Brighter Than The Stars: Book One

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒯𝒽𝒾𝓇𝓉𝓎: 𝒮𝒾𝓃𝒻𝓊𝓁 𝒞𝑜𝓃𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓈𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈

"So, are you two planning on joining everyone at the winter festival on Friday, or were you just going to have an early night?" Her mom asked from the front seat as her father drove through the snow.

Madeline had been watching in fascination as Elijah's hand had been inching its way toward hers on the seat during the short drive, not seeming to know if he could with her parents around, or if he was just being playful. "We'll be going," Madeline told her when Elijah remained quiet. "Claire's in town, so I want to meet up with her for a bit, and Elijah's hoping for a run-in with Marty."

A barely audible laugh came out of Elijah as his hand finally reached its destination. Instead of linking their fingers together, or laying his hand over hers, his fingers began playing almost a game of footsy with her. "God, I can't wait to meet that douche."

Her mom half turned to look at Elijah, not seeming to notice what his hand was up to. "Be nice. Marty may have been odd, but he was a sweet boy."

Elijah looked over at her, his eyes squinting in curiosity. So Madeline just shook her head to confirm her parents didn't know the details of graduation night, only that they'd broken up.

"Well, here we are," her dad announced, pulling into the parking lot of the restaurant.

Elijah's hand returned to his side to unclasp his seatbelt, then opened his door as soon as her father parked. She watched as he trotted over to her side from behind the vehicle, first opening her mother's door, and then hers.

"Ever the gentleman," she heard her mother say.

Madeline wanted so badly to pull him into that backseat and have her way with him, but she took his arm and allowed Elijah to lead her through the ice and snow covered parking lot toward the restaurant. "I know you aren't looking forward to this, so thank you for being so great about it."

"I'm not," he admitted freely. "But they're your family, and it's not like they're complete strangers. I've met them on Thanksgiving and Christmases plenty of times way back when. But I can deal, because they're your family, and so am I."

Madeline looked up at him, more tempted than ever for them to find their way to that backseat. "Yes, you are."

The restaurant was so much busier than she was used to seeing. Normally in the off-season, there would only be a sprinkling of taken tables. But she supposed with the holiday came the crowds, and everyone appeared in high spirits.

She could hear her grandmother's cackle coming from the far end of the restaurant; an area reserved for large parties. Madeline tried to do the math in her head. The four of them, four grandparents made eight, two aunts made ten, a cousin made eleven, and her cousin's two children made thirteen.

She knew one set of grandparents opted for a hotel for the trip, also not being a big fan of crowds or rowdy people. That made nine people who were staying in her parents' house, and Madeline couldn't be more grateful her parents had opted to get a hotel room for the two of them as well.

"There they are!" Her grandfather howled out, already clearly a little tipsy.

Her two grandparents on her mother's side were the only ones Elijah had much interaction with growing up, as they lived an hour and a half away and visited more frequently than the occasional holiday. So they were the only ones who stood to shake Elijah's hand from across the table while the others remained seated, Madeline guessed at her parents' request. They were being cautious about overwhelming Elijah, which was fair, as he'd always been a loner, and even before his disappearance, hadn't been a big fan of large gatherings.