In This Moment A Star-crossed Wasteland Novels & Stories

"Victor, I've been looking for you everywhere. As the alumni representative, you need to give a speech on stage." He followed the administrator but kept looking back at me. I thought today's chaos was over after that he went away. But before I could even breathe a sigh of relief, Victor publicly presented a diamond ring. "Back then, you said you wanted to use 'Wild Roses' to make me a wedding ring. Now it's my turn to propose. Claire Webb, will you marry me?" The auditorium fell silent in an instant, and the eyes of over a thousand people fell on me. I twisted the wedding ring on my left hand and calmly watched Victor walk down from the stage, step by step toward me.

A group of girls cheered, and someone called his name like they were waiting for him to wave. I felt like I was watching a movie I didn’t belong in. The sun was starting to drop lower. The sky looked calm, soft orange melting into pale blue. The wind wasn’t strong, but it kept brushing past my arms like it was trying to check if I was okay. Even the trees weren’t dancing much—just standing there, quietly listening. From the corner of my eye, I saw Sara still standing, brushing invisible dust off her skirt. She looked up. Our eyes met. She smiled. I didn’t smile back. I stood and walked away— Straight into the pressure of tomorrow.

Little by little, she could feel the bonds of fate clasping her heart and soul to this stranger, who was becoming her world. A young woman, encouraged by the crowd, was carried onto the stage where the orchestra was standing. The witnesses of the scene applauded to show their support, and this improvised singer looked shyly toward one of the musicians. The musical notes of a guitar rose mixed with the song of the cicadas. A velvet voice, shy and full of sweetness, was heard singing in french: "The blue sky over us may fall...". Emmanuelle was unable to take her eyes off Harry. Therefore, she addressed her date without a glance at him:

He took her hands in his and wrapped her arms around his neck as he pushed play on the remote. A Moment Like This by Leona Lewis sounded through the speaker and his gaze locked with hers. Slowly he swayed them from side to side, softly singing the song to her as he did, every word laced with love and promise. That moment would be one she cherished forever because in that one moment his eyes said to her everything his lips never did and strangely enough, she felt content. They would always have the memories they made together. “You are the world and more Sierra Brightly.” He whispered when the song softened to a close.

"You seem to have made fond memories here." "Yeah a lot more memories. You know we even spent hours staring at the stars from here and trust me the starry night looked so beautiful, at least when she was around. I just wish I could live those moments again but-" he paused, closing his eyes. "she is gone and the only thing left with me are her memories." he let out a sharp breath, raising his head from in between his knees. "Okay now your turn." "Huh? My turn for what?" she asked, confused.

said Lydia as she joined on the seat on the balcony. It must have been past midnight. The night was still young. The moon was out, brighter, giving light to the stars. Even though the moon brightened the sky, I felt darkness hugging me. I felt like my heart was drowning. As I stared blankly at the sky, Lydia interrupted the moment, "I hope you don't mind talking about the horrible dream that got you up at this wee hour." As much as I wanted someone to be there for me, I didn't want to talk about anything or to anyone.

“The formless star isn’t a weaver or an abyss it’s the collapse of all things, the end of creation’s thread. Jessica, if we lose here, it’s not just the nexus, it’s every world, every soul, every moment we’ve ever had.” Lucas clutched his dagger, his broken wrist trembling, his face a mask of anguish, tears streaming as his defiance cracked under the star’s weight. “Every moment? We’ve fought through hell, Jess! This thing wants to erase us, our laughs, our fights, our love. I’m not going down without a swing!”

"Oh, Carlo. Look at me. Take a good look... Whose wedding do you think this is? This is my wedding. Mine, and I'll be marrying Luca. And you? You're just a madman crashing someone else's wedding." His smile froze. Tears rolled down his face. "No… It's not true… Rosa, you love me…" I dropped the wilted roses at his feet. "You're wrong. I did love you...but that was in another life. You murdered that love with your own hands, and my life along with it. All I have for you in this life is hate." I took Luca's arm and walked past Carlo without looking back. His cries echoed behind me, but none of that mattered to me anymore.

"We can make this night last forever, in our memories, at least." Sarah's eyes met his, and she knew exactly what he meant. This night, this moment, was one they would cherish forever, no matter what the future held. They continued their leisurely stroll, and the night sky transformed around them. The stars twinkled like diamonds against the dark canvas, and the moon, now a silver crescent, cast a gentle glow over the deserted road. The air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers, and a soft breeze rustled the leaves of the nearby trees.

*Dust* I stand in the clearing, my heart pounding like a war drum in my chest, the silence around me feeling heavy and oppressive. The moonlight spills across the ground like silver, illuminating the jagged edges of the landscape but casting long shadows that twist and stretch, taunting me with the unknown. River promised he would return soon, but with every passing second, fear coils around my heart like a vine, squeezing tighter.