Angels of Moirai (Book One)

by Salmond, Nicole

  “I didn’t mean it! I’ve been busy with exams and…” I said in my defence, shutting my locker door in the process.

  “And James apparently,” she mused at me, winking in her devilish ways.

  I shook my head and laughed as we started towards our first class, Science. “Why would Dale be going with me anyway? Wasn’t he going with what’s-her-face?”

  “Clara?”

  I nodded.

  “Apparently, he changed his mind. She’s not too happy about it either.”

  “No doubt.”

  Our conversation was cut short when we arrived to find a note on the classroom door that our science class was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.

  “I heard Mr Peters is getting the sack,” I heard someone comment as we all stood in front of the note on the door, curious as to why class would be cancelled on such short notice, or even at all. Mr Peters never even took sick days, let alone cancel a class.

  “I heard that Maddison’s parents put in a formal complaint about him. They want him fired,” another student commented.

  Typical, I thought to myself. The moment Maddison is put in her place she tries to get payback by getting him fired.

  I felt terrible for Mr Peters and hoped his sticking up for us hadn’t cost him his career.

  “Maddison and her twisted ways,” Jackie said under her breath.

  I nodded in agreement.

  “Looks like you’re now going to be an extra in the BCT class and I’m off to geography,” Jackie said, reading aloud what the list said.

  Instead of giving us a spare class or a substitute teacher, they had assigned us to temporary classes, so we continued with the work we needed to do. There were two grade twelve classes for BCT, Business Communications and Technology, and Geography, so that’s where Jackie and I would be heading to sit in on.

  As the classes were in the same direction, we both walked together.

  I still couldn’t get over that Mr Peters was not at class. I didn’t want to presume the worst, but when it came to Maddison and her vendettas, anything was possible.

  “Well…?”

  I raised my eyebrows at Jackie and responded, “Well…?”

  “What are you going to say? To Dale, I mean?”

  I sighed, “No, definitely no. I don’t even know if I’m going to the formal.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous, Lila. It’s our formal. You’re going.”

  I replied laughing, “With Dale then? Or with my imaginary partner?”

  “No, with me,” I heard a deep voice say behind me.

  Jackie’s eyes widened and I turned to see James.

  “Well, Lila, would you do me the honour in accompanying me to the school formal?” James asked.

  “I…”

  Jackie nudged my ribs.

  A smiled crept up onto my lips and I nodded softly. “Yes. I would love to.”

  “Well, it’s settled then!” Jackie said excitedly. “I’ve gotta run, Lila, but talk soon?”

  I smiled as she winked at me once again and walked off to class quickly.

  “Well, that would have been awkward if you had said no.”

  “I thought about it,” I joked.

  “Obviously!”

  He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and hugged me.

  I closed my eyes against him. “Do we have to?”

  “Have to do what?” he replied.

  “This. School. It all seems so insignificant now… with everything that’s happened.”

  He pulled away from me and looked down into my eyes. “You were never meant to know about me. You knowing has altered your fate, although I don’t know how exactly, I need you to continue to do what you were doing before you found out about me, okay, Lila? It’s important that you do that.”

  I hadn’t thought about the implications of James’s secrets and what they might have on not only my fate, but others. What if somehow me knowing had changed someone’s destiny? That somehow it had impacted on them.

  As if James was reading my mind, he said reassuringly, “Don’t think about it too much, Lila. You’ll only worry yourself more. These things are better when you don’t overthink it. Life will play out the way it should.”

  I nodded my head, but couldn’t shake the feeling that my actions now had a ripple on affect in the world, and somehow, I’d changed someone else’s fate… someone else’s destiny.

  We both reached our Business, Communications and Technology class just as the bell rang to indicate that our first lesson was to begin. I paused, however, as I reached the front door and twenty sets of eyes were on us, many of which didn’t look impressed.

  James rested his hand on my lower back, gently pushing me forward. I hesitated, but when Mr Colston stared impatiently at us, I willed myself to walk inside.

  James seemed unfazed by the attention as he strode with confidence into the class, clearing a computer area so that we were able to sit side by side together.

  I focused my attention on starting up the computer and opening up the Xcel spreadsheet I had been working on. When I stole a glance at the rest of the class, praying I wasn’t the centre of attention anymore, I was quickly treated to some serious death stares from the likes of Maddison, Kassidy, and surprisingly, Dale.

  “Now what have I done?” I hissed to James.

  James turned and looked at the class then back to me. “Maddison and Kassidy?”

  “No,” I replied, “I know why they’re looking at me like that. No, Dale. What’s his problem?”

  “Oh, him,” James replied casually. “He knows I asked you to the formal and that you said yes.”

  “What? How do you know that?”

  James kept a straight face, “I just know.”

  “Right, I’m guessing it’s just one of those things you can do then.”

  James rested his hand on my lap, “Don’t worry about them, Lila. I’ll smooth things over with Dale later.”

  “I’m trying not to,” I replied. “I just don’t like being the topic of conversation, and with all this drama with Maddison, it’s like I’m fuelling the fire.”

  “Well, just for a little while longer anyway. I overheard your sister this morning telling a number of people that I stayed at your house over the weekend.”

  I sighed. I knew Hayley would tell her friends, I hadn’t said to her James being at our house was a secret or anything. I just didn’t think the whole thing through enough. I was a little naive to think it wouldn’t cause a scene at school.

  Sure enough, James was right. After BCT, James and I parted to go to different classes and by the time I got to my second class, I can say without doubt that the whole school knew there was something going on with James and me. Before I entered the class, Mr Peters was walking by and he pulled me aside.

  “Is everything okay, Lila? I’ve noticed you’ve had a rocky couple of weeks with being sick and absent from school.”

  “Yeah,” I replied, “I’ve just been stressed out about exams and everything.”

  “It’s got nothing to do with Maddison then?”

  I shook my head, “No, I mean we’ve had our conflict, but I’m not letting it get to me.”

  “Good. School will be finished soon and you have your whole life ahead of you. You’re made for big things, Lila, and I don’t want people like Maddison to take that away from you.”

  “Thank you.”

  Mr Peters nodded his head, “I’ll let you go to class then.”

  “Hold on,” I quickly said, stopping him walking away. “Are you okay? You weren’t at class this morning. It wasn’t because of what happened with Maddison last week, was it? I hope my drama with her hasn’t caused any issues.”

  Mr Peters smiled. “Don’t trouble yourself over it, Lila. It’s nothing I can’t handle. I’ve dealt with families like Maddison’s for years now. They don’t like not being able to control people with their ‘influences’ and money. It will all smooth over shortly.”

  “As long as eve
rything is okay…”

  “It is. Now off to class, lots of study to do.”

  “Always,” I grumbled.

  Smiling, I said goodbye and breathed a sigh of relief that Mr Peters seemed okay.

  I appreciated Mr Peters taking the time to talk to me and see if everything was okay. He was one of the few teachers that I felt really cared about their students.

  Although I managed to dodge questions about James from the other kids in my next class, the amount of snickering and attention I got was enough for me to take the first chance I got and escape to the school forest at lunchtime, the moment the bell rang.

  I sat on the forest bench, my face in my hands.

  “That bad?”

  I looked up at James briefly, “What do you think?”

  He walked closer to me. Still standing, he said, “Is it the attention you don’t like, or is it the association with me that you don’t like?”

  I shook my head and looked into James eyes. “No, it’s not you. I just… this all happened so fast and I don’t even know how to explain it to myself, let alone other people. I’m getting asked how we got together, how you ended up staying the night, if I think you’ll stay the night again, if we are boyfriend and girlfriend-”

  James interrupted my rambling, “Yes. Tell them yes.”

  “Yes to what? That we are boyfriend and girlfriend?”

  “It’s the most honest response, wouldn’t you agree?”

  “I... I…” I shook my head. “I have no idea what we are, James. You’re an angel for Christ’s sake, and I’m a human. I doubt there is even a word to describe our relationship.”

  James leaned down and grabbed my hand, pulling me up towards him. He held the sides of my shoulders, his eyes bearing down into my own. “I don’t need words or a status to define our relationship. I know how I feel about you, and what that means to our relationship and me. But if you would have it that you need to label it as such, then label it that we are together, boyfriend and girlfriend as you would like to call it, although, those terms seem too simplistic to describe what we have.”

  I didn’t reply, I couldn’t. I’d lost myself in his embrace and words failed me.

  “I give myself to you, Lila. Everything I am and I have is yours, and if you’d allow it, I’d like to call you my own.”

  James moved his head towards mine, his lips pausing as they touched mine, and waiting for my answer.

  I replied softly, “I am yours.”

  His lips pressed against mine and I found my solace. Every troubling thought left my mind and all that remained was the vision of James and the emotions that he evocated within me. Without him, I was like pieces to a puzzle, scattered and uneasy, always searching for a way to fit in, a reason for my being.

  I felt my inner body glow at his touch. I didn’t want my lips ever to leave his. I didn’t want my hands ever to stop holding onto him. I wanted him so badly; a desire that fuelled my urgency as my lips held on to every embrace, and wickedly searched for more.

  I held restraint as our kiss slowed, taking in each tender moment. As our lips parted, my breathing remained unchanged. Our pace may have changed, but it hadn’t lessened the unyielding desperation I felt for him.

  James breathed, “With you… It’s as if everything and everyone before you was inconsequential. I have always known what to expect, and what is expected of me, but with you, I am completely and utterly blinded.”

  I smiled. “I’m glad I’m not the only one feeling like that.”

  Looking pleased, James whispered, “Now we better be leaving this place, someone will be in to talk to you after what they’ve just witnessed.”

  I raised my eyebrow, “Wha-”

  James stepped out from in front of me to my side and there stood Jackie, trying her hardest to hold back the laughter that was desperately trying to escape her lips.

  “Hey…”

  “Hey,” she said back, barely containing her giggles.

  James turned and looked at me. “I’ll leave you to it.”

  I nodded in reply.

  He leaned down and kissed my cheek, before saying goodbye and walking back towards the school oval. As he passed Jackie, he said with a grin on his face, “Lovely to see you again.”

  “You too,” she snickered.

  When James was out of earshot, she ran to my side. “Okay. Details. Now.”

  I laughed and took her arm in mine. “Where to start…”

  “Preferably from the beginning,” Jackie joked.

  I playfully pushed her side and proceeded to tell her all about James on the way to our next class. Much like the story I’d told Hayley, I’d left out all the details about James being an angel. Her reactions were similar to Hayley’s and both ended with their seal of approval.

  I waited in the car park for James when school finished. As I stood by my car, I watched as James, Dale, and Noah walked towards me.

  They all laughed together and as they approached me, Dale smiled and nodded to James, “See you tomorrow,” he then looked at me. “Lila.”

  I smiled awkwardly at Dale, and ignored all contact with Noah. I figured that was the best way of dealing with someone like him.

  My jaw nearly fell on the ground. “How on earth did you manage to become best buddies with Dale again in a day?”

  James shrugged his shoulders. “It’s a guy thing.”

  “Okay…”

  “I may have said something along the lines of… that you meant a lot to me and if he wanted to be friends with me, he would have to get over it and move on.”

  “That easy, hey?”

  “Boys are a lot simpler than girls.”

  “Clearly,” I replied laughing.

  James reached forward and grabbed my hand. He moved it in between his fingers and palm, gently playing it against his. With one touch, I was back to being his.

  “Will I see you later?” I asked.

  “If you want to.”

  “Of course.”

  “Until then,” he said, bringing my hand to his mouth and gently brushing his lips across them with a simple, yet soul crushing, kiss.

  I smiled, “Nobody does that anymore you know.”

  “I’m not nobody,” he said, winking at me and walking away.

  “No, you’re definitely not,” I said quietly as I watched him walk away. He glanced back at me once more and smiled before he walked out of sight.

  Sometimes, I nearly had to pinch myself that James was even real, and that he was interested in me. I just hoped it wasn’t too good to be true, but those kind of things usually are.

  8… FOREVER IS A VERY LONG TIME

  After twiddling my thumbs for a good portion of the afternoon, I put my head down and began some study. Next week was exam block, and the last week of my school life ever. I needed to focus… well, the best I could under the circumstances.

  It was late into the evening when I felt a gentle breeze touch the skin on my back. I quickly turned in my chair away from my desk with anticipation.

  I couldn’t contain my excitement when I saw James standing on my balcony grinning at me.

  I bounced off my chair and flung myself into his arms. He lifted me up so we were face to face and we both laughed like two silly kids in a playground.

  “Missed me?” James asked amused.

  My smile softened as I looked into his eyes and replied quietly, “Just a little bit.”

  I pressed my lips on his and was spellbound. It wasn’t until James lowered me back to the ground with my two feet pressing against the cool pavers, did I remember where I was.

  His fingers ran through my hair as he took deep breaths. When he opened his eyes he sighed, “I can’t stay.”

  “Why not?”

  “There are things I must attend to.”

  “Like angel things?”

  James smiled, “Yes, angel things. I still have a duty to uphold.”

  I nodded slowly, unable to hide the disappointment on my face. “Should I b
e worried?”

  “No, of course not.”

  “What is it that you do, exactly? Like I know you’re an angel of fate, but what does that mean? You don’t kill…”

  James stopped me short, “No, Lila. Never. We don’t decide fate, we just make sure they are following their designed paths. Most of the time its simple things like forgetting a textbook at home, or missing the bus. Every little thing you do defines your fate. We are there to ensure that everything goes as planned and only interfere when needed.”

  “So, does that mean you always know what I’m going to do next?”

  He laughed, “No. We have the ability to focus in on individual’s paths, but with you, it’s never that simple.”

  “Why?”

  “You like to change your fate. You don’t stick with your designed path. You often make choices that are constantly changing your future. It’s not uncommon for people to do this, but it is rare. You’ve been the hardest one I’ve had so far, and being with you hasn’t helped…. It’s as if your future is blurred with me, I can’t get a clear reading. One minute you’re going in this direction, the next minute you’re going in another.”

  “Is that bad?”

  “Don’t concern yourself with it. I’ve told you before, we can only steer you on your path for so long, and in the end, you can determine your own fate.” James lifted my chin with his fingers. “I will see you tomorrow, Lila. I promise you, if I could, I would never leave your side.”

  I tried my best to smile and reassure him I was okay. As I watched him fly off into the sky, I couldn’t help but be left feeling strange. It was moments like that, when I remembered who he really was. Beyond the feelings I had for him, and the moments we shared, it would never be simple for us, and he would always remain who he truly was…an angel.

  ***

  I usually loved storms, but the one that hit on Tuesday wasn’t fun. Half the school decided that they would spend their lunch break in the Library, meaning my study session was never going to happen. Some of the buildings in our school were scattered, leaving little protection from the forces of nature. To say I was relieved when I got home to get out of my soggy clothes, was an understatement.