The Stars Were Bright

Prologue

The wind whipped me repeatedly across my face,as if to punish me for being so foolish,the muddy water striking at my feet.I cursed the weather as I couldn't see well,so I kept tripping.And there was the matter of my hearing failing me as the thunder roared,and my illness started to kick in.My vision was starting to blur and I could see nothing but endless green.I tried to ignore the cold the best I could,hugging my arms as I ran.

No,no,no,NO!He's catching up.Curse my stupid illness for acting up now,curse everything!

I ran faster,faster than I thought my legs could manage.When I thought I was far enough,I took shelter in a wayside pavillion to take a breather.No one seems to be around.Good.I sat down on the bench,twiddling my fingers.I wanted to cry at all this unfairness.I didn't want to lie to him,I really didn't.But his father was right.I could never be at their level,I can never be fit to be with him.I want to run to him,tell him it's not true,but here I am,running away from him instead.

Footsteps fell to a stop gracefully beside me,and looking at the shoes,I recognised who it was instantly,and cursed myself for not noticing earlier.The rain outside started to pound harder,as if to remind me what was happening now.

"Asteria.You were lying,weren't you?I could tell.Please stop.Why did you say that?

"There is nothing more to say other than the fact that I led you on,tricked you.Nikos,please go home."

"I'm not leaving without hearing a proper explanation."I wanted to cry.He didn't realise that his father asked me to do it,and I agreed,didn't realise that the gap between our worlds was this big.

"I already told you.I never loved you,and didn't want to lead you on further.I felt so guilty."Even to myself,I sounded so flat,so....lacking of life.

In a blink of the eye,he was suddenly in front of me,grabbing my shoulders.He clenched his hands tight on them,yelling at me,"Come to your senses,goddammit!I know you're lying,because I can tell!"

I refused to meet his eyes,refused to answer him,because I didn't know how.What could I possibly answer?I couldn't tell him the truth,but he refuses to accept my lies.So I walked away.

Even as I walked away,I couldn't help but want to look at his face one last time.I stopped in my tracks,wiping my tears from my face before I turned around.He looked so angry,he looked so sad,I could feel my heart wrench and waddle up into a tight ball before bursting.He yelled at me from where he stood,"Fine,be that way,you idiot!Why must you be so damn stubborn?!All I want to know is the truth!Where has my right to learn the truth gone,huh?"I wanted to crawl into a hole and just die already.I was hurting him,hurting myself,but I honestly think this is for the best.I wished our worlds weren't quite so large...if only....if only......

Unable to look at his face further,I turned around,still unable to answer him.My vision swam back and forth in front of me,and my mind was like a whirlwind.The noises around me ,the pounding of the torrent of rain,the roaring of the thunder,started to grow dimmer...and dimmer....and dimmer..... 

No.Not now.

No matter how much I blinked,my vision refused to clear,and I was starting to walk like a drunkard.It cannot,absolutely cannot,happen now.I pleaded,prayed to the gods above,that I simply cannot pass out now.It can't happen in front of him.But it was no use.I was already falling to the ground.

Afterimages of a pair of slender legs and red sneakers waved in and out of my vision,closing in on me with every second.And with that every passing second,my panic grows.He bent over and picked me up,carrying me bridal style.Why do you still care,I wanted to scream,why?

My head lolled back unwillingly,allowing me to have a full view of his face.I raised a blurry hand,as if to caress his cheek,but then I remembered my situation and my hands fell back.