Chapter Twenty-Four

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^ Saph's outfit ^

"Shooting stars don't come back, make it quick."
-me, @__queenly__
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H o l l o w s I n
T I M E
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I watched as all the girls dispersed into the crowd, naturally blending in with those who didn't look like me. Like death. But someone stayed. Bria. She shifted so that she was in front of me, but stared off at something to my right.

She outstretched her arm, "Want to get some snacks and a drink?" She proposed, her eyes meeting mine, before I looked away and over at the tuck shop, the one with the least amount of people gathered around it.

Why would she want to go anywhere with me? Is she up to something?

Nonetheless, I nodded. She smiled. It was only the raw beginning of one, but I saw one. I know I did.

So we went over, and I stared up at all the snacks, bewildered by the fact that one simply eats what they want, not what they need. I needed food to survive back then, but I didn't have it. I need to have food to survive now, but I want nothing. Why? Am I used to the feeling of feeling unnaturally hungry?

Someone nudged me and I jumped slightly. I looked over to the person responsible, finding that the person was Bria. She stared up at me with a curious expression. Then she held out a packet of Oreos in one hand, and held a bucket of popcorn in the other. I stared at her for a good few moments before I realised what she was doing. She was asking which one I would prefer.

I wasn't a popcorn person. I also wasn't a food person. I also wasn't about to choose. Choosing is hard, I'd know.

"Get both, we can share." I told her and a smile grew upon her lips. Suddenly, I spotted dimples that I didn't spot before. She tottered off to the stand and handed over her change to the male cashier, who flashed her a big grin. She span around, not seeming to care about the attention she had been shown, and walked back over to me.

Someone jumped onto me. Not as literally as it sounds. Though, I wouldn't be surprised. The person latched onto my arm and squealed.

"Fireworks, fireworks, fire–" She paused. "Sky," She asked, tone growing serious. "Were there fireworks in Egypt?" Yeah, big ones, ones that went bang—but it wasn't the sparks that fizzled out, it was a life.

I didn't say that, though. Instead, I just laughed. "No." I told her simply and she frowned up at me. She didn't get to say whatever she wanted to say next as Saph latched onto my arm and tugged me and Cassie to the very front of the show. Avery ran after us, catching up to Bria and looking as though she loved holding her popcorn for her.

Just before the show started, Bria shimmied her way over to me, and handed the popcorn box to me. We sat upon the hilltop, and awaited the start of the firework show as the lights went down.

Suddenly, up shot a stream of light, it went bang in the sky, the sound bouncing off the lustre moonlight. Colours and lights streamed across my vision, with sparkles and ribbon-like luminescence cascading down the troposphere.

When I looked over at Bria, the fireworks were illuminated in her eyes, like a cartoon. Like we were children once more.

So I sat and gazed up at the night-sky, seeing billions of shooting stars, which were actually fireworks, and I made billions of wishes.

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