The Last Light Keeper

Chapter 3: Friendly Fire

  The first night in the dorms went as well as Aster could've hoped. Her room was pretty small. Just enough space for a bed, about the same size she had at the cottage, a small desk, a small closet, and an even tinier wash room. It was all perfect, though. The cottage back home was small, and she had shared it with Nelly. This was more than enough room for Aster. Besides, she did not plan on spending much time in her room anyways.

Aster woke very early, eagerly waiting for classes. She showered, showers are only in the community girls wash room, combed through her long dark hair and dressed in her school uniform. Sebastian told her the cafe opened at 0530, so she decided to head down at about 0630 to get some breakfast.

Aster saw Sorbit in the cafe and they decided to walk to homeroom together. Sorit told Aster that she had heard multiple rumors about what had happened. Aster was mortified that word about the accident was getting around school. Sorbit attempted to reassure her.

"What did you expect? Word shoots around this place so fast. Don't worry, people will stop talking about it in a few days."

"People probably think I'm a freak, don't they?"

"Who cares. If they're talking about you, that means they care about you."

Aster would've preferred nobody was talking about her. Especially about the horrifying incident between her and her professor. Everytime she closed her eyes that night to sleep, she could see his horrified look all over again. As if he had seen a ghost. It made her sick to her stomach.

They were early to homeroom, but Sorbit kept Aster occupied with chit-chat. Aster was grateful for it, it kept her mind from wandering to the many worries hanging over her. Slowly, students filed in. Aster seemed to recognize more faces, compared to yesterday when everybody was a stranger. She saw Matty, her pretty dark curls bouncing, round glasses covering her russet eyes. Aster was grateful for Matty's kindness yesterday, so she made sure to smile and wave when their eyes met. She recognized a gigantic student, whom could possibly be mistaken for a professor because he's so tall, she believed his name was Marshall. After a few students she couldn't quite pin the name on, in walked a tall handsome student. She was surprised she didn't take notice of him the day before.

He carried himself with such grace, it almost seemed as he floated on air to his seat. His face so mature, making him seem older than the rest. Distinct features stuck out to Aster, his crisp jawline, his defining nose. He had dark hair sprouted out in tamed curls around his olive skin. His onyx eyes peered ahead as he floated swiftly to his seat. He seemed aloof and distant, not greeting a single student. After he took his seat he pulled out a small book, but thick with its pages, and dove right into it.

"What's his name?" Aster whispered to Sorbit.

Sorbit glanced in the direction Aster had previously shot her eyes towards. "Oh," she replied unenthusiastically, "that's Huck. Don't get your hopes up, though. He's the hottest guy in the school yet he seems to have zero interest in dating."

So this was Huck. Aster recalled Sebastian mentioning his best friend being a genuis. "Maybe he just wants to focus on his studies for right now."

Sorbit shrugged. "Boring. He's just so hot though."

About ten seconds before the bell struck, Sebastian glided in. Aster watched him make awkward eye contact with Huck for a moment, before Huck shot his eyes back into his book, rejecting his friend. Sebastian turned away, looking for the closest escape when he noticed an empty seat next to Aster. As he drew closer, she noticed the burns on his face have now become a light pink with a peeling skin, just like Aster's had looked last night.