In the kitchen Warren was preparing sandwiches when he father walked in and got a drink out of the fridge.
He didn't look at his son as he spoke "How is your back?"
"Uh, fine now that Peyton patched it up" he answered. You don't care he thought bitterly.
"Is she staying here?"
"Yes sir" Angel said in a monotone voice. I bet you're pleased about that.
"For how long?"
"I told her she could stay for as long as she wants" Angels voice trailed off, I wish she'd stay forever.
His father started to walk out of the kitchen but stopped and looked at his son for the first time since they had started to talk "Warren, for God's sake put a shirt on, strap those things up"
"Yes sir" Warren answered and his wings twitched, it hurt him so much that his father did this, Why can't you just accept me this way?
His father left the kitchen and he finished making the sandwiches, he a two cans of coke out of the fridge and carried it all back in to Peyton. She had picked to watch "War of the Worlds", Warren placed down the food and drinks then put on the DVD. He sat down next to Peyton and handed her a sandwich, he had made chicken lettuce and mayonnaise.
"Oh, um, Warren I'm vegetarian" she said.
"Oh sorry I should have asked you, let me make you something else" he said trying to take the plate off her but she just laughed.
"Just kidding" she said with a smile taking a bite out of her sandwich. Warren laughed and sat back down.
They didn't actually watch too much of the movie they spent most of the time talking and laughing. By the time they decided to go to bed it was well past 3 in the morning. Warren walked Peyton to the guest room.
"I better get you some warmer clothes to wear to bed" Warren told her "there is a bathroom over there if you want to have a shower or anything ok? I'll just get you something to wear"
Peyton nodded and Angel walked towards his room, she watched him and sighed then walked over to the bed and collapsed onto it. She smiled and played with her hair. What a night! She thought He is such a good guy, I'm so glad I met him.
After waiting for a while Peyton decided to go look for Warren she walked along the hall and into the room she had seen Warren go into earlier. He was sitting down next to his wardrobe with his back to her, his wings were strapped to his back. Peyton walked a little closer and looked over his shoulder to see what he was doing. He was looking through a pile of photos, it was his father and a boy who Peyton assumed was Warren when he was little.
She cleared her throat a little to let him know she was there. He jumped and turned looking up at her. His eyes were red and he had tears streaming down his face.
"Peyton!" he said wiping his eyes trying to hide his tears from her but she had already seen it and was kneeling by his side. She put her hand on his cheek and looked at him with sympathetic eyes.
"Warren, what's wrong?" she said stroking his face.
"It's nothing, sorry I got distracted here take what you want out of the closet" he said trying to get up but Peyton stopped him and looked him in the eye. Warren just sat there for a minute looking at her trying to hold it in but his eyes started to well up with tears again, "He hates me." Warren said with a look on his face that broke Peyton's heart "He is ashamed of what I am, ever since he found out I had… I had these things" he spat in disgust "He has never looked at me the same. When I was younger we used to do stuff together, like we would go play football together and he would take me to baseball games, even with his job he always made time for me. Now he doesn't even look at me unless they are well hidden, he wants me to keep to myself, he wants me to be normal."
"Oh Warren" Peyton said, she had tears in her eyes too and she held his hand and squeezed it for support.
"I wish I could get rid of them but no matter what I do they grow back." He looked down at their joined hands.
"Wh-what do you mean?"
Warren closed his eyes and breathed in deeply then went on "Ten years ago, my mutation started, my back felt weird so I went into the bathroom, took off my shirt and looked in the mirror. I had little wings coming out of my back. I was terrified about what was happening to me but it scared me even more about what my dad would think so I tried to get rid of them. I clipped all the feathers off and cut off everything up to here" he pointed to a certain part of his wings "Then I filed the rest off. Dad came to the door and started yelling at me to let him in I tried to hide it but he got in before I could get rid of the scissors and stuff. I told him I was sorry and he just stood there with this look on his face, I will never forget it. He didn't hug me and tell me everything would be ok he didn't even try to stop me from crying, he just stood there with that look and said 'Not you too' while I cried my eyes out. They grew back, even bigger within the next week, it's never been the same since"
"Warren, your father…" Peyton started but Warren cut in before she could say anything.
"Peyton don't, please, I know he cares about me, he does, but not the way he used to. I would give anything to get rid of these things so he would treat me the way he used to"
Peyton wiped her eyes then took Warrens face in her hands and awaywiped his tears as well "Warren, listen to me" she said looked him in the eye and continued "There is nothing wrong with your wings, they aren't a curse they're a gift" Warren snorted at her words "I mean it, Warren" as she spoke she moved forward and started to undo his straps, he let her do it but didn't seem to want her to let them out "they are special, Warren, and so are you, promise me you wont ever forget than ok?"
He looked at her and smiled, he stretched his wings out so they were fully opened. Peyton couldn't believe it, only hours ago they had been singed and black but now they were white and beautiful again. Peyton smiled at him "See, amazing!"
Finally Warren laughed "Thank you Peyton"
"No problem" she smiled softly "Now are you going to get me something to wear or what, I'm getting cold"
Warren laughed and stood up, he turned and opened his closet and let Peyton get something out. She picked out a jumper, it was really big on her which was good because Warrens pants were all too big for her.
She came out of the bathroom and saw that Warren had fallen asleep on her bed, Peyton smiled softly and walked towards him. She sat down on the bed next to him and stroked his hair. Eventually she lied down next to him, put her head on his chest and fell asleep.
