Teacup Fairies

Definitely Not Hair

"Gosh, why do they have to give us so much work?" Mumbled 16-year old Ellie Gardner as she slammed her books on the table.
 
It was only 2 weeks after summer break and she was already drowning in school work. She heaved a grateful sigh as she saw a cup of tea waiting for her on the counter. Mum must've made it, she thought.

 Her mother worked afternoons to late nights, so small gifts like this were all Ellie really saw of her mother during the week. Ellie gently placed the tea next to her books and pulled up her favorite wheelie chair.
 

She opened her textbook and read, "Downtown is known to geographers by the more precise term central business district-" She slammed her book shut, rattling the tea cup. "Ugh," she groaned, "how will I manage to read all of that boring garbage?"

  She picked up her tea, thinking a long sip would help calm her nerves. As she began drinking, she felt something brush against her lips. Thinking she must have dropped a hair in the tea, she reached in the cup to pull it out.

  Her fingers hit something much more solid instead, and it began to float towards the surface. It was a pale, tiny human's face. And it definitely looked dead.

  Ellie screamed and dropped the cup on the table. It shattered, spilling tea everywhere. Ohmygosh mum's gonna kill me if I ruin her table, she thought distractedly.

Then she noticed the miniature figure lying among the shards and a painful knot formed in her stomach. Ellie's first instinct was to scoop up the creature and see if it was alive.

  Closer examination proved that the creature really did look human. Too-pale skin stretched over a handsome face with delicate features. It's sopping wet, light blue hair dripped onto Ellie's hand. It appeared to be wearing a pale blue tunic, navy pants, and brown boots, though the tea obscured their true colors.

  She brought the creature close to her ear, attempting to to detect breathing or a heart beat. She heard a small gasp and lowered her hands.

The thing was breathing all right- hyperventilating was more like it.
And it's silver eyes were staring right at her.