The Brightest Stars

Kristen

"Okay. Let's catch up," I say after our first ten minutes of silence since we've arrived at the cafe.

Belle smiles at her thick book and writes something down on a piece of paper. "What do you want to talk about, Kris?" She's already halfway through the book and I'm barely only a few pages through. We hold the same practice exam for the SAT and ACT test this month. I wonder if she has the same headache as me at least.

"Thanksgiving night," I say with tease.

I chuckle as Belle looks up and gives me an annoyed look. She sighs and puts down her pencil. "It was....very tense. Well, at least for me. Everyone seemed to have had a wonderful night. But I just..." Her brown eyes become dull as she looks down at her book again.

I reach out to give her hand a gentle squeeze. "So, the enemy was there and it completely ruined your night?"

"No. He's not my enemy," Belle sadly says. "He's just....my dad. A-and I can't just...exclude him, you know? But I'm so angry that I don't even realize how much I'm hurting myself." Her voice is quiet as she says, "This anger and sadness almost feels like it's always been a part of me..."

My heart shrinks as I watch my best friend grieve. I'm not the best to comfort. But I've learned that a touch or a look is the only thing that someone may need to heal. So I squeeze her hand and give her a sympathetic look. My mind works to find a way to brush away her sadness at least for a moment. Slowly, a teasing grin starts on my lips as I say, "At least Max was there to lighten the load. Oh my gosh. I bet your family must've been head over heels with him!"

My heart jumps when I see that shine come back to Belle's eyes. She gives me a wide grin and says, "I know! He brought flowers for my sisters and helped Hannah out in the kitchen. Mack was just all over him asking him questions about his life and aspirations. The little ones loved him, despite his quiet personality. And my dad...Well, my dad was just being a dad. But Max didn't seem at all scared. Gosh, Kristen, his confidence and his--"

"Yeah yeah. I get it," I interrupt. She chuckles and it makes her cheeks blush. "He's amazing," I say with a smile. "I'm glad you've found an oasis."

"Oh. Oasis? That's a smart word in your vocabulary."

"I just learned it here!" I say as I point down at my book.  We share a laugh and thank Diego for bringing our coffees over to the table.

"Anything else, ladies?!" I still find it funny to see this boy serving me. Belle thanks him and he goes back behind the counter.

"So the rumors are true. The blonde girl has not yet to have burned up the city."

I look up and see Ash standing by our table. She looks much older for some reason, despite being only a year and a half older than us. I stand up in surprise and give her a tight hug. "No way! You're back from the dead?!" 

We all share a laugh as Ash takes a chair from another table. She takes off her small leather jacket to show off her short striped shirt and black jeans. Her hair seems wavier from the last time I saw her. And shorter too. I'm digging her style.

"I forgot to tell you my cousin arrived, but I heard she was coming by to visit Diego. So I thought I'd surprise you," Belle says without looking up from her book.

"You have surprised me alright," I say with a wide smile. "Dude! How's everything in Chile? Are you the prodigy nurse you used to claim you were?"

"Ha. Ha." Ash takes a sip of her coffee and gives me a similar look that Belle gives me when she knows I'm teasing her. Her chuckle reminds me of the same young girl with cheeks puffed up and an upturned nose. But there's something about her that's different. Maturity? No. I recognize it from Belle's hints of expression. She hides something...