My Shooting Star

Chapter 1

We lay in each other's arms watching the shooting stars and making wishes "I love you..." I heard them whisper in my ear as I smiled and started to close my eyes happily
1 month earlier
Astra's POV
I was woken up by the sound of my alarm feeling sceptical about the day ahead. Was I going to accomplish my goal of High school and be my head of house? This has been my goal since the start and today it may come true. Excitedly, I turned off my alarm and jumped out of bed. I had a lot to do to get ready for the big interview.
I applied my makeup, curled my hair and put on my favourite outfit; a black business suit with a cropped corset top and my shooting star pin badge. I was finally ready for the interview.
As the school bus started to pull away I was feeling more and more confident. This could finally be the day my dream comes true.
When I arrived at the interview, I saw who my competition was, Leo. "What was he doing here?" I muttered under my breath. Just as I was about to go up to him Alya came running over and hugged me tightly. "Hey, girl! Are you ready for your big interview?"
"Yeah, just wish that jerk wasn't here," I replied as I stared towards Leo.
"Understandable, do you think he is running?" She questioned glaring at him.
"I sure hope not!" I replied furiously 
"If he is, you have some tough competition. He will just use his popularity against you" She said with empathy.
"I know he will be bound to win. Probably throw some party or something to persuade everyone."
"Definitely!" Alya said before being cut off by the principal talking to everyone.
"Good Luck!" She added while hugging me and then leaving to go take her seat.
Just as the principal called my name for me to go into my interview, Leo came up to me and snarled "Good luck bitch. You will need it"  I walked onto the stage to make my speech, the nerves started to kick in and my heart was racing. "Hello, students and staff. Today I am talking to you so I can step up into my role for the school and be a house leader. Why I feel like I should be a leader is because I am a very responsible person and have great time management" I take a pause and look at everyone in the audience, they are all yawning and starting to fall asleep. Everyone apart from Alya who was smiling with her thumbs up. "As my one promise to the school, I promise I will make this school a better place to learn and enjoy. Thank you for listening and please vote for me, Astra for the shooting star house leader!"
As I walk off the stage, everyone half-heartedly claps and Leo rolls his eyes at me. Deep down I knew I hadn't got the position as head of the house. I was crushed. 
Next for their interview was Leo. He walked onto the stage with a cocky smile on his face as everyone clapped and cheered for him. "Vote for me as house leader and we will have parties at my house every weekend where everyone that votes for me can come. Vote for me and get drunk every weekend. All the alcohol will be provided, you know what you have to do." He says and smirks knowing he had just won.
All I heard for the next ten minutes were enthusiastic claps and cheers from my fellow peers and the principal trying to get everyone to calm down and vote for the person they want.
After everyone finally quieted down I was called back on stage to be told the news. "After all the votes have been counted I can say that... This person won by a landslide. And that person is.... Mr Leo Ashford."
Everyone erupted with applause and Leo turned to me. "Better luck next time." 
I turned and strutted off the stage trying to seem like this didn't affect me even though deep down this was killing me. Alya came running up to me and gave me a big hug. "I am so sorry that jerk ruined your dream!" She exclaimed and hugged me again as Leo appeared behind us laughing and wearing the new shiny pin badge with the words captain written on the star "Party at my place to celebrate and you are invited to, Astra, oh and Alya you can come to." Alya glared at him but nodded "We'll be there." She turned to look at me as Leo walked off to announce it to his football team. "Why did you say that Aly? I don't want to go to one of his stupid parties."  I questioned.
"Come on! You will be with me the whole night, we deserve to have fun!" She said with enthusiasm
"Fine! But I am only going for you!" I said kind of annoyed
"Thank you!!" She exclaimed, hugging me again as we walked to our second lesson.
At the end of the day, Alya and I went to the shopping mall to find some outfits to wear. Alya picked out a floral bodycon dress with a v-neckline. I had to say she looked very pretty.  Whereas I went for a more mature approach, a baby pink, a line princess off the shoulder dress. It had a lot of rose lace detail and I decided to get a pearl necklace to go with it. When we got home I made Alya and me dinner and we got ready for the party.
As soon as we arrived I had a horrible feeling. There were congratulatory banners everywhere and balloons, it felt like a set-up. As we walked around to the backyard Alya went to talk to one of her other friends and I walked over to get us some water from the minibar that was next to the pool. I couldn't help but be slightly jealous.  Leo suddenly appeared in front of me laughing at something his friend said. "Oh hey, bitch was I in your way?" He jeered
"No, I was just getting a drink," I answered, rolling my eyes.
"Right well don't let me stop you," He said as he pushed me into the pool laughing and high fiving his friends.
"You are such a jerk!!" I screeched while reaching for the side of the pool.
"Oh well. At least you got your drink now." He boasted laughing and walking away with his friends as I saw Alya running over to help me out of the pool. "Oh my God! I am so sorry Astra!" She exclaimed while pulling me out of the pool and wrapping her jacket around my shoulders.
"It's fine, let's just get out of here." I sighed and stood up glaring at Leo from across the party.
"Sure, let's get out of here." She decided and took me to her car so we could drive home.
"Thanks for the jacket," I said, smiling at her as we drove back to my house. I noticed my cheeks started to get hotter, was I.. blushing?  I asked myself. No I couldn't be! Alya is just my best friend, that's all she will ever be to me.
"Want to sleep over and drive to school together?" I added as we arrived.
"Sure!" She smiled and got out to walk towards my house.
We quickly changed into our matching  blue satin pyjamas and sat on the sofa doing a face mask, watching Love Island and eating ice cream straight out of the tub with a spoon. "He is such a jerk!" I muttered thinking about what Leo did to me at the party.
"Who?" Alya questioned, paying more attention to the fit boy on Love Island than what I was saying.
"Leo. He applies for the role of house captain just because he hates me and doesn't want me to win. Then when it comes to his interview, he doesn't even do a proper speech about how he is going to improve the school. He just offers everyone a party every weekend and suddenly he is house captain." I ranted to Alya.
"We knew he hates you and doesn't want you to be happy. We knew he would fuck everything for you in some way but what he did today was horrible." Alya turns towards me, giving me her full attention, leaving Love Island playing in the background.
"What did I do to make him hate me so much that he steals my dreams from me and pushes me into a pool?  We used to be best friends." I started to cry into Alya's shoulder when I finished complaining. Alya just comforted me, rubbing my back and whispering comforting words into my ear. Once I had finished crying, I lifted my head off her shoulder and Alya answered the question that has been eating away since the start of high school, what had happened. "You and Leo were best friends the whole way through primary school and started high school as best friends. You two were inseparable. Then Leo got a crush on Capella and was doing anything to impress her. When Capella finally noticed him she told him that she would only go on a date with him if he stopped hanging out with you. He was crazy in love so agreed. He thought that once he had the date he could come back to being friends with you but then they ended up getting into a relationship and she used you against him. He is crazy in love and will do anything to stop her from ending the relationship. It was never your fault Astra. It was his and Capella's."
"I know, but I could have done something right? To stop all of this from happening?" I sobbed. 
"Leo was crazy in love; he does anything Capella says. Capella is a bitch and if she doesn't like you she makes sure no one likes you. She started doing that to you by taking your best friend away from you."
"At least I have you now. That's the only good thing I got from this." I smiled a bit and wiped my eyes of tears.
"Of course you do. I will always be here. I love you!" Alya replied, pulling me in for a bone-crushing hug.
"Thank you. I know you will be. I love you too!" I smiled, my cheeks going slightly warm again.
"Now can we please continue to watch Love Island because this guy is fit?" Alya jokes as we both turned back to watch Love Island. At this moment I didn't care about Leo or his bitch of a girlfriend, I was happy with Alya as my best friend now.
After 5 hours of Alya drooling over fit guys, we headed off to bed. Alya and I got into my double bed and I tried to sleep. Tonight, however, I was finding myself struggling to sleep. Normally I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow but tonight all I could do was lie there and think about Leo. I wasn't just thinking about Leo though, I was thinking about Phoenix. Phoenix was Leo's best friend. Phoenix was always nice to me and always smiled at me as I walked past him. Yesterday, I was asked to tutor Phoenix as he needs some extra help with his French coursework. Normally I would say yes straight away whenever I'm asked to tutor someone but this time I'm scared to tutor Phoenix. He may decide that he wants to spend the whole time talking about how amazing Leo is or how loved up Leo and Capella are.  I don't want to listen to that but I also want to know how Leo is and get to know phoenix a bit more. Still not deciding whether or not I will tutor Phoenix French, I roll onto my side and try to sleep. Alya must not have been fully asleep as she put her arm around me and pulled me closer to her. I instantly relax and head off to sleep.
The next morning I rolled over and checked the time. 6 am, early but it's fine. I smiled at Alya as she lay there asleep still. I get up and walk downstairs to make breakfast, pancakes syrup and fruit Alya's favourite.  I play some music and dance while cooking. I make a mug of coffee and bring it up to Alya. "Morning! How are you doing?"
"Morning! I'm alright. Why are you up so early?" Alya questioned as she took the mug of coffee out of my hand.
"I couldn't sleep. When you're ready I made your favourite, Pancakes syrup and fruit." I say while picking out my outfit for the day.
"You're the best!" Alya happily replied, jumping out of bed and going straight downstairs to eat her pancakes.
I get dressed into my normal black business suit and a baby pink corset, put my hair in a messy bun and go downstairs to eat.
"How is it?" I ask.
"The best pancakes I've ever had! Are you having some?" Alya replied as she shoved more pancakes into her mouth.
"No they're yours, I have my toast and cereal." I smile and put a slice of toast in the toaster. As I waited for the toast to pop, I started thinking about tutoring Phoenix again. I was still debating what I should do. Suddenly, I was brought back to reality when Alya spoke to me, "You seem tense and keep zoning out. What's wrong?" When Alya asked me this, I knew I should ask her opinion about the whole situation. Alya would always give me her honest opinion and knows what's best for me.
"Mr Blake has asked me to tutor Phoenix. He needs help with his French coursework." I sighed. It felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders just telling her.
"And you worried because he is best friends with Leo?" She questioned me although she already knew the answer.
"Yeah. What happens if all he talks about is Leo and Leo's and Capella's perfect relationship. I don't want to know about that!" I practically shouted the final sentence.
"Hey calm down," Alya soothed, "If you don't want to tutor Phoenix then don't tutor Phoenix. Just tell Mr Blake you can't do it as you have to focus on your studies. He will understand and not push you to do it." By the time Alya had finished what she was saying, I was completely calm. She was right, I don't have to tutor Phoenix but some part of me still wants to. Maybe I could get to know him better.
"I think I will do it!" I finally told Alya after thinking 10 minutes whether I was making the right decision
"You're going to tutor him?" Alya questioned with a shocked tone in her voice.
"Yeah. It doesn't all have to be about Leo and his relationship. Maybe I could get to know him better." I answered her question with a smile.
"Aww does someone have a crush?" Alya joked looking slightly jealous as she came towards me and pinched my cheek.
"No!" I quickly answered as my cheeks went red. Phoenix was good-looking but I would never admit that to anyone. He was the captain of the football team and would never find someone like me attractive when he has all of those  cheerleaders dancing around him.