This fact, as true and as simple as it was, had not stopped at Erza from pacing around the guild all morning and earning her strict stare . Erza had yelled at the guild for being messy and she, of course, had yelled right back. And soon, everybody was giving attention on her .

It meant a shower of good fortune

It didn't matter, though, not to Erza. She would be struck by lightning, and still would be able to plummet entire guild.

But it didn't rain. It was goddamn muggy, though, muggy enough to cause the streamers tied to the back of half-melt and make colors streak down the white, but it didn't rain.

Lucy stepped out the reception into the parking lot that evening to her Loke who was waiting for her and wearing tuxedo. I could see the tables through the windows. Makarov had only rented the backroom to drink . But even though the party was starting to fade, cousins and friends rushing home to watch whatever was going to happen happen, I could still hear the stragglers through the closed door.

Striking up a match from the book I'd snagged from the front counter, I watched the smoke furl upward toward the moon. They were up there right now. That was goddamn insane. They were up there, and I was standing here, looking up at them. And maybe some part of me really could reach them like this, I thought. Maybe they would see my cigarette smoke, and they would know I was here. So few people really did.

"You all better hurry. You gotta get there before Mira does," Erza yammered, rushing out of guild with Wendy' front door .

Lucy was waving her hand at them. "take care."

And so we did. That afternoon,They had shoved past me shouting for the radio. And climbing in last, I watched from my place in the rear as the four of them leaned over the front .

The chauffeur, which Lucy guess is what you call a person in this line of work, was actually wearing one of those little caps you see on television. He already had the broadcast running, and we sat there on the curb together and listened.

"We're gonna be late! They're gonna yell at us, Loke." But no one paid me any mind because, just like that, it was really happening. With that, as if noticing the time, the glint revved and swerved as it took off, nearly hitting the sidewalk and taking out a lamppost. I gripped the door handle.

The place in which I had grown up. Everything was exactly the same as it had always been, but just like that, it was different too. The world was different, so this would be a moment, I realized. From here on out, there would be everything before it and everything after it.

All had to take a detour to loop around the job request board.

I heard the metal door to the hall slam open—followed by the crunching stride of shoes on the pavement. It was not my cana drinking barrels of wine early early, or one of his drunk buddies, or even my father, trying to get away from

No, a tall guy in tuxedo. He was freckled, I remember thinking. They crept up his neck, onto his cheeks, and along his forearms, revealed by his rolled-up sleeves, like burning wildflowers, ruddy clouds dotting his skin like poppies. He nearly bumped on Lucy what may have been anger or frustration, a temperament as red as he was.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, sir. I wasn't watching." He muttered hurriedly, running a hand through his orange hair and offering something of an apologetic .

"its fine.

I nodded, handing over the books as he pulled a book of adventure from his bag

"Thanks a million. You're allowed to smoke inside, ya know. Guests are. Not me. I gotta come out here," he explained.

"Oh, uh, my mom don't know I do it," I replied with something of a weak laugh, shrugging my shoulders. I spoke up again only to fill the abrupt silence. "And she also don't know that I know that she does too. Out the bathroom window, ya know? To be sneaky?"

He laughed the way a movie star laughes, full-bodied and hearty, gold. It mingled with mine, and together, it whirled .

Deciding I really should be less of a brute, then, I stuck out a hand to shake.

"I bet you they're missing us in there, I Saw you really being rushed up earlier."

"No one even knows for a while, l." But Lucy knew what he had meant. The song had struck up an romantic favorite song of her . and Lucy, swaying to the music, found her arms wrapped around Loke and they waltz

For the moment, she did not sway with me, regarding me the way a person regards socks on Christmas. They're fine, of course, but not what you wanted. Still, I had been paired with her during the wedding, and I guess we were supposed to dance together. Everyone else was. She draped her one hand over Loke's shoulders, making it look like she was enjoying it.

"Nice song huh . We heard on the radio," I said, trying to strike up some kind of conversation.

"Uh huh," Loke replied, glancing over her own shoulder. "Is everyone in a brawl fight already? I told him I'd save a dance for him back at the church, but those song are so familiar I hate being this petite." She huffed, turning back to meet Loke's eye level.

"No. I ain't seen him."

"Oh well," she hummed, turning back around and continuing to scan the room. "Maybe I can make this work. If he sees us having a real way like this.

Sighing in slight laugh , leaning back casually and crossing my arms, like in a Western, but looking more crabby than cool

Lucy gave another one of those boisterous laughs at that. I studied the way his whole body seemed to shake with the life of it, and I found I was almost jealous of him, of how he laughed. I could not remember ever laughing like that. "Besides, you should be proper nice to me," He added quickly, if only to distract herself from her annoyed manner . "I'm a vip type guest . I'm always right, ain't I? And it's a celebration Lucy ." her eyes widened.

"I mean, it was the only day the church had. I'm not sour about it. I get it.Church visit are a big celebration and all that."

." Loke met my eye, holding my gaze for only a moment.

"Yeah, thanks. Turns out, you're the only one to tell me that today."

"No fooling? I'm sorry. I turned nineteen in July .Feels like standing in a doorway almost like aging. One year's done, so the next one starts right up with me. I can count them on myself."

Loke offered a nod at that before pointing up at the roof. Her team was there , sky gazing , so that they could see only from far . "Tonight's a doorway too, you know," I said. "They're up there on the roof ?" I clicked my tongue, nostrils squeeze ."Who cares, I guess. Everyone's home waiting to see them walk out, and we're just here , might enjoy some vanilla ice cream " She sniffed..

Lucy laughed. "I don't like vanilla though . And, yeah, maybe everyone's sitting at home, and maybe we're sitting here, but they're up there, the people who really matter. So how about that, huh? Not one of us is up there. That's how it goes. Everyone's always doing somethin' better, and nobody ever gets to do what they want," She continued stretching her arms . For a moment, he glanced back to the hall doors, which still sat shut tight.

"Oh, uh, what do you want to do then? Other than this, I mean? I guess workin' other people's wedding's isn't really all that good of a time." I rambled. "Did you always want to work in a restaurant?"

"I can wait , Loke." said Lucy. he scoffed, a hiss whirled around his lips. "Now, you know what I want? As An actual chef , so it's true. Well, I want to go there and find it best meal for us . Bring it back here to for dinner. I mean, maybe I ain't on the moon, nah, but I can still explore everythin' here, can't I?" He seemed to surge with this insistence, shoulders rolling, face growing bright and boyish, enough to make a person believe. He glowed, really, with this kind of light I was noticing for the first time ever, one that could put to blushing red and make me blush too.

"Well, why don't ya then?"

"Well, why don't you go in there and tell everyone it's your birthday, and they'd better not forget it?"

I did not have an answer to this, so slumping a bit, I simply shrugged my shoulders. Loke's features softened, as if he had realized he had struck some hidden part of me, the scar of maybe where God had torn my rib out. I was the one to speak up again. "You know, sometimes I think my folks had me just in case my brother got hit by a bus. Not that he was ever gonna die for real or nothing, but just to…you know, sort of be a backup. In case," I laughed, but I knew I was only

"That was smart of 'em," loke replied, giving my shoulder a light shove, an almost over-friendly gesture. I found myself leaning into the contact, chasing some of his glow as if it could reflect back on me. "Havin' a backup, I mean. I don't. I don't know what's happening tomorrow. The asshole in there? don't tell me he ain't. He's not done it yet, but when I walk back in there, he's gonna. I broke a dish, and he shouted at me, so I told him to kiss my ass for good luck." He patted Lucy's back "Nobody'll even notice that we're here Lucy. Not really. No one ever notices nothing."

. Extending both his arms upward, then, stretching himself tall like the neck . He used both his hands to wave, rolling with the full force of himself, the way folks wave .

"I see them !" Loke declared, extending one finger to point. His feet left the ground in that moment, and he seemed to jump, giving into this strange, beautiful abandon. "I see 'em right up there on the surface! And they're waving right back at me!" A strong hand shot out to grab the sleeve of my jacket, and he tugged Lucy closer, making her spring upward along with him. her heart pounded, taking a giant leap of my own, a gasp escaping my throat. And looking up at the shooting star , Lucy jumped and laughed. And waved like a gesture to wish for better days.

The whole world, the whole goddamn world was looking at them, and so was I. But they were looking at Lucy. They were looking at her with Loke

Loke had fallen back, crossing his arms, smiling from ear to ear with that suaveness watching Lucy's movement, her leaping and her waving. And then Loke saw her For the very first in my entire life, as if she's the most beautiful sunshine to witness. Lucy knew Loke saw her in a romantic way . He laughed again, and with it, I found myself buzzing.

Lucy fell onto Loke completely, then, wrapping arms around his shoulders and tugging him into an odd, exuberant half-dance. they laughed, and leapt, all arms and legs. When They leaned in closer, Lucy could see him, the sublime way the moon played on his face, letting herself think, as she could have kissed him. And Loke would have let Lucy to do it with him.

But they knew who they were, separate worlds and laws confronting between them. And Lucy knew where they were going. Lucy fell back as well as Loke just not just yet. But Lucy barrelled through the door to the backroom, looking from me to Barty and then back again. She huffed as we separated.

"There you are, Loke! This is for all the days? Hurry. We're all gonna go over to your folks' and we can get a job.

"Come Loke," Lucy said, and as he was waiting outside my room .After getting dressed I went to Loke and put my arms on his.

"Hey, you better get going. Tonight's the big night, right? Yesterday was just yesterday, but tomorrow, everything will be different. I don't know what's happening tomorrow."loke fell silent, his one brow up. "You know, everything' gotta be the way it was first. And then, one day it can all be different. That's how it goes."

"Yeah. Anything can happen now, can't it? 'Cause they were up there. Maybe." As I turned to leave, I looked back, managing an uncertain smile. "I hope Lucy's eyes brightens up with shine like the stars

"Okay , Loke."

And this would be a little romantic moment, Lucy realized. From here on out, there would be everything before it and everything after it.