UNTIL THE STARS ALIGN
Chapter 17: SILENT PAIN
The house felt different now.
It wasn't the place Luka remembered from the times he'd walked Aria home, laughing as she teased him about his crooked glasses or their shared jokes about anime plot twists. Now, the air was still, heavy, as if even the walls mourned her absence.
Luka stood in front of the Fenton house, hands buried deep in the pockets of his hoodie. He didn't wear his glasses anymore. After Aria's death, they felt like a piece of the boy he used to be—soft, quiet, and naive. Now, his sharp, tired eyes stared at the front door, reflecting the ache that never seemed to leave.
He rang the bell once. The sound echoed in the silence of the small neighborhood. A moment later, the door creaked open, revealing Mrs. Fenton. Her once-bright auburn hair was tied into a loose bun, her eyes rimmed red but dry, as though she'd run out of tears.
"Luka," she whispered, her voice fragile. "Come in."
He nodded silently, stepping into the house. The familiar scent of cinnamon tea still lingered faintly, but the warmth was gone. Everything felt… muted.
They didn't talk at first. Luka followed her to the backyard, where the small garden Aria had loved was still blooming. The marigolds swayed gently in the breeze, bright against the gray clouds above. Mrs. Fenton knelt beside the flowers, her hands trembling as she plucked at weeds.
"She loved these," she said quietly, not looking at him. "Every morning, she'd come out here… even before school. Said they made her feel alive."
Luka swallowed hard, his throat burning. "Yeah," he said, his voice rough. "She… she told me that once. Said they reminded her of sunlight."
Silence settled again, broken only by the soft rustle of leaves. Luka stared at his shoes, unsure of how to bridge the gap between grief and words. Finally, he spoke, his voice low.
"My mom left," he said suddenly, surprising even himself. Mrs. Fenton looked up, her tired eyes searching his face. "When I was ten. She just… left. No note, no reason. One day she was there, and the next, she wasn't."
He sat down on the bench near the garden, fingers curling into fists. "My dad… he's always working. Always away. He sends money, makes sure I have what I need, but… he's never there. Not really. I guess… I got used to being alone."
Mrs. Fenton wiped her hands on her apron and walked over, sitting beside him. "Luka…"
"I didn't mind it," he continued, his voice quieter now. "Not until Aria. She… she made me feel like I wasn't just some kid waiting for people to leave. She saw me. Actually saw me. And now…" He bit his lip, trying to keep the tears from spilling over. "Now she's gone too."
Mrs. Fenton reached out, placing a hand gently on his. "She loved you, Luka," she said softly. "I saw it in her eyes every time she talked about you. You were her safe place."
The words cracked something deep inside him. Luka clenched his jaw, fighting the storm rising in his chest. "I… I would've married her," he admitted, his voice breaking. "I would've stayed by her side until I died. She was… she was everything."
Mrs. Fenton squeezed his hand, her own tears slipping free now. "And you were everything to her," she whispered. "Don't let the pain make you forget that."
They sat there for a long time, the weight of shared grief binding them together in a quiet, fragile moment. When Luka finally stood to leave, Mrs. Fenton stopped him.
"Wait," she said, stepping inside the house for a moment. She returned holding something small — a pressed marigold, perfectly preserved between two pieces of laminated paper. "This was hers. She kept it in her favorite book. She… she'd want you to have it."
Luka stared at the delicate flower in his hand, his chest tightening. "Thank you," he whispered, voice trembling. "I'll… I'll keep it safe."
---
School felt colder the next day.
The hallways buzzed with chatter, but Luka barely noticed. His glasses were gone now, leaving his sharp features fully exposed. His friends noticed the change — the dark circles under his eyes, the quiet heaviness that clung to him — but no one dared to bring it up. Not even Kenji, who usually joked his way through anything, could find the words.
Luka moved through the day like a ghost, carrying his notebook everywhere. It was the same one where he'd written his stories, sketched ideas, and scribbled thoughts — every page tied to Aria in some way.
By lunch, he found himself sitting alone on the edge of the courtyard. He stared at the notebook for a long time, flipping through the pages. Her name was everywhere. Notes about the stories they'd dreamed up together, little doodles of stars and constellations, lines about how the universe always felt smaller when she smiled.
His chest tightened until it hurt. Without thinking, Luka stood, walked to the nearest trash bin, and dropped the notebook inside.
It landed with a soft thud, pages crumpling against discarded wrappers and soda cans. For a moment, he just stood there, staring at it, his jaw clenched so tight it ached. Then he turned and walked away, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his shoulders heavy.
Classes blurred together until the final bell rang. Luka didn't wait for anyone; he just wanted to leave. As the hallways emptied, a girl walked past the trash bin, her steps slow and deliberate.
She paused when something caught her eye — the edge of a worn, familiar-looking notebook sticking out of the pile. Curious, she reached down and pulled it free, brushing away a thin layer of dust and crumbs.
Her fingers traced over the name scrawled across the front in messy handwriting: Luka Mori.
She flipped the book open to the first page. The words written there stopped her in her tracks.
"When the stars align, maybe I'll finally be enough."
The girl tilted her head, eyes scanning the page, and whispered softly, almost to herself.
"Luka Mori…?"
TO BE CONTINUED...