Star did as Dent suggested and peered at himself in the plane window, noticing that his brows were furrowed, his lips pursed in a deep scowl, and his eyes were glaring intensely.
Shit, Dent’s right. I look so angry. Have I been looking like this all day?
Star tried to smooth out his features, but it wasn’t working because he still looked upset. It also made him realize that since his awakening, or blast to the past, it was the first time he’d looked at himself. When he was at his apartment, he didn’t spare a glance in the mirror; his only focus was packing and getting the hell out of dodge. But now that he had a chance, he couldn’t help but move closer to the reflection and examine his features.
He had gotten the best of his looks from his parents. Star had inherited the same fair complexion and scarlet-red hair with orange highlights of his father, Gammon. Star loved the texture of his hair because it was so much like his mom’s, who was Black and Asian-born. Reaching up, he ran his fingers through his curls, feeling down. Due to his busy schedule, he wore it short but would like to grow it out some because he missed his deep wavy hair. Star peered at his autumn-orange bedroom eyes that were not easy to hide, even with the colored contacts that most people thought he wore.
The last time Star saw his appearance, there was a noticeable scar above his left eye that he had gotten due to a beatdown the one time Dent wasn’t around to protect him. But now, the scar was missing. Because of his light skin tone, makeup artists often complained about the difficulty in hiding the smattering of freckles on the bridge of his nose and cheeks. Star adored his freckles and thought they were one of his best features. As he continued to stare at himself in the window, Star’s brows knitted together so tightly they became one as he noticed something was off.
My freckles, where are they?
Star pushed his face closer to the window, as if he was trying to become one with it. He was so deep into studying his face that he jumped in fright when Dent spoke to him.
“Are you trying to blend in with the window or something? I’m not sure if there’s enough magic in the world to make it happen.” Dent chuckled softly. “We’re about to take off; sit back.”
Nodding, Star obediently sat back and buckled his seat belt, but his mind was working overtime. He glanced at the window, wondering where his freckles went. He knew they could be removed, but Star would never do that because they were a part of him. Tears welled in his eyes, and he wiped them away before they could fall.
Calm down, Star. Don’t cry or overreact. There must be a logical explanation for why my freckles disappeared.Star looked around and noticed the lights had dimmed a bit, so that could explain why he couldn’t see his beloved freckles.I should go to the bathroom and take a better look.
“Are you all right?” Dent asked.
Star smiled, nodding his head. “I’m just thinking about my day.”
“You’ve had a rough one.”
“Yeah,” he said.
“It will get better. Everything happens for a reason. Just hang in there.” Dent’s words touched his heart, but he was too sad to let it sink in. His life had changed overnight, and he was unsure what his future would be.
“I hope so.” He looked up at his friend. Star gasped when he felt the subtle movements of the plane backing away from its parking spot. “Shit, I just remembered something.”
“What?”
“I hate flying.” Star worried his bottom lip, staring out the window. In the past, when he had to fly to another state, he would need to drink something strong to calm him down. Vee hated when he drank, so he kept the other shit he did for and with Thornton away from her.
“Give me your hand.” Dent moved the documents he was reading to the side and then put his hand on the table. Star didn’t think and placed his hand into Dent’s.
“I’m good once we reach altitude but not so great when it comes to take-offs and landings,” he explained.
“It’s all good,” Dent said, rubbing circles on the back of his hand with his thumb. “We all have things that freak us out.”
“What about you? Anything freak you out?”
“Oh, damn, there are so many, but the main one is clowns.” He shivered, making Star chuckle softly. “They might make people laugh, but me, not so much.”
They continued talking and laughing, and it calmed Star down so much he hadn’t realized they’d reached altitude until the attendant, Jerrica, came over with a drink menu and waited for them to order. Star ordered a glass of wine, and Dent went for imported beer. Star smiled to himself when he noticed that Dent’s eyes kept following Jerrica as she walked away. Jerrica was gorgeous, with light shoulder-length hair and an hourglass figure. Her brown eyes were captivating, as well as her smile.
“She’s beautiful,” Star stated to Dent. “You should ask her out.”
Dent chuckled and slouched in his seat. “I think her mate would kick my ass if I did that. Besides, I’m in no position to look for a mate right now.”
Star furrowed his brows. “Mate?”
“You know, forever one, lover, husband, wife, or whatever anyone wants to call it these days.”
“Oh,” Star murmured.Why didn’t he just say so? Why use the word mate?As far as Star knew, only animals mated. And some people referred to a friend as their good mate. Thinking back to their time together, Star didn’t recall Dent talking so weirdly before.
“I’m still trying to figure out my next move,” Dent added. “But at the same time, I can’t interrupt the Fates. And whoever they send my way, I will accept them. I’m fluid with who I love.”
