mixed up.

The fake law her friend shared made Kayleigh laugh more, pulling the cupcake up to inspect it as if it were a scientific specimen. She hummed, turning it around in her hand so she could examine all sides of it. “Well, then I think this satisfies that rule,” she answered finally, grinning. “That’s good. Make anything interesting? Other than cupcakes for me?”

If Kayleigh hadn’t been dripping, she would have shook her head, or waved the cake away, but she couldn’t do either without spraying Addie. “You shouldn’t have,” she answered, though she had to smile at the gift. “It’s easier to dry off when there’s a breeze.” The wings, specifically. They weighed down her shoulders when wet, even if she tucked them back into wherever they went when she shifted. In fact, that hurt worse. “How’ve you been, Addie?”

Kayleigh was wet, specifically a fell-in-the-lake wet. She stretched her out, enjoying how the breeze felt on her skin, until she noticed that she was dripping on someone. “Oh, sorry,” she apologized, tucking her arms back into herself. “I wasn’t paying attention. My bad.”

Oliver looked up at the seemingly kind woman who stood there offering her help. ‘She does know where the library is’ he thought. He stared at her, her small hand stretched out. Oliver knew he needed the help if he was to find the library. He stretched his hand out timidly. “I’m Oliver” he stated shyly. He took her hand and gently shook it. “Sure, I mean if you’re not busy we can walk together.” Oliver looked at the smiling girl who had offered her help still unsure of her but she gave off a vibe of kindness that he felt safe with. 

Oliver needed to get online after all and this girl was his ticket to do just that. He knew he might also make a friend along the way but what he needed most at the time was an ally to figure out this place. She seemed to know the town ‘maybe she knows where we are at’ he thought. If she could help him figure out all this maybe that was a good thing and maybe she could explain his power to him, help him control it. This could be a good thing but he also didn’t trust this place so it would take some time to be able to let her in. 

“Oliver, it’s very nice to meet you,” Adaline replied, giving his hand a shake before letting it go. Her memories from first coming to Lake Grimstone were a bit hazy now. She couldn’t have been much older than Oliver was now, fresh off of her mother’s campaign trail. She had snuck out at night to help some of the city’s homeless with her power, combining things to work again, or be more useful than they had been. Someone thought that a story about the governor and congresswoman’s daughter having magical powers would be a better payday than what Adaline herself could offer, and her well-kept secret had suddenly been a one-way ticket to a place which both kept the world safe from her… and her from the world. She remembered being confused, and not only a little bit homesick. She remembered that she had wanted to know as much as she could, both about the world she suddenly found herself in, and what had been happening with her family, now that she was away. She wondered if Oliver was feeling that now. 

As Oliver stood there on the sidewalk confused and lost a voice called out to him ‘Excuse me, are you lost?’ Oliver at the time in his own thoughts was a bit frightened by the voice who had interrupted his thought process of where he was going. He turned to the girl who was staring at him. ‘Are you lost? You look a bit new.’ She paused for a second. Oliver was a bit scared of this girl who had walked up to him and had so easily it seemed, confronted him. ‘I could help, if you want?’ she stated. Oliver knew he needed the help but was very apprehensive about asking strangers in this town for anything. He stood there and starred for a few moments until finally gathering the courage to spit out the word “Library” It was as if he had forgotten how to speak. He knew he needed to keep his emotions in check until he got a grip on his powers, he didn’t need to be turning into any beasts today and scaring off a possible ally. Oliver took a deep breath, “Um, Yea, do you know where the library is?”

Oliver was desperate to try to figure out why he was brought here and where exactly here was. He had hoped finding the library would answer these questions. Oliver didn’t have a computer after all and he knew at least where he was from libraries had the quickest access to them. He thought back to when he was taken and how scared everyone was that he had turned into some monster. The thought made him sick but not necessarily because the rest of the home thought it was frightening, but because of Drew. Drew was his best friend, his older brother and the look on his face when Oliver turned was one of absolute horror. He didn’t want that to be the last thing Drew had seen or heard from him. He needed to find him, he needed to make things right. 

He looked lost. –– And something a bit more, but Adaline knew she could help, first, with the lost. The helper in her wanted to say that she KNEW she would help him with what else was haunting him –– he was so young –– but… these things required baby steps. While Adaline was wont to help wherever she could, she also knew that… well, people had choices. Sometimes, they didn’t want her help. 

Oliver stood on the sidewalk confused, it’s not like they gave him a map of this place. He looked down the street in both directions hoping to see some type of sign but he was definitely lost. “Where is this damn library” he whispered to himself harshly. 

Sometimes, wandering with no clear direction was sort of lovely. Adaline, having left the science officers’ building shortly before lunchtime, had been taking in the sights for the last hour or two, reacquainting herself with the heartbeat of Lake Grimstone. Her dark eyes skimmed the small seams in the road –– some of the last visible vestiges of the attack on the Fifteenth –– with a thrill of apprehension, but she was happy to find that the sun was still shining, birds were still chirping, and Lake Grimstone’s town was still standing despite efforts for it to not be so. All that was left were scars, but she didn’t think that was such a terrible thing. While the attack never happening would have been ideal, scars were a visceral symbol of HEALING more than anything. The vein of fixed-up cracks in the walkway only meant that efforts of destruction hadn’t worked. That was a good thing.

Lucie nodded and smiled. This girl seemed like a girl Lucie would want to be friends with. She wasn’t good at talking to people and it usually resulted in Lucie looking dumb. “It’s lovely to meet you.” She chuckled. “I hope I get the hang of it soon. I don’t wanna look like an idiot walking around with a map all the time.”

Tyson rolled his eyes and sighed. “Yes, I remember.” He shook his head repeatedly. “No, no, no. She uh, doesn’t like me like that.” Tyson laughed and placed a hand on her shoulder and rubbed it. “Of course we’re friends, Addy.” He replied. 

Tyson shook his head and laughed. “I know you would never let me bake alone.” He tilted his head back and laughed louder. “Me? Trying to impress someone? No, no. I’m just making something for Kat. She’s just a friend, I promise.” He said, cracking his fingers. “At least with you here, she might actually eat them.” He shrugged. 

“Addy. Come on, you don’t have to lie to me. If you have other things to do, you don’t have to help me.” He replied. “But you do know I suck at baking. I would really appreciate the help.”