Chapter Three: Starbucks & Sweaters

A Chapter by Mattie

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will only fuel my lungs”

Autumn leaves fall from crimson trees,
As I fall to the floor,
Worn and withered, though once green,
I've rotted to the core,
But one cannot compare me,
To a season of such charm,
For my skin is cold as the winter sea,
My limbs are numb.
-D.B.
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"So Hail, it's been two weeks since you moved here, have you made any friends?" Mother asked one day as the two were washing dishes. Hail still didn't talk much, the only person she talked to was Nix, which to everyone was rather strange. Mother was just happy that Hail was finally speaking, though she wished Hail would speak to her own mother.
Grunting, Hail nodded and lifted a finger indicating she had made one friend.
"Well that's great do you think I could meet her?" Mother asked smiling to herself. Though hesitant, Hail nodded while glancing at the clock.
"You need to go somewhere?" Mother asked. Mother has known Hail since she was a young girl, she could easily read her daughters small gestures no matter how small they were.
Once again, Hail nodded and turn around grabbing a black 'Nightmare-Before-Christmas' messenger bag.
"Remember to wear a sweater, it's rather chilly out," Mother called to her daughter, before she could make it out the door. Hail sighed and slipped into a baggy gray sweater. She opened the door and ran out into the cool afternoon.
"Hail, over here," Nix grinned waving at her friend. Nix was an odd character, she dressed in mostly leather and spiked boots. Somehow Nix had taken a liking to Hail and always seemed to obsess over how strangely 'adorable' Hail was, though if Hail spoke, which usually she didn't, she would have yelled out some very colorful sentences.
"You ready?" Nix asked not bothering to wait for a response, not that she was going to get one. Hail nodded and the two walked down the road not really knowing where they were going, but walking as though they owned the world.
"My god, why weren't humans born with wings? Then we wouldn't have to walk so much. My feet frickin' ache!" Nix groaned, kicking some rocks with her thick boots.
"Even if humans were born with wings, wouldn't flying make your wings tired?" Hail responded, and though her voice was barely above a whisper Nix still caught it.
"Awe, Hail you always ruin my diabolical plans," Nix whined.
"How is it diabolical if it has not negative effect on... well anything?" Hail was use to Nix's strange comments by now, but even so she still enjoyed debating with her friend no matter how strange the topic.
"You're rather talkative today," Nix grinned patting her friend on the head as though she were a puppy. Hail glared at her friend and slapped her hand away from her tangled bird nest.
"Shove it," Hail grumbled.
"Awe so negative, where's your positive-ness gone Hail?" Nix yelled out into the empty street. "O Positive-ness, positive-ness, wherefore art thou positive-ness! Deny thy positivism and refuse thy negativity. Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn your negativity,
And I'll no longer be a Positive-er!"
"SHUT THE H*LL UP!"
"Wow... these neighborhoods are really rough, doncha' think?" Nix grumbled flipping off whomever had screamed at her. Hail sighed and shook her head, sometimes it was better to just let Nix be... well whatever it was that she was.
"Nix..." Hail frowned and stared at her friend with a curious expression.
"Huh?"
"Why is it that you are failing English and yet you somehow you memorized all the lines to balled Romeo and Juliet?"
. . .
"No idea." Nix shrugged and continued marching onward, though she had no idea where they were heading.
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