Project Perfection

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Derek sat in front of Rose's house, gazing sleepily up at the stars. With the increased stress of his last few days, all Derek wanted to do was curl up in his bed and sleep. However, there were two things keeping him from doing this- i.e, Rose's arms around his waist. Well, that and the fact that Shelby and Kyle were still at his house talking and talking and talking about what it meant for them as a couple, and as people, to have abilities. At least, that's what Kyle had told him in his text. Derek wasn't entirely sure he believed him. More likely was it that Shelby just didn't want him there. This wasn't unusual; Shelby was always trying to invent new ways to keep Derek out of the picture. Judging by the uncreative texts, Derek guessed that Kyle had made up the most recent excuses.

"Derek, have you ever seen the sky so clear?" Rose asked dreamily, her eyes glued to the clear night sky.

"I can't say I have," Derek murmured, glancing down at her tired form. "Though I've seen many that were clearer."

"You just contradicted yourself," Rose laughed softly. "Where we lived before we moved here, the sky was so smoggy and filled with light pollution that we could barely see the North Star. Here, everything is so much clearer. So much more. . ." Rose sighed. "Magical."

"Magic isn't real," Derek rejected immediately. He rubbed his hands over her arms absently, giving her goosebumps.

Rose shivered, shaking her head. "You gotta believe in magic, Derek."

"My life hasn't been so magical, Rose," Derek sighed. "You know the whole thing with my parents. . ."

"I know that there is a 'whole thing with your parents.' I don't know what it is, though." Rose looked up at him curiously. "You're eventually going to have to tell me about that."

"Not now, though." Derek sighed, closing his eyes. He'd almost drifted off to sleep when;

"What do you think of the stars?" Rose asked dreamily from his lap.

"Huh?" Derek asked, jerking awake. "What?"

"What do you think of the stars?" Rose repeated.

"Is that a theoretical question?" Derek asked, yawning as he stroked her hair. "Because if it is, then I'm not sure. But if it's a serious question, then I think- nay, I know- they are flaming balls of gas and fire millions of miles away, many of which have already died out and we are just seeing the after images, because-"

"Don't go all geek on me, Derek," Rose giggled. "It's too late for that. No, I definitely meant theoretical," she continued. "Serious questions are boring. And too serious for this time of night."

"Okay. Well then, I'm not sure. I suppose-"

"Theoretical questions don't have 'sure' answers," Rose interrupted petulantly. "If you're sure, then you are very, very wrong. That's generally the case in life."

"Right. Well then. . ." Derek sighed, his cheeks blushing lightly red. "I suppose. . . I've always liked the idea that. . . Stars might really be like the eyes of telescopes from different galaxies, different worlds. I mean, in this idea we'd have to be a little biome experiment, I guess; an experiment of some huge, unfathomable life form. . . The pinholes, or telescope viewers, provide the ways to see in. Everything else. . . The ideas of heaven, or hell; life, and death- none of them mean anything. Everything is a hoax. All that there is. . . Is here, and now. All that matters is right now. . . This time that I'm spending here with you." Derek pressed a kiss to Rose's forehead.

"Wow," Rose murmured. She tilted her head back, looking at him in wonder. "Derek. . . You say there is no magic in your life, but that. . . That was the type of magic moment I will remember until the day I die."