Celestial Gardens(The Last Star Trilogy #2)

I opened my eyes and tried to focus on the words in front of me. I glanced at Amara, she was furiously scribbling notes. She gave me a look that said, It’s okay. Only a few more minutes.

Lyra, sitting behind Amara was switching her highlighters for each sentence she came across in her textbook. Lewis was surprisingly interested in the lecture. Tristan was sitting next to me, he grinned and pointed at the book on my desk. He was telling me to open it and pay attention. I rolled my eyes playfully but obeyed.

I knitted my eyebrows in confusion, the pages were completely blank. Everyone else’s textbooks were inked with information. I raised my hand, that’s when I noticed the teacher wasn’t there. Was anyone even teaching this class or were we just sitting here doing nothing?

Everyone was doing their own thing. I looked at Tristan hoping he would get my message. He didn’t even look at me. He was too busy laughing at a joke McKenna had told him. I snapped my fingers in front of him but he chuckled.

I rubbed my eyes, I blinked. I was sitting in an empty classroom.

Something had changed in the room. It was the blackboard hanging in front of me. I squinted my eyes to see what was written on it. It was one letter. No. It was a Sign. A vertical S intersecting a U. Ophiuchus.

I would have been okay with that except that it written in blood. I couldn’t scream, my voice didn’t work.

I covered my eyes with my hands but for some reason I wanted to look at the morbid writing in front of me. I got out of my seat, slipped and fell through the floor.

I sat up as soon as I realized it was a dream. I was falling in a dream and now I’m in bed. I groaned, I hate when that happens.

“She’s still alive!” someone announced, their voice sounded relieved.

Nathan was standing in front of me with his arms crossed. “Rise and shine, Belle.” He grinned.

“Of course I’m still alive!” I countered. “Unless I’m dreaming and I’m actually in the last five seconds of my life!”

I looked around and touched myself as if that would be reassuring to the fact that I’m still breathing.

Nathan tried not to laugh. “Belle, calm down,” he told.

“Please don’t call me Belle.” We don’t know each other that well.

“Sorry,” he said.

“I thought you weren’t allowed in the girls’ quarters.” I recalled.

“Huh?”

“Yeah...” I swallowed. Trying to catch my breath.

“Annabelle, you’re in the hospital wing.” he told.

That’s when I noticed the change of scenery. White walls with paint chipping out of some places, a dozen beds lined up against the wall and two small windows on each side. It was almost the same as the room I’d been in before. Except for the high ceilings, smell of dry blood and a freaked out Phoenix lying on the bed next to me with an ice pack on her head.

“Raelynn came to check on you,” he told. “So did Alfred and...” he stopped himself.

I waited for him to give me a name, or to at least cover it up.

“And?” I pleaded.

He opened his mouth but I cut him off, “You know what? Nevermind.”

“How long was I out?” I asked.

“Few hours.” he shrugged.

“Felt like a lifetime though.” I stated.

“I’ll ask Alfred to call the doctor.” Nathan said.

“If I tell you I’m completely fine and there is no need for me to get a checkup, will you leave me alone?” I said groggily.

“No.” he answered and exited the room.

My face felt stiff and my eyes refused to stay open. There was a bathroom at the end of the room but as slipped out of bed something tugged on my hand and I screamed in pain.

Phoenix sat up, “What happened?”

“Oww!”

“What is it?” she worried.

That’s when I noticed the intravenous drip in my arm. A bag of fluid was hooked on a stand next to my bed and the needle transported nutrients into my vein.

“Why did they give me this?” I asked no one in particular.

“Because you weren’t eating,” Phoenix said as a matter of factly. “Or drinking and not to mention...”

She hesitated, thinking whether she should tell me what was on her mind or not.

“Nevermind.” she decided.

“What happened to you?” I asked.

“Just a headache.” she answered casually.

I raised my eyebrows in disbelief. “Are you sure?”

“Are you the doctor?” she snapped.

“Just want to know if you’re okay.” I sighed. “I’m sorry if I freaked you out.”

She snorted. “Puh-lease!”

I rolled my eyes. “I never freak out,” she stated.

I ignored Phoenix and payed attention to the pain rushing through my arm. I was too scared to touch the needle. I just hoped the doctor would help mitigate the pain. For a moment I thought of the dream again, how badly I wished it had been real. I tried not to be too wistful and stopped sulking.

“Annabelle!” Alfred almost yelled as he ran towards me.

“Are you okay?” he panted.

“I’m in the infirmary with and IV line which I didn’t even notice until I tried to get out of bed, causing an unexpected brought of pain in my left arm. So, I’m pretty sure I’m not alright.”

“What happened?” he turned to Phoenix, hoping to get an proper answer from her.

“Don’t ask me.” she answered and stompted out of the room, leaving a trail of water from her melted ice pack.

Alfred turned to me.

“I think I passed out.” I explained.

“I can see that.”

“My only question is,” I tried to raise my hand, the one with the intravenous drip. “Why do I have this?”

“You weren’t taking care of yourself so, that was our only option.” he looked like he was sorry for me. “The doctor will take it out. He’s coming in a minute.”

“Not a minute. I’m already here,” said a tall figure approaching us.

His chestnut hair was a mess, he was wearing a lab coat indicating that he was a doctor and when I looked at him I forgot how to talk.

Underneath the coat, he was dressed in an orange shirt and black pants. He carried a clipboard and scribbled notes as he studied my face.

“I’m going to have to check you blood pressure.” he said.

I cleared my throat, trying to remember my name. “I’m sorry but...” I started. “Who are you?”

Pink tinted his cheeks, “My name is Anthony,” he told. “Anthony Cancer.”

“Oh.” I was dumbfounded.

“And now I must take your blood pressure.” he remembered.

He took my blood pressure and told me it was better now. “I’ll take out the drip but you have to actually eat something now. Doctor’s orders.”

Doctor? The guy looked nineteen, a year older than me. And he calls himself a doctor.

“Ummm...” I couldn’t find the right words.

“This will hurt a little.” he warned before removing the needle. It felt like I was being stabbed in reverse.

He put a small bandage on my arm, “Remove it after five minutes.”

I nodded. “Can I please leave now?” I pleaded.

“Someone hates hospitals.” Anthony teased.

“I don’t see the point of me being here,” I said a bit harshly. “I’ve been unconscious like this a bunch of times and I never needed a doctor to tell me what was wrong.”

“You’ve been like this before?” Alfred spoke up for the first time.

“Yeah,” I confirmed.

Alfred and Anthony exchanged looks. They were both concerned.

“How many times has this happened before?” Anthony worried.

I shrugged, trying to remember. “I’m not sure,” I thought harder. “Maybe two or three times.”

They exchanged looks again. It was getting irritating. Anthony fixed his eyes on me, annoyingly determined.

“Okay,” I broke the silence. “This is getting absurd so, I’m gonna go.”

“Wait!” he yelped.

“What?”

He thought for a moment, he rubbed his neck and that’s when I noticed the tattoo, the symbol of Ophiuchus he had.

“What is that?” I said immediately.

“What’s what?” he questioned. I remained silent.

He stopped massaging himself when he became aware of what I meant.

He grinned at me, “Don’t worry,” he comforted. He rolled up his sleeve, revealing two Signs. The first one was the symbol of Cancer but I couldn’t figure out the second one. It was obviously a minor Constellation. “I’m a Cancer.” he confirmed.

“Huh.”

“Hey, that means we’re related.” he blurted.

I knitted my eyebrows. “Excuse me?”

Another Virgo? I almost gasped, was he an Ophiuchus too?

I looked at Alfred for confirmation, there was a spark of hope inside of me. He sensed my confusion and quickly cleared the air. “Anthony means that you both are descendants of the Twelve Major Constellations. You’re sort of related but not so much.” he explained. “Think of each other as long lost relatives.”

“Right.” we both chorused.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me.” Alfred started. “I have to go.”

“No, wait!” I stopped. I got out of bed and ran after him.

“I need to ask a favour.” I breathed.

“Okay,” Alfred looked confusioned. But I could tell he was happy that I was actually talking to him.

I hesitated. Just ask him, I told myself.

“I want to meet my friends.” I bleated.

He raised an eyebrow. “Annabelle, about that...”

“Or at least I have to talk to Tristan,” I added. “You know Tristan, right?”

“Capricorn?” I suggested quickly.

“Yes, yes.” Alfred raised his hands defensively. “I know him and speaking of Capricorn.”

“What?” I pleaded.

He sighed. “I’ve called them to Crimsyn State. They’re In Capricornus right now but they’ll be here in a few days.”

“Few days?” I repeated.

“It takes time.” he explained.

“Okay,” I said. “Thank you.”

“No problem.” he grinned.

Alfred left quickly. Anthony wanted to talk to me.

“Yes?′ I asked.

“About my Ophiuchus tattoo,” he started. I blushed out of embarrassment. “I got a few years ago, it only indicates that I support the cause. I’m sure Alfred will explain all about it to you.”

“You read my mind.” I was amazed.

“Cancers tend to do that.” e smiled.

“Anyways, just give him some time. He’s also new with this family thing. Trust me. I’ve known him longer than you.”

I was offended. I clenched fists. He must have noticed because he tried to make it up. “Oh,” he realized. “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay,” I stopped. “I haven’t been nice to everyone either.”

“Can’t blame you though.” he sounded sympathetic.

“Thanks.” I smiled.

“No problem,” he said. “I’m a doctor, it’s my job.”

“Aren’t you too young to be a doctor?” I asked.

He snorted, “I’m a doctor in training.”

“Oh,” I realized.

“Well, I have to go now.” he waved goodbye. I returned the gesture.

I Stargazed for a while, Raelynn called me for dinner but I wasn’t hungry.

When I got tired with Virgo I moved to Ophiuchus. As soon as I lit it up, something agonizing happened. I thought I might pass out again, the only thing that kept me awake was the fact that the Sign on my wrist sizzled like oil in a frying pan. At first I thought it was just the aftermath of the intravenous drip but when I looked at it I nearly screamed.

The skin around the Ophiuchus symbol, was peeling off, I didn’t touch it. My wrist was red and throbbing. I don’t think it was bleeding but then I saw drops of blood and quickly pulled down my sleeve, covering my hand.

I never saw much of my second Sign since Granny always made me cover it up but I’m pretty sure it’s not supposed to peel off of my hand.