Rayal was there by the entrance. “Novala!” He exclaimed when he saw her. “Where have you been!” He shouted at her. “You know she just killed Midnight, escaped her ship, used her powers against a band of enemy soldiers, kept me alive, tamed a Shadowbeast, proved she wasn’t her mother to the queen, and through all of this remained alive with only her powers, self reliance, and intelligence.” Michael said, smiling at Rayal. Michael took Novala’s hand and gave it a squeeze. This was the signal for Novala to speak.
“Michael don’t leave yourself out of this! I couldn’t have done any of that without you.” She turned to Rayal. Michael could feel her shaking. “You have done nothing but blame me for my mother’s death.” She said. She shoved past him with Michael and went to her room.
When she closed the door, she let out a breath. “I can’t believe I did that.” She said. “I knew you could do it.” Michael said hugging her. “You will probably have to talk to him again.” He said. “At least it was just him.” Novala responded. She buckled her sword around her waist. “Let’s go.” “Okay” He said.
When they reached the gate, Lunal was there. “Novala where have you been?” She demanded. Novala was shaking again. Michael repeated the list he had told Rayal and squeezed Novala’s hand again. Novala took a breath. She shook her head. “I can’t.” She said, her voice breaking. “Yes you can, Novala.” Michael said reassuringly.
Novala looked up at Lunal. “I-I’m- I’m not my mom.”She said. “No your not. If you were your mother, none of this would have happened.” Lunal snapped. “Are you serious? She has done so much and succeeded in killing a very skilled warrior and surviving. Why do you never tell her she’s done something great for once?” Michael said getting irritated. “Silence, human.” She said.
“My name is Michael and- “ Michael shouted but Novala interrupted him. “Yes he’s human, but he’s also my friend. He cares more about me than you ever did. I’m alive because of him. I’m happy because of him. What is the big deal with hating on humans? So my mom fell in love with one, and I’m here because of it! What's wrong with me? You could at least pretend to like me, but it’s too late now. If I come back it won’t be for you or anyone here. If I come back it’s for my father. Now get out of my way.” Novala shouted. She shoved past Lunal, and out of the shrine.
“That was amazing. I knew you had it in you!” Michael said. I couldn’t Stand the way they were treating you.” She said. “Well they treated you worse. You are amazing and that’s why I love you.” Michael said with a smile. “You’re awesome too.” Novala said, shoving him lightly.
They stopped in front of the teleporter. “I want to go to my house.” Michael told the teleporter quietly, She nodded, and they appeared in front of Michael’s house. The teleporter disappeared.
Michael took in a shaky breath. His house was small and grey. It looked miserable next to the bright cheerful houses on either side of it. There was a small blue car in the driveway which meant his parents were home. Michael stood there looking at the house with troubled eyes.
“Do you still want to do this?” Novala asked. “Yeah. I can do this.” Michael said, leading her up the driveway and to the front door. He took a deep breath and knocked. His hands started shaking this time out of fear and anxiety. “Michael?” Novala asked, concern in her voice. Before Michael could answer, the door opened.
In the doorway stood a woman who appeared to be in her mid forties. She looked a lot like Michael. She didn’t even look up at first. When she did her eyes showed no emotion. She sighed and just turned around leaving the door open. Michael stepped inside, his face pale. He looked hurt by the expressionless face of his mother.
Inside the house everything was gray and colorless. It was really small and cramped with papers stacked everywhere. “Who’s that?” A voice said to the left. This voice belonged to a man that looked a little like Michael. He had Michael’s eyes and nose. He didn’t even look at Michael. “This is Novala.” Michael said in a voice barely louder than a whisper. “Hi. Um… So I’m Novala and I’m in your house.. yeah.” Novala said awkwardly.
The man grunted and turned a corner in the short hallway. “Come on. My room’s this way.” Michael said in the same quiet voice. He was not acting like himself. Instead of seeing the Michael Novala knew, she saw someone totally different. He looked scared and defeated. He didn’t have his normal fighting spirit like he usually did.
Michael led Novala down a short hallway and turned to the right. Michael’s room was way different than the rest of the house. His room was colorful and had stars drawn on the ceiling. He went to his closet and pulled out a couple t-shirts and jeans.
“Michael? Are you okay? Your acting weird.” Novala said. “Yeah I’m fine.” Michael said with a forced smile. “No you’re not. Come on dude. Tell me what’s wrong.” Novala said, sitting on his bed. “They uh just never give me any sort of attention…..at all.” Michael said. “If they don’t care about you, then why should you care about them?” Novala asked. “I just think that I should be able to rely on my parents. There is just so much I don’t know that only parents can really teach you. I just….” Michael bit his lip.
Novala sighed. “I’m not gonna say at least you have your parents. I think both our situations are terrible. Michael, lets just go. We can take some money and find somewhere else to stay. I would volunteer to run em’ through with my sword, but I don’t think you want that. Com on dude. Lets jus go.” Novala said. She was crouched next to him, her hand on his shoulder. Michael wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “Yeah let’s go….. I just want to tell them I’m not coming back.” Michael said all the clothes except two pairs of jeans and two t shirts one black one red.
“Let’s change first you can change in here I’ll use the bathroom. Michael and Novala changed quickly and met at the end of the short hallway. He took a deep breath and walked into the kitchen.
Both of his parents were sitting at the table on their phones. “I’m leaving with Novala and I’m not coming back.” Michael said trying to speak normally but his voice came out strained. His parents just grunted and continued to look at their phones.
Michael was sad but he was mostly angry. “Don’t you even care?! I am leaving and I’m never coming back! I hate you!!! You have never cared about me! All my life all you’ve done is ignore me. If you actually cared you would have noticed I was missing for a very long time! You might have also known I was being bullied and I needed help, but no all you did was sit there on your phones and not even look at me.” Fresh tears streamed down Michael’s face. He ran from the room with the bag in hand and slammed the front door.
His parents looked up and they didn’t turn back to their phones instead they looked at Novala regret in their eyes. “He was being bullied?” His mother asked quietly, looking away from Novala’s eyes. Novala stared at them for a second.
“Did you even notice he was missing for over a month!” She shouted. “And yes, he has been bullied. While you were not caring he was gone, he learned to fight with a sword, we battled adults, and jumped out of a moving vehicle! I had to drag him through the woods half dead to a cave! He got a concussion from a rock, nearly got eaten by a Shadowbeast, nearly killed by the queen, and was impaled by shards of glass. You didn’t even notice he was gone! Your son saved my life. I don’t think you even know what he looks like. I know him better than you in the few weeks we’ve known each other.” Novala shouted. She stared them down.
Michael’s parents were silent for a few moments. “Please take care of him. You are right saying we never have. We just didn’t think we were good enough to be his parents.” His father said quietly. “He is a very talented boy. The minute we got to know him when he was younger we had second thoughts. He is so special and we didn’t think we were special enough to be his parents.” His mother said.
“You still shouldn’t have ignored him. And I don’t need to ‘take care of him.’ Michael can take care of himself. Did you even notice up upset he’s been over this!? Also you two are really stupid to let me into your house.” Novala said. “Why?” Michael’s dad asked.
“Uh. You know what the heck. I lived under the ground for the majority of my life. In that time I have been in countless battles. I have killed hundreds, maybe thousands of enemy soldiers.” She said. “Please go tell Michael we say goodbye.” Michael’s mother said, picking up her phone again.
Novala sighed. She turned and left. She found Michael sitting in the driveway. “Want me to go back in and break their phones?” Novala asked, sitting next to him. Michael shook his head as he stared at the ground. He was leaning back against the house and he looked the opposite of the confident Michael Novala usually saw.
“I know they’re your parents and all, but I kinda wanna run them through.” Novala said. “You don’t deserve this.” “Yeah I do. Maybe if I actually did something impressive they would pay attention to me.” Michael said quietly, still looking at the ground. “But you have done something impressive. You’ve saved my life. And way more. They’re just too stupid to care. They can do what they want. You are an amazing person. Even if they can’t see it.” Novala said. She put her hand on Michael’s.
Michael shrugged. “I’m not an amazing person. I’m sorry you think that. You saved my life several times.” He said. “You…” Novala thought for a moment. “In the time that we’ve known each other, what have you done?” Novala asked him. “Get us captured, almost died several times, got hurt several times, and almost got the only person I love killed several times.” Michael said dully.
“We got captured because I ran out of the shrine. You stood up for me, learned fighting techniques very few on the surface have ever seen, saved my life, did the thing nobody has ever done before and tamed a Shadowbeast, battled adults, and survived and received wounds that should have killed you, and you saved my life. How many other people can say they’ve done anything you’ve done these last few weeks?” Novala said.
“That’s easy I didn’t know any of those people and saving you is something I wouldn’t even have to think about. I can’t even get my parents to look at me.” Michael said. He was blinking really fast so Novala could tell he was trying not to cry.
“Even if you can’t see why. I love you. You are amazing.” Novala said. Michael looked up to make eye contact with Novala. “You really think that?” He asked. “Of course.” Novala said. “Now show me a surface thing that makes you happy that I’m gonna feel stupid for not understanding.” Novala said. Michael smiled. “Ok follow me.” Michael said, getting to his feet.
He led Novala out of the neighborhood and up on a hill with an oak tree on top. There was a wooden swing attached to one of the biggest branches. “This has been one of my favorite places since I was seven. I came up here to read or watch the sunset. Sometimes I came up here just to get away from my house.” Michael said leaning against the tree trunk and setting the bag next to him.
“What’s the thing attached to it?” Novala asked. “It’s called a swing. Sit down and hold on to the two ropes and I’ll show you how it works. You are going to have to trust me though.” Michael said. Novala hesitantly sat down on the swing. “Okay?” She said hesitantly.
Michael walked over so he stood behind Novala. “You have to hold on tight ok?” Michael said. She grabbed the ropes. “Alright.” She said. Michael put his hands on Novala’s back and pushed so she went upward.
Then he let go and ducked under her. Novala smiled. “Woah.” She said. Michael laughed as he pushed her higher and higher. Then a voice Michael never thought he would hear came from behind him. “It’s been a while Michael. I guess you’ve been hanging out with your girlfriend.” Jacob said.
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