Phoenix: The Risen ✔️

W a l k s

Penelope waited patiently at her locker for Phoenix to arrive. The bell had rung only 5 minutes ago but she was always the first person bustling out of class.

She spotted his head above the rest of the students and she bit the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from squealing.

"Let's go" She said before maneuvering her way through the crowd.

10 seconds later she felt a large hand grab her elbow.

She turned around to see Phoenix with an amused look in his eyes.

Penelope blushed and smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry." She apologized.

She took his hand and led him through the crowd, out the way that she usually left when she was walking home.

Finally, they were free from the building and she skipped ahead of him and walked backwards, studying him with a dazed smile.

"I like your tattoos." She complimented.

His t-shirt allowed most of them to be displayed and she was truly mesmerized at the amount.

"Thanks." He replied in a soft tone.

What a strange girl.

He thought to himself. No one has ever liked his tattoos and that was exactly why he got them. They seemed to ward off even more people, which was a plus but they also provided an escape for him. They made him think.

"Did it hurt, to get so many?" Penelope asked curiously.

She had stopped walking backwards and had joined the spot beside him, so that they were walking in synch.

She couldn't help herself and reached up to brush the shapes permanently drawn on the side of his neck.

Phoenix looked down at her rounded eyes, nodding at her question.

"I'm used to it now, though." He added before looking in front of him.

And unfortunately so. How else was he supposed to feel?

He shook his head at his thoughts, not wanting to get trapped by the dark shadows within his mind. Refocusing his attention, he drew his eyes down to the small girl beside him.

She was so tiny.

He could tell that she was struggling to keep up with his long strides, which made sense considering that the top of her head barely reached his shoulder.
He noticed that she didn't complain though; she never seemed to.

He liked that about her.

Phoenix slowed his pace and raised a questioning brow.

"Why are you so nice to me?" He murmured.

He was genuinely curious why this girl was so interested in being friends with him. It didn't make sense.

Penelope looked up at him and a confused sound passed her pink lips.

"Why wouldn't I be?" She asked.

Phoenix shrugged and shook his head, not wanting to list reasons and have her run for the hills.

Penelope smiled at him and started talking about the town and her neighbourhood, basically anything to fill the silence that Phoenix liked to produce.

With company, the walk went by twice as fast and in no time they had arrived at Penelope's house.

"Thanks for walking with me Phoenix." Penelope said with twinkling eyes.