Chapter 27

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I froze. I never saw that expression on Astéria's face before. She opened wide eyes and seemed on the verge of tears. Hearing her glass shatter, the whole cafeteria turned to look at us and everyone stopped talking but I couldn't focus on anything else other than her eyes. Astéria was so surprised that she couldn't control the color of her pupils anymore and they fluctuated from yellow to green to orange to red to purple. Seeing that last color I suddenly jumped. Seeing her with purple eyes, she looked a lot like Orange. But I quickly forgot about that idea because her eyes immediately went back to yellow and I moved on knowing that Astéria and Orange being the same person was impossible. I read the book. I knew that it wasn't the case. And Orange would never have hidden something like that from me. She trusted me way too much for it.

"Do you like my eyes?"

Astéria's voice was very low and hopeful. She sounded like a young child asking if Santa Claus was really real. And I couldn't break her heart:

"Yes. I really do. I never saw such interesting eyes before."

I didn't lie. I really thought Astéria was the most gorgeous person I ever saw and I didn't understand why people hated her eyes so much. It didn't make any sense. Being so focused on surviving, I didn't even give a thought to what Astéria must have been feeling but she had been bullied for her eyes all her life. No one liked them and they said she looked like a monster. Astéria even mastered her eye color changing very early on to look a bit more "normal". I should have said something before but I sincerely just forgot. I should have told her how gorgeous her eyes were. Killer or not, she didn't deserve to feel like a monster. Moreover, she hasn't done anything wrong yet. Maybe if I told her how amazing she was, she would end up a good person too.

I wouldn't prevent her from killing her family. They were bad people but killing everyone that wasn't useful to you was a bit much. Maybe before running away, I could try helping her. The novel had changed so much already. Maybe all the female lead needed was some love. If that was the case then that was one more reason to make Saber and Astéria become friends. I could help her and if it didn't work I could still disappear. I wasn't that attached to this city anyway. As soon as I would turn 18 I would be able to legally leave. Of course I would take Orange and a lot of money with me and we would live a comfortable and happy life together.

"Your eyes are gorgeous."

Astéria was staring intently at me and I thought she was stuck but I could still see her breathe. She had a hard time finding her words so I just smiled:

"Don't let anyone make you think otherwise. You are gorgeous just the way you are."

Astéria's face started gaining some color again but I really wanted to help:

"You know, my mother used to tell me that we had the face of the person we loved the most in our past life. Think about the person you love the most now. Do you think that they are ugly?"

She looked at every inch of my face before saying:

"No. She is perfect.

-See? Now imagine yourself having their face in your next life. How could you find your loved one ugly? You thought they were perfect. You loved them with all your heart. Can't you love them now? How do you think they would feel if you looked at their face and said that they were hideous? That they were a monster?"

Astéria flinched:

"I would never."

I smiled:

"Of course not. Because you love them. You should love yourself a bit more too. That's what they would want.

-Is that what you want?"

I tilted my head:

"I think that everyone should love themself. We are spending the most time with ourselves and if we don't love ourselves then who will? I wish for you to love yourself, Astéria. I know it isn't easy but you have to start somewhere."

[GL] I tamed the female leadWhere stories live. Discover now