The Brightest Stars

Julia

Screw the business meeting...

I turn off my phone with one last look at my father's furious message. I should be at an important business meeting right now that could revolutionize their money forever. Well, guess what, father? I will not be attending tonight.

I sit with my friends among parents. We quietly talk with each other as the session gets ready. There are a group of kids on one side of the large room near a table while the left side is where Luna, Annabelle, and Max stand with fellow classmates. The three of them separate from the group as they talk to each other with concentration.

"Excuse me," a young woman says. Her skin is light like silk and her eyes make my heart melt at their brown tenderness. She looks so familiar...

"Hannah!" Kristen yells but she quiets down as people give her a look. She clears her throat and leans over to the chair in front of us. The woman carries a beautiful little girl on her lap and Kristen makes a face that makes the baby shriek with laughter.

We all smile at the sight as the woman says, "Well hello, guys. You must be the group of friends my sister talks about so much."

"Sister?" I say as I stick out a hand for her to shake.

The woman smiles at me and nods. "I'm Hannah, Annabelle's eldest sister. It's nice to meet you all."

No wonder she was so familiar.

"I see you've met my cousin," Diego says as he comes to sit next to me. I smile at him and nod, trying hard to hide away those butterflies I sometimes feel with him.

"So that's where you've been." Hannah looks up at a young man. His blue eyes are just as perfect as his appearance, but I recognize his stance anywhere. I see it all the time in my father.

He's a businessman. Probably not as big as my father since he acts less sophisticated as he hands each one of us a bag of popcorn. He gives us all a bright smile and says, "Hey, kids. You must be--"

"The group of friends that Annabelle talks about all the time. Yes, that's us," Nate says with a chuckle. He then puts an arm around Kristen and she rolls her eyes at him.

"Huh," the man says. He gives Kristen a teasing smile as he says, "I can see why you like him." He pops a piece of popcorn in his mouth and Kristen suddenly seems to slouch in her seat. She mouths to him to not tell her mom and the man gives her a playful wink. He then turns to us all and says, "I'm Zack by the way."

"Shh," Hannah says as she gently slaps his arm. "It's about to start." He quickly turns around and takes a hold of the little girl. I assume it's his daughter. Just as perfect and beautiful as her parents.

I smile at Diego next to me as he starts to chew on his popcorn with curious eyes. I chuckle and lean in to whisper, "We're not at the movies, you know."

"Oh. I know," he whispers back. "But I heard that these debates get intense sometimes. Why do you think they let food inside?"

I shake my head with a chuckle and steal popcorn from his tray. He doesn't seem to mind as his eyes watch how the teacher stands at the podium and explains today's session. If only he knew what real meetings are like. You would be crucified if you bring anything but water inside the fight room.

"This mini mock trial event is just a small glimpse of what a real-world courtroom would look like. Therefore, let's give our attention to our students, shall we?" The teacher steps off of the podium and stands next to our school's team while another man steps on the podium from the opposing side. His voice is low and booming as he describes the case named State of Minnesota v. Max Paulson, a reckless driver and a bicycle accident. I wonder what they can get out of that.