Book Two: Aster

"Everything I've done, I've done for you. I move the stars for no one."

-David Bowie, Within You (From Labyrinth)

--

I smiled as I walked into the dueling arena. Life was going great. If everything went as planned, this would be my final professional dueling tournament, and I wanted to win. And knowing that my good luck charm would be there, I knew I would.

For years I had only dreamed that life could be this great. Ever since my dad had disappeared, there was always a black cloud over my life, but now that cloud was disappearing. I had the love of my life, and she was going to marry me. I had finally found the love that I wanted so much. I had known it was there my entire life, but I never had known that it was returned until recently.

We had known each other since we were children. Even then I knew that I would marry her. My parents would laugh when I told them that I loved Claire. They said I should keep my options open; maybe someday someone else would come. But they were just being silly.

Claire was my soul mate.

And her mere presence at the duel would assure my victory.

I walked in; my head held up high and took my place in the dueling arena across from Jesse Anderson. I scanned the audience for her, my good luck charm, my life, my Claire. She was sitting near the back, slightly unusual. Claire always liked being near the front. She was nearsighted; she probably wouldn't be able to see most of what was going on. And there was something wrong with her, the bright clothes that she usual wore were gone, she was just wearing black. And she had a large welt on her neck, something that she tried to cover up with a scarf. Her eyes were wide and scared looking. More than anything I wanted to run up to her and ask her what was wrong, but I couldn't, the duel was starting. I tried to give her a smile, but she was staring of into space. It worried me.

Then the duel started, and I tried to forget about her sad face.

--

I won. It was close, but I did win. After the duel ended I tried to find Claire in the cheering crowd again, but she had already left. She must have been backstage, waiting for me. I knew she was, she wouldn't have just left. As soon as I could I rushed backstage to meet her. But instead of Claire, Alexis was waiting for me.

"Aster." She said in an unusually quiet voice. "Can we talk?" She looked worried or sad about something.

"Sure." I told her as I looked up and down the hallway to see if Claire was backstage yet. Alexis snapped her fingers in front of my face to get my attention. "Oh, sorry."

She waved off the apology and began. "Last night." Alexis said, with a slight tremble in her voice. She began again, only this time her voice was stronger. "Last night I came into my room and our fiancé's were… kissing. But if I hadn't come in when I did, I was sure that it would have gone further."

--

My world stopped.

--

It was as if everything had disappeared.

I was sure that Alexis was still talking, but it didn't matter.

All the sadness from my life came back in that moment. Everything that I had been hiding from myself in my few moments of bliss. My father, the D, everything. The fact that I lost everything that I had loved. The fact that my life had taken a turn from the worse ever since I set foot at Duel Academy. It all came back.

--

I snapped out of my daze in what seemed like years, but was actually minutes.

She was walking down the hallway.

For a moment I had forgotten what she had done.

For a moment, I only felt joy. Joy at seeing the blue eyes that I had dreamed of for so long come down the hallway, looking for me.

Then I remembered, and my joy was replaced with anger.

"Bye Aster." Alexis told me as she walked away, looking at me with a sympathetic look. Claire walked up to me, and we stood silent for a moment. I was swelled with anger. I had never been angrier in my life. My father, The D, Sartorius, nothing ever felt like this. But the thing that was there, that wasn't with the others was the knowledge that my life couldn't go on without her. Well, it would never be the way I wanted. Of course, I loved my father. But I had learned to move on, to forgive and forget. It was different with Claire. I knew that I wouldn't last long. Imagining my life without those eyes, no matter how angry I was, was no life at all. As much as she had hurt me, I knew that I would give my life for hers in a second.

"Hi." She said as she stroked a bruise on her hand. A bruise that Zane probably gave her while they were cheating. Then my anger tripled. With one final look into her eyes I began to live my worst nightmare.

"I know what you did." I told her, with my eyes locked just below her eyes, not being able to fully look into them, so sad and intense.

"Please Aster, let me expl…" she began to say, and I saw a tear trickle down her cheek.

"No need to." I spat at her. "Alexis told me. Did you have fun Claire? Did you enjoy it? You said you'd be back in ten minutes Claire. You weren't, I trusted you. I thought that maybe you got into a conversation or something. But no, you were too busy…" I couldn't bring myself to say the word and my voice cracked. "Enjoying yourself. Well Claire, go enjoy yourself. You can go enjoy yourself all you want. It's not my concern." I turned to walk away, willing myself not to cry, to be strong, when I felt her warm hand on my arm.

"Aster." She told me, "Please wait." I paused and closed my eyes, knowing this was probably the last time she would ever touch me. I wanted to keep this moment in my mind forever before I had to do what I was about to do. I turned around and said it.

"Don't you dare you little slut!" I yelled at her. "You think that you can kiss every guy who walks by you when you're with me?!" I asked her, hating myself for it. "I don't think so! Now leave me alone!" I stalked off, only looking behind me when I was at the door. Claire was still standing in the same place, tears silently streaming down her face. I walked out.

I stood outside of the door for a few minutes, and then opened it again. I couldn't live without Claire, I just couldn't do it. I needed to apologize. I needed to… be with her. But when I looked back inside, she was gone.

Gah. The OC-ness runs rapid in this chapter. Meh. It did make me really sad to write it though. I hope you liked it. Read, review, the usual.

Aster-Do you honestly think I'd ever say this?

Me-No, not really.

Zane-Good, because he sounds like a total pansy.

Aster-Even as an OC I could never be a pansy.

Zane-Wanna bet? Just look at the episodes you were in Aster? When did you ever do anything that wasn't pansy-ish?

Aster-Hey…

Me-Review before these two get into a fist fight.

Zane-What about Sartorius?

Aster-I've told you a million times, we're just friends!

Zane-Oh really…?

Aster-COME HERE!

Me-Ooops. Too late.