Chapter Eighteen
Nate
I was looking forward to today. She was getting so annoyed with me following her everywhere. I could see the rage in her eyes when I was near. She wanted to try and punch me again. I hoped she did try. It was a little fun knocking her on the ground. It wasn’t too fun landing on top of her, though. My body did some strange thing. Apparently it had a mind of its own.
I stood with Brandon admiring his brand new Tony Hawk board while I waited for Indy and Connor to arrive. This new one had some sick designs on it in fluoro yellow and blue colors. It was sweet. We couldn’t wait to try it out this afternoon. Brandon and I had become great buds and were spending whatever time he had away from his girlfriend at the skate park. Mark was pretty awesome, too. I would miss these two boys when it was time to move on—Connor not so much. He looked at me strangely. Everyone knew how much he loved Indy, and I was unsure if she felt the same. Everyone was. I didn’t see how he could love someone like her, anyway.
Connor joined the group admiring the new board; he also thought it was pretty sick. I was oblivious to a small body squeezing itself into the tight space next to me. A small slender arm wrapped around my waist and a blonde head cuddled into my shoulder.
I froze, ignoring how good it felt, and how I had secretly been longing for this. Indy’s sweet signature wrapped itself around me and pulled me to her. I wanted to run my arms up the length of her back, feeling every piece of her I could reach. The feeling was enticing, and I wished I could put my arms around her, pull her close, and kiss her. The voice of reasoning woke me up and kicked my body into stealth mode. I pushed her off and stormed to my car. I pulled the door with such force I nearly broke the hinges. I needed to get away and think. Maybe I needed to ask for a reassignment and have the case be taken on by someone else.
I drove around town as fast as I could, as I internally yelled at myself for liking the cuddle from Indy. My concentration was all over the place. I wasn’t being mindful of pedestrians or other cars on the road. I had gone through three intersections recklessly before coming to the forth. I slammed hard on my brakes. I nearly hit a car that was obeying the road rules, which I had clearly ignored. The other driver yelled all kinds of obscenities at me. I had no choice but to pull over.
I started to run to release some of the anger. I had run some distance when I passed the same house for the third time. I had been running aimlessly, and this was doing nothing to improve how I felt. I made my way back to my car and pulled out my skateboard. I was heading to the skate park.
I hit the first pipe, and I gained a small amount of height. Hitting the ground harder before the next jump, I soared a little higher. This still wasn't enough to satisfy my need; faster and faster I went, trying to reach a higher velocity each time. I flew through the weightless air, engulfed in freedom. Over and over I punished the half pipe. I reached impossible elevations for any mortal. Landing on the ground, I hit with such an extreme force that the board snapped. My common sense woke up with a jolt, and my thoughts cleared all of the anger away. Reasoning came to me in the form of the bimbo with the big breasts. Her touch had also felt good. Any female touch would feel like Indy had today. It was my hormones doing somersaults and not my heart. Bending over to pick up my board and inspect the break, I noticed the tires were also worn down. Great ... now I would have to replace it with my own limited funds. The boss would not pay for expenses such as these. Getting a part time job was not going to happen. I’ll have to skimp on other things and slowly build up my money. The other possibility was to keep a closer eye on Indy and catch her in the act. Then I’ll have no choice but to destroy her, and get that big bonus. I could buy the best board ever. Hurting that pretty little face would be hard, but that was what I was created for. I wasn’t made to sit around and play games with demons; I was made to kill them. My reflexes that were faster than a speeding bullet and punches that could break apart bones were made for one reason only—to ensure no demons roamed the world.
Chapter Nineteen
Indiana
I had been mentally preparing myself for this explanation all day. It wasn’t going to be easy. Did I start from the beginning, or did I tell him that I was an angel, and what Nate was, and that was it? I cared about Connor. He was like a brother to me, and sometimes it felt slightly more. Football practice was this afternoon, so I still had a few hours to sit at home and rehearse in my head what I was going to say.
It was getting dark, and he would be home at any minute now. Lucky was waiting at the front door for him. As soon as he was a few metres from the house, the excited puppy started to shake his tail and pant with excitement. Lucky disappeared for a few seconds and returned with a rubber bone in his mouth. He wanted to play their favorite game. I hadn’t completely worked out what I was going to say, and I was feeling pretty nervous. Connor sat down and patted the Lucky.
“Evening Indy ... so do you have something to tell me?” Connor asked reluctantly.
“Yes, I do. I’m just trying to work out the best way to do this,” I said.
“I’m sure it can’t be that bad, Indy. I just want the truth. Is Nate one of your ex boyfriends?”
I contemplated agreeing to this easy explanation—it would certainly defuse this whole situation and be a simple solution. But what would happen if Connor found out the truth or some other version of the truth? That could be the end of our friendship. He had been standing at the fridge, eating, while I had been standing here thinking.
“You may want to sit down Connor and maybe stop stuffing your mouth. I don’t want you choking.
“Nah, I’m okay, babes. I’m sure it can’t be that bad.”
I honestly didn’t know how he would react to this startling information.
“So um, I don’t know how to say this so I’m just going to give you the truth. I’m not a normal girl—I am actually an angel.”
Connor just sat there, looking at me like I was crazy. I stared back at him trying to let him know I was serious.
“Okay, if you didn’t want to tell me what going on with you two, then you could have made up a better lie than that.”
I searched my mind for possible ways to show him, but I didn’t have any supernatural talents like the other angels did, so I was very limited. It was growing dark outside now—maybe I could do something out there to prove myself?
“Can you please come outside, Connor?”
He looked at me for a few seconds and then followed me.
I stood at my car. I knew I could easily lift it off the ground, although it wasn’t really a power. I was just stronger and faster than the average person. I grabbed under the bumper and lifted it a few meters without any effort. Then I put it down.
Connor backed away from me with a terrified look on his look in his face. He looked around the area; I think it was for help. This hurt me heaps, as I would never intentionally put him in any danger.
“Connor, remember what I said. I am an angel—I will not hurt you.”
He stopped backing away, but there was clearly still fear inside of him. He had turned a ghastly pale color. I’m glad he had stop eating when I asked, but I thought he still might vomit.
“What do you want, Indy? Is the world going to end, or am I going to die and you have been preparing me for death?” yelled Connor in a startled voice.
The last bit sounded quite funny. I didn’t have a very positive impact on Connor’s life, but that was not the point at the moment. I can’t lose my best friend—not this way. I have tried to protect him from this.
“No, Connor, none of that is happening,” I said, trying to add soothing tones to my voice.
“Then what is going on?” Connor demanded.
Connor was totally justified in demanding answers, and I hadn’t even given him all of the facts yet.
“I am a fallen angel. I did the wrong thing, and God punished me by making me live on Earth.
“Is Nate an angel, too?”
“No, he is not;
he is something else.
“What does he want?”
He looked like he might fall over, so I suggested we go inside. That way if he fainted, he would hopefully fall as far as the lounge.
I went on to explain—to the best of my ability—over the next few hours, what Nate was and why he was here. I was truthful to Connor about my past and why Nate thinks he has to kill me. I didn’t leave out the part about beating up Mr. Hopwood either as honesty is the best policy, right? Connor wasn’t taking it well, and at one point, he grabbed a beer from the fridge and skulled it in one go. I didn’t think alcohol was the answer, but that was how he was coping at the moment. It was early into the morning when Connor took himself off to bed. He wasn’t over his shock and hadn’t come to terms with the situation, but at least he still felt safe to sleep here.
Chapter Twenty
Indiana
Connor woke me the next morning with breakfast in bed.
This was a huge shock given how bad last night had gone, and it wasn’t his normal routine to go out of his way like this.
“I’m really sorry about my freak out last night. It was just a lot to take in. Now what are we going to do about Nate?
I didn’t know where this was coming from. There was no way he could get involved—it just wasn’t safe. He had gone from a scared person to this confident man overnight; his courage amazing, but very foolish.
“You, Connor, are not involved in this. It’s my problem. He plans to try and kill me. I am going to disappear after graduation. I figure he has the average life expectancy. I only need to hide for ... um ... seventy years.”
Graduation was only three months away.
“Yeah, that’s easy, Indy,” Connor said sarcastically.
He was right. For all I knew, he could find me really easily now that he knew my signature.
“I knew you didn’t sleep much. I could hear you tossing and turning.”
“Did you sleep?”
“Yes, babes, I did. But I have only ever half-slept.”
“Is that because of your parents' fighting?” I asked curiously.
“Yeah, Mum would finish work late, and Dad would start throwing questions at her. The usual kind—who were you with, what’s his name, and on, and on. Dad just never understood that Mum was seriously working really hard to get us out of the debt that he had put us in because of his gambling problem. Then, because Dad had the shits, he would go to the pub and waste more money.”
“That’s horrible, Connor, why doesn’t your mum leave him?”
“That’s where it gets worse. Mum convinced Dad to sign over the house a few years ago, and to sign an agreement that he couldn’t get a loan without her permission. She won’t leave the house ‘cause obviously she owns it, and he won’t leave either because he can’t afford to pay rent.”
I sat there wondering what it would be like to have a real family. This situation wasn’t unique and many families did fight and only stayed together for trivial reasons. Other families, though, have a wonderful life and experience all the ups and downs, but at the end of the day they come together stronger. I never had a family of my own and many times had narrowly escaped being thrown into the foster system. I normally moved on before suspicions arose. The last few decades I had AJ there for me, acting as guardian in the many situations I found myself in, due to my bad attitude and sharp tongue. I will eternally possess bitterness toward the big man upstairs. This horribly beautiful, terribly youthful façade I carry prevents me from having a normal life. I will be trapped in this body forever.
I need a case to throw myself in to. I need to justify the reason I fell from Heaven was not just a one off, and that there are many more scumbags around that prey on vulnerable women. I heard one message that was left on the answering machine a day ago, and I needed to do something about it. This man can no longer go around and destroy women’s’ lives. The question remained, though, if he was aware of what he was doing. Was this a deliberate act of selfishness? Can only God help this person?
“Hey Connor, if Nate is going to follow me around this afternoon, I need to escape again. Do you think you could distract him?” I asked.
“Yes, I’m pretty sure I can.”
The look on his face was a little dangerous, and I hoped I had nothing to worry about.
Today I wore thin, breathable, skinny-leg jeans and a rose-colored top. I wasn’t in the mood to be all fashionable, but I still looked neat. Everyone was waiting for Connor and myself in the usual spot. Nate looked nervous. He was fidgeting severely while talking to Brandon. His eyes didn’t leave me the entire time I walked up the stairs. I wondered how far I could push him today. I felt like being a bitch, so I planned on seeing what I could get away with. I joined the group, said hello to everyone, smirked at Connor, and stood opposite Nate.
“Hi Nate, how are you today?” I asked as if I actually cared.
I flashed him my flirtiest smile, and like lightning, I planted a soft, sweet kiss on his mouth. He had no time to react to my swift attack and had learned since yesterday to not run off, sulking.
Most of us went off in our separate directions. Mark was absent today, so that left Nate and I walking to the first class together. The corridors were slowly dispersing. All our friends were gone, though. I reached out to grab his hand trying to push him further. He grabbed my shoulders and slammed me in the first set of lockers, leaning close to my ear and breathing fast, he yelled, “Don’t touch me, or I will throw your little game back in your face!”
“It’s obvious by the way you ran home yesterday, Nate, that you don’t have the balls to do that!” Laughing, I pushed him off me.
I headed into Hopwood’s class, late, and Nate was trailing me. This gained us both a look from the teacher. We never came to class together, except with Mark, and most times we were bickering constantly. I can see why the entire class looked at us strangely. We even sat together. To add to the staring eyes, I pulled my desk closer to his. Hopwood walked over to us and leaned down to speak to Nate. He wanted to meet with Nate after class. I can only assume what he planned to talk to him about.
We were waiting for the guest speaker to arrive to teach today’s class, and when she did, I was unsure we were sent the right person. This lady was not much older than us and blushed when Hopwood shook her hand. In between trying to teach us about mental health triggers and how to recognize the signs, she smiled and winked at Hopwood. It was revolting. He loved this attention and guided her outside the class with his hand on her back when it was over. Why was I the only one that found this inappropriate? Outside of school, he could do what he liked, but parading around what would be his latest conquest in front of his students was wrong.
Nate didn’t stay back because Hopwood was too interested in chatting up the healthcare worker. He was pulling out all his best moves. Hopwood’s smile was disgustingly sweet as he leaned over her and whispered into her ear. Whatever he said made her giggle. One of his hands moved toward her cheek and grazed her face gently. Totally gross, but she was of age, and he was doing nothing illegal, so I left them.
It was a boring day stuck with my unwilling companion. We struggled to not fight in front of our friends and teachers. I was glad to hear the last bell ring, signaling two days of freedom. Connor and I walked home. Nate followed not far behind. The way Nate walked and watched me reminded me of a soldier who has been thrown into a war. He was completely on guard, watching his surroundings. He wasn’t acting like his normal self today. I was getting a real kick out of this. I had really rattled him. I think this new tactic I was using was working. He would leave soon.
When we got home, I went straight into AJ’s room and started listening to his recent voice messages. I took the name and number of the listed contact and gave her a phone call. The phone rang twice and a sweet, childish voice spoke. I had to verify I was speaking to the right person because she sounded too young.
The residential address was familiar to me, as I had been there regularly to a
ttend the maddest of parties. It was situated just out of town at the local university, which meant the odds of getting close to this guy were quite high, especially on a Friday night. Connor and I devised a plan for my escape. Nate was sitting out front, in his car, parked directly behind mine. I showered and put on a nice top with jeans, and kept a wide berth away from the windows. The clock was ticking away. As 10 PM approached, Connor went storming out the front yelling at Nate, who got out of his car with his hands up in front of his chest in a peace offering. The rest I didn't see, as I went out the back door, jumped over the fence, and opened the door to the waiting taxi. Giving my destination, I asked him to go the long way to avoid going past the front of my house.
I hoped Connor and Nate argued for a long time. Nate wasn't stupid and would realize we were up to something, and I just hoped it wasn't too soon. Cars were suffocating the street when I arrived, and the partygoers were stumbling inside in droves. I walked inside the building and immediately felt the looks of prowling men assessing my features. I casually looked around the room and searched for my target. He was not here.
Heavenly Hell (Heavenly Hell Book 1) Page 11