Shooting Stars and Satellites

It had taken me a good hour, but I had finally convinced Sherry to leave the couch and take a relaxing bath, while I helped clean the small mess that had accumulated in her house.

Just as I was putting the last dish in the washer, she emerged from her room, dressed in black pajama pants and a pink tee shirt. I smiled as she sat down at the table.

"Feel a little better?" I asked.

She gave a small laugh and nodded her head. "I do, actually." She glanced around the kitchen and living room before looking back at me. "Thank you so much, Alaska. You really didn't have to clean."

I shrugged and sat down on the chair across from hers. "It's nothing, Sherry. I'm glad to be able to help."

She smiled and stared down at her hands. "I have something I feel I should give you, but I don't know if it's the right thing to do."

I furrowed my brows. "What do you mean?"

She held up her index finger before standing and walking off to the front room; Gavin's room. She returned a moment later, her right hand clasped around something I couldn't quite make out. She sat back down and looked me in the eyes.

"Gavin bought this for you a week before he - before everything happened. He loved you so much, Alaska, and I just want you to know that," she said.

I nodded my head. "I know and I loved him just as much, Sherry."

She smiled. "I know you did, honey. You don't have to accept this, but I feel that you should at least see it." She opened her palm and I immediately gasped.

She held her hand out, and I grabbed the ring, tears brimming my eyes; it was stunning. A quartet of diamonds was set in the middle, framed by round diamonds on the silver band. It was easily the most beautiful ring I had ever laid my eyes on.

"Sherry ... It's gorgeous," I breathed.

She nodded her head, looking as sad as I felt. "He was going to ask you to marry him the day he bought it, but he was so worried you'd say no."

I looked in her eyes, wanting to let her know I was completely serious. "I would have said yes in a heartbeat."

"Alaska, I want to let you know that although my son is gone, you are welcome here anytime. You are like a daughter to me, and I love you just as much as I love Gavin. I don't want you to feel like you can't come and talk to me." She laid her hand over mine, her eyes glazing over. "I don't want you to disappear, okay?" she whispered.

I shook my head, leaning over the tabletop to hug her. "I would never do that, Sherry. I love you just like I love my own mother."

We made small talk for awhile, before I decided it was time to head home. Kennedy pulled up to the front of the house and I gave Sherry a hug before getting into the car.

"How'd it go?" he asked as he glanced over his shoulder to back out of the driveway.

"It went good."

He nodded his head as we pulled out onto the lonesome road. I glanced down at my left hand, staring at the ring on my finger. I had decided to take the ring in the end. Gavin had bought it for me, and in some way, I felt as if connected me to him.

The ride back to our house was quiet, either of us muttering a word. As he pulled into our driveway, Kennedy pulled the keys from the ignition, but made no movement to leave the car.

"John told me about what happened between you two," he finally said.

I sighed and silently cursed John in my head. "It was a mistake, Kenny."

He gave a laugh. "Yeah, well ... John seems to think it meant something."

"He can think whatever he wants, but it meant nothing to me."

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Alaska, I'm not blind, okay? I can see that there's something between you two, and I know that right now, that scares you."

I turned in my seat, glaring at him. "What do you mean it scares me?"

"You just lost your boyfriend, and I can only imagine that having feelings for another guy has to be hard for you. Am I wrong?" he asked.

"Kenny, I don't have any feelings for John. I don't know what it is you think you're seeing, but there's nothing going on between us." With that, I reached for the door handle, getting out.

As I walked to the front door of the house, I could hear my brother's car door slam shut. I stuck my key in the lock and went inside, leaving the door open for him.

"Lassie!" I heard a familiar voice shout.

I sighed, turning towards the living room. "Hey, Pat." I swallowed hard as I felt a pair of eyes boring into the side of my face.

"You're sitting in my chair, Gare," Kenny said, passing me into the living room.

Garrett rolled his eyes. "I'm comfy."

"Well get comfy somewhere else," my brother told him. With a grunt, Garrett left the La-Z-Boy, going to sit on the couch.

"Where have you been all day, missy?" Jared asked, breaking his eyes away from the television.

"I was at Gavin's house," I stated. A sudden tension filled the room, just as it usually did whenever Gavin's name was mentioned.

"We practiced a new song today," Pat said, trying to break the awkwardness.

"Oh, really?" I smiled, trying to sound interested.

Jared nodded his head. "Yeah, it's called - holy shit, Alaska! What the hell is on your finger?" he yelled, his eyes falling to my left hand.

One by one, all five boys' heads turned, staring at the ring on my finger. I cleared my throat, trying to ignore the shocked and angry expression on my brother's face.

"It's a ring," I said simply.

"Well no shit, Alaska! Where'd you get it?" he asked, clearly not happy.

"Gavin's mother gave it to me, Kenny."

"Uh, that looks like an engagement ring, 'Laska," Garrett pointed out.

"It really does," Pat agreed.

I licked my suddenly dry lips. "Gavin bought it for me. He - he was going to ask me to marry him. She gave it to me because she thought I should have it," I explained.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw John stand up, a pissed off look on his face and his jaw clenching. "I gotta go," he said.

"What's wrong?" Jared asked.

"Nothing," he muttered, brushing past me, his shoulder bumping into mine.

"You don't always have to be such a fucking dick, John!" I spat, fed up with his attitude.

He turned around, scowling at me. "You're the only person who makes me act like a dick."

I felt a pang in my heart. "And why exactly is that?"

He pointed his index finger at the ring, staring hard at it. "Because that ring is bullshit, Alaska!"

I rushed towards him but was quickly pulled back by Jared, who wrapped his arms tightly around my waist. "You're such a fucking asshole, John!" I screamed.

A second later, both my parents ran out from their room, staring between the six of us.

"What the hell is going on?" my father asked.

"It's nothing, dad," Kennedy lied.

"It doesn't look like nothing, Kenny!" he boomed.

I wriggled out of Jared's grasp, walking over to John. "If you ever, ever say anything like that again, John, I will make you regret ever being fucking born!"

"Alaska, watch your mouth!" my mother yelled.

John shook his head. "That ring is only going to hold you back, Alaska. You're never going to let go of him if you wear it."

"Why the hell does my love life matter so much to you!?" I shouted.

"Guys, maybe we should-" Garrett began but was interrupted.

"Because I'm in fucking love with you!" John yelled before going to the door, slamming it as he left.

Silence overtook the room, and I felt my heart stop. I glanced around at the faces staring at me before running towards the staircase, going straight to my room.

How the fuck could he do this to me?