A Star Among Others (Book 1)

Chapter 20

Mackenna 

Alessandro leaves the room. I have no more patience for this. I leave too but I run. No ones with me and I don't know what I'd do if someone tried to stop me. I push open the doors to the piano room. This is the quietest place I know. I notice the posters hanging on the walls. In this room, tomorrow would be the ball. Or party or whatever. Me and Briel had already chosen our dresses and gotten all hyped up about it.

I slump against the back wall. No matter how hard I try or how many practices we go through I can't get it. I don't know what I'm good at or even if I'm good at anything.

And just as I though James walks into the room, Briel right behind him. My heart melts. He's so perfect in every way and here I am with nothing good. Briel sits at the piano on the other end of the room.

"What's up." He says sitting down next to me. I put my head in my hands. 

"I can't. Nothing works. I'm frustrating Alessandro and no one wants me here anymore-"

"Stop it with all that! You very well know that we all want you here. You will get it I promise."

I look to him, tears pooling in my eyes, "You can't say that." 

Briel starts to play a song on the piano. James smiles and gets up offering me his hand. 

I take it, "I don't dance James and you very well know this." I laugh. But we do anyway.

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Briel

My hands just start to play. It's the perfect song too. I smile as James twirls Mackenna around the floor. Her long hair floats off her shoulders and rests back on again. They float around the room together, hand in hand. They slow down and speed up to the music. Mackenna's laugh echos off the walls whenever she twirls. I don't think the smile is ever wiped off my face. 

"You're so good at dancing what are you talking about." James laughs when the song finishes.

The smile fades off her face, "Ya I guess it's the only thing I'm good at." She turns around, "Thanks for the dance James." She says quietly, and she continues to the door.

"Mackenna-" James starts to go after her. She's all the way across the room by now. 

This was not what I was going for.

"No James, please, don't start." She puts her hands up at her head.

"Mackenna you can't keep doing this to yourself-"

"Just stop!" She yells. It echos around the room with a large bang. I don't know when or how but she picks up a book off the floor. 

Somehow.

It flies out of her hand and in Jame's direction.

It totally misses him. 

The poster on the opposite wall now has a book penetrating right through it and the wall.

 I stand up laughing. James turns around hands still protecting his head. 

"You did it!" I squeal. She smiles then laughs. And soon we're all laughing. James runs and picks her up in a hug swinging her around the room. 

"I can throw." She laughs.

"Wait!" James runs out of the room. Me and Mackenna stare at the door and he bursts through it again. Mackenna is running her finger along the book and staring up at he poster. I move out of the way and walk to the door. James snaps the photo.

"For memories." I hear him say. The picture actually comes out of this one and he hands it to her. She takes it smiling and right as I walk out, presses her lips to his. 

__________________

Raven's been gone for two days now. Nobody else knows what he's doing. I've debated telling Alessandro but he thinks so highly of him he wouldn't listen. What I am looking forward to is the party tomorrow. Me and Mackenna raided the wardrobe they have here and planned out what we would do with our hair. I'm supposed to play a duet with Matt and we're so excited for that.

I roam the halls looking for something to do. Then a familiar smell hits me. I open the door and can't believe my eyes. I run back to my room like a maniac. Matthew sits on the bed with his Cello. I rummage through my drawers and rush into the bathroom.

"What are you-" Matthew hops off the bed when he sees me come out in my swimsuit. He smiles and runs to go change. I grab a towel from the bathroom and we race down the halls laughing. I trust open the door, throw my towel aside and jump.

I love the feeling of the cool water rushing over me. I come up and Matthew does too. Nobody else is in here. The pool is huge, a rectangular shape. Matt shakes his head, water droplets flying everywhere.

"Bri what's-" James barges through the door Mack on his tail. She laughs and he smiles. They both rush out and moments later jumping in too.

"I've never had so much fun in so long!" Mackenna screams. She swims up to me but not before James grabs her leg and pulls her down under as she screams. I laugh, diving under grabbing her hand but Matthew pulls me back. When I surface I climb onto Matthew's shoulders trying to drown him. He flips me back and I scream. I stay under, swimming to the other end of the pool. Everyone follows me.

"Wanna race," I say smirking.

"Or you're going to regret you said that." James mentions.

"3-2-1- GO!" I yell. 

I dive under, bringing my arms up and down. My hands slice the water on the way down. I know I'm ahead, because the rest of them don't even have the proper technique. I reach the end and slap the wall. I climb up and sit on the edge as the rest of them make it towards me.

"What was that!" Matthew says gasping for air. 

"I won." I say smugly. 

He crosses his arms on the edge looking up to me. 

"Don't give me that face I ain't feeling sorry for you."