2. Rai Harrington

Chapter two

Rai Harrington

The Night of a Falling Star - Angel's Blessing

December 12, 2024

I sat in the backyard with my mom, dad, and little sister... all three of us were waiting to see the comet that was supposed to pass over our sky that night. I'd never seen a comet before and I peered through my mini telescope at the stars shining brightly above.

"When is it going to happen?" I asked my parents.

"Very soon, keep looking, it'll only be a few seconds," my mom said.

"I'm cold. I wanna go back inside," my sister, Rain, complained.

I couldn't really blame her. I was cold too. It was the eleventh of December and Chicago winters showed no mercy. We'd only been outside for five minutes waiting for the comet to pass. It was reported that it would happen around midnight. I'd been the most excited, because I had been told the story of how a comet was in the sky the very night I'd been born. And it was going to happen again on my twelfth birthday. This was so amazing.

My dad looked at his watch. "It's close to the time that scientists say it will pass. Just a few more minutes."

"Fine," my sister said with a shiver. She was bundled up from head to toe in winter gear, but she just hated the cold, period.

I ignored her and focused on the sky through my telescope and just as my dad had stated, I finally saw it. A flash of bright light with a trail zipped through the sky and I yelped in delight. My whole body tingled with little sparks, which was so cool. "Oh my God, did you see it? Did you see it?" I asked my family with all of the enthusiasm I felt.

"Yes, baby, we saw it," my mother said, then she leaned over, kissing my temple. "Happy Birthday, Rai."

I put my telescope down and looked at her with a wide grin. "Thank you, mom." I hugged her and my dad. When I tried to hug my little sister, she shoved me away with a giggle. I still kissed her, though.

"Yuck," she said, then wiped my kiss away.

"No cake for you," I threatened.

Rain shrugged. "You can't stop me from getting some cake," she said, then she went back inside.

I rolled my eyes and looked at my parents. "You just had to give me a little sister."

"You both love each other," my mom said.

"No, I don't," I joked and she laughed. I shivered a little as the tingling sensation I felt faded. "Did you all feel that too?"

My mom frowned. "Feel what?"

"When the comet passed, I felt a tingle."

"Probably because you were so excited," my dad said as he rose from the lawn chair.

"Yeah, I really was," I admitted. I was still excited. I only wished I could have taken a photo of it.

My mom clapped her hands. "Okay, it's time for the birthday boy to go to bed. You have school tomorrow."

We walked back inside to the warmth of our home.

"You better get up, too. I don't want to have to drag you out of bed," my dad said.

I was already wearing my pajamas under my winter clothes, so technically, I was already ready for bed. "Do I have to go to school? It's my birthday."

"Oh, you're going to school and you better not get into any more trouble," my mom said.

"You're lucky if we even give you a birthday party after all the trouble you've been in," my dad said.

I frowned. "It wasn't my fault. Those kids are always picking on me. Am I just supposed to let them?" I asked. Because it was true, I'd been suspended once this school year for fighting, and it wasn't my first time either. I had four suspensions on my record and one expulsion in the past two years. I was known as a troublemaker, but I didn't think it was fair to call me that when I wasn't ever the one to start the fight. I just finished them.

"Use your words and not your fists," my mom said.

"My fists work better," I mumbled as I removed my hat and scarf.

"What was that?" my mom asked.

"Nothing," I replied quickly.

"Go to bed, Rai," my mom ordered.

I nodded, then went to my bedroom and took off my coat, gloves, and boots. I tossed everything into the chair, and then climbed into bed and turned off the light. On my ceiling was a set of glow-in-the-dark pieces that made up the galaxy. Something I'd found fascinating since I'd been born on the night of a special comet. My wall was also decorated with posters of my favorite martial artists, some I found to be attractive.

Thinking boys were cute was one of the reasons other boys at school picked on me. That, and I knew a lot were jealous that I was also smart. "Wise beyond my years," my mom had once told me. "Brawn and brains," my dad had added. I think he secretly liked the fact that I fought for myself, whereas my mom didn't like violence.

Still, I would never back down from a fight. Although, I had been behaving myself so far. I really wanted to have my birthday party this weekend. I'd been looking forward to that.

***

I stood in a field covered in charred bodies still smoldering. As I looked around, I felt happiness and pride in all of the destruction I'd caused. Buildings burned, flames licking out of windows as more people ran screaming in terror. I felt empowered by their fear, by their deaths. I stepped over the bodies, making my way to a fountain, and leaned over to wash my hands of the blood that covered them. In the water, I saw my reflection, and it wasn't my own face looking back at me, but one of a gorgeous man with long, black hair and glowing indigo eyes.

My eyes opened and I gasped as I sat up in my bed, my heart raced as my chest heaved. Quickly, I turned on the light and looked around to make sure I was in my bedroom and not some terrifying battlefield from the past. I was and I breathed a sigh of relief. Why had that dream felt so real, like I was there? And why did I dream of something so horrible? I gripped my chest and took another deep breath before I turned off the light and lay back down.

"What was that?" I asked myself because I was alone.

I didn't like it. That dream was too vivid, and why did I dream that I was a man I'd never seen before? No, I didn't like it... but I forced myself to go back to sleep.

***

I came home from school to a stranger sitting in my living room speaking to my parents.

"Rai, come here, sweetie," my mom said and I walked over to her and sat down on the sofa where she patted the cushion.

I took off my book bag and placed it on the floor and then looked at the stranger. There was something oddly familiar about him, like I'd seen him before, but couldn't remember where or when. Was it in one of my dreams? Ever since my birthday, I had those vivid dreams every night. For a month, I dreamed of demons and angels fighting. I had even told my parents about it, but they just thought I had an overactive imagination. But something didn't feel right. And now, a man who looked familiar from one of those dreams was in my house.

I swallowed hard because I was nervous. If he was real, then what about everything else I'd dreamed about? Or was he just someone I saw and then my mind put him into some of those crazy dreams? I just didn't know.

"Rai, this is Mr. Morris. He is the Headmaster of the Stellar Academy," my mom said, introducing us. She had a huge smile on her face.

"Hi," I said and took in the man's appearance. He was so handsome. Brown skin like mine, hazel eyes, his hair cut in a neat fade. And he had a trimmed beard and mustache. His suit was very stylish. I especially liked the fancy chain on his vest and tie as well as the jewel that replaced the top button of his shirt. He looked regal, like a king. His presence reminded me of how I saw him in my dream, but he was a warrior then. Fighting with a glowing blue sword and gun and kicking ass.

"Hello Rai," he said in a voice that was deep and assertive. It made me sit up straighter. He also had an accent I couldn't place.

"He's here because he would like to admit you into their Academy," my mom said and by the tone of her voice, I knew this was an opportunity she wouldn't want me to waste.

I'd never heard of the school before, I had questions. "Why?" was the first one I asked. I was smart, true, but hardly at the top of my class. I was on the Honor Roll, but there were fifteen kids ahead of me.

Mr. Morris smiled. "We see the potential in you, Rai, and want to foster it. It's not always about grades when you have so much more to offer."

It was as if he was reading my mind. How did he know that I was thinking about my GPA? "Like what?" I asked.

"Sweetie, this is a great opportunity. Let's not look gift horses in their mouths," my mom said.

"He's not wrong, I also want to know," my dad said, which seemed to draw my mom's disappointment and she looked at him before turning to Mr. Morris.

Mr. Morris nodded. "I completely understand. I'd be honored if you were to attend a tour of our Academy to see for yourself. We take in gifted children and help them hone their skills to be the leaders of the future. We have the most results for Ivy League university admissions. In addition to that, we have our own levels of higher education that are exclusive and rival other schools. We also offer scholarships for our students, thus alleviating the financial stress such matters can give concerned parents like yourselves."

He was a smooth talker, because I could see my parents being drawn in with his every word. Even I had to admit, it seemed like a good deal. But I wasn't looking forward to having to work that much harder in some elite school. And I didn't want to leave the few friends I had made to go to a school with a bunch of nerds.

"I'd like that, yes," my mom said.

"What if I don't want to go?" I asked.

"Let's at least see the place first, Rai," my dad said.

I could already tell that if my parents liked Stellar Academy, I wasn't going to have a choice of whether or not I wanted to attend it.