Chasing Starlight

Chapter 2 - Ice Prince

Samia collapsed in the entryway of her modest studio apartment, it was already nearly midnight. She had been stuck at the school putting the worksheets together as punishment till 10, and still had to walk to the store to grab some necessities and groceries she had planned to grab on the way home. Of course when she planned that, she didn't think she'd already be working so late, the store was almost closed when she arrived and had to rush to get her things. She ended up forgetting some things she had needed and knew she'd have to make another trip tomorrow.

The apartment was basically a kitchen/living room/bedroom combo with a bathroom attached in the back. It was best she could afford, and to be honest her father was paying the living expenses. The modest salary she was given as a student teacher barely covered her food costs, but she had survived off meager means through out college without too much hardship. She had her bed in the corner of her living space, with a worn out cotton rug in front and a small table she can sit at. There was a built in shelf with doors that didn't quite shut above her bed that she was using as a closet. The kitchen was a few feet of counter with a sink and stove, and a single cupboard overhead with a fridge that groaned so loudly that was the only sign it still worked. The rooms shared a light fixture that had lost its cover so was simply two bulbs with a string hanging down.

Samia sighed and got up, dragging her groceries to the kitchen, putting things away while she rubbed her eyes and yawned.

She padded over to the bathroom and turned the shower on. The pipes creaked in protest and slowly started to spit out water. She was warned by the landlord that it takes a bit to warm up but can get quite hot once it does. She looked into the mirror and inspected her face in the bare lighting. She was always told growing up that she looked like her mother. She only knew her from photographs and fuzzy memories of warm hugs and vanilla scented kisses.

Large sapphire blue eyes set in a soft pale heart shaped face, with tulip colored lips that she thought always looked swollen, but a make up artist at the mall once described as 'full' and 'luscious'. Her nose was small and upturned, and her dark colored eyebrows contrasted with her curly blonde star colored hair. Her eyes were red and have started to get circles under them from the strain of today, and she could never tell if her hair looked more like a cotton ball or dandelion fluff.
She unpinned her hair from the updo she had managed to put it in this morning, though many curls seemed to have escaped from their pins since then. She shook her hair out, enjoying the tingling sensation as she ran her fingers through it to loosen it up from the tight updo it had been in. It's gotten quite long now, she thought to herself as it fell well past her shoulders, probably because I haven't been able to afford a haircut in over a year. She chuckled a little, and checked the water, finally hot. With a sigh of relief she climbed in and let the water work its way down her body.

After her shower she flopped onto her bed to cool off, finally letting all of today's events run through her mind. She had imagined her first day at Royce so many times and not once has she pictured being late and bowling over a teacher that wasn't even the one she was assigned to. She threw her arms over her face and groaned at the memory. Mr. Webb's face so close to her, in the heat of the moment she hadn't thought much about it, but now it came back so clearly.

He had jade green eyes that shone kindly, and the shadow of scruff on his jaw and lip. His face was lean and square, and soft brown hair that had thick waves settled so casually. Even though when she first walked in he seemed tall and lean, when she fell into him his body was muscular and strong. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest as she remembered the crooked smile he flashed at the Headmistress. Her face burnt up thinking of his lips and jaw when she looked up at him. Suddenly the Headmistress's words shrieked over the image, fraternizing with students outside of school is forbidden...this includes teachers now as well, especially male teachers.