When the Stars Align (Anthony Rizzo)

34| Dark Matter

Kelsey

On the way back from Parkland we were going to stop at some of the more popular spots of Florida since we were down here. And one thing on our list was to go to the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral. We were pretty excited for this trip in general, we needed a vacation and this is proving to be some of the best times of my life. But this specific place was at the top of my to go list, I've always wanted to go here. I've done projects about this place and even won my 8th grade science fair based off the space center. I was excited that after all this time, after all this learning and studying I was finally here.

"I can't believe I'm actually here" I gasp as we walk inside. Immediately my eyes dart around trying to take in where I was. I didn't even know where to start.

"We're defiantly not at the planetarium anymore" Anthony admits.

"Look at all of this. There's so much to do, so much to see" I insist.

"Where is your heart leading you" he wonders.

"There" I smile as I point at the interactive tours.

"Of course" he smiles as I pull him behind me. I felt like a little kid at the planetarium for the first time again. I was so excited and I just couldn't contain myself.

We join in a tour and learn about the space ships they use and what all goes into being able to be in outer space. They let us try on space suits and teach us how to use them. My childhood dreams were somewhat being fulfilled as I got to try out some astronaut things. We even get to sit in a real space ship and do a stimulator so it felt like we were flying. And boy did I?

Eventually they take us outside to where they launch the ships. They were going to launch one today and I couldn't control my excitement. So once the sun sets we sit out in the bleachers. They get ready for take off and the tour guide answers some questions.

"Where is this ship going" one asks.

"It's going to space to collect some data. So far we've found many galaxies out there like ours and so many stars in them. But we still have a way to go in the discovery front" he explains.

"What percent of space has been discovered? You know, they always say that 80% of the oceans haven't been discovered. What about space" someone questions. I see the guide start to fidget as he starts to think. He looks down as he tries to think of what to say, but that's a tricky question.

"I'm not really sure" the worker admits.

"There is no real answer" I speak up and everyone stops. They turn to me as they wait for me to defend my answer.

"What do you mean" the guide asks.

"I mean that all the stars, all the planets and galaxies and other stuff we have discovered makes up 4% of the known universe. The key works there is known, there's so much more we don't know so there's no real answer to what percent of the universe we've discovered. The other 96% that we haven't discovered is just unknown dark energy which can be invisible, you can't discover it. Dark energy makes the universe expand and there's more and more things each day we find out that we don't know. So we've discovered a small fraction and explored even less of what we do know. This dark matter can't be detected, it can't be studied and therefore can't be discovered. So we don't know how much of space is discovered, we never will. There will always be more than what we know and until someone solves this mystery of the magnetic field that is dark matter, all we can do is wonder" I explain.

"You seem to know a lot about space" the man notices.

"I know a few things" I smirk.

"She actually knows a lot. She works at a planetarium in Chicago" Anthony interrupts. He never missed a chance to brag about me, that's what I learned this trip when he had me telling total strangers about space.

"Alder" the guide questions me and I nod. "That's a wonderful planetarium. If you had a ship going into space where are you sending it" he wonders and I smile.

"I wouldn't even know where to start. There's a whole universe of possibilities. I would like to see another solar system like ours, maybe see what it looks like from the surface of Saturn, to look up and see all the rings. There isn't a thing I don't want to know about space" I admit.

"We would love to have a mind like yours around here" he claims and I smile.

"That's very sweet, but I belong in Chicago. My family is my gravitational pull that keeps me close enough to the sun to be able to go on day to day. Without them there's no sky" I say.

"Well we wouldn't want to live in a world like that, now would we" he asks as I shake my head.

"No sir" I insist.

Eventually it comes time and we get to do the countdown. The rocket gets sent into space and we all watch in amazement. I watch all the way until the spaceship was out of sights and into space. I wish it well on its journey before we call it a night and head back to our hotel.

As soon as we get there I crash onto our bed and let out a long sigh. Anthony falls onto the bed next to me making my hair fly again.

"That was a lot of fun, but we just spent 10 hours at that museum walking around. My legs huuuurt" he insists.

"Aren't you a professional athlete" I ask.

"Yes, and baseball games take the longest out of the other sports but even then I spend half the time sitting in the dugout" he insists.

"It's not that bad. I spend all day on my feet and I never complain" I tease.

"Because you're stronger than me" he claims.

"Again, who here is the professional athlete" I ask and he laughs.

"It's me, but you have will power. You have passion that makes it so life is never hard on your knees. It doesn't wear you down like it does to most people. What you did tonight, how you spoke up because you saw that guy struggling and people were questioning him, it takes such a strong person to do that. You're strength isn't just standing for a long time, it's standing for what you love and speaking out even though it isn't always easy. I always valued you for that" he says as he moves my hair out from my face. He cups my chin and I smile at him.

"You make me seem so much better than I am" I insist.

"Take that back right now" he demands being so serious. "I hate that you don't see how incredible you are" he insists.

"I'm not meant to see my own worth, you are" I assure him.

"I still don't like it" he shakes his head.

"Will a kiss help" I ask and he tries to fight of a smile.

"Maybe" he teases.

I pull him into a long kiss and he finally gives me a real smile.

"Okay, that does help" he admits.