ASTRO GIRL

RALIO.

He hesitated and didn't move.

"Come." Candela repeated.

Tyler went closer and sat on her bed, but at the edge.

"Am not going to bite you." Candela said.

"I know, it's just—" Tyler started.

"Awkward?" Candela added.

Tyler nodded, "Yeah, kind of." He said softly.

Candela let out a sigh, and fell backwards on her bed, with her fingers crossed together on her belly, and her head facing her ceiling.

"I miss him." Tyler blurted out.

"I do too." Candela added, "Nothing is ever going to be the same without dad. It goes without a doubt that he was our everything." She added, as tears started forming in her eyes.

Tyler heard her voice start to crack and turned to face her, before averting his eyes and fixing them on anything else.

Candela wiped some drops of tears that had rolled down her cheeks away, "We've had a rough year, but we need to move on."

Tyler let out a deep breath, "Am sorry for how I've been lately, its just—" He said, his voice quavering a little.

Candela sat up on her bed, "It's not your fault, it's normal. I just wish you wouldn't let it get to your head so much." She added, and rubbed her face, to clear her eyes from the tear stain.

Tyler got closer to her, reached his hands out, and gave her a hug. Candela didn't react at first cause it was kind of weird to her to see Tyler hug her, but eventually gave in and hugged him back.

"It's going to be okay; I don't know how or when, but it will. I promise." Candela said, stroking his hair softly.

Tyler held her tightly, as if she would disappear if he let go.

"Thank you. So much, for everything." He whispered.

Candela managed to free herself from Tyler, she wiped her face with her palms, and sniffed in, while Tyler stared at her like he had never seen her before.

"What?" Candela asked when she caught him staring.

He shook his head to dismiss the question.

"You know what? It's a New Year, and am not going to let myself." She paused, adjusting herself, "Or you, dwell in the past. Especially since we can't change it. It's gone, he is gone, and we'll be alright." She added, doing her best to comfort herself, and Tyler.

"We'll be alright, we just have to." Tyler repeated.

"Exactly." Candela nodded.

"So now what?" Tyler asked.

"Now—" Candela started.

She took one of the cookies, but unfortunately, got a burnt one and spat it out immediately. Tyler burst out laughing on impulse.

"I forgot these were burnt." Candela said, rubbing her tongue with the napkin.

"Hey, not all of them." Tyler said, picking up one of the cookies.

He put it in his mouth, chewed and spat it out immediately, causing Candela to start laughing.

"Ok, no, these are gross." Tyler said, and took a sip of the milk he came with, to dial down the rusty taste.

"How can you burn them all?" Candela said, picking up the cookies, and trying to spot a good one.

"I don't know, it's not as easy as you think, you know." Tyler defended.