For Everything

Into The Stars

The doorbell rings, a.k.a the bell on the door to the shop. Which means people are home. I almost dismiss it, snuggling back up with Gale under the covers. His breath against my exposed skin makes me shiver. My hand feels so at home when it's on his chest, feeling him breathing. I feel so at home when I'm with Gale. I love him. I close my eyes again and put my head on his neck, stroking his stomach, tracing up and down with my finger. Then I hear footsteps and talking, which makes me come to my senses, and my eys jolt open. I'm out of the bed in seconds and I run to the back door of the store, closing and locking it. I then look around and get Gale out of bed. Once he's aware of what's going on, he jumps up too. My parents are home and they can't see this, or else I'm dead, literally. Gale puts on his shoes frantically. My parents' voices get nearer, and the footsteps get louder. They stop and fumble with the lock on the back door. "Hunter!" my mother's voice comes from the other side of the door, "What's going on in there? We need to put Rosie to sleep. Why is the door locked?"

"Um, oh, sorry guys," I say, "One second." Gale needs to get out. I look around frantic, then spot the window. I sprint to it, fumbling with the lock on the sliding part.

"Hunter, what are you doing in there bud?" my father calls, "We seriously need to put Rosie to sleep. Can you unlock the door?"

I unlock the window and slide it open, kicking the screen off. I hope that didn't make too much noise. 

"Yeah, just a sec. I just, uh, need to put some clothes on." I motion for Gale to go out the window, he hesitates, looking at me for a second, but then climbs into the frame.

"Honey, why are you naked?" my mother asks.

"Oh, um, I was just, uh, sleeping," I say, "I'm really tired and I fell asleep." Gale pauses. We're on the second story of the house so if he jumps it will make noise, or even hurt him. But my parents can't see him here. They'll freak. There's an awning over the side door to the store so it should break Gale's fall, but it's metal, so it will make noise, and my parents will hear. I don't know what to do, so I just push Gale out the window, hoping he'll land on the awning and make it back home. While I was leaning forward to push Gale though, I stepped forward and stubbed my toe on the corner of my dresser. I let go of Gale and clutch my toe, cursing and shouting as loud as I can. I hear a thud outside and look to see Gale climbing off the awning and sprinting away. It's not raining anymore so he runs as fast as he can away. Hopefully my shouting muffled his jumping out the window.

"Honey what happened? Why are you shouting?" my mother calls.

"Oh, uh, sorry guys. I just stubbed my toe and it really hurt. I'm good now though," I sigh, relieved.

"Oh, I'm sorry Hunter," my father says, "but can you still unlock the door son?"

"Oh yeah. Sorry, I forgot. Yeah I'll unlock it," I limp over to the door, wincing in pain at my toe, and unlock the door. My mother and father stand there. My mother is holding a sleeping, drooling Rosie. They walk inside and smile.

"Thanks son," my father says, looking at the open window, "Why is the window open? It's cold in here."

"Sorry, I was hot so I opened it."

"Where were you the whole time?" my mother asks.

"I, uh, was watching a movie and fell asleep," I say, "And when you guys knocked it really scared me. I'm sorry." It felt wrong lying to my parents but they don't like it when I have friends over late on a school night, and I didn't want either of us to get in trouble.

"Oh, ok," my father says, "Well it looks like you're pretty tired so I won't bother you anymore. Good night bud." My parents walk me back to my room, kiss me and leave the room, turning the light off. I get back in bed, shivering at how cold it is now without Gale. I try to get warm but it doesn't work. I've gotten so used to sharing body heat with Gale that now everything else seems so cold. I eventually get used to it, staring out the open window, into the sky, into the stars. I stare at them for so long, mesmerized at them, amazed. I see Gale in almost every star I look at. His smile. His body. His kindness. I was completely in love with him, everything about him. While I was staring at the stars, I had no idea that once again, the woman with the turquoise hair was there, in my room. This time she was standing in front of the door, hood off, but hidden in the shadows. She was watching me like how I watched the stars that night, intrigued. Only she knew what would happen soon, very soon, and I was living in the moment, not caring what pain and suffering the love of my life would bring upon me. I had no idea, because I was a fool. A stupid, clueless fool who was unwilling to believe otherwise that Gale Aftersmoke was the worst thing that ever happened to me. I pictured myself still laying with him in my bed, completely naked but unafraid. The way we touched tonight, the way he showed his love for me, was irreplacable. I still felt his arm around me, stroking my hair, while I snuggled into the crevice between his stomach and his arm, ready to just fly away and never come back. I didn't know about what would soon come, and I didn't really care at the time, but the woman who lurked in the shadows of my bedroom that night did know, and she did care.