Angels of Moirai (Book One) (14 page)

Attached to the hanger was an envelope with a note inside that read:

Just because…

I turned the note over in my hand to see he’d also written on the back.

… you had completely forgotten that you need a dress for the formal!

Love

       James x

I held the note up to my chest and closed my eyes, taking a deep breath.

It was true, I had forgotten about getting a dress for the school formal. God knows how I did, but I did, but James hadn’t. How did he know me so well, even after only such a short period of time?

Who knew where he got it from? It was absolutely exquisite, regardless.

I climbed back into bed several minutes later, completely smitten by James’s gesture, and knowing there was no way I was ever going to be able to go back to sleep.

***

I didn’t have to search too hard for James the next day at school, when I arrived, he’d been waiting at my locker.

“Is it acceptable?” he asked as I approached him.

“Acceptable? It’s perfect!” I replied, wrapping my arms around him.

He hugged me tightly. “What are your plans tonight?” he whispered in my ear.

I moved away from him enough so that I could see his face. “Only studying for exams. Why?”

“Would you like to go on a date with me?”

“A date?”

“Yes. A date.”

I nodded. “Sure. What were you thinking about doing?”

“Movies?”

I smiled. “Sounds perfect.”

“Great. There are a few things I need to do beforehand, but then I’ll drive to your house and get you. Say around six?”

“Okay,” I replied, a smile stretched from ear to ear. Then it dawned on me. “Hold on. You’re not picking me up with that motorbike of yours, are you?”

“That’s the plan.”

“No, no, no. No, thanks.”

James laughed, “Why not?”

“I don’t ride on motorbikes.”

“Is that a rule or something?”

“No, more like they scare the hell out of me. I feel much safer surrounded by doors, roofs, and stuff.”

“You do remember what I am? I’m probably the safest person you could be with on a motorbike.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Saying it aloud didn’t make much sense, but it wasn’t going to change my mind about it. “I’m still not going on it.”

“Fine, but one day, I
will
be getting you on one.”

“Just not today, or tomorrow, or any other day in the future.”

James laughed. “You’re impossible.”

He pulled my school diary into his hand and wrote down his address on one of the pages.

Kissing me on the cheek, we headed towards our classes.

***

I stood in awe looking at the oil painting in front of my eyes. It was the final day to submit our assessment pieces, and now they were out on display for everyone to see, but I couldn’t seem to move from the painting that had caught my eye. There, standing on the jetty outside my house, was me. Although it wasn’t painted so you could see my face, it was me. It was painted so you could only see the back of me looking out to the lake, but the way I was painted so elegant and defined, and not ordinary like I’d felt.

I was completely speechless. Right down to the last details of the plants that surrounded the lake he had drawn perfectly, and with a small signature at the bottom authored the piece of work-
James
.

I felt his presence instantly when he stepped to stand beside me.

“I…Just…I feel like I should be creeped out by this, but I’m not,” I explained.

“Creeped out?” he replied. “Then I should be creeped out by yours.” He pointed to my black chalk drawing across the classroom.

I looked over at the art piece I’d submitted. It was the first time I’d met James, angel and all.

I laughed. “Touché.”

“At least you can’t see your face in mine,” he said.

“No, but everyone knows that’s what my jetty looks like. Anyway, I don’t care what people think anymore. That was a moment that changed my life forever, seeing you that day, and it’s an image I never want to forget.”

He smiled. “Now, I’m going to be known as an angel.”

“Are you mad?” I asked hesitantly.

He laughed and put his arm around me. “Never.”

“They’d never believe it anyway.”

He kissed the top of my forehead. “It wouldn’t matter anyway, as long as I have you.”

James was right about one thing, the class couldn’t stop talking about our drawings. From their point of view, I guess we really did look like a pair of lovesick puppies, but I didn’t care.

James laughed off the angel jabs as the school quickly found out about our paintings. He played right along with it, and the worry that I had supressed that maybe my actions would reveal his true identity, quickly diminished when everyone saw it as a joke.

***

I didn’t have any time to study that afternoon for exams. I spent the afternoon with Hayley trying on just about every outfit in my closet, and Hayley’s, until I finally gave up and went with my denim shorts and teal-coloured-cami.

“Why am I stressing out about this?” I said frustrated as I looked into the vanity mirror, combing the knots out of my hair.

Hayley smirked at me in the reflection, “Because you like him.”

I couldn’t argue with that.

“Right,” I said putting down my hairbrush. “I’m ready.”

As I made my way down the stairs and out the front door, Hayley smacked me lightly on my bum and wished me good luck.

It didn’t take me long before I found my way to James’s house using the GPS on my phone.

I wasn’t sure what I had expected the house that angels lived in look like, but when I saw it first hand, it was quite ordinary.

It was a standard one-storey brick render house. It was painted white and had a beachy theme to it. Tropical plants lined the gardens and as I approached the front porch, the classic ‘beach’ sign hung next to the wooden front door.

I stood for a couple of minutes at the front door.

Surely, an angel of fate knew I was at his house waiting for him? Do I knock?
I thought to myself.

As I raised my hand to the door, it opened wide. My body grew tense the moment I saw Mark standing there, towering over me.

I took a step back and pulled my hand to my side.

“I…I,” I stuttered, “I’m here for…”

Mark interrupted, “I know why you’re here.”

I opened my mouth to talk but was quickly shut down by Mark.

“Do you honestly believe what you’re doing is okay?”

“I-”

“How long do you think this fairy tale will last? Growing old together and starting a family is obviously something that will never happen,” his voice cut through me deep. My hands started to tremor.

“Are you so small minded that you think they will allow this to continue?” He waited for my response. “Well?”

“Well,” I struggled to find the words, “it’s really none of your business.” I’d intended on saying with a voice of authority to somewhat stop his integration, but my voice had failed me and it came out weak and scared.

He laughed mockingly. “None of my business? None of my business?” he repeated, his voice growing louder. “This has everything to do with me! You really have no idea what you’ve done, or what you’re doing, do you? This stems so much deeper than some petty school girl crush.”

My cheeks flushed red and I tried my hardest to hold back the tears that clouded my eyes.

“Lila.”

I turned around at the sound of James’s voice.

His eyes narrowed as he walked towards me, his eyes locked on Mark.

James grabbed my hand as he stepped in front of me in a protective kind of way.

No words were said, but you could cut the tension with a knife. Mark and James both stared at each other, the same look of anger in each other’s eyes.

I pulled James’ hand. I didn’t want to be there anymore, my heart was beating out of my chest and I needed to catch my breath.

James followed my cue and turned slowly towards me, then walked me to my car. He ushered me into the passenger seat as he took the wheel and we headed for the cinemas.

I looked over at him as his hands gripped the wheel tightly; his body tense.

“James,” I said quietly. I didn’t know what else to say, if there was anything else to say.

“I’m sorry, Lila,” he said before turning and looking at me briefly. “I had matters to attend to and was late.”

“It’s okay. I’m fine.”

James took a deep breath and pulled the car over onto the side of the road. He grabbed my hand in his and said sincerely, “He shouldn’t have talked to you in that manner. I apologise on his behalf. Mark is… Mark has issues with our relationship. It’s nothing you need to be concerned with though.”

I nodded. “It’s okay. I get it.”

Do I?

I could see the pain spread across James’s face and I wished I had of just been ten minutes late and not be such a time conscious freak.

“Do me a favour?” I continued. “Can we just forget about it right now and enjoy the night?”

James looked at me for a few seconds before nodding his head and smiling. Bringing my hand to his mouth, he kissed it. “Deal.”

I tried my hardest to put on a happy face as we ordered our popcorn and drinks. I couldn’t even focus on the movie; instead, I picked away at the popcorn, deep in thought throughout the movie. All I kept thinking about was what Mark had said. I’d managed on more than one occasion to avoid the subject about James and my future together. Although James had never asked, it hadn’t stopped my brain from wondering to the thought, and every time I did, I quickly dismissed them.

How long could our relationship last? Was I just to grow old while James stayed immortal? He never stayed in one place very long, would I go with him? I would have to let go of the idea of ever having children and a normal kind of future. Not only that, our relationship had some kind of ripple effect, to what, I didn’t know, but it was enough to fuel Mark’s anger.

I was barely listening to James as we walked back to our car after the movie. When we reached the top level of the carpark after the movie, James grabbed my hand and turned me into him. He pushed the hair from my face and stroked my cheek.

“What can I do to make this better?” he soothed.

I shook my head and exhaled. “I can’t get what he said out of my mind.”

“I don’t want you to concern yourself with it. It’s nothing I can’t handle. Please,” he pleaded with me, “try not to think about it.”

I looked back and forth between his eyes, searching for something I knew I couldn’t find. I trusted James, but I could also see the concern in his eyes and not just for me, but he knew just as well as I that Mark was right.

I turned away and started digging through my bag for my car keys, completely forgetting they were in James’s pocket. While searching, however, I realised my phone wasn’t in my bag.

“Shit,” I said, “my phone must have fallen out of my bag in the cinema.”

“It’s okay,” James said, pulling the car keys out from his pocket and handing them to me. “I’ll go back and get it.”

“Are you sure? I can go.”

James nodded and kissed me on the forehead. “I’ll be right back.”

I watched James walk down the stairs. When he was out of sight, I turned and walked towards my car. It was already late into the evening, and already my car was one of only a few in the whole car park.

My senses were shattered in apprehensiveness though, when one of the car park lights, just above where I was standing, smashed in an instant. Shards of glass fell. I covered my face with my arms.

Holding my hand to my heart, I whipped my head side to side, desperate to find a cause.

Just when I’d began to slow my breath, I watched in fear as every other light shattered in pieces, just like the first one, one after the other until I was left in darkness. The moon my only hope for light.

The hairs on my neck stood up. The sound of quiet murmurs filled my ears. My heart beat furiously out of my chest. I helplessly looked around with a sign of someone, but there was no one. The sound of deep voices grew louder and began to surround me.

Just when I thought I was alone, a man appeared from the shadows, walking towards me. I turned towards my car, only to see another man coming towards me. Then another, and another. Quickly, there was a group of men, all with one target in mind… me.

I had no escape. The only option was my car. So I went for it. Fumbling with the keys in my hand, I tried in desperation to find my remote control, only the trembling in my hand caused me to drop them to the ground.