An Astronomer's Guide to Falling Angels

Chapter 6

The soft glow of the early morning filtered through the curtains of Astor's room, casting long shadows across the floor. The silence was peaceful, almost comforting, until a sharp knock at the door shattered the quiet.

Astor jerked awake, blinking blearily, still trying to piece together what was happening. His heart skipped a beat when he remembered—Arty was still in the room. She had fallen asleep on his bed after they'd spent half the night talking, sharing quiet moments and laughing over ridiculous stories. Now, the realisation hit him like a bucket of cold water.

"Astor, darling?" His mother's voice was muffled from the other side of the door. "Are you up? Breakfast is ready."

Arty bolted upright beside him, her eyes wide with panic as the events of the previous night came rushing back. "Shit," she whispered under her breath, scrambling to get out of bed.

Astor's heart raced as he scrambled to his feet, glancing nervously between the door and Arty. "You need to go!" he hissed, trying to sound calm, but failing miserably.

Arty was already moving, her athletic reflexes kicking in as she hopped off the bed. She grabbed her jacket and shoes in one swift motion, her mind clearly racing to figure out how to make a quick escape.

"Astor?" His mother's voice came again, closer this time, as if she were right outside the door.

"I'll be down in a minute!" Astor called, his voice cracking slightly under the pressure. He quickly grabbed the curtain, pulling it aside to reveal the window that Arty had climbed through the night before.

Without hesitation, Arty slipped her shoes on, moving towards the window. She shot a glance at Astor, her usual smirk half-hidden beneath the urgency of the moment.

"Thanks for not letting me fall asleep on the floor, angel," she muttered, teasing despite the situation. "Would've been real romantic."

Astor shook his head, biting back a nervous laugh. "Just go before they find you in here."

Arty reached for the window latch, but paused for a moment, turning back to face him. Her expression softened just for a second, her eyes locking with his in that way that made Astor's heart flutter. Then, as if remembering herself, she winked. "Catch you tomorrow night, Juliet."

Astor felt a flush rise to his cheeks at the nickname, but before he could respond, Arty was already halfway out the window, swinging herself gracefully onto the ledge. With one last grin thrown over her shoulder, she disappeared from sight, leaving only the faint sound of her boots hitting the ground below.

He let out a long, shaky breath, staring at the now-empty window, his heart still pounding from the close call. He hadn't even realised he was smiling until he heard the sound of his door creaking open.

"Astor?" His mother stepped in, casting a curious glance around the room. "Why are you standing by the window?"

Astor swallowed hard, trying to compose himself as quickly as possible. "I was just... um... getting some air. It's stuffy in here."

His mother gave him a suspicious look, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Breakfast is ready downstairs. Don't make us wait too long."

With that, she turned and left, leaving the door slightly ajar behind her.

Astor exhaled, running a hand through his hair. The room felt eerily quiet now, the absence of Arty's presence somehow noticeable in the air. He moved back towards the bed, glancing out of the window one last time, half-expecting to see her still lingering around the corner. But there was no sign of her, just the quiet streets and the early morning light stretching across the yard.