― 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅.
❝ you never knew the stars had
a flavor until you first kissed him.
it turns out they taste like ambition
and ancient fire, desperation, and
dark matter, and the mind-numbing
fear of bei...
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STARCROSSED (book one). °• CHAPTER TWO •°
" THINK OF THE STARS, OKAY? "
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THE MOONLIGHT OVER THE STREET'S HEADLIGHTS IS WHAT GUIDES ELIJAH HOME THAT NIGHT. He didn't know how much time he spent at the Byers's house but it had to have been hours. He's still struggling to comprehend how in just one day, one bike ride home from a friend's house, Will Byers went missing. When has anything this terrible happened in Hawkins? It was such a small town. Crimes like that didn't really happen. Other than the few idiots who were much too cowardly to try and track Elijah down for his bold choices with the intention of assaulting him, because he didn't hold back. If they knock him down, they better pray that's where he stayed. Meanwhile, he was praying despite the belief there isn't a higher power watching over them, that Will would find his way home safely. He had to. He was just a kid. And they couldn't find him, no matter how hard they looked.
The idea makes him sit in his car in silence, without music for once. God, he hoped there was some moonlight wherever Will was that he could follow home.
Elijah isn't so surprised that his father's car isn't parked in the driveway when he pulls in. He must be working late again. Sometimes, he wondered if Tobia ever slept. Or, at least caught more than a three hour nap. A part of him wishes his father would be there, passed out on the couch and snoring loudly with his work boots still on, but he isn't there. Elijah shut his eyes for a second in disappointment. He then wondered if Tobia even heard the news. But he is surprised that the door to Nevaeh's room is left wide open. She hated when he let himself in but because he's the older brother, and he doesn't give a single fuck, Elijah does so anyway.
There's a single lump on her bed. Elijah's breath catches in his throat at the sight. He's seen her room empty one too many times with only the window open and a light draft that hints to where she had disappeared to. The windows shut, but he's still timid when he fists her blanket. There could be a line of stuffed pillows in the place of her body because there wasn't a bone in Nevaeh's body that gave a damn if her family panicked. But Elijah's even more afraid considering his best friend's own younger sibling was missing. He couldn't handle another.
The blanket flies back and Elijah releases the air he held. Nevaeh was fast asleep, deeply it seemed, curled into a ball with her mop of curls on her soft pillow. Her limbs are twitching, making weird mumbles that he can't quite catch, but he's just glad she's there. A faint smile appears on Elijah's face before he slowly, and very carefully, leaned over her sleeping form to press a gentle kiss on her temple. Nevaeh stirred under the touch but luck must be on his side as she doesn't wake.
