Dark Stars, Light Stars

Chapter 12 - Power to Change Us

One must always be careful of books . . . and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us. ― Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Angel

Knocking sounded softly on Justice's door. The girl stirred in her sleep, but did not get up to answer it. The person knocked again before walking back down the hall. Justice opened her eyes and rubbed the sleep out of them before sitting up from the bed.

Her phone was flashing from messages – possibly from Riley – and the time read 9:34PM.
She yawned and pushed back the covers before walking towards the door and opening it.

The smell of hot sauce and spices hit Justice and her mouth watered from the scent. Looking down, she saw a tray of tonight's dinner, still hot, with toasted bread and a glass of orange juice (yes orange juice) sitting on the side.

She gratefully picked up the tray and kicked the door shut behind her before walking towards the glass doors and opened them so she could eat on the balcony. The night was crisp and the moon was full, shining brightly overhead. As Justice dug into her food, settling her hunger, she noticed a bit of paper sitting underneath her glass. She quickly wiped her mouth with a napkin that sat under the bowl. She lifted her glass and retrieved the paper, unfolding it and letting her eyes take in the words.

Justice,

I realised that you didn't come down to eat tonight. If I offended you in any way, then I am sorry.

Here's a tray of food I prepared for you. I didn't want you to go to sleep feeling empty, because I know the feeling, and it sucks.

Enjoy J

Alistair

Justice smiled and shook her head at the thought of Alistair even thinking about her. She caught sight of the blush on her cheeks on the silver tray and quickly hid her smile. Alistair would never feel anything for her. She was too weird and crazy, too tomboyish and not pretty enough.

The truth was, she had known who he was since she saw him at school. They had attended a couple of years of primary school together before he moved without notice. Now she knew why.

Then, when she started high school, he attended it with her – for at that point, his Father had not left yet and he saw that it was best for his son to attend. She had a great year with him, but then things fell apart for them and he left the next year. She had still thought of him in the same way then, than she did now.

And he was perfect. Great at everything, every subject and sport. He had the best sense of humour and was drop dead gorgeous. The way his hair was left falling into his eyes, his perfect build.

Okay so yeah his arms were skinny, but not the type of skinny that made him look sick. The type of skinny that showed his was athletic. And his olive skin . . . Justice loved every part of him.

And not to mention the freckles that dotted his cheeks and nose. If Clarissa had not have spoken to him the way she did when Justice was expelled, then girls would be hanging around him all time. I mean, Justice would have been one of those girls, if she wasn't friends with him.

But were they actually friends when Justice thought of him in the way she did? Once she liked someone, she fell for them, hard. And it had caused a lot of breakage for her in the past. She had been in a real relationship with somebody once, when it was her first year of high school. And you could probably guess who it was. 

Alistair.

Justice could not keep his eyes off him the whole year. The same way she couldn't now. At the start, she felt nothing towards him. She just found him good looking and she got along with him really well.