Chapter 4

Daryl twirled in front of the mirror once.

She’d combed her golden hair down and her jeans fit her perfectly. It was the first day of University and she was beyond excited.

Dragging herself out of bed had been annoying until she’d remembered Beryl and she would finally walk into a new year together.

She picked her bag up and walked out of her room.

The smell of freshly baked muffins beckoned her from the kitchen.

She walked into see her gorgeous friends seated at the counter with her new Half-fairy friend.

Large, purplish-blue wings extended from her back through two slits formed into her grey sweatshirt.

“Hey,” Daryl reached for one of the muffins and took a seat herself.

Beryl had a few papers out on the counter and Daff was busy spooning a gooey dollop of honey into her mouth, “Hey, Daryl!”

Daryl smiled when she saw Daff’s cheeks glisten with trails of sticky honey all over them “Is that breakfast?”

The pink-haired girl shook her head to say no before she opened her mouth, “I’m just taking in honey in case I have to hide my wings.”

The pretty blond nodded, “In case someone knocks when we’re out?”

Beryl looked up from studying the papers on the counter, “Daff wants a job.”

“What?” Daryl was shocked as she looked between the cousins, “A job? Where are they going to employ a Half-Fairy? The local bar?”

Beryl shook her head with a chuckle when Daff stopped eating honey to pout.

“She doesn’t want to be a burden.”

Daryl rolled her eyes, “You’re not a burden. Daff, what are we going to do if people see your large wings? You- you probably can’t really provide ID and things anyway!”

Daff played with a strand of her pink hair, “I’m sure I can find some job in the human world, Daryl.”

Daryl looked over at Beryl for help but received only a defeated look.

She looked back at Daff with a sigh, “Well, just- stay indoors and- Beryl and I will look for some job for you?”

Beryl’s pretty, round face lit up, “That’s right! It’s difficult to look for openings and Daryl and I will look fro possible jobs for you!”

Daff was silent for a moment, a lone drop of honey dripping down hre chin, “But- I don’t really know a lot-“

“That’s okay!” Daryl tried to sound upbeat, “We’ll just keep our eyes open for things you can do.”

She glanced over at Beryl to give her a look.

It would be too difficult to have the half-fairy work a job. Harder still to find something she could do that would get her paid.

The best thing to do would be to let her down slowly.

“You could not have worn a more annoying shade of orange today, Daryl.”

Beryl’s friend looked over in shock, mouth full of a doughnut, “You said you liked this Tee!”

Beryl rolled her eyes as the two friends walked through the gigantic campus of their university.

“Not with that hideous green scarf.”

“What are you talking about?” Her blond friend argued with crumbs falling out of her mouth, “You like this scarf too. You said it was chic.”

Beryl sighed, “Not together... Never mind. You somehow always pull off these impossible fashion choices. You have a great body.”

Daryl paused her chewing to take a serious tone, “You do too.”

Beryl smiled.

Her body was a little fluffier than she would have liked it but she’d grown to be rather comfortable with her varying weight. With the help of her family and Daryl, she grown out of constantly worrying and belittling herself over her figure.

It had been a long process and mentally tiring.

She was miserable whether she ate right or didn’t and finally feeling confident enough to focus less on it made her feel so much healthier.

She thought of how stressful her weight journey had been and hoe much she’d changed to be able to eat healthy and still eat what she suddenly wanted to.

Daryl had sat through the entire process even though she had no empathetic view on the subject given how toned she’d always been growing up.

She glanced over at her taller, pretty friend.

“Is- Are you mad at me for getting Daff to stay with us?”

Daryl swallowed before shaking her head no, “I’m sorry. It took me a minute to really process it but now, I feel like I’m part of this mission again.”

Beryl laughed, “This mission sounds cool.”

“Doesn’t it?” Daryl looked over with a giggle to  gush, “We have our own best friend who’s part fairy, Beryl!”

Beryl sighed, “I don’t want her walking around outside, Daryl. I’m scared. People will freak out or get really nasty.”

“Or both.”

Beryl groaned, “Also, she’s much too trusting. Let’s say we get her a job as a store mascot or something. She will never understand the concept of money or, or-“

“It’s okay,” Daryl interrupted Beryl’s worried rambling, “We’ll just let her stay home. Maybe take her somewhere fun on the weekend when she can hide her wings!”

Beryl sighed, “That’s an idea. Thanks for being so cool with this.”

Daryl growled, “Stop making me an outsider in this!”

Beryl smiled, “Okay. Let’s- I can’t wait for my first class!”

Laughing, her blond friend agreed, “Me neither!”

The two friends looked around the massive campus with students walking around, large expanses or grass and a few trees offering shade.

Beryl and Daryl giggled together excitedly.

The brown-haired beauty took two papers from her bag, “Let’s go get our Library Pass and the Lounge Pass.”

“Maybe we’ll meet some good-looking boy on the way.”

Beryl rolled her eyes, “Sure. That new boy band enrolled here too.”

“What?” Daryl’s eyes widened, “Beryl, when?”

Beryl’s glare quietened her friend, “Oh, you were kidding.”

“Let’s go!”

Linking arms, the two hurried to main building.

“Ethan!”

Ethan turned around.

He smiled at the group of girls who had squealed his name, “Hey.”

He walked over to their excited voices.

“You hair looks so good today.”

He grinned in response, “Thanks. I have to get to class. See you inside?”

There was more giggling and waving as he turned away.

He walked to the building, his dark eyes adjusting to the bright sunlight.

His ears still looked human but he had made a habit of touching his ears just to make sure.

Pointed-elf ears were sure to make him even more popular and not in a good way.

He sighed as he walked into the building and the cool of the corridor.

His family had sent him very concerned messages.

A Half-Myth Hunter was out to kill Half-Myths and things would get very dangerous in the coming days.

He made his way to the library hoping to find Abel or one of the two teachers he trusted.