The Fairest Stars

Chapter Eighteen: 'This love I feel.'

As Isis got ready for school the next morning, a soft voice called to her from her mother’s room.

‘Isis?’

Pushing open the door, Isis peeked in. It was dark, but she could just glimpse her mum sat up in bed.

‘Are you alright, Mum?’ she asked anxiously.

Her mother nodded. ‘Yes, fine.’ Debatable, thought Isis. ‘Why are you up so late?’ she asked inquisitively.

‘Er, well, a friend from school has decided to give Freya and I a lift every day,’ she explained. ‘So we don’t have to walk.’’

‘Really?’ She sat up in bed, her eyes wide with excitement. ‘Who is this friend? Have I met them?’

‘No, you haven’t,’ Isis told her. ‘His name is Kael.’

‘Kael?’ her mother repeated. ‘A boy, huh?’

Isis flushed. ‘He’s playing Mercutio in the play, mum. I know him from there, and we’ve become friends.’

Her mother tipped her head to one side, looking better than Isis had seen her in weeks. ‘Just friends?’

Isis chuckled. ‘Yes, just friends, Mum,’ she told her.

Isis’s mum clapped her hands together with excitement. ‘Ah, but you like him!’ she said. ‘I can see you do!’

Isis shook her head. ‘He’s very rich, Mum. It wouldn’t work if we were a couple.’ She studied her fingernails, as if they’d suddenly grown exceptionally interesting.

Her mother looked sceptical. ‘Well, we’ll see about that,’ she said.

Isis grinned. ‘Don’t count your chickens before they’ve hatched, Mum!’ she warned her. ‘He’s just a friend, alright?’

‘If you say so,’ her mum replied, looking thoughtfully around her room.

‘I do.’ Isis glanced at the clock. ‘I’d best be off,’ she said. ‘Wouldn’t want to be late for him.’

‘Of course not,’  her mother replied, a cheeky glint in her eyes which Isis hadn’t seen since her father’s death. Quickly saying goodbye, she headed back to the kitchen to finish making Freya’s sandwiches.

Kael was there later, as promised, smiling from the driver’s seat. Clambering in, Isis beamed back. ‘I thought you might have changed your mind,’ she said, looking at him roguishly.

‘Well, I didn’t,’ he replied, unable to take his eyes off of her. She’d taken a little more time with her appearance than usual, judging by her neatly plaited back hair and slightly less baggy clothes than normal. Kael had realised that her clothes must have been off casts from her brother, but it still made him sad that someone so gorgeous had to wear such dowdy clothes. He had considered buying her some clothes or something, but he didn’t want to offend her. He wondered what she’d look like in beautiful clothes. If she looked this amazing in a baggy jumper, how stunning would she look in just a plain t-shirt? Or what about a dress? His mind boggled at the thought.

‘Thank you,’ she said simply.

He grinned at her in response. Glancing in the mirror, he noticed Freya giving the pair of them a sly look, and winked at her. She wrinkled her nose, clutching her bag tighter.

All too soon, they were at school, Freya dropped off, and were heading into the building. As Isis turned to look up at Kael, someone popped up in front of her, grinning widely.

‘Harry!’ Reaching up to give him a hug, Isis beamed at her best friend.

‘Hi Isis,’ he said, returning the hug tightly. ‘How are you, then?’ His eyes suddenly darted to the left, and found Kael’s. ‘Is this a new friend of yours?’ he asked, his tone harsher than usual.