stardust|completed

two|star struck

"they told you it was written in the stars, but you've never had a chance to look that far."

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After the recognition there was silence. I took a few minutes to study him. I knew that all the stories I had heard about Orion were complete crap, made up by people who had nothing better to do with their lives. There was something about him though. Maybe it was the way his hair was still messy from the ride over here, maybe it was the way his eyes looked like a brewing storm, or just maybe it was the fact that he was Orion. Whatever it was it made me want to open his head and take a look inside.

The silence stretched on and soon we were both done with our drinks and it was time to go. We hopped back on his bike and once he asked me for my address I immediately told him to drop me off at the nearest park. He protested vehemently but the panic and desperation in my eyes were the cause of his agreement.

Before driving off into the night he left me with a sentence that I knew would be echoing in the back of my mind all night.

"This is just the beginning of us, Nyx."

Then he was gone, like he had never been here. At one point I had wondered if he was just a figment of my imagination, but my racing heart and disheveled hair was proof enough. I made it to the house swiftly and knowing that I wouldn't get any sleep I decided to sit on the roof. Soon night became dusk and with dusk came school.

Slipping through the window I quickly readied myself. Waking my little brother, Leo, was a feat in and of itself. After ten minutes of prodding he finally woke up. He gave me his best glare, which actually was more cute than intimidating. Then I was pushed out of his room.

I tiptoed down the stairs, taking extra caution to avoid the squeaky steps. When I noticed the house seemed to be vacant I let out a huge sigh of relief. I rummaged the cabinets in the kitchen for food, but came up empty handed. At that point I nearly started banging my head in frustration, but Leo's voice stopped me from doing so.

"Let's get this show on the road," he grumbled, apparently still not over the fact that it was Monday morning once again.

We jumped in my old truck and headed off towards Cherokee Middle School first. Leo was in the seventh grade, but he was apparently already tired of school. The ride was relatively silent until he asked the one question I really was in no mood to answer.

"Where's mom and dad?"

Every morning since they've been gone he's asked the same question. When he asked this I realize that he's still just a kid, his hope hadn't been crushed by endless empty promises. The light in his eyes hadn't dimmed and his optimism was still intact. I wanted him to keep those things. I wouldn't let him end up on the side of the railroad tracks at 12:00 thinking about death. So I gave him the same answer that I had been giving him since they left 6 days ago.

"They'll be back soon, just another business trip." My voice lacked emotion and I stated the answer robotically. The truth was I didn't know where they had gone this time, but I had an idea as to what they were doing. They left so often that at one point I had decided to follow them. I never made that mistake again.

We reached his school and I dropped him off, handing him the last of my money for lunch. He then informed me that he would be spending the night at the Robert's house. I was skeptical at first but then caved in realizing we had no food and I was broke.

I turned up my music as loud as it could go and drove extra slowly to school, trying to prevent the inevitable. Sadly my slow driving didn't seem all that slow and minutes later I was standing in front of my locker and getting my books for English class.

"Nyx," I heard a familiar voice next to me whisper.

And there he was.

Orion was lazily leaning against the locker next to mine like he had always been there. Like this was an everyday thing. Like he belonged in that stance leaning next to my locker whispering in my ear. I just looked at him, he smelled like fresh rain and looked like the midnight sky. Realizing I was meant to engage him rather than just look at him like I was seeing the moon for the first time, I responded.

"Orion," I acknowledged.

"We're going on an adventure, meet me when school ends of at the front entrance."

Then he left, leaving me star struck once again.