Ending Paradise

Unlikely Point of View

We arrived in the flashing city of New Grace. Unlike our small town of Black Sun, the place was well built, very crowded, and compacted with multi-storied buildings, and covered with light fixtures. It was midday so none of the lights were on but it's said that they were as pretty as looking at a sky of rainbow stars.

Our journey ended downtown in a shopping outlet. We got out the chariot and Wynter locked it up onto a gate with a thick metal chain and matching padlock. I read the glowing enchantment along the side.

Personal item protection. Violators will be shocked.

Maple turned back from a lion before poking her red fox head out of his bag once more. She barked towards my bag stirring Vex's slumber.

Vex flopped over in my bag but didn't wake up. Maple called out to him again but again he didn't respond. I pointed to Vex's body and he was still out cold.

"Sorry. Vex is quite the heavy sleeper," I apologized to Maple before she went back into Wynter's bag.

I could see her tail out of the corner of one of his mesh pockets which I hadn't noticed before.
"There's a curry place nearby. That's where we're meeting everyone else," He said, pointing down the bustling street.

We walked down the sidewalk of midday traffic. Everyone was out for lunch or a break and made it hard to navigate. I started falling behind a little bit as people kept bumping into me. Wynter grabbed ahold of my hand and placed it on the strap of his bag right at the lower mid of his back.

Subconsciously, I grabbed onto it before he continued to walk off with a wide smile on his face. It made it ten times easier to walk through the crowd and I could see a lot more of this area.
Occasionally, I'd get a disapproving glance from a parent or worker for looking like a lost child and it warmed my body to a near crsis. But I tried my best to ignore it and look as unbothered as Wynter.

Soon we arrive to a small alley where Wynter lead me to the back stoney gray door with a white and green sign above its

"Malcolm's curry? This is the place?"

"Yep, a small back alley restaurant that most locals know about," He clarified before opening the door for me.

A small bell alerted the employees of our presence. They looked at me for a moment before Wynter stepped in. They all looked at Wynter and I and started whispering stuff as they got back to work. Which wasn't too pleasant.

"Don't mind them, they're just curious but not mean," He said before walking off to a booth in the back.

It was a lot and I couldn't really say a lot about it, but still I followed not wanting to question much about it.

"Hello, are you well?" A guy with short dirty blond hair and violet streaked hair greeted Wynter with a pat on the back.

Wynter shrugged it off, "I'm pretty good but it's been awhile,"

The girl in the booth stood up and glanced over at me with her face a little twisted but not necessarily judgmental. She didn't say anything but I've seen looks like that and it was unnerving. I felt my body lean ever so slightly back as I contemplated running away and going home but I never actually went anywhere.

"So you're the rebound? I didn't think Wynter was into the wider hip, goths, aesthetic" She smirked, peering down at my lower half.

Wynter stepped in between the two of us, "First off, out of pocket. Second, they're not my rebound just some poor student Wyatt bullied and decided to join us since I felt bad,"
The girl giggled, "I know. You told us this, remember? And by rumors alone I wish you'd date them instead of Wyatt,"