It was already dark when Tala finished her last class, which was unsurprising. During this time of the year, especially when Starfell was coming closer, night came quicker, and it would be darker than usual. The campus was mostly empty, too. The only people she could see were the faculty. She couldn't even tell if the student council was still here. Principal Celeste didn't say anything about the president or the vice president.

They must be really busy with everything. If only she could help with them.

"Finally, you're out."

Tala blinked and turned to her right. She didn't even notice Laura was there until she moved away from the wall she was leaning on and stretched her arms. "And here I thought I was going to camp out and wait for you," she continued.

Tala's brows furrowed down. "You're still here?"

Laura chuckled. She flicked her fingers to Tala's forehead, making her mutter an 'ow'. "Well, you're still here, aren't you? I figured that since it's the second half of the second semester, you're gonna be busier again. Didn't forget about this time so I decided to wait for you."

Before Tala could say anything else, Florante also returned. They were holding three bottles of what looked like coconut juice in one hand, while the other was holding three sticks of... isaw. Tala nearly frowned at the sight of it.

Florante met her gaze and smiled. "Hey. Lau told me your track classes would be really late, so I got these for us. Didn't expect it to be this late, though."

"Oh. Th- thank you." Tala accepted the bottle of juice from them, but shook her head when they offered the isaw. "No thanks. I don't eat street food. You don't know where those things come from or if they're even clean."

Florante turned to Laura, and the two shared a glance before they chuckled. "Laura told me you wouldn't be interested in it, but she didn't tell me you still have that old timey opinion on street food. More for me, I guess."

They didn't seem to mind her opinion on it. In fact, it looked like they were even happier that they had two sticks instead of one. The smell of the deep fried chicken intestines did make her mouth water. But before any of the two could realize she was staring, she immediately turned her head away. Instead, she cleared her throat. "Why are you here, by the way? I get Ate Laura staying here, but what about you?"

"Laura said she's staying behind to wait for you, so I stayed behind to wait too. Besides, I don't live far from you guys. It's just a walking distance from Brillantes Manor."

A walking distance... A sigh of relief left Tala's lips. Fortunately. Well, hopefully Florante wasn't lying. She didn't want to make someone wait for her only to realize they lived far away and would be going home late.

As the three of them continued walking, she took a sip of the coconut water. It was a mix of sweet and sour, making it taste more refreshing than regular water. She took another deep breath before closing the bottle again and sighing. Principal Celeste's words earlier during their lecture were still ringing in her head. But at the same time, she could feel her words going in one ear and out of the other.

It wasn't like Tala didn't know what she was talking about. She had to study all of what she said in advance. She already knew what her senior year classes were going to be like. So to have Principal Celeste talk about them like she didn't know already felt... boring.

She shuddered. Even the word boring sounded so boring.

The three of them exited the gates of the school. The force field's magic brushed against her skin, making her feel tingly. Usually, this would be the part of the day where she would practice her teleporting skills and see how much farther she could go this time. And most of the time, she would end up still needing to walk back home on her own. But now that Florante and Laura were with her...

A smile formed on her lips. This was probably going to be a one time thing. She didn't want to keep them waiting for her everyday in the dark for the next few moons. But for now, she was going to enjoy the company of having someone else walk with her back home.

The walk was mostly quiet, with the occasional sound of either other people's footsteps or the horse-drawn carriages driving past them serving as white noise. There were some street food stalls around the pavements as well, and she had to drag both Florante and Laura away from them when they thought of getting seconds.

"You two already had your fill earlier," she said, ignoring Laura's attempts at making puppy eyes. "You know, Ate Laura, I expected more from you. You remember what Mother always says about these types of food. You're not sure if they're clean."

Florante scoffed. "Listen. Just because they're street food doesn't mean they're unclean. I'm sure the people selling them don't want to sell food that can kill people and put them out of business."

"Still."

"You're such a killjoy, Tala," Laura said with a sigh. It was dramatic. Too dramatic. She already knew where this was going. "My own family forbidding me from enjoying the joys of life... it feels so tragic!"

"Oh no." Tala didn't take her eyes away from the road. "Your cousin is making sure you live longer and healthier. Such sadness."

"Indeed." It was Florante's turn to be dramatic. It seemed like they were a perfect match for Laura, as they draped their arm over Tala's shoulder and placed a hand on their forehead. "Cries, sobs, throws up! She doesn't know the meaning of balancing things in life and letting yourself indulge in things without overconsuming.'

Dang it, that one sounded a little funny. She couldn't stop the chuckles that left her on time as she lightly pushed Florante away from her shoulder, and Laura was able to catch them with ease. "Did you win Ate Laura's heart by your dramatics too? Or did she make the first move and recite some words in a play?"

"No, she slipped in front of my chair once and dragged me alongside her, and we've never been the same since."

Tala giggled once again, and she heard the two laughing alongside her. "If you tell me that's actually what happened, I'll believe you. Sounds like her alright."

As their walk continued, she could hear the two talking in the background, but it seemed like they were talking about their classes earlier. Now that she was out of the observatory and feeling the breeze against her skin, her chest felt lighter. She took a deep breath, letting the air fill her lungs, and exhaled. That deep breath made her feel her magic flow more naturally inside her, as if it was her blood.

They slowly left the busy streets of the city and reached the calmer side of Sylvaris. More trees lined the sidewalk, and Florante stopped every now and then to use their Earthblessed magic to grow more flowers in some bushes. Laura even had to cast a small spell to keep them warm, as the cold night breezes were starting to hit.

Their own use of magic made her look at the clear skies. Multiple stars above them were looking down on their small city. Every time she looked at them, it always felt like they were looking at her directly. Even the small void between each star felt alive, and every celestial being outside their world was staring at her specifically. The way the stars twinkled even made it look like the sky was winking at her, as if the heavens were acknowledging her as one of them. The more she kept her head up, the more she felt refreshed.

She returned the smile to the stars. If there was something or someone that was always there for her, it was always the stars. Even when she was a little girl, they always felt like companions she could rely on more than anyone else.

She was just like them, after all.

Maybe in those distant lands, there were more Starblessed like her. Maybe there existed a world far away from theirs where people like her were the common types of people, and other types of magic were the rare ones. And maybe someday, when she would be older and more powerful, she would be able to do what the first fallen stars did and return to the heavens.

It might take her a few years. Maybe even a few hundred. But she knew she would be able to do it.

"Hey."

A hand on her shoulder snapped her out of her thoughts. Of course, Laura immediately rested her entire arm on her shoulder, while Florante stood on Tala's opposite side. "You're doing that thing again. Where you just look at nothing and nearly bump into everyone else."

Tala chuckled. "Sorry. I was just... thinking about things."

"Clearly," Florante replied. "Your head was up." They also looked up like she did before humming. "People say that the stars look clearer when Starfell's coming closer. But honestly, I can't tell if there's a difference or not. The sky always looks the same to me."

"It does?" Laura asked as she removed her arms from Tala. "Hmm... I always feel like there's something different with the sky. Though then again, maybe it's just because I can feel my magic growing stronger. Makes me think I can do my own star magic."

Tala chuckled. "I also don't see a difference sometimes if it helps. But like what Ate Laura said. My magic also feels stronger these days. Some scholars and studies also say that doing star-related magic is easier during this time of the year. It's why a lot of people tend to practice more during these moons for things like telekinesis, mind reading, and even small range teleporting."

"And there she goes talking again." Florante placed their hand on her head, giving it a small ruffle. "I think if you keep talking like that, we'd be wrinkled already and you're just halfway through."

"Lucky for you, you have at least seven hundred years to listen to me. Now open your notes, children. Let's start with lesson number one: what is a star? I'll dump our five hundred thousand years of history to you before you can learn your first spell, so you better listen carefully."

Laura crossed her arms. Her oh-so familiar smirk was on her face, and Tala's stomach already fell at the sight of it. "Seven hundred years? How many of those years would just be you struggling to teach us Moon magic?"

Tala's smile fell. "Wow. Someone's offering to be your teacher and you decide to insult them? You hurt me as always, Ate Laura."

And like before, the three of them shared a moment of laughter. Hearing Florante's voice alongside hers and Laura's sounded... strange. It was always just her and Laura. Whether it was going to school, eating together at lunch, or going home. Now, she added someone else to the group.

Hopefully, she would get used to Florante being around here. They seemed like a nice person to hang out with. And if they were Laura's friend, she was willing to accept them as her friend, too.

It didn't take them long reaching the street that led to Brillantes Manor, where other buildings and homes lined both left and right of the streets. How she never saw Florante before was a mystery to her, as their home was one of the apartments with a store on the first floor.

"See you guys tomorrow," they said with a wave. Florante turned to Laura again, pressing a quick peck on her lips. "Bye."

Tala's eyes widened at the sight, and she immediately turned her head away with her hands in her skirts' pockets and her feet fidgeting on the ground. She heard Laura mutter a 'bye' as well before they continued walking. More trees appeared in their view, and the street behind them disappeared, replaced by the small forest leading to their manor. And not long after, the gates to Brillantes Manor appeared in her view. Just like back at school, entering the gates made her hear the hum of the protective barrier. Though this one was less ticklish.

After a long day of school, she could finally lock herself in her room and rest until her parents would remind her to study.

Once she got up the stairs and opened the door, she took off her shoes and placed them in the rack, replacing them with her indoor slippers. "Mother," she called out, "Father. We're home!"

"Ah, Tala, Laura!" Her mother's voice rang in the kitchen. "In here, girls. I'm almost done with dinner."

Tala looked at Laura for a quick second before heading to the kitchen. She grabbed her backpack and unzipped it, grabbing the test papers given to them today. Literature, language, math, history, Star Track... She paused at the sight of her Understanding the Self test paper. It was slightly wrinkled and crumpled at the sides. She folded her hands together with the paper in the middle. And with a soft glow, the creases disappeared.

Inside the kitchen, her mother sat on one of the seats, a cup of coffee in one hand and one of her research journals in the other. There was a pot on top of the stove, presumably the rice, and something else in the oven.

Her mother lowered her journal, beaming at Tala. And just like her smile, her striking golden eyes emitted a warm energy that made Tala feel more relaxed.

"Welcome home, Tala." She lifted her head, smiling at Laura as well. "Welcome home, Laura."

Laura waved a hand, holding her own test papers. "Hey, Auntie Hanan. Sorry if I'm home late. I waited for Tala to finish her track classes today."

"That's alright, love. Oh, Tala, your father's in a council meeting today," she continued as she closed her journal. "They're still talking about the landslide in Moonridge Coast."

"Really? It's almost been a moon."

Tala's mother raised a brow, and a playful smile formed on her lips. "I'm flattered you think your uncle's that powerful enough to make quick renovations, but even the High Council has their limits. They still have to take care of the people, the environment, still look for missing people, recover anything important—"

Laura raised both hands. "Okay, okay, I get it."

"The teachers returned the test papers today, by the way," Tala said when her mother finally faced her again. And as her mother grabbed them, she felt a grin form on her lips.

Next to her, Laura also gave hers, and she scratched the back of her head. "Sorry for the math scores. It's a real weakness of mine. But if it helps, I scored the highest in every Sky Track test!"

Tala's mother simply chuckled as she scanned Laura's papers. "Oh, don't be. Even I struggled with math and I'm supposed to be an Arcane Scholar. Based on what Bituin used to tell me, your mother did too when she was your age."

There was a small pause before she nodded and returned Laura's papers to her. "You did good, Lulu. Your scores are amazing."

When it was her test papers turn to be scanned, Tala held her breath and kept her focus on her mother's expressions. Her mother nodded as she scanned them one by one, and the smile on her face slowly widened. The silence made Tala more nervous even if she was the top in all of them.

Well, most of them.

But that didn't matter. It was just one test. It was a one time thing. It wasn't going to happen again.

As if her mother read her thoughts, she stopped at one test paper. That one stupid, cursed test paper. "These are all perfect scores aside from this one. A fifty-four isn't bad, though. I'm sure you still scored the highest."

"Actually..." Tala chuckled, fiddling with the purple ribbons on her blouse. "D- Don't get mad, but someone actually scored higher than me. If- if it helps, it was just on the essay part. Don't worry."

Laura snorted. "The essay part?"

She rolled her eyes and elbowed her arm. "Be quiet. You barely passed math."

Her mother paused. Her expression felt... sharper as she looked at that part of the paper, as if she was ripping apart the essay Tala wrote for Understanding the Self. When she finished, she simply hummed and returned all of the test papers to her, giving her a pat on the head. "Don't be so hard on yourself. As long as you scored the highest in other tests, I'm sure you'll be fine. Though I am curious. Who scored higher than my little starlight? Is it that one Seablessed girl? Princess Auster, was it? Or was it that one Skyblessed boy really good with ice? What was his name... it started with a U..."

"Actually, Princess Auster is the top three. She's always been the top three. And Ursus transferred schools a long time ago. The second top student is... Noctis Nakagawa." She scoffed and scowled. "He's a Moonblessed. And an annoying prick."

As her mother drank from her cup of coffee, she paused and raised a brow. "Noctis Nakagawa?"

"Y- Yes."

Her mother hummed. "Noctis Nakagawa... Nakagawa..." Another pause. She grabbed her journal and gave it two pats, making it disappear in a flash of gold. "I'm sorry, I'm trying to remember the name. It's not ringing any bells for me right now. I don't think you've mentioned that name before."

"I find that hard to believe, Auntie Hanan," Laura said. "You should see Laura at school. Every time there's an academic event, she always manages to rant about him during lunch. At this point, I've memorized everything she said."

Once again, Tala elbowed Laura. Though this time, she was able to dodge it.

"I see," Tala's mother continued as she stood up. "Well, if Tala mentioned him before, I don't think I remember it. I can't remember the names of all of your classmates. I can't even remember the name of Laura's partner." She looked at the stove, and a hum left her lips.

"I think dinner is almost ready. Go to your rooms and change out of your uniforms. After that, please prepare the dining room. I want to eat there today. And three plates would do. Like I said, Bituin will be coming home late. There's also some juice in the cooler so don't forget that."

"Right."

"Got it."

Laura headed out first. But before Tala could even take another step, she felt her mother's hand on her shoulder. "Tala."

She felt her heart pick up its pace, and she licked her dry lips to moisten them. "Yes, Mother?"

"You're in your third junior year now." Her expression was still the same as before, though it was a little more stern. She removed her hand from Tala's shoulder and crossed her arms, and her lips had straightened into a thin line. Despite her brows simply resting, it looked like they were furrowed down.

The sight made Tala look down.

"This is your last year in junior year," she continued. "After this, you'll be beginning your senior year, and your classes will be more difficult."

A sigh left her lips. "I promise I've been studying more."

"I know, I know." Her expression softened somewhat. "I'm just saying that things will be more difficult next year. And since this is the first time this happened, how do you feel? Does anything feel strange? Did your magic overreact earlier and do something?"

She shook her head. "N- No. I was just surprised. Really surprised. I mean, my magic did almost leak out, but that's normal. I've seen my classmates' magic do that as well. So I guess... nothing feels strange? I'm just... really disappointed?"

"I see." Her mother nodded. "This is going to be a one time thing, alright? You're not letting anyone else beat you for your finals, okay?"

She sighed again. "I know that, Mother."

"I'm just saying, starlight. Keep up what you're doing and this will remain a one time thing. I know you can do it. Your father, cousin, and I believe in you."

She grabbed the side of Tala's head and pressed a kiss on her forehead. "Go change your clothes and let's have some dinner, okay? Tell me more about your day. And tell me more about this Noctis classmate of yours. I'm curious about the student who bested my starlight for the first time."

A groan left Tala's lips. "Please. I don't think I want to talk about him."

"Oh come on. Let's have some family gossip. I'm sure even Laura wants to talk about her partner. How about we pester her about it later?"

"If you say so, Mother."

With a chuckle, Tala exited the kitchen and headed to her bedroom, changing out of her uniform into a more comfortable dress for home. Her mother's words still repeated in her head. And not just her mother's words. They were her words, too. And if her father was here, no doubt he would say the same thing.

This was just a one time thing.

She was not going to let someone who didn't even try at anything he did beat her at school.

Translations:

Isaw - a type of Filipino street food made from either chicken or pork intestines. It can either be deep fried or grilled. The intestines have to be cleaned several times before preparing. Tala's disdain for isaw and calling it unclean is based on a common belief in the Philippines that isaw, or street food in general, is unclean. Please do not listen to any of those people. Any street food here slaps.

Anyway now that translations are out of the way, how about the chapter fun fact :DD

Fun Fact: In the one I published for the ONC, Tala's mother's name was Raya. But I realized that Tala and Laura's names already end with 'a', and I don't want Raya to have a similar sounding name. So I changed it to 'Hanan', which is the Filipino goddess of the dawn and morning.

so hey did yall know in the original version i also had to redownload the sims 4 just so i can visualize what the brillantes manor looks like lol i am never downloading that game again not only is the decorating stressful it takes so much storage

And this is the final chapter published in the original version of To Wish Upon a Fallen Star! Anything afterwards will be new content, and I can't wait for y'all to read the future content.

Thank you so much for reading this chapter, and I'll see you all in the next one!