BENEATH THE STARS
CHAPTER ONE

Sophie's eyes were sunken even in her young age, heavy with the resentment and anger they carried. Even in the gloom of the night where every object was barely visible, anyone could see the light grey circles around her eyes that reflected the darkness within them. Her mind was a sea of questions and doubts, eating at her every millisecond of the day. Yet, of all her troubles and stresses, the one thought constantly at the front of her brain was her family. Or lack thereof.

She was desperate, craving, hungry for a family. For her family. Not the families that thought were doing her a favor, but the family that had abandoned her seventeen years ago. Her mother and father, who for whatever reason, left her at a doorstep, cold and alone. Her rage toward them and their abandonment was everlasting, burning at her chest constantly, but her desire for answers was stronger than anything else. Answers about why they left her. Answers about why, when she looked down at her hands, when she furrowed her eyebrows and thought deeply enough, a blackness, darker than the one she felt in her heart, tingled at her palms and the tips of her fingers. They rose out of her pores, like water vapor from the surface of a car window on a winter day, bubbling with all her anger and suffering.

Sophie tugged the sleeves of her grey sweater over her palms until the worn-out material brimmed her fingers, squeezing her eyes tightly as she pleaded for the black smoke to settle back into her skin. She let out a strained breath, creating a small puff of condensed water in the air before her, as she stopped in front of the automatic sliding doors of the gas station. Its luminescent lights shone over her, making her squint her eyes at the unfamiliar amount of brightness as she stepped inside the store. Her eyes were already darting from rack to rack as she chewed on her lip anxiously. The man at the cashier was staring intently at the magazine in his hands, but still, Sophie's heart raced as she passed the different shelves of snacks and food. The dozens of times she had done this before were of no help, never assuring or softening the fast-paced beating of her heart and the fidgeting of her fingers.

Even as Sophie reached her hand out to pick up two Twix bars and retreat them to her sweater pocket, her dark eyes never left the head of the man. She bit her lip hard enough to taste metal when the packets made a crinkling sound in her pocket, but she sighed with relief when she noticed the man had still not drawn his attention away from his magazine. Pushing a lock of her raven hair behind her ears, she trailed along the aisle, eyeing the appealing snacks and foods around her, and although they screamed for her to pick them, she knew better than to be greedy. Greedy is risky, she always told herself.

Taking in a deep, shaky breath, she turned away from the tempting packs of chips and skittles. Her eyes scanned the store cautiously before landing on the refrigerators with wrapped sandwiches and burritos. Her shoes patted lightly against the floor as she made her way to the cold area, pulling open the fridge door and bending down to pick up a turkey and cheese sandwich. She straightened her posture, her eyes stuck stiffly onto the fridge as she shoved the sandwich into her pocket. A soft smile settled across her face when her dinner for the night was finally set in her pockets, her heart easing and the weakness of her knees faltering. She crossed her right foot over the other to spin around but halted in her tracks at the sight of the employee who stood only feet away from her. His eyebrows were raised threateningly and his hands sat on his hips as he stared her down intimidatingly.

"I don't think your parents are going to be very happy when they receive a call from the police station," the man threatened. His forehead was creased, defining his receding hairline even more. With wide eyes, Sophie stumbled back at the sound of his threat. One more line crossed, and instead of shipping her to a new foster home, she was most likely going to be sent to military school. "Hey! Where do you think you're going?" the man hissed as Sophie began to turn away. When she felt his large hand grip tightly onto her shoulder, she squeezed her eyes shut tightly and clenched her jaw. Inhaling deeply, her nostrils flared and she balled her hands into fists before she spun around. As threw her hands forward toward the man, her eyelids flung open, revealing a dark, grey glimmer of smoke surrounding her brown irises. The smoke, fogging every inch of her eyes, was dark enough to make the bravest man's legs go numb. They held a gloom, a power that could bore into one's soul mercilessly, terrorizing them until they fell to their knees.

A similar puff of grey and black developed from her hands as she lunged them forward, but it was the same smoke that erupted from beneath her feet that made the cashier stumble back. His eyes were wide as the blackness diffused from the girl who had just erupted like a volcano, spreading dark fumes around his shop. Sophie's arms retreated to her sides, and she stood loosely, unbothered by the black magic that was seeping through her pores. Even though the darkness, her eyes didn't fail her. She watched indifferently, amused, while her powers soaked through the entire store until not an inch of it was visible to the human eye.

"What the hell?" The man whispered, his voice strained and quivering as he backed away from Sophie. "H-how... what is this? I can't see anything!"

A smirk edged Sophie's lips before she turned around and walked down the aisle of sweet delicacies. With her eyes on the exit, she reached her hand out to pick up the pack of skittles she had been eyeing earlier before walking out. The bells on the door chimed loudly, echoing behind her as she stepped out of the store. She looked over her shoulder to see her dark powers beginning to fade from the store, the density of the smoke decreasing every second as the employee began to regain his sight.

Her heart plummeted against her chest like a mallet when she turned away from the store. With wide eyes, she halted in her tracks when she was welcome by a figure in blue spandex shorts and a shirt decorated with stars. Sophie's eyes were glued to the girl's hand, clasped onto a tall gold staff that glowed brightly in the dim lighting of the night. It lit up the girl, outlining her brightly in the gloomy night. She held the staff proudly by her side, like a weapon or a shield. It left an uneasy feeling in Sophie's stomach, her gut twisting and churning at the thought of how powerful the girl could be with the staff by her side. She could only imagine what a girl in an amateur superhero costume and a glowing staff would want to do with her— someone who had just harassed a harmless man in a store.

After briefly looking the girl up and down with cautious eyes, Sophie bit her tongue and spun around, hoping to find a way to flee. Her breath hitched in her throat and she stumbled back when she hit another boulder. A brunette stood with her shoulders crossed over her chest, her entire body clad with a dark blue spandex suit that fit her perfectly. Half of her face was covered in a dark mask and Sophie frowned in confusion. The two girls stood around her with their shoulders back and chins up confidently, leaving a thick air of tension in the atmosphere. It surrounded Sophie like a cloud of smoke, tempting her to run.

"What the hell is this?" she questioned. Her lips barely parted as she spoke, her mind too entangled and trapped in a web of questions and thoughts.

Sophie's eyes were stuck on the blonde's head like a nail in a wall, in fear of what she would use the staff for, but also because she was drawn in by the prospect that there were others like her. Others with powers. It has never crossed her mind that she wasn't the only one that possessed abilities beyond anything people have ever believed to exist. She had thought always, that perhaps her mother and father— her birth parents— may have been able to relate to her. She discovered over the years though, that her parents were more a mystery than her powers.

"We're the Justice Society of America," the blonde declared firmly, pulling Sophie out of her daze. The soft youthfulness of the girl's voice did nothing to ease Sophie, her shoulders still tense and her eyes still glued to the strangers that surrounded her. She felt that if she looked away for even a second, they would have an advantage over her. "Look, Sophie, we're not going to hurt you or anything. We just-" she cut herself off when she noticed Sophie frown deeply.

Sophie tore her gaze away from the blonde momentarily. Her lips parted and quivered as she tried to think of words to speak, but she shut them tightly when her brain failed to give her anything. She took a step toward the blonde, eyeing her closely. "How do you know my name?"

"What?" the blonde quickly responded, taking a step back.

"You said my name." Sophie squinted, staring deeply at the girl. "You go to my school," she said in realization, the creases on her forehead fading as her eyebrows broke out of their frown.

"That's not the point," the brunette from behind her interjected. "What you just pulled in there was dangerous. How many times did you think you could get away with that?"

"I don't know but it's clearly working."

"Listen... my team and I just want to help you," the blonde said through a sigh. "And I think you might be able to help us too."

"I think I'll pass," Sophie muttered. She stared between the two girls, her eyebrows raised expectantly, but when they continued to stare at her with arms folded over their chests, Sophie rolled her eyes. A fire rumbled deep within her chest, her frustration growing with the amount of time the two wannabe superheroes were wasting. She took a step to the left to pass the blonde but sent her a sharp glare when she only mimicked her actions, moving to stand directly in front of Sophie once again. "Let me through," Sophie hissed, boring holes into the blonde's forehead.

She watched through knitted eyebrows as the brunette in the cat costume trotted toward the blonde, her shoes patting tediously on the gravel. They stood before her, empowered, purposefully, like they refused to step aside to let her pass. The staff glowed a brighter yellow when the blonde gripped onto it more tightly. They were one together, a team, while Sophie was on her own, as always. Nevertheless, when Sophie glanced down at her hands, she was reminded of the depths of her powers, flowing through her veins, bubbling in her chest and gut. It was a part of her, and she never felt powerless. Not in the face of two girls who refused to mind their own business. Her chest was heaving with frustration, her breaths heavy and thick as she willed herself not to yell in anger. The heat burned in her fingers and her palms of her hands, tingling at the heels of her feet and stomach. Even despite her attempts to suppress the smoke, begging to escape through her tan skin, it rose to the surface and Sophie found herself squeezing her hands into tight fists.

"I said," she growled through gritted teeth, "let me through!"

Her eyes, glazed over with grey fumes, could hardly focus on the two strangers who backed away timidly. Sophie's blood was boiling, consumed entirely by rage and the despised feeling of entrapment, tearing her mind away from reality. The smoke diffusing out from beneath her feet settled like a light fog that clouded the floor, while a larger amount poured out of palms and coiled into a thin and light ball of blackness. She gave the girls one last look, absorbing their looks of horror before thrusting her hands forward. The bundles of darkness flung toward them, slamming into them heavily before erupting into a heavy fog that blinded their view.

"What was that for?!" The blonde's voice sounded from the puff of grey vapor. Her hands were reached out before her to try to navigate through the dense air. Sophie watched in silence while the two friends searched for one another, frantic and struggling through the darkness. Her hands dropped to her sides and her lips parted slightly as she stepped back and watched in silence. A coldness filled her chest, her heart tightening as she turned around and began to walk away from the scene, wiping the beads of sweat from her forehead.

Sophie shivered, the chilled winds of the night brushing against the damp, sweat-cat skin of her neck as she buzzed through the streets. Normally, she would attempt to spend as much time away from that place as she could. But after the events of the night, all she wanted was to lay down and wait for the churning in her stomach to subside.

Seeing those girls so helpless, left powerless by Sophie's hands, sent goosebumps to the surface of her skin. It made her heart clench and head throb with ache and guilt– a level of which she hadn't felt in a long time. As tempted as she had been to send a plummeting fist to their faces for the way they crowded her possessively, blocking her like mountains– taking her right to walk away– she would never have actually done it. Each time she used her powers, she felt them darkening, she felt herself losing more control. It only brought her more anger towards her parents; the only people that could have trained her and put her at ease. Her powers were dangerous, it was true, but it was all she had. She couldn't let those girls get her in trouble– she didn't have a choice. What was she supposed to do?

Sighing, Sophie ran her hand over her face in an attempt to wash away the thoughts that served only to anger her more. She bit her lip as she approached the white-painted two-floored house. She crept up the three porch steps before sticking in the key her foster parents had given her– to use while they were at work and she would arrive back from school, not to use when she was arriving home at one in the morning. She held her breath as she pushed the door open, furrowing her brows hopefully. She sighed with relief to see the lights were off, but as she stepped inside and shut the door behind her, the silence was pierced by the voice of her foster mother. Sophie jumped in her spot, unexpecting anyone being awake.

"Sophie," Kayla sighed, tearing her eyes away from the television Its volume was set on low, but the screen was on, reflecting light and color onto the woman who sat on the beige couch in front of it. She stood from her seat and shuffled across the Persian carpet, walking toward Sophie.

"Sorry, didn't mean to keep you up," Sophie muttered, glancing at her foster mother briefly before heading to the stairs and ascending them.

"Hey, hold on, young lady," Kayla called, making Sophie halt in her tracks. The teenager sighed and begrudgingly turned her head to face the woman. "How many times have we talked about you getting home so late? Something could have happened to you!"

"Well, it didn't," Sophie responded with a shrug. "Besides, no one was out."

"That's even worse, Soph. If something had happened to you no one would've been there to help you or call the police." Sophie pursed her lips tightly and nodded in fake agreement, desperate to walk away and spend the rest of the night on her own without having to deal with someone who wasn't her parent, trying to parent her.

When nothing else left Kayla's lips, Sophie turned her head away and began walking up the stairs. She held her breath once again with the hope that her foster mother wouldn't begin to speak again.

"You know, Soph... I really am trying to make this work," Kayla added, her voice soft and wan. Sophie stopped to listen, but she kept her eyes focused on the top of the staircase. "And I really hope you feel comfortable enough one day to allow it to work."

The seventeen-year-old held back a shudder that was desperate to leave her mouth, but she only bit her tongue as she absorbed Kayla's words. They were unexpected, striking her just a little bit and leaving her at a loss of what to do or what to say. She didn't want to say she was ready, or that she ever would be– she wouldn't; she refused to ever be a proper part of the family. But a stinging in her heart forced back Sophie's words of rejection or frustration, so she remained silent and waited a moment before continuing up the stairs.

"I left your dinner plate in the fridge in case you're hungry!" Kayla added to which Sophie only nodded before disappearing upstairs.

The moment Sophie stepped into her bedroom, her eyes were glued to her window. As heavy as her eyelids were and as painful as the exhausting tension in her shoulders were, her bed hadn't even crossed her mind. The Johnson's had made the effort to choose the prettiest, girliest bed set for the double bed. It was covered in a white, floral comforter and matching pillows and cushions. Sophie practically melted every time she lay in it, warm and comfy. Yet, nothing beat the comfort she felt from the rooftop, exposed to the dark sky and luminous stars.

She walked toward the open window and stuck a foot out without hesitation, gripping onto the edge of the window until she felt her foot land safely onto the top of the roof. She sighed once she was fully settled, taking in the fresh air that she already missed, although it had been only a few minutes since she had entered the house. Slowly, she leaned her back until it was resting against the ground and she was staring up at the sky, enjoying the peaceful silence.

She reached into her sweater pocket and pulled out the Twix bar, tearing the tip of it open and biting off a large piece. The sweet caramel teased her tongue, sending her for another bite, even bigger than the last. To many, snacks like these would be mediocre. But this was the best part of Sophie's day, although it wasn't saying much given that not much went on in her days.

Munching loudly on her chocolate bar, Sophie threw her head back. The moon illuminated her face, lightening up her usually dark eyes as she took in the stars that filled up the sky. The sky would be lonely, if it weren't for the stars and the moon, Sophie always thought. More than anything, she loved to look up at the sky at night– it was the only thing that could relate to her. It beat sunsets, even if they were the most beautiful thing in most people's eyes. The sky brought her a sense of comfort that nothing and no one ever had.

She enjoyed the quiet of the night and the stars sparkling over her from above like a sense of hope. She enjoyed the space, the distance, not having to speak to anyone. Kayla was nice, and so was her husband Ted and their son Tommy. They filled the house with love and warmth, trying their best to make Sophie feel at home. The house was cozy, one would normally describe it. Yet for Sophie, it was anything but. The blue walls her foster parents painted themselves with their birth son, Thomas, who was nine now... the picture frames hung up along the walls of the staircase– two of which Sophie was in– the warm fireplace and heaters against most walls. They were things Sophie could ever want. Just not with them. Not with anyone but her real parents.

As much as the place was comfortable and warm and safe, to Sophie, it would never feel like home.

𖤐

→ note

it's taken a while, i know! things have been super hectic because i'm currently doing my final exams and i graduate high school and go off to college next month, so i'm sorry for the delay, but here's chapter 1!

let me know what you think!

votes and comments are always appreciated.