Title: "Starlight and Sunrise"
Proxima and Isaiah were opposites in almost every way—Proxima, quiet and thoughtful, and Isaiah, full of energy, always the life of the party. Yet, like two celestial bodies moving in perfect orbit, their paths crossed one summer in a small coastal town.
Chapter 1: The First Encounter
Proxima had always preferred solitude. With his sketchbook in hand, he would spend hours on the beach, drawing constellations in the sand or capturing the way the waves kissed the shore. He liked the quiet moments, the spaces in between words.
One evening, as the sun set, Proxima sat alone on the boardwalk, the pink-orange sky reflecting in his deep brown eyes. Isaiah showed up, his skateboard screeching to a halt nearby. "Nice drawing," Isaiah said with a grin, peering over Proxima's shoulder at his sketches.
Proxima blinked, surprised someone had noticed him. "Thanks," he mumbled, tucking a curl behind his ear.
Isaiah flopped down beside him without an invitation. "I'm Isaiah, by the way. You always draw the stars?"
Proxima shrugged. "They make sense. They're predictable."
Isaiah laughed. "Well, get ready. I'm not."
Chapter 2: The Orbit
As the days passed, Isaiah kept showing up. Sometimes with two iced coffees, sometimes with music blasting from his phone. He was like a burst of sunlight in Proxima's quiet world.
At first, Proxima found Isaiah exhausting. But there was a warmth to him that Proxima couldn't ignore. Isaiah asked questions—real questions—about Proxima's art, his dreams, and the reason behind his fascination with the stars.
"I like how they burn, even if no one notices," Proxima admitted one night as they lay on the sand, looking up at the constellations.
Isaiah turned to him, his green eyes soft. "Sounds familiar," he whispered.
Something shifted between them that night—something unspoken, but undeniable.
Chapter 3: Colliding Worlds
Their friendship grew into something deeper, though neither dared to say it out loud. Isaiah would take Proxima on impromptu adventures—night swims, late-night diner runs, or watching the sunrise from the cliffs. And Proxima would teach Isaiah how to slow down, how to find beauty in the quiet moments.
But summer couldn't last forever. Isaiah was moving to a different city for college in the fall, and Proxima knew it. The thought of separation hovered over them like a cloud, unspoken but ever-present.
One night, under a sky full of stars, Isaiah broke the silence. "Come with me," he whispered, his voice unsteady.
Proxima's heart ached. "I can't leave everything behind."
Isaiah's gaze softened. "I don't want you to leave. I just want you to be where I am."
Chapter 4: A Love Written in the Stars
The night before Isaiah was set to leave, they sat together on the boardwalk, neither saying much. Proxima rested his head on Isaiah's shoulder, his sketchbook open on his lap. Inside was a drawing of two stars orbiting each other, always close, never colliding.
Isaiah smiled at the sketch. "Looks like us."
"Yeah," Proxima whispered. "It does."
Isaiah turned to Proxima, brushing a stray curl from his face. "I love you, Proxima. I don't need you to follow me. Just... promise me we'll find a way to stay connected."
Proxima felt tears sting his eyes, but he smiled through them. "I love you too. We'll always find our way back to each other."
Epilogue: A Love That Endures
Isaiah left the next day, but their love didn't fade with the passing seasons. They stayed connected through late-night calls, letters filled with starlight sketches, and spontaneous weekend visits. Their love, like the stars Proxima admired, burned steady and bright, even across the miles.
Years later, on a cool autumn evening, Isaiah surprised Proxima on that same boardwalk. With a grin, he held up an old sketchbook and said, "How about we draw a new constellation? One for us."
Proxima smiled, his heart full. Together, they mapped out their future, knowing that no matter how far apart they might drift, they were always orbiting each other—two stars, shining brightest when they were together.
