1 Part 6
"Fine," Star said sharply. "I forgive you." Draco breathed a sigh of relief. "Now, let me out." she added. Draco frowned.
"Why won't you let me be your friend?" he asked. "It looks like you could use one." Star's expression softened. She looked as if she might cry. She quickly turned and sat down on the rock Draco had been reading on.
"What's the point in making friends," she said quietly, "if my dad is just going to move me away again as soon as I get close to people?" she sighed heavily. "That's what he did to me in Arizona, and that's what he'll do to me here."
This was the first time Draco had heard Star speak of her old home. He sat down beside her.
"What's it like, Arizona?" he asked softly.
"It's the most beautiful place in the world," she whispered after a moment of silence. "Some people think it's just a dead, colorless desert, but it's really not. The mountains are purple and pink and orange and blue-never brown. There are Saguaro cacti and palm trees all over, and some houses have gravel in their front yards instead of grass, that sparkle like diamonds in the sun." Star's throat felt tight. "There's seldom a cloud in the sky. It hardly ever rains, and when it does, it's wonderful warm rain, and only lasts an hour or so." A tear rolled down her cheek.
"But I think I miss the sunsets the most." she said, her voice quavering. "At sunset, the entire west sky catches on fire, turning the color of the inside of a tangerine, or a grapefruit, blending into copper, then bronze, and gold. Any cloud turns pink, shot with silver. And when the palm trees are silhouetted just right against the sunset, it's so beautiful, you wish it would never end."
Star drew in a shuddering breath. "But you know that the next night's sunset will be even better, so it's okay when it does."
She doubled over, her face buried in her hands, her shoulders shaking.
Draco tentatively put his arm around her, giving her an awkward pat on the shoulder.
"It sounds wonderful," he whispered.
"Fine," Star said sharply. "I forgive you." Draco breathed a sigh of relief. "Now, let me out." she added. Draco frowned.
"Why won't you let me be your friend?" he asked. "It looks like you could use one." Star's expression softened. She looked as if she might cry. She quickly turned and sat down on the rock Draco had been reading on.
"What's the point in making friends," she said quietly, "if my dad is just going to move me away again as soon as I get close to people?" she sighed heavily. "That's what he did to me in Arizona, and that's what he'll do to me here."
This was the first time Draco had heard Star speak of her old home. He sat down beside her.
"What's it like, Arizona?" he asked softly.
"It's the most beautiful place in the world," she whispered after a moment of silence. "Some people think it's just a dead, colorless desert, but it's really not. The mountains are purple and pink and orange and blue-never brown. There are Saguaro cacti and palm trees all over, and some houses have gravel in their front yards instead of grass, that sparkle like diamonds in the sun." Star's throat felt tight. "There's seldom a cloud in the sky. It hardly ever rains, and when it does, it's wonderful warm rain, and only lasts an hour or so." A tear rolled down her cheek.
"But I think I miss the sunsets the most." she said, her voice quavering. "At sunset, the entire west sky catches on fire, turning the color of the inside of a tangerine, or a grapefruit, blending into copper, then bronze, and gold. Any cloud turns pink, shot with silver. And when the palm trees are silhouetted just right against the sunset, it's so beautiful, you wish it would never end."
Star drew in a shuddering breath. "But you know that the next night's sunset will be even better, so it's okay when it does."
She doubled over, her face buried in her hands, her shoulders shaking.
Draco tentatively put his arm around her, giving her an awkward pat on the shoulder.
"It sounds wonderful," he whispered.