Until the Stars Align
Chapter 1 — The Heart Between Us
The first bell of the school day rang, its sharp clang echoing across the hallways of Seaview High. Students bustled past, exchanging greetings and gossip, the air thick with the typical mix of teenage energy and pre-exam tension. Luka Mori sat alone at the far end of the library, his notebook open but untouched, fingers drumming lightly against the pages.
He had never been the type to notice much about his peers—their laughter, their arguments, or the subtle ways they tried to impress one another. He watched, quietly, from the sidelines. Not because he was shy or unattractive; quite the opposite, in fact. People often said Luka had a kind, easy smile, and a calm presence that made others comfortable. But for some reason, he had never believed in love. Not in the fantastical, heart-stopping way novels described it. Not for himself, at least.
Maybe it was because he had seen too much. His parents' marriage, once warm and full of affection, had frayed into silent dinners and careful avoidance. His closest friends had all experienced their own heartbreaks, and Luka had felt powerless to help. Love, he decided long ago, was a risk he didn't need to take.
That was, until she walked in.
Aria Fenton stepped through the library doors like a question that demanded answering. The sunlight caught the strands of her chestnut hair, giving them a copper glow, and her eyes—green, intense, and impossible to ignore—swept across the room with quiet curiosity. She carried herself differently from anyone Luka had ever noticed at Seaview High. Confident, yet careful, like someone who had learned to measure the world in moments instead of rules.
And somehow, without even looking at him, she made Luka's pulse spike.
He blinked, forcing himself to focus on the empty pages before him, but he felt her presence like a weight, gentle but insistent. The librarian's soft cough barely registered over the sudden thrum of his heartbeat.
She approached a table near the windows, placing her bag down with a light thud. Then, as if by chance—or fate—she looked over. And their eyes met.
Luka's stomach dropped.
"Hi," she said softly. Not a greeting, exactly, but a question.
He swallowed. "Uh… hi," he murmured, surprised that his voice sounded steadier than he felt.
There was something almost electric in the air between them, though it was subtle, like the quiet before a storm. Luka had never believed in that kind of thing. And yet, he felt it now.
Aria smiled faintly and began unpacking her notebook and pens. Luka tried to concentrate on his own work, but he kept catching glimpses of her. She was meticulous, her movements careful but fluid, like she had practiced them a thousand times without being noticed. She glanced at him again, and this time, her gaze lingered just a moment too long to be accidental.
The library clock ticked on, each second stretching in ways Luka hadn't realized a second could stretch.
---
By mid-morning, Luka's thoughts were tangled. He had never felt so aware of someone before, yet he couldn't even explain why. His friends would have teased him mercilessly if they knew. "You've got a crush," they'd said, "and you're dying inside, but you won't admit it." But this wasn't a simple crush. Not exactly. There was something darker, something fragile about the way she carried herself, something that tugged at his curiosity and protective instincts all at once.
And then, the first strange sign appeared.
He noticed her looking over her shoulder, scanning the library with an intensity that seemed out of place. A shadow moved across the window blinds outside, fleeting, too quick to be a bird or a stray leaf. Luka frowned. It was probably nothing. Yet the unease that had been building in the pit of his stomach refused to dissipate.
The bell rang again, signaling the change between periods. Students filed out, their chatter swelling. Luka packed his bag slowly, his eyes on Aria as she gathered hers. She hesitated near the door, glanced down the hallway, and then—without a word—headed toward the staircase at the far end of the hall.
Something about the way she moved—deliberate, cautious—set off another warning in Luka's mind. He had learned to notice details like that over years of quiet observation.
He followed, keeping a careful distance, his heart drumming like a war drum in his chest.
---
Outside, the hallways were buzzing with students switching classes. Luka slipped into the stream, careful not to draw attention. Aria was walking steadily, her eyes flicking to corners and doorways as if she were expecting someone—or something.
And then it happened.
A figure emerged from the shadows of the stairwell. Tall, broad, with a hood pulled low over his face. Luka didn't recognize him—no one at Seaview High carried that kind of presence—but Aria froze immediately.
He stepped toward her, voice low and rough. "Aria Fenton," he said. "Come with me."
Luka's chest tightened. Something in the air shifted, heavy and dangerous. He wanted to step forward, to protect her, but he hesitated—because this wasn't just a prank or a misunderstanding. This man radiated threat.
"Luka?" Aria's whisper barely reached him. "Go! Get help!"
Her command startled him into action. Without thinking, Luka sprinted toward the nearest teacher's office, hoping to find someone to alert. But when he turned back—just a glance—he saw the man grab Aria, pulling her back toward a maintenance corridor.
Panic surged through him. He wanted to chase, to yell, to do something—anything—but his rational mind kicked in. He couldn't confront that man alone. Not without knowing what he was dealing with.
So instead, Luka ran.
He found the librarian first, a petite woman with sharp eyes. He explained quickly, breathless. Her face went pale, and she fumbled for the phone. Within minutes, the school went into emergency lockdown, teachers rushing to secure doors and call authorities.
Even with the chaos, Luka's mind was fixed on her—Aria. He didn't know why he cared so much, but he did. It wasn't just fear for her safety. Something deeper tugged at him, a need he hadn't recognized before. He had to find her.
---
The next class period passed in a blur. Luka barely noticed the lessons, his eyes scanning the hallways, searching for any sign of Aria. The lockdown had thrown the school into disarray. Students whispered in corners, rumors spreading faster than facts.
And then he saw her.
Aria was standing near the old gym entrance, unharmed but tense, flanked by two other students Luka hadn't noticed before. Her eyes met his, and for a heartbeat, the world seemed to narrow to that single connection. Relief and something else—something heavier, more intimate—washed over him.
She approached him cautiously. "Luka," she said quietly, "thank you for getting help. I… I didn't know who else to trust."
He swallowed hard, words caught in his throat. "I… I couldn't just leave you," he said finally. "Are you okay?"
She nodded, but her eyes flicked nervously toward the hallway leading to the maintenance corridor. "They were after me… someone from outside school. I don't know why. But… I think I'm safe now."
For the first time all morning, Luka felt something shift inside him. Fear was still there, yes—but beneath it, a pulse of exhilaration, a spark that had nothing to do with danger. He realized that protecting her, standing by her side, made him feel alive in a way he never had.
"Don't worry," he said softly. "I'll stay with you. You're not alone."
Aria looked at him, really looked at him, and for a moment, Luka felt the invisible walls he had built around his heart begin to crack.
Something had changed. And he didn't want it to go back to the way things were.
The heart between them had been struck—softly, cautiously, but irrevocably. And neither of them knew just how complicated, how dangerous, or how thrilling their journey together would become.
Because love, Luka realized, wasn't just about finding someone to care for you. Sometimes, it was about standing in the middle of chaos, facing fear, and realizing that someone else mattered more than your own safety.
And for Luka Mori, for the first time in his seventeen years, that truth hit like lightning.
TO BE CONTINUED...