The Brightest Stars

Julia

My heart pounds in my chest at two things tonight.

My father and Diego.

I go over my grand escape for tonight. Valentine's Day date with Diego. I'm supposed to go to dinner with James. Oh no, wait. Sorry. Mister James. The perfect boy for my parents. Nausea runs through me when I think of him. He's so disrespectful. He thinks he can tell me what to do. He expects me to sleep with him with just a single smile he gives me.

Let me tell you, James, I'm not like other girls in my position.

But I made a plan. I begged Ophelia to let me do this alone. Her job is at risk, but she insisted to help.

So I stand behind a wall. Watching Ophelia talk with my mother. Convincing her to let me stay tonight because I'm not feeling well.

Yes. I know. This is the worst plan ever because my parents are witches and they seem to know everything. But what else can I do? This is my only night free since our skating date. With Max's death....well...we haven't seen each other lately.

The thought of Max makes my heart shrink. I still can't believe that I won't see him at his usual spot at our table when we eat lunch. My eyes sometimes look over at his spot in Business Administration and feel like he's just absent because he's sick. My brain wants to tell me that. But deep down, I know I will never see him again.

This past week, Annabelle hasn't been herself. She's rejected all sorts of participation in theater and in business class. Luna tells me she's only productive in her debate class. She wins each speech and debate, but anger is the main source to her strategy.

We all stopped by Max's locker. People have put on sticky notes with all sorts of written words for his death. They never even knew him. I know I wasn't the only one that felt disgusted for this gesture from the school.

Nate took care of the problem though because he angrily ripped off all of the sticky notes in front of everyone and threw them in the nearest trash bin. Everyone in the hallway quietly stared at him as he looked at one last sticky note he forgot to rip off, and ripped that one in little pieces. We all watched him in surprise as he gave everyone a look and angrily walked away; shoving everyone in his path.

We're all trying to grieve in our own way. Some of us don't have it as easy as others. Annabelle and Nate rarely talk to each other now. They have it the hardest....

My mind takes me away from Max for a moment as I quickly hide behind the wall when I hear footsteps coming over. Relief fills my heart as I watch Ophelia smile at me. "You're mother got fooled!" she says in Spanish.

I quietly celebrate with her and my smile reaches my shining eyes. "Very good, Ophelia," I respond in Spanish. "Now we can continue on with the plan. Did she tell you to call for my doctor?"

"Yes, missy," Ophelia says as she guides me back to my room. "I will help you look as sick as possible. But remember, tell your boy only two hours. You only have two hours with him."

"That is enough," I happily say.

We enter my room and she quickly makes my bed look like I've been on it. I quickly change out into my dress and put on a robe so it covers it. Once I step out, Ophelia smiles at my outfit and shakes her head. "You are crazy, Miss Julia."

"Love is, Ophelia. Love is..." She covers me with my bed sheets and she frowns. "What's wrong," I say with furrowed brows.

"Well," she says. "It's because you have makeup on. Wouldn't that make the doctor wonder why you have makeup? You don't look sick with that makeup."

"It's not even a lot, Ophelia," I say. "It's just a small touch on my eyes and my lips."

"Well. That's why. Isn't your eyes the part where it changes when your sick?"