Love My Wings

Chapter 20

"P-Pardon?" The girl rolled her eyes.

"I can't tell if you genuinely have a hearing problem, or if you're just slow." Lei completely ignored the statement with his mind still on her last sentence.

"You want me? In your band?" He asked as if it were an outlandish request. "But I'm only Eighteen-"

"A few years difference won't hurt anyone, you're as talented as we are. Plus," Lei breathed heavily as she came close to him. Her expression was mischievous.

"I've never seen wings like those before." Lei's face was red as she backed away with a gracious movement. The girls behind her giggled playfully as they watched him flustered.

"If you would take me, yes. Yes, I would love to join your band. I don't know if I can be as good as you expect, but I'll try my very-" He cut off as she pressed a finger to his lips.

"That's enough. My name is Maxine, by the way, but you can call me Max." He looked up at her and nodded, slowly. She pointed to the girls behind her. "Blue hair is Liz and the one that looks like Rainbow Brite is Bonnie." They curtsied dramatically as they held their hands out to shake Lei's. A smirk across both their faces.

"Nice to meet you guys! I look forward to working with you." Liz chuckled,

"You scared him so bad that he didn't even think to say no." Maxine turned around to glare at her. "Don't worry Lei, she's not as scary as she seems." Lei chuckled nervously as he thought of the adventure ahead.

Rory sat at the edge of the bed with the coffee kettle whistling and the news on the TV in the background. He ignored everything around him, completely immersed in what he was doing. He took a deep breath. "Lei, if you can hear me. Please... Please say something, anything you want."

He waited patiently as he stared at the stone. Nothing. "Lei, are you there?" He paused. "LEI, WILL YOU PAY ATTENTION, GODDAMMIT?!"

Finally, he could hear a voice, like an echo saying: "I'm so sorry, I'll be right back, I have to go to the restroom." Rory squinted as he stared at the ring in his hands. "Rory?" He heard, his face lighting up with joy and shock.

"LEI?" Rory put a hand over his mouth in surprise.

"Am I hearing things again?" The voice asked.

"I DON'T KNOW. IF YOU ARE, SO AM I." There was a brief silence.

"I tried many times to talk to you. I- I feel like I've lost my mind."

"I am right here, Lei. The rings, Lizu didn't say anything, but they were meant for us to communicate. And when I wore it, I felt hope. Like a piece of you was still here."

Lei gripped his hoodie twisting the fabric between his fingers. It was as if the air had left his lungs. He whimpered and sobbed as his back touched the alley's cold brick wall. If anyone other than the gray cat walking by saw him here talking to himself they would think he was crazy. "It just can't be- You're gone! Stop trying to make me believe you care. You left me! And for the record, I don't even know if you were real in the first place. It was all in my head... This whole time."

Rory froze. He got goosebumps as he felt Lei's desperation run through his body. Before he knew it he was drenched in sweat. "No- No, Lei, I am going to find you! No matter what it takes, I will see you again... Or die trying."

Lei took a deep breath before wiping the tears off his face and running back. "So. What do I have to do first?" Maxine raised an eyebrow challengingly.