Falling like the Stars

4

Six years in the future

Stepping out of my car, the wind immediately started blowing. It was like she knew I was there. I walked toward the center of the deserted park. I see the candles, teddy bears, and flowers that surround the picture. The picture of her. I knelt down, smiling as I grabbed the picture.

                   “I love you, Skye. Never forget that.” I said as I embraced the picture in my hands. 

The wind grew stronger as I said that sentence. “I’m going to assume that you love me to then?” and yet again the wind blew roughly but yet so elegantly against me.

I set the picture back where it was before, adjusting it ever so gently making sure that it was perfect. I sat down on the floor right next to all the flowers. I took a deep breath and looked up at the sky.

                  “Do you want to hear the story Skye? I promise to go more in depth this time around.”

The wind blew one of the loose flowers from one of the many bouquets on to my lap. The flower was a tiger lily, my favorite. I knew that it could not have been just fate that that just happened.

                  “Hmm,” I said as I smelled the flower, “thank you Skye. And I’m going to take it that you do want to hear the story. Okay, here we go. It all started on my first day of high school……”

Six Years Earlier

“Jemma, oh Jemma. It is time for school! We do not want to start off our first day late now do we?” Fitz said as he entered my bedroom.

Fitz and I have been next door neighbors since we were kids. It was like simple science that we were meant to be friends, because I mean, how odd that two families from different countries move out to California on the exact same day. Fitz is only a year older than me, which meant he should be at minimum one grade ahead of me, however knowing my times tables all the way up to fifteen is “genius like behavior for only a first grader.” This did not make sense to me whatsoever because I just presumed most kids at my age spent their free time studying. I guess not. This is why Fitz and I stayed so close throughout our school years. He was the only one I could have a real intellectual conversation with. So when the district moved me up a grade and put both Fitz and I in our own accelerated program, I never argued.

                “You know I absolutely hate when you call me by my first name, LEO. We both agreed that our last names are what keeps us ordinary. And, And….,” I looked at the clock and could not believe my eyes, “FITZ, are you bloody freaking kidding me? It is only 6:30 in the morning and you are waking me up?”

                “Simmons, I only called you by your first name because I knew it would get you up. And yes, it is 6:30 because school starts at 7:00 on the dot. Just so you know miss smarty pants!” Fitz said as he pushed my feet over to sit on the bed.

                “Oh Fitz, you handsome yet so oblivious prude. We are starting high school today…” I looked at him somewhat expectantly.

                “And……. What exactly are you getting at?” Fitz said with a very confused yet annoyed look.

*Face Palms*

                “Fitz, new school, new kids, new teachers, new classes, and new START TIME.” I said as nice yet angrily as possible. I swear as much as I love him as my best friend, he just needs a good slap every once in a while.

                “Oh right,” he said as he went white with embarrassment. “Sorry, Simmons I completely forgot school starts at 8:30 for us now.”

                “Ah, it’s okay Fitz. I’m sorry for being cranky. I guess I will just be more ready on my first day than I had originally planned. Do you think that I—“ I stopped for a moment to look at him curiously.

                  “Fitz?”

                 “Yes Simmons?”

                “How in the world are you in my bedroom at this hour in the morning?”

                “Oh, silly Simmons. I know where you guys keep the spare key to the house. Besides I am like family and your mother did say when she told me where the key was that I am welcome anytime.” He said with the biggest smile on his face.

I got up from the bed and swung open the door. I took a peek down stairs and heard the rustling in the kitchen to make sure that my mother heard what I was about to say.

                “Just so you know I am making a mental note too not double check the forms when I am finished doing your taxes. Thank, Fitz for spilling the beans.”

I could almost hear the gasp from my mother as she rushed to be in a visible range so we could both see each other on different floors.

                “Ohhhhh, Fitzzzz! Jemma, sweetie I only told where the key was because he is your best friend and I just, I just. Oh Bullocks!” She said as she stormed back into the kitchen.

I felt triumph as I did not think that I would have that much of an effect on her. I turned around to go back to my room when I saw that Fitz was standing right in front of me with his arms crossed over his chest.

                “Whoa, let’s talk about personal space, Fitz.”

                “Now your mom is never going to tell me the garage code! Thanks a lot, Simmons! Now just do me a favor and get ready. I’ll be down stairs watching the tech. channel.” He said as he marched down the stairs.

                “Oh, how I just love my family” I mumbled under my breath as I turned to go and get ready for the day ahead.

 *********

Even after taking my time to get ready and eat my breakfast with more thoughtful bites than normal, Fitz and I still managed to get to school by 7:30am.

The high school, Academy for future Agents, was a very large campus. Which was actually pretty weird considering the fact that the school was only for the top notch students from different elementary academies as well as the fact that the school only allows two hundred students per grade level. There were four areas of expertise that the school offered as extracurricular activities, which I believe should just be counted as actual classes since everyone that comes to the academy knows what type of agent they want to be. There are the future scientists (me of course), future technicians (Fitz obviously), future field agents, and the hackers.

When Fitz and I arrived on campus we were shocked to find that there was only about a good fifty other students just roaming around, well maybe not that shocked since we did arrive an hour early. Thanks a lot, Fitz.

                “Well, at least we get to observe the campus without the trouble of having all the students here as well,” Fitz said as he saw the look on my face that just read why in the world am I here this early.

                “I guess that’s true.”

I looked around and saw that most of the students that were here just as early as we were had to be freshman because they all just found a bench or quiet corner to sit while playing with their phone. Most likely trying not to be seen. However, there was a group right in the middle of campus that seemed to be rough housing and were just very comfortable. I assumed that they were older kids and I can honestly not tell you why I did what I did next.

                “Actually Fitz, why don’t we just go and ask those guys over there if they can show us around. Judging by the lack of fear they have with being at a new school and all, I would conclude that they are definitely second, third, or fourth year students here.”

                “I don’t know Simmons, they seem pretty um…. Uh…. Busy. Yeah that’s it busy so maybe we should ju—“

                “Oh come on,” I said as I grabbed his arm to fully make sure that he did not bail out on my plan, “I will do all the talking so all you really need to do is just stand there and smile.”

We walked over to the center of campus and came to see that it was a group of boys who were having a go at wrestling each other. It was obvious that they were future field agents. Two of them stood out more than the rest. Mostly because they were the only ones not fighting and just observing the scene in front of them. One was a tall guy who was a mix of skinny and toned. He was a little more rugged in his attire and had short curly hair. The other was slightly taller and was very clean cut. He had what Americans call a nine o’clock shadow with his hair slicked with not one out of place and a very muscular body. It only made sense to go on ahead and ask them. We made our way through the roughness and came face to face with the taller guys.

                “Hello, I am Jemma Simmons and this is my friend Leo Fitz. We were just wondering if you would be ever so kind to show us aro—“

                “I’m sorry. But I do not think we asked for your name,” the rugged one said. “and besides do you even know who you are talking to?”

It took just that for me to realize he was not the brightest crayon in the box and had to definitely be a future field agent because I mean, no duh I do not know who I am talking to. I just met you.

                “Hmmmm, No I don’t know who I am talking to so why don’t you educate me.” I said as I tried to match my tone to his.

                “First of all watch your tone, and second of all I am Miles. A second time freshman here with an overwhelmingly great field chart. I hold the record and I—“

                “Wait, wait,” I said as I tried my hardest not to laugh, “Did you just say you are a second time freshman? Like as in you had to take this year over again. Like failed.” At that point I had to laugh when I seen the dumbfounded look on his face.

Fitz elbowed me when he started to see that Miles face had become increasingly angry. Oh goodness what have I just done?

                “Listen here British girl…,”

Oh British girl, like I haven’t heard that one before.

                “…Just because I have to take this year over does not mean I failed. I just simply was mentally preparing myself so that way I would be better prepared this time around,” he said as he tried to justify the fact that he completely did fail. “I also wanted to make sure that I was in the same class as my younger brother here.”

He motioned and looked at the taller guy next to him. In a lot of ways it surprised me that the two are related. They seem like complete opposites. Well at least I hoped that was an accurate theory given the fact that Miles was a jerk. The whole time during the argument the younger brother was glaring at Fitz with a confused look. Miles elbowed him to pay attention to the situation at hand.

                “Ow, I mean uh, Hello. I am Grant. Grant Ward. You can call me Ward because I like to be ordinary..,”

Oh darn. There goes mine and Fitz’s coolness.

                “… and obviously you met my brother here.” He put a hand to the side of his mouth and whispered to Fitz and me, “He has always been this way. I say our folks dropped him at birth.”

Ward moved back to his originally straight position and looked at Fitz once again, “Uh, is there a reason you keep on smiling?” he asked.

Oh dear Queen Elizabeth. When I told him to just stand there and smile, I did not mean literally. Nor did I want him just to be completely staring only at Ward. It occurred to me then that Fitz liked him. He came out to me a year ago and I have to say it did not surprise me at all; given the fact that we are basically twins and also because I had come out to him and my family a year before that.

                “Sorry, I told him to just act natural as we were coming over here and he still needs work at it.” I said and turned to slap him gently on the shoulder to snap him out of it.

                “Okay enough. We are not going to be talking to people who make fun of me, Ward. Am I right guys?” He asked as he stared at the group of boys who had stopped rough housing right when they heard the argument start.

                “Right!” They shouted in unison.

They must be freshman who wanted to start the year off right by joining the in crowd. Miles motioned for everyone to follow him as he walked away in a huff. He paused to motion to Grant to head with him.

                “Yeah, alright I’m coming. Hey what class do you guys got first?” Ward said.

                “Um..,” I pulled the schedule from Fitz hands because we had already checked a week prior to see if we had the same schedule. Of course we did. “…Biology with Agent May.”

                “Oh well, it’s settled we will see you guys there.” He said as he started to walk away. He turned around and walked backwards, “Doesn’t it suck that we can’t just study what our expertise is? You know instead of having to learn everything. I am totally going to fail May’s class.” He turned back around and ran to catch up with Miles.

I turned to face Fitz who seemed to be thrilled to know that Ward was going to be in at least one class with us, or him I should say.

                “Well that did not go exactly as planned. But on the bright side at least it looks like we have a potential new friend who also is your CRUSH.” I began to poke him in the stomach to make the last word more effective.

                He shooed my hand away and laughed, “Yeah I guess you are right. I mean the friend part not the crush part. Welp, I guess we are on our own then.”

                “Yeah I guess so.”

Fitz and I spent the rest of the time exploring the campus at least until classes started. It turned out that out of the six classes in our schedule, Ward was in three of them. Exciting yet disappointing because when there was Ward, there was Miles. Which meant half of my day would be ruined just by him. Extracurricular for the different expertise did not start until the second semester which meant the first semester had no excuse for anyone to fail classes.

The first week of classes went just like the first day. Fitz and I attached at the hip, saying hello and having small conversations with Ward and doing everything humanly possible to stay away from Miles. However, with his much popularity, he managed to get half the students at the academy to not like us. Great our social party was already only occupied by two people. Now it was going to be so difficult to make friends.

On that Friday Fitz and I took our seats at the back like we normally did and waited for Agent May to begin the class. She walked in and shushed everyone down.

                “Okay class, today is very rare because we never normally get new students or I should say transfer students from public schools, but Principal Coulson insisted that she was a must. Please be so kind as to welcome our new student, Skye Bennet.”

It was then that I felt something inside me change. As I saw the beautiful girl walk into the room, it occurred to me that Fitz was not the only one with a crush.