The market is filled with people, and they are all looking at me.

I try to ignore them, but it is way too hard so I pull my hood lower.

I grab some vegetables from the stand and grab some coins from my pocket and hand them to the shopkeeper, as he narrows his eyes at me.

“You look familiar, kid,” the man says.

“I feel like everyone says that to me,” I say. “Good day.”

He is still looking at me when I turn around to leave.

I head off to the butcher to get some turkey for dinner.

He looks like a mean guy but he is a real nice guy until you get on his bad side, he is also an old man.

꧁𓆰꧂

“Here you go,” I say.

“Good day,” The butcher says.

I turn around and go to the alley I go down to get home.

As I go down the alley I pick up my pace, and I start to run, then I run into someone.

“Grian is that you?” the person asks me.

“How do you know my name?” I ask the person.

“I am Jimmy and this is Scott,” the person tells me as I notice a person behind him. “If you are Grian, then I am your cousin.”

“I’m Grian,” I say.

“Grian!” Jimmy says in excitement and jumps on me.

“Hi,” a voice says as I look up.

The Scott guy had said it “Hi,” I say back.

“I need to get back to my home so good day to you two,” I say as I stand up.

“Good day to you too,” Jimmy and Scott say to me.

꧁𓆰꧂

“Come in.” I say.

Joel walks in with a tray of pancakes, a cup of tea, a fork, and some syrup.

“Here, I can take it,” I say, grabbing the tray.

Joel hands the tray to me.

He turns around and walks out of the door, I follow.

We enter the living room.

꧁𓆰꧂

“What are you doing back here so early?” Joel asks me.

“. . . Um I just saw some thunder storm clouds,” I lie.

“Oh.” he says.

“When do you think they are going to stop?” He asks me.

“I don’t know,” I respond.

“Grian, are you lying?” Joel asks me.

“Uh why do you think I’m lying?” I ask.

“You sound so unconvincing,” Joel says.

“I do?” I ask.

“Yes!” Joel yells in an annoyed tone.

“Theres no way I do sound unconvincing,” I say.

“Go to your room, I need to think of something,” He tells me.

“Okay,” I reply.

Well when I get done talking to Joel I go to my room.

Why does he not believe me?

Well I guess it's because I’m so unconvincing.

꧁𓆰꧂

When I wake up the next day I smell pancakes.

When I’m fully awake, Joel brings them to me, so I don’t want him to think he has to bring them to me all the time.

I get up, dress and make my bed.

Knock knock.

“Come in,” I say.

“Dinner is done,” Joel tells me.

“Okay, I’ll be out in a sec,” I tell him .

I walk out after Joel goes out.

And sit in a chair at the circle dinner table in the kitchen.

The kitchen has pastel pink walls, pastel green wooden counters, drawers, and cabinets.

The table is just made out of wood without paint.

꧁𓆰꧂

The next day I wake up due to a nightmare so I get up, dress and make my bed.

I go out and see Joel so I check my watch and it says that it’s 7:00am.

“I’m heading out to visit a friend,” I tell him.

Joel says, “Ok.”

I walk out the door and I clip my cloak and pull my hood up.

I walk to Tango’s Tek shop.

I push the door open.

The place is full of metal screws, over in the corner is a stand with watches.

“I’ll be with you in a minute!” Tango yells from the back room.

So I sit on the bench at the door.

Tango comes from the back and wipes his hands on a rag, staining it even more with grease. Then he looks to me and says, “Are you ready?”

“Yes,” I reply.

“Ok, just let me get out of my work clothes,” Tango says.

“Alright I’ll wait outside,” I tell him.

I head out the door and lean against the wall.

A few seconds later Tango comes out and he says “Alright I’m done.”

We go to the cliff and sit on the edge.

Under the cliff is a desert called the Deadly Desert maybe ‘cause it is really hot.

꧁𓆰꧂

After a few hours of hanging out we go to places we need to.

I head into town and see if there is anything I need to grab for Joel.

I go to a stand and think of someone that Joel talks about all the time.

I grab a pair of earrings off the stand, and since nobody was there I stuff them into my pocket.

I start to go home when I see Ren and Martyn aka the King and his right hand man.

They notice me, and I run straight for the cliff, I jump off the cliff and fly.

I feel a sharp pain in my wings and then I fall and I pass out.

꧁𓆰꧂

I wake up and I feel what feels like a cat's face next to mine.

I hear footsteps coming towards me.

“You're awake now,” a voice says, I turn my head and scream in pain.

“Don’t try to move, I know this might sound weird but when I found you, there was a trident in the wing that was not torn,” the young man says to me.

He has scars, a hat, a desert cloak, brown hair, green eyes, tanish skin, and elf ears.

He walks over and takes the cat and sets it on his shoulder.

The cat is gray and white.

“Meow.”

“Here I’ll help you try to sit up,” he tells me, and he sits me up. “I’ll change your bandages, they’re bloodsoaked.”

I feel a little sad ‘cause I’ve got a stranger saving my life.

The cat jumps off the man’s shoulder onto the bed, it sits on my lap, the name tag reads: Jellie.

I pet Jellie.

“She's the best cat ever,” the man says.

“May I ask your name?” I ask.

“Scar!” He tells me happily. “Whats yours?”

“Grian,” I tell Scar. “I hate having wings.”

“Why? You can fly, doesn’t that make you like having wings?” He asks me.

“NO!” I yell and my ribs start hurting and I groan in pain.

“Don’t strain yourself,” Scar tells me.

I look around the place, it has a table with a few candles, a book with a quill, a vase of flowers, a window that is covered, then there’s a door to my left.

What tore my wing?

A week has passed now.

Your leg has healed a little, but you can walk with crutches,” Scar tells me.

“Okay, but I don’t think I’ve ever used crutches in my life,” I tell scar.

“That's okay, I can help you,” he tells me.

꧁𓆰꧂

After Scar teaches me how to use crutches I go outside.

I go to the cliff and climb up the rocks, and look down, the desert looks the same as I remember.

I can’t see Scar’s hut from here, but that’s good since Scar’s taking care of me, and Ren and Martyn are after me.

I walk to the mound of rocks and climb down them.

“Eeee,” I look to my right seeing that there’s a pen with a llama.

“Hey there I didn’t know you lived here,” I say to the llama.

I go inside and sit on a chair, to let my right leg have a rest from it being the only leg that I can use.

I see a set of stairs.

I walk over to them “Grian can you come up here?”

“Yes, it just will take me a minute,” I tell Scar.

“Ok,” he calls. “I’ll wait, I know that it is hard walking with crutches.”

I use the crutches like legs.

As I step on the last stair, I feel blood coming out of my side, and fall to my knees.

Scar runs to me as I put my hand to my side.

“Grian, stay with me,” he says, picking me up bridal style to the room he gave me.

“Scar,” I say lightly as more and more blood soaks the bandages.

“Don’t worry Grian I can help just let . . . me get my . . . dad,” Scar says just as everything goes dark pitch black. (maybe remove ‘dark’ or ‘pitch black’ bc it’s redundant)

꧁𓆰꧂

I hear muffled voices and open my eyes.

I see people one is Scar the other one is the guy who runs the clinic.

The person next to Scar has light gray hair, a red eye, a black eye, pale skin, and weird clothes.

“Grian!” Scar yells.

“Shh, he just woke up,” the guy says.

“Scar?” I say.

“Your’re awake,” he says, lightly slinging his arms around me.

“Be careful Scar,” the guy says to Scar.

“Dad,” Scar says. “He wants to know your name.”

“Etho,” the man says.

I give Scar a glance.

I try to sit up and see that my bandages were bloodsoaked again.

Scar takes my bandages off and changes them.

I know he’s sad, I mean I can read his mind.

Right now he’s thinking about Jellie and . . . me dying.

Tears start falling down Scars face.

I pull Scar into a hug.

He starts sobbing into my shoulder.

꧁𓆰꧂

After I take a nap I wake up, roll on to my side and almost roll off the bed.

Scar and Etho come in and Scar sets the crutches on the table,

He checks my bandages and also checks my forehead.

“It’s gotten worse,” Scar says, and his face changes from sad to angry.

“What got worse?” I ask them.

“When you passed out I checked your forehead and noticed you’ve got a fever,” Etho tells me. “But a human can only do what a human can do, Scar.”

I sigh, nothing could get worse than having broken bones, I thought.

So I guess I will not leave here for a longer time than I had before.

I sit up, and grab the crutches.

I get a balance on the crutches and stand there at the side of the bed, like I would do at home at the end of my bed.

Someone knocks on the front door and I go answer it.

I see Joel and he says “Grian, what are you doing here?”

“I w- I fell and broke a few bones,” I lie to him.

“And you let the desert freak take care of you instead of Etho?” he asks me.

“Yes, but I didn’t have a choice at first,” I tell him.

He asks “Why?”

“I had an unhealed leg,” I tell him, looking down at my broken leg.

“You’er coming back home,” he tells me.

“Joel, he can stay with my son, and he is not a desert freak,” Etho tells Joel.

“Then I’m staying,” Joel insists.

“No, you can’t!” Scar yells from the room. “I’ll send you texts on these watches.”

Now I wonder what Scar is up to?

I go to Scar.

꧁𓆰꧂

Two weeks have passed now and my leg has gotten better.

My arm I can bend, my wings I can stretch out, I only need one crutch to lean on, my eight ribs have stopped stabbing my side, in total that’s 28 bones that broke.

I think in a little bit I will be out of the desert.

I walk over to Scar and see him using his watch.

I give Scar a hug.

He wraps his arms around me.

꧁𓆰꧂

A long time has passed and I am fully healed for the most part, my arm is in a sling.

And I’m ready to leave.

I wave at Scar with a smile. Something has changed between us and I’m not quite sure I want to be apart from it. The grin he returns makes my head spin a little.

A strange impulse tugs deep in my gut. I haven’t yet figured it out before my legs make the decision for me and I am back in front of Scar.

The way he looks at me, curious and confused, sparks a shyness I have never felt. I stare into his eyes. Those deep pools of emerald hold me in place. A small smirk quirks his lips and butterflies soar through my stomach.

Those. . .‘beautiful’ is the only word I can find for them, lips. Gentle and red. I imagine they are soft too, like his hickory-colored hair.

I fist my hand in his collar and close my eyes, drifting closer.

Scar leans in and our lips meet in a tender kiss.

This moment of bliss is interrupted when I press further and our foreheads bang together.

I pull away swiftly, as does Scar, putting a hand to my forehead. “Ouch. . .”

We look at each other for a long second and then crack up, laughing until our sides ache.

Scar slumps against me as our giggles dwindle and I shift so that our bodies fit together more comfortably. “I love you.”

Three simple words I have been terrified to admit. Even to realize that they were true has scared me. But here I am, in the post-glee of my first kiss with a man I feel I will love and adore my entire life.

“I love you, too,” Scar whispers into my hair.

The sun has begun to set, so I look up at Scar. “I have to go.”

He gives me the most adorable pout. “But I was enjoying your company.”

I roll my eyes with a smile. “I’ll write to you. Every day.”

He lights up instantly. “Promise?”

“Promise.” I hold my pinky out and he wraps his own around it.

Then I wiggle out of his grip. “Now I really have to go.”

I hesitate, but in the end I press one last small kiss to his mouth and mount the Teleporter. With a wave, I depart, a new lightness that only love could induce in my heart.

꧁𓆰꧂

I Teleport to the edge of the cliff.

I walk to Tango’s Tek shop.

I open the door which sounds like it’s been oiled.

I see Ren and Martyn over in the corner . . . making out.

I put my hand to my mouth.

I hear footsteps coming towards me.

“Grian?” I hear Tango ask.

“Yes,” I whisper.

“It’s been a month and a half since I saw you last!” he yells at me.

Martyn looks over at me and pulls away from Ren.

I hide behind Tango.

I grab Tango’s vest and get on my knees.

“What is going on?” Tango asks, looking back down at me.

“Long story short I’m a thief,” I tell him.

“Okay, let's take this outside,” Tango says.

We walk outside.

We figure things out.

꧁𓆰꧂

After we talk it out I go to find Scott and Jimmy.

I walk into a shop that I think they would go to and I see them.

There they are I’ve found.

I walk to the spot they are standing at.

I don’t know how I knew they would be here but that’s okay.

The shop has a man behind a counter, a place with flowers, and ball stuff.

Jimmy looks over and says. “Grian.”

Scott looks over and also says. “Grian.”

“Scott,” I say. “Jimmy.”

Jimmy and Scott hug me and I hug them back “I’m so glad to see you guys again.”

“Same,” Jimmy and Scott say.

“What happened to you?” Jimmy asks me.

“You guys will stay as my friends if I was a thief?” I ask them.

“Yeah,” they tell me.

“I was at a stand, and took a pair of earrings, but Ren, and Martyn saw me so I ran to the cliff, and jumped off, and one of my wings got torn the other one got three holes in it, so I woke up in a hut, and a cat was right next to my face, and then a man named Scar came into the room, and said that I was awake, and we had a little chat, and I need some water I’ll be right back,” I tell them.

꧁𓆰꧂

After I explained what had happened over the month and a half.

I take them over to Tango’s Tek shop and we pick up Tango and go to my home.

I see Joel pacing back and forth.

“Father,” I say to Joel.

“Grian,” he says, turning his head to us.

I walk into his arms and hug him, he hugs me back, I squeeze him.

I pull away.

“I’m gonna go clean my room,” I tell him jokingly.

“You never clean your room,” he says jokingly back.

“That's true,” I say.

I take them to my room and Joel follows us.

They all see how messy my room is.

It makes me think Joel is catching on.

I grab my bag and throw it into my closet.

I close my closet and lock the lock.

I don’t want them to know I’m a thief.

My bed is stuffed up to the wall, the closet is to the right of my bed, there’s a window next to the closet, the walls are painted with rainbows, clouds, sunsets, and rain, and my dresser is in the corner.

“Grian, you’re a thie-” Jimmy starts, before I close my eyes, smile, and shake my head.

“How could you think that?” I ask him.

He doesn't answer.

꧁𓆰꧂

I walk outside the next day.

I walk down a path and see Scott and Jimmy on the path.

I walk up to them and see that they were looking at a poster.

I look over their shoulders at the poster.

It reads: Ball being hosted on February second.

“Grian I can sense you behind us. It’s Siren sense,” Scott says to me.

“I know what Siren sense is, I’m not dumb,” I tell Scott.

“I thought you would know,” He tells me.

“Um . . . Do you know what we are going to do about all this?” Jimmy asks.

“I don’t know I’m not part of this ‘cause I’m a Thief," I say Jimmy looks at me weirdly.

“I know,” Jimmy says.

Well this is a weird conversation.

“I’m going now so if you want I have open slots to have some buddies, it would be nice to have some friends,” I shout the first part.

꧁𓆰꧂

We arrive at a little stand with trinkets.

We grab some and we steal them.

“See that wasn-” I lose my voice when I spot The King and His Right Hand Man. “Ugh not Ren and Martyn, I just got over healing after breaking my: Leg, arm, eight ribs, and my wings, all of them, take a run for the cliff, Jimmy can you carry me and Scott while flying?”

“Yeah,” Jimmy says.

Me and Scott jump off the cliff, and grab each other's hand, Jimmy jumps right behind us, and grabs us.

I tell him where to fly.

꧁𓆰꧂

When we arrive where I told Jimmy to go I walk up to the door of the hut where I had my first kiss.

Knock knock.

“Coming,” a muffled voice says from inside.

The door swings open and that face that I have seen a million times stands there in the doorway. “Grian your back with?”

“Scott and Jimmy this is Scar, Scar this is Scott and Jimmy,” I tell them.

“Hello, Scott and Jimmy,” Scar says. “Nice to meet you.”

“Okay, that's not why we’re here. Scar I’m sure you remember when I fell on to the sand, and broke my wings, right? Anyway my wings they don’t work right when I try to fly. I can't,” I tell him.

“Oh, um . . . the thing is that I was supposed to retrain your wings,” he answers. “. . . But I didn’t.”

He walks us into the hut.

We enter the living room and sit down just as a whistle comes from the kitchen.

Scar goes to the kitchen and the whistling stops.

He comes back to the living room with four cups of tea.

“I got some tea for y’all,” Scar says, handing us the cups of tea and setting lemon-juice honey and sugar on the table.

“Thank you, Scar,” I say.

Scott and Jimmy say “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Scar says, even more cheerful than ever.

꧁𓆰꧂

After a little chat Scar tells us we can stay until I can fly again (it’s nighttime).

I head outside and sit on the now cold sand.

I look up and wish I was able to fly in the night sky.

I grab my jacket and zip it up.

I wish I was dating someone but I know there is-

A snow flake falls on my face.

I smile and shift my body into a more comfortable pose.

The door opens and Scar slips out and sits next to me.

He leans his head on my shoulder.

I lean my head on his head.

꧁𓆰꧂

I wake up the next day with a sharp pain in my neck.

I see Scar asleep and gently shift my body away, and lay him down gently.

I pick Scar up and take him inside.

Scott and Jimmy are in the corner kissing.

I lay Scar down on the couch and head up stairs.

Hmm I wonder what Grian’s up to. I hear Jimmy say in his mind.

That's the thing about telepaths: we never talk out loud to each other.

I walk out and see Jimmy run into a wall like he didn’t see it.

“Ouch!” Jimmy yells.

“Oh my god you are so stupid,” I tell Jimmy as he looks up at me.

“Grian what are you up to?” he asks me.

“What do you mean?” I ask him.

“I mean what are you up to,” he tells me.

“Uh. . . I literally just got in here a few minutes ago,” I tell him.

“Lubuubde,” I hear a voice, me and Jimmy turn our heads in unison.

“Oh no it's Joel again,” I sigh.

“Grian I was told you were here and here you are,” Joel says, grabbing my arm and pulling me.

I yank away swiftly and flip him off.

He makes a face of disgust at me and yells like a hooligan.

He runs at me and I side step him.

Jimmy rams his head into Joel’s side and they topple over.

I see Scar slowly walk up the stairs to all the chaos.

I hear him mumble under his breath, and he falls to his knees and falls back to sleep.

I walk over and pick Scar up.

I take him down stairs and lay him back down on the couch.

I go back to Jimmy and Joel up stairs.

Jimmy is head-butting Joel.

I grab Joel by the collar and hold my hand to Jimmy.

Jimmy goes back to Scott.

I follow him dragging Joel behind me.

When I get down the stairs I see Scott and Jimmy KISSING again.

I look over at Scar who is just getting up.

I walk over to him.

I stand there with Joel thrashing in my hold.

Scar looks over at me with sleepy eyes.

“Grian, weren't I outside with you?” he asks me, wiping the sleep out of his eyes. “Grian, weren't I outside with you?”

“Yes, but I took you in,” I tell him. “ Your neck will hurt.

Jellie jumps on to the couch, then jumps on my shoulder.

I pull her off my shoulder and set her on the table.

She doesn’t like it, and gives me a dirty look as she jumps into Scars lap.

I throw Joel out the window when he keeps thrashing in my hold.

He screams at the top of his lungs.

“Well he’s dead,” Scar says, getting up.

“Yeah he is,” Jimmy says.

Joel comes in with glass all in his body.

His face is as angry as a Demon that lost to a Feirie.

Scar walks over to Joel and pulls a shard of glass out of his head.

Joel starts to yell.

I grab Joel and punch him.

He passes out and falls on a shard of glass.

꧁𓆰꧂

When Joel wakes he is a mummy basically.

“What do you feel?” I ask him.

“Pain,” he answers.

“I knew that was coming. Scar took all the shards out of you,” I say holding up a jar.

He looks at the jar for a moment. “Thats all the shards?”

I reply. “Yep.”

He looks at his arm and yells at the top of his lungs.

I cover my wings with my cloak pulling it tight.

(My wings are my ears.)

Scar walks in and says. “ Time to retrain.”