiled at me directly and I swear I saw a spark in her eyes. Somehow, her visit replays over and over in my mind.

            My thoughts are interrupted when there's a ring on my cellphone.

            I grab it from my dresser and answer it after looking at the caller ID. "Alex?"

            "Hey," a guy's voice answers from the other line.

            "Liam? Why are you on Alex's phone?" I ask after a few moments of silence.

            "Sorry, she told me to call you and relay the news. We're at my house right now and she's downstairs, preparing food." Liam says eagerly.

            I remember that when we started moving things from my old room to my new one, Alex is staying at Liam's. She's there until Liam and her find the right place to live in for college. By how mom's gushing about that, you'll think they were a newlywed couple  looking for a house.

            "So what's the news?" I look out the window of my room. It's getting hotter and hotter every day because of summer.

            "We found an apartment, a few blocks from the college. We're going to start moving in tomorrow."