I STARSTRUCK
It was a quiet day, the sun in the sky, and the Earth always orbiting around it. People walked, oblivious to every deep mystery in the universe, but they didn't care enough to try and find out.
Charlie had just woken up and was now waiting to take breakfast with his family.
"How is your toast honey," asked his mom
"Just toasted enough, thanks mom"
"This is another new beginning for you kid, you better not mess it up this time," said his dad, while looking at the paper
"Yes dad" Charlie replied "I know, I won't make anything that makes you feel ashamed"
"Well I certainly hope so," said his father putting the paper down
"Don't be so harsh on the kid" said his mom "You know he tries his best"
"Well, sometimes you just have to do more than your best" answered his dad
"Yes father" Charlie looked down to the table, there were bubbles forming in his milk
"Charlie," said his father touching his head "You are a good kid, I know you are gonna do great things, you got this"
"Thanks, Dad," said Charlie and then left for school.
"Remember, you have a little brother now, you gotta be a good example for him"
It was six in the morning, there were people walking, there are always people walking somewhere. In this particular place on Earth, there were a lot of teens trying to be on time for the first day of school.
Charlie didn't like being too early, but he also didn't like being too late, he always liked to appear at the perfect moment.
His new school was massive, although it was actually his old school.
Charlie crossed the first big fence with the school logo on it and headed to board next to one of the offices.
"Charlie?" a girl asked doubtfully
"Amber?" Charlie asked smiling
"Yes, dude, it's me, I'm taller than you now," she said making a gesture over their heads before hugging him
"It's been a while" Charlie hugged her back
"So tell me then Mr. Lost Boy" she bitted her lip "Where have you been? What have you been up to all this time?" místery was the stuff Amber lived for, somehow she always knew everything about everyone
"Oh" Charlie stuttered "You know, my father was sent to this other place, it was fun, I won a regional speech contest"
"Speech contest," Amber asked confused
"Yeah, they had that weird thing where students across the región gave speeches, nothing too fancy, but still fun, what about you?" asked Charlie
"Oh you know the usual, actually I started dating Roy after you left, and Marv was dating Rebbeca but then, and you will not believe this, dude, it was epic. Marv left Rebbeca and then we kissed behind the stars at the Christmas party last year." her hands were wild and gave shape to her words.
" Wow, that's heavy man."
" Woman," she said
"Yes, sorry, wo-dude, I'm sure you had a lot of fun" Charlie ruffled his hair a bit
"Dude, it's just dude, it's gender-neutral"
"What?" asked Charlie confused
"Duh, everyone knows that" she put her hands on her hip "it is really a blessing that I was the first person you found after you came back"
"Yeah, I guess you are right," said Charlie laughing a bit
"It's okay dude, I'm gonna let you in all the latest trends in school"
"Well, that sounds cool" Charlie looked around and saw that the other students were leaving "Hey, wait a moment that I gotta check in what class I'm gonna be in."
Amber and Charlie were in different classes, but because they were in the same grade, they got to be in the same hallway.
At first glance, the sky blue room was a bit underwhelming to Charlie, but the day transpired as it always had.
I mean, as far as first days go, it was an acceptable one, Charlie knew a lot about the first days.
"First," he thought "It's good if you find old people in new places, I can check that off the list"
"Second" he continued in his mind "if you make a friend then it's a good day" he had read that somewhere, he was sure of that.
"Charles would you like to come to the front," asked her teacher
Charlie was so lost in his own thoughts he didn't even know what his class was doing.
He hesitated for a second
"It's okay we are just introducing ourselves," said with a comforting voice a wide-eyed girl sitting next to him
"Oh, like the song"
"Ha, good one, come on, go"
Charlie got to the front and said a few things.
In his mind all the old adventures seemed to come alive, the kisses inside the old war tank, the bikes with his old girlfriend, he had lived a lot, but as the ideas were solidifying in his mind before standing in front of the class Charlie decided to let go of the past and talk instead about the future.
"Hi my name is Charles, and I want to have fun and have great adventures, you maybe find a dream worth fighting for.”
It wasn't really the most amazing discourse, but he knew the importance of brevity in some speeches, so he just said that and sitted down.
"That was nice," said the wide-eyed girl "Short, but, nice" she was doodling in his notebook.
"Thanks" he ruffled his hair "I'm Charlie by the way"
"I know that"
"You do?" Charlie looked at her confused
"Of course you genius, you just told the whole class" she covered her mouth with her hands to try and hold on her laugh
"I'm Moira by the way, you are funny"
"Ha, yeah? Well I do try" said Charlie.
"There are those who rule, and those who are ruled." said the guy that was now at the front of the class
"Who is that one" Charlie asked Moira
"That's Erik" she said "He's a bit, well, intense"
"If you do not decide your role, someone else will do it for you, and your future will be stolen from your hands"
"I don't know," said Charlie "He's kinda good with words"
"Is he? " asked Moira "I never really paid him much attention, he seems just so angry all the time"
"I know what part I will play, do you know yours?" Erik and Charlie made eye contact for a second and the Magnus sat down.
The next months were just as one would expect. Charles walked around his little village, meeting new people and rediscovering the bonds he had made with old friends. He ate lunch with Moira every day, they made bets on the cafeteria menu, there was a surprise every Thursday. Happy, simple normal life.
“You shouldn’t hang with Amber so often,” Moira said without looking at Charles
“What” Charlie smiled “Oh, don’t tell me that”
“What? No!” Moira interrupted “I just think she is not a good influence”
“Well I am not a good influence” Charlie looked to the side
“Charles that's not what I mean, you are”
“I'm not a good influence” Charlie interrupted her “But still you are my best friend”
“Am I your best friend?” Moira smiled
“Well, it was you or Amber” Charles laughed
“You are such an asshole” Moira pushed him playfully “You know I don't like her right?”
“I figured that much,” said charlie putting a wild strand of Moira’s hair behind her ear, they were looking deeply into each other's eyes “Why is that tho?, I mean, You are just, so kind”
“It's nothing” Moira blushed “She just, you know, she gives me a bad vibe”
“Do you think we can fix her?” asked Charles
“What?” Moira frown
“I mean, she’s broken, just like the world, just like me, but you, you are different, you are not broken, maybe, just maybe we could fix the world together.” Charles got closer
“Wow, are you proposing something Xavier?” Moira smiled
“I don't know Kinross, does this answer your question?”
Charles leaned in and kissed Moira
And there stayed for a moment that felt as if it was happening outside of time itself, these starstruck lovers, dreaming of a broken world that needed saving, maybe their love would be enough to fix it, maybe not, they didn't know, but they didn't care, because at that moment the had each other.