A Strange Situation

Chapter 9

I woke up next to Alex in his room. Alex was already awake, playing with my hair. His smile was genuine and his eyes sparkled with love.

"Good morning love," Alex spoke softly and kissed my forehead.

"Hello. I smiled.

Alex and I laid together for what seemed like forever, but was only 20 minutes. Alex's mom came in asking if we wanted toast. When she left, we giggled. I pulled the covers over my head and groaned. Alex threw the blankets off me and tickled me until I was screaming for him to stop. Alex laughed and threw his sweat pants and a t-shirt at me. Alex threw on jeans and walked out of the room without a shirt on. We walked down his stairs and found his mom putting toast, eggs, and jam on the table.

"Glad you guys are awake now. I have to go to the store, but make sure you eat." Alex's mom said grabbing her purse.

"Thank you Kristine!" I awarded.

"Oh call me mom dear, we've been a family since you were in fourth grade." Kristine answered. She said her goodbyes and went off to the store. Alex and I sat down to eat the lovely breakfast Kris-Mom cooked for us.

"Does she do this everyday?" I asked Alex stuffing my face with toast.

"Maybe not everyday, but yea mostly, why?"

"I'm going to live here now." I joked. I began laughing, which made Alex laugh. I don't think he thought it was a joke. We finished our breakfast and my phone began to go off. It was Jonathan.

Jonathan: Hey. Meetings next Saturday. Do you have wings yet?

Annabeth: Almost, They are growing rapidly. Alex says Monday I'll have them.

Jonathan: Good. SO you'll get them Sunday. Alex is always late with that stuff don't worry.

Annabeth: He's not late, ever. If he says Monday, then Monday. Don't try to get in my head. I already have to deal with my cousin thinking you're her soul mate.

Jonathan: Oh yea. Can you let her down easy for me?

Annabeth: Never in a million years!

"God, he's such an ass!" I threw my phone on the couch.

"Why? What did he say?" Alex asked.

"Only for me to break up with my cousin for him! Why does he intentionally do this to girls? Does he not know what he's doing is wrong?" I screamed falling on the floor sobbing.

"He's doing what we did last night," Alex tried to joke. It didn't work.

"You didn't use me for sex. Did you? No!" I crossed my arms around my knees and stared up at Alex.

"Calm down please before you burn down my house. Jonathan is just...playing a character. Nothing more. He's actually really sensitive. His first time, he cried when the girl never called. Since then he's just played a role. He was instructed to be a player. Nothing more, until the first mission with you. Just let him be please." Alex begged sitting down next to me. He put his arm around my shoulder to comfort me from the thought of Jonathan using high school girls for sex. It's just wrong!

I managed to get out fine and told Alex that I had to study. I kissed him goodbye and walked home.

In the evening, I was up in my room studying. Alex was playing video games in his room. Yes, our rooms are across from each other. So what? We keep our curtains open to make sure the other one is okay-there's no harm in it. I sat working on my bed, classical music playing softly in the background. The dull pain that I've managed to ignore in my back grew, grew to a sharp pain as if someone was ripping out a section of my upper back. I tried to fight the pain, failing at that simple-er, not so simple-task and falling to the floor in a trembling ball. I balled my hands into fists, my knuckles turning white. I ground my teeth as I felt something start to pierce my skin. I glanced at my window to find Alex staring at me, worry clear in his face. He darted from his room, and I assumed he was coming to make whatever the hell was happening to me stop. It took every ounce of my strength not to scream out and make my mother and neighbors worry. I felt something force its way out of my shoulder blades, making my shirt grow even tighter. I ripped it off as fast as I could so I don't suffocate. The object kept growing, growing at a much more unusual pace. I heard my door slam open, and I felt someone place their hands on my shoulders. I looked up to see Alex, looking between my back and me.

"It's almost over, I promise. They're already bigger than mine, I can tell." I started to let out a yell and he clasped his hand over my mouth. "This part's going to hurt. Just try to relax as much as you can, they're coming to a point." I slammed my teeth together, grinding through the pain shooting through my back. After a few longer, forever-lasting seconds, the pain started to fade at a considerable pace. Alex helped me to my feet and led me to the mirror hanging on my door. I let out a slight gasp as I noticed the pure white wings behind me, folding naturally along my spine, the bottom of the wings resting on the ground. The wings themselves were littered with grey feathers, growing a darker grey near the tips. I gawked in awe at the sight and Alex gently rubbed my shoulder blades.

"They're... wow," I breathed.

Alex grabbed my hand grinning from ear to ear and walked down stairs. He brought me to my backyard and looked up. The sky was clear and the stars were shinning bright. Alex spread his wings and kept my hand in his. My wings fluttered in excitement. Alex flexed his wings and looked at me nodding to ask if I was ready. I nodded back and focused on the movement of my wings. I took a big breath in and we took off. I relaxed and flew above the trees so no one would be able to see us.

When we finally reached a point where we could see everything and no one would see us, I relaxed even more. Alex let go of my hand and flew ahead of me. I followed closely behind him. The city looked so majestic at this level. You could still see the streets and of course the city lights. The scenery was just beautiful. Alex started towards a cave in the valley; the sun set behind it was so peaceful. The pinks and purples cascading the mountains, the dark fading in slowly behind them. Stars started making their way behind the mountain as well. When we arrived at the cave, it was barely lit outside. The city lit up the trees in the forest and the river sparkled in the last light of the night. I took in the view in front of me and took in a breath, it was too beautiful to not memorize. This was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.

"Do you like it? I found it when I was mad, I just took off and flew here; it was the closest yet furthest thing I could find." Alex spoke gently, trying to not make the moment horrible.

"I love it here. It's so beautiful." The scenery dazzled me. I wanted to stay here all night. Alex watched the valley again; I couldn't help but stare. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath; once opened again he turned to me and asked what I was staring at. "Nothing," I told him looking back at the valley.

"No tell me! Come on I wanna know!" Alex whined. He was a bit eager to know something I that I was holding from him. I'm sensing a pattern here.

"Nope, not telling," I crossed my arms and laid back. My wings had disappeared, I guess went back into me....I don't know. Alex rolled over me in the push up position and spoke.

"If you don't tell me, no more kisses!"

"Hey that's my threat!" I pouted.

"Sucks, I'm using." Alex mocked.

"Fine, I'll tell you. I think it's really sweet you brought me here and I'm so glad you came to your senses about being with me." I laughed. Alex chuckled and started tickling me. I begged him to stop, which took a couple times. When he finally stopped tickling me he leaned down and kiss my nose. I pushed Alex off of me and held my hand out for him. He took it and made me pull him up. I took the advantage and stood close to the edge, when he stood I fell backwards. Alex screamed and I turned around. I was in free fall towards the ground. My wings spread and I circled back up to him laughing. He grinned and took off after me. We ended the night with a race back home, well I was flying away from him; he was trying to get me.

The night was perfect; the whole weekend was perfect. Until Monday.