Chapter Nine:

I hope:

Day 4: Night fall:

Behind me leaves crunched. My body froze.

A soft, so soft it was hard to hear, whisper of a voice I know felt like sandpaper against my skin, asked:

"What are you?"

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"Max… are those... wings?" she asked. "Legit wings?"

I didn't answer her. Fear and anger surged through my body where I was balling up my fists. I'm so freaking stupid! I was just thinking early how fixing our friendship won't work because I can't let her know about my wings, but now... hell now she knows and it's my entire fault and that makes me angry. Just angry at myself. At this thought my mouth forms into a tight line and I refuse to look at her. I just want this to all go away.

"Max! Are you going to answer me anytime soon?" Joy demands with an edge of panic wiggling beneath the surface.

"Joy. If you see wings, then yes I have them." I said cold.

"Don't do that. Don't shut me out like that." She snapped. Quieter this time she asked. "Are they real... or do you have some freaky fantasy about being a bird girl or something?"

I eye the ripples in the water as I answer her. "Oh yes Joy. I buy costume wings, carry them around with me and when no one is around put them on all because I want to be a damn bird girl. You found out my deepest secret, what shall I ever do?"

"And there's the Max language. Sarcasm." She mutter.

"They're real." I said flat, ignoring her jab.

"Okay... how? For how long? Did you have them even when we were friends? Can you fly? Is this why you stop being my friend? Do you eat bird food? Are there others like you-?"

The questions just poured out of her and I had a feeling if I didn't cut in she'll keep popping them out. Soon I'd be swimming in a flood of overwhelming questions that I won't be able to stop… or answer.

"I was born with them!" I shout over her, sufficiently cutting her off.

And it worked. She fell quiet insanely fast.

"I was born with them Joy so yes I had them when we were friends and before that. I'm sorry."

"Oh god. I need to sit." She said plopping down on the ground like her legs were incapable of carring her.

I singed and joined her, feeling kind of dizzy myself, "And… yes it's also why I stopped being your friend. I didn't, still don't, want you to get hurt."

"But how could you having wings hurt me?" she ask the grim question that I suppose I'll have to answer now.

"Well…"

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"Hey mom I'm home!" I shout upon entering my house.

The blinds were drawn shut. The lights off looking like a dingy cave.

Um, hm ...

"Mom?"

I threw my bag by the shoes contemplating on where the hell my mom was and why the whole house was drenched in darkness like some horror film.

I found her in the kitchen moments later and I knew something was wrong. She was sitting at our round kitchen table. Her hair was crazed into a rats nest, all hair and sticking up. There was a wad of used up tissues, messily crumbled in a pile next to her.

"Mom?"

My voice spooked her. She jumbled with the tissues and squeaked, turning in her seat. "Max you scared me!"

"Yeah… I could tell. What's going on?"

She looked like she'd been crying. The shell around her eyes were red, and swollen. Also, her cheeks were blotchy and tear stained. "And why are you crying?" seeing your mom crying was by far the worst thing you'll ever see. You just hate seeing the person who raised you, and who's the strongest person you know condense to tears.

"Max. Have a seat." She spoke softly.

I slowly lower myself into the free seat across from her and waited in silence.

"He's back." She sibilated.

I looked at her blankly. Confused as to who the "he" was, "Um, who's back?" I asked.

"Your father."

I sucked in a breath. My dad? I love my mother, but I honestly hate my dad. The hate I had for him was raw and real. Kids have faux "hate" for their parents for tons of reasons. You wanted a car for your sixteenth birthday but they'd said no might be one of them. My hate, however, was real. I didn't hate him because he said no to a shinny new car, but I hated him for giving me wings, experimenting on me like some worthless lab rat, and broke my mom's heart into tiny pieces. I haven't spoken to him in years. Why now?

"What?" I hissed.

"He called a few days ago. He's in town and wants to visit you. Max, your dad wants to rekindle your relationship."

I blew a fuse. "He can't do that!" I slammed my fist on the tabletop, shaking it from the strength I have.

My mom wince "I'm sorry but there's nothing I can do."

"Why can't you do anything?" I ask feeling any hope my mom could get me out of this dawdling away.

Deject was writing all over her face as she shook her head. "Max I took you and ran. I never got full custody of you. Having the court involved now would be a horrible thing after what I did. They would chew me up and spit me back out. We'll playing by his rules, like always."

I look away, angry tears spring to my eyes, "Can't you get full custody of me now?"

"No. I don't think so. I'm still married to the monster." She mutter.

This was awful!

"Max there's more." She said.

I jerk my head up, "What? How can they be freaking more?"

Great. She's rubbing her forehead with the heel of her palm. When she does that, you know what's coming next is going to be worse then finding out your favorite television show was canceled for eternity. It was my mom's signature move.

"I'd agreed for you to spend the weekends with him -"

"You what?"

"You have to understand I couldn't say no."

"Bull." I growl.

"It's true! I have more so please don't interrupt me again." She said.

I nod. "Fine. Go on."

Even though I really didn't wanna hear this anymore.

"Jeb purchased a house down here so he could be closer to you because according to him he misses you and wants to renew you and his relationship. I don't trust him or his words, so I had a… friend, take a peek in his information. He found a few things. Jeb isn't living alone, but he bought the house with a few other friends who are also scientist."

"Oh god, really?" I ask, sick to my stomach.

She nods. "Yes. I couldn't say no, but you have to promise me that you'll be on your toes when you're with him at all times. I don't trust him Max. Can you promise me?"

"Okay. I promise. I don't trust him either." I agreed. "Um, mom?"

"Max?"

"What about Joy? It's hard enough with my wings, but now that my psycho dad's back, would it be wise to stay friends?"

My mom reached over clasping my hand in a tight grip. "Max if you truly love Joy, then you shouldn't. I don't know what your father has up his sleeves, but something just doesn't feel right."

I frown. "I was afraid you were going to say that."

And it sucks that she was right.

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"… And that's what made me decide we couldn't be friends. It was too risky."

"Did you think for one minute that I should have been the on to make that decision?" she ask, sour the sole emotion in her voice amidst others… sad, anger, hopelessness.

I rub my neck. "You might have not -"

"Don't say that I mighta not choosing wisely. I should have decided taking the risk to being your friend or not."

I twiddle my fingers. "I know, but at the time I really did think I was doing the right thing."

"I can understand that." she said. "Honesty, if I was in your place I would have done the same thing."

Slightly, I smile. "Yeah?"

She nods. "Yeah. Don't get me wrong I'm still furious as hell with you, but at least I know you have a legit reason. My minds cooked up so many different reasons, none good."

I snort. "Like having wings and a psycho dad is good."

"No… but I've thought of things like you thought you were too good for me." She slid a glance towards me. "So, how?"

I didn't have to ask her to elaborate, I knew what she wanted to know.

"I was actually born this way," I started. "My mom and Jeb got together in college. She was there to become a vet and Jeb, a science. Well, when the two got together, it was like love at first sight for the both of them I suppose -"

"You think otherwise?" Joy asked.

I shrug. "Yeah. I think all Jeb was doing was looking for a women to cook the baby he wanted to wing. The love and other stuff was just a lie. My mom fell for it. Jeb, smart as hell, concoct some kind of fluid which he gave to me by giving her a shot. It worked too." I shook one of my wings as if I had to prove it.

"But like she agreed to that?" Joy asked, disgusted.

"Well… no not at first. She didn't think it was right, but I think underneath that she was kind of itching to know more. After all she is a vet, and she's also always had a interest for birds. Jeb picked a perfect women to scheme that's for sure."

"It obviously worked, the shot I mean."

"Yeah it did. I was born 98% human and 2% bird. Total success." I added the last bit sarcastically.

"You can you know fly and all?" her eyes darted to a part of my wing that was still on for show. "In the sky."

I nod. "Yep. I can fly… in the sky."

She laughed. "Yeah. That was a stupid question."

I shrug. "No, not really. It's a lot to take in. The last part of the story is a little bit more dark. Jeb, my dad, started to experiment on me. From the time I was an infant to when my mom took me and ran, at the age of four."

"Oh my god, your own dad would do that to you?" she whisper, like its too harsh for even the trees to hear.

"Yeah."

"Are there more of you?" she asked then.

I was about to say no there wasn't but the tiny boy flashed brightly in my head like a neon sing. I answered her honestly. "I don't know. I think so."

"You don't know? God, I can't believe this. Am I the only one that knows this?"

I nod. "Other then my dad, his freaky buddies and my mom, yes."

She nods "And I can't tell anyone, right?

"Right." I agree.

"So, what about us then?"

"I still think it's too risky but I haven't spoken to my dad in almost two years. He did try to fix us, but I'm as stubborn as you get, and then one day he just leaves to do something work related but that doesn't mean I've seen the last of him."

"Max, I'm a big girl, let me decide, please?"

I look at her thoughtfully. "Are you really willing to be friends with me again after what I did?"

"I've never stopped considering you my best friend Max. It might take some time to trust you again but I've really missed you."

"I only did it for your safety." I whisper.

"I know. We can give us a clean slate. You just have to promise that you won't push me away again even if you think it's for my own good."

I nod. "I promise."

It was a promise I intend to keep too.

She shook her head, lifting a single pinky in the air. "Pinky promise."

I grin, looping my pinky with hers. We shook on it.

Friends again.

Fixed - 7/11/12

This chapter is kind of short, but hopefully still good.

:)