Fly Away With Me

Zach led me over to his group. They sat under some trees laughing together. As we approached they looked at me curiously but only one of them showed any kind discomfort with me joining them. The pink haired girl looked at me with poorly concealed aversion. Zach fell onto a bench pulling me down with him. I pulled away from him and sat apart. As soon as I lost contact with his skin I felt all of my troubles and worries creep back into my mind. Before I could think everything through Christian started talking.
“I see you read the letter” He says
“Well I only read two sentences in” I say still confused as to why I agreed to come to meet them.
How could I change from being set against it to suddenly wanting to come?
“Then you must read the rest” he announces.
I don’t move. Instead I am too busy thinking through the encounter with Zach at the library.
“Here let me” Zach whispers to me as he reaches into my pocket.
Again he is too close for comfort and I spring away. Everyone looks at me smiling like they are angles but I know the monsters they are. I am a monster just like them.
“Alright” Zach says sounding slightly hurt and defeated.
I fish the crumpled note from my pocket and flatten it out.
“Why don’t you read it out loud?” Christian urges.
I frown but oblige.
“I ask that you join my group. We promise to stick with you through the tough times and make everything a joy. Stick with those who are your own kind. There is no need to fight for normality that isn’t yours. We offer protection and help.”
I scoff at the idea of protection. They are all just school kids.
“Each of us are special outside the capabilities of people. Join us” I finish reading the note and slip it back in my pocket.
The things Christian wrote confused me. Zach moves beside me again and places his arms around my shoulders. I turn to glare into his eyes with my terrific death glare but instead my expression softens as I meet his eyes.
“Why don’t you join us?” Zach offers.
Once again I find myself wanting to shake him off but then the calm takes over. I feel secure. Actually, I feel so secure I rest my head on his shoulder. The girl with pink hair shoots me a dirty look. Christian sees this and places his hand on her leg while giving her a look that obviously has hidden meaning behind it. The girl relaxes and smiles to me but I can see in her eyes that her sweet smile is forced.
“Will you join us?” Zach asks me softly.
I feel like a small child hiding behind their parent’s leg. The parent urges the child to play with the other kids but the child is too shy.
“Alright” I say softly.
“Welcome to the group” Christian says with a big grin.
“Welcome” a girl with hair so bright it is white rather than blonde.
Blaringly bright blue streaks are visible through her hair. I find myself envying the hair of everyone in this group.
“Hi” I say timidly.
“Don’t be shy” Zach whispers softly in my ear then chuckles.
How am I able to sit this close to him? I start to feel more confident as his words echo in my head and I sit straighter. There is no way I could ever say no to him, he is so right about everything. Peace is the only word to describe how I am feeling. Every worry I have ever had had been laid to rest. All my muscles just relax as I feel his warm arm around my shoulders.
“I’m Zoe” The girl with white and blue hair introduces herself
“Hi” I say smiling
“You’ve already met Christian and Zach, these two are Blake and Holly” Zoe says pointing to them as she says their names.
Holly nods as her name is said. The sun catches her pink hair and I’m nearly blinded. Blake sat on the other side of Zach. He leant around Zach and held out his hand for a handshake. Luckily it was my left arm that Zach had pinned against him as he held me. I shook Blake’s hand but he then turn it to place a soft kiss on the back of my hand. It was unexpected. He smirked and wiggled his eyebrows at me. This must be the joker of the group. Everyone else was quiet trying to hide their smiles as they waited for my reaction. If I had been my normal self I would have completely overreacted but I wasn’t. I felt like I was just another carefree teenager hanging out with my friends.
“Ew” I whined pulling my hand away “Now I’ve got Blake germs!”
The group burst out laughing as I wiped the back of my hand furiously on Zach’s sleeve.
“My germs are good for you” Blake announces with a fake pout.
“It burns!” I exclaim dramatically.
I start to laugh with them. It has been so long since I have actually laughed. Too long since I have been happy.