I must have fallen asleep in Jacob's lap. I woke up to the sound of laughter; Taylor, Mimi, and him were still in my room. I fluttered my eyes open, slowly sitting up. "Are they gone?" I yawned, stretching.
"Is what gone?" Taylor questioned, looking at me,
"The reporters, duh?"
"Those reporters aren't the only things gone..." Mimi mumbled.
I looked at Jacob who was figuring wings with his hands. I reached my hand to my back, feeling an emptiness where my wings should be. I grew puzzled, standing to look in the body-view mirror. "Where'd they go?"
The other three shrugged, just as confused as I was.
I felt a bit of sadness and relief next to my confusion. "Did you see them disappear?" Mimi shrugged, Taylor shook her head, and Jake just stared at me, blankly. "Jake?"
"Well," he rubbed his neck awkwardly, "they like, folded into your back, kinda sorta..."
My heart skipped a beat. My wings did what? "What?"
Jacob shrugged, obviously not willing to repeat his answer. I flexed my back a little, not feeling any pain, any discomfort. It did feel a little stiffer than normal, but otherwise it was fine.
I shrugged the idea off, sitting back on the bed with them. My ice cream was no longer on the mattress; I assumed it was put in the small fridge I have in my room. Now, I craved it. I asked Mimi to retrieve it for me, and she brought it to me with a spoon.
"So I hear you're doing an open Mic, Kel?" Jacob attempted to create small talk. I nodded, filling my mouth with a spoonful of ice cream, "Do you have a song yet?"
I shook my head, swallowing, "I have some I could sing, but I want to make something new."
Taylor squealed, "Kelly!" I looked at her, confused, and slightly annoyed by her loud, pitched voice. "You so have to make an official page!"
My shoulders fell, "Really?"
She nodded, "You could be a signed songwriter and singer!"
Mimi agreed, "As awkward as it feels to agree, she's right. Who wouldn't love a singer with wings?"
I guess they're right. I glanced at Jacob, waiting for his take, "You could make a band. I could be your drummer, Taylor could..."
"Piano?" Taylor rolled her eyes
"Yea, that. And you and Mimi could be the singers and guitarists."
"But we'd sing backup if you need it." Taylor chimed.
Perhaps they're right, but me? The stage-frightened loser? Why do I have to be the one with wings? I continued thinking on how much pressure will surface from the preparation of the Open Mic, and 'fame' while the others continued on the smaller details of this proclaimed future fame. Jake mentioned me being attractive, Taylor brought up my flat-chestedness, and Mimi talked about my "addicting, angelic soprano voice".
Secretly, I wished my wings wouldn't come back. The part of me that wants to be free, however, does want them. It did feel good being able to experience flight outside of an airplane or paragliding or parasailing or even skydiving (though I never skydived before).
Mimi's phone vibrated. She answered it, finding out the Open Mic was this Saturday coming. At least it's still Monday, and it's only 1:34 in the evening. It feels like longer than half a morning, but unfortunately it wasn't.
Jacob told us he had to meet with his band. They'd probably talk about me, or Jacob futuristically leaving to be apart of... Of... "Hey, guys, what would we call our band?"
Taylor and Mimi looked at me, starting to think of names. Each one that we thought of sounded stupid. "Four Wings", "Up High", Mimi even joked with something involving chicken. We laughed it off of course.
I gasped, remembering that today was still a school day and we had skipped our classes. "Guys, Mr. McGarvy is gonna be so heated tomorrow."
Taylor held her head, "Oh snap..."
"We were supposed to meet with Vicky today..." Mimi sighed.
I smiled. "Well, see it my way," they looked at me, a little baffled, "What scientist can get mad at a winged human being?"
They grinned, giggling, as I stuffed more ice cream in my mouth.
My phone vibrated and Taylor passed it to me. It was a phone call from Jacob. "Hello?... Uhm... I mean, I guess... Yea, Mimi can-..." I laughed at the last statement, hanging up the phone.
"What about Mimi?" Mimi asked, stealing some of my ice cream with an extra spoon.
"Hey!" I smacked her hand as she stuffed her mouth, laughing, "Jacob wants us to meet with his band at Trevver's place."
"You know where he lives?" She took another spoonful. I huffed, "Yes, thief, I do."
I took my ice cream back from her, standing to leave. I heard them giggling behind me, following me out to the car.
The drive to Trevver's was singing, laughing, talking about the cutest band member (including my brother), and giving directions. We did stop at a 7-11 for drinks because it was hot and slurpees sounded nice. We didn't bother to bring slurpees for the band, however, but they didn't expect us to bring them any either; they hadn't asked.
"Okay, Tinkerbell, where's your wings?" Trevver asked when we walked in. I shrugged, shifting views between Trevver and Jacob.
"Trevver, that's not why we called them here," Alex said, slouched in his chair, "You guys are a band now, right?"
Just before I could begin to say no, Mimi spoke ahead of me, agreeing, "Kelly's supposed to be performing at an open Mic this weekend."
"Do you need any extra hands?" Alex twirled a set of drumsticks in his hand with a pick in the other.
I looked back at Mimi and Taylor, wondering if they thought I needed additional band members.
"We don't have every kink worked out," Taylor said, "We have a singer, guitarist, and pianist, but-"
"And a drummer!" Jacob interjected.
"Yea, but for now we just need to come up with a song."
I moved my tongue against my gums, trying to scratch the itching sensation irritating it. Trevver must have noticed when he asked if I was okay. I nodded, continuing to scratch my tongue.
"I'm gonna go grab some water." I left to go to the kitchen from the garage. Conveniently enough, there were unopened water bottles in the fridge. I took one and opened it, chugging more than half the bottle.
I went back to the garage the long way: I went out the deck's door and walked around, since the vehicle entrance was open. Trevver asked if I was feeling better. I nodded, drinking more of my bottled water.
I turned away from them, inhaling the 80° air. They were talking about band names again. I wasn't paying attention to their ideas. They went from band names to song ideas, to jokes, to singing, to silence.
The silence lasted an odd length of time. I turned back to face them, only to have them staring at me. "Uh, did I do something?"
Everyone was gawking at me, seemingly dumbfounded and stunned. Jacob was the only one out of a trance. "They're looking at your wings. They're back."
His speech was so plain, but it made me shutter. Why hadn't I felt anything when they came back? I reached my hand behind me and, sure enough, my knuckle brushed against my feathers.
The feel of them shook me, almost a paralyzing touch. I didn't want them. It's nice to fly but I do not want them. "How did this happen?" I asked Jacob, who seemed to be the only one of the guys not touching my feathers.
"The same way they disappeared almost, they folded out of your back... kinda..."
I giggled, tickled, when a finger touched the crease between my wing and my back. The wing flapped, getting a shriek out of Trevver.
"Can you fly?" Alex asked childishly.
That, I did know how to do. The folding thing still puzzled me, but it took no time before I was aloft, hovering above them. Alex was amazed, taking pictures and saying I'd make a great CD cover. I landed in front of them, smiling, though I wasn't sure why.
"Now can we make you a fan page?" Taylor pleaded.
Alex budged next to her, "That could boost your fame a million-, no, a billion!"
I sighed. I don't know: the eyes of the world staring at you? Either calling you super cool, or calling you a freak show. The only idea I did like was that I still had my music, and as long as I have my music, everything's okay. "Okay, Taylor."
Taylor grinned, squealing and pushing me, her, and Mimi together for Alex's picture. He agreed to being our photographer. He took the three of us, then me and Jacob, then more than enough of me alone.
Trevver seemed to be eyeing my body a lot. I think he has a crush on me, but I also am only wearing skinnys and a tube top (plus a strapless pushup I decided to wear). My stomach, from my navel down, was showing. I took up exercise recently and it's been rewarding me well. I may not be super busty, but according to Miona, "my hip game is on point".
From that moment until about 3:15pm, we took pictures, made random songs, sang more random songs, took videos of me flying, made fanpages on the internet, and probably some things I forgot. I now have a fanpage on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and most likely wherever else Taylor would maintain. According to her, I had around 1,000 likes on each in under three minutes. I guess news spread fast when the abnormal is involved.
Afterwards, the six of us decided to go to a nearby park. Luckily, I made it there before anyone could notice me and alert the news or police or anyone else. I decided to go in the car with Alex (he has a convertible).
"Okay," Alex claimed to have had an idea for my song, "What's your favorite topic of music?"
I shrugged, "I don't really have a favorite topic. I just sing about whatever I feel." I felt it was either obvious or unneeded to say I've been writing about flight.
Alex hummed in thought, "Well, what have you been writing?" He sat on an empty swing. I pointed to my wings. "Really?"
I nodded, "I dunno why but recently I've been writing about flight... Even before I had these."
"Well, how about we take her songs and make a kinda of mashup?" Jacob suggested, walking behind and spooning Taylor. I tend to forget they're dating.
"Yea," Trevver was sitting on the bench, "I have electronic equipment if you want to make a digital version."
"We have to make the acoustic first, though." Mimi interjected,
I climbed off the top of the slide, walking towards Alex's car, "Well, we should start with hearing at least a couple." I took Alex's guitar out of his trunk sitting on the bench with Trevver.
Alex started to fuss with me about when I put it in the car. I just laughed and started strumming, singing some songs I've written (the ones I've yet to title). Less than week till performance... Just gotta breathe...