Interstellar

Chapter 16

[Ashtynn's POV]

My eyes widen as I immediately cover my mouth with my hand. Polaris stops at the front of the town house, his shoulders tense. His grip around my legs tighten, causing me to let out a little squeak.

"P-Polaris, are you okay?"

"Ashtynn..." His voice was only a breath, but it was loud enough for me to hear. He carefully twisted me around that he was holding me in his arms, bridal-style. Polaris leaned his head closer to mine, our noses brushing slightly.

He sighs. "Do you love me?"

My eyes widen even more, heat rising to my cheeks. At this point, I don't really know how I feel about Polaris. Don't get me wrong—I enjoy his company while I do my homework or when I need to go out and get something, I love this random hugs, I love how he can get a little overprotective at times, and his smile could light up an entire room.

And then it hit me—all at once. I've been pushing away these feelings little by little, but I don't know what got into me tonight.

But the heart knows what it wants.

I slowly wrap my arms around Polaris' neck, inching my head back a bit to look into his glistening aqua-green orbs. "More than you think. More than I think sometimes."

A faint blush covers the star boy's cheeks as he turns away to hide it, tiny golden stars forming around him. I cup his cheek into my hand, tilting his head to face me again. But, in his eyes, instead of sparkling curiosity, they glistened with barsorexia—something I had never seen in the bubbly boy before. He leaned in, his lips parting slightly, and I did the same.

In an instant he pressed his lips against mine, feeling his body loosen as he kneel down onto the grass and positioned me onto his lap. We parted a few seconds afterwards for air. I looked straight into his eyes before he was right back on me—not innocently, like before, but passionate and demanding. I wanted to pull away before he completely devoured me but I just couldn't seem to.

But then, something caught my eye—a bright light passing across the sky. I thought it was just a shooting star or something, but it just kept getting brighter and brighter. I pull away and turn towards the sky. Polaris looks up as well, pushing me off him as he stood up. He gazed at the star with a certain glint in his eyes, as if his life depended on it.

"Polaris...?"

He turned back to me. "Ashtynn?"

"What's wrong?"

"That star," —he points to the glowing orb in the sky— "is something my friend Kochab used to do when we were in danger."

I tilt my head. "What do you mean? It looks like any other shooting star—"

"No...this one is different."

Polaris slowly raises the hand, reaching to the sky. The second his arm was fully extended, his fingers began to disintegrate. He quickly turned back to me, eyes wide. I got up and rushed to him. I held his fading hand in mine, twisting it from his palm to the back of his hand and back to his palm again. I look into his eyes as tears fall down my face.

"Polaris, wh-what's happening to you?!"

Using his spare hand, the star boy rubs his thumb against my cheeks, wiping away my tears. "I think— I think I gotta go..."

As if the waterways had just blown up, more tears fell, causing my breath to hitch. "No, no, no, Polaris. You can't just g-go..!"

"I'm sorry, Ashtynn. It must be worse than we thought," Polaris breathes as he places little kisses on my cheeks and neck.

I blush, tentatively pulling him closer. This might be the last time I feel Polaris' touch. I needed this.

"Polaris, p-please don't l-leave me," I sob.

"Ashtynn, please don't do this to me. Your tears are hurting me..."

"How can I not cry when someone I love so much is disappearing forever?!"

Polaris touches his forehead with mine, his piercing aqua-green eyes locking with mine. "I'm not disappearing forever. I'll always be" —he intertwined his fingers with mine— "right here with you."

I was confused, but I didn't care right now. The disintegration reached Polaris' left shoulder and I began to wail even more. Polaris leaned forward, gently pecked my lips—there was nothing in it but love. No burning passion or anything like that. Just love.

In a couple of seconds, the only thing left of the star boy was his intertwined hand. It squeezed before it completely faded away. All I could do was sit there, nose running and face stained with tears and red cheeks. I slouched, tilting my head towards the sky. Whatever Polaris was before formed tiny stars, which were now floating out into the atmosphere.

I clenched my hand into a fist, but I felt something in it. The second I opened my fist, little glowing stars bursted into the air around me, emitting light in the darkness. In my palm laid a tiny jar connected to a chain; a necklace. The jar was filled with some sort of...salt? I shock it a bit, soon realizing that the salty substance in the jar wasn't salt—it was stardust. I had seen Polaris use it when tried to when we were hanging out in the kitchen. I smiled at the sudden thought.

I sigh, rising to my feet and walking to my house. I unlock the front door and enter the dark house. I quickly slip off my Converses and rush to my bedroom, quietly shutting the door. Flopping onto my bed, I let out a shaky breath I didn't know I was keeping in. I turn my gaze to my window, grasping on the tiny jar.

"Maybe you're right, Polaris. Maybe you're not really gone..."