When the Stars Align

I Kiss *insert name here*

Jase and Brendan followed me out of the room. Will was waiting for us outside the door. He looked disappointed when he saw Brendan and Jase, but he didn't say anything. We walked down to floor 1 in complete silence other than our footsteps. Will opened the front door for us to all see. Standing in a circle outside looking around were Sophie, Alec, and Jake.

"He's not my boyfriend," I mumbled knowing exactly whom Will had been talking about.

They seemed to be looking right at us, but why couldn't they see me?

"Hey Sophie!" Jase called out.

"They can't see or hear us," Brendan said.

He pointed to the steps that led up to the Hotel. "At the end of those steps is the barrier that separates us from them. We can see them but they can't see us."

I practically leaped off of the steps before he could finish, Jase in my wake. The three of them immediately spotted me. Sophie crushed me in a hug.

"Where have you been?" Jake asked concerned.

"How did you find me?" I asked not sure how to answer to Jake.

Alec held up his phone. "Find my friends."

"Stop avoiding Jake's question, Nova. Where have you been?" she asked.

I glanced at Will who had snuck soundlessly to my side. Brendan remained on the stoop.

"You need to break all of this off. You're one of us now, if they keep suspecting things, it could threaten their safety," he advised.

"What are you looking at?" Jake asked waving a hand in front of my face.

"I'm getting out of town," I said quickly.

"Nova, you know what happened to your mom, don't you?" Sophie asked quietly.

I bit my lip struggling to blink back tears.

"You didn't... have anything to do with it, did you?" Alec asked cautiously.

"Are you serious?" Jase asked taken aback.

I had forgotten he was there.

"I wouldn't ever," I said my voice cracking.

"Where do you plan to go?" Jake asked changing the subject.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I just need to get out."

"You can't just leave," Sophie said.

"It's not an option, Sophie. I'm leaving and Jase is going with me. I'm sorry," I said walking back to the hotel.

Alec ran up to me, grabbing my arm.

"Please, Nova," he pleaded.

"Alec, just stop," I said wrenching my arm away from his grip.

"I-I love you," he said.

I stopped and turned to face him. Will tensed next to me. Alec's eyes were those of a puppy's. I shook my head slowly.

"I'm sorry. I have to go," I said disappearing into the hotel, not even looking at Brendan.

Jase followed me inside, Brendan closing the oak doors. Will leaned into my ear.

"I know that was hard, but you didn't have a choice, ok? It's for the safety of the Étoiles and your own. You did the right thing," he said assuringly.

I nodded. I clicked on my phone and opened Find my Friends. I deleted all three of them, then deleted the app. I slipped the phone back into my pocket.

"What exactly is to stop the Obscurité from coming here?" I asked curiously.

"They can't see the Hotel. No one is really sure why. They can't see the Hotel and we can't see wherever they're camped out. Of course, there's always a weak spot, so once you step onto the premises, you're able to see it, but you can't see where the premises is. It's kind of like a game of Battleship," he replied. "You should get some sleep."

I suddenly felt overwhelmed with drowsiness. I could tell Jase was about to fall over with fatigue. I nodded. Will led us to a small, bare bedroom on the eighth floor.

"Here you go, Jase," he said opening the door for him.

"Goodnight," he replied closing the door.

"Night," I said back.

Will stopped in front of a door next to Jase's.

"This is it," he said simply.

"I didn't mean to offend you earlier, Will," I said.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied looking at the ceiling.

"I think you do," I said.

"Well I don't, okay?" he replied stubbornly.

"Will, please," I said.

"Look, nothing happened. You clearly don't want anything to do with me, so that's the way it is," he said.

"I didn't say I didn't want anything to do with you."

"You definitely made it seem that way," he answered.

"I'm sorry if I did, okay? But it's not true," I said.

"Then what is true?" he asked stepping closer.

"This," I whispered.

And then we were kissing. He put one hand on my hip and the world fell away. He was slow and gentle at first, then more passionate and demanding. My heart pounded inside my chest, beating loudly against his. I began to tremble uncontrollably, a warm fire running through my veins. A soft moan escaped my lips as he pulled me closer. I pushed him away gently.

"Jase might come out here," I said.

"Well then," he replied lacing his fingers through mine.

With his free hand he reached behind him and turned the doorknob to my room. I followed him inside and closed the door as quietly as I could. As soon as it was closed, he was pressed up against me again. His lips tasted minty. I ran my fingers through his dark hair, pausing to stroke his silver streak. He kissed a trail down my neck and to my collarbone. I suppressed a shudder as he brought his lips back up to mine, his head tilted at an angle. I wrapped my hands around the nape of his neck. He wrapped his around my waist, pulling me closer so there wasn't an inch of space between us. My mind was locked on the present; nothing from earlier in the day could bother me. My only desire was to touch him, to feel his closeness.

"I knew there was something between us," he muttered into my neck.

My only reply was bringing my lips back into his. My mouth parted as his tongue delved. He pinned me against the wall. A fiery heat burned inside me. Passion. I wanted him, all of him. And he wanted me. He pulled back slightly, giving me just the butterfly of a kiss, a tease. Then he crushed his lips up against mine hungrily. He finally leaned his forehead against mine, gasping for breath. His brown eyes burned with intensity as they stared into mine. His warm breath ghosted my face.

"You tried to flirt with me at the club, remember? Yet you turned me down on the rooftop," he said breathlessly.

I smirked. "I like to play hard to get."

He brought his lips one last time to mine before quietly retiring to his own room.

"If you need me, I'm on level 5, room 406," he said before closing the door and leaving me to calm my racing heart.

I flicked off the light and climbed into bed. I couldn't help but smile. His name echoed through my ears as I closed my eyes.

Will. William. Will. Will. Will. Will...