STAY (Stars, They Await You)

Chapter 1

"Clyden, whatchu wanna eat? I'll have the salad,,, and maybe large fries and a double patty burger hehe" Astrid smiled and handed the menu to her boyfriend.

"Hmm... I'll have the rice meal nalang babie, nakakahiya naman sa order mong di mo naman uubusin. You hate salad, why are you even trying?" Clyden laughed at her and stood up to order.

Clyden is a physics genius that is now studying for a PhD in physics. He is well known for being a prodigy in the field and studying for a PhD in the blooming age of 24. He doesn't let it get to him though. Clyden stays humble because he knows he had his fair share of imperfections and shortcomings.

Astrid, on the other hand, is a Master of Arts student, majoring in Literature. She is a well-rounded individual that can do many things. She is part of the volleyball team, plays the piano, an official for several organizations, and on the Dean's Lister ever since she started university. She is the perfect kind of girl that anyone would want to be.

"I ordered the salad kasi it's for you, duh" Astrid said while taking a mouthful of her burger. She hates salads, who would eat just salads? It's like punishing yourself for enjoying fatty foods. Her motto in life is "You don't eat to live, you live to eat. Why would you live for sad salads?"

"Yeah, sure. Let's eat na. We have more to do today, let's maximize our free time."

~~~

"Babie, napack mo na ba yung food? Kumpleto na ba?" Astrid shouted from the window of their shared apartment. They were planning to go stargazing before going back to school the day after tomorrow. "Okay na, let's go na we have to arrange the set up pa. Oh, don't forget to pack a blanket, Astrid, you always tend to get cold so easily." Clyden shouted back as he shut the compartment of his car.

"Okay na Cly, let's go na. Wala naman traffic ngayon diba?" Astrid asked as she locked the door of their apartment, holding a fluffy blanket in her arms. "Hmm not sure eh, I haven't checked. Don't worry it's not that far naman." Clyden replied as he opened the car door for his girlfriend.

The drive went smooth, with Air Supply and ABBA playing in the background, the cool air hitting their faces feels even more refreshing. It was usual that they don't talk while they were on a drive. They just enjoy the comfortable silence and the ever static sound coming from the radio. It's not much but it feels comforting. They find comfort in each other just by having each other close. It's the kind of love that doesn't require much. It's the kind of love that feels like home. They could never ask for more.

"Babie, we're here na. Is it okay if you bring the picnic blanket out? Ako na maglalabas nung mga pagkain, mabigat yun eh." Clyden carefully parked the car by the tree near the stargazing spot. "Sure babie, madami ba yon? Kalangan mo ng tulong?" Astrid asked before going out of the car. "No need, just place the picnic mat out I'll handle the rest." Clyden assured her.

Now that everything's settled, they lie comfortably under the stars, Astrid's head on Clyden's chest, his hands wrapped around her shoulder. No one was talking, but the beating of their hearts were so loud that it can almost be heard by the city below. Nothing else matters at this point, it was just them in their own little world.

"The stars shine so bright tonight don't they?" Astrid silently said. "Mhmm. They do. It's beautiful." Clyden smiled to himself. "The stars are our witness tonight. They will be the ones to tell the tales of our love, for their eternal shine can never be rusted and never fade. Just like a promise that we both share, a love that's eternal, that's gentle, and filled with care." Astrid whispered with such sincerity in her voice. Clyden smiled. That was so poetic, he must say. But he loves to annoy his girlfriend with science. "Careful with the promises babie, you might be promising to a dead star." And with that, he received a big slap on his chest from Astrid. "I hate you. I was being romantic why do you have to ruin it with facts!" Clyden laughed and Astrid looked at him filled with love. "Tell me more about the stars, Cly. I know you love talking about science." She said as she went back to her position before.

"Hmm.. do you know why our solar system is called the solar system? Its because the sun is a star named sol and it has planets revolving around it thus sol and its planets is collectively called the SOLar system." Clyden excitedly said.

"Holy shit I didn't realize that. Ang cool hahaha ano pa ano pa?" Now, even Astrid was excited.

"Look at the stars babe, did you know that when you look at the stars, you're actually looking at the past? This is because light from stars and galaxies in far away distances take a long time, about thousands or even millions of years, before it can reach the Earth. The largest star is said to be 4,900 light years away from the earth. If you are looking at it now, you are actually seeing how it was 4,900 years ago." He explained.

"Do you ever think that we can travel to the past or the future?" Astrid wondered. "Maybe we can. Why'd you ask?" curiously, Clyden asked. Astrid faced her boyfriend and smiled. "Have you ever wondered why I studied literature?" He never thought of it, he just assumed Astrid loves poetry. "Why?"

Looking back at the stars, Astrid answered, "It's because it interests me how literature spoke of the past and the future as if they know it well. I like dwelling with timelines. How would I write this piece if I were from the 1920's? Or from the future like the 2040's? Time is interesting and literature is timeless. I can be reading something from centuries ago. Just like stars, I see it shining brightly even if it shined that way centuries ago." Clyden can see the passion in Astrid's eyes.

"Do you want to travel in time, literally?" Astrid was shocked with the seriousness of Clyden's tone. She knows her boyfriend's capabilities and she wouldn't want him to push past his limits. "Don't be ridiculous! Di naman natin magagawa yun eh hahaha" she tried to laugh it off and hopefully she convinced Clyden to stop thinking about it. "Well, the future is in our hands. Who knows baka may makabuo ng time machine in the near future hahaha" and Clyden finally laughed with Astrid.

Who knows? Maybe they can defy the laws of time and physics.