by Lola StVil
“I didn’t realize that I’d gotten used to the calls or that they had become the best part of my day. When 7:03 comes, I believe that I will get a call. I know I won’t, but somewhere inside…I am still expecting it. It’s 6:45 now; can you stay with me? I don’t want to be alone when…”
I take his hand in mine. We don’t speak. We simply look out at the gleaming New York City skyline before us.
6:53 p.m.
East closes his eyes. I gently stroke his hand.
7:00 p.m.
East’s lips start to tremble. I hold his hand tighter.
It’s 7:03.
East looks straight ahead. He’s as still as a statue. His cell phone is silent as is all of New York City. The only sound comes from the weeping half angel beside me who just received a silent confirmation: his first love is gone.
Chapter Twenty-Seven:
The Best Part
Marisol did have an effect on us. She was right about us getting caught up in other things and forgetting the humans. While we fight evil on their behalf, it’s not the only way to help. So, the team and I get reacquainted with the best part of being angels: charity work.
When we were kids, all the team and I wanted to do was learn to use our powers. We yearned to prove ourselves. And show our parents we could be great and powerful just like them. Yet our first lesson as angels wasn’t about battle; it was about being of service to humanity.
We were all made to choose charities that we felt connected to and then we would spend weeks providing that charity with our help. We weren’t allowed to use powers. We had to get our wings dirty, so to speak.
I can’t lie—at first we all thought it sucked and we tried to beg, lie, and scream our way out of it. But in a matter of days the humans became more than just assignments; they became our friends. We got to know them not just as Omnis’ creations but also as individuals. Getting the team back to that mindset took almost no time at all. The person who enjoyed helping the most was East; it was his way of honoring Marisol. For us, it was a good way to honor our parents, whose absence we were feeling very deeply.
The twins helped build homes in Haiti, East and Bex helped get food to the homeless, Randy and Ruin worked with an organization determined to stop the human trafficking, and Aaden and I helped get much needed medical aid to war ravaged parts of Zimbabwe, Sudan, and the Congo.
Although we worked closely together, we were both so busy we barely had time to say “hello,” let alone have a decent conversation. I think that was for the best since it would have been next to impossible to focus on the job I came to do had Aaden and I had a moment alone.
At the end of two weeks, we all meet back at the house to get our things before we head for Mrs. Maybelle’s in Atlanta. She is expecting us to stay with her for a full week and help out. She insists we stay in her guesthouse so she can keep an eye on us like the true mother hen she is.
While we wait for the twins to return, I seek out Aaden. I find him in the kitchen with a bottle of what looks like a beer. I know it’s Coy inside, but I can’t tell what kind from where I am. He’s talking to Ruin. The two of them are sharing a laugh.
Great…
“I wanted to—never mind,” I say quickly as I start to leave.
“Wait, Pry. What is it?” Aaden asks.
Reading the tension in the room, the former Kaster gets up and excuses herself. I don’t say a word until Ruin has gone completely.
“You wanted to talk to me,” he says.
“Um…yeah. I did.”
“What is it? Is something wrong? Are you okay?” he asks.
“No, I’m fine,” I reply. He looks back at me suspiciously.
“Okay, I’m not one hundred percent but I’m getting there, look!” I reply as I hold my palms out towards the window and suck the life from the plant across the street.
“Pry, that’s great!”
“Yeah, and watch this,” I brag.
I look out the window again, and using my palm, I raise the level of fear in the human across the street from us. Without warning the human is sweating, short of breath, and fidgeting.
“Okay, I’m gonna stop because, well, it’s kind of mean to do that to someone, but my powers are back at full force,” I tell him.
“Yes!” he replies as he lifts me up and gives me a big hug. I laugh as we embrace.
While the hug started out innocent, when I pull away, we remain close. And a moment that was once pure is now thick with longing. We look into each other’s eyes and exchange a heated gaze. My whole body tingles with excitement. We both take a step back, fearing the yearning will consume and overwhelm us.
“So…by any chance did you get your Rah back?”
“Yeah, Diana gave it back to me,” he replies.
“Oh…”
“You know that there’s no danger from being around you like before. Since The Center is gone…”
“Yeah, I get it. Having your Rah back is a good thing, right?” I ask.
“Yeah, it’s very good,” he replies with a suggestive smile.
“Listen…thank you for helping me get past this—”
“Pry, stop.”
“I just want to thank—”
“Hey, stop. Don’t thank me. When you were locked away in The Center, if felt like I was too,” he says sincerely as he takes my hand.
“Okay, so remember that talk we were gonna have?” I start carefully.
“Yeah, the one about us?”
“Is there an ‘us?’” I ask.
“I hope so, but it depends on you and what you want,” he says carefully.
“Aaden, you know what I want. This. You and me.”
“Yeah, but before you make that decision, I have something to tell you.”
“Okay, what is it?” I wonder.
“I kissed Diana.”
“Back when you two were together you mean?”
“No, recently. In the forest.”
WTF??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
“Oh,” is all I can manage to say.
“We didn’t plan it. It just happened,” he adds.
“Okay…”
“Pry, you’re the one I want.”
“Yet you’re kissing demons in the forest…” I reply, perplexed.
“There’s no excuse for what I did. But you have to know that there was so much happening and I really thought I might lose you. And Diana was—”
“I really don’t want to know why Ruin felt she needed your lips pressed against hers,” I assure him.
“She was going through a lot.”
Is he serious right now? RUIN has been through a lot? RUIN? And what the hell have I been going through—a cruise down the Riviera? Is he fucking kidding me?
“Pryor!” he says.
“Yes?”
“Talk to me. Are you upset? Look, I know it was wrong and that it hurt you. I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to—”
“Hey, don’t worry about it,” I interject.
“What?”
“Look, it’s just a kiss and anyway you guys have history. No big deal. Kiss away,” I reply with a smile.
“Pry, don’t do this.”
“Do what?” I ask, pretending to be clueless.
“Don’t act like the kiss doesn’t bother you when it clearly does.”
“Why should it bother me? We weren’t together. All I have is a hammer. She had a whole year with you filled with adventures and wild nights. She had your Rah and apparently your kiss. I just have a hammer.”
“Pryor, I’m sorry about the kiss. I really am. But I want us to get past it.”
“Past what?” I reply, shrugging my shoulders.
“Carrot, don’t do this. If the kiss bothers you then let’s talk about it,” he offers.
“Look, you saved my life in many ways and on many occasions. I don’t have a right to be mad because the guy who I’m NOT with, kissed another girl. Look, I’m good. Re
ally. It’s not even…Aaden you and I are just friends. Really good friends,” I reply with a warm smile.
“And that’s how you want to keep it, us being ‘really good friends?’” he asks.
“Yeah! It’s easier that way. And you know what, you can go on kissing whomever the hell you want to in the forest because I don’t care.”
“Okay, fine,” he barks.
“Fine,” I counter coldly.
We stand there and look at each other; neither of us speaks. The tension in the air is hostile and thick. Swoop does a handstand and lands right in front of us.
“Um…hello? What’s going on with you two?” she says.
“Absolutely nothing,” I vow, glaring at him.
Aaden is about to say something but thinks better of it and addresses Swoop instead.
“Bird, how was it?” he asks.
“Haiti is so beautiful. I only wish they could find a way to stop the in-fighting and come together,” she replies as she embraces me.
“What was it like to build homes?” I ask.
“It sucked. It was hot and I couldn’t wear my heels. I was forced to wear these things called ‘flats,’” she jokes.
“So you didn’t have a good time?” Silver says.
“No, I had a great time. The working on the house was sucky but when it was done and we handed the humans the key to their new home…it was incredible. Silver, you should have seen the looks on their faces. They cried because for some of them this was their first and only home. Given everything that happened to them, I can’t believe they are so full of hope. It inspires me.”
“Oh really?” I ask.
“Yes. So now I’m gonna help them build more homes when I have time. But even better, when I go there again, I’m bringing all the girls in the village heels. It’s the right thing to do,” she explains.
“I’m glad you had fun. What about Key? How is she?” Silver asks.
“Honestly, not good. She enjoyed helping but her mind was on other things,” Swoop informs us.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“I think she’s breaking up with Bex.”
“Bird, are you sure?” Silver asks.
“Yeah…she’s hinted at it. In fact, she wants to head to another charity and stay out of New York for a while. She just came back so she could talk to Bex,” Swoop explains.
“Oh no. He loves her so much,” I reply.
“They’ve been headed down this road for a while; I mean, since you know…” Swoop replies.
“Since what?” I ask.
“Since he told Key and everyone else he had feelings for you,” Swoop says before she can stop herself.
“Bex said what?” I ask, looking over at Aaden.
“Damn, I’m sorry; I thought you were caught up on everything,” Swoop replies.
“Me too,” I say, unable to take my eyes off Aaden.
“Okay, awkward moment. Leaving now,” Swoop says as she summersaults out of the room.
“Why didn’t you tell me about what Bex said?”
“There were a million things you missed. I couldn’t get to everything so I told you the important stuff,” he says.
“You didn’t think that Bex saying he has feelings for me is important?”
“Are you really coming at me this hard over Bex?” he asks.
“I’m asking you a question.”
“No, you’re accusing me.”
“I am not.”
“The hell you aren’t. You think I didn’t tell you what Bex said on purpose?”
“Well, is that the case?”
“Hiding what Bex feels about you would have been pointless because everyone knows he wants you; everyone but you,” he snaps.
“I don’t want to be the reason they split up.”
“You don’t have any control over that,” he reminds me.
“Bex is going through a lot right now. The Paras are on him about leaving us and he’s dealing with the aftermath of everything. We can’t let Key break up with him,” I reply.
“There’s nothing that can stop what’s gonna happen with Key and Bex. And really, I don’t care what Bex thinks about you. What I care about is how you feel about him.”
“What?”
“Don’t make me repeat myself,” he counters.
I fold my arms across my chest and shake my head stubbornly.
“Pryor, do you have feelings for Bex?” he demands.
“You should have told me what Bex said. It affects this team. You will not withhold vital information from me again. Is that clear?” I order. He shakes his head in frustration.
“Are you really gonna go into ‘official’ mode with me right now?” he demands.
“Aaden, you are not to withhold anything from me that can affect this team. Am. I. Clear?”
“Crystal,” he snaps as he storms off.
* * *
Swoop was right about Key. She intends to stay away for a while. Or so she explained in the letter she placed under each of our doors. In it she apologizes for putting the mission at risk and says she needs some time away to straighten things out in her head. She leaves us the address of the charity she’s going to help and asks that we not contact her unless it’s a team related emergency.
I thought Swoop would be upset, but she actually agrees with her sister going away. I think it’s because she wants her twin to be as far away from the drug scene as possible. Key swears that she’s not leaving the team but that she just needs time away. I get it. Yet I don’t like her being by herself. In the end, she promises to let East fly in on his Port and look in on her. She says a temporary good-bye and heads outside to speak to Bex, who has no idea she isn’t staying.
We overhear the two of them; their voices carry in the air and come through the open window. This is really going to suck. And yes, we should leave them alone, but it’s just hard to believe that these two angels are breaking up. They’ve been together so long; you have to see it to fully believe it. So we all stand in the living room and watch the impossible happen.
“Where’s the rest of your stuff?” Bex asks Key.
She holds up a small and sensible-sized carry-on.
“This is it,” she says.
“Seriously, Key, where are the other forty bags you’re taking with us to Mrs. Maybelle’s?” he says.
“I’m not going to Mrs. Maybelle’s with you guys,” she replies with a sad smile.
“I don’t get it,” Bex says.
“Can we sit for a sec, please?”
“Sure, whatever you need,” he replies.
The two of them sit on the steps of the house. He takes her hand in his and looks lovingly into her eyes.
“I know what I said about having feelings for Pryor hurt you. I don’t know how to make it up to you, but I will. I promise, I’ll make it better. I can move out of the house so that I only see her for missions and I could—”
“Bex, Pryor is not the problem,” she replies.
“It’s me. I rushed into being physical too soon after your ordeal. Damn, I’m sorry if I was being a jerk.”
“No, you weren’t. There’s nothing wrong with you wanting to make out with your girlfriend. I’m the one who can’t give you that right now,” she says.
“I don’t need to have sex,” he lies. She tilts her head to the side in disbelief.
“Okay, I do need to have sex—but I can wait. Seriously, I am willing to wait for as long as it takes. Key, I love you. Sex is not the best thing about us; it’s just one part of us. Please don’t worry about it,” he vows.
“That’s very sweet, Bex, but that’s not the problem,” she replies.
“Then what is it?”
“Me. I’m the problem,” she admits.
“I don’t understand.”
“I’ve been letting everyone down,” she says.
“Key, it wasn’t your fault. You can’t—”
“Bex b
aby, please let me talk and no matter how much you want to interrupt, don’t. I need to get this out. Okay?”
“Okay.”
“I’ve let a lot of people in my life down these past few months. And yes, you were to blame for not being up-front with me about having feelings for Pryor, but in the end, my actions were my own. There is no one else to blame for me getting involved with drugs but me. I made horrible decisions. I hurt the angels who love me and I almost lost my sister in the process.”
She inhales deeply and pushes herself to go on. She takes both of Bex’s hands inside hers and looks deeply into his warm eyes.
“Bex, when we first met, I hated you on sight. It was our first day of training and you were pushy and stubborn. You kept yelling at me and pushing me to do better with my fight technique. You were relentless in battle and yet you had this big heart. You tried to hide that part of you away, but I found it; that night I hurt my leg after a training exercise went wrong, I saw you standing outside the Healers’ room, looking in. You stood there all night to make sure I was healing. When I woke up you were the first angel I saw. I knew you would be.
“I saw things changing between us when Pryor came back. I fought it so hard. I almost killed you, trying to ensure that you stayed with me. And while you did drive me nuts, what I did to you was wrong. What I made the team go through was wrong. This whole time I was so worried about losing you that I didn’t realize I had lost myself. When I think back to the way I have behaved and the things I allowed to happen…
“I was afraid to let you go because I love you. But love, real love, doesn’t confine, it liberates. And I do love you, Bex. That’s why I’m letting you go. I want you to be happy. I want you to…”
Her voice cracks as she speaks. Bex is about to say something but she gently places a finger over his lips. The tears well up in her eyes. She composes herself and tries to stop her voice from shaking.
“I don’t know how I’m going to live without you but I know it’s time I learned. And when the pain of your absence coils around me, threatens to drain the life from me, I’ll fight it off by remembering that I was loved. For three years, four months and eleven days, I was loved.”
“Key, no! I don’t want to lose you” he pleads.
“Bex, we were protecting an empty shell. You and I weren’t destined to make it. Let’s not dishonor what we had by pretending now.”