Chapter Two

                We excited the building and ventured down the concrete steps in slow, precise movements, careful not to slip on the ice. I drew her close to prevent her from slipping too much, our hands still tightly interlocked. She laughed and squeezed my hand as I stumbled off the very last step. I quickly ducked my head sheepishly, trying to fight back the embarrassed smile that was tugging on my lips, but failed. She smiled softly and stood on her tippy toes to kiss my cheek.

            “My name is Jenny, by the way.” I returned her smile, a warm blush thoroughly gracing my cheeks. I rolled her name around my mouth a few times, savoring the taste that it left there.

               “It’s a beautiful name. It suits you. My name is Étoile, Étoile Étincelant.” Jenny’s eyes grew wide. 

               “Really?” I laughed at her childlike wonder, as I found it rather endearing. My heart swelled.

               “A gypsy named me. I traveled with them for quite a while before coming here.” Her wide-eyed amazement morphed into astonishment. 

               “You traveled with gypsies?” Her hushed tone brought further heat to my face, darkening my blush. I ducked my head and played with her fingers as we wandered towards the park. 

               “Yes. They make wonderful traveling companions and are some of the best storytellers I’ve come across. They remind me of home.” 

               The moon peaked out from the cloud cover, dousing the Earth in a silvery, ethereal glow. It illuminated the stray snowflakes that fluttered down to kiss the ground in light touches. The virgin layer of snow glimmered in this newfound lighting, making my heart ache for home, far from this place.  A slight winter breeze waltzed through the bare branches of the park’s birch trees. The ice that covered the abandoned fountain in the center of the park glistened as well. We stopped to admire the scene that laid before us. High above us, a few shy stars twinkled and winked through the holes in the cloud cover. I stared at them for a long moment, wondering what the Earth looked like from up there at this moment. Jenny wrapped her arms around me, pressing her forehead against my collarbone.

               “Please don’t be so sad,” she whispered. “You’re far too aggravatingly beautiful to carry such a weight. Don’t you know that you put those stars to shame?” I wrapped my arms around her in response and rested my head against hers. “I’m not sure what drew you from the rafters, but I am beyond thankful to the luckiest stars that you did drop down from there.” I tightened my hold, trying to find a way to calm the aching in my heart. 

               “I couldn’t let someone so endearing as you to weep like that. What kind of person would I be if I did?”

               She laughed, but it wasn’t a mirthful one. “Brandon was putting you down. I couldn’t allow him to. He hit me, then said I’d never have a chance with you, so I should stop trying, and just die already.” Tears streamed down her face. I pulled her tightly against me, burying my face in her hair.

               “He’s wrong, you know. You, out of all people, have the best chance of falling in love with me. I’ve never felt this alive since I left home. Just within the short time we’ve spent together, you are the most authentic, wonderfully warm person I’ve come across, and I have spent quite some time wandering. France, Rome, the Great Wall. None of it could compare to you.” 

               I pulled back to glance down at her. As much as she tried to hide her face, she couldn’t hide that smile that I already adored. “You really mean that?” She moved so that one of her starlit eyes peeked out, glancing up into mine.

               I smiled. “Every word, and if you would allow me to, I would like to stick around and prove it.” Her smile grew as she threw her arms around my neck, laughing and crying at the same time. In that moment, I swear she glowed. Not in the cliché way that other humans describe it in, but as if there was literal starlight trapped underneath her skin, pulsing with every beat of her heart. My own heart rate spiked as I felt something warm spread from my heart to my fingers and toes.

               “Étoile! You’re glowing!” I looked down and withdrew a few steps back from her. The same light I had seen in Jenny flowed underneath my own skin. Star light?! “I knew it! I knew you were the one!” The light from Jenny grew with each pulse. I stood there stunned.

 Is this it? Is this what the other wishing stars spoke of? Could this be love?

               I was drawn out of my startled thoughts by Jenny leaping towards me, encircling her arms around my neck. I staggered back to regain my balance. Jenny rubbed her nose against mine, then buried her face into my neck. “I knew Brandon was wrong. There are such things as wishing stars! You are real, and I found you!” I held Jenny tight as I set her back on her feet, but didn’t let go. 

               “So does this mean I can stay with you?” She drew back to glance up at me. 

               “You can stay with me as long as you need to. I’ve found you.” She laughed exuberantly. “I can’t believe I’ve finally found you!” I smiled at her joy that radiated in waves. We stood there in that moment, looking at each other with a warmth that could not die. I wanted to stop that moment and frame it in my heart. A blast of artic wind caused Jenny to shiver violently. 

               “Let head back, okay? I don’t want you to be out too late with class in the morning.” Jenny nodded as she laced her fingers back into mine, squeezing my hand tightly. I tucked her hand in my coat pocket to keep our hands warmer. She giggled as she glanced up at me.

               “Where are you staying?” She tugged forward as we wandered back towards the school. 

               “Wherever I can. Lately I’ve been staying with the nuns in the great cathedral on First Street until I can find somewhere more permeant.” Jenny was quiet for a few minutes.

               “I know somewhere you can stay. My brother and I have been looking for a third roommate to help with rent. I can help you find a job later. No more churches for you.It;s too cold for that” I chuckled quietly at her concern before sighing. “If you want me to, I will do it.” 

               I glanced up at the stars. More had peeked out from the cloud cover. I’d never seen so many happy, twinkling stars before, but then again, I had never been so happy before. 

               This could definitely be the start of something new. Something better. Warmer. I smiled up at the stars, turning to pick up Jenny and spun her around. She laughed and kissed my cheek once more as I set her down. The temperature dropped as a winter blast howled past us, but noting could dampen the fire in my heart.

Author's Note

Please ignore any grammar problems or spelling errors, I'll go back and fix it. For now I just wanted to have it up for people to read:)