The Celestial Chronicles | Book 1 | Quest For The Celestial Artifacts & Dragons

🌑 Chapter Four ☀️

2298
Milky Way Galaxy
Planet Earth 
Brooklyn, New York
S

tone Brooke Apartment Complex, Apartment #1501

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Malyla silently trudged into the living room after having sat in the waiting room while Fletcher finished up with his last surgery. 

He had taken her phone from her so the only thing she could do was study some of her textbooks. She knew it was inevitable, after all, she had started another fight and was prepared for whatever consequences that Fletcher deemed necessary. 

Fletcher closed the door behind him, tossing his keys into the dish by the door and taking off his shoes one by one then slipped his feet into his gray slippers.

His eyes panned over to the kitchen and walked over. "Sammy, that smells good, what are you making?" He asked, greeting the young boy with a soft smile on his lips. 

Sammy looked up at Fletcher with his brown eyes, a toothy grin on his freckled face, and his strawberry blonde hair hidden by a fancy chef hat. "Fletcher! I was trying my hand at some risotto with a twist, experimenting with other flavors. You'll love it!" He explained but then frowned. "Why are you back so early?"

Fletcher looked over at the couch to see Malyla who sat down on the couch. He sucked in a deep breath and lowered his voice. "Your sister got into another fight. I had to finish my last surgery before checking out and bringing her home." He explained a twinge of disappointment in his voice.

Sammy nodded, knowing fully well never to ask any questions about his sister getting into fights. "Oh, well, Mrs. Kim next door picked me up and brought me home. She insisted on staying until you got back but I assured her I'd be fine, and I promised her some of this risotto."

Fletcher was relieved that she had been so kind enough to bring Sammy home. "Remind me to thank her or else you'd be left behind at school for an extra hour and a half." He pushed off the counter.

He walked over to the couch and sat down. He leaned forward and rested his arms on his legs, lacing his fingers together and looking straight at Malyla. "Are you ready to explain what happened today?" He asked, breaking the silence in the room.

Malyla looked down at her lap, fiddling with her fingers. "Um . . . Cheyenne blamed Mom and Dad again for what happened. She said she'd be better than them and not make the same mistake they did - but they didn't make any mistake! It wasn't their fault -" She explained, her voice rushed as she paused twice. 

Fletcher pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. "We've talked about this before. You can't allow what others say to get to you. Yes it may hurt and you may think differently, but you can't change everyone's mind about what they believe."

Malyla heard the disappointment in his voice and his eyes. "I know that. I can't help it. Their words hurt so much that I can't help but take them to heart. It's like an invisible knife stabbing at my heart every time I hear it." She further insisted, trying to show him her reasons.

"I'm not denying that. What I am saying is one day you have to not grow cold or harden your heart, but understand that what others think isn't the end of the world." Fletcher had always been worried about her anger issues.

Malyla ignored his words and continued. "I know it wasn't an error, there has to be the truth on what happened - It's so painful to live every day not knowing what happened!" She exclaimed, placing her hands on the couch beside her.