I do not own Rise of the Guardians. Hope you enjoy the second installment!
Cold arms wrapped around my waist and lifted me into the air. My feet dangled loosely, but I didn't resist as I normally would have. Today was special, different for me. It was my first day back at school. My first day in school as a legend. My first day in school that I could brag nonstop about my boyfriend. So many milestones in just this one day, yet I had no idea which one would be the most significant.
Once my feet were securely on the ground, I stood on my tiptoes and kissed Jack. The sensation that had seemed so trivial and meaningless several months ago was a sweet reminder of my safety, and my love. His arms wound around me and his fingers clutched at the small of my back. I could feel his fingertips through my school uniform, even though the material was relatively thick.
"Are you ready to go back?" Jack asked, his mouth lingering a few inches from mine.
I leaned forward and placed my lips back against his before I was willing to answer. "Not a chance. But it can't be nearly as bad as the other things going on lately, can it?"
The pale boy shook his head, and a small amount of snowflakes flew everywhere. Some stuck on my skin, some landed on the floor, and others landed back on Jack. His blue eyes sparkled as he lifted me up again, but once we heard footsteps, he set me back down. Neither of my parents had to know of our… unique abilities.
"Hurry up, Alvarie. You need to eat something before going to school," my mom chided. She didn't know that I'd already eaten some cookies Jack had brought me from the North Pole. And she didn't need to know.
My fingers curled around Jack's hand as I walked down the stairs, a little skip in my step. The past two months had been amazing, even if I hadn't had a chance to discover what my Center is. I'd crossed off love (I was not Cupid, thank you very much), but that still left me with a fair amount of possibilities.
"I'm not really hungry. Can I just brush my teeth and walk to school?" I asked, knowing she would let me walk. Everybody in my family knew I loved being outdoors, so they wouldn't try to stop my love of nature. Besides, it was physically impossible to do that now.
The mint flavored toothpaste tasted bland compared to usual. Or maybe I was just too distracted by the thought of going back to school. It was a difficult concept to wrap my head around, that not even Katie would know of who I really am. I'd considered asking the Man in the Moon to give me permission, but I didn't have a spare second when someone wasn't watching me. My parents had grown very cautious of my activities ever since my mysterious disappearance.
"Do you want to walk or fly to school?" Jack asked while I was still brushing.
Since I was unable to speak clearly, I flapped my left hand around in a bird imitation. While my wings didn't look anything like a bird's wings, it was the best indicator I could give without actually flying. Yes, I did like flying, but it was not going to work so well flying around my house.
We walked away a few blocks until it was safe for us to take off. There weren't any people in this part of our neighborhood. All the houses had been abandoned so long ago, it wasn't even funny anymore. Sometimes I'd see a cat here or there, maybe a litter of kittens every few months. Usually, I brought food for the animals running around, but I didn't have enough time for that today.
"Jack, can you help me?" I said shakily. "I didn't get much practice, so…"
His azure eyes glistened happily as he grabbed my hands, calluses rubbing against my smooth hands. They felt comforting against me, as though our hands were made for each other.
Suddenly, his fingers brushed against the ring, moving it slightly. The sudden movement of the cool silver startled me. I hadn't even considered taking that ring off for weeks, so the sudden reminder that I had it was a small shock. It had grown more beautiful, not having a heart shaped diamond resting on the top of it. There were three small sapphires on either side.
"Hold on tight, Pixie Dust." Jack gave my hand a tight squeeze and kissed my cheek.
I had a brief flashback, and a new question popped into my mind. "Why is it appropriate to call me Pixie Dust now?"
Jack flicked my ear with his free hand. "They have a slight point now. Not enough for anybody to really notice, but I can see it."
"Well, that's nice to know. I have elf ears." I smiled as we lifted into the air.
Since the first story was so fun to write, I just had to make a second story. Plus, there were just too many ideas in my head for me to leave them unwritten. Pitch, the Guardians, all of them, will be in this story a lot, so be ready. Love you all! XOXO
