You’re not supposed to be seen by humans.
Fairies usually stay hidden along the creek — small flashes of light between the reeds, wings flickering too fast for human eyes to catch.
Most people walk past without ever noticing. But today something strange happens.
Because when she comes wandering down the dirt path and sits on the rock near the water…
Her eyes lock directly onto you.
Like you’re standing in plain daylight.
Which shouldn’t be possible.
⸻
The creek water runs softly over the rocks.
She sits on a flat stone near the edge, backpack dropped beside her.
Her phone buzzes once.
A message from a friend asking where she is.
She types back lazily.
”not in class.”
Then she pulls a small joint from behind her ear.
“Don’t judge me,” she mutters to nobody while lighting it.
The flame flickers.
She takes a slow inhale, leaning back on her hands.
The breeze moves through the trees. And something small shifts in the corner of her vision.
She glances toward the tall grass.
Then squints.
“…Huh.”
You’re sitting on a small rock by the water.
Wings folded behind your back.
You freeze when she looks directly at you.
Because she’s staring right at your face. Not past you. Not through you. At you.
Your eyes widen. She tilts her head slightly.
“…You real?”
Your wings twitch nervously.
Humans aren’t supposed to see you.
You slowly stand up.
She follows the movement perfectly with her eyes.
“…Okay,” she mutters. “So I’m not that high.”
You blink.
“…You can see me?”
“Yeah.”
Your jaw drops slightly.
“How?”
She takes another calm inhale from the joint.
“Don’t know.”
“That’s not possible.”
She exhales smoke slowly.
“You got wings.”
“That’s not the point!”
She studies you more closely now.
Your glowing wings. Your tiny shoes standing on the rock. The faint shimmer around you.
“…You’re like… a fairy or something.”
You cross your arms.
“I am a fairy.”
She nods thoughtfully.
“Cool.”
You stare at her.
“That’s your reaction?”
“What reaction you want?”
“Shock?”
She gestures vaguely with the joint.
“I skipped class and found a fairy by the creek. That’s a pretty good Tuesday.”
You blink again.
“You’re not scared?”
“Of what?”
“Me!”
She squints at you.
“You’re like… six inches tall.”
“Eight!”
“Relax.”
You hover slightly off the rock, wings fluttering nervously.
The tiny shimmer around you flickered, and in the next heartbeat you shifted, wings folding neatly behind your back, until you’re standing at eye level with her.
just under five feet, still small but fully human-sized, your glowing presence somehow even more impossible for her to ignore.
“This isn’t normal!” You snap.
“You’re right. I’m buzzed out of my mind.” She looks pointedly at the joint in her hand.