Among the stars, YOU MY MOON

Jingle bells

After a while of listening to old classic music. Ava specks.

"Remember that time we tried to catch fireflies in jars?" Ava says her eyes sparkling with nostalgia. "We thought they'd light up our room like tiny lanterns."

I smirl, glancing at her. "Yeah, and we ended up releasing them all because we felt bad. Our room stayed dark and then we were soo scared we ended sleeping next to each other"

"Next to each other?! I couldn't breathe the way you held onto me!"

"Sure thing mahn!"

We pull into a quaint little shop by the roadside—a place that hadn't changed since our childhood. The bell above the door jingled as we stepped inside. The owner, an elderly woman with twinkling eyes, greeted us like old friends.

"Ethen! Ava!" she exclaimed. "It's been ages. How's your mom doing?" the owner, Mrs. Thompson, stood behind the counter, her silver hair pulled back in a neat bun. Her eyes crinkled at the corners as she recognized us.

Mrs. Thompson's shelves were lined with treasures—a mishmash of handmade crafts, antique trinkets, and faded postcards. I picked up an old leather-bound journal, its pages yellowed with time.

"Remember when we used to buy penny candies here?" Ava whispers, her eyes shining. "We'd save up our pocket money and come running, faces pressed against the glass."

"I do" I whisper

.Ava picks up a jar of homemade jam, her fingers tracing the label.

"Remember when we used to climb that apple tree in your backyard?" she asked. "We'd sit up there for hours, dreaming about our futures .While mummy and them sit here and talked over tea" She laughs.

Its Ava's thing of when says something that makes her happy she laughs, okay like a smooth giggle that brightens up the conversation.

I nod, my heart doing a little flip. Ava's laughter had always been my favorite melody. But lately, it felt different—deeper, more resonant. Was it just nostalgia, or was there something more?

Mrs. Thompson chuckled. "Ah, yes! You two were quite the pair. Always giggling and plotting mischief." She reached under the counter and produced a jar of colorful buttons. "These were your favorites, Ethen. You'd spend hours sorting them by size and colour"

"We all though he was Autistic" Ava leans forward and whispers to Mrs Thompson

"I just like things in order" I add on

I take the jar, the smooth buttons cool against my palm. Memories flooded back—the endless summers, the secrets shared, and the promise of forever friendship. But lately, something had shifted.

As we browse, Mrs. Thompson regaled us with stories. "Your mom used to come here too," she says her eyes misty. "She'd buy wildflower seeds and plant them in your garden. Said they'd bring luck."

Ava nudges me. "Remember the time we tried to convince her that dandelions were magical wishes?"

I grin. "And she played along, blowing the seeds into the wind."

Mrs. Thompson saysfrom the counter. "You know, some things never change. Love, friendship, and the magic of this little shop." She winked. "And sometimes, the most precious memories are the ones we create right here."

I glance at Ava as rins her fingers through along the CD cases. The way her hair caught the light, the way her laughter lingered. Maybe Mrs. Thompson was right. Maybe this quaint shop held more than just memories,it held the promise of something new.

As we leave the shop, Ava leans against the car like a boy, because after she grew up with 5 brothers.

I watch as her eyes scan the horizon. "Ethen," she said softly, "do you ever wonder what could've been?"

I hesitate. Leaning right next to her. My gaze is locked on her face. "What do you mean?"

She shrugs, her smile wistful. "Life takes unexpected turns. Maybe I missed something along the way .I mean know I did..."

"And why not me?"

"You seem you get life just the way you want"

"In what way?"

She rubs her nose, tilts her head,her brown bob styled hair scooping to one side.

"I guess I have to think about it"

"I can't hold this,I just have to ask her!

"And what about love,Ava?"

My heart starts to race.

"I mean you've been in love back in high school and as a dude I haven't experienced yet..."

"Yeah I know,you know I've always wanted to ask you that.I just didn't know how"

"Yeah?"

"Mmm,like you've never told me ever about crushing on someone or having a crush. Why?"

"I-I just wanna be" I inhale. I can't tell her why! I mean heck yeah I don't even know why! " focused on now and my future."

Oh crap. I never should've said that....

"I know Eboyyyy! You the brainy brains! The wiz of the wizeiest!

I look at her with a raised eyebrow

"Maybe you just too clever and you know you haven't met the one yet"

I don't reply

"But sometimes, stars collide. They create something new or a disaster .You just never know what's the outcome. But its..." she adds in as we climb in the car.

And that's the end of our conversation, I can tell you that from experiences.