Wingless

Chapter fifteen, his childhood

He wasn't sure, and so, he told Prapai about himself.

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"I'm an orphan who lived on his own most of his life. There were several other kids with me while we grew up together, but we kept our space. I met my fist true friend when I was 17, -that was Rain- and got into college by lots of trial and error. You really have no idea how much I had to do just to get into school."

Sky scoffed gloomily. No matter how understanding Pai was, he could never relate to this.

Sky remembered his horrible childhood hours and the punishments he got whenever he did something his caretakers didn't like. Life after he sneaked into the town library to read, he got locked up in the attic closet for the night, and when they let him out, he was a sobbing mess, because of claustrophobia. He was only 8. Or the time when he had to study day and night, usually with only 3-4 hours of sleep to get into a normal school.

But now that he started talking, Sky realized he couldn't stop. All of this had been piling and piling on top of him, and he finally had a chance to talk it out. He knew he couldn't tell Pai everything, but the fact that somebody at least listened, was so great.

"I studied day and night, - literally. I had to seek knowledge wherever I could, and I mostly had to do that by either stealing books from the orphanage caretakers or trying to solve math assignments left on the streets. I needed to study, and I really wanted my parents to be proud of me, wherever they were or are."

Sky peeked at Prapai, and could not read his face. Though, he could feel that Pai was worried. Sky didn't know why, but he knew Pai was. Immediately he continued.

"I knew that I needed proper education though, so I started collecting money by mowing lawns, painting fences, taking care of others pets, -you know, the usual. Then, I knew I needed much more money, no matter how hard I worked or tried, so I got my first real job at 13. I somehow managed to find a job at a zoo, so in addition to all I mentioned before, I worked there."

Sky paused. He didn't want to make himself pitiful, but really, he needed to talk everything out.

"My caretakers were very angry by my constant disappearances, so they usually punished me by leaving me without food or locking me up in small spaces. When I finally got to school and was able to find a better job, I left the orphanage at sixteen, and found myself a condo that didn't care what age you where as long as you paid."

Sky looked at Prapai again. The other was staring at him, listening carefully to every word. He didn't say anything bad, or interrupt, and it made Sky want to really tell him everything. Everything, as in, everything. About his wings, and about Gun too. But Sky knew he couldn't. Couldn't, shouldn't, wouldn't.

"I hated it there, and when I moved to high school, I worked at a cafe, and managed to move out to here. I work at that cafe still, plus a restaurant, but both are currently closed for renovations. Now, luckily all I have to worry about is schoolwork, but I finished most of it already since I am the top of the class. I studied, my studies payed off. I worked, my work payed off. That's my motto now. Stay low, stay unbothered by anything, and move forward."

Sky finished and looked at Prapai again. The look of worry on his face was back.

"Please do not think of me poorly, P'Prapai. I know my life was not great before my 13 birthday, but I managed to solve problems myself from then on."

"- I, umm." Prapai paused

Sky was starting to get worried now. What if he told the wrong person and now Pai is going to say he doesn't want a person who's childhood was like Sky's.