Song of the stars [Slow updates]

Chapter 20: Back to square one

A/N: Not yet edited

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Chapter 20: Back to square one

In order to start over, you need to backpedal over the same mistakes.

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December - in my world, this is that month of the year when the city loses its usual buzz because half the people travel away. Most students, all my friends included, who weren't locals, went home for the holidays when winter break began. Normally, around this time of the year, snow doesn't fall yet. However, when my eyes traveled from the zipper of my jacket to the white light from the window, they met big fluffy snowflakes falling down in a slow spiraling motion. The white light that grabbed my attention was the rapidly growing cover of snow.

Monica called the other day to let me know that all highschool graduates are going to meet up with the purpose of catching up and visiting the teachers. I haven't seen most of them during the past months, so my eagerness was well founded. Fully clothed and smiling widely, I stepped outside and took a moment to calibrate myself in the coldness of the evening. Then, with slow steps, I headed towards the meeting spot: the front gate of our bellowed highshool.

To my delight, many of my ex-colleagues showed up. We were a group of around 17 people, in which Sophie and Mary were missing. Everyone looked older and yet the same. Ryan's laughter was as infectious as always, Sonia and Paul were still bantering, Brad and Adele seem to get along as friends after their breakup, Diane was still attention-grabbing and Aiden still watched her with admiration. Our teachers were excited to see us and hear our stories from college. They offered us cookies and we sang a Christmas song in return before leaving and continuing our small party elsewhere.

White steam came out of our mouths and noses with every word spoken and every breath. Our feet were making a squeaking sound on the fresh snow layer. While walking and singing loudly in chorus on the now empty dark streets, I completely forgot about the negative temperature. In fact, my hands were burning hot and a sense of immense momentary happiness enveloped me. It was one of those instants that remain forever plastered into memory, and cherished with every recount.

When the magic of the holidays was over, the examination session knocked on my door. My birthday got somehow showed between the exams from that winter. I was used to a silent birthday, without a party and all, but, what really pained me was the fact that Kevin didn't bother sending me a simple text like 'Happy Birthday girl'.

He pretended to be my friend and yet he forgot such a simple thing. On top of that, there was no excuse for this because his sister's birthday is in the same day of the same month of the same year. Did he forget to tell happy birthday to his own sister too?

I decided to act on this event like I usually do when I get upset: I craw under a rock, cry my eyes out, and then do stupid things ignoring the person who caused me pain. The stupid think I did this time was a little too much, though.

After the exams, a delayed homecoming party for Telecommunication and Computer Sciences took place. I went there with Cynthia and danced until I could no longer feel my feet. Then, I made my way through the mass of sweating bodies, taking a stool at the bar and asking for a refill on my drink. I was half way in the process of drowning the content of my glass when someone I didn't notice getting closer asked: "Would you like to dance?"

Before answering, I looked him up and down: short guy with spiky black hair, a bundle of muscles that made him look bulky, and a large tattoo on his upper arm. So not my type. But then I remembered Kevin didn't tell me 'happy birthday' and all the rage came rushing into my head. Why not have some fun to forget all the crap I've took from him?