I’m Not an Angel

   Dianna looked in the mirror of the girls room, she brushed her curly brown and raven mottled hair out of her eyes. She was tall for 12 years old, 5 ft 8 inches and lean, other girls her age were starting to blossom. Dianna had grown in other ways. At 9 years of age her wings had truly started to fill out and stop being patchy like a fledgling bird. She looked ordinary other than those two things. If she could hide her wings you would have not seen her anyway other than a very tall athletic and gawky child. Some days Dianna hated her wings. They were targets for bullies and haters of mutants were a prevalent group in society. Like other minorities of the world she had learned that not everyone likes you or will be kind. Early on bullies at the playground had teased her and abused her. That was why she had been home-schooled, that was until her father had taken a job with a local museum and needed to go to work. 

Dianna thought about her online classes, she really missed the online schooling. Middle school had proven to be an obstacle course of avoiding bullies, prejudice and hate. Her father George Hartel, worked outside the home now and public school had proven the only outlet available to he and Dianna. Private schools had turned them down due to his daughter's “unique” physical disability. He had screamed at the Headmaster that there was nothing wrong with his daughter. That her wings were a mutation of human genetics a natural leap forward in evolution. Dianna had made just one friend since starting public school, Tony Valencia. He too had a mutation but his was not so visual, as her long sleek Night Hawk style wings. He could blink about 10 ft in any direction.

   Dianna’s wings were not her only mutation. She was really rare for a mutant, she had wings, could fly but not very far as she had just started and like a baby bird it took time to build muscles, and technique. Her third mutation was the fact that she healed rapidly, very rapidly. She had broken her leg last June, it had been well on the mend when they reached the hospital and had to be rebroken and set.Doctors were amazed that the leg healed in 4 hours after setting right. Her father had known that she healed rapidly, she was rarely sick for more than a day. Her feathers had come in black as the darkest of nights, currently some of the feathers were speckled with tan and white flecks and she was molting again. Her sigh was all Tony needed to know she wasn’t in a happy state of mind. 

   “Dee you ok? looking at you, I am worried you're about to punch something.” She rolled her eyes a bit, “Mr. Schindler hates me and finds every reason to impede my learning. Today he stepped on my wing tip as he walked between the desks and snapped a primary feather. Now it hurts and the nurse doesn't feel it's really an issue, She told me to basically walk it off.” She wrapped her wing forward to show Tony the damaged wing tip. Tony took a hold of her wing and inspected the damage. “Let me pull this out Dee, your dad could fix it but it would be better if you just regrew this one.” He pulled it fast and she hissed a bit in pain. “Ow!”

He was amazed at how perfect her wings had integrated into her physique. She was beautiful, but to be fair she wasn’t his type. Most people at Frantell Middle School were sure that these two were going out. Truth was Tony was more interested in the quarterback on the varsity team then Dee. At this point Dee had no interest in anyone she had met since coming to public school. 

   She and Tony shared the next class before Lunch which was PE. Of all the classes this one was the worst. Not only did classmates see her wings they also saw her long legs and arms. The fact she towered over them made most of them uncomfortable. “See you in the Gym Dee, and don’t worry about it he is retiring this year. The Boomer will be able to keep his prejudices in his parlor.” With that Tony skipped down the Hall into the boy’s locker room. She chuckled a little, if the school was a bit more progressive Tony would be changing in the girls locker room. But things being what they were Tony was happy enough to get a chance to window shop as he called it. 

Dee entered the locker room where Natasha, the head cheerleader, upon noting her, sniped an acid remark in her direction. Dee tried hard to ignore her. That proved to be a big mistake, the teacher and teachers aide had not arrived to monitor the locker room. Dee felt two sets of hands grab her wings and yank her backwards. The weight of her book bag and wings unbalanced her and she fell to the floor knocking her head on one of the locker room benches. Stars and bright flashes filled her mind. Then the smell of chemicals hit her nose. Bleach, she heard the splash and gurgle of the bottles being poured over her feathers. 

“Here ya go virgin, now your wings make you an angel, maybe God will call you back to heaven before someone sends you there.” Then the bleach doused her hair and ran down into her nose and mouth. She had clenched her eyes tight in an attempt to protect her eyes. She coughed and spluttered. Her sheer panic broke her free of their clutches. She ran for the shower clothes and all and turned on the cold water. Anger began to consume her and she used the shower to clean the bleach off of her. The damage to her feathers was noticeable some of them were frayed and some had indeed been bleach spotted. She heard the girls retreat to the gym. The cold water was a shock to Dee’s system and did little to help relieve the burning in her throat and nostrils. There were footsteps behind her, She tensed her muscles ready to turn and fight but there stood the teacher’s aid looking horrified.

 “Dianna Hartel? Why are you in the shower with all your clothes on?” The teacher’s aid then noticed the damage, and could hear Dee still coughing out the bleach that had gotten in her mouth and nose. “Oh Shit! Dee stay still honey.`` Miss Canther was one of the good people in the school, one of the ones that did not care about Dee’s wings. “Let me get you a change of clothing and we need to take you to the nurse and call your dad. I think one of your wings is damaged.” Blood had started dripping from her left wing where the bleach had broken down a blood feather that had started a few days before. It was her head that hurt not her wing though that feather could infect and cause some major issues. Mrs Canther came into the shower and wrapped a towel around her and turned off the water. As she dried the girl Dee could tell she was evaluating what damage had been done. “Good, the bleach missed your eyes. Who did this Dee? Do not lie to me, or try to cover it up. After all we have cameras outside the locker room.” 

Dee started to answer when the fire alarm interrupted her. “No drills were scheduled, come on outside. Sorry you will just have to stay in the wet clothing till we figure things out.” The flood of bodies into the track and football field flowed smoothly. Dee’s teeth chattered as the students waited to see what was really going on and grouped up into their home room groups. “Aww look baby angels all fluffy like a whittle chicken.” a voice mocked from somewhere to her right. People turned and stared at her, in the chaos teachers were too busy trying to organize 1100 students to catch what was about to happen. “Did poor whittle angel get wet?” the fake pout in the voice mocked Dee and she could feel the anger rising again. People started to laugh and point fingers, She could see the Jocks had Tony by the arms and were keeping him from coming to her rescue. “Look at how ugly she is. "All gangly”. I bet her whittle wings can’t even fly, poor whittle angel. You're just a useless whittle angel god doesn’t want you so he threw you away.” 

Dee’s head snapped up and the inner anger had enough and her wings snapped out and flung water and bleach remnants, showering her closest class mates. Those closest to her dove out of the way to avoid being hit by wings or liquid. And a girl screamed. Dee had enough and she was done “I AM NOT AN ANGEL!”. She flung herself skyward and rocks and debris from the track edge showered those around her. She climbed until the people below her were ants, and then hovered. Doing a backwards roll she dove. Straight for Natasha's head. Dee let out a shriek causing Natasha and her cronie cheerleaders to drop to the ground, and with the snapping of her wings Dee rose back into the sky. She wanted freedom, She wanted her father, she wanted the safety of home. So home was where she went. 

The three mile flight was the longest distance she had flown yet. Unaware of the commotion that she was making as people below witnessed her flying, people were just not used to such things. All Dee cared about was home, and safety. When she landed she was dry at least, and the back door to the house was unlocked. She changed into her soft pajamas, and went and curled up under the wisteria, and let her tears flow. All she wanted was to be normal, she hated school and vowed never to go back. That was where George found her, the school had called him and after review they were expelling Natasha, and Suspending Natasha’s accomplices. But George was Done, he wouldn’t send her back to that school. George brought with him her feather repair and grooming kit. He knew that her feathers would need to be tended to. The principle had explained what had happened as they looked for her. All he had said was “I know where to find her.” 

Sitting down behind her he said nothing. Simply went to tending her feathers. For a long time there was silence. “Dad,” her voice cracked with tears “please don’t make me go back. I like Tony and he can come here to visit. I can take care of myself while you are at work, and I promise that I will do my work and chores.” Her weeping started all over again. And he slid in behind her and wrapped his long arms about his daughter. Holding her to him. Curling around she sobbed into his chest. “No my little Hawk, you don’t have to go back. We will make this work.” 

A man's Cough broke the embrace and caused George to stand and place himself between his daughter and the stranger. Sensing George's defensive message, the man held up a hand. “I don’t seek to harm you or your daughter sir. My name is Charles, Charles Xavier. I run a school for gifted children. Like your daughter and her friend Tony. We would like to offer you and her a place that will be safe for her to learn and train her talents. Dee sniffed back tears, “You mean there is a school for people like Tony and I?” She had been aware that other mutants existed. “Can Tony come too? He is my only friend.” The man chuckled. “We wouldn’t have it any other way. Now what shall we call you?” Standing she looked straight into his eyes “Nighthawk sir.” She spread her wings to their widest, flapping them “I am no Angel.”