So, I'm on a roll with this story. This is my second chapter this week, though I usually do a chapter a week. I'll keep going with the roll, cause I got some serious plans.
Also, I'm holding a cute baby as I type this. ^.^ The blue eyes are watching you. O.O (How do you freaking put spaces after paragraphs in this? My lyrics are all screwed up, meh, and yes, I did write them myself, so no plaiger stickers)
Review, eat snacks, annnnd,
Pika, ya'll
Chapter 2: A Bloody Health Potion and a Good Start
(and some fainting damsels)
Angie came home with the sensation of thousands of little bubbles under her skin. She couldn't stop smiling and she practically skipped to the kitchen at six to make dinner for her and Cain. She hummed a nonsense song under her breath as she took out the ingredients for the casserole she was going to make for herself and the slab of meat for Cain. For his health, he only ate the meat in the bottom two drawers of the freezer. He told her it was a rare breed of boar known for its healthy antioxidants from all the berries it ate, but told her never to even taste it due to it was medicated. She had never been tempted, because it smelt awful to her. As she turned on the gas burner to cook it she made sure to put the paper clip she kept nearby to pinch her nose closed before turning to her own vegetable and salmon casserole.
Her godfather slipped in at the bar as she cut her carrots, laptop slipped under his arm. His leather wings rustled with the soft sound of large blankets being flapped against each other. He graced her with a small, fanged smile.
"How was school?" he asked.
"Marvelous!" she said, her voice a bit nasally due to her nose plug, but her godfather said nothing about it. "I read ahead in the topic matter so I had a pretty easy time understanding what the teachers were talking about, and I loved art class! I'm painting a picture for you, I hope you like it."
"I probably will." he said.
"And I've never seen so many mortals my age all in one spot! Except, everything seems different than how they are in the stories."
She flipped his steak over, watching the dark juices bubble.
"Did you keep a low profile?"
"Yep!"
"Tell me all the people you talked to."
"Okay, um…" it wasn't hard. She could count on her hand the number of people. "The teachers, only what was necessary, of course. The lunch ladies, and…" her stomach did a tiny squiggle of uncertainty. "A boy named Yugi."
Cain looked up sharply and she looked away with the intention of chopping up vegetables. She didn't want to meet his eyes, though she wasn't entirely sure why.
"Why do you know his name?" he asked, voice sharp.
"He just told it to me, I didn't ask."
"Why were you talking to him?"
"Well, I sort of accidentally dropped my food and he just kind of appeared to help me. He also leant me a pencil."
Cain snorted. "I don't like the sounds of him."
"I won't get friendly, I swear. Besides, he seems pretty harmless."
"They always appear like that."
"No really! He's really small and has these big eyes that could be from a cartoon. He also talks really quiet, I think he's shy."
Cain just grunted and started to type. Silently sighing in relief that she hadn't gotten in trouble for that small lapse in her promise, she loaded the steak onto a plate and set it next to his laptop. He said nothing as she turned back to load her minced vegetables and fish into a casserole dish and into the oven. She turned around and leaned against the counter, hands behind her back.
"So, how was your day?" she asked.
"Usual. Tiring." he took the fork and knife and started on his steak. "And I'm feeling rather weak. I need you to give me a sip tonight."
Her guts clenched as they often did when he said this. She thought that since it happened at least a few times a month she would have gotten use to it, but the whole procedure gave her chills and she didn't know when she'd get use to the pain. She tried not to let that all show, though. It was for Cain's health. If she had the same issues as him, she knew he'd do the same for her.
"All right. Now?"
"No. Eat first. You'll need it."
She nodded and, after checking the timer, she got her book bag by the door and went into the living room to work on her homework. She'd never had homework before, and she went at it like a child to some ice cream. It helped to distract her from what would come after dinner.
By the time the timer rang she had finished and she hopped up with Othello to her chest, the story they were studying for English. She had done her reading for the night, but she wanted to read ahead.
She ate her food slowly. To her relief, Cain didn't watch. His eyes stayed glued to the computer screen.
Unavoidably, she finished her food. She put hers and Cain's dishware in the dishwasher and put the leftovers of her casserole in the fridge for lunch tomorrow. Then, steadying herself, she turned around and forced a smile on.
"Okay. Where do you want me?'
"The usual."
She walked to the big leather sofa, trying to steady her nerves.
A minute later Cain clicked off his laptop and came over, leathery wings shifting as he walked. He gave her a tight lip smile and sat down next to her. Her hands started to sweat and she cursed herself. Every time. As casually as she possibly could, she leaned back against the couch (squashing her tied up wings in the process), closed her eyes, and tipped up her chin.
"Good." said Cain.
She couldn't hear him breathing as he leaned in and rubbed his nose briefly against her neck. Then he finally inhaled and she tensed as his fangs pressed against her skin.
Steady, she told herself. Steady.
Then he bit in.
A minute later, her heart racing and her head spinning with pain, he pulled back and rubbed his thumb over the wound, leaving nothing left by a white, crescent shaped scar. He graced her with a smile, not a trace of blood left on his lips.
"Good girl," he murmured, "thank you, my daughter. Now head to bed. It will help you make up for the loss."
"I'll be okay." she said, though when she stood her vision darkened a bit and her head felt light enough to float away. She said good night, did her best to grab her book bag without shaking, and made her way up the stairs to her room. She felt a little clammy as she finally made it to the top and had to lean against the bathroom doorway for a minute before she could drop off her school stuff and get into her large, walk in shower.
For the first time that day she untied the illusionary shawl on her back and let her wings out. They were ugly and grey as usual, with the feathers rather ruffled. Her bathroom was big enough for her to spread them out wide for a stretch. It felt so marvelous she almost felt back to normal. She flapped a bit, loving the feel of the muscles working.
The air moving through her feathers made her dream. She dreamed of the feel of the sun on her face outside in the cafeteria courtyard, how blue the sky looked, the smell of the open air. Though she loved everything about school, being outside without a care was by far her favorite. And tomorrow (she shuddered in anticipation), tomorrow she'd get to go out again.
One day, she thought, one day Cain would teach her how to fly, and oh what a marvelous day that would be. One day Cain would tell her her wings were finished growing and take her up into the mountains beneath the moonlight, with the clean air, the trees, the grass, the dirt…
She turned on a cold shower to help her head feel less light from the blood loss. She was so lost in her daydreams that she didn't notice the dark water running down the drain and into the water.
When she got out with a towel wrapped around her waist, feathers dripping, and a bottle of make up remover in her hand, she looked in the mirror to find her natural white-silver hair, untouched by the hair dye. She stared. Then dug out the hair dye box from the trash can. It had been a really good brand, and she had reread five times that it was suppose to be permanent for at least a month. But as she re-read the instruction booklet and the back, nothing said anything about the dye washing out after the first day. She looked back up at herself in the mirror in dismay. Silver eyebrows, same silver eyelashes, dripping with mascara.
She was going to need a lot more dye than she originally bought.
! #$%&^%^$%# !$%^
Yami and Joey munched out of a family size bag of Ruffles on Yugi's bedroom floor. Yugi bit his lip and shuffled the pages of penciled music staffs unnecessarily. The red on light of his keyboard intimidated him, where before it use to open up the magical quiet just for him.
The potatoes crunched loudly in that silence now.
"This first one I'm not entirely sure on," he said, still fidgeting with papers. "I mean, I'm no artist."
"Just play it." said Yami.
"Okay, um, do you want, uh, your parts individually first or the lyrics or-"
"We want you to play it." said Joey. "Whole thing, lyrics and all."
Yugi's neck felt hot. "Well, I can't play my part and yours at the same time...can I just read the lyrics off for you?"
"Good crap, we've heard you sing before, why are you acting like this?" said Yami, looking beyond annoyed. "Just go!"
With a flinch Yugi dropped the papers on the stand and put his fingers down on the keyboard. He already felt wet underneath his arms and between his legs from sweat. Telling himself over and over again that he'd played and sung for Joey and Yami before and that he was being an idiot, he took a deep steadying breath. Left hand on the end of the keyboard set up with synthetic drums and right hand on the top set at guitar, he put his foot on the pedal, and started. The drums started with a steady beat, willing him to just listen. His right hand moved on instinct when the right beat came and he felt his heartbeat steady.
The music. All he had to do was listen to the music. It didn't matter what anyone thought anymore
"Head in the clouds, don't want to come down, what's so great about earth," he started in his reedy tenor, "up here the sky is blinding blue with a wider heavenly berth."
In the pause before the first time through the chorus, he heard a potato chip crunched. His focused shattered and the intense feeling of stupidity returned. His fingers stumbled.
"What you stopping for?" asked Joey. "Sounded awesome."
Yugi ducked his chin to his chest, letting his bangs hide his eyes. "No it doesn't. The lyrics are stupid."
Yami's expression hardened into a look he often took on when he wouldn't be refused. His brother's stubbornness could be legendary. "Yugi, play."
He sighed, started up the drums again, and went from the top.
"Head in the clouds, don't want to come down,
what's so great about earth?
Up here the sky is blinding blue
with a wider heavenly berth.
But every time it rains
it all comes crashing down,
eyes still full of blue skies-and freedom
wailing at the clouds that let me down
let me down:
why?
How could it be better away from the weather
with more soul than dirt could hold?
The thrones, the thistles,
the heart breaking cold!
Even flowers and trees fade away.
But every time it rains
it all comes crashing down,
eyes still full of blue skies-and freedom,
wailing at the clouds that let me down
let me down:
why?"
Yugi crash his fingers on the guitars and drums, holding down the pedal tight and turning up the volume with his dexterous pinky.
"Why! Why! Why!" he sang, puncturing each why with a beat. Something within him no one ever saw and which he tried to ignore came up in those why's, and he could hear it. The sound made him clam up again and, without meaning to, he went down into a picasso when his music still went on in forte.
"Head in the clouds, don't want to come down,
what's so great about earth?
Up here the skies are always blue
and the sun's always out.
But wait...they aren't.
Cause every time it rains
it all comes crashing down,
eyes still full of blue skies-and freedom,
wailing at the clouds that let me down
let me down,"
Yugi drifted a bit as he repeated the chorus again, following the tinkling strums of the guitar on his keyboard. He wasn't entirely sure where his thoughts were when he ended on the last 'why,' but he recognized this feeling. It made him want to be alone. It made him want to shut everyone out, close the curtains, and hide in his shower till his skin wrinkled up and the hot water long gone cold.
He snapped out of his revere when Yami and Joey gave a holler, a chip in each hand raised in the air like a salute.
"Awesome!" said Yami.
"We're going to be rich!" crowed Joey.
"I can't wait till we can hear the song with your keyboard part."
Yugi, whose blood seemed to always coil so close to the surface on his face, blushed heatedly and smiled, just a little pleased. "You really think that was good?"
"No, I thought that was a tribute to Tea's laugh-yes I thought it was good! Are you freaking kidding me?" said Joey, clashing his chips together triumphantly. "It's so awesome I feel like getting up right now and driving to the junkyard! That carport is the ticket to our futures, guys!"
"Don't you think that's a little over the top?" said Yugi. "I mean, it's just a song…"
"But it's going to be our song, little brother." said Yami, smile proud. "And you've got something going on, for sure."
"Can't wait for tomorrow now. Junkyard day, junkyard day!" with a satisfied crunch Joey mashed both of his chips in his mouth and hummed in happiness.
"You got any more?" asked Yami.
"Uh, yeah, I got two more, but let me give you guys your music first."
Yami and Joey chattered through their chips happily about the song as they received the music Yugi had written up for each of their parts. The smallest boy, however, hid behind his smile.
For though the song had ended, the urge to run hadn't.
! #$%^&*&%^$# !$
The sun shone bright. Marik glared at where it made a square of painful brightness on the clean cement floor. If he was going to stay here till his wing healed, he would have to cover up that window sooner or later or risk getting burned. With a growl he turned back to the two bodies leaning against the wall underneath a poster of naked girls, clutching at their breasts. One of the dead men's bodies had no arms. Marik grunted to himself.
"I should have kept the other alive," he said to himself, "human goes bad so quickly. Maybe there's a fridge…"
He found the fridge in the corner, or what passed as a fridge. It was one of those cheap, tiny square one's used by college students. Annoyed, he kicked one of the dead mens' shoes and glared at their faces, as though the horrified expression permanently etched into their frozen faces had offended him.
"Didn't you have enough of a life to get a real fridge?" he kicked the shoe again and the armless man's head lolled onto his companion's shoulder. Marik flicked his wild blond hair over his shoulder with a aggravated flick.
"Whatever. You guys taste nasty anyway. Do all you eat is junk food and alcohol?"
They stared back at him glassily. He snorted and went to examine the rest of the basement apartment. Besides a messy bedroom with two mattresses on the floor, a small filthy bathroom, a counter kitchenette against the wall, and the main living room where the bodies sat, the apartment had nothing else. As he kicked through layers of dirty clothes and rotting food, Marik grew more and more angry and twitchier. Why did humans have to be so freaking, hell be damned filthy? He couldn't take this, he couldn't stay in a feceses infest animal hole like this!
The sun, however, didn't waver in its intensity through the window. He was stuck here.
Cursing up and down the alphabet, Marik dug underneath the bathroom sink and pulled out several dusty, cobwebbed bottles of cleaner and a large roll of black garbage bags. Testing each bottle to see if they worked, he left the bottles on the bathroom floor and went back to the leftovers of his previous meal. He snapped open a garbage vengefully as he glared down at them.
"You two aren't even worth snacking on."
And with that he ripped off their limbs with satisfying 'pops' and stuffed them into layers of layers of garbage bags. Then because he could no longer stand the scent of their dirty bodies (he was beginning to regret eating those arms), he dared to open the door and threw them out into the shady stairwell to take to the dump once the sun went down.
"Now I have to clean up after you." he snarled. "Did your mothers ever teach you how to clean up after yourselves? Damn pigs."
He slammed the door and went back to the bathroom where the cleaning supplies waited. At least he had something to do until the sun went down.
Soon, bags of the boys' reeking clothes joined them in the stairwell along with their smelly bedclothes. Then, with claws cracking and wings flapping, he cackled as he proceeded to bury their bodies and all they owned with the piles of trash they previously deemed livable.
As the room turned red with sunset, Marik stood where the blood had pooled from the disgusting humans with bleach in one hand and one of the boys shirts in the other, eye balling the pornographic poster on the wall. He cocked his head to the side, frowning.
"You'd think they'd come up with more attractive art." shaking his head, he tore down the poster, balled it up, and stuffed it into the most recent black bag. There was nothing more disgusting than human women, especially naked ones. Wingless, skin colored, posed in unnatural positions, lumpy-he gagged to himself. All this was doing a number on him. Those damn birds were going to die for the work they put on him, making him lower himself to the pits of human dwellings to take shelter from the day. He remembered his comfy shady loft on the top floor of an abandoned building in the suburbs and cursed them all the more. As he wiped at the blood and filth on the floor, he imagined it was his claws running through each stupid bird boy, feathers flying, their faces wracked with horror.
And then he'd wash down the bad taste of filthy human with that sweet, empowering blood of theirs.
As the sky turned a rich navy, Marik tied up the last bag and opened the door. Piles of garbage bags filled the stairwell, and his nerves sprung up. Filth and more filth. He couldn't stand it, he couldn't stand it, he couldn't stand it-blood pounded through his head, his eyes widened till he was sure they'd pop out of his head.
It had to go now, all of it, even if it took him all night. The dump was a few miles on the outskirts of town, though, and thinking about it made him stomp his feet on the ground like a child till his injured wing protested.
Then he heard voices and a growl of an engine.
His neighbors had come home. Two teenager girls, laughing, hands carrying in boxes of Bud Light with their hooped earrings gleaming in the streetlights.
And they had just closed the door to a bright red, beat up truck.
A wide, maniac smile spread across Marik's face.
"What a marvelous little truck, and it comes with dinner."
No better deal than that.
! #$%^&*(^%$# $%^
The next day at lunch, Yugi went to find Angie before Joey could follow him and tease him. He had had enough of that this morning when Yami and Joey had chosen to throw the now stale potato chips at him and chant her name. Those two really were horrible people.
She sat outside in her usual spot, a plastic tupperware in her hands and her fork in her mouth. She seemed to be thinking hard about something, eyes on the sky.
"Hey, Angie!"
Again she jumped and looked back at him. She looked paler than usual, if that were possible, but today her lips were caked with black lipstick. Her straight hair gleamed its usual blue-black in the sun.
She dropped her fork. "Yugi?"
"Do you want to sit with us?"
Her expression turned guarded and she stabbed her food in the tupperware.
"I can't. Sorry."
Yugi spirit deflated. He resisted the urge to slump.
"Why not?"
"I'm not suppose to catch attention." she said, almost hesitantly, "it's a long story."
"Well you'll catch less attention if you're not sitting all alone. The kids who sit out here come so they can gossip and smoke without the teacher's attention. Everyone will think you're one of them." When her eyes widened and her face blanched, he rushed to explain with, "it's not that I think of you that way or am trying to push you into doing anything or...dang it. Forget it. I'm sorry for bothering you."
He averted his eyes as he turned his back and went back to the door, where a Joey now waited with a certain smirk that always made Yugi want to punch him. When the smirk widened and he heard the tapping of feet behind him, he turned, heart leaping.
Angie had her tupperware clutched to her chest, eyes nervous. "Actually, can I…"
Then her eyelids drooped and she slumped to the ground. The fork in her hand tinkled as it hit the cement.
Yugi panicked. Joey jumped to his side, and the usual crowd in the courtyard fell silent.
"Angie!" he dropped and waved his hands like an idiot as he couldn't decide whether to touch her or not. "Can you hear me? Are you okay?"
"I think she passed out." said Joey, using two fingers to check her pulse. Her eyes fluttered open at his touch and she shot up, nearly breaking Joey's arm and Yugi's face in the process.
"Wha-what?" she blinked hard and looked around. Then, oddly, she reached behind her with both arms and didn't take a breath till she had felt something on her back.
Yugi picked up her tupperware (which was luckily closed before she dropped it), and handed it to her. "Are you okay?"
The courtyard had gone abuzz with mutterings. A few kids crowded in the doorway curiously.
"I'm fine." she said lowly.
"Oy, buzz off!" Joey yelled.
The students in the doorway and windows scattered. No one wanted their noses broken, or any other part of their body, for that matter.
"What happened?" asked Yugi. "Do you remember?"
"I'm fine. It happens all the time."
"All the time?" said Joey in disbelief. "Have you seen a doctor for this?"
"It's just my low-blood pressure. I got up too fast." picking up her fork with trembling fingers, she glanced around. Then, in nearly a whisper, she asked, "Yugi, how do I get them to stop looking at me?"
"They'll stop eventually."
"But...but now I stand out, don't I?"
If Yugi wasn't so worried about the fact that a girl had just fainted in front of him, he would have wondered how this standing out business was starting to sound like an obsession rather than a healthy reaction to being in a new school. "Just come sit with us. They'll talk for a few days, but they'll forget about you, especially if you're with me." Yugi smiled weakly. "I'm...not that popular."
"But I am," said Joey, busting a pose. He smiled happily when she giggled and moved to get to her feet.
"We should go before someone tells the teachers."
Too late. When they sat down inside against the windows, the hall monitor and a lunch lady trotted up.
"We heard a girl fainted, was that you?" the lunch lady leaned on her knees to look at Angie as though she were five. "Do you feel hot, dear? Eat enough?"
"You should go to the nurse." said the teacher.
Angie looked more than just embarrassed. She looked devastated. She said nothing, and Yugi felt obliged to explain to the adults that she just had low-blood pressure and got up to quickly. The teacher said something about his sister having that and she passed out occasionally as well before they'd leave.
Angie stared down at her tupperware, face hidden by hair. Yugi scrambled for something to say.
Joey beat him to it.
"What brings you to Domino high?"
She glanced up at him, raccoon expression thoughtful. Then, she blinked, and her mouth tipped into the first smile Yugi had seen for the first time. She opened up her tupperware. Something seemed to change about her demeanor, but Yugi couldn't put his finger on what.
"I've been homeschooled up until now and my godfather thought I'd enjoy public school for once."
Ah, homeschooled, that explained a lot.
"Godfather?"
"Yeah, my parents died when I was younger. Don't remember them, so don't feel bad." she took a bite of some of her fish, smile still in place.
! #$%&^*()*&^%$#
That was it. She was busted. Her promise was dust in the wind. Once the school day ended she'd be locked up back home, returned to her computer and books for knowledge, and never again would she be able to mingle with others in the sun.
So Angie figured it wouldn't hurt to enjoy herself. Since she had already broken her promise, falling into the temptation to talk with Yugi and his friends couldn't get her in more trouble than she already was.
Besides, she'd never see him again anyways.
She chatted with him and his tall, gangly blond friend, Joey. All her first impressions about Yugi proved to be right as he showed genuine interest in her, smiled kindly, and offered anything he could give to make her more comfortable. Joey was equally nice, but in a crude, sarcastic, silly sort of way. She liked him that way anyhow, for he made her laugh more than she could remember doing at one time. Cain wasn't the most humorous person to live with.
In art class, Yugi invited her to sit with him and his twin brother, who could have been his mirror image if it wasn't for the fact he was taller, fitter, and had sharp almond eyes the color of rubies. She tried to smile at him, but the fierce way his face was built in contrast to Yugi's reminded her too much of Cain on his off days, even though there was nothing cruel in the way he greeted and smiled at her. This man was kind, possibly as kind as Yugi.
She sat in-between them, her picture in front of her. She carefully dabbed at the clouds in the background. A large beautiful white bird, soaring through beams of sunlight peeking through the storm clouds, took up the center. Yami and Yugi watched her, their own paintbrushes, still full of paint, forgotten. A bit of green had started a steady drip onto Yugi's pant leg.
"Wow, you're good." said Yami.
"Woa." said Yugi.
"I am?" she said, feeling pleased. Cain had bought her paints when she was younger and bored so she'd leave him be to work. Since he gave her nothing to paint on, she had proceeded to paint on her walls. He rarely came up to her room, so he didn't say anything about it. With nothing else to do in the dark house, she painted her way to a world of sunlight, skies, and flight. She had recently turned to painting a forest in her walk in closet, which was empty due to she didn't have many clothes in the first place.
But she had never thought if she were any good or not. It wasn't like anyone would ever see.
"Where'd you learn to paint like that?" asked Yami, and Yugi nodded as though meaning to ask the same thing.
She shrugged. "I didn't have anything else to do. Being home schooled can get real...boring." she meant to say 'lonely' but changed it at the last second.
"So you just painted?" said Yugi.
"Among other things."
"Like what?"
Her chest felt so warm. She should be shy. All the kids she read about in books that didn't have lots of contact with people were, but she just felt elated. She loved this. She loved talking like this, sharing her thoughts, her opinions, having someone talk about her, being able to talk about someone else.
"Well, I got this really huge shower at home," she said, happily cleaning off her brush to start on the bird, "and it's really echoey, so since I was little I'd always sing in it. I don't know if I'm any good, though. Do you sing?"
"Do we sing." said Yami scathingly, and for a moment she was afraid she said something wrong. But then he beamed and how handsome his face looked threw her off. "Of course we do!"
"We have a band!" said Yugi, and when she saw how his smile lit up his face, she was surprised to see how much he mirrored his twins handsomeness, in a kinder, softer sort of way. This is the kind of person I'd want to be with when I'm sad, she thought then, that's the kind of person he is. But then she felt herself grow more excited.
"You have a band? Like, a real one?"
"What other kind is there?" asked Yugi.
She nearly dropped her paintbrush. "I love music! I've listened to so many bands on CD but I've never heard one in person-can you play for me?"
Yami and Yugi looked overwhelmed for a moment, both with their mouths opened. Seeing their shocked faces, she backtracked, certain that this time she really did say something wrong. She opened her mouth to apologize, but Yugi beat her to it.
"Sure! You can be the first one to hear us in our new premise."
"Premise?"
"We're cleaning out our parents garage." said Yami, suddenly looking distracted and looking back at his painting. "But we have to build a carport first for our stepdad's old junk car. Can you wait till then?"
She went to agree wholeheartedly, when she stopped, heart falling. Once this day was over…
Cain would never, ever, in her wildest dreams ever allow it.
She dipped her paintbrush in the light blue and went back to her bird. "Actually, I just remembered. I can't."
"Why not?" asked Yugi.
"My godfather. He'd never allow it."
"Are we too creepy?" asked Yami, as though the beginning of a joke.
"No, it's just…"
The art teacher dinged her bell, signaling time to clean up. Yugi realized his leg had a puddle of green all over it and yelped out a curse. Her and Yami laughed and whatever dark thought she was thinking faded from the front of her mind.
As they all packed up their supplies, Yami attempted to continue the conversation.
"No, really, you should come, " he said, "especially if you love music. You could sing for us too and we'll let you know if you're any good."
"Maybe you could even sing for our band!" said Yugi.
Yami glared and slung on his backpack. "I thought we already decided I was singing."
Yugi wilted. "I'm not saying you're not any good, Yami, it's just…"
"What? Come on. Say it, I know what you're thinking."
Yugi winced. "You can't play guitar and sing at the same time, and also the leg thing."
"What leg thing?"
And then the bell rang, signalling the end of class. Angie felt the incredible happiness inside her melt away. Two more periods without these kind people and she'd be back home, back to the darkness.
She picked up her book bag.
"You know, the leg thing, with the tapping and the boots and the-augh, fine, it's not that bad."
"There wasn't a problem with it in the first place!"
She lingered, wanting to hear more. These people were real. They weren't voices coming out of a book or a screen. These twins were fascinating, their friend funny, this world so big and bright.
She hesitated as she slipped her half done bird away into the art classroom's storage cubby. So high in the sky, so close to the sun…
She felt her wings against her back.
She felt the scar on her neck, hidden by hair, give an echo of pain. Cain said it was dangerous out here for her. She was an ugly, mutated mistake without being related to the daemons. Wings were one thing, but she...if the twins ever knew, heck, if anyone ever knew, then she couldn't say what would happen. Cain would have to abandon her for his safety, probably. Then she'd really be alone, with who knows what the mortals would send out at her.
To fly, but oh, what about to be normal?
"I already said you can sing, I'm not going to take your spotlight."
"This has nothing to do with spotlight, it's just annoying how you keep hinting I should sing when you're too afraid to do it yourself. That's it, I'm tying you in front of a mirror and getting Joey-"
"Oh, come on!"
"Nope, the treatment is coming. You've pushed me to far."
"Yami!"
She pushed her painting the rest of the way, a sense of hope and fear rising in her at the same time. But she shouldn't be worried. She would get the chance to finish this painting, as well as listen to the twins and laugh with Joey again. The teachers would answer her questions about the world without discriminating, as she read they were trained for, and the library would always be open to her. The paints would never run out, and each lunch she would go outside and sit in that beautiful, warm, bright sun.
"Angie, what's your next period? I'll walk with you."
She smiled at Yami, who stood besides his smaller, scowling twin.
Yeah. The lie would be worth it.