Inked Wings (16+)

TWO - Replacement

/ Noel's POV /

10:35

My eyes feel so dry.. aah.

'Damn it!' The daylight outside is blinding. I rub my eyes but of course, they feel like they're about to pop out now.

I turn around under my sheets. It's better now. Shade is always better.

'Morning,' Abi '(Dad)' whispers. I can feel him watching me breathe in and out.

'My father is weird like that. It's ok,' I mouth.

'Hmm?' He says.

As if he put his palm behind his ear to hear better. That's what I get from his tone.

'Don't you know if you whisper or talk I'll fall back asleep anyways? For real, Abi, stop watching me drool like an idiot,' I murmur. 'AND let me whisper like an idiot.'

'I only woke you up to lend you the following information: you have food on the counter downstairs. I'll go out in a bit.'

I stand with a wheesh and a whoosh of the blanket. 'I'm coming with,' I tell him.

He makes eye contact with me. He is wearing that "origami" patterned tuxedo (I don't know what these shapes are), probably ready for a long trip with the subway.

Abi chuckles. He straightens my hair by petting my head. Like some dog.

I hate that I like it.

'Are you sure?' He questions me.

'Pff, yes. I forgot to charge my play-tablet so it's not like I have better things to do.'

I'm lying. I actually wanna go.

Abi knows some real interesting places and very real weirdos. It's entertaining, and allows me to go outside once in a new moon.

'Alright. I will let you prepare for leave.' He smiles then leaves me alone in my room.

It's pretty plain. Should add some posters or something, I don't know. It looks like the inside of an empty eggshell. No personality whatsoever. Says a lot about me? Meh...

I put on some of my big clothes and hurry downstairs. There, Abi sways slightly on his feet. He is holding his peacock blue serviette.

'Done!' I announce.

We lock the house and walk to the metro (subway - whatevs). I keep my earbuds in my jeans pocket. "I'll put them on halfway."

We pay - okay - Abi pays for the rides.

It's full inside so we stand near the sealed entrance. I think of something to start a conversation with him, since he likes talking, but Abi opens his casket as he rests it against his knee. He closes it, now concentrating on checking his records.

The talk hasn't even began and it's already over. I put on my earbuds and press play.

11:47

My playlist carries me through the road, if you will. I remember two stops clearly:

One. A "high-ee" as I call the people who do too much "Lucid" '(the drug, not the car)' dropped his stuff. He kept singing what he was doing and was wearing fresh clothes.

Two. Some group of street performers, I think. A W.P.A poster was glitching behind them. Two twin looking women and a bulky man wore white and blue costumes.

They wore animal masks, personalised as – uh - "mutated". The women wore bunny masks with a bird's beak and the dude wore a bear's head with wings as ears. They were advertising donations.