Love of Stars

[Chapter 10 - Lips Sealed]

I was swarmed by people who thought they could tell me what to do. I'd already told Simon to swear to secrecy, but although he hadn't given away her description yet, he didn't hesitate to tell everyone that I'd finally found the girl.

Rumors flew through the air as people searched for a girl to point fingers at. Most of my friends figured I liked the sophomore I asked to the winter formal, but the others weren't so easily swayed.

Simon grinned as the girls huddled around him and nodded and laughed at the everyday gossip. The time his smirk faded was when Lexi sashayed up to him, Gucci purse in hand, and demanded to know who it was.

"I'm not sure what you mean." Simon said looking over at me from the other side of the classroom. I shook my head and turned around so my back was to them. I leaned back on the teacher's desk behind me, trying to block their conversation out. I was hanging out with my usual group, but everything felt empty. Sia hadn't been at school lately and I tried slipping in a question or two to Luci about her. All I got in response was that "she's sick right now", but nobody gets sick for 2 weeks in a row.

I was lost in thought so when Adam cracked a joke, I immediately laughed along with the group without a second thought. I was in the middle of a loud hoot of laughter when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I had already heard the taps of her silver stilettos on the linoleum flooring as she approached me.

"Asheeeee," she pleaded, batting her eyelashes for the umpteenth time,"I just haaave to meet her! You know how much I love new people."

Oh I knew alright. Lexi was the type of person to love her friends like she loves her split ends. As soon as they do something to tarnish their reputation or lower their social status, she immediately cuts them off. She's cheap wood with a spray-tan varnish.

I was about to answer her when I saw a flash of cobalt blue whisk it's way past the open doorway, I pushed Lexi away to get a better look at the girl setting her small brown bag down and collapsing into an open desk in farthest corner of the class. I side-stepped around Adam, Lexi, and rest of the people crowded around me and slowly made my way to where she was sitting, staring at her phone intently. Her black earbuds were plugged in and her feet were tapping along to the beat. I could hear the clamor of heavy metal and electric guitars emanating softly from her. No doubt she had the volume up at full blast.

"Where have you been." I asked.

She stared at her phone, refusing to look up. I knew I was already getting stares from the other classmates, but I wasn't letting her go this easy.

"Sia. Where the hell were you? Nobody's seen you for the past 2 weeks."

She continued to ignore me so I yanked out her headphones. Probably the most taboo thing to do to a girl, but I needed answers now. I'd been worried sick the entire time. I'd gotten down on my knees and literally begged Luci for Sia's number the other day. I'd spammed her a couple night ago. They all said delivered, but I got no response.

"What," she said, already seething with rage as she stared at her phone, "is your problem!" She slammed her phone down on the desk, leaving everything where it was and sprinted out the room. I ran after her, but I could see a anger in her every step as she ran into the women's bathroom. She pushed the door behind her and when I went to open the door, she screamed bloody murder. I backed up in surprise.

I could hear her muffled voice through the thick wooden door. "Back. Away."

"MAKE ME." I yelled back, startling a poor girl walking past us to her class. As soon as she saw me, her eyes bulged out and her cheeks turned bright red. She raced away, her pigtails flapping behind her. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins, making me braver and perhaps more stupid than normal. We pushed on the door like it was a game, grunting and groaning, her kicking through the crack in the door at me and me pushing the door open with all my might. I laughed when she shrieked when I started sliding through the crack.

Next thing I knew I was on the floor inside the girl's bathroom, with Sia standing above me, arms crossed and chest heaving.

"If you're not out of here at the count of, oh, three, I'm going to make it my life goal to get you expelled from this school along with my life."

I scrambled out the door and let it swing closed.

I could hear a sliding sound coming from the other side of the door and I assumed she was sitting on the other side since it wouldn't budge when i went to push it open even a crack.

I turned around and slid down on the door until I was seated on the ground. I let my head hit the door behind me and after a moment I said, "Sia."

I heard a soft groan of despair from the other side of the door.

"Don't remind me. Damn I wished that girl was dead."

"Why?"

Pin drop silence grew between us for a while. I could almost hear her neurons firing and connecting, making decisions.

"I don't think I can tell you." she said finally, her voice laced with sorrow.

"Again, why?" I asked urgently, confusion eating me up from the inside out. I'd only just met the girl and I wasn't about to lose her.

"I just can't, Asheton. You have a girlfriend anyway don't you? You're in love with Luci, right? What's the point in talking to me? I don't need you hanging over my shoulder every waking minute." her voice got stronger with every syllable she uttered. I shook my head slowly. I knew she couldn't see it, but it was instinctual in my despair. My voice faltered.

"I," I choked. "I just can't tell you, but it's not like that. I swear it's not."

The silence grew between us.

"Then what more can I say? " she said with a soft sigh. "I'm opening the door. Move or you'll fall back again.