Star awoke the next morning with the rising of the sun, which immediately told her that it was somewhere around six in the morning. A glace at the black hands of a silver alarm clock next to her bed that affirmed her assumption and gave her the more accurate time of six-thirty. With a leisurely stretch she pulled off the blankets and swung her feet over the edge of the bed, which was still too big for her and she found her feet floated a good few centimetres off the ground when she sat upon its edge. Carefully she reached a foot down to pick up a soft purple slipper with the tip of her toe and place it on her foot before retrieving the other in a similar manner. Before considering getting out of bed she took a deep breath and searched internally for any signs of Samantha. To her relief she could still feel the girl's presence near her. Sam was deep asleep, lost within some kind of dream. A sensation of restlessness and mild sense of tension coming from the girl and she figured that Sam must be having a nightmare of sorts. For a brief second she considered closing her eyes to find out if she could see Sam's dreams but quickly vanquished the thought, not wanting to intrude upon the girl's inner thoughts. It was one thing to be linked emotionally, but it would be another to walk through someone's dreams. She decided that if Sam's emotions became more agitated to the point of fear or despair she would wake her up, but until they she would allow Sam to sleep and surprise her with a visit. Quickly she hopped out of her bed, careful not to make a sound, not wanting to awaken her mother. Although it was Sunday she intended to allow her mother to sleep a little longer. Her mother worked long nights to support them and usually did not get up until mid afternoon, about the time that Star would be arriving home from school, so Star had learned to quietly go about her morning routine without disturbing her mother. Seeing as today was her birthday she also knew that her mom would have something planned for later in the evening, a special mother/daughter time with a few movies and maybe some pizza, so she was content with having a quiet morning alone. In a silent haste she moved about her room, searching for what to wear for her morning journey. She was sure visiting hours did not start for some time yet, but that gave her time to find Samantha's room and maybe even visit the gift shop for a moment to get her something small. She then recalled that they both shared the same birth date and her mind filled with many anxious worries. She knew very little about the girl and yet she wanted to get her the perfect gift. She chewed on her lower lip as she stared at the many dresses in her closet and contemplated what to wear. Her heart raced as she picked through the many outfits. She tried to calm it down, reminding herself that Sam already had a girlfriend, but that did not seem the help matters much. The fact that Sam did in fact have an interest in girls meant that there was a slim chance for her to get close to the girl. Sam had already said that she had not yet confessed her feelings to the girl she loves so there was still a chance. She halted abruptly, her hand upon a black dress with lace trim. What had she been thinking? Was she actually considering stealing Sam's heart before it could be given away? A wave of guilt circled in the pit of her stomach and she suddenly felt miserable. Was she this desperately lonely? This was not like her at all, she should be glad to just have a friend so what was wrong with her? She nodded firmly to herself, she would settle with just being friends, after all no one really knew what the future would bring for them, not even her psychic powers could tell her that. At this moment Samantha was in need of a kind shoulder and not more complications. Star decided it would be best to lock her own feelings away for now and wait to see what happens in the weeks ahead. For all she knew Samantha would find her weird and not wish to have anything to do with her after the days end. This thought made Star feel all the more miserable and she nervously tucked her long black hair behind her ear, causing her to catch a glimpse of herself in the mirror over her dresser. Her hair hung in long strains over her shoulders and around her face. The hair she had only recently tucked behind her ear had already fallen back in her face, obscuring her soft pale face from the world. Crystal blue eyes shone out from behind a veil of hair at her reflection and she hesitantly pushed her hair off to the side again, allowing half her face to be visible again. 'You are beautiful' She heard Samantha's words ring out in her mind and they made her flush. Sam thought she was beautiful, all her life she had only heard those words from her mother. Her father, however, felt she was a monster, a demon child that should be vanquished from the world. She frowned at the thought of her father and shook the worries from her mind, he was long gone and she should not worry herself about him any longer. Today she was sixteen; she could get a learner's permit now and was legally able to live on her own, if she truly wanted too, which she didn't. She was a highschooler now and that meant a chance at a new life for her, or at least she hoped, and Samantha's appearance in her life proved it. She had to leave the past behind her and get on with her life and at this moment Sam needed her so she planned to be there for the girl, no matter what. With a new sense of belonging in the world Star pulled a long black dress from her closet and held it up to her body. The dress was fancier then her usually attire of plain dark skirts and t-shirts. The hem was ruffled with several rows of black lace along the trim. The sleeves were crafted of the same lace while the body was a shimmering silk that felt good against her skin. It was a dress her mother had bought her for her birthday last year and she had yet to find the right occasion to wear it, until now that is. It felt too pretty for her to wear and yet, on that day, she felt it was perfect. She carefully placed the dress across her bed and proceeded to pull off her nightgown then gather the rest of her clothes together, a pair of black nylons and a small black lace chocker with a tiny silver star sown on the middle, another gift from her mother. Then she turned to the few shoes that lay at the bottom of her closet and stopped. Among the shoes a pair of shiny leather Mary Jane's leapt to Star's attention. A cousin of her's had given her the Mary Jane's thinking that they would suit Star. Since then they stayed in the back of the closet, awaiting their chance to shine. She knelt down and pulled the shoes out from under a pair of runners and wiped off some of the dust that had built up upon their surface. The way the morning's sunlight shone off the shoes brought a smile to her face and she quickly began to get dressed, excited about the day ahead. Her hand touched the doorknob to her room and she abruptly stopped. She felt something watching her and she cautiously turned around to see whom it could be. Sitting upon her nightstand, staring at her with its big round eyes was her birthday gift. The strange toad that Samantha had mentioned also having. Something about the toy drew her across the room and she picked it up from the table. She could feel a dull tingling feeling in the tips of her fingers and a strange sensation fill her heart. Could this small toy really be her connection to Sam? She did not know, but part of her worried that if she left the toy behind she might loss that connection. Quickly she grabbed a small handbag off the closet knob and stuffed the creature inside before slinging the strap over her head and heading out the door. ***** To be Continued . . .
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