Paper Stars E-Book

Nardelli Elisa

• Herausgeber: Tektime
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 722

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

Amber and Justin... two peculiar kids, with a difficult past behind them and a clear goal in common: not to love. Love had hurt them at an early age and neither of them wanted to experience that pain again. Amber is an elusive, reserved girl, different from the others, beautiful and attractive in the eyes of the boys, but with a past that has left her with indelible scars. Justin is a charming boy with beautiful blue eyes, but with an arrogant, conceited and shameless character; full of resentment towards his parents, who were guilty of neglecting their children due to exaggerated entrepreneurial ambitions, and with a repressed thirst for revenge towards a group of people who had killed his brother in a settling of scores. The protagonists meet when Amber leaves London, the city she hates so much for the difficult childhood she had experienced, to move to New York where she attends one of the most prestigious universities. As time goes by, the two begin to get to know each other better, to trust each other, and to protect each other from the monsters of the present and the past. When love brings them even closer together, they stop denying it and give in to that strong feeling. But their lives have never been the same; in fact, an unexpected proposal will force Amber to make a radical change that Justin will not accept.

Leseprobe

Elisa Nardelli

Paper stars

Translated by Alessandra Cervetti

Published by Tektime

Series

Young people’s fiction

Paper Stars

© 2021 Casa Editrice Il Filo di Arianna, La Spezia

Phone [phone]

[email protected]

www.ilfilodiariannaedizioni.eu

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events narrated are the product of the author's imagination and are used fictitiously.

Any resemblance to real persons, living or deceased, existing events and places is purely coincidental.

“I am very happy to introduce Paper Stars to you! This story is very important to me, and I hope it will be able to convey, to those who read it, all the feelings and emotions I felt as, day after day, my imagination shaped and developed the plot of this fantastic story.   

It is my first story and I do not presume to have written a novel that respects all the canons and basic principles of writing, but I hope it will please and excite those who read it, as it excited me while I was writing it.  

I would be happy if I could make you feel the emotions a thirteen-year-old girl felt while writing it, rereading it and finding the strength to make someone read it...

I hope you enjoy it, happy reading!"

Elisa Nardelli

Preface

Two planets too similar. Two wounded souls. Two fighters with one goal in common: not to love.

Can two such similar young people be made for each other?

This is the story of Amber and Justin. Two young people who turn each other's lives upside down. Two hurricanes who bring chaos everywhere with their love.

Can, however, love solve all the problems and heal all the wounds they both carry within them? Will they, two paper stars, be able to protect each other and overcome everything without ever ceasing to shine...?

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Capitolo 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 1

“Hey Amber, are you there? If you don't hurry, we'll be late for the party." I heard Fox's voice from across the room. She was very agitated as this would be the last party here in London, while I couldn't wait to leave and forget this place. I hated the foster home I had lived in all this time, but New York scared me too.

It had been a while since I had finished getting ready, but I loved hearing Fox's constant pleas to get out of the bathroom to go to the end-of-year party. That was the most important party of all the five years of high school. It was the party where there were no rules but only rivers of alcohol and students fresh out of high school. The rest of my group was also very excited about spending one last night there, but their enthusiasm had not rubbed off on me. Even my best friend, Harry, agreed with me. He and I had known each other all our lives. We had both entered the foster home when we were very young and had bonded immediately. Maybe it was because we were the ones whose character quietly emerged, or maybe it was because we were rebellious and didn't let social workers boss us around either. We had always supported each other, and he had been like a brother to me. It was he who had introduced me to the other members of our group: Greg, Fly, Fox, Auden, and Alan.

We were a good group, always ready to help each other. They had also joined the group home, only they had come when they were old enough. We all had the same routine: school, homework (sometimes we skipped that), the gym where we boxed and parties. It was always the same, the usual stuff without anything outside of that.

"Amber, are you going out or should I break down the door?" asked a masculine voice. I recognised it, I would have recognised it in a thousand. It was Harry. I took one last look in the mirror and rolled my eyes. I let out a sigh before walking out of the bathroom.

"Come on, I really wanted you to break down the door," I challenged him like the arrogant big shot that I was. He grimaced and dragged me out of the room. We arrived at his beautiful black Jeep, and I climbed into the front seat. I turned to greet my companions and saw Fly, Fox, and Auden. The latter, of all of them, was the one I got along with the least. We had always bickered incessantly and couldn't exchange more than a few words without starting a fight again.

"Are you ready for the party?" asked Harry, leaving.

"Looking forward to it," I replied in a dull tone after all my friends cheered with joy.

"Come on Amber, at least pretend you're a little happy to be going to a coming-of-age party," Fox admonished me. I turned to her and arched an eyebrow, letting her know I wasn't even going to attempt to show enthusiasm.

After not a few minutes of driving Harry parked near the harbour.

"I guess Jack organised the party," I stated as I got out of the car. The party was to be held on a boat. To be precise, the boat belonged to one of our classmates, the richest guy in the whole school. He had never been part of our group, he wasn't our type, but we would meet for parties. Jack used to organise awesome parties, to which we were always invited.

We quickly climbed into the boat, which was already packed with people. We headed for Jack's room where we always met. Thank goodness he was not going to the same university as us, although we feared it at first. Without Daddy's boy in the way we would all be better off.

"Hey guys!" he greeted us as we burst into his room.

"Hi Jack," Harry said, shaking his hand.

"You guys ready to go?" he asked us, giving us a biased smile. The party had just started, and he was already hungover. I looked away from the guy whose wealth was doing nothing but rubbing it in our faces. In short, I hated him and never wasted time showing him.

With feigned courtesy he handed us a crystal goblet full of champagne. I refused it, declining the offer with a wave of my hand. As much as I needed a drink, I didn't even want his champagne. That boy really disgusted me. He disgusted me almost as much as my mother. In short, he didn't give a damn about anyone, just like the woman who had given birth to me. I had only one memory of her, and it wasn't pretty, far from it, it was terrifying.

"Guys I'm going," I announced, nodding my head. I knew what I was going to do for the rest of the evening. I was going to sit at the bar that housed the boat, have at least fifteen drinks and watch all the other students go wild on the dance floor.

I left Jack's room still thinking about my mother. Thinking about her had made me angry and since I had no punching bag to vent it on, I had to be able to forget that thought as soon as possible and only one thing would do it: alcohol.

Alcohol was the release valve when memories of my family resurfaced in my sick mind.

I arrived in the ballroom, packed with people; I sat down at the bar and the bartender asked me: "As usual?" I nodded with a smile. By now the guy knew what I was getting every time I set foot on that dang boat. Luckily that would be the last time. The next day the group and I would leave for the US state, but it wasn't the journey or the university that scared me as much as what I would do there. In New York there were many shady guys and dangerous places, and I was inclined to get into trouble.

I ordered two more drinks and even though I couldn't have had one, I was only nineteen, I downed the shot without thinking. The vodka burned on and in my throat, but I loved feeling my whole body on fire. But what I loved most was knowing that I wouldn't be able to feel those sensations if at all the parties I went to they asked for my ID card.

After an hour I was still glued to the stool by the counter. I hadn't even moved from there when I had been urged to join the little train the guests had created. I was drunk, but I would have drunk more if Harry hadn't called me back with his firm voice.

"Amber, come on, we have to go," he said taking me by the arm and making me stand up. We got out of the boat and as soon as we were outside, I felt the air rush over my face. A real pick-me-up for my cheeks that were catching fire.

"How much have you been drinking?" asked Harry, placing an arm on my shoulders to keep me from falling into the water.

"As usual," I muttered, huffing. Was I ever going to stop drinking like a deranged person?

"Sooner or later, you'll end up in hospital in an alcoholic coma. You drink too much mate," Harry scolded me.

"I know... mate."

Chapter 2

I was woken up by an annoying ticking sound. I got out of bed and saw that I was in a hotel room in bed with everyone in the group, except Harry of course. He slept very little and used any excuse not to stay with us to rest. I didn't sleep much either, only when I drank, I was able to relax and close my eyes. I was the only one awake, everyone else was sound asleep and I would be the one to disturb them and interrupt their nap. I turned on my phone and put on the first metal song (a genre of music I hated) that appeared on my play list. I turned up the volume and sat down in a leather armchair. I looked out the window near where I was sitting and scanned the sky, which was slowly clearing from the darkness of the night.

The boys began to complain about the volume of the music, and I realised that my plan to disturb them was working. They started to get up and as soon as they saw where the music was coming from, they started to insult me. I was cackling, and in doing so, made my headache I had given myself a few hours earlier worse.

"Come on get changed we have to go to the airport," I said as soon as everyone was awake enough to understand me. They gave me the middle finger and we started to get ready. I had packed a pair of black jeans and a short-sleeved shirt of the same colour in my backpack, I knew I would need to change. I wrote a message to Harry telling him that we were awake and would be waiting for him at the hotel entrance. He didn't reply but I knew he had read the message.

"Are you ready?" I asked brusquely to my companions. They nodded still sleepy, after all we had only slept two hours, but began to complain that they were hungry. I looked up and opened a small fridge and then threw each of them the first thing I found, so: a small pot of milk, three chocolate croissants, some tarts and a bottle of tea. With some indignation they ate what I had given them as we descended the stairs. On the way out, I was amused by the faces the porter made as we were leaving. It wasn't every day that you see a group of tattooed and piercing guys leaving a fairly expensive hotel with zero luggage, just a few backpacks. I was the only one in the group with only one tattoo, but on the other hand I had a nose piercing. The only tattoo I had was a blazing fire surrounded by an infinity on my wrist and I had done it to annoy those insufferable social workers and I was only fourteen.

We waited at the hotel exit for Harry who was to pick us up to take us to the London airport. We saw his black jeep arrive and with relief got into the car. All the way there was silence, which I didn't mind as I had a splitting headache. We arrived at the airport full of people and boarded the plane to New York. There were a lot of people, and the stewardesses repeatedly offered us various kinds of sweets which we gladly accepted.

"Where have you been all night?" I asked Harry.

"I had a couple of scores to settle with Jack," he told me in a low voice. I looked down at his knuckles and as I imagined they were bruised.

"Why did you get into a fight with him?"

"He didn't want to get us off the boat anymore and he didn't keep his end of the bargain," he told me seriously. I nodded and said, "You should have called me I would have smashed that kid's face very happily," I cracked my fingers. He laughed and replied: "But you couldn't even stand up after all you drank!"

"I was sober," I joked defensively. He stifled a giggle, and I gave him a gentle shove. I hoped that at university it wouldn't change the relationship I had with Harry, he was like a brother to me; we'd grown up together and he'd taught me how to fend for myself, as he'd learned at his own expense. Maybe he was the person I loved the most... although that word on my tongue didn't sound right because I hated everyone, everyone except him.

Chapter 3

After an hour's journey we arrived in New York. It was so different from England, much more chaotic and busier.

Where we lived, in London, there were not many cars also because it was a not very well frequented area; so apart from untrustworthy people there was nobody else. We left the airport, and a hire car took us to the front of the university. As soon as we got out of the taxi, we took our luggage and stopped right in front of the campus.

"This is Hell," said Harry, who probably had more experience. I greeted my best friend with a hug and, followed by Fox, we headed inside the school.

We started looking for our dormitory, which was C55. In the corridors we saw many boys winking at us, and Fox reciprocated with a seductive smile and look, I, on the other hand, ignored them. Boys and cuddling were the least of my thoughts.

I finally managed to find the room and with great caution, opened the door. It wasn't very big but I figured it would comfortably fit two of us. There was a window right above the bed which I decided at that moment, would be mine and the bathroom was very large and well furnished. The room was tidy, and the grey carpet had been vacuumed not long before our arrival. You had always thought university dorms were ugly rooms, with mould in the corners of the walls, heavy air and all the furniture (if we can call it what you see in the movies) broken and battered.

"It's a nice room," Fox said, setting his bags down next to his bed by the wall. "Yeah, really nice. I really need a shower after all the travelling, though," she communicated, pulling her underwear out of her suitcase.

While my lovely roommate was in the bathroom, I started to empty the suitcase. I placed my clothes, almost all black, in the small wardrobe, which I had to say, formed a nice contrast to the walls, the cupboard doors and the door, all in a clean white. I took my make-up and cosmetics bag for the shower and placed it on the bedside table, next to a lamp. I saw, in the far corner of the room, a bookcase. As a child I had always loved to read, in fact every month the nuns would bring me a new book, and they would tell me that it had been given to me by someone, but I could never know who was the kind soul who sent them to me; I only knew that I was very grateful to him for the books he gave me because they saved me from that dark life. Whenever I felt lonely, sad, angry or melancholic, I would go and take refuge in one of those spectacular novels. When I read, I felt as if I were living right in the story being told, and so for a short time I would forget about my own life and immerse myself in the one I was reading. I still had the books and had brought them with me, all the way to the Big Apple, and was now putting them away in that small cherry wood bookcase. As soon as I had finished arranging the volumes, I lay on the bed looking at the ceiling. I heard my mobile phone vibrate and wondered who it could be. I saw Harry's name on the display and was surprised that he had texted me. The message said: - Hey how's the room? - I replied that it was nice.

- We're going to a party of a friend of a friend near here in a while, you and Fox are coming too, right? - he asked in the next message. I confirmed my and Fox's attendance and he informed me of the time. Fox came out of the bathroom with a towel around his body and asked: "Who are you writing with?" Damn curious people like her.

"With Harry, he told me there's a party tonight and they're going, so I told him we're going too, he's picking us up at 6:30" I informed her, still looking at the display.

"Good, at least we'll meet some cute guys" she said winking at me.

"Yeah" I replied with little conviction and disinterest.

I honestly wasn't interested in finding a guy. Male people were not my priority and so was having a boyfriend. Fortunately, I did not have the problem of relatives and their inopportune questions; like 'How come a girl as pretty as you is not engaged yet?'

Already deciding to attend a party as soon as I arrived at a new school had not been a very wise choice, if I then tried to make conquests on the first night, I would have been really stupid. Also, because love and I were two things too far apart to meet.

It was 5 p.m. and Fox and I started to get ready. She put on a pair of short high-waisted jeans and a top that barely contained her buxom breasts, and I put on short black jeans, a t-shirt of the same colour and my usual black leather jacket with a tiger on it; a perfect look I would say: aggressive and comfortable as I liked it.

Capitolo 4

After Fox had finished getting ready it was time to leave. Harry had told us to wait for him at the top of the driveway leading to our dormitory and we headed there. The police on this campus were much more present than in London and I was afraid that when I went into a club here, they would ask for my ID and seeing that I wasn't 21 they wouldn't give me a drink. We had reached the top of the driveway when we saw Harry arrive.

'Good you managed to get ready quickly,' Auden pointed out, leaning out the back window. I paid no attention to his words. What came out of his mouth was comparable to a lifeguard who knows how to swim: useless.

I was about to open the front seat door when I glimpsed the figure of a boy through the window. "No way!" I blurted, opening the door wide. "What are you doing in my place!?" I gasped in the face of the boy who wasn't even giving me a glance. "Well?" I urged him angrily.

"As you can see you were late..." the guy paused for effect and squared my black jacket. "Tiger," he concluded with an arrogant grin. I gasped and for the first time I didn't know what to say. "I suggest you get in the back and calm down," he continued in a calm and haughty tone. But who did he think he was! He had stolen my place and was also intimating me to calm down. What kind of normal person would do such a thing? I slammed, furious, the door and climbed into the back seat.

'He silenced you,' Auden said confidently and cockily. I gave him a dirty look and threatened him, "I suggest you shut up if you don't want to go home with a broken tooth." Everyone gave a chorus of uhs, and Auden sat back down, docile as a little dog.

"This guy who stole my seat, who is he?" I whispered in Harry's ear, leaning forward so the asshole occupying my seat wouldn't hear me. I heard the guy next to Harry snicker and asked him what he had to laugh about. He gave me a defiant look and said, "If you're interested in knowing who I am just ask. I'm Justin by the way," he introduced himself mockingly. I heard Harry let out a giggle and turned to him.

"Justin this is my best friend, Amber" Harry introduced me. I looked at Justin who was staring at me and gave him a fleeting glance. I returned to my seat as I plotted how to make him pay for his arrogant attitude.

"So, Justin what do you do at these kinds of parties?" asked Fox breaking the silence that had fallen in the car. 'Geez Fox what do you want to do at these kinds of parties!

 "You have fun, if you're not an asshole," replied Justin looking at me on the last word.  I stiffened and asked him to lean in again:

"Are you implying that I'm bitchy?" I looked intensely into his eyes, and he sustained my gaze and then said, "Yes, that's exactly what I said." I felt my cheeks burn so I retorted harshly, "Maybe you're the asshole. Is that why you came with us to this party? Because you're too much of an asshole to make friends?" I concluded, leaning back in my seat as arrogantly as he did. Justin smiled and I wanted to slap the smirk off his face.

"You don't know me Tiger and watch your mouth," he retorted, trying to strike fear into me. Too bad he couldn't, because I had already experienced horrible things on my skin, and it was much worse.

"And you don't know me," I replied confidently. Justin went back to looking at the road ahead and I enjoyed those last few minutes of the journey.

We arrived in front of a big blue house that was already full of people. There was a driveway covered with white pebbles, the grass was neatly cut and there was a row of roses lining the road.

 "Well, here we are," said Harry as he parked behind a long line of cars. I didn't like this place from the outside but if there was a drink in it....  

Justin led us inside the house very casually. He seemed to know the place very well, maybe he lived here or... Amber stop asking all these questions about him he's an asshole and you don't care.

Inside the house was very big: there were three floors, and I thought the top floor had been an attic. The walls were painted honey yellow and the carpet on the floor was burgundy. There were many sofas, all black leather and what caught my attention were tables full of bottles of alcohol. I thought that table would become my favourite place in there.

"Okay, this is the house; on the second floor are the bathrooms and bedrooms and on the third floor... You can't go there," Justin said before disappearing into the crowd. Great way to acclimatise new people. Disappearing among so many drunk guys and leaving a group of strangers in the hands of a pack of wolves was really nice. Thanks a lot Justin.

"So, guys, we'll meet back here at two," Auden said instead of Harry; he was usually the one to give the time announcements. We split up: Fox went with Alan; Fly went with Auden and the rest of us went our separate ways.

I ran to the table where there was a drink and grabbed a bottle of whisky. The music started and I sat down on the stairs.

After an hour I had almost finished the bottle and at a certain point I remembered Justin's words about the top floor of the house. My curiosity advanced and so I headed up the stairs with the intention of reaching the top floor. After four flights I arrived at the corridor of the top floor and saw a door right there at the bottom and one closer to me. Who knows what was down there. I set off to find out what was behind those two doors, but a boy came out of nowhere and pushed me against the wall.   

"Hello beautiful, now you and I are going to have some fun," he said touching my thighs. I dropped the bottle on the floor and tried to get those filthy hands off me.

"Let go of me now!" I yelled, giving him a shove. Probably if I had been sober I would have managed to make him pay, but with all the alcohol circulating in my body it was already a miracle I was able to stand.

I managed to kick the guy and made him back off. At that moment when I no longer had any contact with him I tried to make my way towards the stairs to go back downstairs, but I didn't get very far. He came back and took me back. I felt trapped and was afraid that something might happen to me. I had to be more careful, I thought as the boy placed his lips on my neck.

"Asshole, let go of me!" I shouted in a vain attempt to be heard.

 Unfortunately, I had been unconscious, and had climbed to the top floor of this house, drunk moreover and with no one to save me from someone like him. It would have taken a miracle to save me.

When all my hopes of escaping left me, I heard something open. It sounded like a door, but my vision was blurred.

"Hey, leave her!" shouted a male voice. I heard the wooden floor creaking with every step another figure was taking.

        Suddenly I no longer felt that boy's hands on me. I took laboured breaths and tried to focus. I regained my sight and what I saw surprised me. Justin was there, next to me, throwing a punch at the boy who was bothering me. The boy staggered backwards.

"Go away Neil!" shouted Justin. It was scary, a lot scary. The boy regained his balance and looked first at Justin and then at me, pointing a finger at me. When he walked away, I let out a liberating sigh. I was still shaken and stirred, but I was fine. In fact, it was only thanks to Justin that I was fine, but that was a detail I wasn't going to reveal to him.

"Are you okay?" asked Justin as he approached me. I nodded, looking him in the eye. How could an arrogant asshole boy like him, who only a few hours before had squabbled with me, have saved me?

"Come on, come with me," he urged me. I took a few steps towards him. I didn't trust or even like him, but I had to admit that probably if he hadn't been there by now who knows what could have happened to me.

Justin took my arm and wrapped it around his shoulders, while he circled my waist and placed a hand on my hip. We advanced slowly towards the door at the end of that corridor. I turned towards him and watched him. His blue eyes also rested on me, looking at me intensely. I looked away first. I didn't want him to think that just because he had helped me, he had become my prince charming. My idea about him hadn't changed.

"Come in here, I'll be right there," he told me, opening the door. I went in, having no other options.

Chapter 5

 I entered the room. Justin closed the door, and I leaned back against it.

"Christ I'm such an idiot," I said out loud to myself.

"Why are you a jerk?" asked a female voice. I realised at that instant that I was not alone in the room and turned around. I saw no one. There was a short wall that covered my total view of the room. I passed it and saw a bed, on which a half-naked girl was sitting; she was wearing only her underwear.

"And who are you?" I asked horrified at the sight of that girl. She had blue hair halfway down her back, blue eyes and lips tinted with black lipstick. She had a good physique, I could tell she worked out, but the part she worked out the most was definitely her lower back.

"I might ask you the same question since you interrupted 'something' between me and my boyfriend," she told me annoyed.

"I'm not your boyfriend," Justin challenged, entering just as she had finished speaking. He approached me and I instinctively stepped back. "Don't worry I don't want to do anything to you" he told me a little sceptically. "What did he want to do to you?" he asked me later.

"Nothing," I answered hastily. I didn't want his help; I didn't need it and I didn't want him to psych me out either.

"Come on, come on, we won't be shocked if you tell us what he told you" Justin told me as he sat down on the bed, next to his 'friend'.

'You can imagine what he wanted,' I replied. 'What was their intention? To embarrass me?

"Anyway, you'd better not come around here again, Neil will definitely come after you along with his gang" Justin advised me, glancing at the blue-haired girl.

'I'm not afraid of him or his gang,' I stated confidently. No, maybe I was a little scared. I just needed to avoid getting drunk when I was in this house, so that if I encountered him, I could defend myself, alone. 'I grew up with dangerous people around, he's no exception,' I added. Justin let out a resolute chuckle and slowly got out of bed. He looked like a predator ready to pounce on its prey.

"It's not like England here. People don't spare anyone." He lowered himself a little, to make our gazes align. I had my mask of coolness on my face, and thanks to it I sustained Justin's gaze. Already my mask had been on for so long that I could scoff at the fluttering and tangling in my stomach.

"If they're going to be tough, I'm going to play their game," I replied, looking at him uninterrupted.

"Do you think you can compete with them?" he asked, smiling. I was making a huge effort to avoid slapping him.

"I can compete with anyone," I told him firmly about what I was saying. Justin straightened up and looked at his friend. He looked at her for a little while and then they both burst out laughing. Anger mounted and I felt my cheeks catch fire.

"Go ahead and laugh assholes, I don't care what you think," I blurted. I took one last look at Justin, who wouldn't stop snickering, and then I stormed out of the room. I was pissed as I walked down the short corridor to the top floor, but this time I was alert. I descended the stairs as fast as I could and returned downstairs. A few people had left, and among the people I tried to make out the faces of some of my group.  

"So where have you been, I've been looking for you all night," Harry told me. It was a relief to see the face of someone I knew, especially his.

"We have to go," he then said looking at me confused. I was still a little shaken by everything that had happened that night, but I tried not to let it show.

We headed out of the house, but I didn't see Harry's car. "Where's your car?" I asked looking around.

"I gave it to Auden so he could drive the others back to campus. Oddly enough, he wasn't drunk. Oh, neither are you, wow that's weird. What, by coming here the two alcoholic guys want to be good guys,' he joked.

'You gave the car to Auden who wasn't drunk, and they didn't wait for us? And I'm not an alcoholic anyway."

"They didn't wait for us because I had to look for you all night since you weren't at the place, we said at two o'clock," he replied.

"And what time is it?" I asked. From the start of the party, it didn't seem like much time had passed, but something told me otherwise.

"Half past three," Harry informed me. "Justin's driving us back to campus, if that's your next question," he intercepted me. Harry pulled out a cigarette and lit it. I signalled for him to hand it to me and he handed it to me. It had been a while since I had smoked because it reminded me of the smell in my old house when I was little. My mother always smelled of smoke and I now wondered how the smell of a cigarette could be a child's favourite scent.

We saw Justin coming out of an underground garage in his car. A black Jeep that looked a lot like Harry's, but with white headlights, and much taller. He signalled for us to get in and we obeyed. I sat in the back seat and saw some books from the university I had enrolled in, identical to the ones I was supposed to take. I was a little afraid that Justin would tell Harry what had happened earlier just to get back at me for that conversation in the car. Harry and I had fought shoulder to shoulder, but now I didn't want him to know. My thoughts were interrupted by Justin, "What dorm are you in?" he asked in his usual low voice.

"C55," I replied quickly.

"Then I'll take Harry first and then you," he replied, turning to me. I nodded and leaned back in my seat.

Tomorrow would be the meeting with the professors, and I was really hoping not to make a bad impression. In high school all the teachers hated me, because they thought I would mess up or hurt someone. They thought so probably from my appearance. It was from there that I started hating people even more: they judged me by my appearance, because I lived in a foster home and because they knew whose daughter I was, even though they didn't know me, they didn't know what I had been through. I didn't expect them to understand me, but I hated people who didn't know crap about me but judged me. We all have a different way of hiding our past or at least protecting ourselves from what we want to forget because it has hurt us, but everyone has their own method: and mine was to shield myself behind dark clothes, alcohol and a strong character that sometimes faltered.

 "Bye Amber, I'll write you tomorrow," Harry's voice brought me back to the present. I waved to my best friend from the window. With a bounce I sat in the front seat, next to Justin, not because I wanted to be near him, mind you.

"I swear if you've dirtied my car, I'll make you clean it with your tongue," Justin threatened, retracing with his eyes the route I had taken to get to the front seat, looking carefully to see if I had left any tracks.

"Of course, do you really think that if I soiled your beautiful car, I would make you clean it with my tongue? My tongue is too precious to clean your crappy car," I challenged him. A mocking smile appeared on Justin's face.

'Oh, I'm sure your tongue is capable of anything,' he then whispered mischievously. I gave him a quizzical look, but he paid no attention and continued driving.

"Anyway, why didn't you say it happened to Harry?" I asked looking at the road.

"Because it's none of my business and if you want him to know you must tell him “He replied looking at me.

"I don't believe that" I said. I knew guys like him and I knew well that if they did something for someone then they would want something in return.

"Well, that's why I didn't say anything whether you believe it or not" he concluded. There was a moment of silence.

"Anyway, thanks for helping me, I was rotten drunk and couldn't have got it off me," I said. It wasn't my custom to thank someone for something, but he had indeed saved me, even if I didn't want to admit it.

"You're welcome, but I would have done it for anyone anyway," he replied. I opened my mouth and raised my eyebrows, amazed. But look at this; me thanking him for helping me and what does he do? He tells me he would do it for anyone. He really wanted me to understand that I didn't count for anything.

"Who was the girl in the room with you?" The question escaped my mouth before I could even stop it. Holy crap Amber, he just told you that you don't matter, and you ask him who was that girl? What an idiot.

 He turned to me, gave a small smile, and said, "A friend of mine... but why do you care?"

"Pure curiosity," I quickly replied. Luckily, I saw my dormitory in the distance.

"Well, we're here" Justin announced.

"I saw that," I replied as I dismounted. Justin rolled his eyes. "I'm not easy to deal with; and anyway, I won't thank you for the ride or for not saying anything to Harry, I still dislike you know that" I said with a smile. "Don't worry, I fully reciprocate," he replied. Christ, I could never bear it. I bit my tongue to avoid responding to his provocation.

"Goodnight Tiger," I heard him shout after me. But are we serious ... had he really called me 'Tiger'? I turned and gave him a dirty look along with my middle finger. I saw him leave and went into the dormitory.

As soon as I was inside, I saw Fox lying on the bed. She hadn't changed and was already fast asleep. I also lay down on my bed and shortly afterwards fell asleep dreaming of blue eyes and an arrogant character.

Chapter 6

I heard the alarm clock on my mobile phone ring and struggled to get up to turn it off. I took a quick shower and got dressed. I also left a note for Fox telling her I was out. I had heard from some sophomore girls that there was a pretty good coffee shop nearby. I entered the name I thought it was: 'Breaks of school' and followed the directions given to me by Google Maps. After a short walk, I arrived at the café I was looking for, and went inside. The place was almost empty, but it was only 7am so it was normal that there was no one there. I ordered a brioche and a latte and sat down at a table near the entrance. While I waited for my breakfast, I read my favourite book: 'UNTIL THE END WITH YOU'.

I heard the bell above the café door ring and was distracted from reading. As soon as I looked up, I saw Justin enter; he was alone and did not seem to have noticed my presence. He was wearing a pair of torn, black trousers and a grey sweatshirt. He had the same arrogant air as the night before and the usual charm, which he had shown me in a few hours. He ordered his breakfast at the counter and then turned to look for a seat. Our glances met, and with a small smile he walked towards me. He asked if he could sit down, and I nodded.

"Hey," he greeted me.

"Hi," I replied, putting the book away.

"What brings you here?" he asked.

"I heard good things about this place and decided to drop in; how about you?"

"I come there for breakfast when I don't feel like making it," he explained. "And then there are quite a few pretty girls hanging around this place," he added, winking. I closed my eyes and shook my head at his statement. I decided to divert the conversation to something else.

"What did you have for breakfast?" he asked, anticipating my question.

"Coffee latte and a brioche, you?" I replied. It wasn't my custom to strike up a conversation with a guy outside of Harry or Auden, although with the latter we were only talking to insult each other so....

"Same thing without the brioche though," he told me. Meanwhile, breakfast arrived, and I began to eat voraciously because everything was delicious.

"What classes are you doing at LIU?" he asked. How did he know I was going, or rather going to LIU? Had Harry told him? But what did he care?

"How do you know I go to that university?" I asked him impatient with the answer. He leaned across the table and signalled me to do the same. We stood so close to each other that I could see the greenish streaks in his eyes.

"I know more things than you can imagine. If you want to know something about one of these clients, just ask," he said, sitting back down on the small chair. I burst out laughing and everyone turned to look at me. I blushed slightly, although it was not my style to be embarrassed, but at that moment I really didn't know what to say.

'I know she's beautiful but it's rude to stare at people,' I heard Justin say. Had he really told me I was beautiful?

Everyone went back to doing what they were doing before embarrassing me.

'Thank you,' I said in a low voice to Justin. He smirked and said, "My catchphrase for making a girl blush. You know when someone is seen by me they often have their eyes on me so a catchphrase with which to turn those gossipy eyes back to their business I needed," he explained. I didn't understand him. He would say something nice about me and then, as if regretting it, he would nullify everything.

"And anyway, they too should be careful with all the dirty things I know about them." Another giggle escaped me, but this time I restrained myself.

"Like what?" I asked, resting my face on my palm. He put his hand in his hair and thoughtfully said, "See that guy over there?" He pointed to a curly-haired guy with glasses, not far from our table, who was bent over a book at that moment. "He slept with his literature teacher," he concluded, smiling. I rejoiced again.

We walked out of the bar, and I was still laughing like a child, at the things Justin was telling me about everyone who passed us by. "Do you want a ride to university?" he asked. Funny, he had just offered me a ride without backing out shortly after. I nodded and got into the car.

"Are you a second year?" I asked him after I stopped snickering.

"No, I'm a third year, and how do you think I know all this stuff anyway if I hadn't been in Hell for more than two years?" he replied. He was right, how would he if he didn't already know the area! "Why do you call the school Hell?" I asked, remembering that Harry also called it that. "Because it's nothing but a nightmare to me," he concluded. "I would never have come here if my mother hadn't made me." He seethed a little but immediately returned to his usual attitude.

"I have to say, I found out that besides being an asshole and arrogant, you're also a bit of a romantic," I said stifling a giggle, because I knew that for guys like him to be called romantic was a bad thing. Justin gave me a dirty look and I smiled arrogantly. Suddenly, I saw Justin pull into a lay-by next to the road and stop the car.

"Why did you stop?" I asked confused.

"Because I have to do this," he said before pouncing on me to tickle me. Normally girls my age didn't suffer much from tickling, instead for me it was one of the weak points and since few people knew about it I wondered how Justin could know that too.

"I swear if you make me late and the professor gets pissed off, I'll come looking for you," I managed to say between laughs.

"Just take back what you said, and I'll stop," Justin said tickling my neck.

"Never. I will never take back the romantic word," I said laughing.

"Then you will not go to your beloved class, and I will tickle you until you can no longer breathe" he threatened. I didn't want to take back what I had said, but it was getting late, and I had to go to class. "Okay!" I shouted at one point. Justin stopped and asked, "Okay what?"

"I take back what I said, just get me to class on time," I said breathlessly. Justin started the car and violently pressed the accelerator, leaving a trail of dust behind us. Justin was driving like crap. He was making dangerous overtaking manoeuvres and driving at a speed, which if the police had caught him, they would have surely given him a hefty fine.

"You drive really bad," I said, looking at the cars he was rapidly overtaking.

"Take it up with the people who gave me the licence," he laughed.   

We arrived at the university and parked right outside the front door.

"Thanks for the ride, romantic," I said as I got out and ran towards the entrance.

"Watch me come in there and tickle you again if you call me romantic one more time," he said through the window without receiving a response from me. I walked in and crossed the whole corridor thinking about breakfast: no one had ever made me laugh as much as Justin; he was both funny and annoying me at the same time. I didn't know how he did it. But the fact remained that he didn't know me like I didn't know him, and we were nothing: neither two friends nor a couple in love. I would never have been able to love because it would have reminded me that for love I had gone through years of hell as a child, and I did not want to relive them. But I kept wondering how he could be arrogant and dang funny at the same time.

Chapter 7

The last hour of the day had finally arrived. I had spent the whole time getting to know new professors and hearing good resolutions for the year.  One more hour and I could have gone back to my room to rest.

The professor entered the classroom. "Hello guys I am the creative writing professor, and you can call me Stilt. I will give you various tasks, but the one I am most interested in is for you to keep a diary. In this diary, you will have to describe, throughout the year, the person you care about most in the world. You will have to tell why you chose her or him, what you do together, how you met and what is special about this person to receive all your love." Said the professor, already making me hate his subject. Mumbles went up in the room among the students and many started asking nonsensical questions, which the professor had already answered.

"And who doesn't have someone they love in their soul, how do they do it?" asked a voice behind me. I turned around and saw Justin. But what was he doing here? And why was he sitting behind me and not next to me? I didn't care where he sat, remember you don't trust anyone, he too will hurt you sooner or later, or leave, don't get attached to him; I tried to persuade myself and this further emphasised my sanity which, as I had ascertained, was not at all good.

"Those of you who don't have a person to love find one you find interesting; but I think any of you have a person to love, you just try to deny your feelings, but know that the feelings you have will always come to the surface," said the professor.

"I didn't know you were there," I told Justin as soon as the prof finished answering his question. And in doing so you went against what you told yourself just now, my subconscious reminded me, but as always, I ignored it. "I didn't tell you, but I am also enrolled in this class," he said as he approached my ear.

"I can see that" I said before he jumped into the front row next to me. I looked at him as if to ask if by doing so he thought he was impressing me but then I smiled. "So, who do you think you're describing?" I asked pensively.

"I don't know: you?"

"I don't know either," I said sincerely. It was the truth; I didn't love anyone, and I didn't admire anyone. Initially I had thought about describing Harry because he was the only person I trusted blindly, but then I had thought that if I described him, people would think I liked him and I didn't; he and I had grown up together and I thought of him as a brother but, I had never liked him.

"It was fun to see you bored anyway," Justin said, breaking the thread of my thoughts.

"Were you watching me?" I asked pretending to be flattered. "Are you sure you're not a stalker?" I asked with mock fear. He smiled and looked down at his hands. He looked almost embarrassed. Almost.

"I like to observe people and see their behaviour," he confessed. I nodded without really understanding why he had confessed that detail to me.  

The lesson ended and I quickly left the classroom.

"Can I walk you to your room?" asked Justin. I nodded and he stepped to my side, and we headed to my room.

"Are you, by any chance, hitting on me?" I then asked him, trying to figure out what his intentions were so maybe I wouldn't waste his time trying to win me over.

"Absolutely not, you're not my type," he replied offensively.

"Why wouldn't I be your type?" I asked stubbornly.

"Let's just say I prefer girls who are a bit older and beautiful," he continued without looking at me.

"Ah, right the girls you pick must be undressed lying on a bed" I prodded him remembering the blue haired girl lying on the bed. Justin chuckled.

"Are you saying you want to get in your underwear in front of me?" he asked, running his thumb over his lower lip. I turned back to him, disgusted by what he had just said.

"You're kidding, I would never let you see me," I replied, observing his eyes that seemed to mock me. "And you know you're a real asshole. Anyway, you're not my type either,' I lied. He, although he was a real arrogant, and I would never have liked him, was a nice guy and no one could have said otherwise.

"And why wouldn't I be your type, Tiger?" he taunted me.

"Because I like guys who are a bit more..." I paused, in which I pretended to think of the adjective that might describe a person opposite to him.

"Mature and responsible" I fired off the first words that came to mind.

"Basically, you'd like an old man" he teased me, laughing out loud.

"Ha, ha, ha, you're very funny" I said, concluding the chat. He always had it in him. I couldn't respond to his jokes the way I wanted to. I don't know, maybe the different character or the fighting spirit made me like an inexperienced girl.

On our way to my room, I didn't miss the mischievous glances the girls were giving Justin. I was seriously starting to think he had a girlfriend, although from the way he was talking it sounded like he didn't, but I didn't know how to ask him without sounding interested in him.

"Why are you so... nice to me?" I asked instead to break the silence that had descended upon us. Oh God, calling Justin nice was a big word.

"I'm nice to everyone," he replied, grinning a perfect cocky grin. I had been wanting to ask him for a while now why he was being so nice to me, I was used to having assholes around, even if he wasn't the politest, he was still different from the guys I was used to dealing with. I had a hunch that he was being nice to me for an ulterior motive, but I didn't know what.

"I don't think you were that nice to your friend," I said, meddling in affairs that didn't concern me at all. I myself, who hated those who pry into other people's lives, had just made a similar remark to him.

"Maybe because she's not nice to me," he replied with a smirk.

"You fuck her, though," I said with conviction.

"Let's say we agree we do 'stuff' together but no relationships or jealousy stuff."

"Oh my God" I said without making too much of my negative opinion about this kind of relationship.

Chapter 8

We arrived at my room, and I saw Fox's black shoes outside the door. It was not a good sign, but I tried to be positive for once; I told myself she had gone out with someone from the group to reassure me. As soon as I entered the room, I was stunned by what I saw... I couldn't believe it!

I observed lying on Fox's bed Justin's friend from the other night!

"What are you doing here?" I asked in a panic seeing that my friend's things were gone.

"Your, now former roommate, annoyed the girl in the room next door and her father is quite powerful and is very good friends with the dean so he managed to get her moved to my dorm, which is a long way from here" Justin's friend concluded. I couldn't believe it; Fox had been kicked out and I had to room with this one. Justin stood in the doorway and said nothing.

"I'm not rooming with you!" I yelled in her face. "Where's your dorm?" I asked him totally beside myself.

"On the other side of campus but it will take you..."   

"You need to shut your mouth otherwise you'll regret it," I threatened her furiously.

"Come on then, punch me," she taunted. She still didn't understand who she was dealing with, but if she couldn't figure it out herself, I would make her understand in my own way. I rushed at her and, just as I was about to give her what she deserved, Justin grabbed me by the hips and prevented me from throwing a punch.

"Let go of me!" I shouted. I tried to wriggle out of him, but he wouldn't let me go.

"Do you want to be ejected too?" asked Justin over my screams. Suddenly I stopped and asked, "Expelled?" Justin looked me straight in the eye and said, "Yes, when someone disturbs someone's peace they are first moved from their room and then, if it happens again, expelled." It was impossible that Fox had bothered that girl for no reason; she reasoned, sometimes, and knew the risk she was taking. I had to figure out what the girl in the next room had said to him to make her blurt it out.

After a few minutes, I managed to calm down.

"Don't worry I'm not that bad" she told me... wait I didn't even know what this 'new roommate' of mine was called.

"Shut up, because there won't forever be your prince charming to defend you from everything, especially me," I told him with the intention of putting awe into her.

"He's not my prince charming and I don't need him to defend me, from you moreover" the girl challenged me.

"Do you want to see me smash your face into the desk?" I asked her as I stood up.

"Easy Tiger, we get that you could beat her, but that's enough," Justin scolded me taking me by the shoulders and making me sit back down on the bed.

"Will you stop calling me Tiger" I admonished him.

"Whatever... Tiger" he replied with a grin. At that moment I wished I was in the gym punching a bag until I got it off the ceiling. "If I go, won't you two kill each other?" asked Justin looking at both of them.

"If she doesn't provoke me maybe, she'll be able to survive until tonight, for your date." I replied with a grin. He gave a fake giggle and walked out of the room.

"What's your ex-roommate's name?" the girl asked.

"Fox, why?" I replied coldly, squaring her.

"Just asking," she said, lying down on the bed. "I'm Ali by the way" she introduced herself.

"Amber" I replied typing on my pc.

"Are you coming to the party tonight?" she asked.