Written in the stars *COMPLETE*

Juliette

     We didn't have the college conversation again. I wasn't sure about what I wanted to do with my life yet and I didn't think Xander did either. Slowly the conversation and uncertainty of the future slipped from our minds. We kept a routine and it made days and weeks pass faster. Suddenly it was October. I remember being told as a freshman that time was going to pass super quickly, and that I was going to be a senior before I knew it. I didn't believe them. Four years was basically forever and at the time it seemed like I would never be a senior. And now here I was. Three months into senior year. I was taking mostly art classes because I had gotten the majority of my prerequisites completed in the last three years. It was crazy. I had an incredible boyfriend, a passion for photography, and really wonderful friends. I had even introduced Lily to Chloe, Emily, and Jessica and she started joining our sleepovers. Everything was good. My senior year was going better than I had ever expected it to.

     When Halloween rolled around, I was determined to make Xander do a coordinated costume with me. He was very resistant but I wore him down. Chloe had offered to host a Halloween party at her house. Noah, Oliver, Sam, Bri, Emily, Jessica, Lily, and I were all invited. When the day rolled around, Xander and I arrived dressed as Peter Pan and Wendy. We were almost late to the party because of how much fuss my mom made out of our costumes. She just wanted to keep taking picture after picture from every angle. Finally, we pulled away from her paparazzi spree and made it to the party.

     We mingled and talked to our friends, occasionally snacking on the spread of Halloween-themed food set on a table against one wall of the basement. Different small groups engaged in conversations and various card games while an old black and white horror movie played on the TV. Many of our parents had extended curfew specifically because they knew we were in a safe place for the holiday and we were a pretty responsible group of people who wouldn't do anything dumb. Well, most of us anyway. At the beginning of the party, I noticed that Chloe and Noah were avoiding each other. They were consistently on opposite sides of the room from each other and never talked to the same person at the same time. I was guessing that they were probably fighting. They seemed to be fighting more and more lately. I walked over to where Xander was sitting with Oliver and Emily, playing cards.

"Hey, is everything okay between Chloe and Noah? They seem tense."

Oliver piped up. "They broke up again last week. You didn't know?"

"Yeah apparently Chloe caught him texting other girls... again" Emily added.

Xander shook his head. "That kid needs to get himself together."

     There was a nod of agreement around the circle but they shortly returned to their game. I sat against the couch, watching them play for a while. Suddenly, we heard yelling from upstairs. I looked around. Noah and Chloe weren't in the basement and so it was easy to assume that the angry voices were theirs. The room went silent. All of us awkwardly shifted uncomfortably in our seats, waiting for the yelling to stop. After a few minutes, the voices became quiet and several minutes later Noah returned downstairs.

"Don't worry about it" he announced, shaking his head. Noah walked over to Bri and Lily, who were watching the movie playing on the TV, and sat down. Slowly, the conversations resumed but Xander looked troubled still.

"Chloe never came back downstairs. I'm going to go check on her."

"Do you want me to play for you while you're gone?" I offered.

"Sure." He handed me his cards and headed upstairs.