Avyanna sat in her loft, or as she named it, her perch. Her perch was a story above Mavric’s door and was big enough for her,(wings and all), and two other people to stretch out. She had put two bean bag chairs and a bunch of snacks and games to entertain her while she waited for a job from Mavric.

A teenage boy ran into the room and hesitated before going down the stairs probably to Mavric. Avyanna had heard of him since he was the only person near her age. She watched as they walked into the level her perch was above. He talked to Mavric who pointed to the rope ladder under Avyanna’s perch. The boy sprinted to the ladder and quickly began climbing.

  Avyanna shot straight up to the large chandelier. She grabbed one of the arms and perched herself. She cursed silently that she had left her notepad in the loft. Avyanna could only choose a pair of wings that had been written down that day and raven wings had seemed more appealing than her glass wings.

  The boy got to the loft and immediately turned and shouted.

  “Hey! I got something for ya! Can you come here?!”

  Avyanna nearly fell from surprise. He hadn’t even taken a second to look anywhere else. The boy did have what looked like a letter in his hand. Avyanna looked to Mavric who had happened to go out of sight.

  “Come on! Please! I promise I just got a delivery!”

  Avyanna studied him for a moment. His skin was chalk white and his hair was nearly silver. He had a t-shirt covered by an unbuttoned green plaid shirt. He was pretty average looking.

  Avyanna decided to tell him to shut his eyes and to her surprise, he obeyed. She swooped down to the loft not-so-quietly. Then she shifted her wings into human wings which are actually nonexistent wings. After putting a baggy hoodie on to cover her open back shirt, Avyanna said.

  “You can open your eyes now.”

  “Thank you. This is for you.” The boy handed her a letter. Avyanna smiled; it was a letter from her adoptive parents. It had a small bird feather inside and a sweet note.

  “Well, I should probably go..” The boy started to get on the ladder.

  “Wait a minute.” Avyanna’s response surprised him. “I-I never got your name.”

  “Oh, It’s Rider Faraday.”

  “Avyanna Amsel. Er! My name is Avyanna Amsel.” Avyanna shoved her hand out stifly. Rider shook it awkwardly and replied.

  “Nice to meet you.”

  “Do you have any jobs to do right now or like for the rest of the day?”

  “No, you were my last delivery for today. Why do you ask?”

  “W-well. I really just wanted to talk or I don’t know hangout. I mean it’s only been like a month or so since I came and I don’t really know anyone that well yet. Like I met my neighbors but you also looked kinda alone most of the time and I don’t know why we usually have lunch at the same time...” Avyanna’s babbling was interrupted by Rider.

  “Wait, you watch when I eat lunch?”

  “No… well yes. But more in a way that Mavric points you out sometimes. I just like a glance. I don’t like stare... I’m not that weird. Sorry, this is probably awkward. You can go if you want but um if you want to I don’t know go outside and play a game I am pretty much always available…”

  “Wanna go play a game of toss? There’s a baseball in the commons room I could borrow.” Rider motioned towards the door below them.

  “I just have to ask Mavric something but I will meet you…. Um... I don’t know anywhere outside…”

  “How ‘bout in that field behind the tennis courts.”

  “Um.. one problem.. Where are the tennis courts?”

  “Guessing you only got a tour of the main building. The tennis courts are next to the housing complex. Just go from the small lobby to the complex across the street and then turn left. Got it?”

  “I think so. Well, see you there in 20 minutes?”

  “Alright. Bye.” Rider smiled and then slid down the rope ladder before sprinting out the door.

Avyanna took off the baggy hoodie and let her wings into the light once more. She dove down reluctantly to the floor.

  “MARCO” She hollared

  “Polo!” The reply was at least a floor down. Avyanna continued her search and eventually found Mavric in a pile of papers on the third floor of the archives.

  “Mavric! Finally! Gosh, it’s dark down here! Can I be done for the day?”

  “Where are you off to?” Mavric questioned

  “Rider wants to hang out, Can I go, pleeeeeeeeeease!” She begged

  “I don’t see a problem with it but you know you are allowed to keep your wings out out there.”

  “No! It’s not safe!”

  “It’s safe here. Just stay in that field that has the higher fences and you can even fly.”

  “But-”

  “It’s your decision but we can protect you if anything happens.”

  “Alright. Imma go now! Bye!” Avyanna literally flew up the stairs. She got to the housing complex but then forgot Rider’s directions. She decided to ask the security guard in the lobby. Avyanna was surprised to see that an eight-year-old girl was scribbling on a paper at the desk.

  “Hello, sweetie. Do you know where the guard is?”

  “Hello! Amar is right there!” The little girl looked up from her coloring and pointed to two men talking.

  “Thank you.” Avyanna smiled warmly and the girl gave a big toothy smile back. Avyanna walked over to the men. She recognized them as the men who had picked her up.

  “Excuse me. Are you um.. Amaranth?”

  “I am. Did Sahar send you?” Amaranth replied.

  “Is that the little girl over there?” Avyanna questioned

  “Yup! Ain’t she so cute! Amaranth is so lucky.” Irving chirped.

  “Oh, I didn’t think you were well... Er.. a father.” Amaranth and Irving laughed at Avyanna’s comment.

  “I am her older brother. I’m the only family she has.” Amaranth explained with a smile.

  “Oh…” Avyanna fiddled with her fingers.

  “What’d you come over ‘ere for?” Irving questioned eagerly

  “I was going to go play catch with Rider but I can’t find the place we were gonna play…”

  “Which field?” Amaranth asked as he began to lead the group to the desk.

  “The one near the...umm... tennis courts with the..um.. high fence…I think..” Avyanna stuttered

  “I know where that is and oh look the next shift is here. Mind if we join you two?”Amaranth walked away from the group to talk with the next guards.

  “I got a bunch of baseball bases! Imma grab ‘em and meet ya there” Irving sped off and up the grand marble staircase.

  “I don’t think Rider would mind… I hope..” Avyanna shrugged.

* * *

  Rider sat crisscrossed in the shade of the tennis courts fence, picking daisies and stringing them into a daisy crown. He stood up as Avyanna and the others entered the field. Sahar was amazed by Rider’s daisy crown so much that he gave it to her.

  Irving ran around the field and set up the bases and then gave Sahar the bat. Amaranth pitched and the rest found a base. After their first game, Irving begged to be the pitcher.

It all went downhill from there. Amaranth stepped up to the bat and Irving threw it as hard as he could. Crack! The ball shot over the fence and everyone froze when they heard a very large crash. The group volunteered Avyanna and Rider go check it out.

  The two crept cautiously around the fence and then saw, to their horror, that the ball had gone right through the laundry room window. Their horror grew as a voice shouted.

  “Who broke the window?! Somebody call security to go check it out!”

  Right before the duo was about to bolt, a man stepped around the corner of the house and yelled.

  “Hey! You two! What are you two doing?! Come here!”

  Avyanna’s skin was nearly paler than Rider and his eyes were as wide as a tennis ball. The two gulped in unison before walking over to the man.

  “Do you know how this got shattered?” He interrogated.

  “Well...You see… It was.. Um..” Rider stuttered.

  “I’m sorry! We just wanted to play baseball!” Avyanna blurted.

  The man chuckled.

  “You don’t play baseball without a net to catch the fly balls. Do you guys even have a field?”

  “Sort of. If we show you it, will you let us out of trouble?” Rider’s face lit up with hope before the man made it sink back down by saying,

  “We will see.”

  “It’s just over there. Follow me.” Rider marched semi-confidently to the field.

Avyanna was glad he had taken the lead. She was terrified of what Mavric would say. She had made it a whole month and a little longer without any big accidents like this. Avyanna observed the ground as she walked and didn’t notice that Rider had stopped in front of her.

  The man did not look happy when Avyanna apologized a million times a second for falling on his feet. The man ignored her and looked around. He picked up his phone and began calling someone. A moment later a group of people showed up.

  “Wait who are these people? Did we mess up that bad?!” Avyanna panicked

  “First off. I am Kenneth and this is NOT a baseball field. I called up some of our geokinesis people. Let’s see. Cole Ferrus will do the geokinesis for the shape of the field. Rocky Silver can help with his strength. You know Mavric. We got a few others but enough introductions. A baseball field should be more like….”

Avyanna was amazed as Kenneth rattled off every requirement for a baseball field and the dimensions of Fenway Park. The crew set to work with Kenneth supervising from a lawn chair.

* * *

  The project took most of the afternoon and was finished near dinner time. After the field was done it needed one last thing, a team. Kenneth grabbed Rider and Avyanna who watched Sahar while the project was being built.

  He put Irving, Sahar, Amaranth, and three others into a team. On the opposing team were Mavric, Cole, Rocky, and some others. With Kenneth as the couch for both teams. Caspar Willowsbi had heard about the project and let everyone have a night off to watch the game. Once the barbecue and player briefing was over, the game began.

  It was team Glitter Unicorn, (Sahar insisted), versus team Dragon Muscles, (Mavric’s suggestion combined with Rocky’s suggestion). The game was intense but filled with laughter. It turns out Rider wasn’t the best at baseball but he didn’t give up. Sahar blinded the audience with her glitter-covered bat and her literally glowing attitude.

  Maveric was a great runner and Rocky’s strength hit the ball out of the park multiple time. Kenneth was one of the best coaches that many had seen but he made some others do the running for him. It was all powers allowed and Avyanna even let her wings out just once to catch a ball.

  The game was enjoyed so much that it was deemed that they should have a monthly game. Each person went home happy,(even the Dragon Muscles who lost). Everyone looked forward to the next Willowsbi Park baseball game.