A few weeks later and it’s time for our graduation party do-over. Hopefully this one goes better than the last one, though it would be pretty hard to be worse! I slowly open my eyes to the new day as my alarm softly plays one of my songs I recorded, shaking me out of my thoughts. Might be a bit narcissistic to use your own music for your alarm but it makes me happy, a tiny reminder that I’m doing what I love. I sit up in bed, flexing my wings and stretching my arms before poking the sleeping Anon in the ribs.

“Get up, sleepy head. Naser’s gonna be here in an hour to pick us up and we need to get ready.” I jab him a couple more times and he finally rumbles out a groan before flopping on his side.

“Fiiiine. Fuckin’ sun.” He squints out the window as the rays slap him in the face until he tumbles out of bed with a loud thud and a yelp. “Fuck! Okay, forgot my shoulder is still messed up…that was a bad plan”.

“You dumbass. I really don’t want to have to drag your ass back to the hospital so cut that shit out for a few more weeks.” I roll my eyes with a sigh; I really need to put padding down there before the dweeb gives himself a concussion. He stumbles up to his feet before snagging some clothes and groggily making his way to the bathroom.

While he does that, I go to pick out a guitar for the beach party. I want to play a song for all of them since my family will be there, plus Reed and Trish. I tried to invite Stella and Rosa, but they’ve been so busy working together, trying to start up a florist shop. I chuckle a little as I test a couple of strings on one before putting it down. I always knew those two would end up doing something together. They never liked to be too far away from one another.

It takes me a little while, but I eventually settle on the guitar I was going to use way back at prom. I hold it in my hands, turning it over as the memories flow into my mind. I wonder where I’d be if that night hadn’t gone so wrong. One broken string nearly ended my dreams and my life. What if I had…no, it’s not worth thinking about. Everything that has happened to me has led to my life here, with Anon. As shitty as it’s been and as much pain as I’ve gone through, it’s still worth it to me. I have him, we have our home, and I have my job playing songs for people at Dino Moe’s. It’s all I need, all I’ve ever wanted. To be seen and loved for what I can’t see myself doing anything but…playing music for people.

I test the strings for a bit, making sure I won’t have a repeat of prom night. Soon as I feel confident enough, I load the guitar into my case plus a little amp so I can play it properly. As I latch the case closed, I can’t help but smile. I’ve taken back so much that night stole from me, my heart, my soul, and my confidence. I’ve built better relationships with my family than I’ve had in years. My brother—the person I was so mean to yet missed so much in my life—is now such a big part of it. It makes it so much sadder that this is the last day I’ll see him for a long time. A little going away party for him, before he’s gone for four years.

I hold back my tears before they can start, flicking away a droplet from the corner of my eye. I honestly don’t know how well I’ll handle him being gone. I frown a little as my hands rest on the guitar case. He’s been so helpful, keeping me smiling as I’ve recovered. A constant reminder that I’m loved by my family, and it hurts to know I’ll only have phone calls with him for such a long time. I let out a weary sigh as I get to my feet. No point worrying about it. I should just enjoy the time I’ll have with him tonight before he leaves tomorrow morning.

Hefting my case over my shoulder, I lug it over to the front door and gently place it down. I can hear the shower still running so I’ve got some time to pick out an outfit. I bought some new clothes to go with my look, something with a little more edge. I dig through my drawers until I pull out a black t-shirt plus a dark leather jacket. I grab a black pleated skirt and some knee-high socks to go with my faithful combat boots. I also grab a big fucking beach towel. I don’t want to get sand all up in my business wearing all of this.

I also snag that lacy gothic dress I got, but…that’ll be for later. That one is just for Anon when we get home since it’s a bit, uh, see-through. I tuck it away in the closet so he doesn’t see it until then. I bundle up my clothes and hurry down the hallway as soon as I hear him open the bathroom door.

He barely gets his hand up before I speed past him. “Hi, wait…where?” He turns around to see me smirking at him before I shut the door. “Okay, I’ll go get the rest of our stuff ready while you do whatever in there,” he says through the door before I hear him walk off.

I quickly get out of my clothes and hop in the shower. Thank fuck he left me plenty of hot water, else I would’ve killed him. I take care to gently wash my wings. I don’t want to accidentally knock out a feather when I’m trying to look my best. After getting cleaned up, I dry off and toss the towel on the rack. Takes a bit of effort to get my outfit on and I stumble around a bit getting the socks on but it’s worth it. I get the shirt on and pull the jacket over my wings before getting the skirt in place. I slide my feet into my boots and pull out my makeup. I guess I can have a little color every now and again. I quickly put on my classic high school look as I admire myself in the mirror. Damn, I look good.

After checking myself out for a bit, I head out of the bathroom into the living room where Anon is just finishing bundling up the towel and looking like he’s about to sling my guitar over his shoulder. I quickly stop him.

“Anon, I love you, but you need to not push it, dweeb.” I take the case from his hand and heft it onto my shoulder. “I can carry this. It’s not the first time nor will it be the last. I’m not weak, you know.”

“I know you aren’t, Fang,” he says as he tucks the towel under his arm with a shrug. “Still getting used to the fact that I’m a wimp right now. Fuck, and I thought the bollard damage was bad. Nothing beats bullets!” He tries to flex but winces instead. “Fucking…ow.”

“Stop. Being. Dumb.” I give him the gentlest smack upside the head. Seconds later, I hear the telltale honking of the NasCar. Well, at least he’s on time, even if I can’t believe he spent 300 bucks on a custom nameplate for it. He still hasn’t fixed the windshield! I tug at Anon as I head to the door. “Come on, let’s not keep the fucking dork waiting.”

We hurry down the steps and Naser is already outside the car leaning on the side. He looks up at us with a smug grin. “Eh? Eh? What do you think?” He presents the glittering gold-painted nameplate on the side that proudly displays “The NasCar”. I facepalm as I groan and he laughs to himself. “I can’t help it. I love this car. Anyway, pack your stuff up, We need to get there first so we can set up the fire and speakers.” He glances over at Anon. “You aren’t touching the fire this time. I want people to leave with their eyebrows.”

“Oh, come on!” Anon whines as he throws the towel in the back. “You guys just don’t know what a good time is.”

I place my case in the back and shut the trunk before flicking Anon on the nose. “Fun is not feeling the heat of the sun searing off my feathers from ten feet away. Now, let me help you get in, dweeb.”

He tries to protest but I give him the glare and he gives up immediately. Don’t fuck with the glare…every woman has it, and no one wins. After getting him seated, I jump in beside him from the other side. Naser gets in moments later and starts the car up as he looks back at us. “Everyone comfy? Seatbelts on?”

“Yes, dork, we’re safe. Let’s go.” He smirks and spares no time before he punches it into gear and peels it out of the driveway. I’m about to yell at him but he slows down a few seconds later.

“Just fucking with you, Fang.” I throw an empty water bottle at him and it bounces off his crest. “Ow! Not while I’m driving!”

“Then don’t be dumb!” I stick my tongue out at him and he sighs, still smiling as he keeps his eye on the road. “So, Mom and Dad are gonna be there too, right?”

He nods to me as he makes a turn. “Yup. They are bringing a bunch of food too, so we don’t have to pick anything up. No booze, though. I don’t want to get killed right before I go to med school.”

“No shit,” I say as I stare out the side window. “Really don’t want to get chewed out by Dad and ruin the night.” The trip goes by relatively quickly as I watch buildings zoom by until only palm trees and sandy beaches remain. We get out of the car, with Naser helping Anon out as I stare at the spot where Trish collapsed when we were last here. I flinch a little as the thoughts of that night flood my brain. The blood…so much blood. The fear that she was going to die…fuck me, that night sucked. I shudder as I shake off the feeling. That’s in the past. We’re all doing better now and Reed is actually not a bad boyfriend for her.

Naser sees me struggling a bit and comes up to me, resting his hand on my shoulder. “You okay, sis?”

I give him a quick nod as I take in a deep breath. “I’m fine, Naser. Doesn’t bug me as much as I thought it would. Come on, let’s get the speakers set up and then you and I can get the fire ready. Anon…” He looks over at me. “Don’t touch anything flammable.” He frowns as he throws the towel down and flops on it, staring up at the midmorning sky.

Doesn’t take me and Naser too long to put the firewood together and set up the speakers. I get my guitar ready and plug in the amp, testing it a little and it is just loud enough to fill the area without being deafening. I take a seat by Anon as I silently strum away at my guitar, filling the beach with some gentle music as Naser sits beside me. The crashing waves on the shore add to the ambiance as I take a moment to enjoy their company. My Anon, the man who saved my life. Naser, my brother, always there when I need him. I couldn’t ask for more.

We don’t say a word for several minutes, the boys listening to me play as my fingers glide across the strings. The clouds floating overhead provide shade from the toasty sun as the palm trees sway in the breeze. So many silent words being said between us with the music alone as I watch them, their eyes closed with smiles on their faces. I love them both, and I’m so lucky they love me back.

A little while later, I hear the sounds of Reed’s van struggling to make it to the beach and I turn to see him park the bucket of bolts in a spot just as a puff of black smoke pours out of the exhaust. I really hope he actually puts some of that money he’s saving on his normal pastimes to fix that thing before it explodes.

He climbs out and Trish is not far behind. She waves at us with a big smile on her face before hurrying down to the beach. She gives me the biggest hug she can from behind before hugging Naser and is surprisingly gentle with Anon. Reed comes up too, giving us a finger gun salute before throwing a blanket down for him and Trish to sit on. She sits as close as she can to me while also snuggling up to Reed.

“Sup, bros!” Reed says with the most sober grin on his face. He’s been kicking the habit pretty well…or so he’s said, at least. “How you dudes doing?”

I set the guitar on my lap and push my hair out of my face. “No complaints. Good to see you two. Still being lovebirds, I see.” I snicker as they blush.

“Like you’ve got any room to talk, Fang. Not like you aren’t attached to Anon any time he’s within reach.”

I try to fight it but the pink tint crossing my face betrays me instantly. “Okay, fine, you’re right. Fuck you regardless.” She smirks at me with a smug tilt of her head before resting against Reed’s chest.

We chat for a bit on the beach, catching up on a few things since we’ve seen each other last. They moved in together, living in their own little apartment they can afford, and Reed’s been looking into finding a job that’s legal with his choice to move past carfe. A bit later, I hear my dad’s car driving up and parking. His titanic form steps out of the car before opening the door for my mom, holding her hand as she steps out of the vehicle that dwarfs her in size.

“Hello dears!” my mom calls out as she smiles happily at us with a wave of her hand. “I hope you kids are hungry ’cause I brought a whole lot to eat!”

I’m already drooling as I haven’t had her cooking since I moved out. My dad pulls a card table from the back of the car and sets it down close to us. He and my mom pile on tons of heated platters full of home-cooked goodness before setting out a few plates. We nearly fly off the ground trying to get to it. So much meat…all of it cooked to perfection. Plus a bunch of veggie options for Trish, not that I’ll be touching any of that. My mom looks on with pride as we stuff our faces with her hard work. God…I’ll never get tired of her cooking.

After eating probably three pounds of food I slump back onto the towel, pulling Anon down to me as I rest my head across his lap, resisting the urge to sleep. “Oh my god, Mom…that was delicious.” I can see Trish agreeing as she flicks a few more carrots into her mouth. Naser looks half awake in a happy food coma and Anon gives her a thumbs up as he puts a hand on my shoulder.

“Thank you, honey. Glad you all enjoyed it.” My dad sits down in the sand and my mom sits on his lap, resting against his chest as she gazes up at the clouds. “I haven’t been to the beach in so long. It’s so nice to get out of the house for a bit. Especially to celebrate my little Naser going to college! Oh, I’m so proud of you, dear.” She claps her hands together and Naser blushes, trying to wave it off.

“Mom, it’s nothing. I honestly can’t wait to go. It’ll be good when it’s over and I can come home to you all and take care of the town. Not a day I’ll regret spending here, healing people.”

My mom shakes her head. “It’s not nothing, dear. You worked so hard to get where you are going, and with a full scholarship, too! That’s not nothing to me.” She wags a finger at him and he gives in.

“Thanks, Mom, I appreciate it. Still going to miss you all. I wish I didn’t have to leave town.” He sighs as he looks down at his feet.

My mom frowns as she pats his knee. “I’m going to miss you too. It won’t be the same at home with all of you gone. My little babies all grown up…feels like it was just yesterday you two were just kids playing with your toys.” A tear slides down her cheek as she takes a trip down memory lane.

“Well…” I shrug. “It must be nice to not hear me blaring music until the late hours of the night anymore.”

She shakes her head with a sigh. “I even miss that, dear. But I knew this day would come. I’m just happy you two are doing what you love.” She looks at each of us, a shimmering light of hope in her eyes as she smiles. “You kids deserve the world after all you’ve been through. I’m proud of you…all of you.”

“So am I,” my dad says as he gives Mom a hug. “You’ve faced so much and come out stronger for it. Nowhere you kids can’t go now, wherever it might be.”

I choke up a little hearing them talk about us like that. Just a few months ago, I never thought I’d ever hear them say they were proud of me, now they let me know it whenever they can. I sniffle back a tear of joy as I get to my feet. “One sec, guys.”

I walk back to the car and grab a few non-alcoholic drinks and pass them out to everyone. I crack mine open as I raise it up. “To our futures, wherever we go, whatever path life takes us down. I know we’ll always be there for each other. We’re all family here, and I love all of you so much.” They all pop open theirs and we drink a toast. “But one last thing. To Naser, the smartest of all of us. May college not kick the crap out of him worse than I ever did.”

“Really, sis?” He rolls his eyes.

“Yep! Now drink.” We chug down our drinks before crunching the cans up and tossing them in a bag. “Now I’m going to play a song for you guys, one I only ever shared with Anon before. I hope you like it.”

I pick up my guitar as I sit shoulder to shoulder with Anon. He looks back at me with a smile on his face. I kiss him on the cheek before I start to play, notes that are so second nature to me at this point. A song that showed him my soul, the soul he saved. I softly sing the lyrics to the song as he joins in, gently humming alongside me. My eyes drift across them, each of them with tears in their eyes as I share a piece of my heart. My eyes fall on my mom, and she softly gazes back—eyes that are a perfect copy of her own amber eyes. I know how much she blamed herself for what happened to me. I smile at her as I continue to sing, letting her know how much I appreciate her. She can’t hold back her sobs of joy and she covers her beak, quietly letting her tears flow.

As the song ends, I let the last note hang in the air as my hands rest on my guitar. I look around as they all clap, my heart filling with warmth as I see all their smiles. I bared my soul to them and I don’t regret it, just like the day I showed Anon.

“That was beautiful, honey,” my mom says as she wipes away her tears with her napkin. “Thank you for sharing that with us.”

“Thank you for listening. Thank you, all of you…for all you’ve done.”

“Never need to thank us, sis. You’re family, always will be,” Naser says as he flicks away a tear. “How about a few more songs, Fang? Let’s enjoy this last day together.”

I nod with the biggest grin on my face. “Sure.”

We spend the whole day together. Chatting and enjoying each other’s company as I play songs for as long as I can, the sunshine, ocean breeze, and music creating a comfy background ambiance to fill the day. We play a few games on the beach to pass the time and eventually Mom decides to embarrass the fuck out of me by sharing a few stories from our childhood. God, my face couldn’t get any redder if it tried. As the hours dwindle late into the night, the fire starts to putter out. We quickly pack up everything as we get ready to head home. Trish and Reed both give Naser a long hug, knowing full well they won’t see him for a long time.

“Take care, bro. Don’t forget us when you are a rich doctor dude.”

Naser chuckles. “Never could forget either of you two.”

“I’ll miss you. Don’t go breaking your other wing while you’re gone,” Trish says as she attempts to hide how sad she is, but her face gives it away.

“Don’t plan on it, Trish.” He smirks at her. Reed and Trish wave to us before hopping in their van and heading home. My parents give us hugs before they head off, too. They’ll see Naser in the morning before he goes but tonight will be the last time I see him…and I hate it.

We quietly load our stuff into his car for the last time. The drive home is quiet. I still dread the moment that is coming but at least I’ll be able to call him. We get home and take our stuff out.

“I’m…fuck.” Naser wipes his eyes. “I’m going to miss you so much, Fang. Please call, a lot.”

“I’m gonna miss you too, Naser.” I set my case down and hug him tight, enveloping him in my wings. “Please be safe. Come home to us.” He nods to me and I nuzzle my cheek against his. “Good…I’ll call you as much as I can. Call me when you get to the campus, okay?”

“Sure, sis.” I let him go and he turns to Anon, a heavy weight in his eyes. “Thank you for everything, Anon. Without you, I wouldn’t have my sister. You’re my brother…you always will be, no matter what.”

Anon doesn’t try to wave it off this time, accepting Naser’s thanks for real as he walks up to him, giving him a hug with his one arm. “I was happy to do it. Always will be. I’ll miss you, brother. I wish I had met you ages ago.”

“Me too, Anon. Me too.” He steps away from us, doing his best not to break down in tears as he shakily smiles at us. “Take care, you guys. I love you both.”

“We love you too, Naser,” I answer shakily as I take Anon’s hand in mine. Naser gives us one last nod as he gets in his car. He stares back at me for a moment, joy in his eyes that masks the sadness. He starts the car and slowly leaves, sharing one last look with us before he drives off into the night.

Tears slide down my cheeks as I deal with the fact that that’ll be the last time I see him for so many months. Anon embraces me as I quietly let out a few sobs.

“This sucks.”

“Yeah, it does,” he replies quietly as he gives me a gentle squeeze. “Come on, Fang. Let’s get inside.”

I nod and grab my guitar, and we go upstairs. I set it on the wall while he throws the towel on the couch. I don’t want to be sad tonight; I need a pick me up, and I have just the thing for it.

“Hey Anon…” He looks over at me. “Get comfy. I’ve got something to show you.”

“Sure.” He sits on the couch and I slide into the bedroom. I quickly take off all my clothes including my underwear and put on that dress I set aside for just such an occasion. I run my hands down the silky fabric as I grin mischievously to myself. He’s healed enough…I’ll just make sure not to break anything.

“Oh Anon…” I say with a sultry tone as I step slowly into the living room.

“Yeah Fa— oh my dear god…pretty.” His breath catches in his throat as the see-through fabric effortlessly flows with every step as I stand over him. He stammers a bit but can’t say a word as I smirk down at him.

“Glad you think so. Now, get comfy. We are going to have a busy night.”

He stammers out a few more attempts at words, but nothing gets any further than half a syllable. I straddle his lap as I give him a kiss, my dress draping across his legs. His brain is probably melting out of his skull and he turns as red as a tomato. Guess it’s good we don’t have work tomorrow because he’s not going to be able to walk after this.