Whispers on a Wing

Chapter Sixteen

"So how have you been really?" Alice asked as she shoved another slice of mushroom and red pepper pizza into her mouth.

I shrugged, not knowing what to say or how much to tell her. I wanted to tell her everything, needing someone to finally be my sound board and get all the stress and anxiety that has been sitting on my chest for years, but I was nervous. What if I told her everything and she changed her mind? What if she saw my wings again and freaked out.

"I can see your mind whirling," she commented, breaking the silence between us. "I get it, you don't trust me, but you will," she grinned.

"If you say so," I said, not sure if I believed her or not.

"Now eat up before it gets cold, I'm already crazing that chocolate brownie that was on the menu."

I snorted before picking up another slice of my pepperoni pizza and took bite after bite, marvelling at the taste. I hadn't had a pizza in I didn't know how long, a crime really, and the taste was enough to make me let out a small groan in pleasure before biting back into the slice.

"So what are you doing here? I don't believe it was to come and cheer your school on, the Alice I knew hated sports with a passion."

"A girl can change," she said, acting all defensive.

At my questioning look she laughed before holding her free hand up in surrender. "Alright you got me, my brothers wanted to come and watch and I drew the short straw on being the taxi driver," she explained.

"That's a scary thought, I can't imagine you being on the road," I laughed.

"Oh shut up, I'm a great driver," she defended. "It's everyone else on the road that has the problem."

"Mm-hm," I mock agreed as I grinned over at her. "How are your brothers? They must be what... thirteen?"

"Fourteen and a right pain in my arse, I swear you are so lucky you don't have any siblings, all they do is trash your stuff and get you into trouble."

My mind threatened to flash back to a time before I had wings, back to happier times where we could play in the garden and feel safe, but I quickly shut the memories down. "I umm... yeah I guess." It was safer, to agree with her rather than opening up the full can of worms that was my family history. She didn't need to know about it and I didn't want to talk about it.

"Anyway, enough about me, I want to know more about you. How have you been since we last saw each other? Got any weird new tattoos? Joined any cults I should know about?"

"Nothing nearly as exciting as that," I snorted. "I've mainly just been doing this boring thing called surviving. You know finding enough food to eat, making sure no one finds out about me, taking the odd flight to the beach when the weather allows it. You know, normal stuff."

Alice was silent for a second, she'd even stopped chewing her food as she stared over at me from the little two seater booth we were sitting in. "What do you mean finding enough food to eat? Do you not have any food?"

She looked horrified at the idea and I couldn't help the little snort that escaped as I took in her expression. "I don't have any money Alice," I reminded her. "I can't get a regular job because I don't have an address or a bank account and even if I did I don't know many jobs that allows you to work in all the layers I need to wear to hide my-," I broke off as I realised I was about to say my wings.

I'd said it so casually, as if I'd discussed this with Alice a million times before, and I couldn't explain the feelings I felt threatening to bubble to the surface, but it was warm and... happy?

"Damn," she whistled. "Now I'm doubly glad I brought you out for some pizza. What do you do for food if you don't buy it?"

"I get creative," I smirked as I thought about the allotments I'd not long ransacked in the hopes of finding some fresh vegetables and potatoes. As long as I make it look like an animal had done it and I don't take too much no one was ever the wiser.