To The Sun And Beyond

16. GENEVIVE

I WAS THE ONLY ONE SITTING ON
The bleachers by the football feild when the final bell rang.

The sun was lowering, and casting shadows on the clouds, making them a brilliant orange and hot pink.

"Hey Celeste, what are you doing here?" A voice called from my left.

I glanced over to see Genevive standing five feet to the right of me, her orange curls blowing in the wind, and her ringed-fingers glinting in the sunlight.

"I just needed to clear my head, I have a lot to think about. I'm just so confused." I muttered, and I could feel my eyebrows clench together.

"Ahh, I see," Genivive nodded, sitting down next to me. "Is it... boy trouble?" She smiled, and elbowed me gently.

I scoffed, and looked off into the distance, watching the sun hover above a group of green trees. I guess there was boy trouble, after all.

"Actually," I began, sitting up. "I don't know. I mean, there's a lot in my head, and I guess one-fourth of it is boy trouble."

"Yeah, boys are confusing," Gennevive mumbled. "Any boys in particular?"

I watched as the sky slowly turn a brilliant orange, and a full moon peered behind a cloud, taunting me. I smiled to myself, watching it. "No."

"Mason?" Genevive's voice startled me.

I shot my head at her, suddenly. "What?"

She giggled a bit, a slow smile curving her lips. "What about Mason?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.

I laughed. "Not Mason." I said that too easily. Was it true? Do I really not care about him? Am I lying to Genevive, or am I just lying to myself? Can she see through me?

"You shouldn't judge him too quickly. He's a sweetheart. He and I used to date." Genevive said that so casually, like it didn't mean a thing.

My gaze left the taunting moon, and into Genevive's grey eyes. "You did?"

"I did," she said. "Freshmen year. For six months. Towards the end of the relationship, I felt like something was missing. Mason felt it, too. I know, because he was brave enough to end it. There was no yelling, no fighting. Just talking. He was very respectful. I agreed with every word. We were still friends, after that, and talked quite a lot. Mason didn't feel that way about anyone, I was his first. And for him, it's very rare. But his eyes always light up when you're around. More than they did when he was with me." She said that so casually also.

I just stared at her. "What?"

"It's true. We all see it. Everyone knows, except for you two."

Those words hit me hard. Everyone? "What? Does Fin know?" I asked in a panic.

Genevive nodded. "He was the one who actually brought it to my attention."

"Oh, no," I stuffed my face in my hands, and Genevive petted my hair. I could hear her rings clinging together, and her fingers were warm on my scalp.

"Don't worry about it. He's not mad."

"I just wish I understood myself," I mumbled. "I've never met anyone like Mason before, and my mind is telling me two different things at once."

What is my body trying to tell me?

"You won't tell anyone I said that, right?" I asked, looking up at Genevive.

"Of course not," she assured me. I suddenly felt very safe with her. Like I had known her so much longer than I actually have. It was all so strange...

I decided to change the subject.

"Anyway, how did you get your amulet?"

Genevive's smile fell, and she immediately grew stiff. Her hand dropped from my scalp, Her eyes focused on the moon now. Her upper lip twitched, confirming that I had drained the life out of her.

"Um... it was my big sister's," she began. I was going to be polite and tell her she didn't have to talk about it, but she read my thoughts. "No, I want to tell you." She said urgently. I nodded, and she went on.

"Her name was Alana. She was... amaizing. She loved people so strongly, and always saw the best in people. She had such a capacity for love, and I looked up to her. But, one night, when I was in eighth grade, we got in a huge fight. Alana got so mad, that she left the house. As she walked out to the car, I yelled; 'I hate you! I wish you were never born!' But Alana didn't say anything. I think it was because she loved me too much to say that, but I wouldn't know. She got in a car accident that night, and was in a coma for three weeks before she died. I took her amulet the day she stopped breathing." Genevive's eyes began to water, and it was almost like her whole body went limp.

"I'm sorry I asked," I said in a ramble.

Genevive gave me a weak smile, and wiped her tears. She sat up, and regained her posture.

"It's fine, really," She nodded. "I just... I wish I had told her how much I loved her, instead of the last words I said to her. I never thought..." Her voice trailed off, and one more tear fell.

"You were ment to have this amulet," I said, and placed my hand on her shoulder.

She gave me another weak smile, and glanced down at her hands.

"Ahh, I'm sorry, I have to go," she stood up, and began walking, but turned around half way to the grass. "Oh, I almost forgot!" She screamed as she stuck her hand into her bag, and pulled out something small.

She tossed it in my direction, and I caught it swftly with both hands.

"It's for you, I made it," she said and smiled. "Bye, Celeste!"

I waved as she walked away, and opened my hand to find a brilliant gold ring.

I looked up to say thank you, but she was gone.

My gaze directed back to the ring, and I noticed, etched beautifully on the side of the ring, was a gold sun, shining brightly around the other planets.

I smiled to myself.