Starlight | completed

Chapter 23 | promises

❝You promised me then that you wouldn't leave me.❞

Chapter 23 | promises

At times there are days when everything crumbles, the sky falls apart. And he, he cannot let himself fall apart. He will not let himself, for there is much too much to admire in this word to just go and fall apart. Luce stretches out his hand, his chafed palms facing the night sky.

He tries to catch the air in his hand and fails. The trees are tall in front of Will's house, his house is huge. He's undoubtedly rich, which is just another thing Luce can never be compared to him. Pushing back his thoughts, he looks at the trees, anything to distract him.

They're looming over him, shades of emerald and green overlapping on the leaves and dark branches that twist and turn, almost like snakes. The wind is gentle around him and he lets himself be lost in it, the moon shining down at him is kind. But the day hadn't been kind ever since it started.

"Luce" Aera suddenly mumbles out from behind him, and Luce blinks at her. Light from the stars is filtering through the leaves of the tree, and pillars of pale silver cascade around Aera, all surrounding her. She's kissed by the moon, glowing. Starlight. Luce cannot stand her.

"I'm leaving" he calls out instead and Aera stares at him, an uncertain expression on her face. The moon filters through the leaves still bathing her in a hazy sliver light. She reaches for his arm, and then pulls it away in a split second. As if she cannot stand to touch him.

Luce sallows, he could almost feel the texture of her hand on his palm, that moonlit hand. "I'm leaving" he calls out again, hoping for a reply. He doesn't know what he wants to hear, and Aera doesn't know what she is supposed to be saying.

"Don't leave" she finally says, and as she says the words, Luce notes how her breath shifts slightly. She sounds almost desperate, and he wants to reach for her. Pull her towards him, it used to be so simple once. Aera would cling to him, and when Luce looked at her he'd feel as if he getting lost amidst waves.

"I'm leaving" he says again more angrily, and Aera frowns, the tone of his words contrast so heavily with the look in his eyes. He has known her for years and when he looks at her, he always sees the same person. It didn't seem to matter how many nights they spent like this, in unfamiliar houses and with unfamiliar people. He looks at her the same, he forever has that look in his eyes when he sees her.

His eyes always are wider when he looks at her, his gaze still softens with what Aera can only think is wonder. As if she's something overwhelming to witness. That look remains in his eyes, it has been there since they were children. She clings to it. "Don't leave please" she begs.

She doesn't know why she is begging, Luce should have the right to leave this party. But something in her tells her, that if he leaves this party, he'll leave her. Luce stared at her and a muscle in his jaw tightens. He walks up to her, barely a distance away from her, he's too close. Much too close.

"Why? It's not like you even notice I'm there" he instead mumbles out, and Aera now actually reaches for him. Her fragile small hand wraps itself around his, and he can smell the sweet scent of the perfume that radiates off her. He remembered Aera saying that she liked to spray perfume on her palms, it made her feel fancy or something like that.

He tugged his hand away from hers, and a look of pain was evident in her eyes. "I-I don't do that" she stuttered out, and Luce frowned. How could she even think that? Believe that? When it was nothing but a lie? A fragile lie, one twisted just perfectly enough to where she would believe it.

But a lie nothingless.

He glared at her now, "Yes you do, all you ever seem to notice is Will" and at that Aera stares at him, a peculiar expression on her face. She tilts her head to the side, and observes him. His expression is familiar one, not a common one, but quite familiar. "Are you jealous?" She asks.