When James came over that night and said he wanted to take me to watch the storm, I nearly fell backwards.
“Seriously?” I said with my eyebrows raised. “I just got dry! I feel like a wet dog!”
“Seriously,” he imitated, “you’ll be fine. You won’t get wet, I promise.”
I laughed. “There is no way you can keep that promise.”
James stood at the door with his arms crossed.
“Oh, God. You are serious, aren’t you?”
He slowly nodded his head.
“Fine,” I sighed, “let’s go.”
I walked towards the door but James stood his ground in front of it, not budging one bit.
“Well, come on,” I said, nudging him.
“Not that way?”
“Wha… What?” I stuttered.
James nodded towards the balcony.
“Oh…” a smile formed on my lips, “that way…”
James smiled and took my hand, leading me out to the balcony.
He wrapped his arms around me. “Hold on tight.”
I pressed my body against him and took a deep breath.
With one quick push from James, we were up in the air. We pushed through the thick, dense clouds. I knew I should have been scared with the lightning and thunder as it struck around us, but with James, I wasn’t. It wasn’t like anything I’d seen before. There was something magical the way it lit up the sky.
It wasn’t long until we reached the Cliffside we’d been to only days before, and when James set me down on my feet, I looked over my body, and not one drop had fallen on me.
“How did you do that?” I exclaimed in sheer disbelief.
James replied, “It’s a secret.”
I shook my head and watched as his wings settled down against his back. No doubt, they had protected us from the rain, and also his little power of manipulation played a part.
“They are so beautiful,” I said, brushing my hand across his feathers.
“They haven’t always been like this.”
“No?”
He smiled, “They took a bit of a beating in the first couple of decades I had them.”
I raised my eyebrows.
“I was still very young when I became an Angel of Moirai. I liked to push the boundaries. I didn’t respect my role the way I do now. I used my abilities wrongfully, which lead to many…” he searched for the word. “Disagreements with other Angels of Moirai.”
“Bad boy, James, hey? I’d like to see that.”
“There’s a bad side to all of us, Lila,” he said while leaning in and touching my lips against his.
It didn’t matter how many times I kissed James, every time seemed just as perfect as the last. The way he traced his lips with mine, the taste of his lips, and the warmth that radiated from the tip of my head down to my toes.
Even with the cracking thunder and lightning, all I was able to hear and feel was James. If only I were to live one moment again, then I would happily live that moment until the day I died.
***
The news of James and I together continued to stay the topic of conversation on everyone’s lips, even with the impending school formal. It didn’t matter what anyone was talking about, as soon as James and I walked into a room, all eyes were on us.
It seemed too that Dale had truly gotten over the whole situation, as he was being rather friendly with me and back to his playboy ways with the rest of the girls at our school. A number of girls, particular Maddison and Kassidy, hadn’t gotten over it yet and even as James and I walked to my car on Wednesday afternoon, I could still overhear the less than pleasant words coming out of their mouths about me.
As I pulled up my car that afternoon at home, James was already at my door, as usual, opening it for me to get out. Funny how such a simple gesture warmed my heart. Other men should take note. It’s the simple things that count.
“Why, thank you, kind sir,” I mocked jokingly.
“It’s a pleasure, Miss. Anything else I can be of service to you?” he replied in a posh English accent.
“Well, there is one other thing,” I said, my voice lowering, “there is this kink in my neck that just won’t go away.”
I grazed my right side of my neck with my fingers.
“Whatever shall we do,” he said quietly, the corner of his mouth whispering a smile. He leaned down and pressed his neck to my neck. I closed my eyes in response, devouring the touch of his lips as his tender kisses made their way up to my mouth, but before his lips could reach mine, I placed my finger on his lips.
“It would be improper of me to let this continue,” I joked again in my English accent. “What would people say?”
I made an exaggerated sigh and turned to make my way towards the front door.
I heard James say behind me, “I know exactly what they’d say.”
When I turned to look at him, he had the most devilish look on his face. So I did what any proper person would do, I ran.
Just as I reached the front door, pushing it open in front of us, James scooped me up into his arms. I squealed with laughter as my books fell to the ground.
He wasted no time in planting kisses all over my face and neck, I withered beneath his clasp, but my attempts at escape were dismal, and it only seem to make him laugh more.
It wasn’t until the sound of someone clearing their throat did I realise that we weren’t alone. We both froze, and I turned my head to see Anne standing only a few feet away, with an unimpressed look on her face.
“Anne,” I said as James slowly lowered me to the ground.
“Lila,” she replied, “and you are?” her question directed at James.
“James,” he replied smiling and reaching out his hand to shake hers. “Pleasure to meet you, Anne.”
“Mmmm,” Anne replied, hesitantly shaking James hand.
James opened his mouth to say something else, but he must have changed his mind. Instead, he looked at me and exhaled, “I better go, Lila.”
“I think that’s a good idea,” Anne replied.
James nodded. “Again, lovely to meet you, Anne,” he said before turning to me. “Talk to you later?”
“Yep,” I replied, trying to hide the smile on my face.
I had never seen James so out of his element. It was highly amusing.
Anne waited until James closed the door behind him before she crossed her arms in front of her chest and questioned, “So who is he? Are you together? Why haven’t I met him yet?”
“He is a senior at my school, recently transferred…”
“Transferred?” She interrupted. “This late in the school year?”
“Yeah,” I replied a bit stumped. “Family business I think…”
“Mmmm. So you’re together then?”
“Yes, but we only just got together.”
“Do your parents know about him?”
I was a bit taken aback. “I’ll be sure to let them know, the next time they call of course. Could be a few months before then,” I shot back, making my way to the front stairs.
Anne grabbed my arm. “Lila.”
I looked at her pleading eyes and knew I’d hurt her. “Sorry…”
“Your parents care about you.”
“They have a funny way of showing it,” I said softly, fighting back the tears. My parents were not a subject I liked to discuss, ever. It didn’t matter how hard of an exterior I put up, they could pull my walls down and leave me exposed in a matter of seconds, and I hated it.
“I haven’t ever seen you this way before. It looks serious.”
I played nervously with my hands. “It might be,” I sighed, “I don’t know, Anne. He’s different, you know. He isn’t like anyone else I know. With him, I feel like I’m the only person in the world. He makes me feel like the true Lila. The Lila I didn’t even know exist. It feels so right, I know it sounds crazy…”
“It’s not crazy,” Anne quickly said. “Love is love.”
“Love...” I t
oyed with the word. “Whatever it is, I don’t want it to stop. I just want to press the pause button on my life. I’m happy. I think I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”
“I can see that. Come,” Anne said, taking my hand. “Why don’t I make you some afternoon tea and you can tell me more about this mysterious James that’s stolen my Lila’s heart.”
I smiled and took her hand.
We talked over afternoon tea the way a mother and daughter were meant to talk, only Anne wasn’t my mother, but that didn’t worry me anyway.
I’d waited up for James that night, thinking he was going to come and visit, but as the hours ticked on, my eyes grew heavy. He didn’t have a mobile, if he hadn’t been an angel I would have considered him somewhat strange, so there was no way to contact him. I waited up, hoping he would show, but all the stress with upcoming exams and handing in final assessments consumed me, and it wasn’t until the early hours in the morning did I wake.
“James?” I croaked, sitting up on my bed. The sound of the sliding door closing had woken me, but there was no one in the room. It was still dark, although I could see in the far distance the sun beginning its journey into the sky.
When I had just about convinced myself that it must have just been a dream, I spotted a silver coloured glistening dress hanging on the mirror in my walk in wardrobe.
I jumped out of bed and walked over to it quickly. It was breathtakingly beautiful. It was a strapless, full length, silver paillette-covered sequined grown. There was a slit up the thigh of one side, and already with the little sunlight, it glistened in all its beauty.
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.
Angels of Moirai (Book One) Page 12
