Free The Star Caster by Jamie Loeak Page A

moves, repositioning himself so that he can stand. He holds his hand out for me this time.
    I stand up next to Sterren and watch his muscles flex and relax as he stretches. He lifts his hands toward the sky and his shirt lifts up again, exposing his abs. Oh gosh, he needs to stop doing things like that.
    “Practice casting another star, first. Then, I’ll tell you what to say,” he says.
    I lift my hand up and feel that same first star, the one that I practiced with earlier. “Wait,” I say. “I used this star; how is it back with me?”
    Sterren smiles at me. “No one wished on it,” he answers.
    “But I didn’t feel it come back. I never felt myself become whole again,” I state.
    “It’ s a gradual, slow feeling, one that we never really notice.”
    I nod in answer and continue to pull the star from my cheek. When I am, once again, holding it in my hand, I look up at Sterren.
    His eyes are filled with that same sadness, and I almost throw the star away in anger, knowing what it’s doing to him. But, I hesitate, and turn to cast it properly.
    When the sparkling tail of light is gone forever, the same sense of loneliness envelopes me like a cloak. “What are the words?” I ask him.
    “As your star is cast, I grant thee a wish,” Sterren says.
    “That’s it?” I let my jaw fall open after speaking, because I was waiting for something spectacular. Instead, I am left with Sterren’s simple words.
    Sterren shrugs. “It’s enough to get the human to start speaking his part,” he answers.
    “Oh, that makes sense.” I relax then, with one knee bent and my hand on my hip, ready to hear what the humans had to say before making their wishes. I know that I don’t have to ask.
    Sterren leans forward, pulling me into h is next few words. I stand straighter, interested because of the new look on his face. He wears an expression that indicates both humor and sincerity. This is an odd expression, and I smile at him. He smiles back and reaches out to take my hands. “Now, don’t laugh,” he says to me.
    I giggle and Sterren raises his eyebrow. “Sorry,” I say as I sober up. For some reason, I can already feel the laughter burning in my chest again. I’m a sucker for doing the opposite of what people want me to do. So, when Sterren says don’t laugh, I laugh. But, for him, I try to contain it as much as possible. I have a feeling that the words that the humans say are going to be just as plain as the words that I say, so it’s not difficult. However, there is the possibility that it’s something ridiculously stupid. In the end, I’m stuck pressing my lips together.
    Sterren rolls his eyes at me. Then he begins to recite something. His voice is a soft whisper that floats around the room like the summer air.
     
                  “Star light, star bright – wishing star, you are mine.
    I close my eyes at first sight and grant myself a wish tonight. ”
                 
    I don’t laugh. Instead, a frown crosses my lips. This was obviously where that nursery rhyme came from. And I used to say it to myself all the time. Now that I know its true meaning, it is no longer a favorite. “That’s like finding the truth behind Ring around the Rosy , Sterren. It’s horrible,” I state.
    Sterren answers by leaning over and pulling me into him. “I’m sorry,” he whispers into my ear. I smile, despite my current feeling of sadness, and close the distance between us. I cannot get enough of his mouth. The way it moves over mine, leading me, is exhilarating.
    Sterren pulls back suddenly, his hands tangled in my hair. He looks me in the eyes, studying me. “Danika,” he says, “I need you to know something about us.” He holds my head, forcing me to acknowledge his words, and I do. “I meant it when I said that Star Casters are meant to be together. It’s an instinct, a call in our veins, our minds.”
    I lean back a little. “And?” I ask.
    “And I want to be with you. I didn’t