out of things to say. I was about to leave
when Lily stopped me.
“Ethan!” she said. “I’m so sorry to trouble
you.”
She handed me something. “Here, take this
back.”
It was the birthday present I’d made for him- a jar of paper stars.
Noah had asked for it. During an English class movie, the female lead folded a star and said
to the male lead, “They say if you give this to someone, the stars will bless you with a long and happy life together.”
Noah leaned in.
<
“Ethan,” he said. “Make me a jar of them.”
It had been request number ninety–eight. It
wasn’t difficult, but the paper stars held a
special meaning for me.
I nodded, taking the jar. The task’s
completion was all that mattered.
“Okay, maybe I’ll need them for tomorrow’s
confession.”
I didn’t believe in happy ever afters. But Noah looked up, his eyes fixed on me, probing my sincerity. Unfortunately… after the
confession, he and I would be done. That
wasn’t a lie.
6
