It had been three weeks since Elle had discovered an uncharted galaxy and wowed a room full of scientists. Since then, her days had been filled with more school, more stargazing, and a lot more hugs from Lucas. But something new had arrived today—something that changed everything again.
A thick envelope sat on the kitchen table with the NASA logo on the front. Elle spotted it the moment she entered the room. Her mom smiled like she was barely holding in a secret.
“You’ve got mail, space girl,” she said, sliding the envelope toward her.
Elle opened it carefully, fingers trembling with excitement. She read the letter out loud, her voice soft but steady:
“Dear Elle,
We’ve followed your incredible contributions to astronomy and would be honoured to invite you to NASA’s Young Explorers Space Camp in Cape Canaveral, Florida. You and one guardian or family member will receive full access to our facilities, training simulations, and a special mentoring program.
We hope you’ll accept.
Welcome aboard.”
Elle stared at the paper, her mouth opening and closing like a fish trying to speak.
“Lucas,” she finally whispered, “We’re going to NASA.”
Chapter 2: Lift-Off Prep
Lucas was already panicking and packing his suitcase an hour later—even though Space Camp wasn’t for another two weeks. “Think I’ll get to try zero-G?” he asked, half-joking, half-hoping.
Elle didn’t answer at first. She was sketching galaxies in her star journal. “I want to see the control room. Where the real astronauts talk to space.”
“You’ll probably run the control room by the time we’re done,” Lucas said with a smirk.
Later that night Mia was over for dinner and nearly fell off her chair when Elle told her the news.
“You’re going to actual NASA? Like, real astronauts and rockets?” Mia’s eyes sparkled.
Elle nodded, then bit her lip. “What if they laugh at me because I... need help sometimes?”
Lucas leaned over the table. “Then we’ll laugh right back at them. Or better yet—prove you know more than they do.”
Mia beamed. “You’re Elle. You found a galaxy. If anyone says anything mean, tell them to go blast off somewhere else.”
Chapter 3: Welcome to NASA
Cape Canaveral was hotter than Elle expected, with the air smelling of salt and science. She clung to Lucas’s hand as they walked past towering rockets and space shuttle replicas. Inside, bright banners welcomed campers. One read:
“WELCOME YOUNG EXPLORERS: THE FUTURE OF SPACE BEGINS WITH YOU”
There were kids from all over the world, wearing badges, NASA t-shirts, and giant grins. Elle was dressed in her favourite star dress and denim skirt overalls, her diaper hidden discreetly under her clothes.
An older astronaut with silver hair knelt beside her. “You must be Elle,” he said with a kind smile. “I’ve seen your constellation sketches.”
Elle froze. “You have?”
He nodded. “You’re the one who hears the stars, right? I’ve been hoping to meet someone like you.”
Lucas nudged her gently. “Told you. You’re a legend.”
Chapter 4: Simulators and Stars
Space Camp was everything Elle dreamed of—zero-gravity simulator room, space station walk simulators, even a planetarium dome that wrapped around her like the night sky in her backyard.
During a team exercise, they had to simulate landing a rover on Mars. The other kids froze, overwhelmed by the data. But Elle? She calmly looked at the screen and said, “You need to change the entry angle by two degrees. The dust storm will interfere.”
Everyone stared. The instructor checked the math. Hey she’s right.
“Ohh wow,” whispered one of the boys. “She’s a space prodigy.”
Lucas puffed his chest proudly. “That’s my little sister.”
The victory and the starlight in her mind drowned out everything else she was so happy.
Chapter 5: The Special Mission
On the third day, Dr. Patel arrived with a surprise: NASA was launching a new telescope, and everyone in the group wanted Elle to name it after she figured out landing a rover on mars.
“You see the sky differently,” they said. “So, you should name what helps us all see better.”
Elle stared at the blank screen with her own galaxy sketch next to it. She smiled softly.
“I want to call it EchoStar. Because the stars don’t just shine. They echo. And sometimes… they talk.”
Dr. Patel nodded. “EchoStar it is.”
The entire auditorium applauded.
Chapter 6: Nightfall at Space Camp
That night, Lucas and Elle sat outside the camper’s dorms on a quiet bench. She looked up at the real stars, wrapped in a NASA space blanket, the familiar crinkle under her pyjamas "She didn’t mind anymore; she was in the happiest place in the world."
“Did you ever think we’d get here?” she asked.
Lucas grinned. “With you? I’m surprised we haven’t met aliens yet.”
Elle chuckled. “Not yet.”
He leaned in. “But I bet you’d understand them better than anyone.”
She leaned her head on his shoulder, feeling the buzz of the universe settle into a peaceful hum.
Chapter 7: Home Again, But Not the Same
When they got back home, there was another letter from NASA waiting for them again.
“Dear Elle,
You’ve inspired astronauts, scientists, and dreamers alike here. We’re adding you to special mentorship program for kids with unique gifts like you and ways of seeing the world.
No kid in the program has ever landed a rover on mars without doing the math on paper, You just said it out loud and it was perfect.
And your drawing of space is accurate by 99.9% when we overlayed it with a telescope photograph we looked for.
We hope you’ll join us for a few months
See you again soon.
–NASA Team.
P.S “Your personal needs for the bathroom will be setup by our Chef Medical Director, You will have your own Nurse or Nanny on standby duty”
Elle smiled and whispered, “I’m not just part of the stars anymore.”
Lucas looked at her. “No, El. Now you are one.”
Chapter 8: Elle Talks to the Space Station
A month had passed since Elle returned from Space Camp, and the telescope in her backyard on clear nights was now her favourite thing in the world—next to Lucas, of course. Every night, wrapped in a blanket, sketchbook in hand, she gazed into the sky through her new gift from NASA. EchoStar was out there now, scanning deep space—and she had named it.
Next day on a crisp evening, as she looked up, her mom called from the kitchen, “Elle! It’s Dr. Patel on Zoom!”
Elle blinked. Why would Dr. Patel call now?
When she joined the call, her heart nearly leapt out of her chest.
Because it wasn’t just Dr. Patel.
There were three astronauts on the screen, live from the International Space Station.
Elle thinking to herself how did Dr. Patel pull that off wow.
A woman with her hair floating in the air said with a smile, “Hey, Elle! We heard you discovered a galaxy. That’s incredible.”
Elle gazed intently, her mouth partially agape. “You’re… in space?”
The astronauts laughed. One of them gave a gentle wave. “We are. And we wanted to talk to the girl who watched and listens to the stars, and we were told you can pilot a mars landing craft simulation as well.”
Chapter 9: The Moment of Truth
As the call went on, Elle’s nerves started to fade. The astronauts were asking her questions. Her. About how she saw constellations differently, and how she guessed where stars would be, and she described a gyroscope to them too and what it does.
But then, a question crept into the back of her mind—one that had been buzzing inside her for a while.
“Can I ask you something?” she said quietly.
“Of course,” one of the astronauts replied, floating gently in front of the camera.
“Um… do you wear… like…” Elle paused, eyes darting to Lucas sitting next to her, who gave her an encouraging nod. “Do you wear diapers? Up there?”
There was a moment of silence. Not awkward. Just… respectful.
Elle then said “I hate how am incontinent and I hate it especially at school or going anywhere public”
Then the female astronaut smiled warmly.
“We do. All astronauts wear what we call Maximum Absorbency Garments—MAGs. They're basically just space diapers.”
Elle blinked. “Wow really”
“Yes we’re strapped into suits for hours,” another added. “Sometimes during launch, or doing docking procedures, or spacewalks—there’s no bathroom like on earth. So yeah, we use them. Every one of us.”
“No shame,” said the third. “It’s just part of the job we do in space normal toilets in space don’t work when there’s no gravity”
Elle’s mouth opened in awe. “So… even the smartest people in space have to use diapers?”
“Exactly,” the astronaut said. “Being different doesn’t make you less. And sometimes, being different just means you’re ahead of everyone else.”
Lucas whispered with a smirk, “Told you.”
Chapter 10: Confidence Booster
After the call ended, Elle stood in front of the bathroom mirror and looked at her reflection.
She pulled up her shirt a little and peeked at her own diaper. For the first time ever, she didn’t feel embarrassed. She felt… equipped.
She whispered to herself, “I wear what astronauts wear. I am an astronaut.”
The next day at school, during art class, she told Mia everything. Mia nearly exploded.
“What?! No way! You asked them that?!” Mia’s eyes were wide.
Elle nodded. “And they said it's normal for the because of gravity. Kind of cool I thought.”
Mia looked thoughtful. “I’m telling my brother. He’s always worried about his pull-ups. This will make him feel like a space hero now.”
She whispered to herself, “I wear what astronauts wear. I am an astronaut.”"
Chapter 11: Doctor Confidence
Later that week, Elle got a surprise visit at school—two NASA doctors this time came to talk to her now and her school. Dr. Patel had arranged it with the school’s principal as a further gift for Elle and the other students.
One of them, Dr. Harris, knelt beside Elle. “I heard you’re the girl everyone talks about at NASA. And that you’re helping kids understand that different doesn’t mean their broken.”
Elle shifted her feet nervously.
Dr. Harris smiled. “You want to hear a secret?”
Elle nodded.
“I used to stutter when I was a kid. Couldn’t even say my name right. But I didn’t give up. I found my voice. Just like you found your stars.”
Elle beamed. “I still get scared sometimes.”
Dr. Harris chuckled. “So do astronauts. So do we all. Courage isn’t not being scared. It’s doing the hard thing anyway.”
Elle then said “When I get scared or sad I just go outside on my favourite swing at night and look up and pretend am waving at friends”
Dr. Harris trying to compose himself “That’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard Elle”
Elle smiled back at him and hugged him softly.
Chapter 12: Back in Orbit
That night, Elle stood in the backyard with Lucas, staring through her telescope.
“You still hearing the stars?” he asked.
Elle nodded. “They sound happier now.”
Lucas chuckled. “Probably because their favourite girl isn’t afraid of herself anymore.”
Elle smiled.
She adjusted her telescope and whispered to the stars: “I’m ready.”
Chapter 13: NASA Kids Research Academy
It started with a letter, just like before.
This time, it was delivered in a shiny silver envelope with embossed lettering. Lucas spotted it first, grabbing it off the porch like it was a winning lottery ticket.
“Elle!” he yelled, running inside like his shoes were on fire. “It’s from NASA again!”
Elle, who was halfway through drawing a nebula that looked suspiciously like a jellyfish, took the envelope in both hands. The paper was heavy, like it carried something more important this time. She opened it slowly, eyes scanning every word.
Then she froze.
“Lucas… it says I’ve been officially accepted and nominated to the NASA Kids Research Academy.”
Lucas’s eyes went wide. “Wait—the NKRA? The program where they train future scientists? With lab coats and real experiments and everything?”
Elle nodded, dazed. “They want me to design my very own space probe project… to launch into orbit next year.”
Lucas shouted, “YES!” and did a victory spin that knocked over a chair “THAT’S MY LITTLE SISTER ELLE”
Elle covered her ears “Hey not so loud” Lucas then apologised and hugged her little sister.
Chapter 14: Arrival at the Academy
NASA flew Elle and her family—Lucas included—to Houston, Texas, home of the NASA Johnson Space Centre.
The Kids Research Academy was a special campus built beside the adult training facility, with classrooms shaped like space pods, a planetarium ceiling in the cafeteria, and yes—a zero-G bounce dome for physics “recreation.”
Elle stepped off the shuttle van holding a rolling suitcase covered in star stickers, her fingers clutching the edge of her sketchbook like a security blanket.
“Welcome, Elle!” a cheerful voice greeted.
A woman in a red polo shirt stepped forward. “I’m Dr. Tania Bright. I’ll be your mentor/nurse while you’re here. And let me say… your galaxy sketches are legendary around here.”
Elle blinked. “They are?”
Dr. Bright grinned. “Oh yeah. You’ve got fans in every department. Come on—let me show you the lab.”
Chapter 15: Diaper Talk, Take Two
During orientation, Dr. Bright showed Elle and a few other kids the space suits, including a replica of the one’s astronauts wore for EVA missions.
“And yes,” she added casually, “they come with built-in support systems—including the same type of space diapers used on the ISS.”
Elle glanced sideways, heart pounding. But Dr. Bright said it so confidently, like it wasn’t a big deal at all.
Later, during a lunch break, one of the other kids, a quiet boy named Avery, leaned toward her and whispered, “Hey… um… do you really wear… diapers all the time?”
Elle didn’t flinch.
“Yeah. I must. My brain doesn’t always tell my body what it’s doing. But I’m okay with it at times now.”
Avery looked down. “I wear protection too. I’ve got Crohn’s disease. I was scared to come here.”
Elle smiled. “We’re both here. That’s all that matters.”
For the first time, she was the one making someone else feel safe.
Chapter 16: Project Orion Echo
Each student at the Academy had to create a space research project. Elle didn’t hesitate.
“I want to send a light sound sensor into orbit. One that can read radiation patterns like a song—and translate them into English we can all hear.”
Dr. Bright raised her eyebrows. “You want to make space…talk to us?”
Elle nodded. “I think the stars have voices. I just want everyone else to hear them too like me.”
Over the next three weeks with help from NASA Scientists and small boy Avery, she built it—circuit by circuit, testing, modifying, coding. Avery was helping her with electronics as he was a wizard with electronics and programing Lucas watched with a mix of pride and confusion.
No clue what she’s building,” he muttered to Mia. “But give her three years and she’s Tony Stark.”
Chapter 17: The Launch
By mid-July, the final moment arrived.
Project Echo:One was loaded into a small satellite unit. Elle stood in mission control with the other Academy kids she was wearing her headphones and all wearing their custom jumpsuits with patches and name tags.
The countdown started.
“Ten… nine…”
Lucas held her hand.
“Eight… seven…”
Dr. Bright gave her a proud nod.
“Three… two…”
Elle held her breath.
“One. Lift-off!”
The rocket streaked into the sky, taking her creation with it. Elle’s heartbeat so hard she thought she might float away with the smoke trail.
Chapter 18: Home Again (With a New Star)
Back in her backyard a week later, Elle sat under the stars with her telescope. She’d gotten an email that morning—Echo One had pinged its first demo signal trial back to Earth.
It wasn’t a sound yet. Or a voice Not a clear one. But it was something.
And Elle knew what that meant.
She was hearing the stars. For real. And soon, the rest of the world would too.
Lucas sat beside her on the grass. “So, how long till NASA names a star or a galaxy after you?”
Elle giggled. “I don’t need a star or galaxy named after me.”
She pointed to the sky.
“I just want to help them talk.”
Chapter 19: The United Nations Space Summit for Youth
When the invitation came, Elle didn’t even believe it was real at first.
The actual United Nations wanted her—a 9-year-old girl who talked to the stars—to be the keynote speaker for the first-ever Youth Summit on Space Exploration.
Lucas had screamed when he read the email over her shoulder. “Elle, this is, like, worldwide! This is beyond NASA big. This is a big Earth big.”
Elle stared at the screen. “They want me to speak… live… in front of everyone?”
“Yeah,” Lucas said, gripping her shoulders. “Because you earned it, space genius.”
Chapter 20: The Big Day
The event was held in Geneva, Switzerland. Elle had never even been on a plane that long before looking out the window of the plane she saw the bottom of the United Kingdom on the plane.
When she got there, that night she was practicing her lines for her big speech few other kids were doing the same and following night, There she was, standing backstage in a crisp new navy-blue jumpsuit to her size with a constellation pattern printed across the sleeves and her name badge shining in gold letters:
Elle – Youth Astronomer – NASA Kids Research Academy *****///
She could hear the crowd murmuring outside the curtain—scientists, world leaders, reporters, and kids from every corner of the globe. Cameras. Lights. Microphones.
One of the kids backstage noticed Elle and spoke to her in Japanese and Elle looking at her confused not knowing what she said had an interpreter talk to Elle
“She said her name was Aiya and she wishes she was like you being the space girl who can hear the stars at night”
Elle tearing up slightly said thank you Aiya, they then hugged and exchanged smiles before getting back in line
Lucas was beside her, tying her lanyard with trembling hands. “You got this, Elle.”
She nodded slowly. Her heart was racing. Her stomach fluttered. But it wasn’t excitement anymore—it was nerves. The kind that made her skin buzz and her body… feel strange.
Then she felt something slip out.
That familiar warmth that she hates.
And she knew.
She had a big accident. A real one. Both kinds. Right before her biggest moment of her life.
Chapter 21: The Decision
Elle froze.
Her brain tried to scream to her ask for help, go to the bathroom, you can’t go out there like this.
But then someone called over the speaker: “Elle, you’re on in 30 seconds.”
Lucas smelling her little sister next to him. He knew her well enough to guess what happened he could smell her.
He whispered, “Do you want me to tell them you need more time Elle?”
Elle shook her head, her voice tiny. “I can’t be late. They’re watching me.”
“Elle, no you can’t go like—”
“I have to.”
Chapter 22: Lights, Camera, Courage
The lights hit her like the sun. The applause echoed in her ears as she walked onto the stage with a thick, crinkly diaper full and sagging slightly in her jumpsuit. It still hid everything, but she of course knew.
Lucas from the side begging her to come back, “Oh Elle No—"
Her heart thudded.
Her hands shook.
She stood at the podium, swallowed hard… and stuttered.
“H-H-Hello. My name is… Elle.”
Lucas about to drop an egg with hands on his head pulling at his hair,
Her voice cracked, and a murmur ran through the crowd. She took a breath, her mind spinning. But then—right there, in her moment of panic—she looked at the massive projection screen behind her.
It was showing her galaxy sketches. The same ones from her backyard. The ones that made her feel powerful. The ones that let her see what others missed.
She then talked about echo one that she built and what it’s going to do for the world in some detail
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
She looked into the camera. Her voice steadied more.
“I’m… not like other kids. My brain doesn’t always… tell my body what to do. I get overwhelmed and over stimulated. I mess up. And yeah… sometimes I’m scared of silly things.”
She paused. The room was silent.
“But when I look at the stars, they don’t care. They don’t judge. They just… talk to me. And I try to talk back. That’s why I made my project with help from Avery a friend I met at space camp and a team of experts, Orion one. Is To help us all hear the universe.”
Her words trembled—but they carried. People leaned in. Even the stuffiest diplomats at the back were nodding slowly in approval.
“I want to help kids like me. Who feel out of place. Too messy. Too… much—. Because we’re not broken, we just hear and see the world differently.”
She paused and looked down at her shoes, feeling the weight of her diaper. She could smell it faintly now—but she didn’t flinch.
“We’re just seeing the world a little differently each day. And maybe that’s what space needs a different sense of understanding just like me with my autism and medical difficulties.”
Chapter 23: The Standing Ovation
For a full five seconds, the crowd was silent.
Then came the thunder.
Applause.
Louder than rockets.
Lucas rushed the stage, tears in his eyes, and hugged her tight—even though she whispered, “Don’t… I’m still stinky.”
“I don’t care,” he said. “You just made the entire planet fall in love with you.”
“Elle overstimulated covering her ears”
Afterward, she was lead backstage and finally got to change in private room. Her mom hugged her afterward, helping her clean up. “You did it, honey. Even like that. You let the world hear your voice.”
Chapter 24: One Voice Among Stars
That night, reporters from across the globe quoted her speech. Hashtags trended. Scientists emailed NASA saying she’d changed how they thought about “inclusion” in space.
Elle’s words were printed in magazines. Her face was on a digital billboard in Times Square.
But none of that mattered to her the way one simple thing did:
The stars still whispered. And now? The whole world was listening, too.
Chapter 25: A Visit of Hope
The call came on a rainy Tuesday afternoon. Elle was curled up on the couch, drawing a swirling galaxy that reminded her of a peppermint swirl. Lucas was playing video games nearby when her mom answered the phone and suddenly turned quiet.
When she hung up, she looked at Elle. “Sweetheart… a children’s hospital in the city called us. They want to know if you’d come and speak to some of the kids there. Ones who’ve been in bed for a long time. Some are scared, some are sick, and some feel… well, like you used to. Alone.”
Elle’s pencil paused mid-swoop. She looked up slowly. “They want… me to talk to them?”
Her mom nodded. “They heard about your speech at the United Nations. About being different. About being brave.”
Elle’s fingers tightened around her sketchbook. Her voice was quiet.
“…ok let’s go.”
Chapter 26: Little Stars
The hospital smelled like hand sanitizer and something warm and clean. Nurses greeted Elle with gentle smiles as she walked down the hallway wearing her NASA jumpsuit. She had pride in her step now nothing could stop Elle not even a faint crinkling under her suit
She passed rooms filled with children hooked up to IVs, some wearing masks, some with bald heads from cancer, others with oxygen tanks and stuffed animals in their laps.
A nurse led her to a small playroom with bright walls and a circle of kids waiting in beanbags, wheelchairs, and beds rolled in from the hallway.
Some looked curious. Others looked tired.
Elle stood in front of them, clutching her star journal.
“Hi,” she said, her voice soft. “I’m Elle.”
A few kids waved. One tiny girl whispered, “We know space girl.”
Elle smirked at her
Chapter 27: The Talk
Elle cleared her throat.
“I used to think being different was a mistake. That something was wrong with me because I couldn’t do things like other kids. I get overwhelmed by noise. I wear diapers because my body and brain don’t always talk right. And sometimes, I cry for no reason.”
Some of the kids looked at each other. One girl with an oxygen tube blinked slowly,
“But then I realized something. I see things other people don’t. I understand the stars. I can hear them. I feel things deeply. And that’s not something wrong… that’s my superpower.”
She held up her sketchbook and flipped to a drawing of her first galaxy.
“This one’s called Hope Spiral. I drew it when I was sad. But the stars in it reminded me that even when the world is dark… there’s light. Somewhere. And sometimes… that light is you.”
Chapter 28: Brave in Our Own Way
Elle sat down on the beanbag in the middle of the room. She looked at the kids around her.
“I know some of you are scared. Or tired. Or hurting. I know some of you can’t run right now, or eat your favourite food, or go home. or just like me use a toilet normally”
“But you’re still here. You’re still fighting. That makes you brave. And if I can talk to the stars, then I promise you—you can do anything as well.”
A nurse sniffled in the corner wiping a tear from her eye. One of the kids clapped. Then another. Until the room was filled with soft, grateful applause.
Elle smiled—shy, but glowing.
“I don’t know what your superpower is,” she said, “but I know you all have one.”
Chapter 29: A New Kind of Hero
After the talk, Elle visited a few kids in their rooms. She gave out drawings of stars, constellations, and a page that read:
“You are all heroes made of the same stuff as stars.”
One girl held hers to her chest. “I want to be like you,” she said.
Elle smiled. “You already are like me. Just by waking up today.”
When Elle left the hospital, The sky was that soft kind of blue that makes you feel happy and safe at the same time.
Lucas took her hand as they walked to the car.
“That was… wow, El.”
Elle looked up at him, eyes thoughtful. “They were all stars. Just waiting for someone to notice them.”
Chapter 30: Starprints
It started with a single post.
A nurse at the children’s hospital uploaded a photo of Elle holding hands with a bald little girl, both smiling under a drawing of stars that Elle had given her. The caption read:
“Today we met a real-life hero. Not in a cape… in a NASA jumpsuit She told our kids they’re made of stars. I believe her.”
It was printed in newspapers. Then reshared. Then printed in magazines. Then shared again by NASA. Then by the U.N. Then by an astronaut in orbit who was on TV:
“The stars don’t judge. They just talk. And I talk back.”
— Elle, age 9
By morning, Elle’s inbox was flooded. And then came the message.
Chapter 31: A Rocket Named Stardust
NASA’s Artemis Program was preparing to launch a new probe—a deep-space mission that would journey past Mars to chart unexplored solar winds. The rocket was nearly ready.
And they wanted Elle’s artwork printed on it.
Her galaxy called Hope Spiral would be applied directly onto the rocket’s outer shell. A literal beacon. Floating through space.
The email read:
"Your drawing reminded us of what this mission is really about: hope, curiosity, and courage. We’d be honoured to carry your vision into the stars."
Elle dropped the tablet when she read it.
Lucas had to pick it up off the floor. “Elle… they’re putting your art on another rocket. A big rocket this time!”
Chapter 32: Paint the Sky
Elle and Lucas were at the the Kennedy Space Centre again Mia was there too it was packed. Engineers, scientists, artists, reporters—everyone wanted to watch a 9-year-old girls vinyl print of her galaxy on a machine that would touch the heavens.
Elle stood on scaffolding in a full NASA jumpsuit as always wearing harness and safety hat, gently applying the giant sticker of her art
And Lucas, standing on the ground below, whispered to the crew, “She’s not just painting now. She’s sending them a message.”
The crew then talked to Lucas saying, “That girl Elle has made space travel popular all over again for us at NASA even space X is not as popular now all because of her”
Lucas then giggled “That’s kind of funny”
Chapter 33: The Launch of Hope Spiral
On launch day, Elle stood on the VIP platform with her mom, Lucas, and Mia her best friend beside her. Her stomach fluttered—not just from nerves, but from excitement that stretched deeper than the sky itself.
A reporter asked her, “How does it feel knowing your art will be in space?”
Elle thought for a second. Then answered softly, “It feels like part of me gets to keep dreaming… even after I go to sleep years later from now.”
The countdown echoed.
10… 9… 8…
Lucas put his hands on Elle’s ears.
5… 4… 3…
Mia squeezed her fingers tight.
2… 1…
Ignition.
The rocket rose, flames trailing behind it, her painting vanishing into the clouds. The world cheered.
But Elle? Elle listened.
She closed her eyes and smiled.
“They’re singing back.”
Chapter 34: The Message from Orbit
Two weeks later, NASA released a video clip from the Artemis probe. Static, then a low-frequency audio wave, converted into sound. It was subtle. Haunting. Beautiful.
The caption read:
Transmission received near Hope Spiral Galaxy.
Audio converted from cosmic background radiation through the Echo one sensor and Echo star.
“This is for Elle.” *
The world listened.
And for a moment, everyone on Earth—every child in a hospital bed, every kid who felt different, every person who’d ever been scared—heard something they didn’t expect from the stars.
Kindness.
Chapter 35: Smelly Elle
The hallway smelled like pencil shavings, disinfectant, and peanut butter sandwiches. Elle hadn’t been back to her regular school in almost two months, between the hospital visits, the UN speech, and painting a literal galaxy on a rocket. But now she was walking through the front doors like any other kid.
Except she wasn’t.
Not anymore.
Mia was waiting for her at the lockers, her curls bouncing, eyes bright. “Finally!” she squealed. “The galactic queen returns.”
Elle giggled, adjusting her backpack. “It’s just school, Mia.”
“You painted a rocket, Elle,” Mia whispered. “I swear even that slow janitor knows who you are now.”
But of course… not everyone was happy to see her.
A cluster of kids from Elle’s old class lingered near the lockers. One of them—Tammy—whispered a little too loudly, “Guess NASA ran out of real astronauts they had to ask a retard for help.”
A few snickers followed. Elle felt her cheeks go hot, her body tense. She could feel Mia stiffen beside her.
And yeah… She froze.
Then, quietly, she stepped forward.
Chapter 36: The Comeback
The hallway had gone still.
Elle turned around to face them. She didn’t yell. She didn’t cry. Her voice was soft—but powerful.
“You can call me names if you want. Retard. Diaper girl. Weird kid. I’ve put up with it all your crap.”
“But remember this…” she continued, pulling a folded piece of paper from her backpack. She held it up: a photo of Hope Spiral, painted across the side of a real NASA rocket, climbing into the stars.
“Remember when your mom put your best drawing on the fridge door? Mine’s 1000 miles above the world on 1 NASA satellite I built. AND On Artimis Rocket on TV. In magazines. In museums. And on a space probe flying past Mars on its way to other galaxies.”
Her eyes swept across the crowd. “So… you can laugh at me if you want. But I’m not just different anymore. I’m orbiting. Beyond the stars that puts me on a level you’re never going to reach when you go home and look at your drawing on your fridge door”
A teacher at the end of the hallway—Mrs. LeFevre—gave a quiet giggle. Another teacher followed. Then the janitor literally laughed and gave her a thumbs up.
A girl was videoing her on her mobile as she spoke
Mia leaned close and whispered, “Girl… you just launched yourself past petty with that comeback.”
“There not finished drinking their mom’s milk yet” Said Elle
Chapter 37: Recess Orbit
Later that day, during recess, Elle sat on the bench with Mia, staring up at the sky.
“Think they’re looking at my painting right now?” she asked.
Mia nodded. “Maybe aliens will see it one day.”
Elle smiled. “That would be cool.”
From across the playground, Tammy stared—quiet now. Maybe just stunned as Elle was speaking up for herself now.
Either way, Elle didn’t care for her comments now or anymore.
She had galaxies to build. And stars to listen to.
And from now on?
She was never apologizing for being Elle again.
Chapter 38: Elle’s Livestream
It started with emails from a school in Norway. Then one from Brazil. Then India. Then South Africa and Elle’s email account had close to 80000 unread emails.
All asking the same thing:
“Can Elle talk to our students about being different, being brave, and finding their voice?”
Within a week, NASA I.T Expert, A U.N Representative Agent., and a few dozen disability advocacy groups had teamed up to organize a global livestream—one where Elle would talk to neurodivergent kids all around the world.
Not from space. Not from a rocket.
From her own classroom.
Her old teacher, Mrs. Lefebvre, cleared out a small room She gave Elle her own desk, a little stage light, and—Elle’s favourite part—set up a giant corkboard behind her where Elle could pin up her drawings of constellations, galaxies, and cosmic patterns.
This is now your special live stream room Elle your now so popular you must be protected from any dangers outside the school there is nasty creepy people out there, Remember Stranger Think Danger.
The internet connection was now live.
The countdown on the screen ticked down.
3… 2… 1…
“Go ahead, Elle,” the tech guy whispered. “You’re live now.”
Chapter 39: “It’s Okay To Be You”
Elle sat in her chair, legs tucked up slightly, fingers holding her star journal as always.
She looked into the camera. Not just at it—but through it.
“Hi,” she said. “You all know me as the space girl called Elle. I’m nine years old. I have autism. I get overwhelmed a lot. And I used to think that meant something was wrong with me.”
On the screen beside her, little boxes lit up—classrooms around the world tuning in. Some kids were watching from therapy centres. Some from home. Some with nurses. Some in wheelchairs. All of them listening.
“But then I realized… the way my brain works lets me see things. Like stars. Patterns. Feelings. And maybe you see things too. Or hear things other people miss. Or feel things deeper than anyone else.”
She paused a little. Her throat tightened. She was the most popular girl in the world since Shirley Temple
“People say I’m brave because I gave a speech at the United Nations. Or because my art is on rockets. Or because I was so clever I built my own Satellite Probe, But the truth is…”
She looked down for a second, then back up.
“Sometimes the bravest thing I do… is just showing up. Even when I feel embarrassed. Even when kids laugh at me for my problem.”
One of the screens showed a little boy giving a thumbs up. Another had a girl holding a handmade drawing of Elle and the stars.
“I’m not here to be perfect,” Elle said. “I’m just here to say: It’s okay to be you. And you’re not alone. You should not have to act like others just to fit in or pretend to be someone you’re not”
“It all started when I was drawing stars in class and a special guest came to see my drawing and it all started from there, so whatever you enjoy doing math or English, History, be proud of yourself
Chapter 40: A Wave from the World
When the livestream ended and the outro was playing, the screen lit up with waves. Hundreds of kids, parents, and teachers waving, smiling, some even crying at Elle’s words.
Messages scrolled across the screen:
“You made me feel brave.”
“I wear diapers too, and now I don’t feel so ashamed anymore.”
“I want to draw galaxies like you.”
“I didn’t know someone like me could be like you.”
Elle sat back on her chair but the glow in her chest brighter than ever. She looked over at Mrs. Lefebvre, who was quietly dabbing her eyes with a tissue.
“Elle you’re almost like an angel that was sent to the world to make everyone happy” she said,
Chapter 41: One Voice, Infinite Echoes
Later that night, Elle was on her swing in the backyard. The sky above was clear, stars winking down like they knew her name.
She whispered to the dark:
“I hope they heard me.”
Lucas came outside, carrying a blanket. “They did.”
“How do you know?”
He smiled. “Because I’ve never seen the whole world clap before.”
Elle smiled, her onesie pyjama crinkling as she shifted in the swing.
Different? Yes.
Embarrassed sometimes? Sure.
But tonight, she was just Elle—the girl who turned her quiet voice into a global message.
And it echoed.
Chapter 42: The Fall
It happened during gym class.
Elle had just finished stretching, her diaper tugged up securely under her shorts as always, when the teacher told them to jog three laps around the gym. Mia gave her a wink. “Race you,” she teased.
Mia took off running, Elle shoes squeaking across the floor, her mind focused on each step. She wasn’t the fastest—but she was having fun. For a moment, it felt normal. Easy.
Then the pain hit.
A stabbing, sharp pressure just beneath her ribs. She was suddenly out of breath and struggling to breath and stumbled mid-stride. Her legs buckled she squealed in pain. Then—bam—she hit the floor hard.
She didn’t get up.
One kid came over, hey, Star girl, are you ok.
Mia came over and she noticed she was not breathing well, she yelled out “TEACHER HELP”
Chapter 43: Emergency
By the time the ambulance arrived, Elle was pale and white, sweating, and barely responsive. She was curled on her side, holding her stomach, fading in and out whispering something that no one could understand.
Mia was crying hard. The teacher was panicking. Lucas—called from his own class—arrived in time to see the paramedics lift his little sister onto the stretcher.
“She’s not talking,” he choked. “She always talks when she’s scared. Why isn’t she saying anything?”
Chapter 44: The diagnosis
The hospital was bright, cold, and quiet. Elle’s mom paced while Lucas sat in the corner with his head in his hands.
Finally, a doctor entered.
“She has an acute bowel obstruction Her system is overwhelmed.”
“And her bladder is the size of ping pong ball, It should be a lot bigger”
Lucas blinked. “So, Like a sensory overload?”
“In a way, Said the doctor her body’s not been pushing through her stool properly, That combined with her bladder condition, means she likely didn’t realize how bad things were.”
“What happens now?” her mom asked.
“She’s going to need monitoring. Possibly surgery to clear the obstruction but were positive we can avoid that. She’ll be here for a while to monitor her.”
Lucas stood slowly. “Can I see her?”
Chapter 45: Brave in the Hospital Bed
Elle was hooked to tubes. Her face was pale, her voice a whisper.
“I’m scared,” she said, as Lucas held her hand.
“I know,” he said. “But you’ve been to space, remember? You can do anything.”
Lucas leaned in. “Listen to me. You’re the strongest person I know. You’ve given speeches in front of the U.N.; told thousands of kids they’re not broken. So maybe… maybe it’s okay if you’re scared for once. That doesn’t mean you’re not brave.”
Tears welled in Elle’s eyes. “It hurts so much.”
“I know.” He squeezed her hand. “But you’re not alone.”
Chapter 46: Healing
The weeks that followed were hard. Elle had moments of confusion, discomfort, even anger. Nurses changed her every few hours, and she needed help even for the little things until her strength came back.
But every day, a few special visitors came.
Mia, with a new drawing for her bedside wall.
Mrs. Lefebvre, who brought a sketchbook and let Elle draw space
And Lucas—always Lucas—who showed up with a joke, a story, or a pillow that smelled like home.
Bit by bit, Elle began to heal.
Her bowel better than before but not 100% stable. The obstruction was removed but she had a name for her problem now at least.
neurogenic colon and bowel condition of Rectal Hyposensitivity.
And one day, she opened her eyes and whispered, “I want to draw again.”
Chapter 47: Stronger Than Stars
A week later, still in her hospital bed, Elle drew a picture of herself—in a spacesuit, in front of a crowd of kids round her.
She titled it:
“Braver Than Rocket Fuel.”
She gave a small talk before falling asleep.
And when the nurses saw her drawing? They asked if they could hang copies in every paediatric room on the floor.
Elle walking around the ward next day spotted a few of the kids she spoke to when she had her NASA jumpsuit on but this time it was just a hospital gown and a diaper,
Elle sitting down spoke to hey everyone, One girl who spoke to her Hey your that space girl that talked to us, Why you wearing a gown….
Elle then explained what happened to her and she was hugged from all corners, One of the girls then told Elle 2 of the kids passed away you talked to and 1 recovered, Elle then said, And you guys, Why are you all still here, She asked
Other girl Clare said, I have blood cancer and Charlie has low white blood cell count or something. But were getting better and because of your encouragement you helped us be better.
As Elle went back to her bed afterwards walking while grabbing all the hand rails to her bed.
Chapter 48: The Hardest Speech
The school had planned it as a celebration: Elle Returns!
A small assembly in the auditorium every Monday morning. Just the students, some teachers, and her family sitting in the front row. But to Elle, it felt like standing in front of the whole world again.
Only this time, it wasn’t about galaxies or constellations.
It was just about her.
She stood on stage, her jogging pants slightly puffier than usual around her butt to fit the thicker diapers she now had to wear after the hospital diagnosis.
She could feel it. Not just physically—the bulk, the crinkle—but emotionally. Like a weight that wouldn’t let her forget. She was still recovering her bowel not ever going to be perfect.
This was her new normal now for her.
And she hated it.
She stepped up to the microphone. The room quieted.
Her voice trembled.
“Hi…”
She paused. Her breathing hitched. She looked down at her shoes. Then up again.
“You all know me as the girl who went to NASA… or painted the rockets and made a probe and gave a speech at the U.N. But I want to tell you something different today.”
Her fingers gripped the edge of the podium.
“Before the hospital… I thought being brave meant pretending nothing bothered me. That I had to prove I was just as good, or better. Even though I wore diapers. Even though I had autism. Even though everything felt louder and harder for me.”
She swallowed hard. Her voice cracked.
“But then I got sick. I fell. I couldn’t walk. And I was scared. I thought maybe… maybe that meant I wasn’t strong anymore and I had to stop.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I wear thicker diapers now. Because my bowels don’t always work like they should. And sometimes I feel…. Like I’m not that smart girl people look up to anymore.”
“I want to keep going and live as long as I can, I just want to help you be more human and less like robots”
“I er…. I mean… “
She broke down. A sob escaped her lips as she turned away slightly, wiping her face with her sleeve.
The room was dead silent.
And then—footsteps.
Mia.
Chapter 49: Two Kinds of Brave
Mia walked across the stage without hesitation, wrapped her arms around Elle, and held her tight.
“It’s okay,” she whispered. “You don’t have to be perfect up here.”
Elle sobbed into her shoulder.
Then Mia turned to the microphone.
“Can I say something?” she asked. The principal, stunned, nodded.
Mia looked out at the crowd, her voice shaking—but clear.
“I have dyslexia. Most people don’t know that. I’ve always been embarrassed about how long it takes me to read… or that I mess up my writing.”
She looked at Elle and smiled through her own tears.
“But Elle? She never judged me. She sat with me after school, helped me sound out words, showed me constellations in books with no pressure. And when I said I felt dumb… she said, ‘You just learn like a stargazer. You take longer, but you see deeper.’”
“She worked out I can learn just as well with pictures, I learned she has more than one gift she has multiple talents”
Mia turned back to the crowd.
“Elle made me proud to be different. So, if she needs help now? We give it back. No shame. No teasing. Just love. This includes you too Tammy”
Chapter 50: Standing Together
The auditorium stood up.
Not because they were told to. But because they wanted to.
Teachers wiped their eyes while students clapped—some awkwardly, some loudly. A few even cheered.
And there, in the middle of the stage, Elle and Mia stood hugging—both messy, both emotional, both brave.
Because this wasn’t a speech about success.
This was a speech about being real about being human about being yourself despite it all.
That night, Elle sat on her swing in the backyard, bundled in a blanket, still wearing her thicker diapers, still feeling raw—but lighter somehow.
Lucas sat beside her, bumping her shoulder gently.
“You know,” he said, “you’ve done speeches about stars and galaxies and all that… but this one? This is the one people are going to remember forever.”
“Even with all the crying?” she sniffed.
“Because of the crying,” he said. “You showed your heart. And it was huge.”
Elle smiled faintly; eyes fixed on the stars.
“They’re still listening, you know.”
Lucas nodded. “Yeah. But tonight? The whole school was, too.”
Chapter 51: The Beginning of the Star Room
It started as a conversation between Elle and Mia during lunch, sitting under the tree near the school fence—Elle’s favourite quiet spot.
Elle was moving slower now. The hospital visits left her tired more often, her body still recovering. Her thicker diaper made her walk a little awkwardly, and she took longer to process things when she was overstimulated. But the fire? Still there in her eyes.
“I want to start something,” Elle said, picking at a patch of grass. “Something… where no one feels like they don’t belong.”
Mia tilted her head. “Like what?”
“A club. A space where kids like me—like us—can just be. Without being stared at. Without whispering.”
Mia lit up. “Like a room for neurodivergent kids… disabled kids… anyone who feels different?”
Elle nodded. “We’ll call it The Star Room. Because stars shine differently. Some brighter, some dimmer, some pulsing, some slow. But all of them matter.”
Chapter 52: Making Space
They went straight to Mrs. Lefebvre after class.
And to their surprise—she thought it was a good idea too.
“I will pitch this idea to the principal” she said. “You creating this space? It’s what this school has needed for a long time.”
They got permission to use an old panic type room—a dusty corner space with padded rooms. Mia asked for fairy lights. Elle brought constellation posters and her NASA telescope calendar.
The first week, only three students showed up.
By the second month, they had the entire service class of fifteen students.
Elle funded it all with her fame from her bank account
Chapter 53: The Star Room Rules
There were only a few rules, printed on a poster in bright colours:
- You can stim. You can flap. You can sit in silence.
- No one makes fun of diapers, pull-ups, walking aids, speech delays, or anything else.
- If someone’s overwhelmed, you help… or you step back.
- Everyone is a star here—even on their cloudy days.
Mia read the rules quietly every time a new student entered or showed them pictures.
She reads and helps others, shows pictures if words don’t work and Elle was teaching her friend with a support worker
.
Chapter 54: The Moment That Changed Everything
One afternoon, a boy named Marcus—nonverbal, often hiding under tables in class.
The support worker guided him to the Star Room.
No one rushed him. No one forced eye contact.
He sat beside Elle. Slowly. Quietly.
Elle, in her NASA hoodie, gave him a smile.
“Do you like drawing?” she asked gently.
Marcus didn’t answer.
She slid him a blank paper and a pack of coloured pencils.
Twenty minutes later, he drew a spaceship.
She stared at it.
He moaned trying to talk.
Her voice trembled. “It’s ok take your time Marcus?”
He smiled then tried saying “Mar mar mar kus mmmmmar cus”
Elle helped someone find there voice her room was helping them.
Chapter 55: Shining Slower, But Steady
Elle didn’t run the Star Room like a teacher.
She ran it like a galaxy.
Slowly. Calmly. Constantly there.
Some days, she had accidents and needed to be changed mid-session. Some days, she got overwhelmed and had to be helped herself. Some days,
But no one laughed. Because they’d all learned from her.
From the girl who used to be called dumb.
The girl who talked to stars.
The girl who turned her pain into a place for others to feel safe.
A place where everyone was normal.
Epilogue: A Note on the Wall
On the door of the Star Room, right above the handle, was a small note Mia wrote one day when Elle was absent for a hospital check-up:
“Elle moves better now. But don’t mistake that for weakness. She moves at her pace—just like the stars. And they light up the sky just fine.”
Chapter 56: The National Youth Award
The school had never looked prouder.
Banners lined the walls. Teachers wore pins with stars on them. Even the janitor had trimmed the hedges out front into little rocket shapes the school was winning rewards for its efforts to help the students there was even a phycology department being built an idea one of the teachers had when he won the lottery donated half his winnings into the school, Elle turned the school from a mainstream school with a school for kids with all types of difficulties and disabilities as well.
Elle in her special class room had a visit from a reporter and was given a gold envelope, She opened it and it read.
Elle you have been nominated for the Global Kids Achievers Awards—a big, televised honour recognizing young people making change in their communities.
And she wasn’t going alone.
Mia would be invited on stage with her, standing beside her, not just as a best friend—but as a co-founder of The Star Room.
Backstage, The Main Event the lights were hot.
Elle adjusted the waistband of her thicker diaper under her dress. She was nervous, sure—but she was ready. She’d come to terms with who she was. She could handle this.
Mia, though?
Was pale.
Like really pale.
“You, okay?” Elle whispered, bumping her elbow gently.
“Y-yeah,” Mia muttered. “Totally fine. Just, you know… TV. Cameras. Millions of people. Normal stuff.”
Elle chuckled, but her smile faded when she saw Mia trembling slightly.
Before she could say more, a stagehand whispered, “You’re on in ten.”
Chapter 57: The Moment of Truth (and Trouble)
Elle and Mia walked onto the stage as applause erupted. They stood behind the podium, cameras flashing.
Elle leaned in, ready to start.
Then Mia grabbed her wrist under the podium.
Her grip was tight. Panicked.
Elle am really scared, Your better at this than me.
Elle said to her, “Remember when you spoke to the school and I was crying, You be Mia in that moment”
Live TV in 3…2…1.
In the silence that followed, Mia looked ready to collapse.
“I’m so—so gross,” she choked out. “I ruined it now.”
Just breath slowly and take it easy, remember you got this.
Count down Mia and Elle in 3…2…1 And Cue…
Chapter 58: Back On Air
When the cameras came back, Elle was talking next, the girls were composed—well, mostly.
Elle took the mic. Her voice calm. Honest. As always.
“Before we start… we just want to say something real.”
She looked at Mia, who nodded bravely.
“Sometimes, being scared makes your body do things you don’t want it to. But that doesn’t make you gross. Or weak. Or bad. It makes you human.”
Mia added, “And lucky for me… I’ve got a best friend who reminds me daily that despite our issues they don’t define who we are.”
The room burst into applause—not for perfection.
But for truth.
Elle was then presented with her reward with standing ovation.
Chapter 59: The Star Friends
After the show, as Mia changed her underwear backstage the nerves got to her a little, then she came back and leaned on Elle’s shoulder talking back stage.
“I get it now,” she whispered. “What you go through. What you carry every day. You’re not just brave, Elle. You’re superhuman.”
Elle shook her head, smiling.
“No. I’m just like you. Mia”
They fist-bumped, then cracked up again when a stagehand walked by and muttered, “You two handled that like pros.”
Mia then admitted quietly she had to change to Elle, Elle smiled and handed her, Her Reward, Here Join the Club Mia.
Chapter 60: More Than Just a Club
Elle was doing better.
She still wore her thicker diapers, and her accidents had become more common. Sometimes it was two or three a day—especially when she was tired, or excited, or overwhelmed. But she’d stopped seeing them as failures.
They were just… part of her. Like the way she counted patterns in leaves or sketched constellations in the margins of math homework.
She’d had to give up gym class and she sometimes left early for medical appointments, but nothing—not even her silly habits or aching stomach—was going to keep her out of The Star Room.
Especially now.
Because it had just gone national.
Chapter 61: The Call
The email came from the Department of Education.
Short, simple, unbelievable.
“We’ve seen the work Elle and Mia have done with The Star Room.
We want their help building a new nationwide program for neurodivergent and disabled students—
From one classroom… to every classroom.”
Elle dropped the tablet.
Again.
Lucas didn’t even ask—he just picked it up and started reading aloud while Mia screamed on speakerphone.
They were being asked to co-design a curriculum. A guidebook. A real, government-funded program. Elle's & Mia’s name… on an official policy.
She sat down slowly, a nervous smile creeping across her face.
“I’m going to need… more sketchbooks.”
Chapter 62: Writing the New Rules
The first thing they wrote.
“Every child deserves a space where they don’t have to apologize for who they are.”
The guide they designed had pages for sensory-friendly seating, bathroom support plans, inclusive bathroom passes, diaper/pull-up accommodations, fidget and stim kits, meltdown-safe zones, reading support, speech therapy—and most importantly, peer training.
They called it The Star Code.
Every page had Elle’s ideas she talked about to the school nurse.
Every section had real advice, from real experience—not just medical jargon, but honest truths.
“If a child has an accident in class, let them get change without judgement by a nurse/teacher. Shame is not a reward tool to make yourself happy on someone’s misery.”
“If a student flaps, rocks, repeats phrases, or stims—don’t stop them. Ask what they need or want. Respect the motion not shame the commotion.”
“If someone communicates in drawings instead of words—listen with your eyes not your mouth.”
Chapter 63: The Launch
At the national conference where they unveiled The Star Code, Elle and Mia stood together on stage.
Elle was in her favourite blue constellation dress, the usual crinkle sounds accompanying her. Mia wore jeans and a blazer and a pull-up this time, her hair in two puff buns that Elle had helped style that morning.
Elle still walked slower. Still needed help some days.
But that night, under the lights, she didn’t wobble.
She stood strong.
“We’re not perfect,” she told the crowd of educators, principals, therapists, and advocates. “We’re not here because we have all the answers. We’re here because we lived the questions.”
Mia added, “We’re here because schools aren’t just for learning math or reading. They’re for learning empathy. And that starts with how we treat the kids who need us most.”
The room stood in applause.
Chapter 64: Full Circle
Elle sat on her backyard swing that night, diaper slightly damp, the wind soft against her face.
Lucas sat nearby, strumming a quiet tune on his guitar he got on his birthday.
“You really did it,” he said. “You turned your hardest days into something… huge.”
Elle stared at the stars. “I didn’t do it alone.”
“No,” Lucas said, “but no one leads alone either.”
She looked down at her lap, her fingers running over her newest sketch: a spiral galaxy shaped like a heart.
“You think the stars are proud of me?”
Lucas smiled.
“I know they are.”
Final Words – From Elle’s Journal
Some days I leak.
Some days I cry.
Some days I forget things or get too loud or hide.
But every day, I shine.
You don’t have to be fast, or dry, or quiet, or perfect.
You just must be you.
And that’s enough.
That’s how stars are born.
The End. ??