Stars

“What’s on your mind?” Rachel asked when the blue-haired girl raised her hand as if she could have grabbed the sky.

“Hmm?” Chloe lazily mumbled. They were lying down on an old mattress they had found and cleaned in the junkyard. The mattress was now fit into the empty backside of Chloe’s truck. Rachel covered her body with Chloe’s jacket, while the other girl was comfortable with her t-shirt.

A slow music was playing through the speaker Rachel had brought. Chloe’s music would be too harsh for the quite night, so they had both agreed that Rachel’s ‘less-daring’—as Chloe had said, playlist would be played.

Not having the answer she desired, Rachel turned to look at Chloe’s blank face. “Chloe Price,” Rachel shifted closer. “What is it?”

“The stars,” Chloe answered after several seconds.

“What about it?”

“I’m thinking about your words about the stars.”

“The one about which constellation would be visible this month?”

“Of course not,” Chloe rolled her eyes, withdrawing her hand.

“So?” Rachel said after giggling.

They were now back to staring at the sky above. Without words, Rachel’s hand slipped into Chloe’s as they listened to the ending music that was now replaced by another melody.

“You said that the stars were already dead a million years ago,” Chloe said, suddenly serious.

“And you said they were still beautiful,” Rachel continued, looking at how beautiful the stars were tonight. It was much better than lying on her bed, staring at the fake stars her lamp created.

“Yeah,” Chloe’s voice died down again with that. After a minute of comfortable silence, Chloe started again, “I was thinking about Max.”

Rachel didn’t respond to that, so Chloe continued, “I always thought that our friendship had died when she stopped contacting me like a year ago, but then I remembered your words about the stars. Just like the stars, even though our friendship has died, it doesn’t affect the fact that the moments I had with her are beautiful.”

“Do you miss her?” Rachel asked, a hint of jealousy in her voice.

Noticing the jealousy in Rachel’s voice, Chloe put her arm under Rachel’s head and pulled her closer. Rachel was now lying on her side, staring at Chloe’s dangling bullets. “Occasionally,” Chloe snuggled a little, as if telling the girl in her arms not to be jealous. “But you know, if she hadn’t left Arcadia Bay, I might have not met you.”

Rachel chuckled. “Chloe Price, we went to the same school.”

“Yeah, but if I hadn’t been so alone, you wouldn’t have asked me to ditch class that day.”

“Hmm,” Rachel hummed.

“And I might have not been the person I am now.”

“Really? What are you now?”

“Um... The blue-haired girl who is lucky enough to be together with the beautiful and hot Arcadia Bay’s infamous DA’s daughter?”

“Stop that!” Rachel playfully smacked Chloe’s arm as they laughed. “What if she suddenly comes back?” she asked again after the laughter had ended.

“Hell, of course I’ll introduce you to her! I think you two would get along. She likes photography and you are like the greatest model in the world,” Chloe answered, suddenly excited. “If I would allow someone to take pictures of you, it would be Max.”

Rachel smiled at the possessive attitude the girl beside her had shown. “What a compliment,” she said. She put her arm around Chloe’s stomach, snuggling even closer.

“Then we all could hella rule Arcadia Bay.” Chloe put her arms around Rachel’s shoulder, as if protecting her from the world outside theirs.

“As you wish, Captain Price,” Rachel kissed Chloe’s neck.

Chloe grinned at the gesture. Suddenly, her free hand reached for the stars again. “And one day, Rachel, if you’re gone too, I know our moments will always be beautiful,” she almost whispered.

Rachel paused for a second. “You think I’ll be gone?”

“You said it yourself, right? That one day, you might be out of Arcadia Bay,” Chloe hid her eyes from Rachel, not wanting her to know her fear.

Then it was silence again.

“And that is why I don’t want to mess this up, Rachel. I don’t want to lose you. In any fucking way,” Chloe whispered. The blue hair, tattoo, and the punk rock look never erased the fact that Chloe Elizabeth Price was just as vulnerable as any other girl was. Then Chloe sighed. “But if you ever leave, Rachel Amber, nothing will ever make our moments—nothing will ever make this any less beautiful.”

As the confession slowly sank into Rachel’s mind, she suddenly rolled and faced the girl beside her, forcing her to look at her. “If I am ever to leave, Chloe Price, I promise I will tell you,” Rachel said.

“Promise?” Chloe almost whined.

“Promise.”

Then they sealed the promise with a kiss, not knowing that someday it would be broken.