Aubrey, the Star

25: astronomer

Aubrey

★

astronomer - "a scientist who studies the universe and the celestial bodies residing in it."

The wind blew through the trees in a powerful passion, scattering fallen leaves and a few student's course papers. A boy had just tripped over a rock and was attempting to run after papers that escaped its folder. The rock won because those papers were done for. Each passing day it was getting colder outside. Winter would be here in a couple months. I was praying for multiple snow days.

The chill in the air roused me to a wakefulness as the breeze kissed my skin. I always loved the wind because it was so bold. All the trees around me hummed as they danced with the air. The leaves looked to be on a hypnotic amusement park ride. Leave it to me to be crazy enough to believe leaves were living a better life than I was right now.

My hand slapped down against the edge of my science homework. The last thing I needed was for my papers to be gone with the wind. Notes could be recopied, but my brain trying to do this homework all over again? Negative.

That wasn't an option.

"There you are." Harden's rough voice came up from behind me, making me jump suddenly. The air turned colder now. It was the warmth of my blood that became my defense against his ice. I felt the chill wash over my skin again and again. Winter came early whenever he was around.

He wrapped a heavy hand around my backside, sliding me close to him when he sat down at the picnic table.

"I've been looking all over for you," he said. "You didn't tell me you'd be outside by yourself today for lunch." Our eyes locked briefly. There was no connection. Only fear - which I hated to admit. He knew that I wouldn't have told him where I was. Harden liked how terrified I was of him. It was disgusting how he got off on it.

I turned away from him to refocus on my homework.

"There's no distractions outside," I shrugged, filling in a blank on this study guide. Next week I had a quiz on cells. I had to memorize a bunch of different shit. It felt impossible given the time constraint.

His hand slid down from my back and circled around my waist. The chills from his touch were beginning to creep up into my head. I wanted to pull away so bad. It was hard to give in to a sensation with someone I'd never be comfortable with. Like a rabid dog, I wanted to bite his hand down to the bone. That's how crazy he made me. Harden was going to make me lose my mind.

My bottom lip pulled into my mouth as I tried to zone in on completing all of this homework. Midterms were only weeks away and my grades still weren't that great. Everything was looking like a C average, but I knew I could do better. If I wanted to consider college I had no choice but to do better.

"Why do you bother with all of this work when you know you're going to fail," he asked me. I felt my chest cave in. Harden's words were sharp.

"Thanks for having faith in me," I said, dryly. My eyes remained on the papers. His three metal rings were glistening under the sunlight. The rings that he never bothered to take off. They were plain with no designs. Only one was engraved with the letter R.

What was that supposed to stand for?

As curious as I was, I knew that I wasn't going to ask about it.

He sighed, running a hand through his short brown hair. I realized he had gotten a haircut. If the situation was different I would've complimented him.