The Fairest Stars

Chapter Twenty Six: 'The all cheering sun.'

Isis rolled over, with a sleepy sigh. Blearily opening her eyes, she peered at the time. Eight o’clock. What?! She sat up straight, her heart beat speeding up in a panic. She was late!

Oh. It was a Saturday. Lying back down, she let relief wash through her, closing her eyes again. It was no good. She was too awake to sleep now.

Something niggled at her memory. She was doing something today, something exciting… ah. Date number two! Letting a grin spread across her face, she swung herself out of bed, switching on the light.

Though many people probably would have hated sleeping in a living room, Isis didn’t find it all that bad. Perhaps it was because she was used to it.

Pulling the small box containing all of her clothes out from behind the sofa, she sorted through it, looking for a suitable outfit. Her few possessions all lived in little boxes behind the sofa, out of the way for the majority of the day, so it was always a fiddle to find things. However, it wasn’t really something she minded, either.

Pulling on some clothes, she went in search of some breakfast, wondering what Kael would have in store for her today. He’d told her he’d pick her up at eleven, so she had plenty of time to mull it over.

As she ate her toast, she remembered how Kael had stolen bits of the toast she had made at him house, and giggled to herself. Even just thinking back over the things the pair of them had gotten up to over the past few weeks was enough to make her feel all glowing inside. When she came away from spending time with him, the feeling was about ten times stronger.

It was so strange to think how, through just one person, she’d gone from being someone who hurried about everywhere, rushing to do various jobs and chores, dashing back from school to help around the house, spending time at school by herself because she really didn’t have time for friends… to this contented girl who was spending her free time with a gorgeous young man who actually cared about her, and spent time making her realise that.

It kind of blew her mind. She wasn’t sure what lucky stars she should thank for her inconceivably good fortune, but she was grateful beyond belief. Kael had provided her with something far more wonderful than she could have ever imagined: time just to be a seventeen year old girl. She’d almost forgotten she was one.

Seeing her mum, Isis beamed up at her.

‘Looking happy today,’ her mother commented, with a smile back.

‘Kael’s taking me on Date Number Two today, Mum,’ Isis explained. ‘I can’t wait to see what we’ll be doing.’

Her mum grinned. ‘Ah, I see.’ She got out a plate, making herself some toast. Isis marvelled at the difference. Not long ago, that would have been far beyond her capabilities. However, ever since she’d made her way out of her room for the first time, she’d been venturing out at every opportunity. ‘I wondered why you were smiling so excitedly.’

As Isis washed up her plate and cutlery, chatting to her mum about the play, and how they were getting on, her mother suddenly leant back in her chair.

‘You’re very smitten with Kael, aren’t you?’ she said, with a knowing smile.

Isis flushed. ‘Well, yeah, I think so,’ she said, a little embarrassed.

‘I can tell,’ her mum said, triumphantly. ‘You’ve gotten so smiley and happy ever since he came into your life. I have a lot to thank him for.’

‘I’m happy because you’re happier too,’ Isis added. ‘Seeing you feeling better again has made such a huge difference to life.’

‘Has it?’ Her mother looked at her plate, flicking crumbs across the smooth ceramic surface.