The Void Between Stars: Book 4 Of The Orion Series

The Bad And The Good

[Trigger Warning: Brief discussion of childhood physical abuse.]

Taking a shaking breath, I try and stop myself from thinking any more about Stacy. I'm mid opening my door when someone says my name, sounding surprised. It's Scott.

"Hey," I greet quietly as he walks up to me, smiling.

"We're hall neighbors, my room is right...down...there..." He's close enough to see my face now and frowns. "You okay, mate?"

I don't even have the energy to pretend I am. I also don't have the energy to care. "I'm starting to think there's not a single good thing that has happened in my life."

The actor looks deeply concerned. "Er...do you want to talk?"

I consider it a moment, but then I shake my head. "It's okay. It's almost nine o'clock, room time—"

Scott on some level must know how grateful I am when he wraps an arm around my shoulders, shutting my door and gently leading me down the hall. Once he has me steered the right way he removes his arm. For a while we walk down the empty hall, a comfortable silence between us.

"Outside or inside?"

I look at him. "Huh?"

"Did you want to go smoke or go to the rec room?"

"Oh. Rec room is fine."

We're--thankfully--the only one's. Scott follows me as I wordlessly go to some corner chairs. They're plush and comfortable, and I curl up into one immediately. For a long while I don't say anything, resting my head on the arm of the chair as I stare at the lamp providing us light.

"So...What does a rockstar like to do for fun?"

I give him a very apathetic look. Scott clears his throat and cracks his neck. As he rolls his shoulders, I look back at the lamp, brushing my fingers against the pearlescent baby blue porcelain the base is made from.

"Alright," he says. "My childhood was fucked."

I look at him. "Scott, you don't have to--"

"It culminated with my dad tossing me out my bedroom window."

My eyes go wide. I don't know what to say to that. I literally am speechless.

"Alright, tossing isn't correct. He pushed me, my window was open, so down I went. It was a genuine accident."

I frown up at him, and to my surprise he laughs. "I mean, tumbling out of the window was an accident. Bastard meant to push me."

"What happened?" I finally said.

"Well luckily, or unluckily, my fall was broken by my dad's workbench. I destroyed the bench, the bench destroyed my back. I needed therapy for a while, for my back."

"How old were you?"

"Ten."

I wince. "What did your mom do?"

"She...It was...messy."

When Scott doesn't elaborate, I switch gears. "You have a sister, right?"

"Yeah, Claudia."

"She's an actress too, right?"

"Yup."

"Older, younger?"

"Younger. What about you, any siblings?"

"A sister and two brothers, all younger."

Scott smiled. "Do you all get along?"