Alright readers! Here's Rex!

Enjoy!

O~O~O

Chapter Five: Rooftop Small Talk

Rex's P.O.V.

As I sit on the roof of my apartment building, I feel a soft breeze from the west. I look up and I see the sun beginning to set and the sky turn into shades of golden yellow, light orange and pink colors. I didn't realize that I had stayed out here so long. I had spent the entire day on the roof just thinking.

'They all must be hanging out by now. I wish I was carefree as them…'

A lot of things had happened in the past year…a lot of things that no one else can understand.

I take off my black trench coat. Now that I think about it, all I need is a fedora and I would look a lot like Madden's dad. I toss it down on the ground revealing the harness I have strapped across my back and chest. The harness is what's constraining my wings. Yeah I know, wings…I couldn't believe it at first but they're real.

I take off the harness and let my wings stretch. I have wingspan of at least 10 feet and cast long shadows that outline my dark gray feathers. I turn my head and I look around to see if anyone was looking; standing at the edge of the building I begin to get some ideas…

'Maybe I should…but I've never tried that before…but then again I have no other way of knowing…well, here goes nothing…'

I jump off the roof and I continue to make a plunging dive, almost certain that I was going to hit the pavement. But suddenly I spread out my wings and make a sharp pull upwards toward the dark evening sky.

'I'm flying! I'm actually flying, I can't believe it!'

Suddenly I was losing altitude and remembered that I had to continue flapping my wings. I move my wings up and down and then I was ascending up again. I leaned to my left and I turn, realizing that I was circling my apartment building. I soar higher up, almost so high I could touch the clouds. I dip my wings into it and feel the moist, water vapors. I look up at the sky and notice the stars and quarter moon.

'Stars, moon…crap! I got to get back. I'm gonna be late and busted.'

I flew back towards the apartment and secured my harness back on. I was pulling on my trench coat when all of a sudden I hear to roof door open. I was surprised to see that it was Dad.

"Hey, son…"

"Uh, hey Dad," I reply as I finally pull my arm through the sleeve of the trench. "What's up?"

"Your school called today," he says, cutting the small talk and getting to the point. His voice was questioning and full of authority. "They said you were absent. You were also absent a couple days the other week. What's going on? Why have you been absent lately?"

I was speechless at first. I didn't know what to say. I've been absent before and he never questioned it. But then again my attendance record hasn't been so hot…

"Mom, didn't tell you? I was sick before. I was coming down with a fever this morning," I told him. I couldn't look him in the eyes. I knew he had this stern look on his face trying to scrutinize whether or not I was telling the truth. But then again, I was telling the truth. I was coming down with a fever…and a back ache. My theory for this occurring was probably because my wings were continuing to sprout.

I take a quick glance up and see him have that look on his face.

'Ouch, burn…'

His look softens just a bit and then he places his hand on my shoulder.

"Listen, son. I'm not going to interrogate you. I just wanna know what's up. I, uh, I want us to have a talking…relationship. So if there's anything going on," he says choosing his words carefully, "You can, you can come to me…I'm, uh…I'm here for you." With that he gives me a slap on the shoulder that stings, a lot.

I give him a small smile as I reach up and rub it.

'He's never been good with small talk. It's Mom who usually does this. I wonder why she's not giving me the pep talk this time.'

As if she read my mind, Mom makes her way through the door. She looks between Dad and me. "Hey, you two… I hope I'm not interrupting anything…"

"Hey Mom."

She smiles at me and pulls my father away. They walk a few feet away and I begin to hear bits of the hushed conversation.

"John, did you ask him if-"

"Yes, I did already Shayera, I-"

"And did you tell him-"

"Yes-"

"Uhh…Mom, Dad, it's getting kinda cold out here. Can we go inside now?"

They turn their heads toward me and end their "private" conversation. We all make our way towards the door. Dad walks in first and makes his way towards the room. I notice Mom lingering behind a bit.

"Hey, Mom what's up?"

She folds her arms across her chest and looks at me with the same piercing green eyes I have. "Your father isn't the only one you can talk to." She quickly tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear before continuing. For a minute, she looks concerned and vulnerable. This is kind of scary for me. I mean, my mom isn't the type to cry or be soft. She always tackled things head on and even when we have our pep talks she was usually serious.

I wrap my arms around her in an embrace. I was as tall as Dad now and she was seemed so small and delicate in my arms. It was as if I was the one who had to comfort her instead of it being the other way around.

"It's okay, Mom. I know I can always talk to you…"

'But not about this, Mom. We can talk about everything except this. This is something you can never understand…"

O~O~O

Aww…a little bit of a family fluff in this chapter. Anyways, now we know what's been bothering Rex. So what does this mean for the rest of the group?

Read & review plz!