Chapter 4: Repercussions and Concussions
I stayed awake beside Alistair the whole nightlong. He almost died. Darcy said we couldn’t go to the hospital because of the wings, but said she could do what she could.
He was unconscious. I couldn’t rest. He was just way too precious to me to allow the painful surge of death betroth him, before I did. I stroked his hair. I made sure he was living every now and then, by checking his pulse. His pulse was always there.
At midnight, Darcy suggested, “You should leave. He’ll be fine.”
“How can you be sure of that?”
“Our genetics heal quickly. It was implanted in our DNA with the wings.”
“Shouldn’t we call somebody?” I asked.
She shrugged. “I don’t know why you didn’t ask about Dr. Vian earlier.”
I rolled my eyes.
Dr. Vian was an older man. Old enough to have salt and pepper hair, but not old enough to have wrinkles. He wore a lab coat, black pants and a stethoscope around his neck. He seemed qualified enough. His tag said J. Vian on it. Obviously he at least looked qualified to take care of Alistair. He smiled a natural smile.
“Well hello, if it isn’t my two favorite patients Darcy and Alistair, part bird, right?” Dr. Vian still sounded okay.
“Raven, specifically.” Darcy corrected.
Dr. Vian nodded. “So run over by a car?”
“No, just hit by one. We were racing in the rain again.” Darcy responded.
Dr. Vian laughed. “Well, I still think he will be fine with a couple painkillers.”
I gasped “How many?” I asked.
Dr. Vian took me to the side. “Sweetheart, you are new to the operation. Darcy and Alistair are completely indestructible.” That didn’t help me at all. He told me “He got hit in the stomach and fell. Worst case scenario bruised tailbone and a badly bruised stomach.”
“Worst?” I questioned.
He shrugged. “I need to examine him and you need to go home.”
“No.” I responded. Alistair wasn’t waking up without me.
I stayed. Darcy told Dr. Vian I wasn’t leaving. He at least suggested I leave the room, since he needed to examine Alistair. I rolled my eyes.
He called me to come back in. Dr. Vian said “Just two bruises. Put this on the two bruises and they’ll be gone.”
“What do we do about the unconsciousness?” I asked
He smiled “Have your fairytale moment of kissing him, he just needs a little nudge or something.”
“I’ll let him sleep.” I responded, assuming kissing a guy I have a crush on in his sleep was a lost cause.
Darcy found a spot for me. I was just as close to Alistair, but more comfortable.
Alistair awoke at about 6:00 the next morning. I saw him. I ran to hug him. He had his arms and wings open. As I held him, his arms and wings enveloped me.
I whispered “I stayed last night because I was freaked out you would die.”
“No way! All better. Sorry to freak you out, Annie. Why aren’t your parents worried?”
“I sort of ran away. And I’m not their favorite daughter.”
“You can’t hide here.” He responded, in a whisper. “The world needs to see your beauty, Roxanne.”
“You make it hard to leave.” I pointed out.
Alistair nodded “I will take you home.”
“How will you do that?”
“I will suck in my wings.”
“Is that like when I suck in my gut to get into a pair of Levi’s?” I asked.
He shook his head “It is more like holding in for a corset.”
“How do you know what that feels like?” I asked.
Darcy told me “I told him that. Don’t worry.”
Alistair pulled his wings away from me. His arms broke from me too. Darcy rolled her eyes.
I asked, “Alistair are you ready?”
“Oh yes. I would love to meet your family.” Alistair responded.
He took my hand. I led him to my house. He rang the doorbell. Hannah answered.
Hannah is ten. She is super sweet. She is in fifth grade. She has brown hair lighter than mine. She has more color to her skin too. She has hazel eyes.
She asked, “Who is he?”
“You know Maximum Ride?” I asked.
She nodded. “I read all six books and you introduced me to them.”
“Well… Alistair is like Fang.” I responded.
Alistair asked, “Which part of don’t tell anyone did you not understand?”
“She is my little sister.” I responded.
He rolled his eyes. “Okay, I guess she can know that I’m like Fang in the respect we’re a couple, like Max and Fang.” He twisted that well to save himself.
I nodded. “Yeah, we’re a couple!” He kissed my cheek to prove it.
Hannah said, “Mom’s ticked with or without the boyfriend.”
Alistair and I both tuned red.
Alistair told me “I have to go, unless you need me.”
“I do.” I responded.
He smiled genuinely. “Say the whole sentence.”
I smiled at him “ I need you.”
“I needed you last night, who knows when Darcy would’ve gotten around to calling Dr. V?” He responded. I smiled harder.
Mom moved in front of Hannah. “Who is this strange boy?” She asked.
“My name is Alistair. I live in the house at the end of the street. I got hit by a car yesterday and nobly took me to my house to call an ambulance.”
“Bu I couldn’t because he…”
“I have no insurance.”
“No way he could’ve paid. So I called a friend of ours who is a doctor.” I added.
She nodded. “The Robertson’s.”
“Yes. And I stayed with him while they took care of him to make sure he was okay,” I added.
She nodded. “Yes. She has a bit of an obsession with your family.”
“And I don’t with Marc? For God’s sake! I posted him all over my room! He understands how I don’t get any attention!” Hannah cried for attention. I was practically dying for her to get attention.
“Yes! Just give her attention!” I exclaimed. I covered my mouth.
Alistair’s gaze fell undoubtedly on me. It was nice.
Hannah asked me “What can I do to get noticed?”
“Go find a guy like this. Make sure he’s dresses like he came out of Edward Scissorhands or any Tim Burton movie and have him drop you off after spending the night by his bedside.” I responded.
She asked, “Kiss?”
“Maybe. Ever heard of French kissing?” I asked.
Alistair came in. “Don’t tell your little sister to go stick her tongue down someone’s throat. Especially a ten year old sister who is so precious.”
“He’s a keeper, Annie.” Mom told me.
Alistair asked, “What do you like?”
“I am really into Justin Bieber.”
“Really?”
“Mhm.”
“Is there anything Justin Bieber related you would want?”
“The doll!” She exclaimed
Alistair nodded “I’ll get that for you.”
“He is REALLY a keeper!” Hannah responded.
He nodded. “The tour bus too?”
“YES!” Hannah exclaimed.
I asked Alistair “Why did you tell her that?”
“I’m generous like that.” Alistair responded
I asked “For any other reason?”
“I want to get on your parents’ good side.” He responded
I smiled. “Why?”
“Maybe if one of them spreads that we are good, I could fly outside my own house.” He responded.
I nodded, solemnly. Yes, I was hoping he would tell me he likes me.
He told me “I really want you to be able to come over freely.”
“You will. When Hannah gets attention, she ends up with Justin Bieber, Marc ends up with Beyoncé and pigs fly.” I responded.
He asked, “Do you want me to leave?”
“Never.”
“Then don’t tell me a respectable young gentleman cannot mold a slightly prone to rebellion young woman into a respectable young gentlewoman in his home.”
“Are you sure you are seventeen?” I asked.
He nodded.
I asked, “Then will you not make it sound like My Fair Lady?”
He nodded, with a smile coming to his face. “But wouldn’t that be loverly?”
I rolled my eyes “The only musical I would live out is the Phantom of the Opera.”
My dad ruined the moment. My dad said, “Tomorrow you start school!” Guess who can’t catch a break?
Out of all the people to appear before me, and tell me I had school tomorrow, it had to be my dad. Here is the thing with my dad. He is a cop. He has a gun and likes shooting things. He likes obeying the laws, but much prefers shooting the ones who don’t. Another point is that he likes to shoot animals for sport. I am no vegan, but I do understand that means he has almost a hundred percent chance of shooting Alistair.
My dad turned and saw who I was with. “Well looky here!”
Somehow my dad never got the Bostonian accent, like me. But unlike me, he ended up with a country one instead. He did live in Kansas for a while.
He threw his hand playfully against my back. “Guess who’s bringing a guy home!” I could tell he was about ready to shoot Alistair.
Okay you need to know what my dad looks like before I tell you what happened. My dad’s hair is mostly salt, with just little bits of pepper in it. My dad has the tan skin from his youth, working in the agricultural farmland of the Heartland. He has cold blue eyes, like mine. He is one of those guys who always wear a flannel shirt, torn-up jeans and a baseball cap, that is, when he isn’t in uniform. My dad is a classic country daddy, gun right up to my crush’s head and everything.
Alistair responded, “I am not a guy, well I am male, but I am just a male friend.”
“I don’t trust male friends.” Dad warned. He whispered “Annie, don’t you run off with this guy.”
“He’s cool, Dad.” I responded.
He rolled his eyes. “The same thing you said about getting a detention. ‘Its okay dad.’ My church group’ll make sure to pray extra hard for ya.”
“Prayer doesn’t work, Dad. It is sheer coincidence.” I responded.
My dad yelled “Lies!” and ran off.
Alistair smiled. “You’re Atheist too?”
“There is a force that controls all life, but it is nature, not God.” I responded.
Alistair smiled slyly. “I like your style, Annie. You are a rebellious little thing!”
“Yes, yes I am.” I responded.
There was a silence. He broke it. “I have to go. My wings feel like they’ll burst.”
“Okay.” I responded.
He raced outside. From the window in my bedroom I could see him fly.
I heard the gasps as he flew. Then he landed safely on the terrace and gave them all a middle finger. He walked inside as many found which of his long, elegant fingers protruded from the rest; more gasps of disgust and people in awe and disgust arose. I had a straight view of his terrace from my room. I giggled at him. I needed to let him know how I felt. I think he saw me and winked my way. We’d give ‘em hell!
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