5

Chapter One

The Gift

Diku looked to the clock on the wall to his left. They had only fifteen more minutes in Biology before school was out. He sighed, a bit upset that the hand had not moved any faster between then and the last time he looked. Time was essential to every fifteen year olds' social life. He looked across the classroom to Kyra; she was wearing her hoodie, as usual. She wasn't like other girls. She didn't need to show off her stomach to attract people. She just had to be her.

He wasn't exactly like other guys, but that was different.

Again, he looked to the clock with blue eyes. He ran a hand through his non-obstructive brown hair and then eventually was forced to look at the worksheet on the desk in front of him. He kind of got heredity and co-dominance, but their teacher made it sound too hard, even for the smartest of the sophomores.

A movement caught his attention and he looked back up to see Kyra waving ecstatically. She had finished and was packed to leave. When the teacher was not looking, she snuck over to Diku's corner and knelt next to him, "Are we going to the movies tonight?"

The bell interrupted his response but he persisted in saying, "Yeah, if we can get rides."

"What's playing? Pirates of the Caribbean is a bit old now, but I'd still go see it!" Kyra retrieved her collapsed scooter from her locker and shoved her entire backpack in. Diku followed suit as they reached his locker. Both were grateful that they had no homework.

"I don't know. We can find out when we get there. Try to get a hold of some more people so it’ll be fun tonight!" Diku and Kyra pushed aside the school doors and were met by wind and a slight descent of rain.

"Sure. I've got a list of people I can call tonight." Kyra unfolded her scooter and looked at Diku's watch hanging beside his pocket.

"Shoot!" She exclaimed, kicking the Razor forward.

"What?" Diku called after her. She had rounded the corner but he heard her faint response.

"I'm late for work!"

He walked through the brewing gale to the nearest grocery store to pick up a few things for his mom. The outdoors lifted his mood considerably though the sun was not present and the wind plucked at his t-shirt until he pulled on his leather jacket. Arriving, he pulled out the scrawl of the list he had jotted down before school and entered. He carefully selected the groceries and at the register, withdrew the twenty his mom had lent him that morning.

"That will be five dollars and fifty cents total," the woman at the register said kindly. He handed her the bill and pocketed the change to return to his mother.

He walked the rest of the way home, the breezes not bothering his short brown hair. The houses in the neighborhood, in the suburbs of Dacelo, were all the timeless French and stucco style. Some had lavishly built-in stone bases and brick lining, but for the most part they were simply to house their inhabitants.

He shivered slightly when he opened the garage door of his own home and kicked off his shoes. On the fridge his mom had left a note,

Leave the groceries on the counter; I'll be back for dinner!

Love,

Mom.



School had ended only an hour ago. Already, Kyra was late for work at the gas station. She arrived at high speed; nearly knocking down an exiting trucker as the scooter she rode was propelled forward. She stopped with expertise and tucked it under the counter the same time she fastened her identity pin.

Her hair, previously in a ponytail so the wind wouldn’t thrash it, had all but fallen out in her rush. A quick look at a small mirror beside the register reminded her of the appearance policy her boss had created to maintain the illusion his employees were not fourteen year olds. She ran her hand through it after letting it down. Dark brown locks fell from her cheekbone to barely brush slender shoulders.

“Late!” Came from the back room and she winced. A moment later her boss appeared with a box of Fritos.

“Sorry, I was talking to-”

“You were still late!”

“I wasn’t finished with my sentence! I was talking to my English teacher about a report on my current job and the people associated. You were mentioned.” Kyra said, her gray eyes meeting his stern brown gaze with fire. Of course it was a lie; she’d been talking to Diku about whether or not they’d be able to go to the movies tonight with some friends. But her boss didn’t need to know that.

“Fine,” he bristled, “But that doesn’t excuse yesterday’s late arrival. I want you here by three-thirty.” He left to the back room again.

Kyra sighed. Of all people to work under, he was the hardest to control. After assisting a woman with a few drinks, she pulled off her gray hoodie and tossed it beside her scooter. Today was Green Day day; the day she wore her Green Day shirt. She liked it more than the pink frilly stuff other girls wore around school.

“Kyra!” Came again from the back room.

“What?”

“Where did you put the Sobe bottles?”

“You put them in the back shelf behind the Pepsi!” And so went all weekdays in the downtown Bryant’s gas station in the city of Dacelo, Michigan for Kyra Black.



Kyra finished work with excitement and rapidly punched in Diku’s number on the phone when she arrived home. Her house was only two blocks from his, but it was a shorter ride to her house from the gas station, and she didn’t want to inconvenience him.

The phone had time to ring twice before her older brother intercepted her call from downstairs.

“Jeremy!”

“Kyra, get off the phone! I’m trying to call Mike!”

“I was on first!”

There was a click and Kyra thought Jeremy had given her the phone time. However, as she dialed Diku’s number again, thumps up the stairs meant trouble.

She hung up before he arrived and hid the phone so he wouldn’t take it away.

After much chasing, shouting, and tackling, Jeremy ended up sitting on Kyra while talking to Mike. She pinched his leg but received no response. His conversation lasted ten minutes and he finally stood and tossed the phone in her lap. Her parents came home and her dad loudly sang old ballads in the kitchen.

For the third time, she pressed the seven numbers to Diku’s home. It rang four times and was answered.

“Hello, Itasu residence.” Said Diku’s mother.

“Hi Mrs. Itasu, is Diku there?”

“Yes he is, but we’re eating dinner right now, can he call you back?”

“Sure.”



Diku, after putting the groceries on the desired surface, went down the hall to shower. He finished some twenty minutes later feeling refreshed. It always felt good to be clean!

He wrapped a towel around himself and stepped from the curtains into the steamy room. A strange sensation overwhelmed him for a brief second. He shook his wet hair and wiped the mirror down with a hand towel.

“Aaaugh!” he fell backwards. The reflection had shown someone else! He sat there breathing fast. There was another guy in the bathroom! With longer black hair and matching black eyes.

Diku stood again, slowly, after checking the bathroom for mysterious figures. The image mirrored his movements. He was taller, and had a more angular face. Diku smiled shakily amidst his confusion. I know I’ve been changing, but I didn’t think puberty would be this drastic! Thought Diku.

Intrigued with this handsome appearance, Diku failed to realize that a black shadow was being cast over him. What triggered his curiosity was another awkward feeling that shot through his shoulders as he turned around.

“Wings?” He said aloud in confusion. He opened one. It was large, black and glossy. The feathers were clean and shone in the dim bathroom light. He was awed.

“What’s going on?” His sensible side screamed. Teenage boys didn’t just sprout wings spontaneously! Teenage boys didn’t suddenly receive a whole new physique during a shower! His heart leapt to his throat in fear, he breathed heavily, the menacing shadows consuming him.

A car door slammed.

“Oh crap! It’s Mom!” Diku rushed to get a towel and took another scared look at his reflection. The dark man eyed him too with terror. What am I going to do? How do I explain this to Mom?

“Diku, I’m home!” drifted through the kitchen and down the hall. His mother set the keys on the counter, causing them to lightly clink together.

“I’m…uhh…taking a shower!” Diku answered, but quickly slapped a hand over his mouth. His voice was too deep. Fortunately, his mother seemed not to notice and picked up the phone. C’mon Diku, there’s got to be a way to turn back! He thought speedily.

Another alien numbness cloaked over him. He felt cool and tingly. When the feeling passed, he looked back into the mirror. This time he saw Diku! Short brown hair, less angular face and bright blue eyes. That’s more like it.

He signed in relief.

“Diku, that was your friend Kyra on the phone. I told her you’d call her back. Oh, and dinner’s ready.” His mother called again.

After Diku ate dinner, he returned Kyra’s call.

“Hi, is Kyra there?" Diku said hesitantly when someone answered. He was still a bit shaky, though the pizza had settled his stomach.

Jeremy had answered the phone. "Yeah, just a second.” He pulled his mouth from the receiver and Diku heard him yell through the house, “Kyra, it's your boyfriend on the phone!”

"Shut up! Hang up Jer, I got it." Kyra’s voice entered the line.

There was the noise of a receiver being put down.

"You called?" asked Diku, breaking into the conversation. His thoughts promptly left the shower incident alone.

“Yeah, we still on for the movie at seven?” Kyra sounded excited and ready for fun, like she always did.

“Sure, let me check." Diku smiled. Running down the hall, he remembered about his frightening experience, thinking perhaps he’d better tell his best friend. He quickly explained to his mom about his plans and raced back to the phone, "Yeah, it's ok. Who's all going?"

"Yuna, Ajin, and us. That's all who answered their phones,” Though it was only two more people, Kyra sounded content.

"Decided on a movie yet?" Diku grinned. He half expected the answer and his happiness deepened when he heard it.

“Pirates!” answered Kyra with excitement.

“Sounds good. Want to walk to the theater together?” asked Diku, “They’re meeting us there, right?”

“Sure.” Kyra replied

“See you then.” Diku said in a dramatic tone. They both laughed.

“Bye." Kyra said finally and hung up first.

Diku had thought of telling Kyra about what had happened about thirty minutes ago, in the bathroom. Before he had called, he had considered it. But his sensible side decided that not telling her was the best choice for now. What if he had been imagining things?