Star Crossed

VI

🌙Astra🌙

Over the next few days, I got to know Tayen. We were becoming pretty good friends.

His advice about talking to your soulmate when you find them was to be natural, like how regular people talk to each other. I told Astro, and it worked pretty well. Leiah and him got along much better.

"Hey Astra, come look at this!" Tayen called to me one afternoon.

"What's up?" I asked when I came over to him. He was looking down, so I did as well. "Awh! He's so cute!"

"He is. He's going to be adopted and named in about two hours."

"That's awesome. Is that the one that you attend?"

"Yes, my soul mate and I will be attending."

"That's awesome, Tayen! Will you still be working here?"

"Yes, only she will be taking care of our Star." Tayen smiled at the thought.

"Well, I'm really happy for you!" I smiled, I put a hand on his arm.

"Thank you."

Then I heard a voice. "Astra."

I turned around to see it was the guard. "Sir?"

"You are wanted by Sir. Eston."

"Yessir. I will be there soon."

"He wants you now."

"Alright, I'm coming," I responded turning to Tayen.

"Go," he said. "Eston is the government official here. You must be important."

"Okay, thanks." With that, I ran off.

~~
The guard took me to Sir. Eston's office. The guard knocked on the door.

"Come in," an older gentleman said. The guard opened the door. "Hello, Astra. Please come in."

I slowly stepped in.

"Please, sit."

I took a seat and held my hands together.

"So, as you know, today is our yearly Moon adoption for the Stars. It is a very important day, and I want you to be a Handler."

"Sir?"

"You heard me. I want you to be a Handler."

A Handler was someone who gave away the Stars to their families once they were adopted. It was a major honor for any Star Catcher to become a Handler.

"Thank you sir, but may I ask why?"

"I've seen you. Your work ethic and your ability with the Stars is beyond words. Even when you disobeyed and held a Star, I saw compassion in you and saw the tenderness you showed towards the Star. This job is not only for today, but from now on, you will be a Care Taker. Would you like that?"

The Care Taker was a very high position in which you take a Pod and put it into the shells. The shells were where the Stars grew, and got nutrients from.

I sat dumbfounded by this. He was offering me one of the highest working positions? "I would be honored!" A grin spread across my face.

"Excellent, you start after the ceremony."

"Thank you so much sir!" I got up and walked quickly out of the office and into the Star corridor. "Tayen!" I said upon seeing him. He looked at me.

"Hey, Astra! What did he want?" he asked as I came closer.

"He wants me to be a Care Taker!"

"Astra! That's amazing! I'm so happy for you!"

"Thank you! And I'm going to be giving your Star to you today, too!"