I Can See the Stars

Chapter Seven

I looked at myself in the mirror. I pulled a strand of hair separate and held the straightener up. I clamped my hair into it and attempted to straighten it. I've never done this before.

It didn't work. My hair was still frizzy and curly. I would have to come up with some other plan to do my hair because a hair straightener at four-hundred and fifty-five degrees doesn't work. I groaned in frustration and turned off the straightener. What was I going to do with my hair? It was like an afro. . . Almost.

I called Cora.

"What is it. I'm busy picking out a dress."

"What do I do with my hair?"

"Hm, straighten it."

"That doesn't work."

"Really? Oh, then. . . Just braid it."

"Is that good enough?"

"Uh-huh."

" 'Kay. Bye."

"See you."

I ended up putting it into a French braid. Just one. It was good enough. It looked good with my top and skirt. The dress code wasn't too strict. Some people were wearing costumes but Oliver and I decided that we didn't want to look like idiots. I had on a sheer mesh top that has sparkles shaped like stars. It had long sleeves and I was wearing a black bralette underneath. My skirt was about two inches from my knee high socks. I had on some black heeled ankle boots. I also had a mini backpack with a mood decal on it. (I felt weird having it because Cora and I always made fun of them but it looked good with the outfit.) I had watched about fifteen makeup tutorials in order to get a good winged eyeliner. (Note to self: Walmart eyeliner doesn't work well.) Other videos that I watched taught me how to put lipstick on, because I've never put it on before and I didn't want to stain my skin with black lipstick. I added plastic star gems to my cheek bones. (I don't know why. The video said that it looked good.) I looked like a modern witch so it was still a little bit festive. I also looked a lot more popular that I usually do. I looked like I could be one of Jasmine or Francesca's handmaidens.

All of a sudden I felt nauseous. I stumbled over and sat down next to the toilet. No, no, no. This wasn't happening. I shut my eyes and tried to focus on my breathing, swallowing every two seconds. I could feel how tight my jaw was and my leg wouldn't stop shaking.

Of course, this was a perfect time for Oliver to show up. I heard him knock on the door so I yelled to him that it was open. He walked in and called out my name. I just yelled, "Over here."

"Are you okay?" He asked when he looked in the doorway. He was wearing a dark blue button up with his sleeves rolled up halfway. He had on black slacks and converse high tops. His hair was slicked back.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. I just got nervous." I stood up and walked over to him.

"Are you sure? Because we can stay here and watch a bunch of scary movies instead."

And to this day, I wish that I had said yes. "No. Let's go." I kissed his cheek and we walked out of the trailer.

Oliver had a motorcycle. I'm not kidding. He was fifteen so technically he wasn't supposed to be driving without a licensed driver but the school wasn't far away. I had never ridden a motorcycle before so I was terrified.

The decorations were incredible. I mean, as incredible as a school dance could be. They had turned down all of the lights in the gym and put different colored sheets over them so it gave off a spooky light. There was a projector playing clips from horror and Halloween movies. When we walked in they were playing a scene from the Shining. (And no, it was not a jump scare. And no it did not scare me.) there were table around the outside and a big table in the middle with food and drinks. There was also a dance floor with a DJ playing all different kinds of music.

After we took in all of out surroundings, the first thing that Oliver and I did was find Cora and her "date". He wasn't actually her date. Cora didn't date and this guy, Felix Rider, didn't even like girls. They were good friends who decided to go together.

After we greeted them and found a table, I pulled Oliver to go and get drinks with me.
I grabbed two cups of punch. I handed one to Oliver. "What was your mom's name?"

He looked at me, confused, and said, "Elizabeth."

"And your sister, what were your parents going to name her?"

"Ariel."

I raised my cup. "To Elizabeth and Ariel—"

"And Diana."

I smiled. "And Diana," I repeated. We drank the punch that was possibly spiked. (It wasn't.)

A loud scream rang throughout the room. At first, I thought that it was just one of the movie clips but Oliver's face told me differently. My eyes darted around the room.

And then I saw it.

Shooters. Five of them. They were close too.
I grabbed Oliver's hand. Whilst running the other direction, I could hear shots.

We ran out the other exit of the gym but there were people there too. They almost cornered us but we were able to run down the stairs in time.

Running. Running. Running. I hate heeled boots.

When we reached outside, I noticed that Oliver was slowing down.

He stopped.

"Oliver. Oliver come on."

But he just stood there. It was then when I started to worry.

"Oliver?"

How did I not see it before? No! He had been shot, probably when they almost cornered us. I had been so focused on getting out of school I hadn't stopped to watch Oliver and make sure that he was alright. Why did I always do this? It was always about me! Why?

He started to collapse. I caught him just before he hit the sidewalk and laid him on the ground.

"No, no, no!" I was frantically trying to put pressure on the wound to keep the blood from flowing. Oliver kept gasping every time I tried to touch it. I had to keep him alive.

"Frankie-Sue, look up," Oliver said through ragged breaths. His voice was weak and shaky.

"W-What?" I was trying to rip up my clothes and use the pieces of cloth to soak up the blood. It wasn't working. Oliver's sticky, red crimson blood was everywhere. On my clothes, on the sidewalk, and, of course, all over Oliver.

"Look up. Please."

I looked up at the night sky. I didn't see what was so important. It was just the stars and the moon. I wanted to be looking at Oliver, trying to save him.

"Stars. Can you see the stars?"

"Yes. Yes, I can see them, Hon."

He weakly grabbed my hand. "I can see the stars."

I looked into his honey brown eyes, as I watched the light leave them and felt his hand go slack.

He was up with the stars now.