A month and a half passed and I regained my strength and balance back. Soon the Winter Pearl's night arrived. I put on a winter coat, slipping on some boots as a car honk is heard outside.

"Logan! Mrs. Smith is here!"I shout

"Coming!"He says

He comes around the corner of the hallway and I was surprised at the sight of him.

"You don't want to wear a hat?"I ask

He always wears a hat when going out. It's rare and it hasn't been since elementary school that I didn't see him going around wearing a hat.

"Nah..I thought I'd try a new style."He says, getting his coat on

"Okay, let's go."I say, heading out to the car

He locks the door and we go to the car. Mrs. Smith was at the wheel, her daughter Sloane sitting in the shotgun seat with Flora in the seat behind her. Rosaline sat in the back row, only visibly able to see a purple heart necklace around her neck in the dim lighting of the car lights.

"Hey you two! Hop on in!"Mrs. Smith says

"Thank you for giving us a ride, Mrs. Smith."I say as we climb in

"Oh no problem, sweeties! You two went through a lot! You deserve some fun!"She says as Logan shuts the door

She drives us over to the school, where the dance was taking place. We thanked her once again before going inside. The gym was completely transformed from its athletic interior. There were tables with blue cloths over them with seating, food, beverages and such things set along half of it. There was a DJ playing music in a corner with a photo space in another. Blue ribbons line the walls and multi-colored lights danced across the dark room. The other half of the room was a dedicated space for obviously dancing and there were cut outs of stars covered in glitter with a large moon at the center over the windows. People were just getting cozy and having a good time. We go over to a table, setting our coats on the chairs. Then I took a chance to take in the sights of my friends' outfits.

Sloane wore her hair up with a hair-tie holding a bundle of it in a bun, still with her streaks of lavender. Her golden eyes shine in the dark room and she wore a tux-like top with a yellow jewel at the collar with a skirt below it. Both with shades of orange. She had maple-shaded brown boots with black tightly tied laces.

Rosy wore a shoulderless long blue dress. There were various shades of blue, a strip of cloth to wrap around the top to act as sleeves, her necklace resting on it. The bottom of her dress had a darker blue part ripple down, opening like a curtain for a longer, lighter blue that covered her feet. It all shined and twinkled and she looked beautiful. She wore her hair in a short bob, hair covering one eye with faint eye shadow with neutral-colored lipstick. Her smile was charming and sweet as always.

Flora was as happy as she could be. Her hair was in waves, shielding her face which had faint orange eye shadow and lipstick. A crescent shaped green and yellow earring hung from her ear with a similarly colored necklace around her neck. She had a long, Granny Smith Apple green dress that flowed with her movements to show black boots underneath. The sleeves hung just below her shoulders, loose but not loose enough to fall off. Her giggle rang out as her eyes twinkle.

"Aye, Rosy. You really look beautiful in that. And that's a nice new hairstyle. But you may want to watch your step so you don't trip."Sloane says with a wink

"Thank you, I made the dress myself. Trust me, I'll be careful."Rosy says

"Can we go dance now? This is going to be so much fun!"Flora says excitedly

I just smile at them.

"Oh calm down, Sis. We haven't even been here for five minutes yet."Sloane says teasingly

"I'll get drinks."Logan says

Sloane looks to me and leans close to whisper in my ear.

"You may want to be careful, Marilyn. He's looking good and I see girls already checking him out.~"She whispers

I giggle with a shake of my head.

"Yeah, I kind of caught onto that with all the girls at the mall checking out his guitar playing."I say

"Come on Rosy! Let's have fun!"Flora says, pulling Rosy to the dance floor

"You may have to keep an eye on your sister though. Her cheeriness is contagious."I say

"Oh trust me, I know that very well."She says, shaking her head as well

Logan drops off drinks at our table, then goes to explore the transformed gym. I sat with Sloane as we sipped our cups of soda. I notice her gaze trails off to where Logan went. She lets out a soft sigh. I quickly caught onto her behavior and smirk.

"Do I have to keep an eye on you as well?"I ask teasingly

"W-What? NO! Of course not!"She says, quickly sipping from her cup again

I giggle, seeing her cross her arms defensively. I take another sip, watching my friends dance on the dance floor to "Beautiful People" by Ed Sheeran. They look so happy. Some eyes from other crowds or tables trailed to them. I heard whispers with mentions of their names. Words like "beautiful", "gorgeous", "upbeat", "dazzling" and such were included. I saw some girls have to elbow the boys, who I assume to be their boyfriends, to snap them out of staring or practically drooling over the sight of the two, who were busy having too much fun to notice the eyes on them. Questions sprouted from the tables around us, wondering their orientation or sexuality, as well as if they're single or not. Heck, I saw some girls staring at them like the boys and asking these questions too. But one glance to Sloane who was glaring them all down silenced their questions, yet couldn't completely divert the stares away from them.

"Flora just got out of a bad relationship. Don't need somebody else trying to take advantage of her."Sloane huffs

I nod, agreeing.

Then I notice a jerk coming onto the scene. Tyler, the guy who dumped Flora, was creeping closer to her.

"Oh of course NOW he comes looking for her. Damn asshole."I mutter, getting up

I go over to him, stepping in front of him before he could reach Flora. I cross my arms, glaring at him. He steps around me but I cut him off again. Now he looks nervous, realizing I caught onto him.

"Oohhh....Hey Marilyn! How are you doing?"He asks

"Great. But I'd do better if you start going in the opposite direction."I say

"Oh come on! I just want to talk to Flora!"He says

"You had your chance to talk and be with her. You lost it when you dumped her over her interests being too nerdy or whatever for your precious standards, you shallow jerk. Now you come crawling back when she's looking lovely and having fun? I don't think so. Get lost. Or do I have to tell her sister what you're trying?"I tell him, stepping forward so he steps back

"N-No! That is not needed. Message recieved."He says, backing away

"You leave her the hell alone, you got it? She didn't deserve your crap and won't ever deserve it from you again. Just live your life and she'll be happy."I say, glaring into him

He nods before quickly leaving the dance floor.

I walk back over to Sloane and she grins.

"Damn, I think he pissed his pants."She giggles

"Good for him then. I'm not having her good time ruined by someone like him."I say

She nods.

"Heeellloooo, ladies! Lovely evening isn't it?"Marcellus voice says smugly

I look to see him with his brother Raiden walking over in tuxes. Marcellus winks at us with a grin, his brightly dyed hair failing to shine in the darkly lit room. Raiden just smiles, shaking his head and gripping his brother's wrist firmly. Marcellus had finished his detention sessions earlier this month, allowing him to come to the party.

"I was put in charge to make sure he doesn't create another mess."Raiden says proudly, elbowing his brother

"Hey! I'm sorry, okay?"He says

I shake my head as they sit beside us.

"Sooo? Have you gals danced yet? You're both looking lovely. I'd love to get a dance with one of you."Marcellus says with a flirtatious hint in his tone

"Don't you have a girlfriend? Correction, another girlfriend? Veronica, was it?"Sloane replies

He nods.

"I'm sure she won't mind."He says

"I see this one ending soon then.."She mumbles under her breath

"No, we haven't. But Flora and Rosy are having a blast already. I have no clue where my brother snook off to though."I say

"Oh yeah? Where are they? I'd love toooo....Wooaah..."He says, turning in his seat to see the two dancing and instantly getting mesmerized

"Don't even think of anything with my sister."Sloane snaps

He nods, but seems to be in a trance as he continues to stare. I witness his cheeks burn up a bright red. I never have seen him react like this before. Raiden looked just as shocked as me seeing this. Out of all the girls he laid his eyes on or all the girlfriends he has had in the time that we've been in high school, which is a lot, he has never gotten so mesmerized like he is right now or his cheeks getting so red with his eyes twinkling with a new spark of life. Could he be genuinely in love or getting a crush for once? Instead of impulsively going out to spice up the week? And in our friend group of all places!

He snaps out of it, quickly getting up to go over to them. He took Rosy's hands with a smile. We couldn't hear what he was saying but telling by his questioning head tilt, it's probably a request to dance. "Shut up and Dance" by Walk the Moon just so happened to be playing. I see at a nearby table, Veronica was glaring him down already with a jealous tint to her eyes. Rosy looks at Marcellus like he was as crazy as he was acting. She shook her head, gesturing to mentioned girlfriend. He just shrugs and seems to ask the question again. Rosy obviously shook her head again, not wanting to get into that mess. Then another girl, Chelsea, came over and offered to dance. Rosy agreed and the two girls began to dance together while Marcellus got pulled aside by his girlfriend.

"I sense an upcoming break-up."Sloane says

"I'll go see where my brother snook off to."I say

"He can't hide that well so I'm sure you'll easily find him! He's so tall!"Raiden says

I walk around, looking for him. I hear his laugh and go over curiously. I find him towards the back, bending down to wrap and arm around Hugo who was huddled with him and Kelvin, each of them looking happy and amazing in their outfits. Kelvin wore dark blues and purples with his hair drooped over half his face. He had long sleeves that nearly covered up to his fingers. Hugo tamed his wild hair, combing it neatly and looked as happy as ever.

"This place is amazing! I see why it's a tradition! It's so much fun!"Hugo says

"Yeah!"Kelvin says

"Glad you're both enjoying it. You planning on dancing or are you going to stay huddled over here? We do have a table ya know."Logan says

"Heck yeah! I'm going to dance with Flora!"Kelvin says happily

"She's two steps ahead then, already dancing over there."Logan says

"I'll go ask to dance!"Kelvin says eagerly, running off

Logan looks at Hugo, who was now twiddling with his fingers.

"What about you?"Logan asks

"Well...."Hugo says, looking unsettled

"There you are, Bro!"I say, walking over to the two

"Hm?"Logan says

"Raiden and his brother joined us. Marcellus is already in trouble with someone and the moron dared to get near Flora, so I wanted to check on you."I say

"Ohhh, I see. I'll go to the table."He says, winking at Hugo before walking away

I look at him curiously. He was up to something. Then I glance at Hugo, who was just staring at me.

"You...came..."He mumbles

I smirk.

"You decided to join us, huh?"I say

He nods.

"You...look beautiful."He says, his cheeks as red as his hair

"You don't look bad yourself. Come on, our table is this way."I say

He follows me close behind until we got to the table. I take my seat and he looks at the chair beside me, which Marcellus had put his coat on to reserve. He looks around, not seeing Marcellus and shrugs. He moves it to another spare chair and sits down beside me, smiling. We sat there chatting but then I notice a pair of eyes watching us from a distance. I frown.

"Something wrong?"Hugo asks

"Nah, I just think I heard my stomach growl. I'll go get some food. Want anything?"I ask as the rest of our buds went to dance

I notice Sloane going to dance with my brother. Why am I not surprised?

"Anything with veggies or salads or something. I'm not picky."He says

I nod, going over to the buffet area. I get two plates, starting to get some burritos or a taco for Hugo. I was looking at the options for me to have when I felt somebody nudge into my arm. I glance over and frown.

"Buzz off, Jared."I say

"Oh no, I'm not going away. This is my first time seeing you get so close to a naive guy like that. And I saw you save him the other day. How new is this plaything of yours?"He says

"He is not a plaything."I growl at him

"Oh come on! He is wrapped around your finger just like plenty of boys you hung out with before him! Heck look at the dummies in your friend group!"He says

"Exactly, they're my friends. More than I'd ever consider you. Now get out of my way."I say, trying to go down the table

"Ooh! I see what's going on. You're trying to get me jealous with new guys even though you were the one to break things off with me. You could've just come crawling back and told me yourself."He says, grabbing me by the waist

"Hey! Hands off, Narcissius! You're crazy if you think that's the case! You were an ass and too weird with the ages! I was in 6th grade when you were in your junior year! You would've been considered an adult the next year while I was still a minor or starting my teens! No way am I going near you again! How are you even in this school still? Do you fail that bad? Get your hands off of me!"I snap, stomping on his foot

"I don't think so. You're looking so good right now. I'd hate to miss a chance to see-"He begins

"HEY!"A voice yells

I look to see Hugo coming over.

"Oh look, it's Chicken Boy."Jared says

"She said to let her go. So get your dirty hands off of her!"He growls at him

I wrestle and fight until I am free from him. Hugo quickly steps in front of me, blocking me off.

"It would be best for you to leave now."He says

"Oh and what are you going to do?"Jared says smugly

"We could take it outside."Hugo suggests

"Okay, meet you out there."He says, walking out of the gym

I look at Hugo, still holding the plates of food.

"Do not pull that hero shit, Hugo. It is not cool or attractive whatsoever."I say

"I know, but it's just the sort of thing that would feed his ego enough to get him to leave. He thinks it would be an easy win or whatever, but no fight will ensue. How long is it going to take for him to notice? Who cares. But...Who was he?"He tells me

"An ex before I found out that the world isn't all sunshine and rainbows."I say with a shake of my head

"Ohh....Did he pull a Tyler on you?"He asks

"No, I broke it off with him. He's the kind of guy with an ego so big you could see it for miles, so self-absorbed that he can't imagine himself doing wrong or why anyone would want to leave him. Add in the I end it, not you or I say when it's over mentality and there's a problem among many with him. Not the kind of guy you bring to dinner with my father or even to lunch with my brother...Just the worst...."I explain

"How did he treat you?"He asks, fists clenching

"He didn't really care for me....he would be searching for looks, rating girls with their looks to compare to me...He kept attempting to be controlling me or make me break down to nothing, and would basically to objectify me to the point of only being an object for him to show off. If I got an A and he got a B, he'd throw a tantrum. How'd you know he was trouble?"I explain

He grips my shoulder tightly, looking me dead in the eyes with a raging fire behind his gaze. I didn't realize I was shaking as I spoke until he touched me to ground me again. He takes his plate from me and glances around.

"I saw him creeping up behind you and he had a sinister grin on his face.  I will never let him near you again, so help me God....But, what was he bothering you about?"He tells me

"Ever since we broke up, he's been in denial of it. He thinks I am just playing hard to get or whatever he calls it. If he sees me with even a buddy that happens to be a boy, he thinks I'm with them to make him jealous. Calls them playthings or whatever. Here's an insecurity tip. If you have to refer to other guys as playthings or betas and call yourself a real alpha male or better to make yourself feel better, you have a problem. Especially saying this to an ex. He saw me with you and tried to confront me again about it with same disgusting speel. He got the idea in his head that it was yet another attempt to get him jealous so we'd be back together, and was planning to go even further with his plans when you stepped in. Honestly, thank you, Hugo. That could've gone really bad really quick."I say, grabbing some food with him beside me

"Oh..Man, that's really disgusting. How is he even in this school still as a student?"He asks

"His birthday is on a leap year and he has only bothered me really so it's just a large binder of complaints or accusations from me or my friends defending me stacked away in that office. He'd technically be college-age if you count the years back, but with leap years being spaced apart, he doesn't officially have that same age. He will be graduating next year anyway so he won't be my problem anymore. And if he is, then I could file legal complaints of an ADULT stalking, harassing, intimidating, or assaulting me if it comes to that."I explain to him

He nods as we sit back down.

"Sooo, I guess it's good some deer and critter buddies were outside? He'll technically get a fight, just not the one he was looking for. They can tell the difference between good or bad people and they can get very...hostile when a bad person crosses their path."He says, munching on the burrito

"Whatever. I don't care for him."I say

I eat my food and then feel a hand on mine. I glance over to see his hand on mine.

"I see what your father meant now...I'm always going to be here for you, Marilyn. I won't ever let him hurt you."He tells me

I smile at him and we just sat there talking for a bit. He made me smile and laugh and I returned the favor. Everything was going well but then he got really shy, twiddling with the fork on his plate.

"Soo...I was going to ask you if you'd like to-"He begins

Ring ring ring! Ring ring ring!

I look down to see it's a call from Dad.

"I have to answer this. I'll be right back. You can ask me afterwards!"I say

He nods, smiling.

I go into the hall, looking for a quieter place to make the call but gates came down, blocking the rest of the school off. I sigh, going outside as my only real option. I walk along the pavement of the blacktop, soon stepping onto the basketball court. It was a clear night out and the stars shine brightly up above, with the full moon taking center stage in its own spotlight. I answer the call.

"Hey, Dad."I say with a smile

"Hey, Pumpkin. How's the dance going? Legs feeling okay?"He asks

"Great time. I've been sitting when my legs start feeling sore, but it's ok. Logan's having a good time, too."I say

"Oh really? He went too? Usually he dreads that sort of stuff with how crowded it is."He says

"Yep. The gym has more space at the high school than there is in middle school so it's not as cramped. Plus our friends are here so it's more comfortable."I say

"So that's why he wouldn't answer....Who has he danced with?"He asks

"He was vibing with our group, namely Kelvin and Hugo, but went off to dance with Sloane."I reply

"I see..."He says with a snicker

"Dad, I know that tone. Please don't tease him or you'll spook him into not wanting to go to one of these again."I say with a giggle

"Alright, fine. How's the stars there? I can't see the sky since I'm in this small cubicle."He sighs

I glance up, hearing the animals going crazy and Jared yelling around the corner of the building. I step onto the field, getting a better view without the trees in the way.

"It's absolutely beautiful, Dad. Here, let me send you a picture."I say, switching to camera and getting a picture

I send it and smile.

"Wow....That's magnificent, Sweetie."He says once it came in

I smile and he asks about our friends and how they're doing. I answer each question, but hear how tired he sounds. He sounds like he was getting off of a rush from an energy drink or something.

"Dad, how much sleep have you gotten? And how many energy drinks or coffees have you taken to replace it?"I ask

".....A few."He says

"Dad."I say firmly

"Okay maybe a bit more than a few..."He sighs

"And sleep?"I ask

"More drinks than sleep..."He says

"Dad! You know that isn't good for you! I've told you to cut back on that stuff! If you don't care for your health, you can't function! And trust me, your coworkers have come to the house worried about you too for this!"I snap

"You sound like your mother...."He chuckles

"I'm serious, Dad."I say

"Alright, alright...I'll keep it in mind. Do you have a way home?"He asks

"It's not that far, Dad. Logan and I could walk. Or we'll get driven by a friend. Don't worry."I say, then notice shooting stars going across the sky

I pause, amazed at the sight. Then I notice one that just seems to be getting bigger. Than I realize it's coming closer, burning up with sparks as it breaks through the atmosphere. I see a dark shadow at least six times the size of a basketball court center circle cast over me and quickly getting bigger.

"Dad, there's a meteor shower, but this one is different. I have to go-"I tell him, trying to get out from under the shadow

"Ooo! Get a video, they're always so pretty. I could tell you a story about your mother and I going to-"He says

BOOOOM!x8

I thought I'd feel extreme pain from the impact, but I felt nothing. Everything went a bright array of colors before going to white. Then it felt like I had woken up from a dream, jolting upward with myself gasping for breath. I look around, seeing a dark blue to the near point of black surrounding me.

"Where.....Am I?"I wonder aloud

It echoes into the empty space. Then a wisp of light blue zips around me, dancing with the faint sound of a giggly squeal. It zips a few feet from me, swirling as it grew bigger and bigger. It took a shape of a star before forming a silhouette of a person. Then the person took shape in front of me. A tall, thin lady in a red dress. She had light skin with eyes and hair the color of Logan's but was longer and wavy like mine. She had freckles across her face with a heart-shaped locket necklace around her neck with a golden chain. The blue silhouette seems to glow behind her, seperating her from the dark space. Her smile was so gentle and sweet.

She looks just like Dad described my mother in our bedtime stories. Instead of nursery rhymes or whatever before bed, he'd tell stories of our mother or how they fell in love. Or he'd substitute them into fairytales to make it easier to tell with a happily ever after. She looked like the tale of their first meeting, where he saw her prancing about in a lovely red dress without a care and her hair flowing behind her. Her kind eyes, charming smile and her bubbly laugh lured him in. He had never seen someone like her. He called it love at first sight. And she seemed to know it as well. She was bold enough to go up to him in the middle of the crosswalk and ask for his name, number, and a trip to the nearest Starbucks right then and there. That was the start of their beautiful relationship according to Dad.

It hit me that this lady IS my mother. The mother that Logan lost before he was old enough to get to know her. To even remember her clearly. The mother that I lost at the age of four. The one my father loved so dearly and can't replace. Here she is, right in front of me.

She seems to make the same realization about me, gasping with tears coming to her eyes.

"Marilyn...My precious little angel...You've grown so much. It's truly amazing. I wish I could've been there for you..."She says softly

"M-Ma.....Mom!"I exclaim, staring at her at shock and tears even reaching my eyes

"Aww, please do not cry...That'll make me cry. And I am known for my ugly cry."She teases, approaching me slowly and kneeling beside me

I wipe my tears.

"Dad leaves that part out then..."I say

"How is your father? Still overworking himself?"She asks

I nod and she laughs. Her laugh is much sweeter than I remember or imagined...

"That man...Is truly something else...I've tried to watch over you but time can be limited, ironic as it could be in the afterlife..."She sighs

"What....Happened to you, Mom? Nobody will speak of it...And Dad already has enough to worry about so I don't go near that topic..."I say

"Well, let's just say that not everyone is pleased with a happily ever after ending. They can do crazy things to end that, but you don't need to worry about that. My my you've really got your father's eyes...Such a lovely daughter. I'm so proud of you, Marilyn. How's your brother? Does he still have the guitar I made for him when he's older?"She asks, feeling my cheek softly

"He plays it every day. He loves it. I wish you could hear him play, he sounds wonderful...He is doing good. He came into my high school and is enjoying the first dance.."I say

"That's wonderful, Sweetie! Now I want you three to know that I love you all with all my heart. I will always be here for you, my dears. I promise."She says

"O-Okay...But Mom? Where is here? What's going on?"I ask, glancing at the empty space around us

"Hmm, I'm not exactly sure...This is certainly a different kind of meteor shower or shooting stars...You were hit with a new rare crystal...Which may be giving this opening for us to talk! It's a blessing to have this time with you, though!"She says, seeming to be as optimistic as possible

She hugs me to calm me down as this all settles into my mind.

"Oh, and that boy that bothered you? Jared? I'll visit him in hell some day. He disgusts me. I won't ever let a boy like that get their nasty hands on my precious little girl. But that animal whisperer...Hugo? He's wonderful! And trust me, I met his grandmother. She loves you already with her grandson! Oo! That gives me an idea!"She says

She reaches behind her neck and unclips her necklace. She reaches behind my neck and I hear a click. The locket drops against my chest gently, glowing slightly.

"It's time I give this to you, my angel. It's been passed through my family for decades and I would've loved to give it to you at our little home but this still fits. Whenever you miss me or wish to speak, just hold that locket close. I and your ancestors will be there for you, giving all our love."She says sweetly

I open the locket and see a picture of our family. Her with Dad holding little 2 year old me with baby Logan in their arms with smiles. I had a protective arm around Logan, careful with him even then. His eyes were barely open but his smile was cute.

"Ma..."I say softly

"It's okay, my dear. You'll do just fine. I love you."She says

I started feeling something pushing down on my chest. They were quick and firm. Our surroundings start to brighten as it all fades away.

"Oh! Looks like our time is up! I'll see you again soon, my sweet Marilyn!"She says before fading away

It all went away and a bright white light blinded me.

Then I opened my eyes and gasped for air again. The first thing I see is the night sky. Then I feel my body's soreness. I turn my head carefully, seeing I was several feet down in the ground in some sort of crater, pieces of rubble and rocks around me. I feel two hands pumping into my chest still. I look to see Hugo doing compressions into my chest quickly.

"Come on....Wake up....Come on..."He mutters

"Hugo..?"I say, my voice weaker and soft as I seemed to struggle to take air in

He looks at me and his eyes twinkle again. He pulls me close to him, hugging me and burying his head into my shoulder. His body trembled like he is weeping. I see bright blue crystal-like rocks fade into my arms and legs through my clothes, a fading glow being the only thing to hint to where they were.

"Hugo...? How....long was I out?"I ask

"I dunno! I heard a big crash and booming from outside and my critter friends were going wild, so I thought Jared did something crazy! I came out here and found you knocked out in a hole in the ground with all these rocks around you and I panicked! I didn't know what to do so I just hopped down and tried to get you to breathe and wake up! I'm so glad you're okay!"He tells me in tears

I wipe his tears gently. He smiles, scooping me up and leaping out of the hole. I find my phone laying a few feet away, knocked away from the crash site. Hugo sets me down so I pick it up to find it cracked in a corner but not much else. Thank you protective casing. I turn it on, finding the call with my dad had automatically ended.

Shoot...He's probably freaking out....

I frown and shake my head, tucking it in a pocket before walking inside. I find Logan running out on his phone.

"Marilyn! Thank goodness! Dad's being panicking over the phone on a call with me about you! What the heck happened?"He asks

"I'm....not quite sure...."I say

"Well at least you're okay. The party is winding down. Let's grab our things and regroup with our friends."He says

I feel Hugo holding my hand firmly. I look at him and smile sweetly.

"It's okay now, Hugo. What were you going to ask me?"I say to try to reassure him

He says nothing, shaking his head as if to dismiss it.We go into the gym and I grab my coat from my chair, throwing my empty plate away. My friends were all giddy and chatty or looking exhausted. We start heading to the exit.

"Hey, Marilyn! Nice necklace!"Rosy says

I look down to see my mother's necklace physically wrapped around my neck, the locket shining in the moonlight.

"Oh.....Thanks..."I say, gently feeling the locket gently

What did this starry night get me into?

TBC