Crackerbox Palace

Chapter Eighteen: Shooting Stars and Wishes

I was lying on my bed finishing my impossible homework, algebra if you didn't guess, after dinner. I wondered where George was because he wasn't at dinner, and I hadn't stayed long. I wasn't all that hungry after the incident of this afternoon.

I sighed and popped a piece of candy into my my mouth as I once again got stuck on my homework. Man I really needed help with this. I was groaning and complaining while I ate candy when there was a quiet, nearly sheepish tap on my door. I climbed off my bed ate another piece of chocolate while I pulled the door opened.

"Oh for the love of Pete, Taylor I need help!" George said thrusting his French text book at me. I laughed at him and took the book from him. I was suddenly hugging him again. He lost his balance a little and stumbled back a bit, but he didn't fall thankfully.

"I missed you George," I said, my voice muffled in his nice clean smelling t shirt. He chuckled and finally hugged me back.

"I missed you too," he said as I pulled back, "So, homework?" I giggled and nodded as he walked into the room and climbed up on my bed. He grabbed my Algebra and laughed rather loudly.

"What?" I asked as he climbed back down to me with my homework. He then showed me what I've been doing wrong the whole time. It's not that I don't understand the process, it's that I keep forgetting to carry my one or whatever number there happens to be to carry. And that's why he laughed. I laughed too as I fixed it, and then I was finished with my homework.

Now it was George's turn. we did what we usually did and had a small easy conversation and then I helped him fill out the work sheet that was given for homework.

Once we were done I felt my stomach growl. I sighed, knowing I'd be hungry the rest of the night because I missed dinner. I don't know how I was hungry, George and I have been eating candy all night.

"Hey, you hungry?" I asked hoping I wasn't the only one, but being that I was talking to George, he was clearly going to say yes. Just my guess he nodded.

"I missed dinner," he said, "And it's all because Mike was talking to me about 'jumping off building'. I didn't jump. I fell." He rolled his eyes and I laughed. I'd never seen George act this way before.

"Well try not to fall off any building anymore OK?" I asked seriously, "I swear I nearly passed out when you fell."

"Well I'm glad you didn't," he said his eyes getting wide, "I'd be a pancake on the concrete right now." I smirked and closed my books and sighed. George did the same and both our stomachs growled at the same time.

"Hey come here, I wanna show you something..." George said getting up. He grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the room before I could say a word. I didn't mind it of course.

He pulled me outside, where it was dark and chilly, very chilly, it was the middle of November. I instantly started to shiver and George looked at what I was wearing. He rolled his eyes playfully before he gave me his jacket. I loved his jacket. It was leather and black and a bit big on me, despite how small George was. I wrapped the jacket around me and found my nose buried in the collar of it after I zipped it all the way up. I liked the way George smelled. I was about ot stuff my hands in the pockets when George took my hand again and started swing it between us. I grinned to myself as we walked to the dining room. I cocked an eyebrow at him and he smiled.

"You said you were hungry," he reasoned. I laughed.

"That doesn't mean there'll be food in here," I said knowing it was past curfew and we were going to get caught. He only shook his head and walked into the building, pulling me behind him.

He pulled on my hand until he sat me down at a table. He surprised me but kissing me on the cheek. I blushed furiously and he snickered as he disappeared into darkness.

"George," I whispered, "Where'd you go?" I asked looking around nervously. He came back with two plates in his hands. He placed on in front of me as he sat down. I laughed and shook my head.

"I knew you missed dinner too," he said, "So I asked Mike to get us something and leave it out for us." I bit my lip and looked at our meal. It was pizza that had gone cold and sodas. I smiled at George as he started to dig in. I did the same and neither of us talked for a while. We just ate.

When we'd finished eating, we left the dining hall and then George tugged me to the garden. I frowned at him as he sat down by a tree.

"There's something else," he said patting the seat next to him. I sat down next to him and sighed. It was uncomfortably cold out. I shivered and he put his arm around me and held me close to him. I put my head on his shoulder and I couldn't help but think about the last time we were here.

"George, when I said that girls would only use you when they flirted with you, I didn't mean it." I said remembering my harsh words. He shrugged and leaned his head against mine.

"I know," he said, "You aren't using me when you flirt with me." My eyes got wide and I felt my face get hot as I took a glance at him. He had the biggest smirk on his face.

"That's right, I noticed," he said, making me laugh. once I stopped he had a serious expression, "I'm sorry I told you I didn't need you anymore."

I sat up and turned him to look at me. He looked seriously guilty, "George, you don't need me. you never did. I helped you,. sure, but I was never what was making the voices go away."

"Well then what makes then go away?" He asked. I had several ideas on this, but I wasn't sure about them so I shrugged, "I also told you I hadn't heard them in a while, and I have. I heard them like crazy after we fought." I bit my lip and pecked his lips quickly.

"Well then we'll have to make them go away again." I said as his cheeks turned pink and he grinned. He nodded and he wrapped both his arms around my shoulders. I hugged him and sighed.

Over his shoulder I saw a shooting star and gasped. George pulled back and looked as another went across the sky. He smiled.

"That's what I brought you out here for." He said sitting back next to me. I put my head back on his shoulder and watched all the shooting stars streak by, "We should make a wish." George whispered. I nodded and took a deep breath.

"Ok," I said, "Tell me when?" George wrapped his hand around mine and waited for a star to go by. He picked the brightest one. I saw it with my eyes closed.

"Now," he said squeezing my hand a little. And I wished for George. I wished for his voices to leave him alone and I wished for him to get better.

When I opened my eyes again George had his eyes closed while he made his wish. When he opened them again he brought my hand up and he kissed my fingers. I wondered what brought that on, but didn't care.

We sat and watched the rest of the shooting stars before we got tired and went back to our rooms. George walked me to my room and I opened the door slowly. it was dark and Midnight was curled up in bed. I didn't want to wake her up getting bed, so I looked at George. He smiled and nodded my unasked question before I grabbed my bookbag and a change of clothes. I followed George back out and downstairs to his room.

Ringo was asleep in his bed and George silently handed me a t shirt of his and a pair of pajama pants before he started to change clothes. I'd learned to time my changing with his when we were in the same room. when he was pulling his shirt off was when I changed shirts. When we were both dressed I climbed into his bed and he followed me.

I put my head next to his on his pillow and sighed. We were facing each other. He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer. I smiled and sighed, happy to have him back to cuddle with. I buried my nose in his shirt and inhaled his scent.

He must have been exhausted because when I pulled back to look at him he was snoring lightly. I pecked his mouth and muzzle into him with a yawn. I went to sleep excited about what would happen tomorrow since things were back to normal.