The Planet Among the Stars (Completed)

Chapter 14

Today was the funeral. Alven, Shaun, and I were hanging out outside while the ceremony was being prepared. I honestly didn't mind being a little distracted.

"So, what are you guys doing this weekend?" Alven asked.

"Finishing overdue homework," I answered, feeling a little stressed about how much I hadn't finished.

"Ha, same." Shaun said, "I'm almost done with my report for Venus."

Alven shrugged, "Do you guys want to meet up and do homework together?"

"I'm up for it," I said.

"Sure. My dad said we could borrow an extra telescope he has, one that didn't burn," Shaun nodded.

Alven stood up, "I'm going to grab some water." He walked inside.

Shaun reached into his pocket, "Lodi?"

"Yeah?"

"I found Abby's journal," he pulled out the small book, "I think you should keep it. Plus uh, you seem to understand my sister more than I do."

I smiled, flipping through the journal, "Thanks." It had a little smell of smoke but there was no visible damage, "I'm surprised it didn't get burned."

"The firefighters stopped the fire before the place we were got burned."

"So, you're living here now?" I gestured to Jane's house.

"Yeah. Neither I or my dad want to go back. And it's a lot nicer here."

"Well, I'm glad you have a better home."

"I just wish Abby could have been with us."

"Yeah."

"I didn't talk to her that much but I miss her."

Alven walked over, "Are you talking about Abby?"

"Yeah."

Alven surprised me, "She was a really awesome person."

"She was the best friend ever," I said though I could see in Alven's eyes that he thought Abby was awesome in more than just a friendly way. "Once," I began, "Abby wasn't able to make it to my birthday party. In return, she baked me a cake and brought it to me before."

"So that's why she was covered in flour that day..." Shaun said.

"Wait what?"

"I came home from school to grab something and Abby was covered in flour- like her whole face was white with flour."

I laughed, "I wish I could have seen that."

"Trust me, it was really funny, but she spent like an hour cleaning her arms and face," Shaun said.

I smiled softly, feeling a little nostalgic and missing Abby a lot, "I know she's gone, but my memories of her are so vibrant... like the day before she died. She was trying to teach me how to draw..."

"Ugg this fox head looks like a failure," I said, looking at my paper with weird squiggles and circles that were supposed to resemble a fox.

Abby laughed, "It's just a little big for the body."

"If it looked in the mirror, it would wish it had never been born."

Pointing at my paper, she said, "Here, just shrink the head and move the eyes down."

I took her advice and my fox ended up actually looking decent. However Abby's looked amazing.

"I love your fox!" I said.

"What should I name it?" Abby asked.

I looked at it's bright and beautiful eyes, "Venus?"

"I knew you'd say that. Venus it is. Do you want to keep her?"

"Really?"

"Of course, you named her."

"Okay! I'll hang it in my room."

Abby laughed, "Can I keep yours then?"

"This ugly thing? Sure I guess."

"Hey for your first actual attempt at a fox, it's pretty good."

"Lodi?" Shaun asked.

"Yeah?" I said, blinking from my thoughts.

"Oh, you just stopped talking suddenly."

"Sorry- just thinking about Abby."

"Oh don't worry."

Alven looked around awkwardly, "So when did you meet Abby?"

I thought back to my first time meeting her, her lively smile and friendly voice- sharing her markers with me when I had forgotten mine. "Kindergarten."

"Wow," Alven said.

"yeah."

Shaun's grandma came behind me, "We're starting in a few minutes. You guys want to sit in the front row?"