Across The Stars

Chapter 15.

I wake to the sun shining through my window, and the smell of pancakes coming from the kitchen. I turn on my side and blink a few times before seeing Mia standing in front of the stove.

"Mia?" I groan, rubbing my head.

"Happy birthday!" She happily says to me before flipping a pancake over the pan, nearly dropping it on the floor.

"What?" I ask, sitting up.

She turns towards me and raises a brow. "Happy... birthday?"

"Is it really my birthday?' I ask, checking the calendar that was hung up above my bed.

Surely enough, it was May 16th.

I had just barely remembered Beau's birthday, and mum and dad's anniversary, sadly only being able to send them texts just before the day was over. Time seemed to be going by so quickly, and my life was changing every second.

Lowery finally gave me the all clear for us to move forward in getting my own single released. I couldn't be more excited, and neither could Austin.

Although things were a bit awkward between us after our little run-in with the paparazzi, I had gone back to his place to spend the night.

Nothing happened unfortunately, given that my feelings for him continued to skyrocket.

But we agreed to take things slow, especially for my sake.

I was doing much better with this whole Toby thing, and I found my thoughts clear of him majority of the time.

I could only hope he was doing better like I was.

Mia brings me over a plate of blueberry pancakes and sits across from me. "So how does it feel being twenty-two?"

"The same." I say with a laugh.

"I wish I was twenty-two." Mia sighs.

"No you don't."

"Yes I do! That's how old my teacher was. We could've been together."

"Okay, now you're starting to sound crazy." I tell her.

"I'm serious Annie. I loved him. It may sound crazy, but I feel like he knew me better than anyone. I felt alive with him."

My brows furrow as her words hit me. "Do you still love him?"

"No." She says with a laugh. "He's out of my life. Besides, I need someone stable. And someone who isn't married."

"I bet you and Beau could have a lot to talk about." I point out before my eyes widen in realization of what I had just said.

"Don't worry." Mia assures me. "I know."

"So... what is..."

"He doesn't know. And to be honest, he shouldn't have to." She tells me. "I just hate seeing him so confused. He seems happy though, and as long as he's happy, I'm happy."

"Mia..." I say after a few moments. 

"Yeah?"

"How were you able to just... stop loving him?"

"I don't know." She admits. "I guess because I had to."

"Do you think maybe it was easy for you to move on because you never really loved him in the first place."

"Maybe." She smirks. "There were things I loved about him. Mostly his dick, but now that I think about it, I guess it all happened so fast. I probably just made myself believe I was in love. Why?"