Part-Time Griffin

Memories

After having a quick conversation with my parents, I shuffle into my bedroom. Looking around, I realize that my room is a lot like Diesel's.
I can't believe that I was actually in his room.
I sit on my bed and pull out my phone for the first time in many hours. A single text from an unidentified number is displayed on the lock screen.
Unknown number: 'Hey, it's Diesel. Hope you didn't get lost on the way home.'
I quickly save his number to my contacts. Then I immediately text back saying that I got home alright and I didn't get lost. Before pressing the send button, I dare to type a few extra words in there.
Now my text says: 'Fortunately, I am safe at home and didn't get lost on way back... I look forward to seeing you later.'
I reread my text wondering if it would be weird to tell him that I look forward to seeing him, even though I literally just said bye to him thirty minutes ago.
Oh, well. His last spoken words to me were, '...it means I get to see you more.'
Obviously, Diesel looks forward to seeing me as well. I guess it won't hurt to admit that I feel the same way. I press the send icon on my phone's screen.
Now here comes the part of my day that I dread.
Last night I planned on going out to Roxanne's dock so that I could drive my jet ski back. It's a plan that may cause me to confront Roxanne, but I hope that I won't see her. I understand her reasons for why she locked me in her basement. The sting of that betrayal is still fresh.
I can't put off seeing Roxanne. It's inevitable, because I'll most definitely be seeing her at school tomorrow.
I grab the keys to the jet ski and slip them into my pocket. Then I walk through my dining room to the backdoor. My mind is so occupied that I don't realize that my dad is standing there in the kitchen.
"Be careful tonight." He tells me as he walks by me.
I jump back a little then say the first thing that pops into my mind, "Don't worry. I'll be fine. Goodnight, Dad."
"Goodnight." He smiles and disappears down the hallway.
Man, I'm jumpy. It's because I'm nervous, but why should I be? It's not like the world's about to change. Even if I see Roxanne... maybe we can talk.
I go out the back door, and make sure it's shut well before I shift into a griffin.

I spread my feathery wings and kick off the ground with my strong hind legs. My wings pump up and down as I gain altitude. Lake Jah yawns out before me like thick black oil. Almost every residential home around the lake has at least one little light on. It looks like stars against the dark ground.
I stare up at the star-filled sky and compare it with the false sky below me. There's surprisingly not much difference between them.
I dive down as I near the opposite side of the lake. My acute nighttime vision immediately identifies my 'once' best friend's house. A single light is on in her dad's office.
I land in the same area of woods that I had retreated to just a few nights ago when I was shot. A shiver runs down my spine as I involuntarily recall the pain and fear that had coursed though my body that night.
Slinking through the undergrowth, I come nearer to the house which is now clearly visible. I shift back to a human so that, if I am accidentally seen, I won't be shot at like a wild animal.
My legendary human speed takes me down to the family's dock within seconds. It's so much easier to run when you don't have eagle feet trying to trip you up. Believe me.
I skid across the dew covered wood that makes up the entirety of the dock. I then flatten myself on the dock. My eyes fervently scan my surroundings to make sure no one has seen or noticed me.
Everything is dark, but that's no problem for me. Roxanne's house isn't near any other houses. It's one of the rare homes around this lake that doesn't have many neighbors.
The lone light is still on inside the house. I watch petrified to see if it turns off. I eventually loosen up when I realize that's not going to happen anytime soon.
Sitting back up, I turn to my right to see my jet ski floating there on the lake perfectly. Unharmed, untouched, and undisturbed. Not a scratch, dent, or mishandling has been done to it.
My head swivels back to the house. I could just walk up there right now and talk to Roxanne. She will still be awake even though there's school tomorrow morning. I could make things right. We could make things right.
Roxanne has been my friend for ten years. I can't just let that go. All the memories we've had together, all the good times, and all the bad times. We've stuck together through it all. No argument could ever split us. I can't just turn against Roxanne as if I never even knew her.
The memories of us as young kids come back to me suddenly, and I sit there on the dock recalling each and every one of them.
Like the first time we went camping together...
'Come on, Olivia!'
'It's so cold!'
Roxanne puts her hands on her hips, 'It's not that cold.'
The river beside the campground was so cold. Spring still felt as if it hadn't come yet, but somehow Roxanne had coaxed me into the chilling ice water. Once my skin became numb enough to withstand the temperature, we had the best time ever. Sliding down the huge smooth boulders in the river and bracing the strong current until we were completely exhausted. Hours later we climbed out of that freezing river. Our bodies shook terribly and our teeth were chattering.
That was when I hadn't become a griffin yet and I was still prone to sickness. I remember how Roxanne and I both got a cold a couple days after swimming in those frigid waters.
Then there's the time we both thought that 'ding-dong ditching' was a perfectly good summer pastime...
I pressed the doorbell of my neighbors house and ran around to where Roxanne was waiting for me. She started holding back a giggle as my neighbor opened his door. He stared around confusedly, but instead of going back inside he stood there dumbfounded.
'I say. I was sure the door bell rang.' Mr.Gonzalez was in his early forties at the time.
We became renowned pranksters in both mine and Roxanne's community. Some neighbors never seemed to mind our innocent jokes while others had smoke streaming from their ears. Roxanne and I easily learned which neighbors would be fine with a simple prank and to stay well clear of those who might hunt us down for simple foolery.
I sigh as I stare up at the lone light in my friend's house. The old memories come back at a faster and more rapid pace now. All of them contain bittersweet emotions, unforgettable adventures, and a timeless connection that had been between us.
All the times we laughed until it hurt. All the crazy decisions we made. All the support we had for each other when times were tough for one of us. All the ways we would loyally be at each other's back whenever need be.
My most imprinted memory of us finally surfaces without my acknowledgement...
It had been a late night. Being tweens, we had partied until we could no more. Some select girls from our class had been invited to Roxanne's 'End of the Year Celebration'.
Everyone was fast asleep from all of the day's excitement. Everyone except for Roxanne and I. We were talking away as if it wasn't three thirty in the morning. The TV was on. Some type of television show was currently on. We were vaguely aware of what was happening on the show as we talked. Suddenly, the main character of the television show found out that his best friend just died in a fatal car accident.
At the time, my griffin energy still had me well awake, but Roxanne was very tired. I'm not sure if it was because she was exhausted or what, but after watching what was taking place on TV she randomly starts talking.
"I wouldn't know what to do if my best friend died.'" She started.
"What do you mean?" I asked her confusedly by the sudden change in conversation.
She turned to look at me and any signs of sleep deprivation was gone instantly, "My best friend is such a huge impact on my life. The world would be so dull without my best friend. It would've been a horrible thing if we had never met, Olivia. I would've never known you, and a majority of my life would have been less happy."
I was not sure how such a deep statement like that could randomly come from Roxanne, but I knew she absolutely meant it. At the time I assumed her tired mind had become more prone to influence and open-mindedness. I later found out that it hadn't been because of that, but she had been meaning to say it for a long time.
I sit there silently on my best friend's dock. My arms are curled around my legs. The memory of when Roxanne said those words can never be erased. I never even got to tell her that I felt the same way. That my life would have been so plain if I had never been friends with her.
I don't realize that I'm crying until a few rogue tears roll down my cool cheeks.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out as I wipe away the hot tears.
Diesel: 'Where are you?'
I check the time, 12:13am.
I reply, 'I'm so sorry. Lost track of time.'
Then I type another quick text, 'Instead of meeting at the sawmill, can you meet me at my house?'
Diesel: 'Yeah, no problem.'
I shove my phone deep into my pocket. The recalling of my memories with Roxanne are still fresh as I glance at her house one final time.
I pull out the jet ski's keys from the pocket opposite of the one that holds my phone. I untie the watercraft and hop onboard. My hand places the key into the ignition, and the engine immediately fires up when I turn the key.
I head away from the dock as fast as possible. All while hoping that no one in Roxanne's family hears the loud jet ski speeding off.
A few minutes later, I'm gliding into my family's dock on the opposite side of the lake. My mind is preoccupied on the emotional ride I just took a few moments earlier.
I tie the jet ski to the dock, shuffle through my backyard, and toward my house. Not thinking about anything else but the friend I fear that I've lost forever.
We can still make this right. You can't just sever the bond we had. It's always going to be there. We can be friends again.
A shape moves out of the corner of my eye, and I instinctively jump back and away from it. A viscous lion's growl escapes my lips.
"Hey, hey! It's just me, Olivia." Diesel steps closer.
I retract the talons that have involuntarily grown from my hands. My tense stance turns into a slump.
"Sorry..." Is all I can say.
He furrows his eyebrows, "What's wrong?"
I don't even try to cover it up, "I'm just upset over how Roxanne and I are spilt in two. We were more than best friends... sisters really."
"You've been crying." He states pointedly.
I shake my head violently, "No, I haven't... okay... maybe I have."
The next thing he says shocks me, "Need a hug?"
I stare into his eyes wondering if he's making a sick joke out of this situation, but his eyes say it all. He's concerned and he cares.
"Yes, I do." I except his embrace.
We stand there with our arms wrapped around each other. I'm silently letting loose all my pent-up feelings about Roxanne. I slowly let my mind drift away from Roxanne and to Diesel instead.
"You know, you're the only person who knows what's going on between Roxanne and I." I tell Diesel. My arms still around him.
"I know. That's why I'm here for you if you ever need me." He assures me.
It's right at that moment when my fogged mind realizes that my crush is actually hugging me, and it's not the least bit awkward at all. No, it's comforting. Diesel is hugging me because he wants to ease my pain, not because he feels like he should give me a hug.
"Earlier you said you were looking forward to seeing me-"
I look up a him, "I'm so sorry. I kind of got one of my rare emotional moments all the sudden... You want something to drink?"
He smiles and all the pain seems to flow out of me, "Yeah, but I don't want to wake your parents. I don't think you could explain to them how I'm here right now."
I smile back and we finally pull away from each other. I despise that we have to end the hug. If it was up to me, I would just stand here outside all night and hug the guy I'm possibly falling in love with.
I've really lost it. How could I be falling in love with him? Yeah, I'm definitely still recovering from the Roxanne breakdown thingy. Maybe I should ask for another hug.
I go to my back door and ask Diesel, "You like cranberry juice?"
"Yeah, I love it." He replies.
"Okay, stay here. I'll be right back."
I go inside and put the jet ski keys back on their hook. I then grab two glasses and fill them with cranberry juice from the refrigerator. A contained joy enters me as I think about how Diesel is outside, and I'm about to give him... juice. Yeah, it's just juice, but I guess it's better than offering him water.
After I'm done with filling the glasses, I go back outside. Diesel takes one of the glasses, and thanks me. I begin drinking the tart juice slowly so that I can savor it.
"I don't think Roxanne or her family are doing anything bad tonight. There was a light on inside their house, but we still need to check Melark just in case." I tell him as we finish off the cranberry juice.
All my earlier emotions about my broken friendship with Roxanne have drained away with the juice I finished drinking.
Diesel hands me his glass, "Makes sense."
I return the glasses to the kitchen, and rejoin Diesel in my backyard. We shift into our mythical forms at the same time. A spark goes through me as I think about the secret abilities we share between us. Not only do I like Diesel, we also have so much in common to make it better.
_____________________
"It's all clear on the western side." Diesel confirms as we fly toward each other.
I nod my head as we circle each other, "Same goes for the east. No activity. Everything is safe and sound."
We then land in the park that outskirts the town of Melark. As usual, all is quiet and peaceful.
As we walk across the park in our animals forms, I say to Diesel, "There's still so much we haven't figured out yet. Like for instance, who exactly is blackmailing Roxanne's family? What are his motives for doing so? Is there any way we can stop whoever 'he' is?"
Diesel shrugs and his jet black wings move with the action. I stare at his long dark horn and beautiful flowing mane.

He's a very handsome pegacorn, if I do say so myself. Others may think differently if they were ever to see him, but their thoughts don't matter anyway.
Diesel replies to my comment, "There's a lot more to investigate. Well, it's getting late anyway. Or should I say it's getting early since it's like three a.m.?"
I laugh at his joke. I'm about to agree with him, but my left shoulder start tingling. My head whips around to survey my left. The park stretches out far and wide, but I know we aren't alone.
Fear grasps me tightly and I barely manage to whisper to Diesel, "We- we aren't alone."
Most people would disagree and say I'm just superstitious or nervous, but unlike most people Diesel actually believes me.
"Who would be out at this time?" He asks as we both stare nervously across the park.
"Us... and crazy people who do lots of serial killing and stalking." I try lightening the mood with a joke.
And just as suddenly as it arrived, the feeling of being watched leaves just as fast. It's as if whoever was watching us knew that we knew of its presence.
"I think he's gone. We should get home, now." I say urgently.
He nods and narrows his eyes, "I couldn't agree more. Be careful, Olivia."
I open my wings and tell him, "You be careful too, Diesel."
We're both too paranoid to talk any longer. Chills creep up and down my spine as I speedily fly home. Those creepy chills don't extinguish until I'm back inside my own house with the doors locked tightly.