A Million Little Stars || Carter Hart

chapter 1

It's like a million little stars spelling out your name.

"I find it hard, y'know? To just fall for someone. I don't know, when I read a book, I can instantly feel with them, but when I actually meet someone, I never wanna fully invest into something. I don't know".

I don't know. She said that a lot. But in this case it was actually true because she had no idea how she ended up like this;
sitting on the grass drinking grapefruit juice out of plastic champagne flukes, stroking a cute boys' brown hair in her lap, talking of love.

But it was nice. Not just nice, she felt lightheaded and intimate and fulfilled, and above all, she barely knew this guy, only that he had a cute tired look on his face.

The sky was clear that night and when they found this spot he said something about seeing something in the stars, like were in just the right position. She thought he was an idiot for saying that. It took a couple of hours, but then she thought he was right.

a couple of days before

She had found her seat easily, and since then she was nervously awaiting the start. It was her first hockey game and she was awfully early, and it didn't help that she was alone. Her best friend was supposed to be in the seat next to her, but she fell ill and stayed home.

As the teams started warm up, she relaxed more, subconsciously munching away at the nuts and raisins she brought into the arena. The players weren't too familiar to her, not from the red wings nor the flyers.

The game itself was exciting; the announcers introduced the new flyers goalie and maybe it was him that broke the losing streak that, she learned, went on for the last four games. She sat behind the goal that occupied by the Flyers for period one and three, relatively close to the glass, cursing herself for ducking a little when the puck came flying her way.

After the game, she waited in the parking lot. Her best friends' dad promised to pick her up, but 40 minutes passed, and she still sat on a curb waiting.

"I'm sorry, but if you want to hitch a ride, you should try the main street", a guy behind her said. His words were sarcastic, but when she turned she saw a boy with wet hair and a chipper look on his face.

"My ride should be here any minute", she answered, getting up. "At least I hope so".
"Hi. My name is Carter Hart", he said cheerful and she shook his hand, his glee making her smile.

He pushed his huge hockey bag further up his shoulder waiting. She then remembered. "I'm Tally". He laughed a little.

"Tally your real name?" He thought it sounded cute.

"No, actually, it's short for Nathalie."

"I like both"

"I'm sorry, but you're the goalie, right? How rude, congratulations on the win", Tally said, only then realizing who she was speaking to.

He brushed it off like it was nothing, but she noticed how he was full of adrenalin, shifting from foot to foot and closer to her. She felt small next to him. Not that he was gigantic, but he looked confident with a winning smile on his face, while she stood there in his shadows, having paws instead of hands, with the Flyers sweater of her friend that was oversized on her, falling to mid-thigh and beyond her fingertips.

Just then a car pulled up, her ride.

"I'll go now", she smiled, sticking around a second longer to let him say something. And he did.

"Hey, I have a game here in two days. You wanna come, and maybe do something afterwards?" He looked less confident but hopeful.

"I don't have tickets though"

"Its alright I put your name on the list, Nathalie – "

"Campbell" She flushed a smile. "Alright, I see you then?"

"Right here after the game ?" She nodded and got into the car. Carter stood there as he heard a man – maybe her father – say 'Hey T' before she closed the door and they drove off. He felt a little off. Like she had knocked him out of his stride. The NHL was all new to him and with this tiny girl confusing him even more, he really hoped there actually was some list he could put her name on. What was it again? Nathalie Campbell. Tally. He did not want to forget, but he was quite sure he wouldn't.