STAR CROSSED 2.0

RELIEF FOLLOWS SADNESS

"Julia! Julia, wake up!"

Eric was kneeling next to her girlfriend who was still lying unconscious on the ground inside the old inside-looking barn. He hoped his friends were alright but couldn't help but fearing for Julia.

"Julia, please, open your eyes..."

The boy, unaltered by the blood coming out from a scratch he had on his temple, was holding carefully the girl's head with one hand while with the other moved away a lock of hair and caressed her.

The kind and loving way Eric touched her chin made her wake up and realised the reason of her state.

"Eric..."

As she opened her eyes, though, the only thing she could think of was the fact that he was alive. He was fine and...

"Oh, no! You're hurt yourself!"

As she pointed to his wound, the boy composed himself and pushed her away leaning backwards for a moment. For a tinny little second he was back to be himself, cold and distant as he had always been with everyone, even sometimes with his friend Grayson. But then, when he saw the real concern in Julia's eyes he immediately remembered how much he cared for her and realised the feeling was mutual. He leaned back over her again and let her touch him.

"What happened?"

She whispered as she kindly looked at his eyes as if that way she could make the pain disappear. No wonder, she just made it go away.

"I think I just fell down the wrong way; over that box right there."

The relief they both felt for the other's sake was no other than the confirmation of the strength of their mutual feelings. During the twenty seconds that followed that statement it was just the two of them. They kissed and hugged unworried and unaware of the rest of the world.

After that precious moment, when Eric helped Julia getting up, she all of a sudden looked up and with astonishment and worry wondered how her friends would be doing upstairs.

"Eric! We have to check on the guys!"

She turned her back and went rapidly towards the stairs that leaded to the rooftop terrace. Eric started climbing, now more concerned than ever about the sake of everybody, and mainly his friends.

"Julia..."

Emery whispered with relief as her friend opened the trap door on the rooftop. Tears running down her face...

"Oh, no..."

"Julia, are they all okay?"

Eric finally came up and Julia turned quickly to prepare him for what he was about to see, unsuccessfully.

His eyes opened widely, his jaw dropped and he breathed deeply. Although the name of his friend came to mind, his mouth was unable to verbalize his name.

Eric stepped aside Julia and walked towards his friend. All his strength left his body and knelt beside him. All he could say was:

"Grayson..."