Life is always fleeting, and the universe is so tremendously beautiful and grand to not let curiosity take over, to try to learn everything possible, and to take pleasure and preserve the little things and the simplicity of life. Maybe that's why I decided to go to an Astronomy camp this summer. Maybe that's also why I'm walking hand in hand with Dante in the middle of the night. Blindfolded. Or maybe I'm doing this because life is too short to live and I'm trying to get over my ex.
Suddenly I crashed into something. A deep chuckle reverberates through his back as I feel his hands leave my own. A cold gust of wind hits my now bare hand, making my previously warm hands cold. I feel the air shifting as a jacket covers my shoulders as the welcomed warmth rings throughout me. I let a smile fall on my face as Dante's hands work to untie the bandana that he used as a makeshift blindfold. A small cloud of white accompanies the puff of air that escapes my mouth. I gasp. He takes my hand in his own as he chuckles once more.
"I remember you saying that you wanted to go stargazing at least once so I hope you like it, Egypt" A nervous tinge taking over his tone.
I don't let him see the light blush on my face as I look at him.
"I don't know what to say, honestly. I love it!" Even if I couldn't express it properly in words, I hope he understood how much I appreciated this much needed distraction.
Dante and I haven't been friends for too long. We met at graduation rehearsal in our last year of high school but we instantly clicked. We kept in touch over the summer and he somehow convinced me to join him at the Astronomy camp he goes to almost every summer.
Looking at Dante, you wouldn't think that he was the type of boy to be interested in something like astronomy. Jet black hair and dark brown eyes and as I let my eyes fall further down his body, I take note of his broad shoulders and triangular jaw. A football or a baseball player perhaps but no, you would almost never think that he was a boy who liked astronomy.
"I really like the stars" The sound of his voice breaks me out of my thoughts.
I look up at the magnificent dark blue sky speckled with millions of little stars. Taking my silence as acknowledgement, he continues.
"I know I forced you to come along but I hope you can see the beauty in this. We take it for granted, you know." He catches me staring as he turns his head to look at me.
"You see those three stars?" His smile peeks through before he turns his head back and points to the sky.
"Isn't that the Orion belt?" I ask, proud that I knew even a little bit of Astronomy.
"You're right," taking my face into his hands, he turned it a little–just a little, until I could see exactly what he wanted me to: the brightest star that I have ever seen, "but that's not what I wanted you to see," he said shaking his head lightly, "that star right over there is the brightest star in the sky."
"I wish we had a telescope." I muttered, annoyed that all the telescopes at camp were locked up in the storage room.
"We're so small compared to the rest of the universe, to us our planet might be a very large expanse of land and sea but in the grand scheme of things, we're tiny–microscopic really. So many galaxies and so many suns. It makes you feel so small. It makes you think about how none of your problems matter and reminds you to live your life to the fullest. It's morbid but it's also beautiful." Dante says, holding my eyes captive to his.
"Who do you think put them there?" I ask him, wanting to keep hearing his melodious and deep voice.
His words waver, pondering my question.
"I...don't know, actually. The universe is mysterious like that."
"I'm lucky, you know?" I said, a hint of playfulness in my tone.
'And why is that?', his eyes questioned me.
"Well, through these millions of galaxies that make up the universe, through all of these planets that surround us, and out of the billions of people inhabiting ours, I was lucky enough to meet you." I confessed, all of a sudden feeling shy at the silence that followed.
"All these galaxies and stars we're talking about are nothing compared to the stars that reside in your eyes. They twinkle away in the depths of your dark eyes, shining so brightly with wonder. I want to give them names and create an entire solar system just for you, Egypt. It certainly wouldn't be difficult given how much I admire you and how brilliant and precious you are." He replied
Wordlessly we sat, basking in the comfortable silence of midnight, our bashful smiles telling each other everything we needed to know.
"What?" He asks as soon as he catches my stare.
I look into his eyes and with the slight warmth rushing through the apples of my cheeks, I say: "Nothing, just...stargazing."
