Silent Stars (Bribelle)

~Chapter One~

This book is inspired by the song "Dear Soulmate" by Laufey

The afternoon sun shone through the gleaming windows of Ever After High, illuminating the halls with a comforting light. The floors reflected every object with how flawlessly shiny they were, stretching throughout the many hallways that guided the students throughout the maze of the school. Yet, these ornate hallways were empty. Well, almost empty.

Faybelle Thorn stood leaning on her locker, scrolling on her mirrorphone with an unamused expression. It bothered her how loud the castleteria got during lunch, so she usually spent her free hour roaming the hallways, eavesdropping on teachers, or eating in her dorm.

She glanced up from her mirrorphone and around the empty halls, admiring the sunshine beaming into the school with an elegant light. You could only ever admire the graceful halls when they weren't bustling with students rushing to get to class. And that wasn't often. Obviously, Faybelle refused to show any sort of interest or love for anything. She had never told anyone about how much she loved the architecture of the building, how she would admire the windows and the baroque designs on them that smothered the sunlight as it flooded the aisles of light pink floors.

Faybelle took a deep breath, closing her eyes and enjoying the silence that engulfed her. Chaos was great, but nothing beats a moment in complete stillness and silence. The sun from the windows surrounded her, the warmth wrapping around her body as Faybelle gazed out the window.

But her perfect moment of silence was short-lived, as she soon heard the "click" of heels slowly roaming the hallways. Faybelle's eyes darted in the direction of the footsteps, her eyes immediately landing on the brown skin and pink shades of Briar Beauty.

Her usual sassy smirk gracefully slid onto Faybelle's face when she caught sight of Briar. She shoved her mirrorphone into her pocket as her wings began to flutter. She quickly flew in Briar's direction and landed right in front of her, stopping Briar in her tracks.

"Heeeeey, Briar." Faybelle jeered, her white smirk still plastered on her face.

Briar, with an irritated expression, just walked past Faybelle, barely taking a chance to even look at her. "I'm not in the mood for it today, Faybelle."

Faybelle's face immediately dropped as she scowled at Briar. She ran back up to Briar's side, almost eagerly to mess with her.

"What? What's wrong with me?" She pleaded, giving Briar a playful pout.

"I'm just...I don't want to deal with your bullshit right now."

Faybelle put a mock-offended hand on her chest, pretending to be hurt.

"Okay, that's a little bit rude."

"As if you have room to talk!" Briar snapped, finally looking Faybelle in the eyes.

Once more, her lips formed that sly smirk. She stared into Briar's brown eyes, almost trying to silently speak to her.

Briar's unamused eyes shifted around Faybelle's face, reading her like a book.

"So, I heard you were having another party tonight. And I think it would be wicked cool if-"

"No, you cannot come."

The sassy, grumpy scowl took its place on Faybelle's face once more, as she crossed her arms and angrily glared at Briar.

"Why noooot? I know we've had our...differences...but I swear I can handle one party." Faybelle whined, pouting at Briar teasingly while inching closer to her in a joking manner.

"'Differences'. Yeah. If a 'difference' is setting my dorm on fire."

"Okay, in my defense, it was an ugly plant."

"That doesn't give you the right to START A FIRE!"

Faybelle rolled her eyes. "That was last year, bri, it's not like anyone got hurt or anything!"

"You wanted them to," Briar said, holding a finger out to point at Faybelle.

"Someone is a little moody today." She cheered, obviously trying to fan the flames.

Briar kept her composure, hiding her anger under a mask of elegance and calmness.

"If that's all you wanted to ask, then my answer is no. Period. Now if that's it..."

Briar attempted to step around Faybelle, her heels making a loud screech as she abruptly stopped when Faybelle moved in front of her once again, blocking her from leaving the conversation.

"Running away so soon? Come on, toughen up, princess." Faybelle joked, playfully punching Briar's arm.

"What is your issue with me, Faybelle?"

"My 'issue' is that you keep being cold to me." The fairy made a fake sad face. "Just one party? Pretty pretty please?"

"No"

Faybelle loudly groaned, getting more and more agitated by Briar's repeated denials.

"Come on, Bri." An evil grin formed on her face. "Why not just cancel the party? Besides... I know something a lot more fun we could do tonight~"

Briar raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"Are you seriously hitting on me right now?"

"Do you want me to? 'Cus I can."

Briar quietly groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose, her irritation beginning to come out.

"I am not dealing with this right now. I have to leave and get back to the school before lunch ends anyway and you're wasting my time."

"Why do you need to leave?" Faybelle asked, genuinely curious.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

Faybelle's eyes narrowed as she angrily glared at Briar.

"You are so entitled, aren't you, princess?"

"Stop calling me that."

Faybelle smirked and leaned her head in towards Briar's face.

"Princess."

Briar was so tempted to punch Faybelle in her dumb face right then and there, but she kept her composure and pushed her anger down as far as she could. Without a response, she turned around and began swiftly heading in the direction of the front doors of the school.

She expected Faybelle to follow her, to be on her heels while she left, but to her surprise, Faybelle stood in the same spot, just watching Briar leave with a blank expression.

Briar raised an eyebrow, wondering why Faybelle was no longer so persistent, but shrugged it off.

As Faybelle watched Briar exit the school, a smirk grew on her face like a plant sprouting.

"Well...it wouldn't hurt to follow her."