Untouchable Fruit

Invitations and Concentration

Briana's POV

After we finished our coffee and our treats, Chelsea and I moved form the café and started walking down town, no destination in mind as we shoot each other questions back and forth.

"What's your adoptive family like? Your chosen one." She asks and I can feel a smile come on to my face at the thought of them, despite my skin crawling with being in the same part of town that my parents died in.

"It's large. And everyone is very overwhelmingly protective. And each and every one do them are loyal to a fault. My brother, Alex, was the first one to have kids but we have three more on the way, and an adopted son in the mix with the Alpha and Luna. Our family just keep growing." I tell her and she looks at me in awe.

"Even when you were still around the castle, we never had a big family. The only family that matters is the Royal family and they're not as perfect as everyone believes." She says, the last sentence spoken with a frown.

"What is it like, being friends with the princess?" I ask her and she snorts.

"Who, Artemis? She's a blast. She's the funniest and most down to earth Princess that I've ever met. And I've had the displeasure of meeting a lot." She tells me and I frown as I think of something.

"Wait.... my brother Alex was friends with an Artemis back in high school. I only met her once or twice when I was a freshmen but she has golden skin and eyes with dark hair?" I ask her, definitely not remembering her form my childhood years of running around the castle.

"Oh my Seasons, yes!" She says in excitement and I smile to myself at her language m, obviously one of Earth Faerie culture.

"I think he knows I was a Faerie but I don't think he knows I used to run around the castle in my diaper." I joke to her and she cackles a bit before she turns to me with curious eyes.

"So you said you traveled the world? Where do you like to go? How often do you come home?" She asks me and my smile falters, taking on a softer tone as I listen to her questions.

"I do, but I don't travel, really. I live in different places around the world. I never stay in one place for too long, though." I explain to her, used to the way I've lived ever since I was almost fifteen years old. "And I don't really have a home. I'm more of a floater. But I come to visit my brother about every three to four months for a couple days before I'm off again, finding a new adventure."

"You don't have a home?" My cousin asks me, stopping when we reach a bench and she gestures for the two of us to sit down which I do before she turns towards me with sad eyes.

"I can't say I do. They said home is where the heart is, but I won't let myself form any connections. Not ones that can hold me down. The first two connections I ever made were stolen from me. It's dangerous to grow roots in the ground when you know you won't be able to grow there. This is where my family and there home is. I don't think I'm meant to have one." I tell her shrugging my shoulders.

"That's sad." She says and I shake my head.

"Only if you let it be." I counter and she nods her head slowly.

"Do you miss being pampered though? Living in the royal castle with all the pretty views and colorful art work?" She asks me, her brown eyes alight with awe as she thinks about the home that she so clearly adores.

"I can't say I do. Only because I don't remember it." I tell her. "Do you ever think about what you would be like without being a royal?"

She looks away from me and bites her lip before turning back. "I should be grateful that I'm blessed in the eyes of our Queen to be related to her... but sometimes I wonder what it would be like not to feel like the weight of the world is pressed on to your shoulders. I can't imagine how Artemis must feel." She says and I can't help but laugh earning a confused look from my cousin.

"It's nothing it's just... I expected a stuck up, snobby Faerie that didn't care about anything but herself. I didn't expect this." I tell her honestly with a shrug.

"Disappointed?" She asks and I nod my head.

"Oh yeah. Now my brother and his Mate have the change to say they told me so." I complain and she laughs, her curls bouncing as she does.

We sit there for a few moments, soaking up the sun before I turn towards her with an evil grin.

"Why don't you come to the Twins first birthday party in two days?" I ask and she arches a brow at me.

"Would your family like that?" She asks and I can detect a note of anxiety and it makes me laugh to myself when I realize she would fit right in with my little makeshift family.

"They wouldn't care. But it would give you a chance to be normal for a day. And it will give us another chance it hang out before I leave and find somewhere new to settle down for the next few months." I tell her with a quick smile.

"Leave? How soon are you leaving you only just got back!" She says in confusion and it makes me feel a pang of guilt.

"I wouldn't know what to do with myself here. All I can think about is my parents that were both killed in this city. It hurts being here." I tell her and she thinks about it for a bit before she sighs.

"Before you leave, whenever you leave your hotel, come stay with me with two days before you leave. And you can always come and see me when you come back." She says before she tells me something I didn't expect. "My parents died about three years ago. My mom from Cancer and my dad from a broken heart. Suicide. I don't have any family left either." She admits and suddenly, I feel very protective over her.

"It sucks, when you're not able to have your parents in your life. Especially when big things happen." I answer her, facing the road, my eyes burning a bit as I think about all the family I've lost.

All the stars I've cried.

"I know I was being annoying but I literally had to find you, Briana. I have Art, but it's different. It's not the same as-"

"As having your own family." I finish for her and eh nods towards me with big brown eyes that look just like mine. "Yeah I know."

She sighs and I follow the gesture, looking skeins us before I finally give in to the guilt trying to drag me down.

"I'll come stay. For two days before I head out okay. You can help me figure out where I go next." I tell her and she squeals in joy, happy with my commitment and it makes me feel the feet tall to know I made a soft soul happy.

"Thank you! I promise you won't regret it." She tells me and I cringe and shake my head.

"Don't make promises you can't keep. I'm sure I'll find a way to regret this some how. It's my specialty." I tell her and I expect her to get upset but she just slaps my leg and rolls her eyes at my antics even though I'm being one hundred percent honest.

Looks like I'll be forming connections after all. Yippee.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Touch deprivation + Stan + rain is not a good combination. I think my updates are going to be averaging less and it makes me sad bc that means it'll take me longer to write books.

But I will not just give up I will keep fighting my ADHD and depression and use writing as my release even if it's hard sometimes. I promise but Wednesday I'll be back on track.

Thoughts?

Comments?

QOTD: What fruit is your favorite?