Since coming back home, Star thrived on the simplicity of things. She lived her life in one of the easiest going fashions she's could handle. Unlike when she was a young teen and wanted nothing but to party and be the center of attention. Presently, Starlee was much more like a cat in her personality. She kept to herself and warmed up to people in her own time and in her own ways. It just seemed to accentuate the fact she was stuck working in the public eye. Most days it took all she had to keep her composure, but she was hoping tonight would be easier. It was quiet enough to start to lean that way.
Starlee was braced for just about anything he could say. Keeping her eyes soft she waited patiently as started to order. She blinked, almost taken aback by the simplicity of it all. "Black coffee." She echoed back as she wrote the order on a pad of paper. She was getting ready to turn when he caught her attention once more, saying he was ready to place his whole order. "Oh!" She prepped her notepad once more, "Well, okay then. What can I get for you tonight?" She offered him a soft smile, giving him the time that he needed. The longer she stayed to take his order, the least amount of time she'd need to spend with anyone else who came in.
While she was waiting for him to choose what he wanted, she took a moment to look him over. She noticed he looked young. She questioned for a moment if he was too young to be out here on her own. She couldn't help wondering if she should alert some kind of authority. Quickly she shook her head, dismissing the thought before she let herself act upon it. If it was a past he was trying to outrun, she couldn't hold it against him. Lord knows, she's been trying to slip away from hers for the better part of ten years.
There was a slight hesitation as Starlee reached for the handle of her front door. She was scheduled for another shift behind the bar at Firefly Lane. She never understood why Jasper suggested it or even why she agreed to this crazy adventure in the first place. The majority of Natchez detested Star and were less than amused when they found out she had made her way back home. It was weird for her, returning to a place that held so much joy but so much sorrow. Part of it felt like returning to the scene of the crime. She could feel her heart starting to pound in her chest, so loud she was sure it was audible. With a heavy sigh, she pulled her front door open and stepped through, not allowing herself the opportunity to change her mind.
The little Sedan that her lawyer and social worker fought for months to acquire still sat on a piece of the land where it was left six months ago. It was the vehicle her parents gifted her on her sixteenth birthday. It was placed in storage after their murders and then given back to Star upon her release. She couldn't bring herself to drive it. Most days, she thought about just selling the damned thing. The thought made her heartache. It was one of the last good memory she had of her parents; she was desperate to hold on to it. Pulling her jacket tight about her body, Star shook the thoughts from her mind and focused on the short walk to the restaurant. Starlee preferred when she worked in the morning; then the bar wasn't nearly as busy. The customers were usually kinder. Saying a silent prayer for a smooth night, Star pushed open the back door of the restaurant.
A low groan escaped her as she pushed through the swinging door that separated the kitchen from the front of the house. Putting on her best customer service smile, she positioned herself behind the bar and tied an apron around her waist. Hearing the door open, she couldn't help but roll her eyes. Here we go, she thought to herself as a person approached the bar and had a seat. "Welcome to Firefly Lane. Can I get you started with something to drink?" Hopefully, nothing involving alcohol. It was much too early for Star to be spilling liquor all over the bartop. She offered him a gentle smile as she waited for him to place an order.