more, and I let my worries slip away for a while. But eventually, the fun came to an end.
Adam and Sierra were the last of my friends to leave. The three of us stood on the front lawn, and Sierra gave me a giant hug. “No car, huh?”
“Not yet.” I forced a chuckle. Getting a car was the least of my worries right now.
Her green eyes sparkled. “Guess I’ll be picking you up Monday morning for school.”
“Yes! Even if I had gotten a car, I wouldn’t want to miss riding with you.” I spotted Ian standing by her car. “Ian’s waiting.”
She looked in his direction. “I know. I still can’t believe it. He’s so incredible.” She sighed. “Happy birthday, Ry. I love ya.” She squeezed me again.
“Love you, too.”
I watched as she practically skipped to the car. She looked so carefree and happy. I hoped Ian would treat her better than Trent had. I didn’t want to see her get hurt again.
Adam pulled me close to him and whispered into my ear, “Happy birthday.”
“Not for much longer. It’s almost midnight.” I stared up at the full moon. It was mysterious, secretive. I wondered what else was out there that was kept from humans.
“Are you sure you’re okay? You’re acting off lately, as if something’s bothering you.” Adam’s brow was knitted together, his eyes darting over my face as if searching for answers.
“I’m fine, just a lot on my mind lately. My parents are already bugging me about my future and college. I guess it’s just starting to get to me. The unknown…you know what I mean?”
“Not really. That seems like light years away to me.” He winked. “Enjoy the moment. I’ll deal with that other stuff when it gets here. You need to relax, Ry, you get stressed out too easy.”
“You’re right. Let’s enjoy a few more moments before my parents make you leave.” I tilted my head, closed my eyes, and felt his lips on mine. Why couldn’t everything be this perfect?
I turned to go inside after Adam drove away and came face-to-face with Azura.
Closing my eyes and sighing, I snapped, “I don’t want to deal with this right now. We can talk tomorrow.”
She started to speak, but I hurried inside and slammed the door before she could get a word out.
“Everything okay?” Dad asked. He was on the couch in the living room, a gun and ammo magazine open on his knee. “You look upset.”
“Yeah. Just don’t want to deal with the lady outside.”
His jaw clenched. “She’s still here?”
“Yup, she doesn’t seem to take no for an answer.”
“Maybe I should go speak to her again?” There was a note of amusement in his voice. I bet he’d like to yell at her again.
“I told her I didn’t want to talk tonight.” I kissed Dad’s cheek. “Thanks for the party. I’m going to go up to my room and think about things.”
His face grew sympathetic. “You sure?”
“Yeah.” I climbed the stairs to my room. After closing the door, I stood there trying to decide whether or not I wanted to look in the mirror. I couldn’t avoid it forever. I reached the mirror and studied my reflection. If I covered my ears and didn’t pay attention to the wings, I still looked like me. I didn’t like the ears at all, but the wings were kind of neat.
I reached behind me and touched them again. A soft giggle escaped my lips. It tickled just a bit. It felt good to touch them, almost like an ache that needed to be rubbed. I concentrated on moving them and let them flutter a few times. I was amazed at how quiet they were. For the first time, I wondered what they were for…could I actually fly? Or were they just for show?
I made them flap as hard as I could and jumped, but my feet fell immediately back to the floor. “Hmmm. What good are wings if you can’t fly? Maybe I need pixie dust,” I said to myself, once again thinking of Tinkerbell.
I grabbed the brush off my dresser and ran it through my long blonde hair until all the knots were out. Yawning, I stepped into a
Adam and Sierra were the last of my friends to leave. The three of us stood on the front lawn, and Sierra gave me a giant hug. “No car, huh?”
“Not yet.” I forced a chuckle. Getting a car was the least of my worries right now.
Her green eyes sparkled. “Guess I’ll be picking you up Monday morning for school.”
“Yes! Even if I had gotten a car, I wouldn’t want to miss riding with you.” I spotted Ian standing by her car. “Ian’s waiting.”
She looked in his direction. “I know. I still can’t believe it. He’s so incredible.” She sighed. “Happy birthday, Ry. I love ya.” She squeezed me again.
“Love you, too.”
I watched as she practically skipped to the car. She looked so carefree and happy. I hoped Ian would treat her better than Trent had. I didn’t want to see her get hurt again.
Adam pulled me close to him and whispered into my ear, “Happy birthday.”
“Not for much longer. It’s almost midnight.” I stared up at the full moon. It was mysterious, secretive. I wondered what else was out there that was kept from humans.
“Are you sure you’re okay? You’re acting off lately, as if something’s bothering you.” Adam’s brow was knitted together, his eyes darting over my face as if searching for answers.
“I’m fine, just a lot on my mind lately. My parents are already bugging me about my future and college. I guess it’s just starting to get to me. The unknown…you know what I mean?”
“Not really. That seems like light years away to me.” He winked. “Enjoy the moment. I’ll deal with that other stuff when it gets here. You need to relax, Ry, you get stressed out too easy.”
“You’re right. Let’s enjoy a few more moments before my parents make you leave.” I tilted my head, closed my eyes, and felt his lips on mine. Why couldn’t everything be this perfect?
I turned to go inside after Adam drove away and came face-to-face with Azura.
Closing my eyes and sighing, I snapped, “I don’t want to deal with this right now. We can talk tomorrow.”
She started to speak, but I hurried inside and slammed the door before she could get a word out.
“Everything okay?” Dad asked. He was on the couch in the living room, a gun and ammo magazine open on his knee. “You look upset.”
“Yeah. Just don’t want to deal with the lady outside.”
His jaw clenched. “She’s still here?”
“Yup, she doesn’t seem to take no for an answer.”
“Maybe I should go speak to her again?” There was a note of amusement in his voice. I bet he’d like to yell at her again.
“I told her I didn’t want to talk tonight.” I kissed Dad’s cheek. “Thanks for the party. I’m going to go up to my room and think about things.”
His face grew sympathetic. “You sure?”
“Yeah.” I climbed the stairs to my room. After closing the door, I stood there trying to decide whether or not I wanted to look in the mirror. I couldn’t avoid it forever. I reached the mirror and studied my reflection. If I covered my ears and didn’t pay attention to the wings, I still looked like me. I didn’t like the ears at all, but the wings were kind of neat.
I reached behind me and touched them again. A soft giggle escaped my lips. It tickled just a bit. It felt good to touch them, almost like an ache that needed to be rubbed. I concentrated on moving them and let them flutter a few times. I was amazed at how quiet they were. For the first time, I wondered what they were for…could I actually fly? Or were they just for show?
I made them flap as hard as I could and jumped, but my feet fell immediately back to the floor. “Hmmm. What good are wings if you can’t fly? Maybe I need pixie dust,” I said to myself, once again thinking of Tinkerbell.
I grabbed the brush off my dresser and ran it through my long blonde hair until all the knots were out. Yawning, I stepped into a