What the Stars May Bring

Astronomy wasn’t something I’d typically call a hot topic at Harper High, but today was anything but typical.  Everyone who passed by was buzzing about the strange lights that smoked across our sky the night before; each sharing their own theory about their origin.  I stayed perched on the stone retaining wall ledge, waiting for my best friend to arrive, but avoiding eavesdropping was impossible.

Apparently, Tyler Nicks scored with his girlfriend the night before and decided he was such a love god; he’d created a cosmic episode. Another girl I knew vaguely from gym class decided the lights were pieces of the moon that had broken off after a comet collided with it.  The idiocy was exhausting. 

Penelope bombarded me as soon as she stepped off the Banana of Death.  Some people might refer to it as a school bus, but since my fateful ride home in second grade when Jimmy Ford pantsed me, I’d only seen it as an instrument of torture.  My own personal salvation from bus hell came in the form of a Honda, but Penelope wasn’t as lucky.

“Did you see them? Please tell me you saw them, Lily. I can’t believe my mom wouldn’t let me call you.  I mean, seriously? I know I’m grounded, but this was one of those life altering moments.”  My best friend was talking so fast, I was surprised her words weren’t followed by a sonic boom.  Her blonde ponytail swung at the same pace as her words, snapping with every dramatic movement.  She stayed by my side as we weaved between the hoards of people blocking the entry to the school.

“I was walking out to Mom’s car to get my purse when I saw them in the reflection of the window.  At first, I was like, shooting stars! But when I turned around, I knew that wasn’t right.  I mean, they were huge flaming balls of light. Of course, if you saw them, you’d know all this. Hello?” She waved her hand in front of my face. “Are you listening to me at all?”

I shook my head and tried to focus on her.  “Yes, I am. Sorry. Huge flaming balls of light.  I’m with you.”

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