Chapter 2

Slowly, I found myself falling for this slender boy.

When he was tired from working through practice problems, I'd draw a tiny star and stick it on his textbook. When he stayed up late studying, I'd leave a glass of warm milk for him.

And when classmates whispered about how aloof he was, I'd quietly stand by his side, letting him know through my actions that I wasn't afraid of him.

Young love was always secret and pure, hidden in the stars drawn in the margins of our notebooks, in the silence between classes, and in the way we walked side by side under the sycamore trees.

I knew I had fallen for Noah.

And I could sense that the way he looked at me wasn't just how classmates look at each other anymore.

It was care he couldn't hide, a gentleness he tried to hold back, and that careful happiness only teenagers know.

The more time I spent with Noah, the more I realized his coldness was just a shield.

His family was way worse than I ever imagined.

His parents were business elites, always fighting and betraying each other. There was never a hint of warmth at home.

Noah grew up in a world of icy arguments, and it left him with severe depression and anxiety. He spent sleepless nights, his emotions constantly on edge, and that's why he kept transferring from one school to another.

On the outside, he seemed to have everything, wealth, status, a perfect life. But deep down, he was trapped in endless darkness. No one understood him, no one to confide in. He was like a star lost in the shadows, barely shining, utterly alone.

I was insecure, sensitive, unloved, and lonely. Living in my own small world, I always yearned for warmth and a little bit of light.

We were like two souls trapped in darkness, and when we found each other, we became the only glimmer of hope in each other's world.

Noah helped me with my math homework, helped me get better grades, and reminded me not to doubt myself, that I was worthy of kindness.

I stayed by his side, drew little stars for him on his notes, listened when he poured out his frustrations, and told him he wasn't alone in this world.

In the dimly lit classroom during evening study sessions, we sat side by side. He worked through his practice problems while I drew tiny stars in my notebook. Whenever our eyes met, a smile would unconsciously tug at our lips.

Under the sycamore trees, we'd walk together. He'd softly share his troubles, and I'd quietly listen. Then I'd draw a little star for him and promise, "The star will always shine for you, always stay by your side."

Noah said, "Estelle, you're like a star. So gentle and bright, you bring light into my darkness."

I replied, "Noah, you're my light too. With you around, loneliness doesn't scare me anymore."

We made a promise to each other. We'd both get into a college down south, where the sea breeze was warm, the sunsets painted the sky, and the stars were endless. There, we could leave all our troubles behind and finally live the life we dreamed of.

He wrote in my notebook, "Estelle finds her home in the world, and Noah promises to stay by her side for a lifetime."

I filled his textbook with stars and wrote, "Year after year, Estelle and Noah will always shine together."

Those days were the warmest of my seventeenth year.

There was the gentle kindness of a cool boy, that secret crush, the dreams we had for the future, and the way we rescued each other from the darkness, bringing warmth to our lives.

Our classmates started to notice the vibe between us. Some joked around, some whispered behind our backs, but we didn't care. As long as we had each other, nothing else mattered.

Fiona Lynch, my best friend, grabbed my hand and laughed. "Estelle, Noah's really into you. Promise me you'll always be together, okay?"

I nodded, gazing at Noah's back outside the window, my heart bubbling with joy.

I thought we could stay like this, make it through senior year, and head toward the future we dreamed of together.

I believed our little glimmer could brighten each other's lives forever.

I thought the feelings we had in our youth would eventually blossom into something real.

But I forgot sometimes the darkness was overwhelming, and fate could be merciless.

The tiny bit of light we shared was powerless against the raging storm that was about to tear through our world.

Noah's parents eventually found out about us.

It was the second semester of senior year, and there were only a hundred days left until the SAT.

Everyone was grinding away for their future, and Noah and I were no exception. We tackled practice problems side by side, memorized notes together, and kept pushing toward our dream college down south. With every day, our bond grew deeper.

But our peaceful days were quickly broken.

Noah's mother came to school and confronted me at the classroom door, right in front of all my classmates.

She wore a designer suit and flawless makeup, but her eyes were icy and harsh as she looked me up and down, her voice dripping with contempt and disdain.

"Are you Estelle?" she demanded.

Clutching my shirt, I nodded nervously.

Her voice was sharp and cold, echoing down the hallway. "I'm warning you. Stay away from my son. A girl from a regular family like yours is way out of his league. You'll only drag him down.

"The Wesley family would never accept someone like you as a daughter-in-law. If you know what's good for you, you'll leave him on your own. Otherwise, I'll make sure you can't stay at Olktol High School."