The Moth

Chapter Seven: Rooftop// Dreams Worth Chasing

Chapter Seven: Rooftop// Dreams Worth Chasing

"So tell me," she said one day, rocking back and forth slightly with her knees still bent. "What brings you here?"

I shifted. I'd gotten so used to our regular silences, I didn't want to start talking now. But I sighed under my breath and cast one last longing look across the sky before turning to her.

"My parents..." I struggled.

"Divorced."
"No!" I pursed my lips at my own outburst. She looked taken aback for a second.

"Oh. I'm sorry."
I shook my head. "No." I paused. "They didn't divorce, exactly. They just...aren't living together." I tried to swallow the lump in my throat. "It's not... it's not official yet. Don't say that."

She stayed silent.

"They're trying to work it out," I continued. "My little brother, his name's Nick. He's with my dad right now."

"They'll get back together."

I nodded. "I hope so."
She shook her head. "No. They will."

"Yeah. If they work at it, yeah."

She smiled and shook her head. "Stop that." She pointed at me and I looked around.

"What?"
"That right there. You're worried about everything you can't control. Stop doing that."
"Stop doing what?"
"All that negativity. You keep your head down too much. Stuff happens 'if this other thing happens,' or that thing 'might' work. Learn to trust the universe a bit more." She jumped up and spun around.
I yelped and reached out to grab her. She laughed and slid to the edge of the rooftop, dangling her legs over the side.

"Come back, you'll fall over the edge."
She giggled, holding the edges of the building and throwing her head back to look at me. "It's 2 a.m, in case you haven't noticed."

"And? That doesn't mean you won't fall."
She nodded slowly, then got up to come over to me, reaching out a hand. "Get up."
"No. It's steep."
She squatted, hands crossed over her knees as she smiled at me. "Aye, I told you. It's 2 a.m. The only ones awake now are the dreamers. You can't die in dreams."

"No, but you can die in real life." I defensively crossed my arms and turned away from her.

"And? Some people die early, but aren't buried 'till their old and gray. You don't have to die in real life to be dead inside either."

"But being stupid only speeds up the process."

"But you won't feel it if you're dead." She got back up and started walking back across the roof.

I leaped forward and grabbed her hand. She looked back at me, eyes wide and sparkling.

"Do you have a death wish? Sit down!"

She gave my hand a gentle tug. "Get up."
"No. You sit back down."
She kneeled in front of me, holding my gaze for a couple seconds. "C'mon Noel. Get up."

"...No."

She stood up and gently kept tugging on my fingers. I tightened my grip, feeling my biceps bunch. She was bringing me up whether I liked it or not.

"...Fine."

I got up on my knees first, then slowly stood up. The world tilted and she yelped beside me, clutching my upper arm.

"Aye careful." She gripped my hand, shuffling her feet.

"This is why I wasn't going to stand up in the first place." I tried to ignore the butterflies in my stomach.
She bounced a little, letting go. I got shaky again, and she grabbed my hands, keeping me steady. I watched her, eyes wide.

Her eyes sparkled as she pointed. "Look!"

I traced her gaze over the rooftops and my breath caught in my throat.

The city lay out before me. Closer to our side, over by the city limits, the buildings were dark and the stars were clearly visible against the curtain of midnight blue sky. Then slowly, as you got closer to the central city, the stars blinked out, overshadowed by the glittering golden lights splayed out across the ground. My chest filled with wonder.

"It's beautiful."

"That," she whispered. "That's why I come here."

I glanced back at her as she kept talking. "You can't see it from inside your window because the wall is blocking it, and the ones downstairs are not high enough. It's such a stark contrast, from one side to the other. Look at it. Isn't it...just... "
Her hair had a soft glow from my bedroom window light, and the entire city glowed in her eyes. Wonder dripped from her lips, settling in the corners of her smile and in her messy hair.

It's in that moment that I realized what this girl was made of. Dreams. In her very essence, she was wonder. Like the moment right before, or right after you take flight. And maybe that's why her footsteps were so light. And that was the first time I saw her wings. Delicate and shimmering, flitting in and out of view.

When I went to bed that night, a part of my soul screamed that I should stay away. But some dreams are worth chasing, even on unsteady rooftops on Saturday nights.

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A/N: Yes, I'm an impatient child. I uploaded four chapters today, since this story really needs to speed up.

I promise things will start picking up soon. In order to keep the melancholic vibe I broke up chapters and gave it a slow start. But I hope you're enjoying it so far!

Tip: There's a reason I've written where these chapters are taking place. (Present Day, Rooftop...) It'll help keep you oriented in the story.

I'll see you Thursday. ;)

Cheers!

-Autumn