When Stars Align

Jake was walking aimlessly down the busy street, the hum of the city buzzing in his ears. It was one of those afternoons where everything felt like it was happening just beyond his reach.

He looked down at his watch, noting the time—he wasn’t in a hurry, and yet he always felt like there was something he should be doing. At 28, Jake’s life felt stuck somewhere between ambition and resignation. His career had plateaued, his relationships were fleeting, and his dreams of becoming a writer had faded to a dull ache somewhere deep inside him.

The street ahead of him was a mix of shops, galleries, and cafes, all housing the kind of people who seemed to have their lives together. Jake envied them in a way—these people who were important, influential, and busy. They seemed to have a purpose. His hands tightened around his paper cup, and he sighed. Maybe someday he’d feel that sense of purpose too.

As Jake turned the corner onto the next street, a woman caught his eye. She was standing outside a boutique, leaning against its window, looking down at the phone in her hand. He barely glanced at her before his brain registered what was happening.

That voice.

It had been years, but it still carried the same warmth, the same rhythm, the same laugh he remembered so vividly from his childhood.

Jake froze. His heart pounding in his chest. There was no mistaking it.

Ella.

He didn’t know if his legs were still capable of moving, but he didn’t seem to have much control over them. Somehow, he found himself taking a step closer, his breath coming a little faster.

He knew she was famous—everyone knew her name by now. She had become a household name, a face plastered across magazines, a voice that filled concert halls and arenas. The last time Jake had seen her was when they were both teenagers, and then, just like that, they’d gone their separate ways.

But here she was, standing right in front of him, looking more beautiful than he remembered. No, not just beautiful—she was stunning. She wore a pair of large sunglasses, her platinum blonde hair effortlessly styled in soft waves, and the kind of outfit that screamed celebrity without shouting it.

His mind raced. Was she going to recognize him? Had she changed so much that she wouldn’t remember him? He could already feel his insecurities creeping in.

Ella turned slightly, and that’s when their eyes met.

For a moment, time seemed to freeze. Jake’s heart skipped a beat, and Ella’s smile faltered before quickly settling into something more uncertain. It was a look that reflected both recognition and confusion.

Jake’s chest tightened. He could barely breathe.

“Jake?” she asked, her voice just as soft and melodic as he remembered.

His mouth went dry. Was he hallucinating? He blinked hard. “Ella?” His voice cracked, and the words felt strange in his mouth. It had been so long, too long. “Is it really you?”

For what felt like a long moment, Ella simply stared at him, as if she, too, were trying to process the moment. And then, just like that, she smiled—her smile, the one he had thought about for so many years. It was warm and bright and filled with a joy that was unmistakable.

“Jake,” she repeated, her smile widening. “I can’t believe it’s you.”

Jake’s throat tightened. His palms were sweaty. “You look... amazing,” he managed to say. He instantly regretted the words. It sounded so stupid, so clichéd.

She laughed, and it was like a breath of fresh air. “Well, thank you,” she teased, adjusting the sunglasses on her face. “You look… well, you still look like you.”

The ease with which she spoke surprised him. It felt like nothing had changed, even though everything had.

“Wow,” he said, swallowing the lump in his throat. “I didn’t expect to run into you today.” He didn’t even know why he’d said it—it was obvious. He hadn’t expected this at all.

Ella glanced around, as if checking for someone, but her attention was back on him almost immediately. “I can’t believe it’s been so long. How have you been?”

Jake felt the awkwardness creeping in as he realized how much time had passed since they last spoke. It was strange, almost surreal, to be standing in front of Ella again after so many years. And she hadn’t just grown—she had become someone else entirely. Someone famous.

“Not much, you know,” Jake said, trying to sound casual. “I’m still in the same city, still doing the same old thing:”

Ella nodded slowly, but her smile didn’t fade. “Yeah, I get it. Things are… different for me now. It’s crazy, to say the least.”

Jake felt a pang of jealousy mixed with curiosity. He had always wondered what it would be like for her to make it big. But now that he was standing in front of her, it felt almost alien. Ella wasn’t just his childhood friend anymore. She was a brand.

“Tell me about it,” Jake said, trying to mask the uncertainty in his voice. “I’m sure it’s a lot to handle.”

Ella nodded again, he eyes distant for just a moment before snapping back to the present. “Yeah, it’s... a lot. People think it’s all glitz and glamour, but there’s a lot more to it. And a lot of it is just…” She trailed off, her gaze drifting away for a second before meeting his eyes again. “Lonely, you know?”

Jake felt a strange empathy. He hadn’t expected her to say that. Ella, with all her fame, admitting that her life could be lonely?

“Yeah, I can imagine,” he said softly. “It’s probably harder than people think.”

Ella smiled, but it wasn’t as bright as it had been before. “I guess. But enough about me. What about you= Are you still writing, or…?”

Jake chuckled. “Still writing, sure. I’ve got a day job that pays the bills, but writing’s always been my thing.”

She raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “What are you writing about? I’d love to hear about it.”

Jake hesitated, not sure how to explain that his dreams of writing had always felt like they were on the edge of slipping away. “You know, just… life stuff. MOstly just random ideas that I try to flesh out. I’m not exactly famous for my work, though.”

Ella laughed, the sound a little more genuine this time. “I’m sure it’s better than what I write.”

Jake smiled, the conversation starting to feel more comfortable. He wasn’t sure where this was going, but it felt like something he didn’t want to miss.

“Maybe we could grab a coffee and talk more?” She suggested suddenly, the words coming naturally, as if she was still the same person from the past.

Jake blinked. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

And just like that, they were walking together, side by side, into the café. Jake’s thoughts raced as he tried to hold on to the fact that this was real—that Ella, the same Ella, was back in his life. But he knew that everything had changed, and he wasn’t sure how it would turn out.