Lately, she had been on the go. She was competing in beauty pageants often, and that was what she liked to focus her attention on. She liked to believe that being good at something that relied solely on her would make up for the fact that she had failed at something that had taken two people. She thought that life would only get harder from here, and for a while she seemed to be right. When you're inwardly upset, you can't fool everyone on the outside. Especially a pageant judge. When you only focus on the reason you felt torn inside, it's impossible to make one's eyes sparkle like her mom had always told her thinking happy thoughts would do. He was still in her mind. Even though she was telling him to let go, she couldn't. There was no fixing herself, but as long as he would be okay, she could live with herself. She wouldn't think of them, at least not openly. Sometimes, when they would talk she would allow the sweetness that she wanted to portray all along to shine through, but not often. She wanted to change her mind, but she couldn't go back on her vow. The vow. It seemed like so long ago since she had made that vow to be alone. She knew it was smart, but she just couldn't help but to think about going back on it. She considered the thought a few times, but when she got too far, she made rules for herself. She would only allow herself to remember the negative, the bad, about the times they shared. No happy thoughts were allowed. That's probably why she lost the pageant.The next day at school was going to be rough. She walked into her first period class, head held high, despite the downfall. There he sat. A Stranger. One she had never met before was sitting across from her seat. They had gone to school together for years, but they had never met. He was tall, and he had brown, short hair. His nose was crooked, but he was still incredibly handsome. He seemed shy and mysterious, like there was more to him than he was willing to portray, but she would break through that, she decided. She introduced herself as she sat down, keeping the awkwardness of being strangers at a minimum. Some would even think that they had known each other for years with the manner that she had greeted this stranger. They chatted a little, but not much, throughout the reciting of the rules they both knew by heart. The rules were the same in every class. Bellwork when you walk in the room. Homework was due by the end of the week. Raise your hand to leave class. Public Speaking was going to be such an adventure, she thought as she gave the stranger that sat beside her a sidelong glance.
They had their third period class, History, together too. After comparing schedules, they had all of their next semester classes together, as well. She figured that she better become pretty close friends with this stranger if she would have to spend this much time with him. It'll be fun, she enjoyed making new friends, especially handsome new friends.
She and her best friend, of course, talked about the new stranger that night. They talked about him and the who was currently ripping her heart in two. It was guy talk; it was a hint that she was finally getting her friend back after a rocky sophomore year and a long summer apart. In the midst of their conversation about the one they all know, her best friend reveals a secret about him that stabbed her chest with more pain than a butcher knife through the heart. The secret is not of any importance, nor will it be mentioned.
*******
Later that night, as a routine, the one she knew so well talked to her. They conversed for hours via text, when they started fighting again. This happened all the time now. Every thing they said to each other had some degree of attitude in it, and the venom in their words slowly killed whatever chance they had left of being together. After much deliberation with herself, she asked for him to confirm the rumor, hoping with every last shard of her broken heart that it wasn't true, and he did confirm it, breaking her what was left of her trust in him. She cried, not knowing what else to do. Words failed her, and she decided that their journey together ended there.
***
Over the next week, he sent her flowers to class. She received seventeen roses, a Disney movie, and a five page letter over the time span of a week and a half. She let him back in, slowly but surely. She almost began to trust him again, until someone she looked up to greatly reminded her not to be so easily fooled. Her mind wandered, and she made a decision that she did not want to be THAT girl. She did not want to be bought. She could not allow herself to be weak, and so she cut the cord. She told him no more, and that's when he snapped.
Please understand that she didn't do this all on her own. During this time, the stranger and herself inched their way closer to each other. She had never met another quite like herself, and he was so like her. Though he was mysterious, they seemed to think on the same level. They had even been through similar heartache, and he had wonderful stories. She could also listen to him sing for hours. Maybe it was their closeness that helped push her along in her decision, or maybe it was something more magical. They talked and shared stories all through class, and during one of his stories she decided that she liked this stranger more than she originally planned to. She found herself looking forward to the mornings, and looking forward to playing their flirtatious games. It was a slippery slope, she knew from the beginning, but she never expected to lose her balance. Now that she had, she had to find a way to make him slip, too.
He invited her to go to church with him, where he would be leading worship that night. She tagged along, and as she watched him sing and strum on his guitar, she decided that she had never seen anoyone so happy while they worshipping the One Who Plans Everything. It was easier for her to worship the Maker knowing that the artist creating the music was deep in worship, as well. He took her home that night. They laughed and sang the whole way home. As they rounded a curve in the road, the moon became fully visible. It was blood red, in the shape a crescent as thin as Cheshire Cat's grin, and as big as one's head. It was unlike anything she had ever seen. When they pulled into her driveway, she jumped out of the car and ran to a clearing in her yard to try to see the moon better, but the far-off trees were blocking her view. As he came up behind her, she looked up at the sky and took in the marvelous beauty. The stars shone brighter than she had seen in a long time. Or maybe it was just the company she was in.. Whatever it was, nothing else seemed to matter at that point.
He put one hand on her shoulder, pointed and whispered, "Look right there. See the unicorn in the stars?"
As they both looked up, a shooting star blazed through the sky. Something inside both of them sparked the shooting star that night. Nothing had ever been this perfect for either of them, and that fact made them believe that there was more to this crush than what there seemed to be. Maybe it was luck; maybe it was planned by Someone bigger than us, but that night would always be remembered as the start of a new beginning....
to be continued
