Pov, William.
I run, following the fairy, leaving Leo behind.
I stop in an alleyway that gets narrower the further in I go.
I take a few steps and stop when I notice a person sitting on the floor with his back against the wall, legs spread, staring into the void. He's the person I'm looking for.
I call out to him to get his attention, and he turns his head towards me, looking at me with his sweet smile.
What's he doing here?
I walk up to him and stand in front of him.
He doesn't look like he's in any danger. That silly fairy likes to blow things out of proportion.
He's just sad that I've gone and left him alone.
I raise my eyebrows when he pulls a silver necklace out of his jacket pocket and holds it up in front of me.
He says with a big smile. "Look, Mr. William, I got it back for you."
I'm still frozen, staring in disbelief, not sure if it's the same necklace my younger sister gave me on my wedding day with Rose.
That precious necklace is my last memory of her.
I feel a lump in my throat, and tears well up in my eyes.
I bend down and pick the necklace from the goblin's hand, looking at my treasure in silence."Where'd you find it? And how'd you do it?"
I look at him, totally shocked, and I can't even talk. "How do you know about it? I never told you about the stolen necklace!"
I keep waiting for him to say something, and he smiles a little. "Like I said, my mom told me to take care of you, and I will."
I look down at the shiny thing, then put it on.
I smile and extend my hand to him.
A grateful smile.
"Let's go home, Evander."
His smile fades, and I can tell he's in pain.
"What's wrong?" I ask, watching his uncomfortable features, and I lower my gaze to his hand, which is pressed against his stomach.
"Is your stomach hurting?" I ask him, but he doesn't say anything. He just shakes his head, like he's saying yes, and then he takes his hand off. I'm shocked when I see all the blood covering his hand.
"Oh my God, what is this?" I check his deep wound and realize that he had been stabbed with a knife.
My heart's beating super fast as I look at his pale face, which is right between my hands — my hands, which are shaking like crazy.
"Who did this to you? Tell me!"
He stares at me silently until he finally replies, his voice barely above a whisper.
"When you left the house and didn't come back, I got worried and looked for you. Then I felt like someone was following me. Turned out to be that kid with the ring. He wanted revenge for the day I'd attacked him at school, but this time he was with his friends."
...
Pov, Evander.
It's soft...
Warm.
That's how it feels when I realize I'm lying in bed.
I slowly open my eyes and stare at the ceiling.
Where am I?
It takes me a second to realize that I'm in a strange place, and I panic and try to get up, but fingers suddenly wrap around my wrist to stop me.
"Don't be afraid, you're in a safe place."
I hear a guy's voice I recognize, so I turn around, and he's smiling at me.
William!
He pats my hair and sits on the bed near me.
"How are you feeling?" He asks, clearly concerned.
Cute!
So it looks like he doesn't hate me after all.
I nod quickly and try to get out of bed, but William grabs me by the arm to stop me.
"Don't move! You have to stay calm and rest so the wound doesn't open up and hurt again, Evander!"
What's he talking about?
I smile and reply, "I don't feel any pain."
He looks at me like I'm crazy, then lifts up my shirt to check the wound. "Really?"
"Yeah, really!"
I pull off the bulky bandage, and William yells at me. "What are you doing? You idiot!"
"Look, nothing." I smile a little at William's reaction; he just stares open-mouthed at the wound that had disappeared as if I'd never been stabbed.
"How'd that happen?" He touches my belly with his bare fingers, I laugh and move his hand away as he tickles me.
He just stares at me with a blank face. I move closer to him until our noses are almost touching and speak to him in a semi-whispered voice. "I'm a goblin, have you forgotten?"
...
Pov, William.
"Evander, let's go, or I'm going to be late for work!"
I exhale impatiently as I check my watch.
"I'm here! Just a sec!"
There he is, running towards me in his high school uniform.
Because from now on, I've decided to make him follow me everywhere I go and never leave my side.
I stare at his outfit as he stands in front of me like a polite student, I laugh lightly and help him put the jacket on correctly.
Not inside out.
I grab the doorknob, then turn around and point my index finger at him, talking to him sternly, hoping he'll get the message.
"Stay calm, don't riot, and most importantly, don't get out of my sight. Got it?"
He nods and smiles, his enthusiasm obvious.
No one's thrilled about school, trust me.
...
It's been an hour since class started, and I keep checking on Evander sitting on a table near my desk so I can see him easily.
What is he doing?
Or who is this person who's been stealing his attention and has been lost in thought for so long?
I follow his gaze and see that he's watching a girl sitting by the window.
That's what I was missing.
To get his attention, I tap my wooden stick on the blackboard. "Evander, pay attention to the lesson!"
I stifle my laugh at how he reacts. He jumps in the chair and blinks a few times, his face all red from embarrassment.
I'm sorry, but I have to treat you like any other student.
...
The recess bell rings, signaling the end of class, and everyone starts to head out.
I keep waiting for the goblin, but he never shows up.
I look for him in the crowd of students, but I can't find him anywhere.
Where did he go?
I'm starting to worry.
I'm going to have a heart attack because of him.
Why doesn't he understand what I'm saying?
I rush out into the hallway, looking for him. I stop when I see the kid who hurt Evander.
This asshole is walking around with his buddies, chatting like he didn't do anything wrong.
I'm following him on the down low, and he stops by the school playground. I hide behind a wall to spy on him, and a girl approaches him.
Hold on, I think I know that girl.
Isn't she the same one that Evander was looking at during class?
...