LOVE AND IMMORTALITY (RILEY BIERS X F!READER) Book 1

Chapter 11

Riley's POV

When we got back to my dorm, I moved to exit the parked Ashton Martin with (F/N) but stopped when she didn't move. Her hands were white holding the wheel and her entire body was vibrating. I didn't know what to do when I noticed her shaking, but after a few seconds, I asked, "Are you alright, babe? You can get out now." She didn't answer me as she unbuckled her seatbelt, exited the car slowly, and didn't acknowledge me as she walked toward the grass behind my building. What the fuck was wrong? I got out of the car and followed her quickly, asking, "Did I do something wrong?"

(F/N) turned to me, smiled shyly, and answered, "You didn't do anything wrong, dear. I wanted to stargaze since the night is so clear and Orion may be visible; I've never seen that particular constellation."

I stared at her, confused with her bizarre behavior, but I enjoyed being in her company nonetheless. I broke into a smile and asked, "Why didn't you say so?" She stared at me and remained silent. I spoke again, "I didn't know you were into astrology."

She smiled and lay on the ground while answering, "I love stargazing. I used to stargaze with my father before dinner while Mom was cooking. She'd constantly yell at us to get us to go back inside and eat our food before continuing to stargaze." I smiled as I lay next to her, putting my arms underneath my head as a makeshift pillow while the sun lowered and the night sky appeared. (F/N) inhaled and said, "The stars appearing are like little balls of pocket universes entering our consciousness every night. All we have to do is stare to learn their knowledge."

I turned to her as she stared into the clouds and asked, "How do we know what they're showing us?"

She answered, "We have to shut up and listen to what our hearts tell us about our world and the people around us."

At her words, my heart almost popped out of my chest. Why was my heart racing so much? What was happening? Was this love? I didn't know, and I didn't ask as the stars appeared and formed the very familiar Big and Little Dippers, Draco, and so on. I shakily sighed and tried to relax my heartbeat, but it wasn't steadying. I was just glad she didn't hear it. I sat up quickly. Why was I nervous? "So, which one's your favorite?" I asked and played with blades of grass.

She answered quickly, "Gemini." I'd heard of that particular constellation, but I never knew what it meant until she added, "In classical mythology, the Gemini twins were humans living in Greece, I believe, and one of them died before the other one. I don't remember the twins' names, but I remember every night, Hermes walked one twin into the Underworld as the other twin entered the real world. This happened every day for the remainder of the other twin's life until Zeus made them into a constellation for them to eternally cross paths in the sky."

I stared into the night sky and whispered, "I never knew that story."

"Not a lot of people do. Most people wonder what happens to humanity when they die, and the Gemini twins show that there is an afterlife," (F/N) stated almost matter-of-factly.

I nodded, stole a glance at her, and looked back at the darkened sky. "It's getting cold out. Would you like to accompany me to my dorm?" I asked.

She let out a soft sigh and didn't respond. I chewed on the inside of my cheek. She sat up and I copied her. She pushed a strand of (h/c) hair behind her ear and answered without looking at me, "Why not?"

I smiled at her as she stood up and turned to the dorm building, not looking back at me to see if I followed. I knew something was wrong, but I also didn't know how to broach the subject. I jogged up to her, met the timing of her steps, and asked, "Are you sure you're alright?"

She stopped while I kept walking and asked, "Why? Do I look like I'm going to fly off the handle?"

I turned to her, shook my head, and answered, "No, dear." I grabbed her hand, kissed her knuckles, and continued, "I just don't want you to push yourself if you don't feel up to anything."