All My Stars

10

I wake up just as the sun is rising above the hill our house is settled on, the tinted windows block out the heat but it's still pleasant to look at. Natsumi is laying peacefully beside me, her face is smushed into the pillow and her hair is spread out obscuring most of the view of her face. I can't help watching her for a minute, the way her eyelashes dust her upper cheeks lightly, and how her lips are parted softly in sleep. She's gorgeous.

I leave her there and set out to make us breakfast, something simple since I wasn't really a big cook. My mother always tried to get me in the kitchen while she was there saying I should learn to cook for my husband and since then I've done everything in my power to not have that happen.

I'm almost done with our breakfast- eggs and toasted bread- when I feel her presence, she kisses me on the cheek silently before moving over to the couch in the living room, laptop in hand. Natsumi works silently until I call out that breakfast is ready and then she joins me at the breakfast bar.

Natsumi caresses my hand to show her gratitude and that's about the only interaction we have during breakfast. After, she does the dishes and goes back to her laptop on the couch and I sit quietly watching her work.

" Are you mad at me?" 

Her fingers falter mid-air before beginning to type again.

"What?"

" Because I feel like you're mad at me"

" Why would I be?"

Natsumi raises her eyebrow in genuine confusion.

" I don't know, maybe about yesterday?"

" I'm not mad Navi" A small smile graces her lips as she looks up at me.

" You seem mad" I press and it's only then her face starts to show it. Her eyebrows furrow and she releases a deep sigh like she's exhausted.

" I promise you I'm not, I'm just-" She sighs again.

" I'm not very verbal sometimes, especially in the morning"

"Oh" 

"Sorry, I'm used to it already because I've lived alone for so long"

" No it's fine, you don't have to apologize for that"

She places her laptop down, coming to join me on the other couch.

"When I'm out of this I'll explain it to you, okay?" Natsumi searches my eyes briefly, waiting for a response.

" Okay" I answer just as softly.

She grabs her laptop once again and leans back into the couch, placing her arm around me to pull me down to her side.

"Sorry" She whispers, kissing the top of my head.

" It's okay"

So we sit there, her working and me admiring her, the only sound being her fingers on the keyboard. I stay there until I have to start getting ready for school and she hesitantly lets me go, I feel her eyes on me as they trail me down the hall.

My phone pings with a new notification from Jayla and it brings an instant smile to my face.

JAY

Your wedding planner got me fucked up.

What did she do?

I pick out clothes as I wait for her response.

JAY

it's like she typed in 'ugly bridesmaid dresses' and sent me all of the options.

Is it the designs you don't like or the colors?

JAY

No red is fine but these designs are killing me.

I laugh softly before replying and heading into the bathroom to shower.

By the time I'm ready, I'm agreeing to go over the options with Jayla who is too afraid to reply and say she hates them all because she doesn't want to seem mean.

"I'm leaving now" Natsumi looks up at me in surprise as if she didn't even hear me walk into the room.

" I'll drive you" She's already getting up but stops and allows me to keep her seated with a hand on her shoulder, Natsumi looks up at me questioningly. 

" It's fine, I wanna learn the bus route"

She scoffs as if amused.

" You're not taking the bus but if you wanna learn the way that's fine. The keys to the cars are in the garage, use the GPS"

I nod, compromising was new for me.

" Be careful" She gets up, pulling me into a hug and kissing my temple. I promise I would be and hold onto her a little longer if only to fill my lungs briefly with the vanilla and lavender shampoo she uses.

Natsumi trails behind me as I go to the garage and watches as I back out of the driveway. She leans against the doorframe, hands shoved deep into her pockets as she watches me go, and waving to her fills me with an oddly comforting feeling that has a smile forming on my face that doesn't depart even as I make it to school.

"Man you really are whipped" That's Jayla's greeting as I meet up with her outside our first lecture.

"Shut up" 

She laughs, slinging her arm over my shoulder.

"C'mon I'm kidding, even if it is true" She laughs letting go to run ahead when I try to nudge her in the side.

A figure in the corner of my eye catches my attention and I turn fully to find Lena staring at me from across the hall. I wave half-heartedly, unsure of what to really do. She waves back excitedly, eyes wide and animated.

"Wait up!" I call out to Jayla, speeding up to catch her.