The next few days no other big changes happened, other than my eyes and hair seemed to be darker, my skin was a bit paler and more flawless and, somehow, I was a lot fitter and thinner, muscles that I didn't have to work for appeared. I decided to keep it that way and joined the schools running team. James and I hung out more than ever to prevent any bullying from Miriam and her cronies.

On Wednesday, I had a race. I was the second fastest person on the team apart from Miriam, who only did running to show off her figure, boys always hung out at the track to see her practice, so she made full use of the track.

I was stretching when Miriam walked up to me, "Stay behind me or you're so dead." As lame as it sounded, I couldn't help but shiver at her threat, Miriam had made threats before and the first time I hadn't heeded her warning, she had carried out her threat and no one had protected me or believed me when I said it was her, so I learnt not to discard her threats so easily.

James came to wish me luck, "Hey princess, thrash them for me, alright?"

"Mm'kay"

We lined up at the start line, placing our feet in the blocks. Miriam looked over me and gave me a chilling smile, before the gun went off.

I set off at a fast pace, keeping just behind Miriam, remembering what she had said to me. I felt free of worry when I was running, like I wasn't a freak, like I didn't have wings. Miriam was holding me back from my full potential and I resented her for it. Suddenly, I didn't care about Miriam or her gang, James could cover me if they tried anything, so I sped up, flying past Miriam. I circuited the track within a couple of seconds and started on my second lap. I streaked past everyone else and even dared to stick out my tongue to Miriam as I passed her for the second time, she flicked me the bird. I noticed everyone was looking at me like I was a freak or something. Oh, wait. I was a freak. I slowed down and jogged to the finish line. Everyone burst into applause and coach ran up to me screaming, "9.8 SECONDS! 9.8! YOU HEAR ME? THAT'S SECONDS!" He turned to the rest of the team, "THIS IS MORE LIKE IT, GUYS!"

James hugged me, whispering, "That was too close, Mia, tone it down a bit. You're going to be attracting too much of the wrong attention." I nodded and then looked at the crowd.

It was mostly teenagers with a couple of teachers, I recognised all the people apart from one man who was staring at me. He looked pretty intimidating with a crew cut, with sunglasses and a black business suit on. He moved his coat a fraction and I saw a glimpse of a gun holster. I turned to James immediately, a now fake smile pasted all over my face, "We've got to get out of here now. A guy with a gun is watching us." He stiffened, "Pretty cliché, huh?" He said nervously.

I looked back at the team as we walked off, Miriam was glaring at me, but I didn't care. I had more important things to look out for now.

When we were out of sight of the man, we started sprinting towards James' Vespa, "I am seriously freaked out right now. So, I have guys following me now? This is CRAZY!" James chucked me my helmet while pulling on his own, "Yep, now get on."

He revved up the motor while I adjusted my position and then we sped off, I looked behind me and saw the man coming into the car park, watching us leave.

"That guy's watching us. Do you think he's a stalker or something?" I asked James, hoping that it was true, but knowing that it was impossible. James laughed grimly, "I wish, sweetheart. Someone knows about you."

I froze, feeling sick. Why hadn't I thought of that? It was so obvious.

"We need to know where your parents adopted you from." That was another thing, I was adopted. It was a closed adoption, so I didn't know a thing about it. I wasn't that bothered about it until now.

I swallowed, "Yeah, I guess so. Do you think it would be a good idea to show my parents my wings and tell them what happened on Saturday?"

"No, not yet. We don't know if they can be trusted yet, we need to be 100% sure."

My temper flared up, "Are you saying that my parents aren't trustworthy?" I said, angrily as we pulled into my street.

"No, I'm just saying that we need to be sure, that's all."

I saw his point and fell silent. We parked the Vespa into our driveway, "Keep your helmet on until we're inside the house." James said looking behind him to see if anyone was watching us.

We unlocked the door and went in, "Mum? We're home!" I called, Mum didn't work and she was normally home all day.

Mum came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a tea-towel, "Oh hey guys. Why are you home so early?"

"We came home as soon as the race finished. I won." I said, not feeling excited about my victory.

"Oh honey! Well done! What was your timing?" She said going into the kitchen again, we followed her, "9.8 seconds." I said, hoping Mum wouldn't notice how good my time was, "Wow! That's good isn't it? I don't really know what a good time is and what's not but it sounds good. We'll have to have some hot chocolate to celebrate. Dad's coming back early today so maybe we could have our hot chocolate with him!"

"Yeah that sounds great."

"James, would you like to stay for dinner? I could ring your mum up for you, if you'd like." Mum was crazy about James, she absurdly hoped that we would eventually get married one day.

"That sounds great, Mrs. Knight."

"James dear, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Celia?"

"Sorry, I keep forgetting... Celia."

My mum laughed, "You are really too sweet! I'm surprised you still don't have a girlfriend, James." She said looking suggestively from James to me and back again. We both blushed, "Not yet, Celia. I'm not for dating and all that. Going from one girl to the next doesn't sit right with me. I'd rather just wait 'til I'm old enough to marry and to find the right girl for me."

Mum looked appreciatively at James, "Why, James dear, that is such a good plan and so romantic!"

I rolled my eyes, wondering why mums could be so embarrassing, though somehow, I loved her all the more for it.

"Mum, James and I are going to be up in my room, 'kay?"

"Alright, sweetie, see you later." She said turning back to whatever she was baking.

James and I headed up to my room and slumped onto my bed, "Do you really think my mum could be evil?" I said looking sarcastically at James, whose face remained serious.

"We can only find out, Amelia Rose. We'll tell them about Saturday and show them your wings tonight, ask them where they got you."

"Wonder if they are bad and they try something on us?"

"I've made a few precautions, I took my dad's Swiss army knife for protection and I parked the Vespa outside your open lounge window, the one with the sofa right against the wall, so if we sit on that sofa if they try anything we can just hop out onto my Vespa and go someplace."

"Wow, You really thought this through, haven't you?"

"The moment I got back to my house on Monday, I thought that we should take precautions, so I also packed a few things and stashed them away in the cubby holes and boot of the Vepsa, you know, food and blankets etc. I don't want anything bad to happen to you."

"Thanks James." I whispered and hugged him, curling up on top of his chest, he put his arm around me.

"It's the least I could do after the way I treated you on Saturday."

"James. Will you quit talking about that, I said I've forgiven you!"

"No, you haven't."

"Ok, well I do now."

"Say it then. "

"Ok, Mr. Pedantic, I forgive you."

He smiled down at me, then the doorbell rang and I sprang up from my bed to get it, "I'll get it, Mum!"

James started to say something, but I had already rushed from the room.

I ran down the stairs and flung open the door, throwing my arms around my dad.

"Wow, what a greeting!" My dad said, returning my hug. I laughed, "Well, it's nice to see you home so early!"

James jogged down the stairs, "Hey, Mr. Knight."

"It's Harry, James."

"That's the second time today I've been told off for being polite."

"The first was Celia, wasn't it?"

"Yep, surprise, surprise."

They both laughed and we all went through to the kitchen, where Mum was preparing our hot chocolate, I saw a tray of chocolate chip cookies cooling off on a wire tray. I ran over and popped one in my mouth and threw a cookie over to James, who expertly caught it.

"Mia, really. I thought you would have grown out of this by now." Mum said, disapprovingly.

I smiled sweetly, knowing how to win over my mother, "Your cookies are just too irresistible, Mummy."

She gave me another look, but I could see that I had won her over. Again.

James chuckled and leaned over to whisper in my ear, "You manipulator."

I smiled, "At least I know how to."

James shook his head, still smiling, "Girls!"

Mum herded us into the lounge carrying at tray of cookies and hot chocolate, James and I went to sit down on the sofa that was in front of the open window. I found it especially hard to believe that my parents may be evil, but then again, I did think it was impossible to grow wings.

We talked for a little while and then I decided to take the plunge, "Mum, Dad, I think it's time for me to know where I came from and who my real parents are."

Mum looked a tiny bit offended, "Honey, aren't you satisfied with the life that we've given you?"

"No, Mum, really I love it with you guys and my real parents wouldn't really matter if it wasn't for my... my... um..." I stuttered to a stop.

James looked at me encouragingly and I decided to take the plunge, "My wings." I mumbled quietly.

"Darling, you know how I hate it when you mumble; you've got to speak up a bit." Mum said

"I said, "My wings.""

Mum and Dad looked at me as if I was crazy, "Are you feeling ok? Any nausea, dizziness?"

I smiled, "I know it might seem crazy, at first I thought that I was hallucinating, but they're real. I'll show you." I stood up and pulled my over-sized hoodie over my head and unfolded my wings, stretching them to their impressive 15 ft span. Mum and Dad both paled to unnatural shades of white and then Mum keeled over, landing unconscious onto Dad's lap, spilling her hot chocolate onto the cream leather sofa. Dad ignored all of this and just kept on staring at my wings, Mum came to and realised that the sofa was soaking and got up quickly and rushed to the kitchen to get a towel to mop up the mess.

When she had finished, I had had enough of waiting and, "This is why I want to know."