Falling Awake (18 page)

“You don’t need to worry about anyone coming into your room again.”

“I don’t? I asked sceptically.

“No. I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

“And how will you do that?”

“That’s nothing for you to worry about.” The side of his mouth tipped up into a lazy smile. “Just leave that to me.”

“I better be getting back before Mellissa starts looking for me,” I said, getting up and brushing down my dress.

“I’ll walk with you.” Ressler stood up next to me.

We walked slowly back along the Seine under the golden beams of the vintage street lamps side by side, so close that, occasionally our arms brushed against each other. No one moved any further apart though, and the feelings of guilt came steadily flowing back.

“Who do you think was in my room? I asked him as we strolled casually along, past the outside seating areas of the crowded bars. The air was filled with the sound of delicate French music, and loud social chitter chatter.

“Pria, I know you probably hate the idea of constantly being watched and followed, but I won’t lie to you. I was outside your hotel last night, and I didn’t see anybody. And the reason I didn’t see anybody, is because I was too busy watching you.” He grabbed hold of my hand again to sweep past an oncoming crowd of lively Parisians.

“Wow vous etes belle mademoiselle,” One of the younger looking men shouted at me, and I glanced backwards as he blew a kiss at me and held his hand over his heart. Ressler tugged hard on my arm propelling me forward.

“You can’t trust the French.”

“Is that right?” I said, smiling inside at his scorned expression. “You do believe me though right? That I saw someone.”

“Yeah I do. Can you forgive me for not having my head one hundred percent in the game? I’ll do better next time, I promise. Just wear a bag over your head or something.” I smiled and nudged him in the arm with my shoulder.

“Do you think whoever is looking for me has me confused with someone else?” I asked him.

“Definitely not.” He said it with absolute surety.

“How do you know?”

“We’ve known it was you from the beginning. We’ve waited for this- Caleb I mean,” he said, glancing at me with a fleeting look of stress creased in his brow.

“What do you mean you’ve waited for this?”

“Nothing. I didn’t mean it like that.” He looked down at the floor and I had a strong feeling he was lying to me, but I had nothing to back it up with.

I kept my focus on the pavement in front of me as we carried on walking.

“Oh my god,” I cried, breaking Ressler’s hold on my hand. A small brown bird lay sprawled out on the street in front of us, next to the railings of the river’s edge, and I ran over to its tiny unmoving frame. Its wing twitched uselessly and uncontrollably. “I think its wings broken,” I said to Ressler, watching it lying there helplessly, and my heart broke at the sight.

“It’s just a bird.” His voice was devoid of any emotions. “We can’t help it, and we need to get you back,” he said, attempting to haul me up off the floor.

“Aren’t you supposed to be an angel?” I yelled at him. “How can you not care? Can’t you do something to help it?” I looked up at him and he stared back at me as if I was crazy.

“It’s just a tiny bird Pria. It will probably die soon, and I’m not an angel.”

“So I’ve heard,” I said, turning my attention back to the bird. “And you’re heartless. Just go back without me. I’m not leaving it here alone to just die, there must be something I can do.”

I carefully scooped up the tiny soft bundle in my cupped hands, and let Ressler help me to my feet. I stroked my fingers over its delicate head and down over its limp wing.

“Poor thing,” I whispered. “Where’s your momma huh?” I continued to cradle and comfort the bird as we walked back to the Hotel, and refused to acknowledge the looks Ressler kept shooting me.

When we reached the Hotel, I was reluctant to just let the bird go and let it die outside alone.

“I’ll take it,” Ressler said, holding out his hands.

“And do what? Kill it?” I asked disgusted.

“It’s the kindest thing to do,” he shot back defensively. “It’s humane.”

“Shut up Ressler. I really need you to stop talking right now.” I wished I could do something to help the bird; I wanted to fix it, even though I knew I couldn’t do that, but I couldn’t just do nothing either.

“We could take it to the local animal refuge,” I suggested.

“I guess, if there’s even such a thing around here,” he said half-heartedly. I brushed my lips over the bird’s frail head and filled my heart with hope that we would be able to do something. I wasn’t settling for leaving it to die, no way.

As my lips left the bird, and my hand glided down over its wing, there was a flutter of movement and it’s once still body sprung to life in my hands. I opened up my hands in surprise, and unbelievably it flapped its wings, soaring off into the night.

I was gobsmacked.

“What just happened?” I asked Ressler. “Did you see that?”

“Yeah I saw it.” Ressler looked at me in disbelief. “How did you do that?”

“Do what?” I strained my eyes against the night, but the bird was no longer visible against the midnight blue backdrop of the sky.

“You just healed it.”

“I never.”

“I just saw you.”

“How could I do that? That’s insane.”

“You tell me how you done it.” I didn’t know how to answer him. I never healed the bird, but I couldn’t explain what just happened either. I had no answers, but just like Ressler, I did have a lot of questions.

“You saw it right? Its wing was broken.”

“Yeah I saw it,” he said. His eyes were full of thought. “Just go back to your room and don’t mention this to anyone got it? Not even Mellissa, and I’ll meet you tomorrow okay?”

“I can’t tomorrow, were going to Notre Dame.”

“That’s fine, I am allowed in there. I might be fallen but I’m not damned…at least I don’t think I am.” He smiled but it was distant.

“Okay I’ll see you tomorrow then,” I said, and turned my back on him to head into the Hotel.

“Pria,” he shouted after me.

“Yes,” I said, turning back to face him.

“Remember what I said. Tell no one about this.”

“I won’t.” I could practically feel the tension that poured from him as he stood there staring at me. His expression was grave.

“Are you okay Ressler?”

“I’m fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I stood there and watched him walk off into the darkness. I got the distinct feeling that something more important than he would like me to know happened tonight, and I was determined to find out what it was.

I
’d just wrapped up another long and useless tutoring session with Nathan, and we were sitting in the Champ De Mars with an undisturbed view of the Eifel tower. We hadn’t visited the monument yet. That would be saved for our very last day before we flew home. It was our third day in Paris, and the sun shone brightly in the clear, pale blue sky. I piled my French books on top of each other and lay on my back soaking up some of the heat, before it was time to head back to the Hotel, and we left for the night tour of Notre Dame.

Nathan sat next to me with his arms wrapped loosely around his legs. He’d flung off his basketball jersey and was bare chested, wearing a white and red ball cap pushed to the back. Since we arrived in Paris, we’d been getting on pretty well, and I was hopeful that one day, I would be able to call him my friend. But for now, it was still early days.

The one thing he did bring to my life was how easily we laughed together, and it was somewhat refreshing to have him around, when everything else lately seemed to be so seriously sinister. Back home, I knew it would be a different story. We belonged to two different groups, and that would never change, nor did I want it to.

“So how do you think my French is coming along?” he asked me, a black silhouette framed by the blaring sunlight above us.

I squinted up at him blocking out the bright light, and shielded my eyes with my hand.

“If anything Nathan, It’s gone backwards,” I said smiling. “If that’s even possible.” He let out a gruff laugh. “I think I’m getting pretty good”

“You would.” I slipped on a pair of aviators. “You’ve worked hard today, but I do think you’re better off just sticking with the English language for now.”

“It’s the only language I need.”

“I thought you might say that,” I said with an inside smile at his pig-headedness. Don’t get me wrong he was harmless (well ordinarily) but he was stuck in the, USA is the only way attitude, and I would put money on it that his father probably had a hand in that. He owned the local gym back home, and he was as butch as they came and just as dumb. Although no one would ever dare tell him that. At least not to his face anyway.

“You know I’ve tried my best though right?” he said, snapping me out of my reverie.

“I know.” And I did know. I could see, even though it bored the hell out of him, he was trying hard for me. Probably to earn some of my forgiveness.

“I’d like us to try and be friends when we get home, or at least acknowledge each other.”

“I’d like that too,” I said. “And one day maybe we will be friends, but I’m still letting you in Nathan, and I need to trust you first.”

“I can understand that.” I think I saw him smile, but he sounded disappointed.

“I don’t see why we can’t say Hi to each other though.” This time I definitely saw him smile. It practically jumped off his face, it was so wide.

“Great,” he said. “Hi’s great.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at this normally too cool for school jock, who was giddy with excitement over the fact that I would let him say hello to me in the hallways. “Nathan your full of surprises you know that?”

“Is that good or bad?” he asked sounding unsure, and I was saved from answering when Mr Kelly ushered us all to head back to the bus, and back to the Hotel.

***

After eating dinner, Mellissa and I went straight to our rooms and quickly changed. I put on an ivory coloured crochet top that hung just above my belly button, and a pair of denim hot pants with gladiator sandals. Mellissa wore a short grey sleeveless jersey dress with my high top wedges. The night was warm and stuffy, and in need of not wearing too many clothes.

I tied up the top half of my hair, and let the rest flow around my shoulders, shoving in a pair of golden beaded hooped earrings. I didn’t want to admit that all of this effort was in Ressler’s favour, but I was finding it hard denying it to myself. Even I thought I was a touch over dressed for a night tour of a cathedral.

“Your legs are amazing,” Mellissa said to me as we walked into the lobby. It was the meeting area for head count before we got onto the bus.

“You tell me that all the time,” I said, starting to feel uncomfortable under her scrutiny.

“I’m so jealous; I wish I had long toned legs like yours.”

“Your legs are toned,” I said. “You always look great.”

“Yeah you’re right. I do always look great. But you always look amazing.” She said it with determination, trying to convince me with her big eyes. I was pretty sure that when she made her eyes really wide like that, she really thought she was mind tricking someone.

“And I’d say that look on Nathan’s face over there- agrees with me.” She nudged me and waved at him animatedly as he stood staring at us, his mouth practically hanging open. I did not want him to think this effort was in any way for him.

“Looks good enough to attack doesn’t she? Mellissa shouted over at Nathan.

“Shut up will you!” I nudged her hard in the arm, and glared at her. “People will hear you.”

Nathan scowled and turned his attention to the guy standing beside him, starting up a conversation, glancing my way every now and then.

Mr Kelly checked everyone was present, and we left on the bus on a short drive to Notre Dame. It was seven forty five in the evening, and the sky was a deep bronze background to the cathedral. We filed off the bus and were greeted at the entrance by our tour guide, who introduced himself as monsieur Lyle.

If I thought the outside of the imposing stonewash, gothic structure was unbelievable, it was nothing compared to the inside. It was breath taking; I actually gasped as I walked in and turned full circle in awe of the glowing detail and fantastical decoration. I pulled my IPhone out of my pocket and sent Ressler a text telling him I was here.

“Oh My god, this place is magical,” Mellissa whispered in adoration. It must be something special if it got her attention. She never cared for history or architecture, or religion, unless it in some way connected back to a boy. A gorgeous boy at that.

Oversized archways lined the pews, the full length of the aisle, cast in gold from the large elegant chandeliers the hung from each archway in all their gloriousness. The stained glass windows cast an almost fluorescent, blue-violet glow from up above, shining down on us, making the whole place feel like there had been lighting effects added.

Lyle led us down the aisle, explaining something about the cathedral bells, and went on to name them one by one, but I was distracted at the sight of Ressler appearing from behind one of the arches up ahead. I glanced sideways at Mellissa, panicking in case she had seen him, but she was too busy taking in her surroundings, oohing and aa-hing.

“Mellissa, I have to go pee real quickly. I won’t be a sec,” I said, knowing that wasn’t true.

“Do you know where you’re going?” She asked me. “I’ll come with you.”

“No,” I said a little too loudly and forcefully, causing her to raise hey eyebrows at me.

“Stay. I don’t want you to miss anything. I really won’t be long. I’ll find it.”

“Okay.” She gave me a look of un-surety, diluted with suspicion. I slipped away from the group without being noticed, and passed under one of the arches.

“Ressler,” I whispered loudly under my breath, and I jumped as he appeared beside me, dragging me back outside with him.

“What are you doing?” I pulled my arm free of his grasp. We stood outside overlooking the river Seine as the night began to grow to a deep shade of blue, and I looked behind me at the brilliant golden glow of the cathedral to make sure no one was watching us.

“You look beautiful,” he said, stepping back, his eyes travelling the length of my body from the ground upwards.

“Thank You.” I instantly felt heat flood my cheeks, and I knew they’d turned pink. “Is that why you dragged me out here?”

He glanced behind him. “No. We have a bit of a situation.”

“What do you mean, a situation?” I asked, with worry rocketing through me.

“The other night, when you said someone was in your room. Well I hung around the Hotel after I left you, and then I followed you to the Champ De Mars today, and I wasn’t the only one following you put it m##

# that way.”

“
  Excuse me?” I choked out the words  with dread looming heavy in my stomach. So there was someone in my room. The realisation was haunting, and goose bumps rippled up over my arms.

“That’s not all…I recognised him. His names Sabre and he’s a fallen angel. And to say he isn’t a one of the nice ones would be putting it lightly. So whatever he wants, it can’t be good.”

“Is he here tonight?”

He hesitated and then said, “I haven’t seen him yet, but I’m guessing he’s not far away.” He looked at me; regret mixed with fear, and held his breath until I found my answer.

“Right,” I said mechanically, my mind whirring back into focus as I digested what he was telling me. A fallen angel was here tonight to kill me, or do god knows what else to me, and I couldn’t even tell anybody.

“Should I go back to the Hotel?” I asked him, not sure, what I should do next, but with fear propelling me to do something, anything.

“No. You’re safer here where there are plenty of people around. You better get back inside before they send a search party after you,” he said, nodding towards the cathedral.

“What about you?” I didn’t want to leave him.

“I’ll be here. I’ll always be here.” I leaned up and threw my arms around him, hugging him, and he pulled me to him gently, hugging me back. He ran his fingers over my hair and inhaled the scent of it deeply.

“I’ll see you inside.” He let me go, and reluctantly I let go of his hand and went back inside catching up to the group.

Mellissa stood at the back with her arms crossed, glaring at me.

“You were so not at the toilet,” she mouthed quietly, prodding a long nailed finger into my chest. I stared at her gob smacked. Did she see me outside with Ressler? We followed the group to the alter of the cathedral as the tour guide, whose name I’d now completely forgotten, went on about the different organs in his French accent, echoing around the walls of the vast cathedral.

“What do you mean?” I said, feigning obliviousness. “I went to the toilet.”

“Oh yeah? Then where is the toilet?” she asked me, with a smug expression on her face.

“Its…It’s um.”

“Exactly. You have no idea. You were obviously off calling Caleb. You are so obvious.” She rolled her eyes and I smiled with relief.

“Right.” I worked to slow down my erratic breathing. “Sorry. I promised I would call him.”

“Don’t apologise to me. You didn’t have to lie though. I understand you’re missing him. I totally get it. I won’t judge you.” I felt instantly guilty. I wished lying about phoning Caleb was the only thing I had to cover up from my best friend. She really had no idea at all, and it hurt me more now than it ever did before. I desperately wanted to tell her everything, and I promised myself that when we got home, or more importantly, IF I got home, I would. I didn’t care about anyone else, she was like my sister, and I wanted to tell her what was going on.

As the tour continued around the cathedral, I couldn’t help but constantly glance around me, worrying in case I spotted someone out of the ordinary. But nothing appeared unusual, and I couldn’t see Ressler anywhere either, unless he was doing an amazing job of hiding.

When it was time for a toilet break and the group separated, I sat on the wooden pews alone whilst Mellissa went to ‘Powder her nose,’ i.e. call Drake.

I took in the beautiful surroundings around me and could almost feel the history of the place, as if I was soaking it up. I got up and walked over to the south facing rose window that sat high and proud, the colours of the rainbow emanating from the intricate design. I knew that the rose was made up of eighty-four panes divided up into four circles, and I only knew that thanks to google on the bus ride here. There was more to the design, but I couldn’t remember all the complicated details.

I could see for myself that painted into the fourth circle, were pictures of angels holding candles. I zoomed in more on my iPhone camera to try to see clearer. Caleb had the potential to be any of those angels, but I very much doubted that he was. He may have pegged himself as the worst of the worst, but I didn’t agree. I also wasn’t foolish enough to think that he was angelic either.

I tried to keep myself thoroughly distracted from any sinister thoughts of being followed or watched, by soaking up as much of the cathedral as possible. For reasons unknown to me, I actually quite liked being in here. I could count on one hand the amount of times I’d stepped foot inside a church, and right now, I felt the safest I had in a long time, despite someone possibly coming to hurt me.

As I continued to stare up at the Rose Window through the lens of my IPhone, a blinding pain flashed behind my eyes and I dropped to the floor holding my head in my hands. Caleb, carrying the body of a limp woman in a white nightgown scorched my mind, and as quickly as it appeared, it vanished again, the pain subsiding with it.

“Pria, are you okay?” Nathan crouched down next to me, panicked.