ANYTHING BUT ENEMIES

39. shooting star

"DONE!"

Ruby looks up from her laptop as I slam mine closed, triumphant smile on my lips.

"Would you like to share with the class, Cleo?"

I stretch out my fingers, cracking them until every joint pops. "I, Cleo Cunningham, have completed my solo project on this wonderful Friday afternoon, a day before final judgement."

Ruby leans back in her chair, clapping loudly as I take my bow. "I can't believe it."

"Thank you, thank you. I'd like to thank the Academy and all my friends." I sit back down, flipping my laptop back open to shoot over the pdf of my piece to Frances.

"As you should. I feel like I spent more time looking at your paper than my own."

"Hey, hey—peer review is a vital part of the process."

She shoos me off with her hand, popping her earbud back in. "I have approximately an hour and a half to pull this off, so congrats! But stop talking."

I chuckle, closing my laptop for real this time once I've sent the email before standing up to grab my tote bag. "I'm going to the rooftop. I'll bring you back a snack."

She blows me a kiss as I leave the room.

The elevator ride to the roof is quiet, doors dinging open to reveal the silence of the city. I set my bag down on a chair near the metal railing before leaning over to see the lights.

The stars are extra bright in the night sky, small beacons of glitter that cause a light glow in the area surrounding me.

I'm about to turn around to grab my laptop from my bag to watch my show when a quick burst of light shoots across the sky like a sparkler.

It's gone almost as soon as it appears, shining streak disintegrating like a mere illusion.

My first shooting star.

Oh my god, I need to make a wish.

I quickly squeeze my eyes shut, fingers curling tightly around the railing as I try my best to think of something.

Nothing specific comes to mind, and I just end up desperately trying to fit my wish into what I hope is an appropriate time frame, defaulting to requesting that the universe give me something good.

I immediately regret my vague-ass wish, but I don't think the universe does take-backs.

"What are you doing?"

The sudden sound of a voice behind me makes me jump, body spinning immediately to see the opposite of what I just wished for.

"God, what's wrong with you?"

I can see Dane's smirk in the faint glow of the stars. "I should be asking you that. What, are you wishing on a shooting star? Hoping and praying that you don't lose to me tomorrow?"

"Yeah, actually I was wishing on a shooting star. I guess only the lucky one of us got to see it."

The smirk straightens out into genuine interest at my response. "Wait, were you really?"

"Mhm. My first shooting star."

"Huh. I guess you are lucky," he shrugs, coming to stop next to me at the railing. "Star rating for the star?"

"Ten out of ten."

"Impressive. It must have been a good star." I can't stop the amazement that passes briefly through my body at the sight of his smile. Straight, perfect teeth, lips turned up with something like sincerity.