Circling Stars

🌟Chapter 29🌟

Graduation was sunny and as our ceremony took place outside none of the Swans were in attendance. At least not where they could be seen. Carlisle told me they would be up in the trees to support me. I was glad that Jasper's family cared enough to be here even when they didn't have to be.

When my name was called the procession reached the halfway point. As my clan was small I could barely hear the whoops of my family over the polite clapping and loud 'Hell Yeahs,' of Brandon and Emmett. I subtly waved in the direction of the Swans and smiled as I came down the stairs. I managed to rope Brandon and Shirley into taking a picture. I had to stand in the middle as things were still awkward between them but by the smiles on their faces you wouldn't know it. 

🌟

Common sense told me that Jasper probably wouldn't be back until the day after tomorrow at the earliest. Even still at the party my family arranged for me that night, I couldn't help but glance at the window every ten minutes willing him to emerge from the woods. I could almost see it. He would come out of the tree line with his bag over one shoulder and I would run to him. Pretty much just every cheesy reunion scene from every movie ever, but by God was I ready for it.
    The door bell rang and mom went to let the Swans in. Brandon couldn't come because he'd taken off for the training camp and Shirley had flown to the spa in Canada. Sean and I would be joining her in two days. My hope was that Jasper would be back by that time and join us. The Swans had come with gifts for me which made me feel bad because I hadn't gotten them anything. Esme assured me in a quiet voice that it was fine and this day was more for me than any of them anyway.

"Theo." Sean pulled me away from the window and back into the kitchen.

"I'm so proud of you, honey." Mom hugged me. "And to think in just a few months you'll be in Texas."

"That's right," Sean clapped. "But we'll still see each other right?"

"We can video chat everyday if you want," I assured him. The party broke into causal chit chat after slicing up the various pies and opening my presents. Nessie and Jacob were the only ones who couldn't come. She was suffering from massive blood cravings due to the baby. As the night was winding down Rosalie approached me.

"Congratulations Theo."

"Thanks."

"I overheard you and Shirley talking today, and wanted to inquire if I may also go to the spa with you."

"Of course. Sean's going with us too." She gave me a warm smile. Rosalie was the member of the family I had spent the least amount of time with not counting the doctor. And although Jasper had warned me that she was not always welcoming I had never felt like she disliked me.

"Rosalie. You have degrees in engineering and advanced math right?"

She raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. "That is correct." 

"I want to show you something." She followed me up to my room. On the desk where I did my homework laid several pieces of drafting paper and equations. One of my classes for college was mechanical engineering, and the final project for that would be to create an original engine that was both fuel efficient and able to power a small plane for half an hour at least.

All my studies up to this point had been in theory. It would be my first time actually creating something I could hold. And if my work was good then one day maybe, just maybe, an engine of my design would power a ship with astronauts headed for new planets.

"You have made an error in this line." She pointed after taking in the complicated math for exactly one second.

I sat and reworked the problem to find that she was right. I finished the equation with the right answer as she watched over my shoulder, nodding her approval as I put the pencil down.

"What do you think?" I gestured to the designs as she gazed from sheet to sheet.

"My area of expertise is not exactly in aerospace ship design but I am impressed with the level of mathematics you are capable of. Why are you not already in college with this level of genius?"

"I'm not equally good in all my subjects. Math though has always been something that spoke to me."

"I see. It was my belief that you wanted to be an astronaut." She sorted through more of my designs.

"I wouldn't mind being one but my true passion lies in the numbers. If I never go into space that's fine, especially if I get to see something I create send others there."

"I remember watching Neil Armstrong land on the moon. In that moment I would have given anything to trade places with him."

"You want to go into space?"

She nodded. "Not for any extended length of time. I have lived on this planet for many years and seen just about everything it has to offer. I would not mind experiencing zero gravity or looking down on Earth from orbit." She tossed her hair and then grabbed another piece of paper to review my work.

"If I'm ever high up enough in NASA maybe I could make that happen. For both of us. I'm going to get a pilots license after my first year of college. I plan to train for piloting NASA shuttles next summer."

"I will take you up on that." She paused. "I am an aviator. I have connections in the world of flight if you wanted to train for regular aircraft sooner."

"Wow. That's an amazing offer! But I don't think I could handle tackling that now. If next year you'd be will to work those connections for me I'd take it then."

"So I will." She promised.

"When did you become a pilot?"

"During World War II. I greatly admired all the women who broke through that glass ceiling in those days. Amelia Earhart, Gertrude "Tommy" Tompkins and so many others. I would have loved to join the Wasps had I not been a vampire."

"What's a Wasp?"

"They were the first women to fly planes for the United States Army. They were trained in California though so that was something unavailable to me." I asked her more questions and we had a very nice conversation that lasted late into the night. Our session only ended when Emmett showed up at my second story window looking for his wife. One second he wasn't there and the next I was startled by a big man climbing through my window. Rosalie and Emmett had a good laugh at my expense, but I had to admit it probably was funny from their perspective.