by Lola StVil
“And I don’t want to.”
“What?”
“I’m not here as the girl who loves you. I’m here as your leader.”
“Oh…I see.”
“Did you hear me tell you to break the Fight or Flight line?” I ask.
“Look, things got out of hand and—”
“DID YOU HEAR ME TELL YOU TO BREAK THE FIGHT OR FLIGHT LINE? YES OR NO?”
“YES!”
“You sent five humans to the hospital tonight.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I was being an ass, but you know I wasn’t trying to—”
“I’m not here for what you tried to do. I’m here for what you did. I gave you an order and you didn’t follow it. In turn, humans were hurt and your teammate almost lost his life.”
“I know…”
“I need you to get up and face the wall so I can press your Deck.”
“Pry, you can’t take my powers away! I have Sparks to protect.”
“She has us. She has me. Turn around,” I order.
“Pry, I know you’re angry, but don’t do this.”
“I will not ask you again.”
He’s about to argue, but one look at my face tells him that’s not the move to make. He glares at me. He then stands up and faces the wall. I now have access to the back of his head. There I see his Deck: a pattern the size of a thumbprint that’s embedded behind his skull. It will only recognize my fingers, because I am the only one who can press down on it.
I place my thumb on the center of the Deck and apply pressure. I know it’s painful to have all the power drain from your body, but Aaden is proud and would never allow the pain to show.
His hands shake as the glow from his wings diminishes. As of now, my second in command is left without wings or power. As I head to the door, he turns and calls out my name.
“I know I’m talking to the leader right now, but does she know when my girlfriend will come back?” he asks.
“Silver, what makes you think you still have one?”
After closing the door behind me, I head across the hall to see Bexington. The Paras at the door aren’t eager to let me in, but they can tell by the look on my face that I’m good with fighting my way in. They wisely decide to let me enter.
When I go inside, I see Bex lying on the bed with mixtures on his leg. The bone is back in place, but his pale skin shows he’s in pain.
“Pry, I’m sorry about…everything. He just attacked me and—”
“And the only way you could think to help the situation was to try to kill him?”
“You saw the way he was coming at me.”
“And you heard me order you to stop.”
“Yes, I did. I couldn’t.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s not good enough. You are a Kon. You have discipline and self-control. Why couldn’t you stop yourself?”
“Because I can never stop when it comes to you.”
“Well, this might make it easier. I gave you orders and you refused to follow them. I can’t take your powers away because you have no Deck for me to press.”
“I know, so what do you want to do?”
“It’s not what I want. It’s what needs to happen.”
“And what is that?”
“Bex, you are off the team.”
I head towards the door, turn the knob, and start to leave.
“Look, Pry, I get it. I deserve this, but for how long?”
I turn back to face him with a stern expression.
“Pryor, when will I be coming back to the team?”
“You won’t.”
Chapter Fifteen:
Finally
The remaining members of my team are looking at me, dumbfounded. It’s Sunday morning, and I have gathered them in the living room to update them. When they learn that one team member is gone and the other has had his powers taken away, they are speechless.
“Someone say something,” I suggest.
“So we really are just letting Bex go?” Key asks.
“Last night showed me that I have no control over him or Aaden. That’s not acceptable. Aaden I can rein in, but Bex…he’s a Kon. That’s where his head and focus will always be. So yes, I let him go.”
“Bex has given a lot for this team. I don’t think it’s fair that we just get rid of him like he didn’t matter,” Key replies.
“He did matter—he still does. But officially he is no longer under my command. I know that’s hard to deal with, but it is what it is.”
“So, now are the Paras gonna hate us or what?” Swoop asks.
“I don’t know and I don’t care. All that matters to me is that everyone in this room understands that when I give orders they are not suggestions. They are instructions. I will not be disobeyed by anyone on my team. And if someone sitting here has a problem with that, feel free to walk out now.”
Everyone looks back at me, but no one motions to walk out. I can tell from the look on Key’s face that I am not her favorite angel right now. Randy looks like he wants to hug me, East looks worried given the mission at hand, and Diana, much to my surprise, looks at peace.
“I know that Aaden not having his powers can be scary given your daughter, but I assure you, we will protect her.”
“I’m all for you taking his powers,” Diana replies simply.
“Did not see that coming,” Swoop replies.
“I may have lost my wings, but I have powers and I can protect Sparks. I also know that she will be safe with all of you. I want Silver to have his powers back, but he put our child through hell last night when she thought he was going to die. He needs to learn self-control, and if this is what it takes, then so be it.”
“Okay…” East says awkwardly.
“I don’t mean to be the downer in the group, but we need them. We need both of them,” Key replies.
“Yes, we do, but what we need more is unity. They literally tried to kill each other last night. It’s better to have one angel you can trust in battle than a thousand you can’t. Every day we put our lives in each other’s hands. Last night, the guys showed they were not mature enough to handle that.”
“I get what you’re saying, Pry, but I think we all know what’s at the center of this: You,” Key says.
“Me?”
“Yes. Silver and Bex have never been close, I know. But ever since you two got together it’s been one thing after another with them. The two of them are in love with you, and you need to figure out what you’re going to do about that,” Key informs me.
“This isn’t about my love life, Key. This is about what is and is not acceptable. I don’t care if a hundred girls are in love with Aaden, or a thousand, I would not try to take their life just for that.”
“Well, you’re not a guy and that’s how guys think. Silver is not about to come second in your life. He wants you, and if he has to kill Bex a thousand times, then that’s exactly what he’ll do,” Key snaps.
“Then I’ll have to take his powers away a thousand times.”
“So you’re not taking any responsibility for this?”
“I didn’t make Silver cut himself and try to take Bex’s life. And I certainly didn’t tell the Kon to act like a damn child.”
“You didn’t pull the trigger, Pry, I get that, but you loaded the gun. And now that it’s gone off, I just think it’s unfair that you get to walk away free of blame just because you’re the leader.”
“This isn’t even about that, Key. You’re upset that Bex has feelings for me, and that’s not my fault.”
“Stop saying he has feelings for you, like we’re in grade school. He’s in love with you.”
“That is not my fault.”
“Are you sure about that?” she pushes.
“Key, calm down,” Swoop says.
“No, I just think it’s time we were all honest about this situation. Silver and Bex are both in love with you, Pryor. There are only two reasons why you would allow t
hat to go on for as long as you did: you like the attention, or you’re in love with both of them. Which is it? It’s about damn time you tell us.”
“Keyohmi, somewhere along the way I think you got confused. So let me help you out. This meeting is so that the team is kept informed. It is not a meeting so that you can approve or disapprove of my actions. I don’t answer to you, you answer to me. And the next time you take that tone of voice with me, Noru, you better have what it takes to back it.”
I want to cancel the ball more than I have ever wanted anything else in my life. However, given the amount of work Swoop put into getting everything together, it would be wrong to let it go to waste. Randy also pointed out that maybe if tonight goes well, the Angel world will see us in a new light. That’s really not a concern for me, but I know our parents would want us to make the effort.
Still, I wish I could push back my birthday to next week or next year, better yet, maybe ten years from now. I think that’s how long it will take to get everyone on the right page again. I would never say this out loud, but it kills me that Bex is no longer with us. It wasn’t just his strength that helped us, it was his excellent skills in battle.
I call the clinic to check on Aaden and Bex. They were supposed to stay there for another few days, so naturally each of them got up and left. Argh! Seriously, what is it about the two of them that makes them so damn hardheaded?
I stand in front of the mirror in my room. I’m supposed to be doing my hair, but needless to say, I’m distracted. Diana and Swoop swirl around me, getting ready for the ball. They walk in and out of each other’s rooms on the hunt for perfume, curling irons, and a number of girly things I’ve never heard of.
Swoop scolds me several times for not getting ready fast enough. Eventually she gives up any hope of me speeding up and enlists Diana to help me with my hair. The three of us are in my room when East enters.
“Pry, I need to talk to you.”
“What is it?” I ask.
“I want to point out that I’m being hunted, Pryor’s in badass ‘boss’ mode, we are down two teammates, and the Angel world hates us. Given all the above, what do we decide to do? Party. Man…love you guys!” East says, wiping his eyes as if there were actual tears.
Swoop shakes her head, and Diana throws a pillow at him. Soon we can’t help but join in the laughter.
“I also want to say that this is going to be really hard,” East replies, getting serious.
“I know the mission to get your powers back has just been made more difficult, but—”
“I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about how hard it will be for you to get laid tonight. I mean, I know it’s your birthday and everything, but you took Silver’s powers away. It’s possible you may not get any for weeks,” East jokes.
“Are you kidding? As soon as the ball is over, Pry and Silver are gonna have the hottest kind of sex there is—‘I hate you’ sex,” Swoop says.
“Is that a thing?” I ask.
“Yes,” Diana and Swoop reply at the same time as they burst out laughing. Soon I can’t help but join in.
“I’m sorry to interrupt all the fun, but I need to talk to my girlfriend. That’s if I still have one,” Aaden says pointedly from the doorway.
Everyone leaves the room so that Aaden and I can be alone. He closes the door and looks back at me. I can’t read his expression. All I know is the tension in the room is not helping.
“I don’t really want to talk,” I admit.
“Yeah, me too. I’m no expert, but I’m guessing when two people in a relationship don’t want to talk, that’s probably when they should.”
“So you pick now to be wise? Where the hell was all that wisdom last night?” I snap.
“You don’t even know what happened.”
“Would it change what you and Bex did?”
“No.”
“Then why am I hearing it?”
“Because I need you to.”
“Fine, tell me why you tried to kill my friend, your teammate.”
“I walked into the arcade and I saw him; he was looking at you…”
“And?”
“That’s it. He was looking at you.”
“Are you freaking kidding me with this? You almost killed the Kon because he was looking at your girl?”
“You know damn well it wasn’t just a look. I warned him before that if I ever caught him doing that, he would pay.”
“This is insane. This is completely insane. Do you hear yourself?”
“I know you’re angry. I get that. But you don’t know what it’s like to…every single day I have to look at Bex—”
“I don’t want to hear shit about Bex! I live with your ex. Diana has seen you naked, made love to you, and spent countless nights in your arms. That’s the mental picture I have to live with. So don’t give me any crap about having to deal with some other guy who you think may be looking at me.”
“You think I’m proud that I let Bex get to me? This wasn’t the way I wanted things to go. I don’t give a damn what Bex thinks about you. What’s driving me to the fucking edge is that he said he loved you and you gave him no reply.”
“Oh, for the love of Omnis, I am not with Bex, I am with you!”
“Does he know that? Huh? Do you ever plan on telling him that?”
“Bex knows about the two of us. It’s not a secret.”
“Knowing that you and I are together and telling him you don’t love him, these are two completely different things.”
“I am not accountable for how Bex feels.”
“Damn it, Pryor, it’s not hard. When another guy tells you he loves you, you tell him you don’t love him back. But you didn’t say that to Bex. That’s why he’s walking around here thinking there’s a chance for you two to get together. You have done nothing to tell the Kon to move on. And you know what? If I was Bex, I would be holding out hope too.”
“I don’t need to tell Bex how I feel. He knows that I’m your girl. Bex does not need to hear it.”
“Maybe not, but I do. I need to hear you say that you do not want him. I need to know that you don’t return his feelings.”
“Aaden…”
“There’s only two things that give my life meaning: You and Sparks. The thought of losing you…” he says as he sits down on the nearby bench.
He sighs heavily and rakes his hands through his hair. I watch as the tension creeps from his shoulders down his body. He clenches his jaw and rubs the back of his neck with the palm of his hand. He looks up towards the sky as if asking Omnis for help.
“Aaden, why are you doing this to yourself? You’re the one I want. You’re the one I’m here with. Aaden, I gave you my virginity. I don’t know how else to prove I love you.”
“I know you’re right. I keep thinking that you’re gonna get taken from me.”
“Why?”
“Because everything I love gets taken. A mission took my mom. Grief took my dad away for years, and the Center took my freedom. I keep thinking, someway, somehow, Omnis will take you away from me too. And I can’t handle that. I can’t…”
I walk over and wedge myself between his legs and sit on his lap. I place my hand under his chin and tilt his head so that we are eye to eye.
“Sam had this thing about human toys. He especially loved these metal army men my dad got him. The only problem was he’d break them in half without meaning to. He started out with, like, a hundred army men and by the end of the weekend he was down to one. He took the last one, and he put it on his shelf and he refused to play with it.
“Instead he just walked around the house, sad that he didn’t have his favorite toy to play with. When my mom asked why he’d put the toy away, he said, ‘Mom, when I love him, he breaks. So I put him away. There. No breaking.’”
“Smart kid,” he replies.
“Well, in the end, he spent hours admiring what he wanted and being too afraid to reach out and take it for fear it would get broken. But, Aaden, I’
m not a toy. I’m strong. It’s okay to love me. It’s okay to let your guard down. I won’t break. We won’t break.”
“Don’t tell me; tell him.”
I know that Aaden is right and that I need to speak with Bex. But I have no idea what I’m going to say. So now I’m looking forward to the ball because it’s a reason not to have to confront Bex. So I get to put off that awkward talk for a few more hours—or so I thought.
We have about an hour before we have to leave for the ball when Bex enters the house. All eyes are on him and Aaden, who is standing across the room. Bex apologizes for what happened at the arcade and tells the team he understands why he has been thrown out. He asks to see me outside, alone.
Crap.
Bex and I walk down the block in silence for a few moments. The wind picks up stray leaves and places them at our feet. The New York City sky is bathed in spectacular shades of gold and orange. I love the city just before nightfall. It’s always been my favorite time.
“Look, Bex, I know you think I was wrong to do what I did.”
“No, I don’t. I get it. And I’m not here to ask to come back.”
“Oh.”
“I think you made the right decision. I don’t want to leave the team, but I get why I have to.”
“Just because you’re not part of the team doesn’t mean we don’t want you in our lives. You know that, right?”
“Yeah, I do. But that’s not why I’m here.”
“Okay, then why are you here?”
“I want you to have this,” he says as he hands me a small silver chain with a diamond pendant in the middle. Inside of the diamond is a symbol of the council.
“It’s gorgeous!”
“It’s called a Shopour. It’s the only one of its kind on Earth. The council gives it to the Kon, and that Kon passes it down to the next Kon. My father gave it to me.”
“Why are you giving it to me?”
“It’s your birthday.”
“I told you and the others to give something to charity instead of getting me gifts. And this is far more than just a gift,” I remind him.
“I know and I did, but I wanted you to have it, not just because it’s your birthday, but because it’s a direct line to me.”