"I'm so happy that we only have a few weeks until prom!" Chelsey gushed and I chuckled at her excitement and looked to see the big school right in front of me.

I smiled to myself as I walked into the schools and was greeted with familiar smiles. My friends were waving at Chelsey and I to come over to them.

"Chelsey, Valery! What's up!" Tyler cheered as and I swallowed a lump growing in my throat from the name.

It may have been two years since I changed my name but it's something I'll never get used to.

Neither will I with my now brown hair and contacts.

Over the years, I had completely changed my hair colour and eye shade into brown, making me unnoticeable to the media, or anyone in fact.

And now, I was leading a new life as Valery Collins.

With my different profile, I had to re-enrol in high school since I was still eighteen. All my Psychology and Criminal Justice major and work had been scrapped but I didn't mind at all.

My foster mother had never let me make any friends, join any clubs, in fear that I would learn to rebel and not use 'my gift', when all I wanted to do was spend time with kids my age, and now I could.

I had joined the hockey club, now I was good at sport, and I had amazing friends, that have stuck with me since I came here.

And now it was my final year, and I was doing a degree of Veterinary Science with Leila, who was one of my closest friends.

But no one knew my secret, and I would never tell any of them. It would be the downfall of this life I made for myself, and I wasn't about to get rid of all my hard work.

I stand in the group and look around at my friends. Everyone was chatting and I started to talk to Leila about another speaker we have in a week. "I can't believe our school year is ending in a few months!" she chirps, and I nodded happily.

Leila and I had agreed that we would be going to the same university in Canada and neither of us could be so excited. It would be huge opportunity for us, and we were even thinking about renting apartments near each other.

All our talking was interrupted with the bell, and we hurried off into our classes and I had English with Tyler and Chelsey.

We took our seats in class and once the teacher walked into the class, we greeted her. Our teacher, Ms Honey, was one of the sweetest teachers you could ever ask for and she always encouraged us to do our best, resulting in me getting straight A's in her class.

As I talked with Tyler about the project we were assigned on, she came and helped our group until she moved to help another.

The group presentation was of fantasy about forbidden love, and we had to make all our own character from scratch, and I was assigned the role of the female lead.

I made her so that she was strong, determined and even though she knew she couldn't be with him, she defied all her protesters and stayed with him.

I sighed to myself and looked out the window where I could look at the City of Angels before me.

"Val? Valery!" Somebody whined behind me and poked me, snapping me out of my daze and flicking my head to be greeted with a wide smile behind me.

"What is it, Tyler?" I groan and he just lectures me like a mother to stay on task.

Tyler was my other best friend in school. He was childish and was always the loud friend, but I didn't mind. He was a fun character to be around.

And he was in most of my classes.

We talk about his character for the project for a while before the bell goes and I head to my next class, which I had by myself.

And before I knew it, it was break. I headed to the library where everyone was already eating and sat at the edge of the table.

Listening in the everyone's conversation was usually what I did, I didn't talk that much unless someone talked first, or until I could add something.

Mostly I just enjoyed company, it always nice.

Chelsey and I started to talk about the new park they were building downtown until she got interrupted by Ollie who I had work with out of school with a cafe.

The group was loud until the bell ring once again and everyone groaned, going to their lockers to get the pile of books.

But I had a free class, so I got to stay in the library to study more.

As the sound of muffled talks flow through the library and I listen, looking out the window in a daze.

I was on the third and top floor so when I looked town it felt like I could see the whole school but when I did, I saw a small figure.

They were standing on the outside of the school and looking at the buildings. As if they were looking for something. The person was dressed in black, not letting me be able to see a bit of their face but when they looked up, after a while they turned and walked away.

I twirled my black pen in my hand and stared as they walked off.

I wonder what that was about...

Before I knew it, the school day was over, and I was walking to work with Ollie.

We both worked at a small cafe on a quieter road in the city. It was never really that busy which I liked.

I met the owner, who was a nice old lady, Mrs Cha, a year after I moved in Los Angeles, and she was nothing but kind to me.

She offered me a job after I stopped some men from mugging her and she couldn't have been more thankful. And it was a win for me since I didn't have any work experience, as Valery at least.

Ollie and I walked into the cafe, and we were greeted with the smell of cinnamon and coffee grounds which always smelt amazing.

We went to the bake and but in our sage green aprons, matching the cafe's interior and I got working on the coffee as Ollie served the seated.

I talked to the regulars and listen to the weekly rant I would have with a sweet old man who usually had no one else to talk to, the customers were always so sweet.

Mrs Cha let me off early so that I could study and after I finished thanking her, I was off to my apartment.

That was one of the things I had spent most of my money on.

I walked the stairs up to the apartment and unlocked the door to be greeted with the same old gloomy apartment I had been living in for two years.

But I loved it because it was mine and nobody else.

I went to the bathroom immediately and took off my shirt so that I could freely show what I had been cursed with.

Once I stepped in front of the mirror, I closed my eyes until there was a large gust of wind in the small room and when I reopened my eyes, there my wings were.

They took up the whole room.

Looking at them was like a reward but also a curse.

They would remind me that I escaped him and how beautiful it was to have this but there was recollection that seemed like he was laughing in my face, taunting me.

And they're what kept me going. I didn't want to go back there, and this is what would let me persevere.

My hands trailed along the feather, my fingers trailing through

I looked back at mirror, and I blinked again, they were gone.

I had a shower and re-dyed my fading hair with colouring and finally laid back on my bed.

Today had been exhausting and I knew just what I had to do to clear my mind.

I went to the living room and stared at the large window with nothing in front. Slowly walking to it, I undid the side latch, moving the glass to the side and all the air was sucked out of the room.

I stuck my head out and breathed in the cool hair, dissolving all the stressful thoughts, and stood in the windowsill, before leaning forward and dipping to the floor.

A smile spread across my face, and I finally flung out my wings yet again.

The adrenaline rush makes you feel as if you're in top of the world. I glided through the air with ease, my wings cutting through the thick clouds in the air, like a knife through butter. Blazing through the skyscrapers, I turn myself vertically through the thin crevices of the towers and I smiled at myself at the tinted window in front of me.

Buildings then passing, the sunset was revealed to me and the tanned sky overshadowing the city bustling with life

After an hour, the sky is dimmed, and I perch myself on the top of the tallest building and watch over the life that dies down after day light.

The wind ran through my hair and caressed my face as I held my head high, looking at a lone eagle passing by, pushing up into the clouds until he was out of sight.

I did this every week, and it was something that I loved dearly, but I also wanted to share it with someone desperately, and with anyone but him.

But I knew I would remain alone when it came to this.

I didn't mind it.

For now.

Resting my head on my now warm bed covers I fluffed out my wings and huddled myself to gather heat, knowing this was the only way I could get to sleep.

After a while my eyelids become heavy, and my lashes darkened my view until I'm engulfed with darkness.

'Valentina.'

I looked around and see no one. "It's Valery."

'Valentina. Don't hide.'

What?