Lachlan's P.O.V.
I sighed and buried my head in my hands, my entire body shaking like a leaf. I was in so much pain that I could barely move and every time I tried to sit up, it sent shots of pain running through my entire body, a hacking cough leaving my mouth.
I groaned, arcing my back gently to try and do something to stop the pain. My wings were still tied down tightly to my back, the reason for the pain, but I couldn't undo them, not now, not here. I was in the Sidemen house and I couldn't risk having them out at all, not when someone could walk into my room unexpectedly.
I wanted to take the ties off, reduce the pain, but I couldn't. I couldn't risk it, not when I already knew the consequences of someone finding out my secret, my difference, my... my... I sighed, wanting to cry.
I knew I was depressed. I couldn't tell anyone, I didn't want to tell anyone, I had no one to turn to when I needed it the most and I knew it wasn't good. I couldn't continue on much longer without help, without someone I could rely on. I wasn't far from the edge.
"Lachlan!?" Someone yelled through the door. Quickly I rolled onto my back and covered myself with my blanket, whining in pain.
"Yeah?" I said in a hushed whisper, trying to sound tired. The door was pushed open and Simon poked his head around it.
"Hey mate, the rest of us are going out for a few hours so you'll be alone in the house, just so you know. Catch up on some sleep, you look like shit." I nodded and he smiled, leaving me in piece.
I smiled to myself, knowing I would finally be able to release my wings and relax for a little while. I listened out for about half an hour, finally completely relaxing when I heard 2 cars drive down the driveway and disappear.
Slowly I eased myself into a sitting position, my fingers finding the rope around my chest. It had dug marks into my skin where it had been resting for days, my skin red, patchy and flared from where the material of the rope had reacted to my skin.
With shaking fingers I undid the knots and sighed in relief as it fell away, allowing me to spread my wings to their full glory. The pain faded almost at once as I stretched my wings out, their white colour almost a cream colour because of the time they spent tied down.
It wasn't good for them, being tied down all the time, but I didn't have an choice, especially when I knew what could happen if someone found out.
The thing was, I wasn't actually born in Australia like most people assumed or thought they knew about me. I was a born and bred New Zealander but when I was 13 I thought I could trust one of my friends and I showed him my wings. My entire family fled the country to Australia under the ruse of my dad having a new job so we didn't get into an more trouble.
And so from the age of 13 to 22 I lived in Australia, picking up the accent so people didn't think that I was from New Zealand, and so he could never find me. I knew if someone found out, the outcome wouldn't be good.
Slowly, I started to sort out my wings. They should have been pure white rather than a light cream and stretched well over 4 feet in diameter each, giving me about a nine and a bit foot wingspan, counting my chest.
Some of the feathers were crushed and bent because of the way they had been pinned down, so slowly I worked my way through the wings, stretching my muscles and sorting out the feathers. Pinning them down wasn't good for my health.
I knew the boys weren't going to be home for a while so I knew I could keep my wings out, and so I settled down for a little while of me time, where I could take care of myself and my wings, alone and without pain.
