Chapter 3 

                                    “Silent Star”

The next day passed.

That feeling from yesterday was strange... but light.

As if, for a few minutes, his world had been less heavy.

Aster arrived at school.

He entered the classroom...

and saw Bruno sitting in his seat.

He became nervous.

Bruno looked at him and smiled.

“Hi,” he said. “How's your morning going?”

Aster looked down. He blushed.

He sat down next to him and whispered in a trembling voice:

“Hi... fine.”

Class began.

Bruno took out a notebook too.

Aster looked at him sideways, curious.

A few minutes later, Bruno passed him a folded note.

“Do you always write sad things, or do you also write about happy stars?”

Aster didn't respond with words.

She just smiled a little.

Perhaps for the first time in a long time.

She returned the note, with something written on it:

“Sometimes... but I prefer it this way.”

Bruno read it.

He smiled too, and passed her another note.

“Do you really like stars? ”

Aster wrote his answer carefully:

“They're the only ones who don't judge me when they watch me at night.”

He handed it to him.

Bruno read it silently. He remained motionless for a few seconds.

Then he looked up and looked him straight in the eye.

“How beautiful...” he whispered.

The way you look at them.

You're just like them.

He drew her a tiny star with crazy eyes and a crooked smile.

He passed it to her under the table.

Aster stared at the drawing, surprised.

And she laughed. Softly.

So as not to interrupt the class.

Bruno and Aster looked at each other.

Just for a few seconds.

But for Aster...

it was as if they had been in the same space.

Suddenly, a shout brought him back:

“Rodrigo! Pay attention!” shouted the teacher.

Bruno and Aster separated abruptly.

They looked at each other again, this time like two children who had just been up to mischief.

They returned to the real world.

But something had already changed inside them.