Little Green Stars

Chapter 49-The Promise

After the whirl-wind evening we've had, Jin and I sit anxiously waiting for 12:32 to roll around. My mind is still having a hard time wrapping around the evening's events, so instead, I'm wrapping my arms around Jin.

"Hey," Jin says, breaking our much needed quiet snuggle.

"Yeah?" I wiggle around to look up at him. Maybe I'm finally going to get that kiss.

"Malcolm," he begins, rubbing the side of his face in thought, "he never told us why you see green stars."

"You're right," I say, glanced back to the ceiling. "He didn't."

"Weird, right?"

"Maybe?" I say. I literally can't handle any more surprises or turns in my already ridiculous life narrative.

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

Jin sits up to reach into his pocket. "My parents...they must have seen the Insta Story!"

"What time is it?!" I ask, adrenaline instantly pulsating through me.

"12:28..." Jin says, as his face drops.

Buzz. This time, it's a text.

"You are in so grounded Jin! We are coming to get you!" Jin reads.

"How far away is their hotel?" I gulp.

"It's the motel by the Italian ice cream store..." Jin says, his scared eyes meeting mine.

Shit. That's just minutes from here.

"Jin, what are you going to do?" I ask as my panic sets in. "We should have been using this time to plan not to freaking cuddle!"

"Let's get you in the bedroom. You'll be safe in there from Red Lady," Jin says, standing and ushering me up.

"I'm not worried about me. I'm worried about you! And your parents!"

"Look, I know how to dodge Red Lady, and Malcolm didn't have any objections to our plan..."

"You seriously trust Malcolm?"

"Hell no. He's a slimy snake. But he hasn't been wrong so far..."

Dammit. He has a point. We get to the bedroom, and Jin pulls me to the closet.

"In here," he says, bending down to brush crap aside and grabbing the only semi-whole pillow to place on the ground.

"Lay down," he says, pointing to the inside of the closet.

"Really?"

"I've spent plenty of time hiding in your closet. Now it's your turn."

"That doesn't sound creepy at all," I barely manage a laugh.

Jin's right, this is probably the safest spot for me. I walk inside, turning to face him. The moonlight from outside illuminates the right side of his face. I can't help but stare for a minute.

"So," Jin says, his voice changing register to sound a little deeper as he moves closer to me.

"Yeah?" I say, trying to play it cool.

He reaches for my hands and our fingers interlock as our hands dangle down by our sides, swaying back and forth as Jin leans closer. This is it. I'm probably about to murder his parents, and he's about to kiss me. It seems like the perfect first kiss, right? Wrong.

"Stop," I say, letting go of his hands.

"What's wrong?" Jin says, his ego looking a little bruised.

"This can't be our first kiss. This can't be MY first kiss," I say, and then suddenly feel embarrassed.

"Your first kiss?" Jin says, sounding surprised. He must see the embarrassment on my face because he backtracks. "Not that there's anything wrong with that. I still want to kiss you..."

His phone alarm goes off, and his arms move quickly to turn it off. It must be 12:30. I have two minutes left. Two freaking minutes left.

"It's 12:30, isn't it?" I ask.

"Yes..." Jin says, looking down before continuing, "Why don't you want to kiss me?"

"Because I don't want you to kiss the girl who might murder your parents. " I say, moving to lay down on the floor, my body turned away from Jin.

"Vel..."

I get comfy on the floor, as much as I can, and close my eyes and focus on my heart beating wildly in my chest. Big Girl Panties. Big Girl Panties. Big Girl Panties. I can hear Jin, still standing at the door, so I peek my eyes up.

"Jin, go downstairs!"

"Promise me," Jin says quietly.

"Promise what?"

"That after tonight, you'll kiss me."

My already off-hinged heart somehow beats faster at his words.

"Obviously!" I say, gasping a little, trying not to sound too excited. "Now, go!"

I look back one last time to see the moonlight shining on Jin's face, shows his smug smile, and I can't help but smile back. Then, a bright light bounces across the room—headlights. At the same, Jin turns and runs to the window.

"My parents," he says, fear taking over his voice. "They're here."

I go to respond, but suddenly everything begins to swirl—it's happening. My arms go limp as I feel the tingling sensation move down my spine. I try to move my head, but it's too late, so instead, my eyes twist as hard as they can to the side, just in time to see Jin closing the closet doors. In the dark of the closet, I watch as a white haze blurs around me as tears form. Shutting my eyes, I pray to whatever or whoever out there might be listening. Please don't let me kill anyone! Please don't let me kill anyone. Please don't let me kill anyone!

A jolt takes away my breath, causing my eyes to pop open. There, before my eyes, Red Lady rises from my body. I hear commotion downstairs, Jin's parents must be inside. Red Lady seems to notice what I do because once up, she eerily turns toward the closet doors and her hands ball into little fists of white haze. Then with one quick lunge forward, she rushes through the closet doors, and everything goes dark.

*What do you think will happen? As always, thanks for reading and don't forget to vote.