The Stars Over the Sea

Chapter One

The movie theater felt empty. Although there was at least thirty people in the room, it still felt empty.

17 year old, Quinn Bakerstaff sat in the back corner, all alone. His tall, lean body bent forward in his seat to focus on the movie in front of him. 

Usually he would be in his room studying for a test or doing homework, on a Wednesday night, but not tonight. He needed a distraction. He bent under his seat and grabbed a hand full of popcorn, shoving it into his mouth. 

Quinn slouched back in his seat and ran his hands through his soft, wavy, dirty brown hair. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to resist the urge of letting tears fall out. He let out a deep sigh as thoughts began to rush into his head.

The image of Victoria Case, his ex-girlfriend, began to engulf his mind. She was all he could see when he closed his eyes. How could she do that to him? He didn't know. He just knows what he witnessed with his eyes just hours before was something he wished to never have seen.

She had been distant from him for weeks. Not picking up calls or texts and keeping conversations to a minimum while they were at school. Quinn knew something was off but he didn't make too much of it. She had her episodes, he figured this was another episode. 

This afternoon, after his last class ended, Quinn got in his car and drove to the Burger King across the street from his school, to get something to eat. When he came out of the Burger King and was walking back to his car, he noticed Victoria's car parked in the next parking lot over. He looked at her car and noticed a man sitting in the passenger seat with his hand in Victoria's lap.

Quinn felt the world stop. He dropped his food and ran over to Victoria's car, banging on the window.

"What the fuck?" Quinn yelled.

Victoria screamed as the man took his hand out of Victoria's pants.

"Victoria, what's wrong with you. So this is why you've been acting so strange? Huh? Cheating? I can't believe you. What would my fucking mom say? She loved you, Victoria, she loved you so much that when she died she left things in her God damn will for you! You gave a fucking eulogy at her funeral. How do you think she'd react, now, knowing that you cheated on her son. You were there for me through everything. You were by my side when she passed. You were my biggest supporter. Hell, you've been my best friend since the sixth grade. I saw a future with you, ya know? Thoughts of marriage, a family. Well guess what! No kid of mine will ever act the way you're acting. If you want to be a fucking whore and fuck other guys, than so be it. Don't call me. I don't want to see you ever again. Oh, and mail me my mother's jewelry box as soon as you get home. Don't even drop it by my house. I don't want you anywhere near me."

Quinn slammed Victoria's car door and ran back to his car. 

And now Quinn sits in the movie theater, all alone, in the same spot Victoria and him sat just a month ago. 

Quinn opens his eyes, tired of recalling the days events. Quinn begins to cry. Trying not to make a scene to himself he buries his face in his sweatshirt. 

First the death of his mother and now his girlfriend cheating on him. He's convinced nothing ever good happens in his life. Ever since his mother died he's been struggling from serious depression. Victoria was the only thing keeping him in tact. Now that she's gone, he feels like everything's lost. There's no more purpose in this world anymore.

All Quinn wants is to go back to the seashore with his mother. The time when he was six. It's one of his earliest memories. She would lay with him on a blanket on the sand. The cold night's wind would blow on their faces. Taking in the smell of the ocean. Quinn's mom would hold him in her arms and tell him,

"See those stars, son? One day we're all going to be up there. We're going to be at the stars over the sea, where everything will be all right. There will be no fear, no hatred. Only love. One day son, you and I will make great memories up there, up in the stars over the sea."

As the credits of the movie began to roll and the light's came on in the movie theater, Quinn noticed just how much of his sweatshirt was covered in tears.

Quinn's phone vibrated in his pocket. His dad sent him a text saying,

"Quinn! Come home now!! Really exciting news, buddy. Xoxo, dad."

Quinn wanted to be excited. He wanted to put on a happy face for his dad, but in this moment, he couldn't. Not with all that happened today.

All Quinn wanted in this moment was to be in the stars over the sea with his mom.