Brighter Than The Stars: Book One

Alternate 1.10

Elijah was waiting for her at the bottom of the staircase, his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. When he saw no letter in her hand, eye contact disappeared as his chin lowered, his focus moving toward the flooring. His shoulder sank, and he took a step back. His right hand came out of the pocket and rubbed across his face and nose, only to return to where it was.

"You don't want to ask me," Elijah stated beneath his breath.

Once she realized how it must have appeared, Madeline tipped his face back up from beneath his chin, seeing the lost look in his green eyes. "That's not it." Or maybe it was. At this point, she had no clue how to feel about any of this, and it felt like her own heart could not be trusted. "It turned into a long letter, and there were a lot of things I needed to get off my chest. Things you need to hear. I'd just feel more comfortable with you reading it later on, without anyone around."

"As in, you don't want to be around when I read it," He guessed.

Tears pricked at her eyes as she remembered the words she wrote, ones that would take him away forever. Strange how their friendship could survive twelve years of separation, yet her own heart is what would bring it to its end. "I can't be," Madeline finally answered.

Noticing her eyes fill with tears, Elijah's hand came out to rub her shoulder. "This must be one hell of a letter."

A sad laugh past between her lips.

"You two okay?" Her dad asked.

"We're fine," Elijah yelled over her shoulder, answering for the both of them. "I'll wait to read it tonight. But M&M, you need to know that nothing you wrote is going to change my opinion o you, if that's what you're worried about. If you're pissed about me leaving you the first time, or mad that I didn't stick around to give you your graduation letter in person, we'll talk it out. If you're telling me that your life will be easier without me in it, that'll suck, but I'll respect that."

Madeline used her sleeve to wipe her eyes, took in a long breath through her mouth, and let it out through her nose. He didn't wait for her to respond before he walked passed her, and into the kitchen to join her parents for dinner.

***********

"So, you still in construction?" Her dad asked as he passed the bowl of pasta to Elijah.

His eyes narrowed at him, holding the pasta mid-air. "I'm sorry, but how the hell did you know I did construction?"

Her dad leaned back in his chair, looked around the table, then back at Elijah. "I kept in contact with your aunt, just like you did. She was kind enough to keep me in the loop, so I'd know you were doing okay in life. All I asked about were the basics."

"All she knew about were the basics anyhow," Elijah told him, "but I get you worried, and if that helped you worry less, it's fine. So yes, I'm still in construction. I was part of a big crew for a few years, then my buddy wanted to start his own construction business, so I joined him. Higher hours and less pay, but he let's me stay at his house for free and feeds me, so it was a fair trade off."

Her mom handed Madeline the chicken. "And do you know how long you're in town for? A while, I hope."

Elijah's eyes shot over to her, his gaze filled with something she couldn't pinpoint. "I'll have to get back to you on that."

"Do you like the city you're living in?"

He finally tore his eyes away from Madeline, allowing her to finally take in a breath. "A little too crowded for my taste. A lot of noise, sirens at all hours. It's fine, but I think I've always been a small town guy at heart."

Her mom let out a light laugh. "Maddie's the same way. Her first year of college, she sounded miserable. Teacher's never knew her name, there were too many people to meet. Apparently, she was getting catcalled all the time. The smog is what she hates the most, though. Can barely see the stars at night."

"But better grocery stores, and restaurants deliver," Madeline pointed out as she handed the platter of chicken over to Elijah, hoping she changed the subject with ease.

She hated anyone else talking about her stars... their star. It may have cloaked the world, but it was sacred to her.

"So, I assume you don't see yourself living there forever then? Maybe you want to trade the city in for small town life again."

And it was then she realized what her mom was getting at, as the woman's subtly was beginning to wear off.

Again, Elijah looked over at her, seeming to search for some sort of hint she didn't have it in her to give. So his eyes remained on hers when he answered. "I don't really know what my future plans are, but I'll keep you updated."

"That's fair," her mom relented, "but just so you know, I know about another house where you could also stay for free and feed you, and its doors will always be open to you."

His eyes left her to look at her mother, giving her a warm, albeit somewhat forced, smile. "Thanks, Mary. I appreciate it."

"I should probably stop asking questions so you can eat," her mom told him in a laugh. "I'm just so happy my boy's home. I don't mean to smother you, sweetheart."

"You aren't," Elijah assured her. "It's nice having someone care so much."