Note: When I was writing this, it should’ve but didn’t cross my mind abt the slightly cliché comment of jumping off a cliff to… end your life, so just a TW: No su!c!de, but it does mention jumping off a cliff. Just not in that way.

“Jump.”

I look at her like she’s crazy. “What?!!”

“Jump.”

I blink & turn to see if my bf heard what she said. “Did she seriously say-?”

“Jump?” He finishes, looking at me. “Yep.” He glances down at the ground. “You sure you still want to do this?”

“I mean…” I pause, look at the cliff in front of me, then at the bridge some several hundred feet away from me, then back at Ollie. “I don’t know… I want wings, but- I don’t know.”

She looks out onto the water, her gorgeous white wings glowing in the sunlight, neon pink highlights billowing at the rims. I might like some pinks, but I don’t particularly like wearing them.

“It’s the induction,” she states.

Jayden glances at me. “Induction?”

I shrug. I knew nothing abt any kind of induction. “I don’t know. Ollie, you never mentioned anything abt an induction.”

She looks back at me, starting to lift into the air. Her wings flap, slowly & grandly, & I can’t help but watch them as they move. “You choose your design.”

Her words capture my attention. “Huh?”

She gestures to her wings. “Your wings. If you pass the test, you get to choose your wings. If not, one of us has to save you so you don’t die, & you don’t get inducted.”

Jayden stepped up behind me, his hands moving to my sides as if to act as a precaution should I suddenly fall.

“Jay-“

“I don’t want you to go.”

I turn & his arms wrap protectively around me. “Huh?”

“I don’t want you to do this.”

His words are muffled as my head is buried in his chest. My hands come up to clutch his sweater & press myself to him. “Why not?”

“I don’t want you to die.”

I gaze up at him, searching his face. “You really think I would let her let me die? My best friend? Well, one of my best friends,” I amend.

He hugs me tight against him. “Well, probably not. But I don’t want you to die.”

“Love, I won’t. Ollie won’t let me.”

“& if she does on my watch, you can kill me,” Ollie adds.

Jayden frowns, then reluctantly gives a small smile. “No; I don’t want to kill you.” He sighs & smiles down at me. “Alright, I’ll let you go if you want.” His arms loosen around me.

I grin at him & turn to Ollie. “You ready?”

She looks at me w/ a twinkle in her eye. “Always.”