Breaking Enigma || The Imitation Game

◈ FORTY-ONE- Stargazing ◈

Easter of the next year came quickly. Perhaps it was because I wasn't lonely anymore and, in fact, I was starting to enjoy school a bit more.

Elizabeth Francis and her horrible friends had stopped bullying me. I guess they got bored of no longer getting a reaction and they have probably moved on to pestering another poor girl in the same manner as they had done with myself.

Christianna and I were in her back garden, lying in our backs, talking and looking up at the sky. She had told me that she's become interested in stargazing and that's why we were outside at such an hour. She was also keen to get me on board with her new hobby.

"Do your parents mind us being out so late?" I had asked her.

"Of course they don't," Christianna answered. "They like it that I've taken up a new fascination. It keeps me out of trouble."

"But you're never troublesome."

"I don't mean it literally," she laughed. "Oh, Allany. Why must you take things so seriously?"

She had a point. I never saw jokes as being jokes even when it was plainly evident.

"I don't know," I sighed. "I suppose that it's inevitable."

"Well, nevermind," Christianna said, waving her hand dismissively. "I'll show you the stars instead."

Now, I was a complete novice at this whole stargazing thing. But I was glad that Christianna was here to teach me; I love learning new things and it's even better when you have your best friend by your side.

"You see that one there?" She questioned, pointing to a line of three stars. "That's Orion's Belt. Everybody know that one."

"Do they?" I retorted.

"Of course!" She laughed. "It's perhaps the most famous constellation. Albeit not the grandest."

"Oh... Okay. What other ones are there?"

Enthusiastically, Christianna began to recite the constellations and other stars. Despite asking the question, I didn't pay a great amount of attention. I was too preoccupied by Christianna herself.

Over the period of time that I had known her, she had become ever more fascinating and beautiful. Her soft, raven-black hair had been cut shorter recently and it currently hung in lovely neat waves. Her warm, blue eyes were a feature I admired above all- they always seemed to sparkle with a certain friendliness and curiosity and tonight they were even more so. Her smile was also particularly amazing, it never seemed to fade and it was a nice reminder that not everything was dull and depressing. This evening, Christianna was donned in a pretty cream-coloured dress with a high collar that was splattered with pale-red flowers. She- like myself- was barefooted and enjoyed the sensation of the blades of emerald grass tickling her toes as her smile widened briefly whenever she moved her legs.

I think... I think I'm in love.

"... And I think that one up there is Scorpius, although it may be Delphinus... Don't you find it fascinating, though?"

"What's that?" I asked, snapping back into reality. Hopefully she hadn't noticed that I'd been staring.

"The night sky," she responded. "The stars, the moon, the planets. It's beautiful."

"I hadn't really thought about it, but now that I do..." I paused briefly to look up. Twinkling stars and the bright full-moon shone down upon us both. I never had time to appreciate what took its time to appear at night, yet it was surprisingly beautiful.

"What do you think about it then?" Christianna asked with a smile.

"Hmm, it's nice."

"Oh, Allany," she sighed, still beaming. "Get your head out of those books and tilt it up to the sky. The stars tell stories too; it's not just words."

"If you insist," I said shortly. The truth is that I wasn't quite sure what to say. The whole concept of stargazing was a new experience for me, even though I read books on natural wonders and sciences. It must be just one of those things that didn't intrigue me at first, but I was determined to share the passion with my friend. However, it would always come back to the fact that I was too busy thinking about Christianna rather than learning new facts. I'm utterly hopeless.

"How are you finding the book I have you?" She inquired.

"The one about codes and cyphers?"

Christianna nodded in confirmation.

"Very interesting," I answered honestly. "I'm just over half-way through and I am understanding it more than I thought I would."

She smiled at me. "That's fantastic. We should start writing in code during Mrs Yates's English class. It is terribly boring in there."

I smiled slightly. "Yes, I think that is a very good idea. What about the work, though?"

"You and I know more about mathematics, English and science than the whole class does combined. I'm sure we'll manage. And besides," Christianna looked at me with softness in her blue gaze, not a hint of agitation or sadness appeared in her eyes. She then grasped my hand gently. I tensed momentarily, yet immediately relaxed and held her own in return. "Nobody can interfere with our friendship. It's just the two of us against the rest if the world."

I nodded my head in agreement. "Words of wisdom," I remarked shortly before pausing briefly and then continuing. "Was that last part a quote from a book?"

"Possibly," she shrugged. "But I don't recall."

"Oh," I sigh and then closed my eyes. I was ever-so tired, but wanted to stay awake to stargaze as it was something I had become increasingly fascinated with. The temperature had also dropped slightly and I hated the cold.

But Christianna was still holding my hand and I was still holding hers. Inwardly smiling, I couldn't help but wonder whether or not she felt the same about me as I did for her. Half of me prayed that she did and the other half hopes that she didn't only for the fact that the whole homosexual thing is illegal. And that's was another reason why I was a social anomaly.

"Anyway," Christianna uttered, letting go of my hand and getting to her feet. "We should go inside. I'll make us a hot drink."

As she left, my smile grew bigger. I couldn't believe it. My spectacular, beautiful, amazingly intelligent best friend held my hand. Her touch had been so gentle, so warm. It was as if I could still feel it wrapped around my fingers and palm.

I must have been daydreaming a while as Christianna loomed over me with those same warm eyes gazing down into my own.

"What are you still doing out here?" She inquired with a giggle.

"You have me hooked on stargazing," I said quickly and cleverly as an excuse.

"Well, we can do it again tomorrow night. I'm certain that the sky will be clear."

"Okay," I agreed, sitting up and clambering to my feet before following Christianna inside.

We sat down in her living room for the next half an hour until we had drunk our tea. We mainly conversed about the constellations and then about codes and cyphers. When departing up to bed, I knew that my life was beginning to be that bit more wonderful...