A Dance Of A Dying Star (Fan-Fic) ✓

a dance of a dying star

The October night pressed against the window like a heavy weight, the dark sky glowing faintly from the warm hues of streetlights below. From her bedroom, Imani could hear the muffled sounds of laughter and music floating up from the Halloween festival just a few blocks away. The town of Holden came alive for Halloween every year, the square bustling with masked dancers, children in costumes, and the sweet smell of caramel apples hanging in the air. But all of that felt distant, like it belonged to another world. A world that kept spinning while hers had stopped.

She rested her forehead against the cold windowpane, watching the leaves swirl in the dim streetlights, the vibrant colors of autumn just a cruel reminder that life continued outside of her grief. Everything in Holden seemed so... alive. Her chest tightened at the thought. It had been months since Garett had passed, but the ache hadn't dulled. Time had only made it feel more hollow. Like a part of her had been buried with him, leaving her trapped in a ghost of the life they once shared.

Her fingers absentmindedly traced the window's cool surface, drawing invisible patterns as her mind wandered back to him. To his smile, the way he laughed, the warmth of his arms wrapped around her. She closed her eyes, just for a moment, wishing desperately to feel him again, even if it was only in memory. It was easier to sink into that familiar sadness, to let it wrap her up like a blanket, keeping the rest of the world at a safe distance.

The sounds of celebration outside felt too loud now, like they were mocking her. A tear slid down her cheek before she could wipe it away.

A sharp knock on her door snapped her out of her reverie. She flinched, pulling herself away from the window and quickly swiping at her eyes, not quite ready to face anyone. The door creaked open before she could respond.

"Imani?" Ellie's voice broke the silence, soft yet insistent. "I know you're in here brooding. You've been doing that for weeks. It's time to come out."

Imani didn't turn around. "I'm not in the mood, Ellie."

"I know you're not. That's exactly why I'm here." Ellie stepped inside, her heels clicking softly on the hardwood floor as she approached. Imani felt her friend's presence behind her, but still didn't move. She couldn't bear to look away from the window, couldn't bear to look at Ellie's hopeful face when everything felt so hopeless.

"I'm not ready for this. I can't— I can't pretend everything's fine and go to some party." Imani's voice wavered, raw and strained. 

Ellie sighed softly and rested her hands on Imani's shoulders. "It's not about pretending. It's about remembering how to live, Imani. Garett wouldn't want you to hide in here forever. You don't have to be okay. You just have to be there."

Imani squeezed her eyes shut again, the weight of the words sinking into her. She knew Ellie meant well, but how could anyone understand? No one else had lost him. The world kept spinning for everyone else. For her, it had stopped the moment Garett left.

The festival music seemed to grow louder as Ellie continued to stand behind her, waiting for her to say something, anything. Imani's fingers tightened into fists as she fought the urge to cry again.

She spoke at last, her voice barely above a whisper. "What if I can't do it? What if it's too soon?"

Ellie stepped around, coming into her view now. Her expression softened with concern but lit by determination. "Then we leave whenever you want. But just come with me. This party doesn't happen all year around, just one night. Let's try to take it one step at a time."

Imani exhaled shakily, her heart pulling in two directions. Stay and drown in the quiet of her room, or step outside into the noise, into a world she no longer felt a part of. She turned her gaze back to the window, watching as more people passed by, laughing and dancing. The world that kept going. A part of her hated them for it, but another part—the one that Garett had loved—knew Ellie was right. She couldn't hide in the dark forever.