My Star In The Sky

Chapter 14

Flowers and stuffed animals fill the room along with letters from her family. Our moms are in the room with us, talking about her favorite memories she's had. Her mom talked about the time where she wanted to be a ballerina so bad, she would stay up all night twirling around in her room and watching "The Unfinished dance." She finally took her to tryouts but when she didn't make the team, she didn't give up. Instead, Imani practiced harder to master the dance. Imani smiles.

She looks really pretty. Her curls fall down her shoulders, but her eyes were dark. 

"Yeah. It wasn't easy competing against all the girls who've been dancing their whole lives. I remember getting picked on and stared down by the girls at the company, but that didn't stop me." I'm still holding her hand. "Eventually, I made the team, and everyone started to like me once they got to know me." 

"Why did you quit Ballet?" My mom asks. "It eventually got boring, and it just wasn't something I wanted to do anymore. "Yeah, same with me," I said. "I used to like to write and everything a couple months ago but now I'm not really interested in doing it anymore." I shrug my shoulders. "Or maybe I lost the motivation,"

"Maybe you should start writing about me," says Imani. "That could be your motivation. You can write a story about us." I grin at that idea. "Yeah? What should I call it?" She thinks for a second before her face brightens.  "What about two worlds apart, joined by one heart," her mom asks. 

I raise my eyebrows. I like that title. 

 "Hey, remember the time when we were chased by a dog," I asked her. We both busted out laughing while our moms stood there in shock. "When was this?" my mom asked. "A few years ago. We were fine though. Luckily there was a fence we could climb over." Imani is still laughing a little until she begins to cough. She leans forward, covering her mouth when her mom stands and starts patting her back.

"Is she okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, she's fine, just give her a few seconds," he mom says. When she finally stops coughing, she leans back into her pillow and sniffs. "I'm okay," she says as she reaches over for her water bottle. "Can you give me and Dylan a few minutes?"

Our moms both look at each other. "Of course," my mom says, standing up and grabbing her purse. "We'll be in the lobby if you need us." When they close the door, it's just me and Imani sitting in silence. The lights are dimmed a little due to the migraine she had earlier. The sun is setting right behind the trees, casting an orange filter. I lay my hand around her thigh, trying to stay strong for her.

"I miss you already," I said. She brings my hand up to her face. "But I'm still here.I'll always be here, even when I'm not."

"Promise me?"

"I promise. Just like I said on that night we were stargazing... all you have to do is look up at the sky and I'll be there," she says as she looks up at the ceiling. I smile a little and all of a sudden tears fill my eyes.

"Dylan, stop.. I swear if you cry you're going to make me cry too..." I wipe away my tears with my other hand. "Who says I'm crying?"

"Oh of course, It's probably just hay fever."

I chuckle. "Mhmm. Seasonal allergies. You know the drill." We shared a watery laugh that would be our last.

We don't say anything for a couple of seconds and my stomach begins to tighten.

"I'm sorry Imani I don't know how to do this." I look down at the floor because every time I look at her, It hurts too much,

"Hey. Hey. You're doing it great," she says through her sniffs. "You're going to be okay."

I shake my head. "I don't want to be okay. I don't want to forget you."

"You won't. I know you won't."

I finally look up at her after she doesn't say anything else and she's looking into my eyes, smiling through the tears. We stay like that for a second. I stare at her too as a chill runs through my bones.

Beep......Beep.......Beep.....Beep.