Constellations [Short Story]

The thought did occur that I should tell him how I felt. It was possible I'd never get the chance again. It was even more possible that if I did, it probably wouldn't be as perfect as it could have been right then. 

My heart was racing of course; practically screaming the words at him. I felt the urge to look at him and ask if there was any chance he'd heard it. He probably didn't, but I was sure he could hear what I was thinking.

Either way they were both along the same lines.

"Hey, Haley, is there any chance I could get you to run away with me?" He asked. His voice was serious, and his eyes were sparkling. Midnight blue and the most familiar eyes I was sure I'd ever see.

"Maybe," I told him. "It'd take some convincing." Big lie, but he didn't know that.

"I am very persuasive." He smiled. His smile was like honey; or, at least it made my insides feel that way whenever I saw it. Just before it faded away, I caught myself wishing I could watch him forever.

"I believe you." I said, honest.

And I did believe him. He was the one who convinced me to come out here with him in the middle of the night. Got me to lay down in the tall grass of the huge pond behind his house. Picture perfect. The stars; there were millions and millions of them. We'd tried to count and had given up a while ago.

"You know, I'm leaving soon." He said. I felt the lead built up in my chest. It happened every time I thought about it.

"I know. I think about it all the time."

"You should be happy for me, Haley. Not a lot of people can say they got out of this town." I knew he was right; he always was. It didn't mean, though, that I had to like it. Because I really, really didn't. 

"I am happy for you. And I'll even help you pack." I offered. "But I am still going to miss you."

"Didn't I just say I was taking you with me?"

"I have yet to be convinced."

He laughed. It made me smile big, like it always did. Whenever he laughed, it was like music. A music only I could fully appreciate when it was me that conducted it. A melody. I always had a hard time describing it to other people, the way he makes me feel. 

Whenever I see him; his blonde, floppy hair and his beautiful eyes. When I see him waltz up to me; standing tall and strong. He's always to sure and confident. It's like he knows there's nothing anyone can tell him about himself that he doesn't already know. When I see his tanned skin, and his broad shoulders, I can barely breathe. When he looks at me, it's like someone blew up a million helium balloons inside of me and they threatened to either lift me up or blow me to smithereens. I didn't really care which, as long as the last this I saw was him.

"Chicago isn't that far, Haley. You can come back and visit your family."

"Is this you convincing me?"

"This is me trying."

"Well keep trying."

Another chuckle.

"Don't you want to see the world? You always talk about going to Paris and Hawii."

"What's Chicago have to do with that?" I asked, facing him. I was surprised to see he'd been staring at me the whole time. I felt my face flush and thanked God it was dark.

"It's a start."

I turned my face back to the sky. I didn't know whether or not he knew I would kill to go away with him. One year and I'd be there in Chicago be his side. College was such a big deal here. In small towns like ours, people rarely left. He made me swear to be one of them.