The Titan's Gifts

Chapter Thirty-One

"Okay, you two, that wraps up today's lesson on basic runes and what we use them for!" Momma exclaims as King and I clean up our mess of papers and pencils," Now go on and burn off some of that energy before lunch."

"Okay, mom/momma!!!"

King and I quickly ran out the back door and grabbed the grugby ball momma got for us to kick around. It's both the coolest and somewhat creepiest thing I've ever seen and I love it! King especially does when we play one-on-one soccer shoot-out or play catch or when Hooty joins we play monkey in the middle. 

We were in the middle of an intense game of shoot-out when Hooty pop's out of nowhere, scaring the absolute shit out of both of us.

"Guys the nice music girl is here to see you!!! Should I let her through hoot!"

I look over at King and he nods happily. King loves to hang out with Skara especially when she lets him play on her scroll or teach him new tricks on his drumset. They also surprisingly enough have a common interest in demon anatomy and would spend hours discussing it if they could.

So when we gave Hooty the go-ahead, Skara ran around the house and over to us with an excited grin.

"Heya guys!" She was panting and trying to catch her breath. Looking at her Hexside uniform, she must've run through the forest a bit some the small patches of mud and some leaves in her grey hair.

"Hey Skara, what brings you here to the owl house? Isn't it still school time for you?" I ask as King climbs up to my shoulder to be at the same height level.

"Yeah, mom says your torture time isn't over till three!"

We all laugh at momma's description of school though I don't blame her. School as my family knows has never been a very good experience for me, even though I have been to twelve different ones. 

"Bard class got let out early today and I need your help guys." She pulled out her small songbook from her school bag.

We all moved over to the deck and sat at the edge of it as Hooty joins us too saying he wants to be included in whatever it is. Skara opens up the songbook she took out and flips over to a blank page with a very shocking title.

'A Song For Willow'

"You see um..." Skara blushes a bit as she nervously looks at the blank page," I've always had a crush on Willow since we were little witchlings, but because of who my parents are. I was never allowed to talk to her much less be friends with her. It was thanks to you that I was allowed to finally talk to her and I'm grateful for that Luz."

She gave me a sincere smile and I felt my entire body warm up by her kind words, "You don't have to thank me Skara. I'm the one who is forever grateful for all of you being friends with me."

I gave her a bright grin," Now tell us how can we help?"

"You probably don't know this, since you don't go to Hexside, but Grom is coming up in two months and I want to... I want to ask Willow to grom by song and I'm having trouble coming up with the words." 

She looks at the blank music sheet in both frustration and agony," I've been trying to come up with something for days, and every song I did make was either very cringy or cheesy... auuuuggghhh."

I chuckle softly and gently pat her back in comfort as King speaks up," Hmm why not think about all the things you like about her and use that? I mean that's how sis comes up with some of the songs she doesn't want people to know."

"King, did you go through my personal songbook again?"

He sticks his tongue out at me and I flick his forehead playfully for it. King loves to snoop around my things and books that he finds interesting. Though there that personal songbook is something that I hoped I could keep to myself.

Skara gave me an inquisitive look," Personal songbook? Like a secret songbook?"

"Yes, but the songs in there are a bit more emotional if I were to describe it. King and momma know about it since well I live here and I don't want to have secrets with them but I kinda wanted to keep it that way."

Skara gave me a soft smile," Hey I completely understand Luz, you don't have to justify it to me or anyone else. I'll keep it a secret from the others if wish."

"Thank you Skara," I gave my best friend a grateful smile," Now let's get to songwriting and I know the best way!"

I pick up the grugby ball and grin childishly," With a friendly game of shoot out!!"

King jumps up happily and declares he will be the winner as Skara shakes her head playfully. I set up our homemade soccer goal, which was made from some metal pipes I found in the basement, an actual soccer goal net, and a lot of rope.

I explain the rules to Skara and even got Hooty to be our goalie, though made sure to tell him that this was just a friendly game and not go super hard on us. He agrees and for the next hour, the four of us were laughing, playing, and throwing around ideas for Skara's song.

Hooty even gave his two snails about the song and not gonna lie it was a good idea. Even King complimented his idea which made him cry happily and went to chase my little brother down for a hug as he ran away from the crying bird tube.

"So has our small game helped at all?"

She nods and laughs happily," Yeah, I really needed this Luz. Thank you."

I bump her shoulder softly and stick my tongue out childishly," You don't have to thank me Skara besides that's what friends are for. We help each other or at least I hope that's what friends do."

She gave me a weird look at my words.

"Luz I've been meaning to ask this for a while and you don't have to tell me if you don't want to but..." She takes a small breath," I've been noticing how sometimes you would get scared in public without your mom and King around or even when the group isn't around. Amity has noticed it too when she told me about your little date with her before the surprise performance."

'Date? I don't even know what that is...'

Picking up on my confusion, she continues," And when we met at the Bardic Haven you asked what a girlfriend was and was so surprised that we wanted to be your friend. So what I'm getting to with this is...What was your life like before coming here?"

I felt my entire body freeze at her question.

The question I've been dreading to answer for months and now it's finally happening. I wanted to run back inside the house, to go to my room and hide away from everyone. I didn't want my friends to leave me because of the truth...

"I'm sorry Skara but I-I'm not ready to tell you or the group yet..."

She ruffles my hair and gave me a comforting smile," Hey it's okay Luz, no matter what Amity, Willow, Gus, and I are always here for you. Nothing will change that so take all the time you need because you're stuck with us now!"

I just laugh at her optimism and laugh more as she starts telling me funny stories about her and Amity's childhood when momma calls all of us in for a late lunch of homemade mushrooms, lumpkin, and tentacle stir fry with demon fire rice along with ice peach juice.

"Come on! Momma makes the best food!!" I gave her a big grin and all four of us went inside to eat the delicious food that I could smell from the deck. Skara smiles and agrees with excitement as we walk into the kitchen to stuff our faces with momma's delicious food.