Stardust Read Online Free

burned his throat going down. I stared at mine and he looked at me.
    His eyes narrowed and his grin returned, “Don’t.”
    I leaned back and stared into his eyes, “Don’t what?”
    He grinned and placed his arm up on the back of his booth in a relaxed manner.
    “Pity me, I am totally fine. I can see it on your face, you feel sorry for me and there is no need to. I am just telling you this so you can relax and understand that I am damaged too.”
    I shook my head ‘no’. “I did not pity you in any way. I just, I mean, I think it is probably best that you don’t remember it and I am not damaged, I mean, I may be a little bit, but I never meant for you to take it as I thought you are damaged in any way.”
    He turned his head and moved his hair and I saw the scar on his scalp. It was white and ran about two inches in length. “Look,” he said, completely ignoring my sudden defensive position.
    “Ouch.” I whispered.
    He looked back at me and spoke as if it was every day and nothing to be alarmed by. “Yeah, I slammed my head into the side window, busted the glass and was thrown from the car.”
    I fingered at the base of my neck as the thought of it disturbed me. To think of a child going through that was horrifying. “Oh my God.”
    He pointed at me. “See, it is that look, right there.” He stared at me and laughed.
    I stopped messing with my skin and lowered my hand to my lap. “What?”
    “The ‘Oh my God’ tone, I am fine, I am, Jazz. In fact, it was somewhat of a blessing to be shielded from it. I mean, who would want to remember something like that any way?”
    I shook my head and decided to explain myself. “Listen, I am just reacting like any normal human being would to something like that. It was a terrible accident; you got hurt and your parents…”
    He interrupted me and said what I did not want to. “Died.”
    I sighed and fingered at my glass on the table, “Yes, that. The dying thing.”
    He leaned up. “Who died in your life, Jazz?” I parted my lips and almost said it as his words beckoned me to give into him. To just lay it all out for this attractive stranger right here and now. I felt the train starting to slow. I looked at the bartender who stared out the window.
    “Are we stopping?” I asked him.
    He dried the glass in his hand and set it down. “No, we slow down as we go over the long Bayberry Bridge. I think they do it for the tourists on the train. Gives everyone a better view of the valley,” he said.
    Cody leaned towards me from across the table and grinned. “Do you want to see something cool?” he whispered as his left eyebrow rose a little bit. His expression tainting me into saying yes.
    I raised an eyebrow and he stood up, extending his hand to me. I took it and he pulled me out of the booth.  I looked back at the bartender as he nodded to me.
    “Come with me,” Cody said as he started to walk, my hand in his and me feeling a bit awkward. I had never had someone I just met take my hand and lead me anywhere, but I guess there is a first for everything. He just seems to be so comfortable in his own skin and a chameleon of sorts. I bet he could adapt to anyone or any situation very easily. I envied that in him, as I would guess most people would. It is true freedom to not be bound to insecurity and the opinions of others around you.
    We stepped through one car and then another. Passing my room and then ending up at the end of the train. He pulled out a card and jimmied the door open and the wind blew in, cold and refreshing for a second. He stepped through, his hair blowing up around his face with his hand outstretched towards me. I took a breath and tried to remember the girl I once was, the tomboy with no fear. I shed my reservations and reached out, taking his hand and stepping out onto the platform. He slid the door closed behind me as he leaned up and I found myself close to his chest once again. The heat coming off of him countered the chill in the air. He