Ghost Bird Fanfiction: Sang's Lyric, The Story of Sang Sorenson's Mother

Beaches at Night

I didn't have a window that looked out on the driveway, so I stood at my bedroom door, backpack on my back and phone in my hand, ready to leave. I heard the doorbell ring, and I was out my door and down the stairs in seconds, but still Garret beat me there. He threw me a glance that clearly said, "Wait there," and opened the door.

"Hello Mr. Sorenson." It was Taylor. 
I wondered if Taylor was the designated go-between. From what Garret had said, I knew that he was prejudiced against Kell, and he and James had already had a confrontation in my art class. Perhaps Taylor had been identified as the person who would offend Garret the least.

"Taylor," Garret greeted coldly.

I stepped forward, but he shot me a look again.

"I expect her home by ten," he warned.

"That's fine," Taylor answered smoothly.

"Where will you be studying?" Garret asked. "I need a number so I can reach you."

"I have a phone now," I offered. "I can give you the number."


"How do you have a phone?" Garret asked, turning toward me and looking at me suspiciously.

"I..." I started, looking at Taylor for help.

"It's from The Academy," Taylor answered. "In case they have questions about classes or enrollment."

Garret didn't looked pleased. He was so hot and cold; either trying to be my best friend or scolding me for poor choices. It was making me even more anxious than I usually was. I felt as if I was walking on eggshells.

I found my number on the phone and rattled it off to Garret, who inputted it into his phone.

"Ten," he reminded me.

"I know," I answered, stepping forward, wanting to get to Taylor as soon as I could, but Garret stopped me with a hand on my shoulder .

"Be safe," he said seriously, and wrapped me in a hug.

My arms hung loosely at my sides and I tried to step away, but he mashed me closer to his chest. I felt him kiss the top of my head before his arms released me and I could step away. My face was flaming and my entire body felt tight, like I was trying to escape from my skin. I nodded at Garret, but he wasn't looking at me, he was eyeing Taylor triumphantly.

Taylor had never looked so angry. His face was red, as if he was holding his breath, and his hands were clenched into fists. He'd stepped into the house, and I wondered if he had been ready to pull me away from Garret.

I stepped up to him. "Tex?"

He glanced down at me, and nodded, snaking his arm around my shoulders and turning me. I heard the door close behind us as Taylor marched us to the idling car. In the illumination of the porch light, I could see both Kell and James in the car. Their faces reflected the same anger I'd seen on Taylor's. He opened the door for me, and slid in next to me, wrapping me up in his arms and holding me closely before sitting me back and buckling me in.

"We need to chat, Crash," Taylor said seriously. "The four of us have some things to discuss."

"Okay," I said nervously, wondering if this was where they told me they weren't interested in having me in their family; that I wasn't worth the trouble.

I clasped my hands together tightly in my lap, and felt my stomach churn, the milk I'd had for dinner threatening sourly.

James pulled into a parking lot, and I recognized Mother's Beach. He came around and opened the door for me while Kell grabbed a blanket from the trunk, and Taylor a cooler. Despite the way they moved in synchrony, there was an underlying nervousness in their actions.

Kell led the way to the sand, and James held my hand, helping me down the rocks until we could sit on the blanket Kell had situated on the small strip of sand left by high tide. The sky was clear and the moon reflected on the water. Every so often a car would drive by, but the only light was from nearby cottages and the moon. It felt private, but not isolating. A blanket covered my shoulders and I looked gratefully at Taylor. I had forgotten to wear the coat that they bought me last weekend, instead wearing a heavy fisherman's sweater.

I waited for them to speak, watching as they exchanged glances with each other. James sat next to me on one side, his knee touching mine, while Taylor and Kell faced me: Taylor's knee against mine and Kell's against Taylor's and James'. We made a tight circle, with Taylor and Kell blocking most of the wind coming off the ocean.

"We need to talk to you about our family," James began.

I felt myself tense. I fully expected him to say, "And we don't want you in it."

He cleared his throat once and looked at the other boys before closing his eyes tightly and opening them again. "We love you, Lyric," he said in a rush, so it sounded like, "Weloveyoulyric."

Wait. They... What?

I was clearly misunderstanding them, and assumed I'd missed the portion of the speech about leaving me. "But?" I prompted.

James looked at Taylor and Kell, who seemed confused.

"What do you mean?" James asked. "I love you."

Kell moved closer, his eyes blazing at me. "I love you, Lyric," he said, taking my hand.

"I love you, Crash," Taylor said, leaning forward, a gleam in his eyes. "I loved you since I saw you covered in mud."

They couldn't possibly be saying what I hoped they were saying.

"Like a sister, though, right?" I asked bravely.

Taylor and James shook their heads vigorously while Kell said simply. "No."

"You love me?" I asked, trying to wrap my mind around their declaration. "Me? Like... Me. Me." I pointed to my chest in disbelief. "And not like a sister."

"We love you," Kell reiterated, and then looked in confusion at Taylor and James. "Is this an American thing? Are we being unclear? What am I doing wrong?" He seemed genuinely lost.

"It's not..." I started, "I... Okay. You love me," I pointed at Taylor. "And you love me." I pointed at James. "And you love me, too." I ended at Kell. "And none of you love me like a sister. So that means you love me like..."


"Like a girlfriend," Taylor interrupted.

"No," Kell said. "More than a girlfriend. Deeper than that."


I looked at James. "We love you," he said seriously, his face silver in the moonlight while his golden eyes had darkened to nearly black. "We all love you and we all want to be with you." His hand moved tentatively to my face, cupping my cheek gently and rubbing my cheekbone with his thumb.

I didn't move.

I turned toward James and stared at him, but felt the heat of another body move closer, and then soft lips with a hint of stubble pressed against my neck. I tilted my head, my eyes fluttering closed. I could smell pine and smoke, and then a hand was stroking down my hair. 
"Do you think you could love us too, Lyric?" James asked me, moving closer until his lips were a breath away from mine. "Could you love us the way we love you?"

My heart felt lighter than it ever had before and I couldn't help my smile. "I already do."

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