C3 The Redhead boy

I was right

They did exist

Mother was wrong, my therapist was wrong but I was right.

When I saw that night did happen, I wasn't a delusion.

My emotions are mixed right at this moment, happiness that I wasn't losing my mind and fear that what was in front of me was going to do to me what it did to father.

I looked closer to the werewolf who was shrieking in pain but the problem here was not the werewolf and how looking at it brought back horrible memories but the humanoid figure in front of it.

It was definitely not human

I could tell that that he wasn't human, this must be what professor Zhou was talking about. I have never seen an angel before but I knew that this was far from it.

He stood tall with his back turned against me, I could only see his head filled with red kinky loose curls complementing his bronze skin, I don't get the focus on his beautiful curls. How could I?

From his back emerges the biggest wings I have seen in my life. Professor Zhou had shown us what an Avian is supposed to look like. A human figure with wings half its size with the ability to either transform into a bird or sprout out wings

Half its Size seems to be the biggest lie

His wings were at least two times his length and looks like it would weigh a few thousand pounds, with black feathers and the tip of the feather looked so sharp he could kill you with one slash

This was enough of a reason for me to run away, I have seen that they really do exist this should be enough for me and I should run away instead but why do I find myself slowly taking a step forward? Why am I curious about the face of the Avian more than If the large werewolf who was struggling to breathe as the Avian's hand wrapped around his neck - was the one who killed my father and Landon?

Stop Aayla!

He would kill you. If you see his face he'll kill you

The Avian swiftly turns around before I could get myself to run away and I saw his face. His eyes are red like the suns and weirdly rounded reminding me of an eagle's eyes

I should have known it was the redhead boy that I was wary of since the start of uni, I mean how many black boys go around with red hair

"Aayla" he calls my name

He knows my name

Why does he know my name?

Run Aayla

Run, please

I gasp and take one foolish step forward, the redhead boy grabs a sword I hasn't noticed before and stabbed it into the werewolf, flinging it like it weighed nothing while I watched it bleed I thought maybe I could work with the red hair boy, he had the strength I needed to kill the monster that took my father's life and no matter how strong I get I can never be as strong as him

I'm only human after all

I can't believe that I wasn't thinking about why he killed the werewolf or if he would kill me, I was more concerned about if he would work with me than my own safety

The red hair boy swung his swords and all of a sudden his wings folds and like magic, turns into a tattoo. I was too busy being distracted by his wings I didn't notice he was shirtless and there were torn pieces of clothes everywhere

"You're not scared". He said, amused

I bite my trembling lips so I wouldn't scream. I was scared, of course, seeing his wings disappear like it was never there and his eyes now looking normal

More human - I was terrified

"I-" I cleared my throat, my eyes darting between the dead werewolf slowly transforming into a human to the red hair boy

"You should be," he said "You should be shaking in your boots "

I gasp, words unable to leave my mouth, my heart is beating like it's going to fall off of my chest any minutes from now

"I'm not" I forced the voice out " I'm not wearing a boot" he raised an eyebrow at my words "this is heels"

His eyes are dark and he's either shocked that I was trying to make a joke when he was literally threatening me or was shocked because he was never seen someone as foolish

He doesn't laugh at my joke but instead said "Don't move " like a spell, I truly couldn't move. Not like my body listened to me before if not I should be out of here before he even turned but now it was worse.

I felt like a statue

No matter how hard I tried to move a muscle I just couldn't, I felt like my body wasn't mine any longer.

It felt like it belonged to him

I don't remember reading in any of the books that Avian could control humans. Is anything from class even true?

"Please don't kill me," I thought loud hoping he could hear me or even listen to me

The red hair guy walks towards the werewolf who was now fully transformed into a human with his face inside the sad surrounded by his blood, he was dressed in some sort of armor and I saw the same sign that was on the necklace I had taken from the werewolf who killed my father

I had never seen the markings anywhere else, no matter how I searched but there it was and as I had suspected it was more than just one werewolf's necklace

The red hair guy grabs a hoodie from his bag beside the dead werewolf and a piece of torn cloth as he wipes his bloody sword then he walks close to me pointing the sword at me

Tears threatened to blur out my vision as I stood like a statue, watching him walk towards me.

"Aayla," he says and touches my face, tracing a line to my ears. "it's not time yet " he smiled

What is he talking about?

Time for what?

"Aayla " he speaks my name so soft I feel tears stroll down my face and my body tense "You've gone through hell and I feel terrible knowing that you will go through worse " he placed a hand on my shoulder squeezing it to pass some sort of comfort

"You are not yet ready for this" he adds " You should try to enjoy your life or what is left of your life before you turn 21, make good memories you'll need it for what you are about to go through - you'll need it to remind you when you feel lost but as for this present moment you'll need to forget "

There are so many things I want to ask him, so many things to unfold but his last statement knock the breath from my throat

Forget?.. He's not going to kill me, is he?

"Please," I think I said still unable to move

"You have to forget this... It's not time yet for the manifestation"

"Please let me go... I won't tell anyone I swear " I find myself saying

" You think I'll hurt you?" he sounds surprised and I want to shout yes, I barely know you and I just saw you turn your wings into a tattoo. "I cannot hurt you Aayla, you're the last. You're the only hope of sealing the crack and putting things back to how it's supposed to be " he Huff. " Why would I hurt you, I'm protecting you "

I stare at him lost and confused

"You shouldn't have seen what you saw... It's not time yet" he says and put places one of his thumbs on my forehead.

"Let me go!" I yelled

"You have to forget. I'm sorry, but I'm doing this to protect you " he says.

I'm suddenly thrown into a state of darkness and I become sleepy.

" Hey, uh Hey" someone taps me. I groan and open my eyes "Could you please move inside I'll like to seat at the edge" a girl with glasses smiles at me

"Oh Okay " I nod and move my book to the next seat, I check for the time on my phone and find it to be two minutes to eight pm. My head is pounding and I feel weird.

I never sleep in class but I find myself waking up without any recollection of falling asleep in the first place

It is strange

Something felt different but I don't read too much meaning into it. I should be happy I'm getting sleep

" Good morning class" Professor Frayer greets as she walked to the whiteboard.

During all my classes today I tried to listen but I couldn't, I felt like something was missing, my brain felt foggy and I just couldn't place a finger on what it was

Did I forget something at all or was there something I wanted to do that I'm forgetting?

I don't know exactly what it was but it bothered me the whole day. After my last class for the week, I walked to my car.

Even driving home feels weird.

"Gosh, what is wrong with you Aayla!" I yell at myself as I packed my car. I take a few breaths then walk to the apartment, I give a soft smile to the security at the lobby before moving up to the elevator, something I would never do and he seemed as Suprised as I was

My apartment is on the nineteenth floor so I press the button and wait for the elevator to stop. When it finally stopped and doors opened, I see my new neighbor, what's his name again?

"Hey, neighbor!"

"it's Aayla" I correct him "And Hi" I gave a small wave and tried to head to my apartment but he stops me. I manage at least feet away from him, he scares me. He's too different, too alluring and attractive

It was scary how strong his aura was

"about yesterday I'm really sorry, I was trying to make you laugh... You were looking all sad and defeated" I furrow a brow at him "Sorry not sad and defeated... Not sad and defeated... You were looking

. Uh weak"

"Uh?" I questioned

"Oh fuck that's bad too " he seemed nervous, different from how he was the last time we conversed. More like he talked I listened then ran away. That was so stupid

"Yeah " I agree and he gives a nervous laugh

" I'm sorry, I'm usually not like this. I swear, I just couldn't get what happened earlier out of my mind and I'm worried I gave a terrible impression of who I am" he shrugs "Maybe we could start again? Hi I'm Jeffrey" he stretches forth his hand "Hope you could show me around sometimes, I'm new to a lot of things "

I almost laughed at his words not because I thought he was funny but because he someone thought me Aayla was going to "show him around". I've lived for a year and I barely know anywhere or wanted to know to be honest.

I felt bad that Jeffrey might think I could be any sort of help to him which was far from the truth. It was nice having whatever we had but I shouldn't encourage him more so I took a deep breath

"Look here Jeffrey, I don't know what you're trying to do but it's not going to work" I've never sounded this harsh before but here I was pushing away this man from me because that's what I do

I push people out of my life, everyone deserved more than being with someone like me, people only end up hurt when they get close to me

Landon

Father too

"Ouch" he smiles "I just thought we could be friends you know, hang out and stuffs"

"You look way older than me and I don't really do friends... I like being alone"

"For the record, I'm only twenty-eight and no man is an island of his own"

"Jeffrey I'm just... "

"I get it Aayla, you don't want to hang out? It's fine with me" he says and walks into his apartment.

Why do I feel like I just hurt his feelings?

I groan, punch my apartment code then walk in. It's for the best Aayla. I would hate myself if something happened to him because of me, he seem smart. He should get over it soon enough

I toss my bag and stuff on the couch then remove my clothes. My phone starts to ring before I leave for the shower so I pick it up.

"Hello, mother," I say while rubbing my feet. It aches so much from wearing heels.

"Aayla, how are you?"

"I am fine mother, and I believe you're fine too"

"Oh don't be like that darling we haven't spoken in days"

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I've been busy"

"Oh I understand, well Dr. Pepper called, she said you've been missing your therapy session"

"One just one mother "

So that's what I felt like I was forgetting. I was supposed to see my therapist today

"Why Aayla? "

Instead of telling my mother that I forgot I just said " It's not helping" my voice starts to break "I still have those dreams"

This was the truth

No offense Dr pepper is a great therapist but I honestly still feel as broken as I did when I first met her

"Aayla" I sniff and wipe my tears out. Why was I crying? "You could come home if you want. Max and I would love to have you, even Ronnie's coming home for the weekend"

"Uh, I can't, I work doing weekends now remember?"

" I don't know why you do it, I make enough money to support you"

"Yeah, I know you do" I whisper. I had made my therapist keep the reason I'm working a secret from my mother

"Well if you change your mind and want to talk you know where to find me" I smile at her comforting words and reply with a yes. She tells me she loves me before getting off the phone.

I sigh and walk to the shower, after the long bath, I hurl a pair of shorts and a sweater before walking to the balcony.

Evenings are also part of my favorite time of the day, my eyes move to the next balcony before drifting to the busy street below me.

My eyes catch something and when I look closer, I see the redhead boy. He's in a black hoodie today, hands in both pockets, and our eye locks

I feel my chest suddenly tight and I feel uncomfortable. Not that I have ever felt comfortable whenever I saw him but this time it's just weird and I can't place my finger on it. Like I was forgetting something about him