To The Stars | JJK

Chapter 3.

GRACE

It's Sunday morning and I'm wide awake at 7. Why, just why? I'm so tired, but I have to keep my promise.

Ali and I work at the planetarium whenever we have free days, although it has become more and more challenging to find the time. We work with the elementary school nearby, showing the children around the planetarium and trying to excite them for astronomy and physics. 

And the school had asked us to help with raising the money for a classroom dedicated to astronomy - a space for the students who want to learn about it, but the school can't finance it. 

Today is the day of the Christmas fair in the town hall, and Ali and I are having a booth there with the students to help them raise money.

I'm eating my breakfast when I hear the bell ring.

I live off campus in an apartment building about 10 minutes from campus on foot and about the same from the town centre. 

The person at my door is Ali, 5 minutes early, as always, and just how I like it.

"Want some?" I ask her, holding a bowl of cereal in my hand.

"Thanks, but I just had a muffin and here's your coffee." Ali answers and sits on the sofa by the window.

My apartment isn't that big, but just right for me. It has a nice kitchen, which I love. It even has an oven, that's why I've become the designated birthday cake baker for every birthday. Well, because I have an oven and because I love baking.

Ali knows that very well and immediately finds the chocolate chip cookies I'd baked yesterday for Maya as a gift for finishing her semester.

"I thought you weren't hungry?" I say, looking at Ali munching on her second cookie.

"Shut up." Ali replies and takes another cookie out of the box for good measure just as I'm done eating and grab my purse, coat, and put on my boots.

Ali has her own car so I take advantage of that any time I can, because my old vespa scooter isn't exactly suitable for winter.

---

We arrive at the venue in no time and find our booth.

I actually really like this concept. It's like a Christmas fair where the elementary students sell the ornaments they made, baked goods, and prepare performances. 

All of them are raising money for a certain cause, we're doing it for astronomy, the booth next to ours is raising money for new gymnastics equipment.

The hall is buzzing already and it hasn't even opened for the public yet.

Looking at our booth I have to say I'm really proud.

Stella, Elena and Luke, the students working on the booth with us, did such great work.

We met yesterday afternoon in their school kitchen and baked tons of cookies. Stella made peanut butter cookies, Elena made chocolate chip with walnuts and Luke made snicker-doodles shaped like Christmas trees.

We have been here for half an hour now and the children have decorated the booth beautifully, with cut-out planets, starts and telescopes.

Whenever Ali and I ask to help they shush us. And every single time we can't hide the proud smile on our lips.

It's twenty minutes to nine, twenty minutes until the fair opens, and the children and us are munching on a packet of the cookies.

"Thanks so much for helping us, miss Ali and miss Grace." Elena says looking at us with big blue eyes and my heart literally melts. They are so adorable.

The clock finally hits 9 and the doors open.

---

I'm so happy that our booth is successful, the children are having so much fun, and Ali and I don't have much to do. They are only 8 years old, but they are so smart.

A nice elderly couple stops at out booth and the children put on their charms and sell 3 packets each while Ali and I just nod our heads impressively. They've got some serious game, I have to give it to them. 

Time flies by and before we know it, it's eleven already and we get a bit hungry. Elena opens a packet of her cookies and we enjoy them when Ali almost chokes on one.

"What is he doing here?" her gaze is directed across the room, and I'm already preparing for an awkward interaction with one of her exes.

"Which one is it this time? The one who cheated on you or the one who dumped you cuz' you're too smart?" I ask, still not seeing the guy she's looking at.

"No, silly. It's him." Ali says and points at someone in the crowd. I follow her hand and see a guy I've seen before, but don't know exactly who he is.

When Ali notices my blank stare, she gasps so loudly I almost fall off my chair.

"You don't know who he is?" she looks at me like I'm living under a rock, but the truth is that I'm just not interested in the college gossip, and don't have the time to take an interest in other people's lives, like she does.

I just raise my shoulders at her, "Don't tell me you have another crush? You just started liking that guy from Chemistry like two weeks ago. Have you given up on him already?"

"You mean Will? No, I haven't, but you can't judge me for staring at the Jeon Jungkook." When she sees I'm still blank, Ali sighs again. "How can you not know who he is?" 

"JK is the star player almost every game." Ali explains further but only gets a raise of my eyebrows in confusion. What game is she talking about?

"You know, baseball." Ali rolls her eyes.

Oh, so he's a part of the baseball team. I don't know much more about them than their skyrocketing popularity and countless flings.

And I only know that much because I might have had a tiny little crush on one of them in my freshman year. Usually the girls crush on Jin, but the one who'd caught my eye was Namjoon. He was in my advanced Maths class and his mind had completely mesmerised me.

I soon realised he was way out my league, a jock and a smart one, besides he got a girlfriend like a month after that and now he is the bane of every other guy's existence, because he is the best example of the ideal boyfriend.

"I can't believe I'm seeing him this close." Ali's still swooning over JK, at least that's what she calls him.

"Why is he so hot?" Ali is almost drooling now. In between her admiring I get a chance to actually look at him.

He's standing at a booth waiting for a coffee. He's tall, dressed all in black. Black cargo pants, a plaid shirt and a jacket. I like his hairstyle and the boots he's wearing.

Unlike the rest of his teammates, I haven't heard that much about him. No sleeping around, no crazy parties, only how he's a great football player.

I have to give it to Ali, he is cute. I hear Ali's gasp and see that now he's walking to our booth.