The Stars Will Catch Me

Chapter 23

Luka, Logan, Willow and Shawn sit on borrowed cushions from the unused chairs in the castle. The balcony we're on was littered with leaves and bird poop but after some cleaning, it makes a nice seating area. It had been locked off in fear that the younger kids would end up falling off of it but Aaron has taken them all on a hike.

He didn't even say anything to the rest of us. He just left first thing in the morning as a cue for me to tell the others about my plan. He's made it crystal clear he wants nothing to do with it.

"Spit it out, would you? I have no intention of staying if this is supposed to be some kind of tea party," Shawn says, picking his fingernails.

Logan raises his hand like we're in a classroom. He didn't even bother to change out of his pajama bottoms. "If this is a meeting then how come Aaron isn't here?"

"Because he's too busy being petty," Luka says. "He wants to be in charge like always."

There's a plate of cookies in between us with the usual three flavors. He takes the vanilla one and hands me the strawberry one. It's become a rehearsed exchange.

"He is kind of bossy, isn't he?" Willow chuckles to herself. "Remember when we left the island to get supplies? And we ended up getting tattoos?"

When Willow sees my perplexed expression, she elaborates. "This was back when Aaron actually let people other than himself off the island."

"He was so pissed when we didn't get those matching mountain tattoos with him," Shawn adds, sharing in her laughter. It's a nice sound. If only he wasn't so grumpy all the time.

"He has a tattoo?"

Willow nods. "On the side of his stomach. You didn't notice it at the lake yesterday?"

"We didn't really speak yesterday." I break the cookie apart and eat the filling, remembering that he flat out ignored me for the rest of the day.

"What is he being petty about?" Logan asks. His deadpan expression rests in the palm of his hand.

There's no use in dragging it out anymore.

Taking a breath, I relay the news. "I'm going to be the one to go back on Nakpuna's ship."

No one reacts at first. I nervously wait for someone to say something. Anything.

Shawn is the first to speak. "You're being serious?"

"I already said this to Aaron but I think it's smart," Luka says. "It's ridiculous that a seventeen year old is supposed to pull all this off but if one has a chance, it's Dovie."

I knew Luka was supportive of my decision from what Aaron told me yesterday but hearing him say he believes in me is refreshing after the harshness of Aaron's reaction.

Willow's lips curl down. In the few weeks I've been on the island, I'm already familiar with her crying face. I know the tears are coming. "I hate to say it but I thought it should be you. It just makes the most sense. I wish there was another way."

"But why can't the insider do it all by themself? Why is this all on us?" Logan's turns red as he speaks.

I've had that thought before. I never understood why my parents had to put the weight of keeping their business afloat on me or why this group of kids had to endure so much trauma without much support. It's natural to ask "Why us?"  but with how senselessly twisted this world is I think a better question is why not us?

"The insider will have a huge role but whoever it is will need someone else on their side," I answer. "Charlie will help too. He'll be working the angle of Nakpuna's home life."