Ring ring… 

I turn over in bed wiping the tears from my eyes. 

Ring ring… 

I grab my phone and look at the caller ID at the top of the screen. 

‘Theodore’ it reads.

I quickly decline the call, tears streaming down my cheeks faster. He blocked me for a reason. 

Yesterday, Theodore and I were hanging out in my dorm at the college we both attended. It wasn't my first choice for a college but being the heir of the Love Kingdom, I was required to attend that school with all the other heirs. The Love Kingdom is quite diverse, yet I still met many different types of people from different cultures and kingdoms after attending. 

We were in my dorm playing Just Dance, and he was sort of out of it, not acting himself. I asked him “Are you ok?” His head perked up and he turned to me "Hm?” 

I asked him the same question again and he said “Yeah- yeah I'm good,” before adding “I might go back to my dorm to get stuff real quick.” I nodded off to him as he left. 

Ever since I met him I always assumed something happened to him in his past that he didn't want to talk about, or at least didn't want to talk about it with me. His horns seem to have cracks over them that I haven't seen on other dark fairies, he has a scar over his right eye, and he has burn scars scattered over his pale face. That night those assumptions were confirmed. 

He got to his dorm and called me, so of course, I picked up. Right away he said in a panicked whisper “Lylie can you bring over a knife and come to my dorm”

  I was so confused “What?” I asked.

 He whispered again, more harshly that time “Bring a knife and come to my dorm.” I asked why and he said, his voice shaking, “I'll tell you later, but right now listen to me!” 

I grabbed a kitchen knife and teleported to his dorm. When I appeared there his dorm was a mess, his things were scattered everywhere it was like someone had come in and tried to find something to steal. Suddenly I was shaking, I handed him the knife and he started looking around. 

I was clinging to his arm as he searched. When he walked into his bedroom, he started freaking out so much more. He pushed me away and started looking for something mumbling “no no please please please no..” At that point, my lips were bleeding from picking at them. Theodore pulled a box out and looked inside it blankly. 

I stepped closer to him and asked quietly “What's wrong? What's going on?” 

 He responded, his voice even more shakey than before, and hardly even a whisper “They- they took my savings, I was gonna-” Then he just crumbled over and started crying, unable to finish his sentence. I wrapped my arms around him in an attempt to be comforting, and he whispered to himself “How did they know I was here?” 

"Who?” I asked, running my fingers through his black hair.

He stuttered “These loan sharks, my dad never paid them off, and now they're going for me” I wasn't sure what that meant, and I'm still unsure. I kept comforting him when he suddenly stopped crying and looked up at me getting angry. He whispered, the anger on his face becoming clear in the tone of his voice, “Did you sell me out?” 

“What?” I asked, and then he pushed me away and scampered away from me.

          “You. you told them I was here!” He shouted at me. 

The day before had been Halloween, and the school had hosted a big ball. I talked with Theodore for a few minutes before he left, and then he texted me saying “Hey if anyone asks if I'm here say no.” I was confused but agreed anyway. 

“No, I wouldn't do that” I whispered, shaking and stuttering. I knew I didn't but I felt so anxious like I had gotten found out.  

He shouted, “Bullcrap, your the only person I know here.”

I started to cry, whispering, “Why do you think I would do that?”

He started screaming at me, “CAUSE YOU’RE AN HEIR, A GREEDY GOBLIN LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, WHY WOULDN'T YOU SELL ME OUT?” He stopped for a moment, then he got up in my face, whispering in the same threatening tone, “Did a man at the ball ask who I was?” 

I put my face in my hands sobbing “NO!” 

He got up and stepped away from me “Get out.” He said before shouting “GET OUT OF MY DORM AND GET OUT OF MY LIFE, YOU'VE ALREADY HAD PEOPLE TAKE ALL THAT I HAVE NOW DON'T TAKE UP MORE OF MY TIME!” 

I teleported back to my dorm sobbing. 

What I did in the following hours was… interesting. I teleported to the nearest bank and went up to the front desk. “Hello there, what can we do for you today?” the teller asked in a polite tone.

“Uh, can I like get some of the money from my card in cash please?” I whispered The teller nodded and asked for my banking details. I gave the details, and they pulled up my account before asking, “How much would you like to withdraw?”

“800 thousand.” They just stared at me “Or something around that.” 

They leaned over whispering, “Why do you need all this cash? You have the funds, I'm just worried. Are you trying to buy drugs?... Wait sorry that's not my business.”

“No! Of course not!”

“Ok, I’m so sorry. I’ll get the money for you.” I thanked them as they left before coming back to me with the money in a case. I wrote Theodore a note on a bank notepad and teleported to his dorm. I snuck into his room when I heard the front door open. In a panic, I quickly put the case and note on his bed and teleported back to my door where I curled up. 

A few moments later I was texting my genetically half-sister - full sister in my heart - Clara, when I heard a knock on the common room door. By the time I got out into the common room, I saw Thomas, the dark kingdom heir, opening the door. “Hello?” Thomas said

I assumed that he was expecting someone so I started heading back to my room, but then I heard Theodore “Oh sorry.” 

He looked over to my door, saw me standing in my doorway, walked over, and handed me the briefcase. “I don't need your pity money,” he said before leaving.

 Tears filled my eyes and I followed “Wait- Theodore no!” 

Thomas walked over and stood in the doorway, him being so tall would make him intimidating if he didnt wear heart-shaped sunglasses and had such colorful purple hair. “Lylie what's going on?” Thomas asked.

         Theodore slightly turned over his shoulder and barked at Thomas, “Go in your room this ain't your business.” Theodore kept stomping away when I grabbed his arm and gave him back the briefcase sobbing heavily.

Theodore got up close to me again and spoke aggressively “I'm not taking your money end of story.” 

 I got down on my knees, opened the briefcase, and started counting money crying and shaking “How much did you have saved?”

“It's not the amount I'm not taking it.” Theodore said before starting to walk away again. 

That's when Clara walked into the hallway we were in “Hey what's going on?” Thomas just shrugged, Clara saw me on the floor crying and glared at Theodore angrily, while he just walked away. 

Clara asked what had happened and I told her everything, to which she said, “Heck no.” and walked off in the direction that Theodore went and Thomas started comforting me.

 I don't know what happened between Clara and Theodore but I'm sure she had some very strong words for him. She has always been very protective of

me and she has punched a lot of my old friends. She's a little scary. She's like a young supernanny but an ice-tech fairy with teal hair and red glasses frames. 

A few minutes later I tried texting Theodore saying I was sorry but that just led to me finding out that he had blocked me.

The next day I was getting ready, I planned to go to a poor part of the fire kingdom and give out money, but someone knocked on my door. I opened the door and saw Clara. I look at her before asking, “Hi, what are you doing here?” 

“Just wanted to pick you up for breakfast today,” she responded.

"Why?” 

“I don't know, thought it would be nice for a change, and I miss you.” 

“Oh that's nice… but I was planning on going out and skipping breakfast for today,” I tell her, not wanting to reveal my plan.

“Oh ok, where are you going?” 

“Just out and around in the fire kingdom.” 

Clara paused suddenly suspicious, “Why?” I started getting anxious, I knew Clara would stop me because she knew I would get hurt or robbed. “Lylie, what's in your backpack?”

"Backpack things,” I said, and Clara invited herself into my room.

She looked in my backpack, then at me disapprovingly, asking,“…Lylie Love why do you have this much cash in your bag?” 

“I'm gonna go around and give the money to people living on the street.” 

“Lylie you are going to get robbed and killed if you have a giant bag full of money in the Fire Kingdom! I'm not letting you risk your life for someone you barely know.” 

“I'm not risking my life for him, and he's not mean! I have 800 thousand in cash so I'm going to give it to people who need it.” 

“You're gonna get killed! Just give it to a charity!”

My eyes started to tear up “Fine! I'll find a charity to donate to!”

“Thank you!” 

I hate it when she babies me. I can do things on my own but sometimes it seems like she doesn't know that. She was right in that case though, people would have killed me for that money. 

I had breakfast with Clara and Frankie. Our parents adopted him a few years ago after fostering him but he looks a lot like a mix of our moms, helps that he’s an ice-love fairy with mostly pink hair

After breakfast and classes, I messaged the family, Frankie, Clara, and our parents Chris, Kalila, and Hydrangea, ‘Hey I'm gonna head home today, I'll just teleport over.’ Then I grabbed my backpack and teleported over to the fire kingdom in front of the building for an organization. 

It's crazy that the Fire Kingdom is the richest yet has some of the poorest people. It is also crazy how hot it is. I was wearing the least amount of clothes possible, a cropped tank top, short shorts, and a sun hat, and I was still sweating so much.

I walked into the building and spoke quietly “I saw online that you take donations, do you?” 

“Yes, we do.” 

“Cash?”

“Yes…” Then the man at the front paused for a moment looking me up and down, “Sir?- m-ma’am?” Then I started pulling money out of my bag, the man looked surprised and asked, “How much will you be donating today” 

“400 thousand”

“Oh my goodness! Thank you so much!” The man said, and I signed the paperwork they wanted me to before leaving and walking to the next donation place I found online. 

I expected some stares, you don't exactly see a chubby 16-year-old with little white wings behind their neck, dirty blonde hair, dark purple eyes, and tan-ish olive skin in the fire kingdom a lot. That just isn't what most fire fairies will look like, they normally have darker hair, lighter skin, and a thinner build, not to mention fire fairies don't have wings.

As I was walking I heard someone behind me shout, “Hey! Blonde! Ain’t you the heir for the love kingdom?”

“No?” I lied. The guy he was with shouted, “They are!” 

He paused and looked at me a little longer “Yeah… I think I saw you in a magazine… ay c’mere follow us, we have this really great touring spot you should check out!”

I shook my head making more distance between us, “No I've got to get going.”

“Awh c'mon! It's secret too so you won't be able to find it by yourself, only fire fairies know where it is around here.”

“Really, no thank you.” 

Then he got up really close to me, our noses were nearly touching “I ain't asking anymore fu-” I very quickly teleported away after that. 

I had teleported about ten minutes away from my house and walked the rest of the way. Once I got home I threw my bag on the floor and went to my room.
"Lylie?” Hydrangea said, “Not even gonna say hi?”

I got up, “Sorry Mom, hi hi.” 

She chuckled and hugged me “You're fine I’m just giving you a hard time, your ma is going to the store do you want to go with?” 

“No, I'm tired, I love you.” 

“Alright, I love you too.” I went to my room.

 Just a few hours later we’re here now. 

Why would Theodore even call me? Maybe he'll apologize, I’d like an apology, or maybe he needs something, what would he possibly need… What if he's in danger? 

I call Theodore back and he picks up after a few seconds “What do you want?” I ask, trying to sound like I haven't been crying. 

“Lylie, Lylie I'm sorry I'm so sorry Lylie,” he says, his voice sounds weak and horsey. 

"What's wrong?” 

“I don't know there's a puddle of blood- I got jumped they cut my stomach..” he sounds so weak, he sounds so scared, I've never heard him like this before. 

“Where are you!?” 

He tells me the address and I teleport over to him as quickly as I can. When he said “puddle of blood,” that was an understatement. It seems more like a pond. “Let's get you to a hospital.” I say picking him up.

“I- I can't they'll ask too many questions” 

I curse under my breath before teleporting Theodore to my room with me. I lay him on my bed before going to my desk, muttering “Where is my sewing kit?” 

“Lylie,” he says as I grab some painkillers, needles, scissors, hand sanitizer, and a lighter.

“Hm?”

He cries with no tears, “I'm sorry, I’m- I’m mean, you're not a rat or a snitch, and I’m sorry. I'm sorry you have to waste your time on me and I'm sorry I treated you like trash. You're the nicest person I know, and if I die here I'm sorry you'll have to see it.” 

“You're ok, you're not gonna die.” I say more reassuring myself as I take off his shirt. I pause for a moment just staring. He has three deep slashes across his stomach and a fish skeleton tattoo across his chest just below his armpits.

“Thank you Lylie”

“Take some ibuprofen, no more than three.” I open the bottle and give it to him, putting on some hand sanitizer and sanitizing the needle with the lighter. I then cut off some of his hair, threading the needle with a few strands of hair before I start stitching up his cuts. 

After a few minutes, I hear a knock on the door, “Lylie dinner is almost done”  

“Uh- ok, dad!” I start sewing faster.

 “Owow!” 

“Sorry sorry.” 

“What?” Chris asks jiggling the doorknob. 

“Nothing Dad! I'll be down when it's ready!” 

“Alright?” he says before before walking away.

I go back to stitching when Theodore asks, his voice hardly coming out, “How much blood did I lose do you think?”

 I pause and look around, his blood is everywhere. Soaking into my sheets and blankets, seeping onto the floor, drenching the clothes I'm wearing, covering my hands and arms, and it's even soaked into my hair. “Looks like a lot.”

He curses under his breath starting to fade out, “I don't feel great.” 

“You're not dying,” I say, stitching him up, panicking and choking back tears. He reaches over, putting his hand on my face and weakly pulling my face towards him “I-” he says before his eyes close and his breathing slows to a stop. . 

“Wait Theodore- nononononono” I check his pulse and there's nothing. 

I start sobbing and bury my face in his chest. 

Is this seriously how it ends?