Page 6 of The Star

She holds up her left hand, showing me a ring gracing her delicate finger. I blink a few times. “That didn’t really answer my question.”

“Carson!” She gives me a displeased look. “Aren’t you even going to say congratulations?”

I give her a little grin. “Congratulations, Mom.”

She reaches out to hug me, her petite frame colliding with mine as her hands rub along my arms. “Thank you.”

I can almost feel her positive energy radiating through the hug, like she’s so overwhelmed with happiness that she’s infecting the whole world with it. Gary and my mother have been dating for a while now, and I’ve seen him around the house a lot. He’s a good guy – a little different from the lifestyle here – but if she’s happy, then I’m happy for her.

He lives across town, on the rougher side of the county, but he carries himself really well whenever he’s been here. So whatever.

“Anyways,” I say, pulling from her embrace, “what is all this stuff?”

“Oh.” She moves towards the bags. “I got some stuff to set up the guest room for Logan.”

I watch her rifle through the bags, looking for something in particular. “Who’s Logan?”

She looks at me, pausing the task of rummaging through the shopping bags. “I’ve told you about Logan before. Gary’s daughter.”

My eyebrows move up my forehead. “And she’s coming to stay here?!”

My mom clicks her tongue, moving her attention back to the bags. “Gary and Logan will be moving in here during the break. We’ll be a family.”

My mouth hangs open as I watch her, so casual and careless, like she hasn’t just dropped a bomb on me. “Excuse the fuck outta me. They’re moving in here?!”

She huffs at my language, but doesn’t reprimand me, just continues what she’s doing. “Yes, do you not expect me to live with my future husband?”

“Wait, wait, wait. Mom. I’m cool with Gary, but who is this girl? How old is she even?”

“She’s seventeen.” She pops her head up to look at me again, then holds up a packaged sheet set. “Do you think she’ll like this color?”

The sheets are an awful pink, something you would find in a child’s room. “How the fuck should I know, Mom? I don’t know her.”

She gives me a disgusted face. “Your language is foul, Carson Raines.”

“What’s up, Ms. Raines?” Hayden and Levi appear behind me, and my mom gives them a smile. Hayden nods at me. “Caught Levi out back before he had the chance to strip down and dive into the pool.”

Before I can respond, my mom picks up a few bags and holds them toward my friends. “I’m glad you boys are here. Help me carry this stuff up to the guest room, will you?”

Hayden perks an eyebrow when I meet his gaze. “What’s going on?”

“Apparently, I’m getting a new sister,” I grumble.

three

LOGAN

I’m moving one zip code away, but it might as well be another planet. The kids I grew up with don’t venture into Luxington – we aren’t welcome across the tracks. It’s a completely different world over there.

This is my community, my home. It’s nothing special to outsiders. We don’t have fancy amenities, but we have heart and soul.

And if my dad thinks we’ll suddenly be welcome in Luxington, he’s delusional. They’re going to chew us up and spit us back across the town line where we belong.

The day before we move, the Friday of Labor Day weekend, it still hasn’t hit me. I sit at the park with my friends, legs hanging off the side of the picnic table I’ve sat at since I was ten years old. Only now, we’ve traded off-brand juice boxes and sandwiches for cans of Natty Light and Swisher Sweets.

Giuliana is plastered to my side, like a tumor. I’m trying to spend as much time with her as I can, but I have other people I need to say goodbye to as well. This party is about me, about saying my temporary goodbyes to the kids I’ve known my whole life. The kids I’ve spent nights sneaking into the community pool with, scaled the barbwire fences of Franklin High with so we could break in and play pranks on the teachers.

The boys are setting off bottle rockets fifteen feet from where we’re sitting, joints hanging from their mouths as they laugh and play. Giuliana and I watch them for a while, a couple of other girls sitting atop the table with us.

---