The Accidental Star

HANGAR

ANNE

My head was throbbing when I woke up and for a minute I wondered where I was.

Then I remembered everything.

A familiar ache shot up my chest and I felt tears welled up my eyes again.

Stop crying. I told myself as I tried to harden my heart so that I won't have to feel anything. But tears continued to blur my vision.

It has been three days since Rachel told me the grave news and we still haven't heard of any good news from the rescue teams that were dispatched to look for them.

He's not dead. I told myself as I wiped the tears away with my hands.

He can't die because we still have a TV series to finish. We still have a lot of dinners to share. A press conference to go to.

And I still have a lot of things to tell him. I bit back the sob that was trying to escape from my mouth.

He can't die.

I closed my eyes and whispered a silent plea.

" Please come back, Chang. I promise I'll be brave. I promise I'll stop saying stupid things. Please, just please come back. "

I said it over and over, as if it was chant. As if doing so will bring him back.

Taking a deep breath, I wiped away the tears that spilled down my cheeks.

Be brave. I told myself. Be brave, Anne.

Pulling myself together, I quickly took a warm shower hoping it will make me feel a little better. It didn't.

It was an hour after when I finally mustered the courage to get out of my room. I walked into the kitchen and found Rachel cooking up some delicious looking brunch.

" Good morning, " she said cheerfully as I sat on the kitchen table.

She walked over the coffeemaker and grabbed the carafe filled with freshly brewed coffee. After retrieving a mug from the cupboard, she walked over to me and placed both items in front of me.

" Here's your favorite hazelnut coffee, " she told me as she lifted the carafe and poured the liquid into the mug. " Just the way you like it. "

I mustered a smile at my best friend. I knew I wasn't the most amicable person the past days and I was grateful that she was there.

" Thanks Rach, " I murmured as I took the mug with two hands and took in the heavenly scent.

She watched me as I took a sip.

" Feeling better? " She asked softly.

I lifted my eyes to her and gave a small smile.

I wasn't but if there's one thing I've learned after all the things that has happened in my life, it's that life goes on. And it won't stop just because I'm feeling down and broken.

" I am, " I told her instead.

" Liar, " she told me as she walked over to the stove.

I have to smile at that. She knew me too well to know when I'm lying.

I watched as she filled two plates with stacks of pancakes, eggs and bacon. Carrying them to the table, she pushed one plate towards me.

" Now this will make you feel better, " she told me smilingly and sat on the chair across me. " Now eat. "

I didn't have an appetite but for Rachel's sake, I shoved the food into my mouth. Rachel did most of the talking. She told me a lot of things that I wasn't really interested in. Half of the time, I zoned her out and my thoughts wandered.