Chapter 1: Wishes are Just Wishes

The sun is shining so bright even though it is still 6 am in the morning as Lex tried to open the window facing it. It is not a normal day for her for it's her 16th birthday so she woke up 3 hours earlier than her usual wake up time. A smile crept on her face as she remembered something.

"Since the birthday of my beautiful daughter is coming, what is your wish?" A man on his 40's who quitely looks older than his actual age because of his abundant white hairs and a wrinkled skin due to stress is still widely smiling as he spoke to her beloved daughter who seemed not interested to what he is saying.

"I prefer not making a wish this year. All my wishes were not granted. I better not waste my time for that," she answered with high resolved as she placed the glass of water to their small dining table.

Her father was silent for a couple of minutes. It was true. All he did for her for the past years was asked her for her wish but none of it was granted. He remembered when she wished for a beautiful doll when she was 5 years old but he could only give her a little scare crow doll at that time. He could feel a pinched on his heart. He is a useless father.

As she realized that she was being arrogant on what she said. "Don't worry, father, I won't wish for anything from now on as long as I have you. You are my only wish who comes to life." She hugged him so tight.

"Just tell me your wish, I promise to grant it this time for you," he said as he let go of her from their tight embrace.

"Hmm, just let me go to the town plaza. I want to spent my birthday there." As she know that her material wishes will always remain just wishes, she doesn't need to wish for it. Besides, her father never allow her to go to the town plaza alone. He always accompany her and the longest time they spent on there is just 3 hours. She knew that her father has many things to do so she never had the chance to spent a whole day playing and roaming around the plaza just like the other kids.

Upon hearing his daughter's request, he gave in. "Okay, but let's have a deal. Never get yourself into other's business." He was hesitant at first but he thought maybe it is also the right time to give her freedom. She was not a prisoner to be caged in their farm.

"Deal! It's so easy. It is not a problem for me," she replied proudly as she stamped her two hands into the table while her wavy long blonde ponytailed hair is perfectly swaying at her back.

"It's easily said than done. Make sure to remember what I said," he explained for he knew what she can actually do.

"Lex, come down. You should see this!"

She came back to her senses upon hearing her father's voice downstair.

"Coming!" She hurriedly ran downstairs without a second thought.

Her father was supposed to surprise her with a cake but it looked like he was the one who was surprised.

"What happened to your hair? You're a lady now and you should act like one," he explained as he put the cake he was holding into the table. "Go, comb you hair first." He pushed her back to her room to fix herself up. "That kid is not yet growing. It makes me more worried about," he murmured as he sat on the chair in front of the cake lit with candle.

While she was busy, combing her messy hair in front of the mirror, her eyes were laid on the birth mark on her left shoulder. It does not look like a normal birth mark because of the 5-feather wing it visibly formed.

"This is quite special," she whispered as she touched it with her fingers. "But all birth marks can be in any form. There's nothing special about this." She fixed her clothes to hide it underneath and tied her hair into her favorite ponytail.

When everything is okay, they started eating their usual breakfast. There's nothing special for it except for the cake his father had bought.

They ate peacefully. Only the two of them lived together in their small house. Her mother had passed away right after giving birth to her. No photos were saved after the fire on their previous house so she never had seen the face of her mother. But still, she was a complete look-alike of her mother as her father told her. She would just look at the mirror when she misses her.

"Hey, Lex, eat slowly. You might get indigestion of that," her father complained when she was putting all food in her mouth one after another without properly chewing them.

She hardly could speak so she just gave him a hand sign telling him she is okay.

"I'm asking you to be a lady, not if you can handle a lot of food cause I know that you can," he whispered softly but still enough for her daughter to hear. "This kid is really..." When he saw how happy she is while eating, he didn't bother continue what he was about to say and just resume eating.

"I'm done!" she said while slowly rubbing her full belly.

When she was relieved from her strenuous eating, she calmly looked at their tiny clock on the wall. It was already quarter to eight.

"Oh, know! I'm late. The town show will start at 8 am," she exclaimed as she got her backpack and put everything she will be needed. She would walk about 1 km from their farm to reach the town plaza and 15 minutes is not enough for just normal walking.