When the Stars Align

I Get a Tour Around the Hotel

He stepped out into the hall until he was out of sight. The five of us untangled ourselves and stood up.

"I'm guessing you guys heard all of that?" Will asked.

"Just a little," Avery said.

"So all of it?" Will said.

"Basically," Josh replied.

"Will, I'm sorry the Chancellor found out. I guess I shouldn't have told Alex. And Christina. And Stella. And Brian. And Lucy. Oh and then there's Victoria."

"It's cool, man. Nothing happened," he said.

Will turned to me. "Why don't I give you a tour of the place?"

I nod. "That would be great."

I look down at Jase. Josh is bent down beside him telling him riddles. I smile. Jase isn't exactly a normal 8-year old. He likes puzzles and little brainteasers. He likes challenges and figuring things out.

"Jase, do you want to go with me or stay here with Josh?" I ask him.

"I'll stay here," he replies.

I glance at Josh to ask if it's okay. He nods. "I got him."

"Thanks," I say.

I follow Will into the hallway and fall in step with his long strides.

"I wanted to thank you for everything you said in there to Chancellor," I said. "But you really don't know me, and you don't know that I'm on your side. I'm not pure Étoile, Will. I have Obscurité too. I don't know what to think of myself anymore."

"Don't say that, you may not know what to think of yourself, but I do," he said. "Come on, I want to show you something."

I followed him up flights of stairs and through several twists and turns. We climb one last flight and step out onto the rooftop. I sit down next to him looking out over the city. The stars are covered up by clouds overhead. He lifts his hand and gently moves the wind so the clouds uncover the stars. They shine brighter than ever in the night sky.

"In the English dictionary, the definition of nova is a star showing a sudden large increase in brightness. You're right that you're not pure Étoile, but you're not pure Obscurité either," he says. "You have both in your DNA, but you get to pick who you want to be. The Chancellor may not trust you, but I do."

I stared at the stars above me, picking out the constellations. The bright stars surrounded by darkness. But what happened when the stars burnt out? What happened when someone got too close to their fiery presence?

"You don't know anything about me," I said quietly.

"You think you're just one big mystery don't you? You're not, at least not to me. I have you all figured out," he says.

I turn towards him, our faces inches apart. My heart beats out of my chest rapidly.

"Then tell me what I'm supposed to do now," I tell him.

He leans in closer. "You're supposed to follow your heart," he whispers.

I stand up quickly. "I should probably go check on Jase."

Without waiting for him, I race back through the flights of stairs, struggling to find the room where Jase was. My thoughts flood me. Was Will going to kiss me? Did I even like him like that? I suddenly realized I had seen the same door 3 times.

"Are you lost?"

I turned around. It was Brendan.

"Yeah, I was just trying to find my little brother," I said.