We Are Stars | OLD DRAFT

Chapter Thirteen: Slow Drive

As we run, I feel my heartbeat dance with adrenaline, my feet kissing the land with every large stride I take. My golden locks prance on the end of my neck, catching the breeze. We run like viscous waves colliding with the shore line, strong and powerful. Silas runs beside me but his pace soon quickens, almost outrunning the rest of the group. Everyone one of his strides equal to about two of mine, but I don't care. I haven't lived this kind of moment in a long time. My heart is strong and I no longer feel weak. As I'm running, I feel free, and I smile at this thought.

The parking lot comes into view, along with our vehicles. Maxi, Felix, and Ashley all gather into the large pickup truck, whereas Silas and I jump into my car. I fasten myself into the passenger seat as he gets into the driver's. Before setting off, Silas motions a goodbye to his friends and I do the same. Soon enough, all of us are off of school grounds and hit the open road.

Inside of the car, both of us are panting and sweating like pigs. At the same time, we're both laughing. "That was seriously the craziest thing I've ever done!" He cries excitedly, still panting like crazy.

"I can't believe that actually worked! I didn't think they were gonna fall for that," I say.

"Yeah, I'm actually shocked that it worked. I thought we'd be in handcuffs by now."

I laugh again, clutching my chest. "You and me both." Once I regain control of my heartbeat, I lie back against the seat and close my eyes, trying to relax. This has to be one of the most derotic moments of my life. I never imagined that I would feel alive at a moment like this. In fact, I've never felt more alive. "God, how did we even pull that off?"

"What do you mean?" Silas asks.

"I mean when did you get so good at lying? Those cops didn't suspect a thing," I say. Back there, it was like Silas didn't even have to try. Every word was precise without a hint of dishonesty. That's one of the things about him that I can relate to: both of us know how to lie.

He keeps his eyes on the road as he speaks. "I may or may not have taken some action classes in my early years," he says.

I look at him with skepticism. "No way."

"Yup. It's true. Back in middle school, acting was kinda an obsession of mine," Silas explains with a shy smirk. My expression still reads disbelief and he laughs. "Yes, I was a cliche theatre geek."

"Was?" He smiles fades. As does mine. "What happened?"

He rotates the steering wheel to the left and the car turns to the left, now traveling down another road. I won't say anything more until he answers this one question. And soon enough, he answers, "Life happened."

After that brief conversation, the two of us sit within the realm of quiet. As Silas drives, I turn my head to the window and lean my forehead against the cold glass. The sky is now clear and the stars cast white fire upon the dominating black seas. We drive for what seems like ages, for time is a fantasy in the kingdom of night. You can just get lost in its beauty and stay forever hostaged in its cage of constellations. If night was a prison, I'd commit any crime to be convicted.

I don't even realize that I'm in the driveway of my house. I perk my head up and see Silas with his hands off the wheel and his eyes narrowed downwards. "Something up?" I ask, followed by a yawn. It's strange, asking him that. I never thought that I would care about how he feels.

His eyes blink once at the sound of my question, but his face remains blank. "None of it's true, you know."

My eyebrows fall. "None of what's true?"