Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men Evolution, they belong to Marvel. I own my OCs.
A pair of large brown eyes was staring at the mid-August night sky. These eyes knew which constellations were up and their locations. The eyes belonged to a young Italian girl with flowing chocolate brown hair and olive skin tone. She had always loved looking up at the stars ever since her father showed her once when she was younger.
The minute her eyes made visual contact with the heavens above her, she wouldn't look away for anything. Ever since that night her family nicknamed her Stella; meaning star in Italian. Stella was grateful for her family living far away from major cities and surrounding towns. The closest one is an hour away. A bad thing about major cities and towns is the light pollution they give off which obscures the night sky and making it harder to find certain constellations.
Luckily, Stella doesn't have to worry about light pollution from her own house. Once the sun sets the only lights that are on are those inside the house. It sits on the bottom of a small hill and behind lays the family vineyard where they grow two types of grapes: one to make wine and the other as produce. It was the middle of the night, around five in the morning, when Stella hears a familiar voice behind her.
"Did you spend the whole night out here just to look at the sky?"
She turns her head smiling "You should know me by now Paulo. If there's no clouds out then I'm sitting out here watching everything that happens in the night time sky."
"I can't believe I'm even related to you" he shakes his head.
"Love you too cugino."
Paulo took the seat next to her. Both turned their attentions back to the sky. Neither spoke a word as they took in how quiet and peaceful it is at the moment. Without looking at his cousin, Paulo stated.
"You're nervous."
"Am not."
"The flickering lights in the house state otherwise. You're lucky that I was already up or else somebody else would've dragged you back to the house by now."
A shaky breath escapes her lips "Fine. I'm nervous. Happy now?"
He chuckles "Why? What reason do you have to be nervous for?"
"C'mon Paulo, you know how it is. Everyone watches the new girl waiting for her to mess up majorly and commit social suicide. Not to mention that I'm "special" which also gives them another reason to hate me."
She used air quotes when she said special.
"Well screw them. Those are the kind of people you stay away from. Besides, you'll be staying with other people around our age who are "special" too. You're going to be fine. Just show them your dazzling personality."
The two cousins laugh at their inside joke. They stayed there until the sky began to turn pink.
"We better get inside" Paulo says as he stood up.
"Fine" Stella stood up as well.
Before heading down the hill, Paulo flicks Stella's forehead and made a run for it.
"Ugh! You twerp! Get back here" she ran after him.
He reached the house first. When he entered, he quickly locks the door. Stella began pounding on it.
"Let me in!"
"What's the magic word?" Paulo teases.
"Now!"
"Try again."
Stella got quiet. Paulo became suspicious by his cousin's silence. Next he hears the door being unlocked. Shortly afterwards, the door is kicked in and he falls to the floor. Paulo looks up to see Stella holding a key made of light.
"Did you honestly think that would keep me out?"
"At least I tried."
"And you failed miserably."
She lends him a hand. He takes it and is hoisted up by her. A new voice spoke out.
"What's all the racket?"
The duo turned their heads to find their older cousin standing in the kitchen entrance wiping the sleep out of their eyes.
"Mateus, it was all Paulo's fault" Stella points to the accused.
"No it wasn't!"
"Who's the idiot that locked me out?" she shouts.
"And who's the idiot that kicked the door in?" he counters.
"You're both idiots!" they stopped bickering "Now that's been cleared up, you two can cook breakfast today since you're the only one's up before the crack of dawn."
"Fine" they chorused.
Mateus went back to his room to get ready for the day. The other two began making breakfast for their whole family. In the middle of cooking eggs, Paulo spoke without looking up.
"I'm going to miss you."
Stella was slicing up some fruit "I'm gonna miss you too."
"Bitch."
"Jerk."
Little by little, their family members came walking in and grabbing breakfast. Eventually the entire family was eating at the large dining table in the even larger kitchen. At the table was Grandma Carmo, Paulo's parents, Stella's parents, their Aunt Maria and Uncle Marco, their older cousins Marianna and Mateus with their own kid; one is named Manuela and the other Giovanna. Also their Aunt Claudia and Uncle Nilo with their son Lucas. Normally the table is loud and energetic but today they're silent.
Stella glances at everyone's solemn faces. "I can't stand the silence." She clears her throat loudly which turned heads. When she had their attentions, Stella spoke.
"Look, I'm not leaving forever. I'll be back for the holidays so please talk and be loud. I can't stand it being so quiet."
At first no one made a single sound then Giovanna, who's only a year old, burps loudly breaking the silence. The sudden burp caused a ripple of laughs. Soon enough the whole kitchen was filled with noise and laughter just the way she likes it. "I'm going to miss them" she smiles sadly.
The time had come. It was time to head for the airport. Unfortunately the entire family couldn't go to see her off but they did hugged, kissed and wished her luck before she left. Those that were able to come were her parents, Paulo and his parents, Otavio and Vera.
She had her boarding pass, passport and carry-on luggage all ready. The only thing now is for her to pass through security but she wasn't ready to leave just yet. Her family noticed that she was getting nervous as the lights in the airport began to flicker lightly. It quickly ends when her mother hugs her.
"Shhh. Take a deep breath and relax. You're going to be fine."
When her mother lets go, Stella felt an emptiness within her heart; a feeling she didn't like and never wants to feel again. Otavio and Vera wished her luck and kissed her cheeks. Her father, Marcello, hugged her fiercely as he wasn't ready to let go of his little girl just yet. She hugs him back with even greater strength.
"Take care mia Stella."
"I will Papà."
Tears were beginning to build. Her mother, Malá, cups her face and kisses every inch of her daughter's face. At this point the dam broke free and tears were caressing down the young Italian's face. Malá uses her thumbs to wipe her daughter's tears away.
"I know that you'll do your best, mia Stella. Listen to your teachers and try not to get into any trouble. Americans, as you'll see, are very different than Italians. Remember that you're not in Italy, you're in America and in America they have a different social life and etiquette than we do."
Stella nods "I know Mamma."
Malá kisses her forehead for a good ten seconds then whispers "Never forget all of us are with you in your heart."
She nods again. When Malá stepped away the only person left to say bye was Paulo. The two cousins stood in front of each other neither saying a word. Seconds pass when Paulo finally mutters a single word.
"Bitch."
She heard him and retaliates.
"Jerk."
They hugged. Stella was finally crying as she was saying goodbye to not only her cousin but her best friend too. Paulo didn't make a sound but he was crying too. Stella felt the tears of her cousin on her shirt. The two separated. She looked at her family one last time before going through security. As she was passing through security, Stella smiles to herself. "I'll make you guys proud."