Chapter Text
Josie weaves through trees and slips across puddles. Rain water soaks into her skin, chilling her to the bone and stealing the feeling from her cheeks. Desperately she pushes forward, finally understanding what had been causing butterflies in her stomach and warmth flood through her chest.
She won’t dare say it to herself, not before she can say it to Hope.
Her chest heaves, calves on fire. And when she finally turns into Hope’s neighborhood, wind lashing against her, Josie slides to a stop in the middle of the street. Her exhales condense into clouds of smoke in front of her face, and when her vision focuses, she sees two figures molded together, their heads pressing together.
Josie inhales, a fog in her head making her thoughts fuzzy. But then she understands, a light bulb flickering on slowly.
They’re kissing.
They’re in love. Hope loves him, not Josie. Maybe it’s because she’s a girl. But even so, the love Hope is giving isn’t directed towards her but to another.
A dull ache buries itself in her chest—it creeps towards her numb fingertips. Josie decides she’s been in the cold for far too long, and she steadily walks away, balancing on the balls of her feet.
Her throat constricts and water glides down her face. She stares straight ahead, water drizzling everywhere.
Josie blinks, and something bright flutters past her waterline. Then there’s a dull crack and a low fizzle, reminding her of cooking oil splattering. Her fingers brush across her cheeks, wiping at her skin.
Instead of the chill of water dotting her fingers, she’s left with warm glimmers, something akin to glitter. But the more she looks at it, they remind her of stars.
She’s crying stars.