Personal Essay: Love's Love

Windows snapped open, candles relit, and everything started to come back to life again.
Jane wavered while West stepped closer. “It’s your job to stay here, but I’ll try to help you. Whatever you need—” “I don’t need anyone to make me feel better. I just want to find my friend, that’s all.”
West’s smile seemed stiff. “If you let those in charge handle this, then that is what you’ll get.” Jane sighed and rolled her eyes. “You make everything sound like it’s so easy.” “Maybe it can be.” “You didn’t see him…I don’t know how I did…he..he was drowning.” “You’re not thinking clearly.” “Clearly? Jane groaned, thinking how ridiculous all of this was. Her words spilled out in aggravated hilarity. “If you’re real, and I can believe

“This way,” he said with a grin.
Standing so close, the warmth of his arm almost touching her, Jane stiffened and shifted slightly back. She never could walk in a straight line. “I know you’re worried…this must not be easy for you.” “It’s scarier than I’d thought…and not just Colt, but everything. I’ve always been a little strange, and these wings on my back seriously freak me out, but to actually be part faerie? I never thought that I’d pull a coat out of the dirt and end up here.”
West stopped and grabbed Jane’s hand to face him. “You’re also strong, Jane. I can see that about you.”
She nodded and tried to swallow her disbelief. “Thanks.” It felt natural to have his hand in hers, but also too affectionate and she let go. Jane followed into step beside him. “It’s hard for me to face things that I’m scared of, but I’ve really been trying.”
He gazed at her for a few seconds. “You’re not the only one like this.” “You too?” “Fear will destroy you, if you don’t take control of it. It is our greatest enemy besides Metrok.”
West seemed to understand the storm that was raging inside her; drawing in her trust and instead of a nervous face she felt safe looking up at

“And you didn’t know you were from here?” “I was just a baby…I didn’t know what happened or anything.” “If it wasn’t for Iris, you could be next heir to throne.” “I’m sure that makes her hate me more.” “Nah, that’s just how Iris is. She hates everyone.” Jane looked up at them skeptically. “Do you know what happened to my parents?”
Their faces wrinkled as if they were trying not to grimace. They were disturbingly quiet why they hesitated to answer. “No,” they finally mumbled back. West glanced up at the arriving food and then met Jane’s eyes with a smile. “Dig in!” Jane picked at her portion of sugary coated foods, peaches, pears, apple pies, loafs of freshly baked honey oat bread, cinnamon buttered sweet potatoes, and delicious pumpkin raisin muffins served in acorn-shaped bowls. It suddenly made sense to why she always had such a sweet tooth; they all did. “Hey, save some for the rest of us, you vacuum!” Seth grumbled at Sky who smiled in the direction of a grimacing girl as she walked to an empty end of a table. “Why don’t you just tell her?” “Tell her what?” “Peesh, tell her you like her.” “No, I don’t.” “You liar,” Seth said, teasing. “You’re practically drooling all over the table over a girl whose face you can’t even