It’s been a couple of weeks since graduation and we decided to have a little party on the beach to celebrate. We drop off Anon by the beach so he can get the fire ready while Naser and I head off to Dino Moe’s to pick up a few pizzas. Reed said something about picking up refreshments and a few special things and then he’ll be on his way. I’m only a little concerned about what the “special things” might be but as long as Anon stays away from them, I guess no one will die.

It's already pretty late in the day and the streetlights dimly light up downtown in a fluorescent glow. Several business owners are already locking up tight, especially the ones closest to the edge of Skin Row. No fucking way when Anon and I move out are we going anywhere near there. I spent enough time worrying about him getting shanked before he ended up staying with me, and I don’t need to add us getting murdered together to the list of worries.

I stare out the window doing some people-watching as we slowly make our way through the nighttime traffic toward Uncle Moe’s place. I can hear plenty of horns honking and see many a flipped bird as people are nearly run over jaywalking across the street. I glance over at Naser, who seems like he’s about to pop a blood vessel. He’s been frazzled ever since graduation. I hoped that finally getting out of there and no longer being locked into a hellish schedule would do him some good, but he seems as stressed out as he was in school.

We stop at a red light, and I take the opportunity to break the awkward silence that’s dominated our entire drive. “So…” He’s still mostly focused on the road but he glances at me from the side. “How are you doing, Naser? Been getting all your college crap planned out?”

He sighs and I hear his hands twist the leather on the steering wheel. “I can’t say I’ve been worse. College hasn’t even started and I’m already feeling the pressure. I know Mom and Dad said I don’t need to try so hard, but I’ve already done so much it’d be stupid to stop now.” He groans in mild frustration as he taps the side of his head with his claws, waiting for the light to change. “Oh, and add to that, Naomi broke up with me. Or I broke up with her…I’m not really sure how it went.”

That catches me by surprise, and I suppress the internal desire to scream out in celebration, instead clamping my beak shut. He looks over at me and chuckles dryly. “Heh…I mean, I guess I expected you to lose your damn mind at the thought of that. You never really liked us going out together.”

“I mean, she was a total bitch! Ooops…” I cover my mouth and he just smirks back.

“I mean…you’re not wrong.” The light still hasn’t changed. While we wait, he idly twists the knob on the radio. “She had been controlling my life so much I barely noticed anymore. I’m not even sure how much of it I’ve lived for myself ever since we started dating. It was always whatever she wanted to do that we’d end up doing. So many boring formal restaurants I had no desire to go to, so many school functions I had no business being a part of, and on top of that, all the other extra shit she piled on me when I was already buried under a fucking mountain by Dad.”

He slams his fist on the steering wheel, sighing as his hand grips the wheel again. “Sorry, you really don’t need to sit here and listen to me bitch, but I don’t really talk to anyone else about my problems. At least Naomi won’t be a problem for you. I mean, you are part of the reason why I broke up with her to start with.”

My eyes bug out as I sit there with my jaw hanging open. I mean…fuck, I didn’t like her at all, but I’d never want to come between him and someone he loved. Shit…I’m trying to better and it seems I’m still somehow interfering with his life. My gaze falls to the floor and I wring my hands together trying to find the words to say to help, but he puts a hand on my shoulder and shakes his head.

“You didn’t do anything, Fang. It’s what she did to you.” My eyebrows rise up as he continues. “She let it slip about how she pushed you and Anon together…that’s why I was so pissed at graduation. The more I pressed her for information, the more she tried to blow it off.” He takes his hand back and focuses on the road as the light finally turns green. Moments later we arrive at the pizzeria and he puts the car in park, crossing his arms. “I kept putting the pieces together until I figured out a shit ton of what went wrong was her putting two unstable people into a relationship that at the time, they weren’t ready for.”

A flash of anger grips me. I get ready to snap at him but stop when he puts out his hands in surrender while shaking his head. “At the time, Fang…not now.” I cool down a little, still glaring at him with my hands on my lap. “I mean, you have to admit that both of you weren’t in the right headspace when you first got together. He was completely oblivious to anything outside of his phone and maybe hiding from everyone, and you were still struggling with your identity. It just seemed like the worst time to be romantically involved.” He shrugs as his eyes soften, staring directly into mine. “Look at what almost happened to you, Fang…” Tears begin to swell in his eyes as he starts to tremble. “You almost fucking died!” he shouts as his whole body shakes. “That stupid bitch nearly cost me the only thing I’ve ever fucking given a shit about, and she acts like she was just trying to help you?!”

He buries his face in his hands, tears pouring from him in waves as his body quakes. I pop off my seatbelt before hugging him, his head resting on my shoulder as he cries. Poor Naser…he’s been through so much with no one to lean on. The one person he thought he could trust nearly destroyed his family. But…am I really that important to him?

His sobs quiet a little as I gently pat his back to comfort him. “Naser, do I really mean that much to you?”

He chokes back a sob and leans away to look at me. “Of course, Fang! You’re my sister. The only person I’ve really had in my life that didn’t want me to be some fucking superstar. When we were growing up, I thought the world of you. I still do.” He reaches up to wipe his face with his sleeve. “Do you know how much it sucked after I got hurt that you became so distant? You were all I had. It’s why I tried so hard to help you when you were going through your changes.” He sniffles back a tear and he sighs. “I just wanted to be a part of your life again.”

“I’m so sorry, Naser. I didn’t mean to cut you off, I just…I just I felt so bad after that and I thought I didn’t deserve to be close to you again. You wouldn’t punish me, so I did it myself. I know how stupid that was now after we’ve talked about it…but still.” I sigh as I pull him back into a hug. “I love you, Naser. I promise never to pull away from you ever again.”

There is a moment of silence but it’s no longer awkward. I feel the tide of respite flowing through Naser as his muscles relax. We may have gotten this out in the open in the hospital, but it’s clear he still was afraid it would happen again. A sigh of relief passes his lips as he pulls away from me, taking a tissue from the glovebox and blowing his nose.

“I love you, too. You don’t know how happy it makes me to hear that, Fang.” He balls up the tissue and tosses it in the trash. “And, just so you know, I one hundred percent approve of you and Anon. I may have been worried about it at first but considering all he’s done for you, for us…fuck.” He leans back into his chair as he gazes up at the roof of the car. “If he hadn’t been there, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation right now.” He chuckles to himself. “If you told me some human from the fucking boonies would end up stealing your heart away and becoming a part of our family, I would have told you that you were fucking nuts. Now…” He shrugs. “Now I can’t see him anywhere else.”

“Yeah, some dweeb from out of town that ended up changing everything.” I sit up as I check my phone. “Though, speaking of said dweeb, probably shouldn’t sit in the car forever and leave him on the beach alone and hungry. Was it right of us to leave him to try to put the fire together all by himself?”

Naser shrugs. “I mean…they invented fire first. I figure they are probably best at it.”

“Naser…” I shoot him a look and he just stares blankly at me. “You gotta cool it with the racism.”

“What racism? It’s a fact. Humans made fire first thus probably are the best at it. Plus, they have to keep those caves warm.”

I slap my forehead and groan. “Oh, for fucks sake Naser, they don’t live in caves!”

He blinks in confusion. “Wait…they don’t?” He thinks for a moment, tapping the end of his beak. “I really shouldn’t have listened to that museum curator when he explained the history of humans to me.”

“No, you really shouldn’t have.” I smack him on his crest. “Now come on, let’s get the pizzas and get back before Anon burns down the whole beach.” He rubs his crest with a mumble before we both get out of the car. The restaurant is still pretty full; Moe keeps it open late, what with it being a popular late-night hangout for the locals.

“I wonder if Uncle Moe is even in tonight. My ribs would thank me if he was—hrk!”

I don’t get to finish the sentence before Uncle Moe’s tiny arms wrap around my waist and haul me up into the air. “If’n it isn’t mah little Lucy stoppin’ by after so long. Hows you and the little bald guy doin’? Youse two still goin’ out, right?”

I can feel my bones crack as his tight grip around my body causes all my joints to pop at once. Thankfully he missed the rib that’s still healing but still…ow. I squawk out a barely audible protest before he finally sets me back down. He guffaws as he slaps me on the back, nearly knocking me to the floor. “Sorry bout dat, Lucy. I dun know my own strength sometimes. But where is dat bald boy, anyhow? You twos were attached at the hip las’ time I saw you.”

I readjust my battered bones and I crack my back before I turn to him. “He’s at the beach waiting for us, Uncle Moe.” Sweet Raptor Jesus, I can skip thirty chiropractor appointments after that. “We’re just here to snag the pizzas before he starves to death.”

He claps his hands together before grinning at us. “O’ course o’ course, lemme go snag them things for ya right quick. Be back in a sec.” He saunters off to the kitchen, bashing through the doors. “Jerry! Where the fuck are those four pizzas!?”

Naser is sweating bullets as he lets out a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank goodness he didn’t get me first.” He chuckles as I flip him off. “Hey, I actually go bowling with dad, so I get plenty of that as it is. Nice to see you get your spine readjusted for once.” I slap him across the crest again while rolling my eyes. “Worth it.”

It doesn’t take long before Moe nearly bashes open the doors with four pizza boxes in his hands. “Three meateor specials and one plain extra cheese, ready ta go!” He hands the stack to Naser. “Now get out of here, yous kids. Have a good time at the beach!”

“Thanks, Uncle Moe!” I cheerfully say, turning toward the door as the boxes look like they are about to burn through Naser’s jacket.

“Oh wait, I forgot somethin’.” Moe turns back around to me and whispers in my ear. “Youse still plannin’ to do some more of dem shows around ‘ere? People still been asking about ’em.”

“Of course,” I whisper back. “Anon has figured out how to play bass and everything so we’ll be stopping by to play a few shows during our downtime, if that’s alright.”

“Course it is, lil Lucy!” He pats me on the back with a grin. “Just lemme know when you is comin’ so I can get stuff all set. Now get outta ’ere!” He gives Naser a poke on the forehead while he laughs and heads back into the kitchen.

“Please…let’s get to the car. I’m gonna die.” Naser wobbles as the steam continues to rise from the boxes.

“Oops, sorry Naser.” We hurry to the car and pile the boxes in the back while Naser pats his arms and blows on them to cool down. He takes his seat and chuckles. “I thought you woulda corrected Uncle Moe when he kept calling you Lucy.”

I just roll my eyes as I flip through my phone. “It wouldn’t have worked. You know Uncle Moe. I’ll always be Lucy to him, no matter what I say.”

“True enough. He still calls me Nassah all the fucking time. There is a fucking ‘r’ in there and he ignores it every time. Anyhoo, let’s go save Anon from himself.” He puts the key in the ignition and kicks it into drive as I stare at my text messages in shock.

“Uh…Naser? Go fast.”

He looks over to me with a raised eyebrow. “Why?”

I show him the pictures Anon has been sending with increasingly more dangerous looking piles of wood, with him grinning like an idiot. “Oh Raptor Jesus, that fool is going to burn himself to a fucking crisp…hang on!” Naser floors it as I get squished into the back of the seat. Thankfully every light is green, because I don’t think Naser was planning to stop for a single one if they weren’t. We skid into the beach parking lot and he perfectly slides into a parking place as I sit there trying to catch my breath.

“Holy fucking shit, Naser! I said fast, not break my fucking neck fast!” I peel myself from the seat, a few feathers stuck to the back as I roll out of the car.

“You said go fast so I went fast.” He shrugs as he grabs the pizzas from the back. It’s a miracle but they somehow didn’t end up splattered across the back throughout all the twists and turns he made skidding through town. Anon is there with his alarmingly high pile of wood with a gas can while Reed is setting up a couple of speakers around the fire pit with a large cooler beside him.

He looks up to see us and smiles. “Yoooo! Hey dudes, welcome to the party!” He takes a hit from the blunt between his lips before flinging it into the sand and giving me a hug.

I hug him back, keeping my eye on Anon for fear of any sudden infernos. “Hey Reed, sorry it took a little bit. Moe realigned my spine…again. We got the food, but…” I poke Reed on the snout. “You do not get to eat all of it.”

He shrugs. “Wasn’t planning on eating all of it, dude, just most of it. But fine, I’ll be good.” He already has a piece in his hands and he takes a massive bite from it, cheese trailing from his lips. Wait, how the fuck did he even grab that? Never mind, I don’t have time for his metaphysical bullshit today.

I thumb toward the cooler as he continues to nibble away at his slice. “You got the booze?”

He nods as the rest of the slice disappears into his mouth. “Yup, got all the good stuff, bro. Yo, Naser!” Naser looks over at him from the table, trying to decipher how a slice disappeared from the closed box in front of him. “Where’s Naomi, bro? Figured she’d be stopping by too.”

Naser sighs as he sets the pizzas down. “She won’t be joining us tonight. She had better things to do, or whatever the fuck she said when we broke up.”

Reed winces as he whistles. “Sorry to hear that, bro.” He leans down to whisper to me. “About fuckin time he dumped that narc.” I silently snicker while he looks back at Naser. “More booze for the four of us, then…let’s party!” Reed cheers as he spins back to pop open the cooler, pulling out a spread of expensive drinks along with a few cases of pricey beer.

Holy crap, he bought a lot. I guess we’re sleeping on the beach ’cause no one is fucking driving home after this. In that moment, a flash of heat hits me as a blaze erupts on the beach. Anon flies backward and skids through the sand before coming to a halt at my feet with a dizzy grin.

“Holy shit, that was awesome.” He gets up and dusts himself off before smiling at me. “Fire’s ready, guys! I think I blew up a tree, but the speakers are okay.”

We all just stare at him, except Reed. I think Reed is already drunk ’cause he runs up to Anon, saying, “Yoooo…bro that was sweet! Can you do that again?”

“Fucking no!” I shout over the two of them before smacking them both upside the head. “I want us all to leave this party in once piece, so no more of that shit.” They both groan in disappointment before slinking off to the table to snag a few slices of pizza and some beer before we all sit around the fire.

The crackling fire is comforting as we listen to the soft splashing waves crashing against the shore with the tiny speakers playing a pleasant beat. I cuddle up against Anon while we all talk about our plans post high school. Reed is still on his idea about selling carfe to the world, along with his plans to avoid getting arrested. Anon hasn’t really picked a major yet; he’s kind of skating through the options still to see what sticks. Naser sounds pretty excited about his medical schooling—quite the change from how miserable he talked about it at first. As for me, well…I don’t know. I’ve got options, sure, but I keep falling back to the band. I really think we’ve got a chance and I don’t want to waste it. I’m still going to college, maybe…always good to have a backup plan.

“Hey guys, lemme grab something from the car really quick.” I pull myself from Anon, giving him a kiss on the cheek before going over to the car. I pull out the yearbook my mom bought and flip through the pages. I normally don’t care for this stuff—it’s not like I’ve ever had a year I wanted to look back on, but this one is different. This year I had my life change in a way I never saw coming. The darkness of my suicide attempt was outshined by everything else that happened this year. This one I want to remember forever.

I close the car door before rejoining everyone, handing the book to Naser first. He looks at me, confused, as he holds it. “I want you guys to sign it. Things may not have gone how any of us planned this year to go, but it still has been the most memorable of my life. I want something to remember it by, in case anything makes us to go our separate ways.”

There is a subtle glint in Naser’s eyes as he gazes at the book in his hands, a million thoughts probably running through his mind. He nods and takes a pen out of his jacket, scribbling a few words inside the cover before handing it over to Reed. Reed thinks, which is rare, before he puts a few things of his own inside. He then hands it to Anon. It takes Anon a while—he just stares at the page, quietly thinking. I almost say something before he finally begins to write. It takes him a bit longer than the other two before he hands it back to me.

I pop it open and read what they wrote. Reed doodled a chibi version of himself with the word “Bruh” above it as it sits there grinning with a thermos in hand. He even put little smoke lines emanating from Chibi Reed. I chuckle as I shake my head before continuing. Reading Naser’s nearly brings me to tears. “To my beloved sister, the one thing I’d never trade for anything and never could ask for anything better. Love you.” I look over at Naser, smiling as he nods at me.

I don’t think anything can top that and then I finally lay eyes on Anon’s message. “To my beautiful ptero. You saved my life even if you think I only saved yours. Without you, I would have grown old and alone in my apartment, never caring for anything more than Raymba. Thanks to you, I’ve seen what life is truly worth and I cannot wait to spend the rest of it by your side. Love, Anon.”

I quietly close the cover, a well of emotions filling up inside as I slowly turn to Anon. His warm smile fills my heart with joy as he gazes over at me, his eyes radiating the love he feels inside. I say nothing as I bury my face into his shirt and he wraps his arms under my wings. Naser and Reed silently observe, knowing exactly the hell that Anon and I have been through to get this far. I sigh as I kiss him before staring into the fire. These are the small moments I want to hold onto for the rest of my life. His hand grasps mine as we all silently enjoy the crackling fire.

Reed breaks the silence by rummaging through his cooler, handing each of us a can before standing up. “To my bros. For everything we’ve done together, and to all we’ll do in the future. May we always come back to this moment when things get hard and always know that we have each other when we need help.” He lifts his can into the air before looking around at us with a smile.

“Hear hear,” Naser says and we all nod to each other before cracking open the cans and chugging them in one go, crunching them and flinging them behind us.

“Goddamn, that is some top-quality stuff, Reed,” I say as I wipe my lips clean, grabbing another from the cooler.

“Nothing but the best for my bros.” Reed plops back down on the sand and grabs one and flings another to Naser, who already looks far more relaxed. We crack back a few more, laughing as we tell stories about growing up. Anon tells us how he used to run around his old school when he was growing up with a cape and goggles and three plastic katanas. He couldn’t count the times he ended up in detention because of it. Naser slurs a few words as he talks about the time he nearly tripped Naomi going down the stairs, and now kind of wishes he had. I’ll blame his slightly murderous side on the alcohol. A few minutes later, Anon’s phone buzzes and he excuses himself.

He rejoins us a moment later and takes my hand in his with a serious look in his eyes. “Fang. Someone is here…they want to apologize.”

My return to sobriety is instantaneous and I flick my eyes around in a panic, trying to see who the fuck he is talking about. He puts a finger under my beak and turns my face back to him. “Trish has been talking to me the past couple of weeks. She’s been apologizing like mad, saying how sorry she is that she doxed me and how badly she had been treating the both of us. She asked for a chance to apologize to you. To try to make things right, but she said if you don’t want talk to her, that would be okay.”

I almost want to slap him as I stand up and dig my claws into my shoulders. “Anon, why would this be a good idea?” I sigh as I stomp a can into the sand. “What in the world could she have to say that could make up for what she did? To you, to me, to us?”

He gets up and wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me back to him as I let my hands drop down to his. “I don’t know if there is anything she could say. But if nothing else, this is where it would stop. She promised she’d never talk to us again if it ends here. All she is asking for is one chance.” He turns me around to face him, my gaze faltering as he looks into my eyes. “Everyone deserves a second chance…even Trish.”

A part of me wants to say no, but he’s right. Trish can’t be all bad…this stupid money-hungry bullshit didn’t start till after the whole non-binary persona idea she had. Maybe she just fucked up…got lost in her own head and couldn’t see what she was doing. At least I would hope that is the case.

I sigh again before nodding to Anon. “Alright, Anon…she gets one chance, that’s it. After that, she fucks off and lets us enjoy the rest of our party in peace.”

“Sure thing. I’m with you, whichever way this goes.” He takes my hand in his and turns me around to look out into the parking lot. Naser and Reed stand beside us, Naser taking my other hand in his with a steely gaze burning out from him as he catches sight of what we are all staring at now. The small purple shape of Trish stands in the streetlight. She can barely look at me as she twists her hands together. There are streaks of long-since dried tears on her face as she struggles to hold herself upright. She looks a mess; her hair is shaved down and there are minute claw marks across her cheeks and hands. She almost looks like a strung-out junkie. What have you been doing to yourself, Trish?

I squeeze Anon’s hand before letting it go. He nods knowingly and stands aside with Reed. My brother is another situation entirely. The vice grip he has on my hand as he stares daggers at Trish is not going to break easily.

“Naser…” I say softly but he still stares forward, unwilling to budge an inch. “Naser, please.” He slowly pulls his gaze from Trish as he looks down at me, anger and fear in his eyes. “I’ll be okay. If something looks bad, you can come up beside me, alright?”

“Okay…” He relents—if only barely—and his fingers pull from mine. I look at Anon, a determined if slightly scared look in his eyes as he tilts his head toward Trish. I want to be mad at him for this, but he’s right. This needs to be settled here and now, no matter how it goes.

I quietly walk over to Trish. The panic in her small frame only grows the closer I get to her, as if it’s taking all she has not to run at the mere sight of me. A tense moment passes as I stand in front of her and our eyes meet. I’ve never seen that kind of pain in her amethyst eyes in all the years I’ve known her. The pleading desperation in them nearly makes my heart ache as her lip trembles. I know better than to just let her in, though.

I cross my arms as I look at her. I silently wait for her to speak up, unwilling to be the first to try to rebuild the bridge she set on fire before pissing on the ashes with her indifference. The wait feels like forever. The breeze rustles my wings as she just stares back at me, a painful longing in her eyes. I’m almost about to walk away when she finally speaks.

“Fang…” she says weakly as she reaches out, her pupils beginning to dilate, and I just now notice how much she is sweating. Panic sets in as I look at her…something is wrong. Now that I am closer, I can see that her skin is unbelievably pale and her other arm seems to be twitching a little, completely outside of her control. What the fuck have you done, Trish?

She coughs as she grips my shirt, a few specks of blood splatting against me. Her speech is halting and broken. “Fang, I’m so sorry…for everything I’ve done. I hope…I hope you can forgive me someday. I’m sorry I was such a terrible friend to you…I’m so sorry.” Her coughing grows uncontrollable and she loses her grip on me and collapses to the ground. She violently retches and vomits out blood, a few bright white pills mixed in with it. Oh Raptor Jesus, no!

“Call an ambulance right the fuck now, guys!!!” I scream as I pick her up in my arms. No you fucking don’t! You are not going to die like this, Trish! There is still too much for you to say for you to die now!

“I’m sorry…” She hacks again, her eyes struggling to stay open. “I just didn’t want to hurt anyone anymore…” Anon is already on his phone and he shouts loudly at the dispatcher. Reed runs up beside me, terror all over his face as he sees the blood around Trish and on me. It takes a second for it to register that it isn’t mine and he falls down on his knees beside Trish, looking her over.

Trish feebly turns to look at Reed with a weak smile on her face. “Reed, you were right. I was a piece of shit, but I loved you.” Her smile fades before another coughing fit strikes her, causing a few drops to splash against Reed’s pants. The terror in his eyes only grows as his pupils shrink to pinpricks. Her eyes slowly begin to close as color drains from them and Reed panics. Taking Trish from me, he cradles her in his arms.

“No, no, don’t you fucking dare!” He trembles as his tears fall on her face. He rocks her back and forth while she weakly breathes in his arms. “Please don’t die…we can fix this, we can fix this…” His sobs grow as he turns back to Anon and shouts, “Where is the fucking ambulance!?” As Reed looks frantically around, sirens blare through the air and the ambulance drives up and parks. Reed sets Trish down and backs away as the paramedics get to work on her.

They spot the pills and instantly know what she’s done. “Alright, we need to pump her stomach right now and find a way take care of that bleeding. Let’s go!” They put her on a gurney and slide her into the back of the ambulance. Reed jumps in with them, all the while holding her hand as his eyes are completely locked on her. The door closes and they peel out of the parking lot toward the hospital.

“What the fuck!?” Anon shouts as he runs up beside me. “She said she was coming to apologize! The hell happened?!”

Her blood is still slick on my fingers as the shock slowly begins to wear off. I gaze up at Anon and he falls down beside me and holds me tight as I sob. “Oh my god, Anon! Trish…oh Raptor Jesus, what did Trish do!?”

I quietly sob into his shirt as he runs a hand through my hair. “She was just supposed to apologize! I’m so sorry.”

Naser comes up beside us both and embraces us. This is not what was supposed to happen. This was just supposed to be a fun party and maybe some reconciliation. Now Trish might be dead and Reed…oh god, Reed…the look on his face. If she dies, he’ll never be the same. She may have fucked up, but she doesn’t deserve to die like this.

Naser gets up and beckons us over. “Come on, we need to get to the hospital. If things go bad, we need be there for Reed. If they go well…then Trish has some explaining to do.”

“You’re right,” I say as Anon helps me to my feet before quickly running over and dousing the fire with a bucket of water. We jump into the back of the car and Naser immediately peels out of the parking lot and speeds toward the hospital. Anon is staring out the window like this is his fault while Naser only focuses on the road. I squeeze Anon’s hand, trying to bring him comfort. He didn’t do this; he was just trying to help. Goddammit, Trish…why did you do it?