The Brightest Stars

Kristen

How I wish softball season had started today. I can really use a bat right now.

But instead, I walk down the hallways on my way to my locker. I really don't have a reason why. My feet seem to angrily take me to my locker.

Once I arrive, my mind is blank. I sigh and let my body tiredly lean on my locker from my side. Slowly and blankly, my body shifts forward and slides down my locker until I'm sitting on the floor. My knees are against my chest and I wrap my arms around them. I remember doing this in my room after Dad's funeral.

The thought of him immediately makes my heart fall. A sigh escapes my lips and my head falls to my knees. Though I'm afraid of closing my eyes and seeing him in my head, I close them anyways; letting the weight of everything fall on my eyelids.

I wish you were here...

The sound of footsteps makes me lift up my head. My eyes immediately fall on Nate's brown eyes. His hands are shoved in his pockets and he's wearing a leather jacket this time. His tender eyes show worry as he says, "Hey. You okay?"

For the first time, I don't know what to say. My eyes are just stuck in that warm pool of brown in his eyes. Finally, I clear my throat and stand up quickly as I ignore the hand he offers me.

"I'm fine. Thank you...for saving me by the way. Or catching me. You really didn't save me in anything because I could've been in the hospital right now, and missed school for a week or two."

His laugh makes my heart skip a beat for a quick second. "Oh really? And I thought you did that on purpose so you can fall in my arms?"

"Excuse me?" My hands stop fighting with my lock. "I didn't even know you were there in the first place."

I give him a look and he raises his hands in surrender. "I'm kidding."

"Right," I say as I look back at my locker. For some reason, I seem to struggle with opening my lock today. Frustration starts to hit me and I sigh.

Nate watches my every move and chuckles lightly when my head falls on my locker door. "Want me to help?"

"No," I firmly say. "You've done enough already."

Once I say this, I regret it completely when I see his grin fall. I sigh and step away from my locker. "Fine." My voice is only a whisper when I say this, but his grin comes back at my surrender. He quickly gets to work when I tell him my combination and in no less than a minute, we're walking down the halls with my camera in hand.

"Hey. Sorry about earlier. With my brother. He is a little..."

"Overprotective?" In the corner of my eye, I can see him looking at me with a small smile.

I nod in agreement.

Nate shrugs and says, "It's okay. I get it. I have a few siblings that can be like that sometimes. Well, They're not aggressive like your brother but you get what I mean."

I let a laugh escape my lips and I suddenly feel better. "Yeah. I know what you mean. Do you have older or younger siblings?"

"One little sister and two older siblings." He chuckles at my surprised look and says, "Yeah I know."

"Your little sister comes here or?"

"Yeah! She's a junior. Her name is Nayeli."

"Wait! Nayeli...Nayeli. Is she in Colorguard?"

This time Nate gives me a surprised look. "Yes. How did you know?"

"I have video production for it. So I get to see most of their practices and performances."