~Magic world from the sky~

Prologue: Inciting Incident

Beau Papandeha

And the searing pain ripped across my cheek. It stung immediately, like the attack of a bullet ant. I knew for a fact the bruise left behind would be murderous.

" Do you understand me, Beau?" 'her' gold voice hissed at me. She looked me up and down, crouched low on the ground as if I were a roach. A grotesque deformity she couldn't believe was her grandchild.

That stare hurt, her swirling green orbs attacking me silently, but after 19 years of it all, you get used to being ' that' girl.

" Yes, Madam" I cringed. Feeling the bruise move on the skin of my cheek as it ached after each word I spoke. Why did she have to hit me in the same place she did a day ago, out of spite?

" Now go, you wretched girl!" Grandma swung her arms out. I hurried to my feet and nearly ran out of the main parlour and out of the estate quickly. I couldn't risk not getting out fast enough and enduring another beating. My cheek started aching again, but to hell if I stopped for a second to check on it. I couldn't stop until I was out of the reach of that woman. Somewhere where she couldn't stretch and grab me with her long, spindly fingers and wretched black nails.

I briskly walked and only stopped when I was far, far away from the compound and Into the streets. Then did I brush my fingers over the blatant red handprint on my cheek. There was no way I could hide it. 

My shoes clacked on the brick and pavement of the bustling city. People buzzed by with their eyes buried in their phones and feet moving quickly, almost as if they were gliding above the pavement. The hustle and bustle of the city had always fascinated me, it was nothing like the slow suburbs I'd lived in my whole life. I guess since I had made my way to the city, I could do something before I had to hurry home for sunset.

I gripped the sides of my loose joggers and trudged forwards through the mass of people walking the opposite way, instinctively clutching my purse. Furthermore, I wasn't making that mistake again, that beating was the most brutal I'd had in months. The people parted obediently as I passed, just gliding past me, unbothered by my presence. I was almost relieved. No one noticed me the slightest bit.

I scurried though, the sun would not stay in the sky forever, if I wasn't home by sunset the handprint on my cheek would be the far least of my worries.

I reached my destination almost instantly, the smell of pollen and earthy soil easing up my nostrils like a pleasant guest invited for tea. Fullime plant shop or as I love to call it, Fullime Heaven.

I hastily split through the glass door with swirly wight flowers painted on the very corner leading the eyes of the viewer to the wonderfully wooden carved handles, making sure to wipe my feet dirt free on the doormat. Despite being a place that sold plants, they were adamant about keeping the floor pristine.

Inside, the inviting smell become stronger, but never overpowered the warm scent of flowers and soil. I immediately spotted him. Gasha Ghiglione. My secret crush. He was facing away from me and pruning some strawberry bushes that decorated the division between the indoor greenhouse and outdoor fruit orchard area. The handprint became heavy on my cheek again.

"Gasha!" I Instinctively shot out. Reaching my hand to almost touch him. He snapped his head back at first in question and almost alarm but his features soon softened after seeing me. With tan skin and almost yellow eyes, Gasha was the most beautiful man I had ever seen.

" Beau, it's been a while since you last came" He smiled, eyes just glancing at my cheek. I decided to ignore it, ignoring his gaze was the best thing I could do. I'd been coming here for months and the routine of ignoring my injuries was the best thing the both of us could do.

" yeah, I was grounded for a month "I rubbed the back of my neck embarrassed. He must have been laughing on the inside. I was already 20 years old and I had been grounded!

Gasha just smiled weakly as if he secretly knew what the word' grounded' meant for me.

" do you want to help water the plants?" he handed me a watering can he seemed to whip from out of nowhere. My eyes shot out wide. " of course, how dare you ask! "I grabbed it from his fingers and darted out the open door into the fruit tree orchard, spilling water almost everywhere. I Loved everything about the plants. I'd do anything to have my own plant but 'she' wouldn't let me.

Gasha laughed meekly, rushing the opposite way to the janitorial closet to grab a mop and bucket. I Watered as many plants and dwarf fruiting trees as I could before the can ran out of water and I shot back inside to fill it up, making sure to wipe my shoes thoroughly on the way in. " slow down, I Just mopped the place" Gasha grinned, running out back to man the register as a customer swept into the shop.

" oh, good evening Beau" Mr. Catchup smiled at me after noticing me waiting for the can to fill eagerly. I Waved back meekly, secretly hoping he wouldn't tell Grandmother when he saw her again at parent-teacher interviews that I'd been enjoying myself so late.

Mr. Catchup and Gasha started chatting softly as the can finally filled and I could scurry back into the orchard. It was as big as a small living room with trees both planted in the ground and dwarf varieties in pots and metal stands that were as high as Gasha, I Sure couldn't water those plants, they were too far up unfortunately.

The door closed and the shop fell silent again, Gasha coming out from behind the register and whipping his palms on his green work apron.

" oh, Beau. Mr. Gigilione has something for you" Gasha ducked into the staff room that no one occupied and brought out a tall but leggy potted plant. It was green and beautiful as it seemed to reach its small leaves up for light. Must have starred at it forever because Gasha was quick to chuckle.

" it's for you silly, don't go looking at it like you're never going to see it again" he mused, clicking his tongue slightly. My face flushed. " how much does it cost then? "I crossed my arms over my chest.

" did you not hear me, it's for you, so it's free" Gasha spelt it out for me shoving his arms out so the plant's dark blue container just grazed my arm hairs. My eyes shot open wide as I looked at it, for me?

" Mr. Gigilone says he loves when you come over. But it's miserably sad when he has to see you go home because you always look so sad. So here is something to make you happy to come home" He grinned, pearly whites making his face seem all the more youthful.

" thank you "I carefully mouthed, unfurling my arms and grasping the plant gently.I felt like I'd drop it if I didn't grip it as tight so I clenched my fingers before deciding to just wrap my arms around it. It would be only safe then.

Gasha smiled at me again, a sweet expression in his eyes. I felt my heart skip a beat as he stretched his fingers through his raven hair. " have a watering can, on the house" He skidded towards the ' essentials; aisle and grabbed a small watering can, slipping in bottled liquid fertilizer discreetly like I wouldn't notice with my eyes pinned on him.

He handed it to me grinning wide. I Clutched it between my fingers almost as hard as the plant pressed to my chest. And of course, with his gleaming face, I had to grin back too and grin I did. I hadn't been this happy since I last came a month ago. The Gigilione family felt more like a family to me than my real one.

But sisters aren't supposed to love their brothers, are they.