Those With Wings

Meeting Again

Zero's POV

I wondered what my parents would say at the moment the door opened, and they saw the supposed mass murderer holding hands with me.

It probably wouldn't be positive. But heck, I didn't really care. I squeezed her hand, and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before knocking on the door.

"Coming!" I heard my mother yell, followed by loud footsteps.

The door was ripped open, and my mother shrieked. "Mom, mom, calm down!" I said, alarmed. I released Luanna's hand, and hugged my mother. "It's me! Zero!"

She started sobbing. "We thought- we- we thought you were dead!" she sniffed.

I shared a glance with Luanna, who looked uncomfortable. "I'm fine, mom. And it's not what you think, Luanna had a good reason for killing those people."

My mother pulled away, and looked at me, horrified. "There is never a good reason for killing two people out of the blue," she said, her voice trembling.

"Mom, the guy had been abusing her for years, and wanted to take her back to do so again. And that girl- well, it's a bit hard to explain, but let's just say it wasn't a real person."

My mother frowned, and turned away. "Come in, then," she whispered.

I took Luanna's hand again, and smiled at her. "Are you coming?"

She hesitated, and I hugged her tightly. "Whatever your decision will be, I want you to know I'm coming with you," I told her.

She hugged me back. "Thanks, Zero."

I waited for her to say something else, but she didn't. I pulled away, and eyed her face. "Are you okay?"

Luanna burst out into tears, to my own suprise, and I blinked. "Lu?"

She threw her arms around me again. "I don't belong here," she sniffed.

"Are you two coming?" my mother called.

I looked at Luanna. "Are we?"

Luanna straightened up, and wiped her tears away. "You are. I'm not."

I grabbed her arm. "If you're going, so am I."

"You have to finish school, twirp. We'll meet again."

I hesitated. "Promise?"

Luanna put her hands on either side of my face, and kissed me lightly. "Promise."

........................................................................................................................................

The girl opened the door, and spotted the drenched boy. "How can I help you?" she asked, concerned.

There was a look she couldn't fathom on the boy's face. "Can I come in? I don't have a home," he whispered.

The girl's heart ached. "I have to ask my mother, please wait!" she told him, wheeling around the corner, "mooooom? There's a boy here, and he's all wet, can he come in?"

"Do you know him?" her mother responded.

The girl hesitated, and remembered the look on the boy's face. She didn't. "Yes, he's from my school," she lied.

"Let him come in, then!" her mother said, smiling. The girl ran back, and took the boy's hand. "Come on in, come on in!" she whispered, "I told my mother I know you from school, okay?"

She smiled as soon as she finished the words, and brushed her brown curls aside. "Call me Emma!" she chirped.

The boy nodded, and stepped inside. "You remind me of someone. I'm Alex."