Stars Aligned

Chapter 6

I spent the rest of Holiday break attached to Sebastian's hip. He always read in my room while I either painted or practiced my French. I'd annunciate out loud and sometimes he'd correct me if I didn't emphasize a syllable. At other times, when I would read, he studied his anatomy. He'd make innuendos as a "mnemonic device." "I think your gluteus maximus is very nice." He told me one day while I was reading The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx. I chuckled and shook my head at him. He didn't sleep over any of the other days, but assured me it won't be long till we did. I'd meanly kick him out of the room, but he would tease me in return and we would depart with a lingering kiss. Was he my boyfriend? I didn't know, it was his call. He was the director of this film and I was a mere plot. I could've changed just like that! I couldn't read his mind so I had to wait for a perfect opportunity to find out what we exactly were. Laura called me that evening and announced that she was coming back to school earlier than everyone else. "Thank the gods," I said. "I missed you so much." I didn't tell anyone of my two weeks with Sebastian, not even Yallannie, who specifically told me to fill her in if anything happened. An evil smile spread across my face; I couldn't wait to see their reactions when I would have told them. Listening to a Rolling Stones LP, I danced and twirled in my jeans and sweatshirt. I thought about how fortunate I was to have my friends, to have been in Astro Academy, to have had Sebastian. When I was just about to go to bed that same evening, I received a call from an unfamiliar telephone number. "Hello?" I breathed into the receiver. "Nat? Is that you?" I heard a familiar voice. It sounded mature and feminine. "It's Anya—hey are you there?" I haven't heard from my sister in five years. I remembered when she left to go to the same school which I inhabit. I was merely a preteen, with an un-proportionate figure, chubby cheeks and the very first stages of puberty were very apparent on my skin. She never called, hence, why I haven't heard from her in five years. Two years ago, when I first left Geneva to go to Astro, my mother called me to inform of her return. At that point, I didn't care. I had vague memories of affection towards my sister so when she would mention of her, it passed through my ears without a pang of nostalgia. "Yes, I'm here." I answered coldly into the receiver. I hoped she would sense my frigid attitude and hang up, but I heard a breath and then again her voice. "How are you? I-I-I missed you, sis. Gods, your voice changed since I last saw you." "There's a thing called puberty." "Oh...well. Hey, remember when we used to pick berries from the backyard during the spr—" "Anya, why are you telling me this?" I snapped. I couldn't stand her trying to intoxicate my evening with memories of the past. "Natalie, what's your damn problem?" Her voice raised and grew harsher. "I could've asked you the same thing five years ago." And I hung up. I didn't know where she was and who she was with. If she was home, then I no longer desired to return to Geneva. Last year, during Holiday and summer vacation, she was about the world, traveling. I stayed in our old home, spending my time in solitude. I lived like I did before I left; I went to the mall with my best friends from my schoolgirl days, swam in the pool, read on the balcony, spent time with my mother and father. I breathed in the crisp, cool air of Switzerland and wondered how I ever took it for granted. Like Sebastian said, I had family here. I printed out that picture Sebastian showed me of my friends and I framed it on my bedside table. After I hung up the phone, I reached for the picture and smiled. I remembered the day Yallannie took my phone and snapped that picture. We went outside of campus and into the town's shopping mall, where we all spent the day. It was a day filled with laughs and memories made. It was right outside the store where a worker hit on Laura. I laughed at the memory and placed the picture back on my table. My family was coming home to me. I met Laura in Virgo House the morning of her arrival. I ate breakfast with Sebastian and then followed him back to the House. I hid in her room until she arrived. I loved her area; it resembled a typical teenage girls room, filled with posters of Shawn Mendes pasted above her bed. I heard the front iron doors of Virgo House close and suitcase wheels drag down the hall. Laura was finally home! As the door to her room opened, I spread my arms and put on the biggest, largest smile I could make. Laura appeared, saw my expression, and walked right back out the door. "Wait! Laura, come back!" She walked back in and hugged me. "Hello, my love." She said and then squeezed my flabby arm. "Don't ever do that again." I laughed at her. "I just missed you, I got lonely—well, not too lonely, I mean I did have a little company." She asked if I could help her unpack. "Wait, Nat, what exactly happened here?" She added, unzipping her huge suitcase. "You're in for a little treat, now, aren't you?" I teased. "Oh...My...Gods..." Was Laura's first and only response after my story. "Oh my gods, Natalie." She laughed in disbelief and picked a few shirts from her suitcase and threw them into her laundry basket. "We're never leaving you for Holiday ever again." After I helped her unpack and do her laundry, we went back to her room and spend time there until dinner. I haven't gotten any calls or texts from Sebastian which was strange, considering he was just down the hall. "So...Now what? Are you guys official?" Laura asked quietly. Even though we were blasting Shawn Mendes on her phone, she was aware that he was the only other person in the House. I shrugged. "I don't know, I mean, we did spend a lot of time together this Holiday—" "I'll say," Laura commented under her breath. "But, he never asked me on a date or even asked to be my boyfriend." "I don't know, Nat. Wait till Holiday is over, maybe he'll do something big." Laura bumped me on the shoulder and winked. I was about to say something when there was a knock on the door. Laura turned to me and mouthed the word "shit," as she widened her eyes. She progressed towards her door and as the door swung open, I saw Sebastian standing there being handsome like usual. His posture was a little slouched and his hands were buried in his jogger pockets. "Hello, Laura, do you have any laundry detergent?" Sebastian asked, a smile spread on his face. "Umm, I ran out." Laura lied. I smiled wickedly because I very well knew that her Tide Pods were stored underneath her bed. "Oh, okay." And then Laura slammed the door in his face. I laughed by placing my hand over my mouth. There was a knock on the door again. Sebastian was standing at the door in the same position. "Do you have any Clorox?" Laura made a face at him. "No, what do I look like?" She slammed the door once again. "C'mon, Laura, give him something." I insisted. I felt bad for Sebastian, I thought he really didn't have anything to do his laundry with. Sebastian knocked on the door once again. "Natalie, answer the door before I hurt your boyfriend." Laura snapped. I walked towards the door and turned the knob. Sebastian saw me and smiled. "It was about time you answered," he muttered. I smirked back at him. I placed my hand behind his neck as I stood on my tiptoes. I pulled him close and locked my lips on his. I felt his arms trail to the small of my back. We exchanged kisses and broke away when Laura exclaimed in disgust, "My gods, you two are so happy! I'm going to puke." Sebastian laughed loudly. He kissed my head and promised to see me later. "Wait, do you still need detergent?" I called from the hall. He turned back. "No, that was just an excuse to see you." He winked and turned to walk down to his room. Laura was standing by her bed, arms crossed in front of her. "He's for real, Nat. Just don't make out in front of me again, you nasty hoe." She hugged me and squeezed my arm again. I remained in her room while she told me about her vacation in Venezuela. She told stories about her mother and father, her cousins, and her half-sisters. Laura seemed really happy to see them by the way her face lit up whenever she mentioned any of them. She talked about her best friends back home and what they did together when they hung out. I left Laura in solitude around nine so I could shower and finish some homework our teachers assigned us. Even though I loved being with Sebastian the whole vacation, I felt relieved that I had spent an evening alone. I took a bath and listened to music. I finally finished reading some books I brought from home. I saw my Law notes sitting on my desk. I needed to review them, to catch up on all that I was lost on. As a light classical mix played on my stereo, I slowly but surely began to understand what, after all these months, Moonley was blabbering on in class. I felt a surge of empowerment and I abandoned my bed for my work table. I separated my notes into piles, grabbed some flashcards that I kept in a decorative box, and began narrowing down the information into a common language which I knew. I finished late at night and I felt content because I got my act together. I felt a pang of loneliness because usually, if I had an epiphany in my academic career or in any case, I would announce it to Lannie. She would then laugh at my pathetic-ness, call me a flower, and let me be. But she was still in New York with her family. I haven't heard from her in a while so I decided to send her a text:Hey, Laura came back today. Can't wait to see you too. Hey! Yeah, I know, she told me. I'm coming back in 2 days. Have so much to tell you!SameYou'll never believe what happened. Oh my gods, don't even bother telling me if its bad news Hold up, what time is it in Greenland right now? Past midnight. Why?Why are you up so late? Epiphany Oh, well, enjoy. Listen, I bought you something.AWW YOU TOTALLY DIDN'T NEED TO YES I DID Well, what is it? You'll find out when I come back What's your news? You'll find out when you come back :P Bitch. Okay, tell me who it's about. He's the most beautiful soulHis arms are my breathing apparatus He has the most gorgeous brown eyes He is the most smartest person on the planet Ok, I get it!!! After your slumber party in our room, what happened?I'll never tell MOM TELL ME 
PLEASSEEEEEEEI gave in, I told her of my tale; of my magical two weeks. I described the moment he placed his lips on mine; when he held me closer than anyone ever has before. She called me in order for me to explain, and on the other end of the line, numerous times I heard her scream. I imagined her pacing, the way she would if she was witnessing this in person. "All I have to say is—" she finally spoke, "Congratulations. Your dream came true." "Not entirely. We're not official." I replied. "Watch him make a big move soon. I heard what happened in Laura's room tonight." "How on earth—" "I have magical powers, that's how." Yallannie breathed into the receiver. "Laura and I talk on the phone too, you know." Of course, I knew that. I completely forgot. Yallannie said that she was going to come back that Saturday before school started once again. Soon, we'll all sit at the same lunch table, eat the same food we always eat, and be together again.