The Bird That Couldn't Sing (GBFF)

Chapter 2 - Kota

Max really had to use the bathroom, and even though it had started to rain, I figured I'd let him out for a moment. But what I didn't expect was for Max to literally jump a girl. It was too dark to see her face or really assess the damage Max had caused, but I could tell she was bleeding. So I decided to have her follow me to my house so we could assess the damage and fix up the wound my rogue dog had caused.

He'd never done something like this before, so it thoroughly surprised me when he'd done so tonight. Nevertheless, I lead her to my house and through the open garage. Max follows, sitting by his crate that's leaning up against the wall. I wave him off. "Not now," I say. Max resolves, sinking to the floor and resting his head on one of his paws. I hit the button for the garage door to close, and the light turns off, making darkness swallow us up.

"Come on," I assert, taking her uninjured arm and guiding her inside with me. She stumbles behind me for a moment, and I internally scold myself to be more careful. I can't see her, but she's obviously a child. She's very small and shy; her lack of speaking told me as much. But it's not like I'd blame her. I'm a complete stranger and my dog did, quite literally, run her over.

Upon entering, the house is dark, and she keeps close behind me--probably afraid of getting lost in a stranger's house. I lead her past the dining room beyond the hallway and to a door on the left, just before the end of the hall. I open it, revealing a stairwell with light blue carpeting covering the steps and a dim light shining above. I really do need to get around to fixing that light.

I start up the stairs and she follows behind silently. Leading her up the steps, we finally make it to my spacious bedroom that rests above the garage.

There is a door open to the left that leads to my small bathroom. Another door next to it is closed—my closet. There are windows facing the driveway and one looking out onto the road at the front of the house. The window towards the front has a bench seat with a couple of neatly embroidered pillows in the corners. My bed is pushed up against the wall, leaving a huge amount of space in the middle. In the far left corner is a computer desk, my monitor turned off. A small bookshelf sits next to it, a brass lamp glowing on my desk.

I cross the room and tap on the lamp a couple of times, making its glow brighten. I turn to her and my breath catches in my throat.

She's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen, and I find myself feeling stupid for thinking she was just a child. Clearly, she is anything but. A small button nose. Rosy cheeks and full lips. Hauntingly gorgeous green eyes--eyes that hold so much truth behind them, I catch myself gaping at them. They hold so much pain, and I can't help but long to know what caused this breathtaking specimen before me to look so sad, so... broken.

Her hair is twisted back into a clip, and even though it's still soaked from the pouring rain, I can tell it isn't just blonde. It's a whole sea of color. There are pinks and reds, golds and various shades of blonde and brown. Something tells me Gabriel would have a field day if he ever saw it. My mouth is slacked slightly, as I can't stop myself from feeling selfconsious.

All that there is to me are emerald green eyes hid behind black-framed glasses and light brown hair reaching the top of my ears. Sure, I have a medium build, but some of my brothers are built like bricks; Silas, North, and Nathan, being the biggest. Compared to all of my brothers, I'd say I'm average. There's no way I could ever compete with them if I stood next to them.

This girl is at least a head shorter than me, but her petite frame holds all the right curves in all the right places. She looks like actual perfection, my perfect ten. Wait, what am I saying? She isn't mine, and she probably never will be. But a guy could dream, right?