In My Heart // GAWSTEN

To the Stars

Awsten grinned when Geoff met him on the staircase. "So you wanna go to a real party?"

---

The music was so enthusiastic that it was though it had come alive. Fiddles, drums, mandolins, harmonicas, bagpipes – steerage had it all. It wasn't nearly as dreadful or depressing as Geoff had imagined. Actually, it was quite fun. Geoff was sure he'd never seen so many smiling people in one place.

He sipped a beer as he watched Awsten spin around and around the smoky room with a little girl named Grace, who couldn't have been older than five. Her dark curls bounced wildly under her hair bow as she looked at Awsten like he'd put all the stars in the sky. Geoff could hear her giggles even over the music.

The song ended, and Awsten bowed to the little girl. She curtseyed messily, and when she smiled, Geoff noticed that one of her front teeth was missing. He knew he was supposed to want to take her up to first class with him, make sure she was clean and comfortable and that she had enough to eat, but Geoff was sure that he'd never laid eyes on a single child in his whole life in first class of anything looking so happy and free. He would never take that away from her.

"I'm gonna dance with him now, alright?" Awsten said to the girl, pointing over at Geoff.

She nodded.

Awsten stuck out his hand. "Come on."

Geoff looked at him with wide eyes.

"Come on! Come with me."

"Awsten..."

"We have to get a bit closer," Awsten noted, pulling Geoff toward him until their bodies were pressed together. "Like this." Awsten glanced at the little girl, who was watching with a pout on her lips. "You're still my best girl, Gracie," he promised.

She smiled a little.

"Go find your brothers, huh? I'm sure Jay will dance with you even if Nate won't."

She nodded and disappeared.

The music started, this song even quicker than the last. Everyone started moving together, and Geoff grabbed tightly onto Awsten. "I don't know the steps!"

Awsten grinned. "Neither do I! Just go with it. Don't think."

"Wait, Awsten - Awsten, wait!"

But it was too loud, and they were already flying across the dance floor with all the other couples. Geoff took Awsten's advice and let go of his thoughts. He just moved with the music, following Awsten's lead as they spun wildly.

Pretty soon, Awsten pulled them up onto a table. Geoff kicked off his shoes so he could dance better, and everyone was cheering for him, the man in the fancy tuxedo at their third class party.

Geoff couldn't remember ever laughing so much in his life.

---

After the dance, there was arm wrestling and enough beer to get an army drunk. Awsten grabbed a glass for himself and one for Geoff, too, and he stared in surprise as Geoff chugged more than half the liquid in one gulp.

At his shocked expression, Geoff smirked and said, "What, you think a first class boy can't drink?"

Awsten bit his lip and grinned.

All of a sudden, Fabrizio was darting past him, the last on a chain of dancers all hooked together. He grabbed Geoff's hand, and Geoff grabbed Awsten's, and they were off again.

---

"I had hoped you would come to me last night," Cal said over tea the next morning.

"I was tired," Geoff lied.