Love Like Stars

Chapter 5

Authors Note: Thanks guys for being so supportive of my weird schedules, I can't thank you, or apologize enough about my inconsistency. I'm restarting my Youtube channel, and I'm sick, so I have plenty of stuff going on😅... Well, here's the Fifth Chapter for you guys. 

Also: if you see any errors (typos, timing mistakes, content errors, etc ex> Cinder crying) please notify me via comment or message, and I will fix it. Thank you.

Also thanks to our Middle School's own Celaena Sardothien (she knows what I mean) for keeping me on my feet and moving. 

Cinder was entranced in Kai's embrace for a while, in what felt like hours, before she prompted him to do his work, that she couldn't be a distraction, before they returned to holding each other again. It took several attempts on both sides for the couple to pull apart from each other, and still it felt like there was a thin string tied to both their fingers, binding them together, no matter how far apart they were. 

Cinder decided to take a shower, and jogged downstairs. Her hair was still damp, and her system was still recovering, working the water slowly out of her system, out from between her joints, through the panels on the back of her head, and out from under the porous stitches that were still just beginning to fade, from all the injuries from the War of Artemisia. 

"Where's Winter?" Everyone was sitting at the quaint little table that was soaked in sunshine, in the cute corner caffe of the palace, except for the curly haired princess, of course. 

Where the Emperor has a mocha every morning. Cinder thought with a laugh. Kai wasn't a huge sucker for coffee, and preferred tea. He thought coffee was too bitter. Cinder, on the other hand, practically lived off of coffee. She had had Iko coax cheap cups of watery coffee from the coffee droid down the market street every morning, just to keep her awake. Though the coffee made her programming run haywire, especially on warmer days, it was well worth the consequences, for the jolt that it delivered every morning. 

Cinder turned at the sound of her delicate voice, still whimsical, still unbelievably happy. 

"Oh! You're here!" They said at the same time, before Winter flopped onto a huge armchair, the bright sunflower yellow of her dress contrasting against her dark skin, making her look, quite like a sunflower herself. Jacin walked in solemnly behind her, the studious expression still on his face. But there was the subtle lingering of a potential smirk, the ghost of amusement that undertoned his face, as he followed Winter, leaning against the armrest of Winter's chair. 

"Oh, look at heart eyes Jacin, why don't you join Thorne and Wolf over here? Chasing around your precious girlfriends." Iko said, a scowl planted on her face, though Cinder wasn't really sure if she was angry, or faking angry. Cinder laughed, shrugging. 

"Hey, have you tried giving Kinney a call? He probably misses you." Cinder said, raising an eyebrow lightly. 

"HA! I TOLD YOU!" Thorne yelled out, and Cinder jumped, Iko fuming. 

"OKAY! FINE! GEEZ!" Iko half shrieked, slumping back against her chair, arms crossed. "Fine, Fine." 

Thorne fell back against his chair, laughing with giddy joy, looking about as mature as an eight year old. Cinder shifted her gaze between them, raising and eyebrow. 

"They've been going on for over an hour about-" Scarlet paused, raising a pointed finger. "Relationships," she concluded, rolling her eyes. 

"Mainly why you've been gone," Wolf grunted, shoving the last of his biscotti into his mouth. 

"As in why you've been IGNORING US," Iko glared. 

"Okay, okay, sorry. I was just... Spending some time with Kai," Cinder stammered, the image of them clinging to each other flashing up in her head. She was suddenly really glad she couldn't blush. 

"Like, all night?" Iko suspiciously accused. She squinted her eyes, crossing her arms. 

"Yes. Um... Maybe-NO-not like that... agh" She sighed, as Iko's eyes widened. 

"You mean you-"

"NO!"

"Oooooh, Cinder made loooooove" Thorne cooed, making mocking kiss faces. 

"Wha?-No!" Cinder shouted, feeling her face wanted to heat. 

Warning: Overheating Body Temperature- Internal Fans will be Activated

"Leave her alone, for love is a precious thing, it shouldn't be thrown around the playground," Winter waved her hands around, her delicate fingers flitting like the wings of a butterfly. She looked like a beautiful tropical bird, her hair in whimsical curls framing a halo around her face. 

"Thank you," Cinder exasperatedly sighed. She reached over and took a sip of Iko's latte. It was barely empty, and still hot. 

"Where is Kai, anyway?" Jacin asked, his arms crossed, expressionless, ever the studious guard. 

"Oh, he's dealing with some business for the Ball," Cinder said, shrugging. 

"So you're his date, right?" 

"Dude, I'm his girlfriend," Cinder looked at Iko. 

"Correction. Fiancé," She giggled, squealing in the midst. 

"Hey, are you fangirling over your best friend's engagement? That's just wrong." Cinder said, laughing at Iko's excitement. "Oh yeah, Iko," she paused, looking over. "Kinney commed yesterday, he wants to be your date to the ball." Iko froze. 

"What? Really? Wait, what?" She exclaimed, her knee jacking up and hitting against the coffee table. "How come he didn't ask me?" Her eyebrows scrunched. 

"I think he doesn't know how." Cinder shrugged. 

"Oh, Mr. HotStuff Thorne can coach him," Thorne attempted at a 'sexy' face, pinching his chin between his fingers, and raising an eyebrow, throwing on a smirk. Cress snorted, and Jacin rolled his eyes. There was a glint in Thorne's eye. 

"Guys! I think as friends of Iko, we must coach our dear guard Kinney how to be," he looked up dramatically for a pause. "How to be me." 

"Ummm, what?" The group murmured as a whole. 

"The mission-has started." 

"Oh boy..." Cinder murmured, swiping a hand over her face.