The night stretched endlessly, the forest alive only with the soft hum of crickets and the faint rustle of leaves in the trees. Eli hugged his knees to his chest, his eyes fixed on the glittering sky above. Out here, away from the city, the stars seemed brighter, almost close enough to touch. For once, he felt at peace, though his chest carried a heavy weight he couldn't put into words.
Kai sat quietly beside him, steady and grounded, his presence both comforting and unsettling. Neither of them spoke for a long while, letting the cool night breeze wash over them. Then Kai's voice finally broke the silence, calm but direct.
"Why have you been avoiding me lately?"
Eli froze. The words landed harder than he expected. His eyes stayed glued to the stars, too afraid to meet Kai's. "I haven't been avoiding you," he muttered, though even to himself, the words sounded weak.
Kai exhaled, a quiet sigh in the darkness. "You have. You don't talk to me like before. You keep looking away." His voice lowered slightly as he leaned just a little closer. "Did I do something wrong?"
Eli's throat tightened. The sincerity in Kai's tone made it impossible to lie. His fingers curled into the fabric of his jeans as he whispered, "It's not you."
"Then what is it?"
The question lingered heavily in the cool night air. Eli's heart pounded so loudly he was sure Kai could hear it. For a long moment, he couldn't speak. Then finally, his voice broke, soft and shaky.
"I just… I don't know how to act around you anymore. Every time I see you, I—" His words caught, but he forced himself to continue, quieter this time. "I feel things I shouldn't. And it scares me."
The confession hung fragile between them, raw and trembling. Slowly, Eli turned his head, meeting Kai's gaze for the first time that night. The fire had dimmed to its last embers, but the stars above made Kai's eyes glint with an unreadable calm.
For a moment, regret stabbed through Eli's chest. Maybe he shouldn't have said anything. Maybe this would ruin everything. But then, Kai's lips curved into the faintest of smiles—gentle, almost relieved.
"You think it's something you shouldn't feel," Kai murmured, his voice low, "but what if I've been waiting for you to admit it?"
Eli's breath caught. His chest tightened, but this time it wasn't from fear. It was something dangerously close to hope. The world felt smaller, quieter—the forest, the tents, even the last flicker of the fire all faded until it was just the two of them, sharing a truth they'd both avoided for too long.
And then, as if the universe had been listening, a streak of light shot across the sky. A shooting star—no, another, then another. A meteor shower. Eli's mouth parted in awe.
But before he could say anything, muffled voices rose from the tents. One by one, their friends stumbled out, rubbing their eyes and groaning.
"You two are unbelievable!" someone yawned loudly. "A meteor shower and you didn't wake us up? Selfish!"
"Yeah, keeping it all to yourselves, huh?" another teased, pointing at the sky.
The teasing was light, playful, but it pulled Eli back down to earth. He ducked his head, flustered, while Kai only chuckled softly, shaking his head. Soon enough, everyone gathered around them, stretching out on blankets or the grass, eyes turned upward in awe.
The sky lit up with streaks of silver and white, the meteor shower painting the night in quiet wonder. No one spoke much after that. They just sat together, side by side, sharing the moment.
For Eli, it felt perfect—like the universe had given them all something unforgettable. But deep down, the memory of Kai's words lingered, glowing brighter than any star.