SPARROWS ✶ FIVE HARGREEVES

5 | Half-Ended Compliments

Y/N

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UNFORTUNATELY, today was one of those days that just flew by.

In other terms, that meant it was already midnight, and I had to go meet that creep of a boy in the alley beside the house. I even got dressed up for the occasion, ditching my uniform for black jeans and a black t-shirt.

Sliding open the hidden drawer underneath my vanity, I gently took out two of my pocket knives for safety measures. Picking the thin blade, I dropped the other back in and shut it closed. I slid it into the back of my pocket in reluctance.

I wish I didn't have to be so on guard all the time.

Slowly lifting up my window pane, I crept onto the ledge with caution, jumping off and landing onto the garbage can below. I stuck a floor mat in between the lid a few hours earlier to reduce the sound.

"That jerk," I grumbled under my breath, "he didn't even show up."

Rolling my eyes, I glanced at my watch and debated climbing back up to my room. It was 11:59, with twelve seconds till midnight. The first time I agreed to meet a boy somewhere, he stood me up. Typical.

"For a blank, you're pretty smart."

I spun around, letting out a squeal in surprise. It was Five, who somehow silently apparated behind me.

"Can you stop doing that?" I hissed, "you freak me out!"

"At least I use my powers, unlike you."

"I don't care what the hell you think about my powers," I spat out, "but don't assume that the powerless aren't smart in thier own ways."

"Why is that?"

"Because you don't need to be part of my Dad's stupid academy to have a brain, you idiot."

Five tilted his head, nodding it in understanding, "you're right."

"I know."

Even though I didn't want to be here in the first place, I wasn't going to hesitate when it came to educating ignorant people for thier tone-deaf responses. Even if he didn't mean to do it. Just because he was stuck in an apocalypse for 30 years, didn't mean he didn't have the time for me to shove some refreshing knowledge up his--

"You look different," he said, glancing at my black ensemble.

"Since when did I ask you to criticize my appearance?"

"I wasn't criticizing you," he said, shrugging his shoulders, "I was about to say you looked good."

I didn't want to seem like a jerk, but I didn't want to seem vulnerable either. Too many people took advantage of my feelings when I was younger, and I didn't want a situation like.....that to happen again. The time when I had to be put in a cryo-chamber.

"Thank you," I muttered under my breath, "but stop trying to get on my good side."

Five tugged on the bottom of his uniform in compliance, biting his lip as he thought. I wonder what he was thinking.

"Fair enough," he finally said, "I need you to help me get to a department store."

"Why?"

"I'll explain it on the way there."

He didn't explain it on the way there.

As soon as we left the alley, he snatched my hand and sent me tumbling through space and out the other end. I felt sick. Like all of my food was about to be thrown out of my throat, sick.

"You didn't explain anything, Five," I frowned, clamping my hand over my mouth.

"That's because I don't need to explain anything to you," he said, slicking a stray piece of hair into place, "I need your help, but I don't need you ratting our plans out to your dad."

I hated to admit it, but that was a pretty smart move.

"I thought he was your dad too?" I questioned, standing upright.

"He was."

"Was?"

Five nodded his head, clearing his throat, "he stopped being my dad a long time ago."

Normally I wouldn't care for people's pasts, but this was interesting. I wonder what happened. Five may be a jerk, but it was clear something hurt him; hurt him badly.

I watched as he brushed past me, jumping inside the department store, and unlocked it for me. I followed inside without hesitation.

"So what are we looking for?" I asked, squinting my eyes in the darkness.

"Something," he said, "you stand guard, I'll find it myself."

Wow, I was really starting to question why he wanted me to go along. Why was I here, if I wasn't allowed to know or do anything? Crossing my arms across my chest, I lingered by the doorway in boredom.

The boy started to dig through the bottom of the cashier's desk, pulling out journal logs and whatever tangible stuff he could find. Apparently there was no luck. Muttering a curse under his breath, he moved to a different section of the store and picked up one of those fake display people.

He stared at it.

"Jeez, Five," I scoffed, "stop staring at that mannequin like that, you're not in love with it."

He narrowed his eyes, gently placing it back down with a sigh. He didn't answer me. Instead, he cleared his throat and began to leave the store with a sad look in his eyes.

"There's nothing here," he said, "let's go."

"And where would we go?"

He paused for a moment, his gaze switching back from me to the limp mannequin behind me. What was up with that mannequin?

"There's people I need you to meet," he said, grabbing my hand again and preparing to apparate.

I stopped him, "who?"

"My family."