Chapter 16 - The Stars Between Us

AS WE ALL settled down on our blankets under the wide-open sky, the stars were beginning to dot the heavens. My trekking group was on one side of the huge grassy space, while other people and families were on the grass but further away. If someone looked down from the sky just then, the whole lot of us might have looked like a constellation ourselves.

Everyone was getting comfortable, laughing and chatting as the stars began to twinkle above us. I shot Finn a look— he was casually leaning back, arms folded behind his head, a smug grin plastered on his face like he'd just won the lottery or something.

Ugh.

He caught my glare and, of course, he grinned even wider. No sympathy. Not even a tiny, microscopic bit.

There was a hushed blanket of awe-filled murmuring that went through our group as we finally could see the stars clearly. The clouds seemed to disappear as the night hurtled to its true form.

And I had to start.

Any second now.

Ahem. I cleared my throat, wondering how I could start this buffoonery. "Is that...?" I started, pointing to a random constellation that caught my eye.

"I think it might be that dipper one," Yumi said, studying the guide that the hotel had given us.

But I shook my head. "Nah," I tried to ignore the slight wobble in my voice, "That is most definitely the one and only... ah, but of course... the Great Spaghetti Strainer."

Renzo burst out laughing immediately, and Jolene slapped a hand over her mouth to keep from snorting.

Maybe I shouldn't have stuffed my face like that at dinner because clearly the way to my inspiration was through my stomach.

I pressed on, determined to get through this. "It's said that ancient chefs used to make sure their spaghetti was al dente by, um, throwing it at the stars. If it stuck, it was done. If it didn't, well... try again next millennium."

I plastered on a grin and added jazz hands for effect. Because what I'd spewed right then made absolutely. No. Sense.

But Yumi, bless her, nodded seriously like she was learning something new and profound. "That's actually so cool. Precision cooking, even in the stars."

I smiled weakly.

"And over there," I continued, pointing to another group of stars, "we have the... Flying Broccoli! Apparently, it was created when a bunch of health-conscious wizards decided that they needed to remind people to eat their greens. So naturally, they enchanted, um, broccoli to fly around the world, dropping into people's soups and salads." What?

"You know," Isla piped up, "there's a theory that some vegetables, like broccoli, are actually government creations to keep us docile. Like, maybe those wizards were onto something."

"That explains a lot," Bryon said. "It's also why I only grow organic broccoli. Keeps the government out of my garden."

"Same," Abigail agreed, looking genuinely relieved.

There had to be something in the food. Like, there just had to be.

But still, I couldn't help but laugh. Finn caught my eye, his mouth quirking up in a small smile, and I blushed, my smile widening inexplicably.

That seemed to start something, a chain reaction of events. I was starting to relax, especially with everyone jumping in with their own stories. Edna pointed at the sky. "Over there is the Holy Hairbrush. Legend says that if you wish upon it, you'll never have a bad hair day again. It's the holy grail of hair care."

Priscilla nodded, clearly approving. "As long as it's cruelty free."

"Naturally," I said politely, smiling with all thirty-two teeth and trying to keep any sarcasm out of my voice -- and probably failing.

As we continued, laughter rippled through the group, and I started to forget that this was all a dare. It felt like a game now, a silly, wonderful game under the stars. And then, just when I thought I was off the hook, Finn piped up.

"Don't forget the Star-Crossed Gardener," he said, voice smooth and teasing. "They're the ones who plant flowers in the sky every night so you can never forget how beautiful things can grow... in the most unexpected of places."

My eyes flitted to his, a strange warmth blossoming in my chest, and I felt a grin tugging at my lips despite myself. "That ones definitely Bryon's territory, though," I said, thinking. "He'd have those flowers blooming in no time."

Bryon nodded proudly. "You've just got to treat them with love and the right amount of fertilizer, you know."

Oh, this guy.

Everyone was laughing, and as I looked around, I realized I was too. What had started as a mortifying dare had turned into the most funniest, most unexpected highlights of the trip. Finn caught my eye again from across the group, all grins, and my heart seemed to swell.

In the dark, I shuffled over to him, sitting close as he made space for me on the blanket he was sitting on. "That constellation," I said lowly, pointing right at him, "is the Nighttime Mischief Maker." He grinned, raising his eyebrows. "Legend has it," I continued, "That he's always up to something. Better watch out for your wallets, plants, and maybe..."

He chuckled, nodding for me to continue. "Mhm?"

"And maybe... Your hearts, too."

His grin softened as he met my eyes. "Guilty as charged. And do I have your heart, Miss A.B.?"

I shrugged, looking up at the sky as I bit back a smile. "Yes, no, maybe? But I guess you're not half bad."

I could feel his eyes on me, and I could hear the grin in his voice as he just monotonously replied, "Ah, ever so optimistic, our dearest glass-half-empty Almond Baba."

I burst out laughing at that, covering my mouth to tame it down as Finn, tongue in his cheek, reassured everyone that, no, I wasn't choking on anything, and that yes, I was still sane.

As everyone went back to the conversation and my laughter started to cool down, I snuck a look at Finn when he wasn't looking. There it was again: the light in his eyes and the playful twist of his lips. He really was trouble, but maybe... just maybe, I didn't mind it so much.

After a beautiful night of stargazing (after all the absurd story telling, we did get around to talking about the real gorgeous constellations), I almost didn't want to get up and pack the next morning.

But this day would be an important one, because we were close to reaching the summit of our trek.

We trekked and trekked and trekked some more, for almost three days. And each day seemed to prove Anaril's beauty some more, for this mountain town seemed to be wholly ethereal as all ten of us walked under the hazy pink skies and lazy grey clouds. The plants got more and more crusted with frozen dew drops as we traveled up the low but far-stretching mountain.

Finally, we reached the summit.

We cheered and cheered and cheered some more until our throats were raw. All of us stood hand in hand upon the towering summit, the wind just tugging at our hair and the sun just beginning to dip into the horizon. The star cast everything in warm hues of gold and pink, and the view past the mountain was incredible, too— rolling hills stretching as far as the eye could see, capped with frost that sparkled under the sun's fading light. It was the kind of beauty that made you feel small in the best possible way.

At that moment, the entire trek leading up to this moment felt like a blur. It was the combination of breathless anticipation and determination, and I felt truly alive.

We all stood there, just taking it all in for a moment, any exhaustion from all the hiking simply melting away in the face of such awe. We then started clicking pictures of everything: the view, the group, even a few close-ups of a curious chipmunk that seemed to be posing just for us. Isla had gone off on a tangent about how this place must be a hotspot for UFO sightings. Bryon, of course, was already down on his hands and knees, examining some alpine flowers and muttering something about high-altitude pollination.

I was content to just stand there, breathing it all in and fondly watching everyone having fun, when Finn's voice broke through my thoughts.

"Carol!" I turned towards his voice, finding him crouched down off to the side near some really small shrubs while brushing away some dirt from what looked like a weathered piece of wood.

"It's Cora-" I started to say as I walked over, but then shut up as I remembered him talking about some treasure on the train ride to Anaril. "Oh wait," I murmured as I reached him, "you might have been right..."

He met my eyes with a smile. "About your name being Carol?"

I rolled my eyes, biting back a laugh. "You know what I mean."

I knelt beside him and together, we cleared away the rest of the dirt, revealing an old wooden box, half-buried and slightly weather-worn. With a glance at each other, we opened it, half expecting to find some long-lost relic or ancient artifact. Instead, nestled inside was a single piece of parchment, carefully folded and yellowed with time.

Finn unfolded it, and we both read the words together:

"Treasure every moment shared, for the true wealth lies in the time spent together, and the bonds we form. Friendship is the greatest treasure of all time."

Hmm.

It was a sweet message, honestly, and it did tug at my heart a little. But as I looked at Finn, I could see the same thing reflected in his eyes that I was feeling— we'd both been expecting something... more. Perhaps a chest full of gold coins or at least some ancient trinket. I saw his lips twitch, and that was all it took.

The next thing I knew, we were both laughing, the kind of laughter that starts small but builds quickly, unstoppable and freeing. It felt good, like all the tension from the climb and everything else just evaporated into the crisp mountain air.

When we finally calmed down, I wiped at my eyes and looked at him. "Guess we found the real treasure, huh?" I said, trying to keep a straight face.

"Yes," he replied, his grin wide and infectious. "And what was it that we'd said? Fifty-fifty? Seventy-thirty? Nah, I call eighty-twenty on this, final. What do you say?"

I grinned. "As long as I get the eighty."

We put the box back, deciding that it should stay there for the next person to find. Then we made our way back to rejoin the rest of the group. We spent some time up there, the ten of us just hanging out.

And of course, Renzo was hungry, and of course, I had a snack for him. This time was a new nickname, to match the charm on my bracelet: "Thank you so much, Cora-bear." (Like Care Bear, get it?).

And Finn was all, "Oh, so now that's fine but Cora the Explorer isn't?" And of course, I had to chase him down because he'd reminded me of it.

Other than those shenanigans (or maybe, including them, too), there was something the moment on the summit as a whole, with everyone, that felt like it would stay with me long after the trek was over.

And maybe that 'treasure' message, as cutely cheesy as it was, had a point after all.

♢◍⛺◍♢

Afterwards, we'd all headed down to pack everything properly at a nearby hotel, where a taxi would come to pick us up and drop us off at the train station. At the train station, as we waited for our separate trains, we exchanged phone numbers and even made a group chat for our trekking group. (Even Priscilla was nice and said that she'd miss my penchant for getting lost in the woods; it was downright the nicest thing she's said to me).

Jolene, Renzo, Finn and I were on the same train together, the trip finally over, and for some reason, the entire feeling was surreal. Already I was starting to feel this weird nostalgia taking over me, and I couldn't help but lean against the seat and watch the other three's antics with a fond smile. The rhythmic clattering of the train wheels against the tracks was oddly soothing (and this is how I knew that the nostalgia was definitely making me deranged).

Our compartment was filled with laughter and teasing jokes and grumbled responses, but then came the shock.

It'd caught my attention when Renzo mentioned something about Lorentown (which is a town further from Bayport), and my head snapped up from where I was just watching the scenery outside the window.

"Are you all going somewhere?" I asked curiously, and Jolene smiled.

"Yeah, I'd promised Kyle a road trip to Sunset Valley," she said, then nodded at Renzo. "He's going to some chess tournament thing with his frat group, and good ol' Finneas Ryder is attending a friend's wedding." She shuffled over to my side, giving me a light kiss on my cheek. "I'll miss you Cora, for the summer. But you better be sure that I'm going to come visit you in your big city." And then when she moved back to her seat, her eyes slightly teared up, even though she tried really hard not to show it ("Old train, lots of dust," she muttered hastily. "Stupid, stupid dust.").

"Full schedule for you guys then, hmm?" I said softly. "And I don't have much until a friend's bachelorette party I have to attend... but wow, we're all going in wildly separate ways, huh?"

Renzo gave me a smile then. "Who's going to make sure that I'm fully energized with hands-down the best snacks ever?"

"I still will," I said adamantly, and Renzo grinned fondly.

"And I believe you, Cora-bear," he said, and I almost burst into tears right then and there, because I knew that for the rest of the summer, and maybe even the fall and winter, too, I would only hear Renzo say that over the phone.

"You better," I said instead, trying to sound threatening even though the only things being threatened right now were my tear ducts by my feelings. Not fun.

"Yeah, you better," Finn added, pretending to look unsettled and leaning slightly away from me. I shoved his shoulder, laughing, and the sad tension in the air broke.

As the three of them continued talking, I returned to my thoughts and stared out the window like a depressed witch on Halloween. I looked at the passing scenery again but I wasn't really seeing it. And then, a laugh from one of them startled me, and I looked back to catch sight of Finn.

I swallowed, suddenly unable to look away.

He was deep in conversation with the other two, his voice low and easy. There was a burst of laughter from them, and it sent a strange flutter through my chest.

I pulled my eyes away. It wasn't the first time I'd felt it, but I'd always brushed it off as excitement of nerves from the trip. After all, Finn had been there for it all— the joking, the teasing, the quiet moments we shared with a laugh or grin. He was a constant presence, always just within reach.

But now...

I glanced at him again, catching sight of his profile as he talked about something animatedly.

His hand then moved through his hair, that easy, familiar gesture I'd seen a hundred thousand times before. But only now did it hit me: why did I notice that every time? And why did it make me smile?

And why, now that the trip was over and we were going in separate directions, did it feel like something was slipping away?

My chest tightened, realization washing me over like a tidal wave, overwhelming and absolutely unexpected.

I liked him.

As in, like liked him.

Not just as a friend, not just as the guy who made me laugh or who teased me into stepping out of my comfort zone. I liked him more than that. Way more than that.

Like, a full on tidal wave of a raging crush.

Oh.

Oh.

It wasn't until now that I could see it clearly. Maybe it was the thought of not seeing him every day, not sharing those little arguments and then quiet smiles afterward, that made it all just fall into place. The idea of him being just a beautiful memory from my summer this year made me want to cartwheel out of the moving train.

I leaned back in my seat, trying to process it all. How had I been so blind to this? I remembered the moment in Amaranth's house, the night of the feast. When we'd been so close, too close, but not close enough and I wondered what would happen if he kissed me. My heart ached to think about it now because then, back in that moment, it was just an intrusive thought at most.

But now? Every conversation we'd had, every time he made me feel that I was enough for this world, every time he was there without expecting anything in return, it all connected to when I'd first met him sans whipped cream in my hot chocolate order, and every moment after that. It all molded into a beautiful person named Finn, and now... He was here. I was here. But it was too late, wasn't it?

Maybe I didn't give it much thought before because, during the trip, everything felt so natural. He was just...

Finn.

Annoying, funny, charming, kind Finn.

But without the backdrop of mountains and adventure, the thought of now leaving him behind, of going back to how things were before, felt almost unbearable.

Just then, Finn caught me looking at him and flashed me that grin, the one that made my heart skip a beat, even before I knew why.

I forced a smile in return, hoping he couldn't see the utter turmoil (I turn poetic and dramatic when sad, I'm sorry) in my eyes.

I turned back to the window, thinking, Okay. This was salvageable. Not much had happened. After all, I just liked him.

Okay. Fine. I really, really liked him.

A/N: 🏃‍♀️💫

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