Chasing Stars

The Future With the Stars

"Are you ready to order?" Niko looked at a female customer in front of her.

The female customer smiled, then gave her order to Niko.

Niko took the order to the kitchen. The clock shows at three in the afternoon. The restaurant does not fill the visitors. Outside the window, the leaves began to fall. Occasionally the autumn wind blows away the leaves. Niko's been in New York for a year. Because he likes to design, Niko felt that his lecture this time was not as difficult as before. He always gets the highest score on every test.

Niko bought her first diamond a few months ago. And started practicing what he learned during the course and made his first work. A star ring. The ring now bears his first diamond. There are 34 more. Niko kept the ring in her bed table drawer. Every day he always saw his work before going to study and work.

"Veggie burger and cafe latte," Niko presents the order to the female customer.

"Thank you...." The customer looked at the top of Niko's pocket and read her name, "Niko." "Call me if you still need another order" Niko said politely.

Half an hour later, Niko received tips from the female customer. "Thank you" he said.

Suddenly the woman handed him a piece of white paper. "My phone number" he said. "My name's Michelle. Call me sometime."

Niko smiled and handed the paper back to the woman. "I'm sorry, I can't take it."

Michelle nodded in understanding. "You already have someone."

Niko smiled without answering.

"Alright," said Michelle, then picked up the paper she had written and walked out of the shop.

As Niko sat resting at the cashier's desk, Mike approached her.

"I've seen you turn down women's phone numbers a lot. "Mike shook his head. " Do you have a boyfriend?"

Niko shook her head. "No."

"In that case, why don't you accept one of them?" Mike patted Niko's shoulder slowly.

Niko looked at Mike with a sad look. "My heart is not ready to accept anyone."

Mike laughed slowly. "Couldn't forget your first love? There's no harm in you starting to meet other women. Who knows one of them could heal the wound in your heart."

Niko laughed at Mike's advice. "First love? I don't know if it's first love or not. But I can't forget it."

"You really like it, huh?" Mike saw Niko's eyes shining with sadness when talking about the person he liked.

"I only realized I liked it after the guy left" Niko said regretfully. "I don't even know if he likes me or not." "Is he here too?" ask Mike curiously.

Niko shook her head. "I don't know where he is now."

Mike clucked. "You better try to forget it."

"I don't think I can do it" Niko smiled sadly, reminiscing about her past. "He helped me pursue my dreams."

"Well...." Mike nodded. "Is she pretty?"

Niko laughed at Mike's comment. "No," Niko thought of Laura's face. "But she's beautiful in my eyes. I don't know if someday I can forget it or not. But right now I don't want to start a relationship with someone. It wouldn't be fair to that woman if my heart wasn't with her. What about your wife, Mike? I heard you've been married over twenty years."

Mike smiled. "Love at first sight. I've never been with anyone but her."

"Well, I really envy you, Mike." Niko smiled. "I wish I could be like you."

Mike laughed loudly. But something seems strange. Suddenly Mike's laughter stopped. He grabbed his left chest and fell unconscious on the floor.

Niko took off Mike's tie and loosened his collar. He checked the pulse on Mike's neck and couldn't find it. Niko tilted Mike's head slowly and raised his chin. He gave an artificial breath through Mike's mouth twice. Then his ears tried to hear Mike's breath return. But there was no breath.

Niko crossed her palms across Mike's chest and started to press down on him. "One.. two.. three... four... five..." Niko counted in her heart. "Come, Mike, breathe. one..two.. three.... four... five...." Niko pressed Mike's chest.

Niko constantly pressed Mike's chest nonstop. "Come, Mike. Breathe."

Shortly after, Mike coughed. Niko breathed a sigh of relief. "You're gonna be okay, Mike. Keep breathing slowly."

Paramedics arrived shortly afterwards and provided assistance. Mike was taken in an ambulance.

After work Niko went to the hospital to see Mike.

Niko sees Mike accompanied by his wife who looks relieved mixed with sadness, because Mike can already laugh and joke.

"Hi, Mike." Niko goes into the room where Mike is being treated and puts the fruit he bought on the bedside table. "How are you doing?"

"Look.....!" exclaim Mike happy. "I'm fine now. Meet my wife. Carie."

Niko smiled. "Hi, Carrie."

"Thank you for saving my husband" Carrie said, clasping Niko's hand.

"Together" answered Niko.

"Paramedics say you do CPR (Cardiopulmonary Respiratory/artificial breathing) well." Mike pressed a button to raise his bed. "You went to medical school?"

Niko laughed slowly. "No."

Mike looked at Niko with a different view. "What did you learn?"

"Gemology" said Niko. "Jewelry," explained Niko after seeing Mike's brows which frowned in confusion.

"Jewelry?" mike did not expect. "You've practiced CPR before? The other waiters said you looked like you were trained to do it."

"I've been practicing CPR since I was twelve" Niko explained. "My mom and dad are doctors. They expect me to get into medicine too. But I can't do it. I really like jewelry."

Carrie held Niko's hand. "I'm sure your parents would understand. Your life is your choice."

Niko wished that papa could understand like Carrie.

"My mother understands, but my father.well, he still needs to be convinced."

Carrie's eyes softened. "How about sometime you come to dinner at our house?"

"You don't have to bother," Niko felt bad. "I'm glad Mike's better."

Mike denied Niko's words. "No need to be confused. You should come to my house for dinner after I'm back from the hospital."

"Alright," Niko relented. He's sure Mike will keep pushy until he agrees.

Mike's relationship with Niko has since grown closer. Niko feels like she's getting the attention of a father that she doesn't get from papa. And Carrie was like a second mother to her.

A few months later, at the beginning of her new year, Niko had already obtained her expert jewelry diploma from GIA. Next Niko calls for a jewelry program to make her a professional jeweler.