“Fallyn come on!” Grayson called running off ahead of her.

“Can you guys move any slower?” Nick laughed.

“You guys suck, I’m carrying a bookbag for crying out loud!” Fallyn said, picking up the pace. “And you always win Nick!” she added, but Nick continued laughing as Fallyn approached. 

“This isn’t a fair race Nick!” Grayson sputtered out as he started to slow down.

“Sure it is!” Nick laughed.

“You can teleport! How is that fair?!” Fallyn retorded as she slowed to a stop beside Nick, lobbing him over the head with her forearm.

“Ouch!” Nick exclaimed as he ducked her second strike, “Oh my, look at the time! It looks like dad wants me!” He flashed a quick smile and, just like that, he disappeared.

“Hey, Fallyn! Wanna see something really cool?” Grayson asked when he was finally able to breathe normally.

“Yes!” Fallyn answered as she followed Grayson back to his house. Fallyn’s mother was sitting near Livia’s grave. Fallyn’s heart sank and she pulled her hood up as she passed. Her mind flashed to the memory.

“If you want to see Grayson again you’ll have to do something for me first,” Crelen chuckled a bit, “unless you’re too chicken…”

Fallyn stood straighter and held her head up, she realized this was her chance to make her father proud.

“What is it, Dad?” she asked in the most confident voice she could muster. Crelen clasped his hands and smiled.

“Isn’t it cool?” Grayson asked, excitement gleaming in his eyes, as he showed Fallyn the arrow. His voice dragged her back to reality.

“Yeah, it’s so cool!” Fallyn answered, looking at the arrow’s black and silver feathers.

“My dad gave it to me when I was little,” Grayson explained, beaming, pushing the arrow towards Fallyn. “He said it can kill anyone, including demons and angels.” At this Fallyn backed away into the wall. “Oh, don’t worry I’ll never use it on you, I promise,” he promised with a smile.

“That’s good,” Fallyn replied, eyeing the arrow suspiciously.

“Well, I have to go, Mom will need me.” Grayson sighed and walked off, kicking a rock ahead of him. Fallyn shuddered thinking about her mom at Livia’s grave.

“I guess I’ll go for a walk…” she muttered to herself. She didn’t feel comfortable in the home, even though it had been hers at one point. She waited until she was sure Grayson was gone and snatched the gleaming arrow; stuffing it in her bookbag. Once she left the house, looking both ways to make sure she wasn’t caught, she set off in a random direction. Maybe I can find a quiet place to read, she thought.

Soon, she came across a park. She was about to plop down under a tree when she spotted some other teens hanging out in a group. She recoiled as if she’d been struck. Ew, social interaction, time to find a new place. she thought. She began to turn when she heard her name.

“Hey, Fallyn, come join us!” a girl, blonde with brown eyes, called, waving her hands in the air to catch Fallyn’s attention. Fallyn repressed a sigh and turned around, a tight smile plastered on her face.

“Oh, hey, Genevieve,” Fallyn said, her tone lacking excitement as she gave a small wave. “You see, I’m trying to find a place to read… not feeling like being social right now..” Or ever. Fallyn added mentally.

“Oh come on!” Genevieve said, running up to Fallyn and tugging on her hand, dragging her into the group. “So, everyone, this is Fallyn, my best friend!” She introduced Fallyn. Fallyn coughed awkwardly when everyone just stared at her. “Oh, guys, introduce yourselves!” Genevieve smiled, pointing to the boy, with dark brown hair and pale green eyes, on her right. “Why don’t you start?” The boy cleared his throat and quietly spoke.

“Um, nice to meet you Fallyn, my… uh, name is Sparrow.” the boy said before nudging the girl to his right.

“Hi! My name’s Stellar, I’m sure we will get along!” the girl exclaimed, taking Fallyn’s hand and shaking it with enthusiasm. Her dark brown curls bouncing against her shoulders. Her bright amber eyes turned to the boy next to her.

“Oh, um, my name’s Luca.” the boy said. Stellar jabbed him with her elbow. “Ouch, what?!” Luca exclaimed. Stellar pointed at Fallyn and made a circular motion with her hand, mouthing ‘Nice to meet you’. Luca sighed, “And since Stellar is making me say this. Nice to meet you, I guess.” Stellar clobbered him over the head with her palm. He yelped, rubbing the back of his head with his hand as he awkwardly smiled at Fallyn.

“Saving the best for last I see.” a boy with black hair and striking blues eyes smirked. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Fallyn, my name-.” 

“No one cares, go away, I told you I didn’t want to see your rat face ever again.” Genevieve interrupted, shooting daggers from her eyes.

“Don’t worry, we are only practicing our drama lines,” he winked at Fallyn before dramatizing his voice. “But I thought you loved me, Genevieve!” 

“Cut the act and go away!” Genevieve snapped at him. “No one wants you here!” she added, gesturing to the group, who was nodding in agreement. Well, Fallyn wasn’t nodding, but she didn’t consider herself part of the group.

The boy slumped his shoulders and trudged off. Genevieve high-fived all the group members, except Fallyn, while Fallyn looked on after the blue eyed boy.

“What’s his name?” She asked Genevieve.

“Oh, don’t stress over him, he’s a bad seed, I wouldn’t get associated with him if I were you.” Genevieve replied.

“Have you ever actually hung out with him?”

“Well no, but I’ve heard enough about him to assume.”

“I’m going to talk to him.”

“That’s not a good idea Fallyn,” Sparrow put in, earning nods from everyone else.

“Yeah, well, I’ve known you for 1 minute, Sparrow, and the boy seemed nice, maybe he’s just misunderstood.” 

“That’s only because he’s good-looking…” Sparrow muttered under his breath as Fallyn turned away to follow the blue-eyed boy. 

Fallyn jogged to catch up with him, slowing to a walk once she got close to him.

“Hey, um, you never told me your name…” Fallyn said falling into pace with him.

“My name’s Daxton,” The boy stared blankly at her.

“So.. Daxton, sorry about my friend Genevieve… she’s a bit hot headed, and protective.”

“A bit?” Daxton scoffed, narrowing his eyes skeptically.

“Okay, okay, she’s really hot-headed.”

“That’s more accurate.” he laughed. “But what about you? Are you worried that I’m secretly a murderer?” Daxton made his hands look like claws and swiped them at her while mimicking a snarl with his mouth.

“No,” Fallyn giggled, “I like giving people chances,”

“And I like people who give me chances.”

“So, why do people think so badly of you?”

“Oh, that’s because a rumor spread around a while ago that I killed both my parents in their sleep. But I didn’t, they went hunting and never returned.” He shrugged like it didn’t bother him. “So, what about you? What’s your family like?”

“Oh, well, my mom and dad got divorced when I was a baby because my mom had a child with another man. So... I have two half-siblings, Grayson and Livia, and two full siblings, one of which is my twin sister Faith, the other is my older brother Nick.” 

“Four siblings huh? That must be chaotic. I mean I only have one sister, and she’s already a handful.”

“Well, I don’t live with Grayson, Faith is out traveling and Livia is um…” Fallyn fixed her gaze on her hands. “Dead.”

Daxton sucked in a breath and muttered, “Sorry I mentioned the family, jeez.” He cleared his throat and spoke up. “I’m assuming you want to get back to your friends now.”

Fallyn nodded and waved goodbye. “Wanna meet me here tomorrow?” She asked, turning to face him.

“Sure, meet you here at 2.”

Fallyn turned and ran back up the small hill to the park. 

When she got back to the group they all turned to her.

“I told you it wasn’t a good idea,” Sparrow muttered, seeing Fallyn grinning ear to ear.

 “So, how was the murderer?” Stellar asked, folding her arms across her chest.

“I don’t think he is a murderer, he’s really nice and kinda funny. And just…” Fallyn sighed, holding her hands to her chest and gaining a far-away look in her eyes.

“Someone’s in love,” Luca put in, batting his brown eyes and turning to Stellar. “Oh, kiss me, love!” he cried as he gripped Stellar’s face, mocking Fallyn as he pretended to make out. Stellar and Fallyn’s faces turned bright red. Stellar shoved Luca away and huffed.

“I don’t want your green-haired butt kissing me!” Stellar snipped.

“Your red cheeks say otherwise.”

“Oh shut it, Luca.” she huffed, turning a deeper shade of red as everyone laughed.

“I think I’m gonna go home,” Fallyn said looking at the darkening sky, “It’s getting late and my dad will kill me if I’m home after sunset.”

“I can walk you home,” Sparrow offered, turning to Fallyn.

“It’s… fine, I can walk myself, thanks,”

“But, it might not be safe.”

“Sparrow, I am half-demon, I’ll be fine.” 

“Okay, see you tomorrow?”

Fallyn nodded and said her goodbye’s to everyone, hugging Genevieve before turning to leave. 

Fallyn followed the familiar roads past her old home toward her dad’s home. Along the way, she spotted Livia’s grave. At the grave, was a dark cloaked figure. Fallyn tried to avoid contact, but she was the only person on the street, so it was kind of impossible.

“It’s all your fault. I know the real story, Fallyn.” The figure spoke, turning around to face Fallyn.

“Mother?” Fallyn asked, taking a step forward.

“No, you demon child. It’s such a pity you don’t recognize me. I would expect my half-sister, and murderer, to know who I am.” The figure threw off the hood to reveal a scarred face that held two pale blue eyes. The girl’s red hair fell out of the hood, bouncing lightly against her back.

“Livia?” Fallyn whispered.