Chapter 14-Nick

It was kind of cute to see a socially inept teen and Nymphadora get together and actualy like each other.

I doubted that Jacob knew that she was utterly smitten with him, but I figured he'd learn in due time.

It suddenly occured to me that this might be an illicit relationship.

"By the way, how old are you guys?" I asked. "I'm twenty-one."

"I'm sixty-seven." Atlas said.

"Really?" I asked. "You don't look a day over twenty."

"Flattering." Atlas replied, snorting.

"I'm nineteen." Nymph said.

"As am I." Jacob said, glancing over at Nymph.

"When's your birthday?" I asked Nymph curiously.

She looked down in shame. "I don't have one." She said. "I only know the year I was born, and not the specific date. I was abandoned essentially as soon as they found out I had multiple skills."

"Is it the same for you guys?" I asked, shocked at the cuelty of man.

Jacob nodded. "Yeah."

"I know my birthday." Atlas said. "Because my Human mother cared just enough to give it to me before she abandoned me on the streets."

Jacob looked more depressed, Nymph seemed ashamed of the fact that she didn't know her birthday, and I felt like I needed to blow off some steam.

"Why don't you just pick a date?" Atlas asked. "Like the day we came together."

Jacob seemed to like that, while Nymph seemed thrilled.

"I guess my nineteenth birthday was a week ago." She said.

Jacob abruptly pulled Nymph into a hug. "Happy belated birthday." He said, smiling.

"But your birthday was decided to be on the same day." Nymph said, confused.

"I care more about my team's happiness than my own." Jacob said.

Hearing this, Nymph hugged him tighter. "You shouldn't sacrifice your happiness for anyone." She said.

"But I'm happy just being with you guys." Jacob said as though it was obvious.

I had never felt so angry at our society before.

We had all felt the initial anger about being abandoned and scorned before, but when something bad that happened to us happened to one of our friends, it worked us up more.

We could suffer in silence, but seeing Jacob unconditionally love us like family made me want to burn anyone who hurt him.

I realy needed to blow off some steam.

The entire time we spent walking to the Tower, I was seething inwardly.

Nymph, on the other hand, was just as angry as me about Jacob's situation with his birthday and being so screwed up he didn't care about his birthday, but that anger was quickly melted by her close contact with the bonfire that was Jacob.