To The Sun And Beyond

5. FRIENDS

AFTER CLASS, WE ALL HEADED TO
Lunch. As I was walking, Emma quickly caught up to me.

"Hi, I'm Emma! You're Celeste, right?"

"Yes, I am." I responded.

"I met your brother. He's very nice. So, what did you think of the thing in the planetarium?"

"It was..." I started. There were many words to describe what I felt during that time. I didn't know what it was, but I felt it connected us somehow.
"It was cool." I decided.

At the lunch table, Kayla chatted around the table. Kayla talked to Fin mostly, and I thought she might have favored him more.

Kayla had so much energy and she talked so gracefully. She encorporated her hands and threw them up into the air as she talked to Fin.

And Fin was watching her, and smiling.

Mason, Tessa, and Luke came to the table in a group. Luke and Tessa sat across from me on Kayla's side, and Mason sat next to me.

"Hi." Mason said to me.

"Hi, you're Mason, right?" I asked, my mouth full of food.

He laughed.

"Yes. I am. So you're new. How long have you been here?"

"This is my second day." I swallowed my food.

"What did you think about the planetarium today?" He asked.

Why was everyone asking me that? I answered truthfully this time. "Well, I thought it was really... strange. All of it. And, I don't know, it felt like... We were all connected by it. But, what do I know?" My voice trailed off and broke a little, when I realized his eyes were wide open, gazing at me as if I were some idiot.

Way to make a first impression.

"Wow." was all he could get out.

"I know. It's crazy." I shook it off.

"No," he continued. "That's a good thought. You know, if all of that is true, you're the sun, so I guess we're all supposed to circle around you."

I laughed at that. But when a snort escaped,I quickly covered my mouth in embarrassment.

Mason just laughed at that. "That's cute," he said, and I smiled.

All of a sudden, my stomach felt fluttery, and my cheeks turned red.

We just smiled at eachother, for what seemed like forever.

"HEY GUYS!!" Kayla shouted, not realizing that she got the entire cafeteria's attention.

When I finally left Mason's gaze, I realized the whole astronomy class was at my table.

Kayla was standing on a chair, looking at everyone, her eyes wide and exited.

Fin eyed me, and he looked frightened.

When Kayla noticed she got our attention, she sat back down.

"So," Kayla started. "I thought, I should get us all matching scarves, you know, 'cause were friends now."

The whole table silenced.

Friends?

"Sure, Kayla. You can get us matching scarves, since we're friends now." Mason told her, and she smiled.

"Than it's settled," Kayla said, and smiled at her mashed potatoes.

"We're friends now?" I asked, confused. We've only known Each other for one day.

"Do you want to be friends?" Mason asked, and raised an eyebrow.

I saw a smile curl on the edges of his mouth, and that made me smile, too.

"Sure," I told him. "We could be friends."

Mason smiled really big. "Then it's settled."

He elbowed me gently as he got up.

"See ya," He smiled, and I waved.

Kayla was looking directly at me when I turned around.

"Oooh, Celeste has got a bbbbooooyyyyffffrrriieennddd!!" She screamed in my face.

I felt my cheeks get hot."No, I dont," I argued.

"Oooookkkkaaaayyyyyy," Kayla smiled, and got up. "Bye, new friends!" She waved at Fin and I, and we waved back.

As soon as Kayla was out of sight, Fin eyed me gravely.

"Who was that boy you were talking to?" He asked me, demanding.

"It's okay, Fin, really. It's just someone from astronomy." I explained.

Fin raised an eyebrow at me.

"You're not allowed," he ordered. "You can't talk to boys."

I laughed at Fin, but he continued a serious face.

"Sorry. I have to go, love you!" I got up, and Fin waved, but his expression didn't change.

I just rolled my eyes at that boy.