but if you ever feel alone, just look up at the sky

“You shouldn’t be here.”

“Why would I wanna be anywhere else?” Luke lowered himself to the ground beside her, and she saw that he was carrying the pretzel — and something else, too. He handed her the pretzel and wiped the excess salt off on his pants, but he didn’t let go of the second item in his grasp, and it was too dark for Julie to make out what it was.

“I know you like to come here sometimes. To look at the stars,” Luke said. “And it’s not much of a birthday party without the guest of honor, anyway.”

~

It's Julie's birthday, but there's a very important person missing from her party.