Stars Leave Black Holes Behind [HS]

14

It was summertime.

There were coloured flowers; and sunlight that made long, steaming shadows between the trees; and exposed and hot and sticky skin under loose old t-shirts.

There was Valerie and her best friend Lucy.

And there was washed out dugarees and wide, pearly, teethy smiles; both laughing, draped and dripping on a bench, soaking up the sunlight.

"You're a sponge, V. You know that," Lucy smiled, extending her legs on top of Valerie's.

Valerie just hummed, her head was back and her eyes were closed. She was a sponge. Always had been.

They were at the park for an hour, maybe two, before they decided to leave.

They were only able to walk a few paces before they were stopped. By a boy.

The first thing Val noticed was his eyes. All green and glimmering and glowing underneath the heavy sunlight.

"Hi, I'm Harry."

The girls looked at each other, amused but slightly bewildered.

"Hi Harry," Val spoke up first. Giggling. She was giggling.

There was a softness to her back then, no sharp edges and jutting lines. Just the ruddy curves of her cheeks and the smooth kindness of her smile. She wasn't hollow. Wasn't sinking into her own bones like an ice cube on a radiator. Was just content. Was just happy.

"Hi."

The girls laughed.

Stupid. They were stupid.

"Are you okay?"

His green, glimmering, glowing eyes hadn't looked at Lucy once.

"Yeah, um, what's your name?"

"Um. My names Valerie," she paused to breathe, "and this is Lucy."

"Valerie." Her name sounded like honey rolling off his tongue.

"Yeah, Valerie," she looked at Lucy, but Lucy provided no help. Was just staring between the two with a grin on her face. "Are you lost or something?"

"No," Harry smiled. Harry beamed.

Valerie decided that he was beautiful. Right there- she decided. It was his eyes, maybe his hair, definitely his voice. There was just something about this strange boy. Something more, something beautiful.

And like he was reading her very thoughts, he said, he whispered "You're beautiful."

Valerie tasted honey in her mouth. Could feel buzzing bees born in her stomach, right then; their feather soft wings tickling her from the inside out.

"Do you want to, like, go somewhere?"

Valerie arched her eyebrow. "Um, no, actually, I have to-"

"Not like that. Will you grab coffee with me? Or we can sit?"

Valerie looked at Lucy, who was already turning in the other direction. She looked back to Harry who was still staring at her, his green eyes; his magic eyes glowing like stars under the sun.

"Yeah. Yeah, sure."

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Song: Toothpaste Kisses by The Maccabees

"Cradle me, I'll cradle you, I'll win your heart with a woop-a-woo, pulling shapes just for your eyes."