When Stars Fall (NaNoWriMo22)

Chapter 17

The next two days have been the best days of my human life. Milton has taken upon himself to teach me how to read and, now, write. In turn, I've told him dozens of stories about adventure and courage and love. Or what I understand it to be. He simply listens as I story-tale. After the first few stories, the crewmen have slowly began to join and listen in as well. Averett has even asked me to tell him more about my time up in the skies. And he's told me more about his life on the other side of the Wall.

We've gotten closer. The more we spend time together, the more I wish for something that I don't know how to ask. But it's in the hand grazes, the embraces, the jests. My heart races whenever I catch a slight glimpse of him. I pretend not to understand. That these moments are nothing but mere friendship. Nothing less, nothing more. He hasn't even asked me what I'm working on with Milton. Why I've started to tell stories to the crew. Nothing. It's started to hurt, really. That my actions are of no concern for him.

I breathe in the fresh air as the asterboat soars through the clouds. "Alright, now try this sentence." Milton hands me a small novel to read off of. I glance at the sentence he points to as I take it in my hands. "Erm," I clear my throat, "T-the man had gre-great grati-tude for the help that th-is stra-stranger had given him." I sounded absolutely terrible. I must sound even worse to the boy. I sigh with the rising frustration that I feel. "You're doing great, Alcyone!" Milton pats my arm. "Trust me, you are the best novice I've ever had." I raise my eyebrows at him. "Aren't I your only novice?"

"Semantic." He waves it off.

That gets a laugh out of me. "What's so funny over here?" Averett wraps an arm around my waist. My heart jumps into a frenzy in my chest. My spine tenses at the intimate contact. "We were just about to call this class to an end." Milton snaps the book shut and leaves us, sharing one lengthy glare at Averett. Aw, poor Milton. "I think someone has a crush." I feel only sympathy for him.

"Wait," he moves to my side, "class?" His eyes roam my face with such inquiry that it nearly makes me swoon. "Um, yes. Milton has been teaching me how to read and write. In exchange for stories." I grab my hair and twist it over my shoulder. "Stories?" I nod quietly. It dawns on him the reality of the contents of my stories and where they come from. "He knows you're a Star? Why didn't you tell me?" He steps closer to me, enclosing me between his body and the deck's railing. "It didn't seem pressing. Besides, if Milton or the Captain meant to cause any harm, they would've done it by now." His eyes widen in surprise. Oh, curses! I had forgotten that I hadn't told him about the Captain either.

"Spears knows?" I meekly shrug. "Is that why you were so anxious that first morning? Because of Spears?" Averett doesn't need me to answer to know, so I don't. In part, because of how long it took him to ask these questions and in another, because it would be of poor taste to waste time explaining everything now. "Why didn't you tell me?" He was hurt by my keeping secrets. "Forgive me," I lean into him, "I just didn't find it prudent. It was too late, anyhow. We already planned to stay aboard for the next few days. What was I left to do but trust."

I fix his collar and smooth out his dress shirt. "You trust the boy, not the man." He leans closer to me, our noses so near to grazing each other. "That's partly true." My hands trail over his arms. "I trust you. I'd follow you anywhere, Averett." My heart hammers inside my rib cage. Although it is difficult for a Star to shine in the daylight, I can see my own skin adorn a white glow. My heart soars in delight. Almost as if it has a mind of its own. It's a scary thing. It utterly frightens me. This feeling that I have for him is what brings back my senses.

My body takes a step away from his warmth. My shine goes away in the process and my heart protests against it. It seems that I broke his entrancement as well for he drops his arms to his side.