Page 6 of Galaxy Between Us

Without these galaxy paintings on the wall, posters of my favorite astronomers, and my lamp shade shaped like a rocket, I’m going to change. I’ll be shaped into somebody else. What if I grow out of astronomy when I go? What if I lose my dreams of Comet XI?

Expression as blue as the sky, I sit on the edge of my bed, feeling homesick even though I haven’t left yet.

My eyes drift away from my telescope in the window and land on a polaroid photo of me and Knox on my nightstand. Reaching across, I pick it up and hold it in my lap, observing the memory with a heavy heart.

The picture is from when our parents took us to see the aurora borealis last year when we were thirteen. He threw his arm over my shoulders for the picture, not realizing that he was freaking crushing me. His mom had made a comment saying that most Alphas and Omegas share a kiss under the colorful light show for good luck, but we stuck our tongues out at the camera instead.

I’m not having my first kiss in front of my parents!

But I did give Knox a kiss on the cheek during that trip when they weren’t looking. I was mostly joking around, but I’ve never seen an Alpha blush so hard. It was really cute.

It’s been six weeks since I’ve seen him last, making this the longest stretch of time we’ve been away from each other and it has been torture every second, unsettling something deep within my soul. But sour jealousy seeps into my thoughts, shrouding my fond memories like an avalanche.

I think today was the last day of BOW camp. Knox is coming home soon.

I should be happy. I should be over the moon with excitement. But the idea of him coming back wearing a cool camp shirt, with Alpha astronomer friends, and a bunch of items from all the craft projects they probably got to do. It makes me irrationally bitter.

He deserves to have a fun time at space camp, but why did the world need to rip me away from him and leave me out of it? I wanted to have fun too. The only thing I did this summer was take a painting course with my mom. Omega bonding time as she calls it to prepare me for boarding school.

I understand the importance of Omega studies, but I’m just not ready to grow up yet. Alphas go into rut and have a bunch of hormonal stuff too and yet they don’t have Alpha studies. They just get to keep being a kid until they choose a field of study and grow up. This was supposed to be my last summer of childhood astronomy fun, and I was robbed of it.

I don’t want Knox to come home and rub it in. I’m going to see him during holiday breaks anyway so it’s not the end of the world if I just…leave.

The hot tears that begin to rise like a flood say otherwise but I bite them back. Omegas sneak Alphas into their dorm rooms all the time. We can still coordinate hangout sessions. I’m sure of it.

“Arius?” my dad’s voice reaches my ears, his fatherly bond to me sends a wave of safety and love that dries my tears quickly.

Wiping my eyes, I set the photo aside and wave him in, noticing his pitiful expression. Lips pressed together in a stern line, he steps inside, sits beside me, and pulls me in for a comforting hug.

“You still have until the end of the week to move in, Arius,” he reminds me, squeezing me tightly as if he isn’t ready for me to flee the nest either. “We don’t need to go today.”

“I know,” I cry into his shoulder. “But I want to get it over with. The quicker I get used to it, the better.”

Dad sighs in a way that means he’s about to give me an important life lesson.

“I know your mom has been pushing you to make Omega friends even though you’ll miss all these Alphas you run around with here, but Arius, remember that friends are what will make you look forward to being there. Friends are going to make sharing a dorm room fun. Friends will make studying less stressful. And they’ll make sitting at the dining hall a good time. Embrace the opportunity, son. That’s how Mom met the Beckett family, you know.”

I lift my head with a sniffle, facing my dad.

“Really? Mom met Knox’s mom at boarding school?”

“That’s right, and when Mrs. Beckett saw us at that block party when you were little, she lit up with joy at the chance to reconnect with your mom. You’re going to meet some of your closest friends like that too, Kiddo.”

“But… Knox is my closest friend. No one could ever know me like he does.”

My dad hesitates, looking uncertain about how to say whatever is on his mind.

“Well, son…your connection with Alphas will be a little different by the time you’re all grown up.”

“What do you mean?” I pout, and my dad tenses with discomfort before chuckling dryly.

“I just mean… For example, your mom and I. She has me as her Alpha mate, and other Omegas like Mrs. Beckett as friends. Do you understand?”

“Not really.”

My mom interrupts his lecture, calling out to us from the living room, “Arius! Are you almost ready?”

Dad pats my back and we stand.