❝Where to, miss?❞
-Jack Dawson

❝To the stars.❞
-Rose Dewitt Bukater

***

"That was incredible," Maya tells me as we walk out of the planetarium and down to where my truck is parked. "Literally, Clark, this was the best. Day. Ever. I know I've already said it a ton, but thank you. Seriously, I needed this weekend."

"I know you did," I reply, as I unlock the truck and we both climb in. "And you're welcome. I can't give you the real stars yet, but I thought this would be okay for now. I thought that maybe this would suffice you, I know it did me."

"It definitely did. I especially loved the show. Those lights were amazing. I also really loved when you could walk through the universe. That was so beautiful. That place was incredible. I have no words to describe how amazing that was. I never thought I would be able to explore something so beautiful or be exposed to something so wonderful. Not right now, at least. Especially not this weekend. You really did make it count, Clark, every last bit of it. You made this weekend to be better than I expected. You made me admit to things I could have never admitted to on my own, like how much I truly love you. You gave me the stars when I would have never imagined getting them. Not this early in my life, not at age seventeen. You're a knight, Clark, you're literally my knight in shining armor. Cheesy reference and all. I don't care how cliche that is," she babbles on, only stopping to get a breath.

"I don't mind it if we're cheesy, I'm just happy to see you happy," I reply, before remembering her mood change when we were watching the show. "Were you okay? When we were sitting and waiting for Planet Nine to start? I thought I made you upset with what I said," I admit, hoping she'll open up to me and not shut me out.

"I was fine," she tells me. "I wasn't upset at all. Sometimes your words make me a bit emotional, that's all. Besides, you know how emotional I've been recently, it's rather embarrassing."

"Don't be embarrassed just because you have feelings," I tell her. "There's nothing wrong with feeling something."

"Yeah, but I don't need to show it as much as I do. I don't need to argue with you as much as I do. I don't need to be so up and down as much as I am. I need to learn to control whatever this is, for you only have one life to live, and I don't want to live it angry or sad. I want to be happy, and despite everything that's influencing my life, I feel as if I can be happy. I'm happy with you, Clark, and never think otherwise. Never think I'm not happy with you, okay? Even if I don't show it, even if we're arguing, I'm still glad to be with you," she tells me, and I feel better. Despite her really being emotional, just hearing all of this makes me feel better.

"Okay," I agree with her. "I'll remember this, Maya. You remember it, too, though. For whenever I'm with you, there's no place I'd rather be."

"You're a sweetheart, Clark, a true gentleman," she whispers, before giving me a small smile.

"You're a true lady," I tell her, only to have her laugh.

"A true lady wouldn't wear what I'm wearing," she scoffs, as she gestures to her neon green leggings and sparkly leopard print shirt.

"Clothes don't make you a lady, it's what's inside that counts," I confirm. "And besides, I like all of the glitter and neon colors. You wouldn't seem the same if you wore something like a pair of jeans and a plain t-shirt. You're you, and I think that's the best thing you can be."

I wasn't looking for a kiss when I said this, but it got me one anyway. I was happy it did, for it seems as if I can only go so long without kissing her now, for she's too hard to resist. Wild hair, crazy outfits, emotional and all. She's different, but she's mine. She's the kind of different I wish the world would aspire to become. She's the original different, and not just because her clothes only match on occasions. No, she's the original different, because there's no one else out there that's like her. No one else has her personality, her likes and dislikes, her taste in music, her love for the stars. Sure, everyone is different, but Maya is someone that's special. Someone that makes you feel lucky just because you know her. There isn't another living soul on this planet that is like her, and no one can convince me other wise. She is the one and only, she is my one and only.

We sit there in my truck, my rusty pickup truck that's surrounded by Toyota's and Honda's, and just kiss. Her lips are dry, mine are wet from licking them, and together it seems as if it's a good combination. We're always a good combination, no matter what. Her and I, there isn't anything better or more precious to me. I still can't believe she loves me. I still can't believe we're kissing. I still can't believe we just explored the galaxy in Chicago, Illinois. What a perfect time to be alive. Despite the hard things we go through, despite losing people along the way, this is a prime example how there is always happiness. How one can always learn to smile through the pain.

"I don't want to go home," she tells me when I break the kiss, needing to take a breath. "I don't want to go back to Woodstock. I want to continue on, to travel somewhere. To go to Cape Canaveral, to see NASA. We should go there. Before we graduate, before the reality of moving away and going to college sets in. I'll get a job, and I'll take you there. I will. Just tell me yes, please," she begs, as if she needs to hear it, as if she needs to know I'd go with her. To the ends of the earth, I would never leave her.

"Yes, yes, Maya, it sounds great to me," I tell her, wanting to go with her, to travel with her, to see NASA with her. I just want to be with her, and I'd go anywhere she wanted. "If we didn't have school tomorrow, I'd take you there right now. I'd take you down to Florida, I'd show you NASA. I'd try and give you your dreams, for that's a dream of mine, to see you reach yours."

"Clark," she begins, her voice slightly choked up. "This world doesn't deserve someone as beautiful as you. You're too good for you're own good. Your heart is solid gold, and you think of everyone but yourself. You're a gem, Clark, you're so beautiful and don't let anyone dull your light. Don't let anyone change who you are." She is crying now, really hard actually. "Don't put your light out, don't ever get so unhappy that you can't find your rainbow. There's always a rainbow, Clark, you've taught me that. I may have cussed you out when you would say it, but it's true. Everything you say is true. Don't let anyone tell you other wise, okay?" She breathes, her voice heavy with tears.

"Maya, are you okay?" I ask her, while I rub her shoulder, only to have her shrug in reply.

"I just don't want this world to screw you over, like it has me. You, above all people, don't deserve that. You deserve everything good, and wonderful, and amazing. Don't let anyone take out that burning brightness, that happiness inside of you. Just don't let them do it," she whispers, it being a bit hard to understand her from all her tears. "I love you, Clark, I just love you."

I thought she was going to kiss me, but she didn't. She just crawled acrossed the middle console to put her arms around my neck and hug me. Not a regular hug, not her normal incredible Maya hugs, but a hug that felt needed. A hug that felt as if she could shatter under my touch at any second if I made the wrong move. I can't help but wonder if this has anything to do with what she's hiding from me, and with everything inside, I know that's exactly what this has to do with it.

"What's going on, Maya? What aren't you telling me?" I whisper in her ear, as I hold her tightly against me, not wanting to ever let her go.

"Not now," she sniffles. "I'll tell you someday, Clark, but not now. Just hug me, okay? Please, just hug me," she begs, and I comply. I just sit there in the Adler Planetarium parking lot, hugging my love and hoping that someday I'll be able to take all of her pain away. No matter how small and no matter how large.