Dark Stars, Light Stars

Chapter 13 - In the Execution

Amazingly similar in the execution. A bow pulled, an arrow shot. Entirely different in the aftermath. – Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games

'You off to school today, Justice?' Her Father asked the next day. The girl stopped midway through her spoon of cereal and stared at her Father. She nodded her head – hoping that he would get the hint to stop talking. But unfortunately, he didn't stop.

'Hopefully it will all be forgotten by today,' he continued as he poured himself coffee into a 'To-Go' cup. Justice averted her gaze to Alistair, who was leaning against the bench, a mug of hot chocolate in his left hand, which was now healed. His other hand was stuffed casually into one of the pockets in his jeans and one leg was crossed over the other. Today, his hair seemed more perfect than usual, but his eyes had a small speck of alarm in them.

' . . . and Clarissa will have learnt her lesson . . .'

Gavin's voice seemed very distant as Justice continued to gaze at Alistair, the boy had not realised yet, and just continued to enjoy his beverage.

'Oh and not to mention that if it happens again, you're going to be in a whole lot more trouble than you were the first time.'

Alistair snapped his head in Justice's direction and she quickly looked away. He had no idea that she had been expelled, and Justice had wanted to keep it that way. Even though she never lied, she still could not tell him that. Only because it was Alistair that she was defending that day.

His voice brought Justice back to reality and she realised that he had been talking to her the whole time.

' . . . happened?'

Justice looked back at him and shook her head, telling herself to focus.

'I'm sorry,' she told him, 'I missed what you said.'

Alistair looked down into his mug and didn't answer. Justice's Father looked from one teen to the other before standing up from the table and gathering up all of his documents. He then stuffed them into his briefcase hurriedly and unlocked the back door.

'I best be off to work. I'll um . . . I won't be home until late.'

Then, he was gone.

Alistair and Justice just sat (or in Alistair's case, stood) in silence for a while before one of them finally spoke up.

'So, what did your Dad mean before about Clarissa?' Alistair asked quietly. Justice looked over at him – the lost and lonely boy that lost all hope. The boy that was once full of life and the one that broke her heart. She felt awful for lying to him, so she told him the truth.

'Didn't you see what happened?' Justice asked him, using the same volume that he had before. Alistair shook his head and took a cautioned sip of his drink.

'No, I left after Clarissa walked off,' he looked up at Justice and stared at her, 'I escaped the drama.'

Something you cannot do his eyes seemed to tell her. Justice let tears prick her eyes, knowing how much she had hurt him.

'I kinda of punched her.' She finally admitted. Alistair froze and said, 'You punched her?'

Anger rose in his voice and he repeated his words, louder this time.

'You punched her? Justice! Oh God.'

The girl finished her cereal and pushed past Alistair to place her bowl in the sink.

'In a way, yes I did punch her.'

'In a way?' he yelled, 'Did your fist fly across her face?'

Justice stood back from the bench and ran a hand through her (not yet done) hair. But, she replied without hesitation.