Chapter 14
“You’re
not going, Katia.”
My
aunt had put her foot down.
“Aunt
Sarah, I have no choice!” I protested. “It’s my career we’re talking about
here.”
“I
don’t care, Katia. You are too young to be going off around Australia with people
I don’t know.”
I
looked at Mikaylah. “Sarah, Katia has worked extremely hard to get her band
signed. She deserves a break.”
“She’ll
get a break when she’s been to boarding school and back!”
I
stood up. “I am not going to boarding
school,” I said. “I
have worked my rear off for the past year to get my band noticed. I was
a cheerleader for two years. I have taken flute lessons since I was seven years
old. It means that I can dance, I can play the flute and I have the skills to
make it in my chosen career. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get ready to
leave.”
I
left the room and went up to my bedroom. A navy blue suitcase was open on my
bed and already half-filled with clothes. I laid my black jeans, my gold satin
shirt, my black jacket and my heeled sandals aside – I would be wearing them up
to Brisbane. I went through my wardrobe and filled my suitcase with more
clothes, then I slotted my shoes – my Doc Martens, my sneakers and my hiking
boots – in the sides. Into my backpack went my photo album, my camera, my
Discman and CDs, a spare set of clothes, my sunglasses, my flute case, my music
and my jewellery case.
As
I was zipping my backpack up, I spotted the photograph that Justin had given
me. I picked it up and gently traced the outline of Justin’s face.
“Thank
you, Justin, for everything,” I whispered.
Just
then, my room filled with light. When my vision had cleared, I saw Justin
sitting on my bed.
“Hey,
Katia,” he said.
He
wasn’t smiling – instead, tears were trickling down his face. I’d never known
an angel to cry openly before.
“Justin,
what’s wrong?”
“I
don’t know why I should be upset, Katia. I mean, you’ve made it. Your dream’s
come true. It’s just that…”
“What?”
Justin
looked right at me. “Katia, there’s something you have to know. I promised
myself that I would guide you to the day that your dream came true. I can’t
guide you any longer.” He dropped his gaze. “I’m sorry,” he said softly.
He
pulled a gold chain from his pocket and put it around my neck. “It’s a guardian
angel,” he explained. “Even if I can’t watch over you, there’s someone else who
will. I know it.”
“Who?”
“I
don’t know just yet.” He smiled sadly. “Katia, you must be brave. I’m relying
on you to do that for me. Make me proud to be your brother.”
“I
will, Justin. I promise.” I blinked back tears. “I’m gonna miss you so much.”
Justin
put his arms around me and held me tight. “Goodbye, Katia,” he whispered.
“Please, don’t be afraid.”
Then
he was gone…forever.
I
looked at myself in the mirror, at the necklace Justin had given me. After a
few minutes, I reached into my back pocket and pulled out a folded piece of
notebook paper. It was a letter.
My Katia,
I don’t want to leave you, but I must. I wish I didn’t have to –
you know I do. The thing is, Katia, I keep my promises. And I promised only to
guide you until your dream came true. It has, and I must leave you. Please
understand that, even though you will never see me as I am again, you may see
me in another form. Don’t be afraid.
Be brave for me, Katia. Make me proud to be your brother. I love
you, Katia Andretti, and I always will.
All my love,
Justin.
P.S. – Look at the night sky if you need to know that someone is
watching you. You’ll see a star.
I
folded the letter carefully. “I will
make you proud, Justin,” I whispered. “Make no doubt of that.”
The
sky was darkening when I finally finished my packing. I didn’t know why I did it, but I looked at the sky
for 15 minutes before I went to bed. I couldn’t see any sign that someone was
watching me, so I turned away from the window.
As
I turned away, an unusually bright star glittered in the deep blue night sky.
Justin’s
star.
