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CHAPTER 2

“Thank goodness you’re all right.” There’s a tiny hitch in his voice that I don’t think I’m supposed to hear.

Holy crap! The boy with the voice is kneeling over me. He’s so luminous my eyes water as I painfully squint up at him in awe. He makes a small noise between a gasp and a chuckle, and shifts slightly. It no longer hurts to look at him. Now that he’s not silhouetted against the glaring sun, I can see him better. And he’s still heartbreakingly glorious.

Glowing with a golden, shimmering light, I discern he’s not the angel I was about to mistake him for… he’s just a boy. An exquisite boy, flowing with goodness and beauty. But part of what I initially mistook for his halo’s merely a trick of the sun light. He shifts again.

Or is it?

As he reaches out his hand to help me up, I still want to weep at the sight of him and wonder if I’m in shock. But I don’t feel like I’m in shock. Just overwhelmed by the most beautiful boy I’ve ever seen.

He continues to gaze down at me, a small smile quirking his lips. But since I only just met him, I don’t know what that particular expression means.

My stomach flutters anyway.

I smile back and it feels foreign as my cheeks stretch tightening my lips. Alex doesn’t smile. Mostly she just hides from the dark ones…and herself.

When I place my hand in his, electricity – tingling warmth – shoots up my arm. He’s so beautiful.  Sandy-blonde hair with wheat colored streaks, sun-kissed skin, Caribbean-blue eyes fringed with long lashes and a full, kissable mouth. That last embarrassing observation has my tongue darting reflexively between my own lips.

After he helps me to my feet I try to thank him, uttering, “Beautiful.”

It comes out as a hoarse croak and I suddenly realize it’s not the first time I’ve said that word out loud to him. “Uh – I mean, thank you,” I stammer, feeling my face grow red hot. My abused throat burns. “Thanks.”

“I think I should walk you home. Under the circumstances.” He says it mildly but in a way that tells me the subject’s not open for debate. Not that I would argue anyway. His voice is commanding; deep, smooth and lyrical. Hypnotic.

Dumbly, I nod, my head bobbing up and down under his spell. “Uh, okay.”

He slings his backpack over one arm then reaches for mine, shouldering it as well. Next, he smiles widely at me and I’m momentarily dazzled. And my instinct is to run away, protect myself from this handsome boy who must have some kind of ulterior motive… but his shining halo doesn’t lie. His halo tells me he’s good, safe.

“I’m Gabriel,” he says. He’s got perfect teeth, white like pearls.

I don’t smile back. I can’t. My whole body’s trembling. I glance down at my feet because it hurts too much to look at him. “I’m Alexia.”

Damn! Why did I say that? I’m opening my mouth to amend my introduction, when I hear my name coming from his mesmerizing voice. “Alexia.”

It’s like it comes from somewhere deep inside him, some place familiar and safe.

Chancing a glance at him, I’m captured by his searching crystalline eyes, tumbling into their depths with little resistance. He whispers again, “Alexia.”

Now he shivers. Glancing away, he breaks the intensity between us. I watch his Adam’s apple bob enticingly as he swallows. His neck’s smooth and looks soft.

Carefully, Gabriel places a gentle hand on the small of my back. We both tense at the contact and it strangely occurs to me he’s as unused to touching as I am to being touched.

“Lead the way.” He sounds restrained, but I can’t read him well enough to figure out precisely why. We walk stiffly, in perfect silence. The pressure of his hand on my back’s so light I can’t be sure it’s really there. Except the spot tingles.

As we walk the three remaining blocks to my temporary home, Gabriel stays close. It feels surreal but surprisingly okay. In front of Kate and Steven’s, I reluctantly slow, then halt. When I turn to thank him, he’s so close that our lips are just inches apart.

He smells of evergreens…and the smoke from a hardwood fire. I’m reminded of the only time I ever went camping in the mountains. The sensation of being one with nature and in tune with a Majestic Creator.

Neither one of us moves.

Butterflies pirouette inside my stomach as Gabriel’s eyes slide away from my mouth to examine my neck. The way he scowls at my damaged throat makes me suspect it appears even worse than it feels, if such a thing’s possible. He lifts his hand as if to touch my skin. In anticipation, I swallow then wince because the motion hurts. He lets his hand drop, his lower lip jutting out slightly in annoyance.

After an awkward pause he asks, “What time do you leave for school in the morning?” To my inexperienced ears he sounds terse, but I can’t be sure.  And I’m distracted because he’s staring at my mouth again.

Unclear what he’s really asking, I hesitate, trying to read his expression. But he doesn’t accommodate me by looking up. “Uh, seven fifteen – ish?”

He winces at my raspy answer, but still doesn’t meet my eyes. The muscle in his jaw jumps. He’s angry. I wonder at whom? And why? Surely he doesn’t think what happened – back there – is my fault? Even as the thought passes, a small part of me agrees that it is my fault.

And he has every right to be angry. I forgot to watch for the darkness.

“Okay. I’ll see you in the morning, Alexia.” He bites his lip, hesitating. What he’s struggling with is a mystery. Finally, his eyes pierce mine and I’m flooded with the tidal wave of anguish that overflows from his angelic features. “I’m sorry I was late.”

With a fierce frown, he turns and walks away.

I watch Gabriel’s retreating golden form until he’s gone. He doesn’t look back, and I’ve got no idea how I’m supposed to feel about that. Inexplicably I have the urge to cry, whether from sorrow, shock, or happiness, I can’t tell.

What just happened seems impossible, like a dream. I begin to wonder if I’ve hallucinated the whole thing – him. But there’s a spot on my back where the skin still sings from his touch.

Is he really going to be here in the morning?

Alarmingly my face cracks and I realize I’m smiling to myself. That’s new. Gabriel nearly makes me forget I’ve just lived through hell. Shaking my head at it all, I go inside the comfortable home that’ll never be mine. But I am still smiling.

*

Over our take-out dinner of Szechwan shrimp, Kate asks me how my first day was. Unable to remember anything other than Gabriel, I hesitate. But the memory of him is one of the few things that belong to me and I’m reluctant to share it. Instead I shrug. “Uh, fine, I guess. It was school.”

“Did you make any new friends?”

My face starts to crack. Again, I’m surprised by the involuntary gesture. Tensing my muscles, I duck my head doing my best not to smile. “A few kids have potential.” I’m deliberately vague but she doesn’t press. She has probably noticed my neck, but she doesn’t ask about that either. She just nods and returns to her dinner.

Kate’s sort of like a perky pixie. Her short platinum hair spikes expensively around her head. She has beautiful, petite features – even her hands and feet are tiny – and the richest, most expressive, chocolate-brown eyes I’ve ever seen. They’re even more penetrating than Derry’s bistre-colored ones. Her champagne halo bubbles around her invitingly.

Always smiling, you get the feeling Kate’s a born nurturer. She doesn’t pry, knows when to back off and when to encourage, and always sees the positive. But at the corner of her mouth and in the hidden depths of her eyes, there‘s a grief so profound I can’t comprehend it. Maybe that’s why I feel kind of bad not telling her about Gabriel.

Steven arrives home a few minutes later. His job often requires him to work late and Kate tells me, because of this, she’s grateful for my company. As he sits, I study his expensive blue suit, his pale green shirt, impeccably matched tie, and daffodil halo. His freshly cut hair’s the color of espresso with subtle gray streaks invading at the temples. He has the appearance of someone important, busy. But his astute hazel eyes really see when he focuses on something or someone. And if you look closely, you can see evidence of laugh lines in the contours of his face.

I’m in the process of passing Steven dumplings when his perceptive eyes focus on something they don’t like. Abruptly his countenance is severe, almost scary. “What happened to your neck, Alex?”

Kate has noticed it as well – the look they exchange is unmistakable.

Instinctively my hands rise to cover the area, to protect my secrets. But touching my neck’s a bad idea because the flesh is too tender. I wince, trying to stifle a gasp and come up with a plausible explanation at the same time.

“A locker,” I lie. “Mine’s low and I ran into the elbow of the guy whose locker’s above mine. It looks worse than it is. Really.”

Another glance is exchanged, and then Steven lets it go. As he settles into eating, he asks all the same questions as his wife did earlier. Giving all the same answers, I wait until his curiosity is satisfied then asked to be excused.

In my room, I replay my interaction with Gabriel. All the confusing feelings come back – the fluttering, the trembling, the smiling – especially the smiling. I try to finish my homework, which is minimal being the first day and all, but Gabriel keeps distracting me. My neck throbs and my face aches from smiling.

I sleep like crap.

*

When I wake, the butterflies in my stomach are already rambunctious. Will he be waiting for me? After tossing all night, I’m still uncertain as to whether I want this. Briefly, I consider sneaking out early, just in case he shows. But I’m not a morning person and the extra time I spend on my appearance, for no reason in particular, costs me.

When I burst from the house at seven fifteen, Gabriel’s sitting on the porch steps. He’s even more beautiful, if such a thing’s possible, than on the previous day. Without a word, he stands and reaches for my bag, his movements smooth and confident. The look he gives me, as his eyes search mine, is penetrating.

“Ready?” he asks, as if he would completely understand if I said “no”.  I bob my head somberly, but in reality I’m not ready for any of it, returning to school or this boy in front of me. As if knowing my thoughts he stifles a small frown and shoulders our bags. Again, his hand rests at my back in a touch so light the only way I can be sure is my skin’s awareness. I want to ask him to stop touching me, but I can’t seem to get the words out.

Just seven blocks.

At the corner of Fort Thomas Gabriel switches sides careful to keep his body between me and the busy street. The gesture is so protective and male, that I feel vaguely annoyed by it.

“Are you alright, Alexia?”

“Fine.” Even as I answer, I feel the frown puckering my features. But Gabriel lets it drop.

As we walk, I sneak sidelong glances at him. Encircling him in a thick ring of gold extending outward in spiky white tips, his halo makes it still seems like he’s backlit by the sun despite the cloudiness of the morning. Overcome with the urge to gawk at his radiance, I try to distract myself by focusing on the features of the boy inside the stunning halo. My heart stutters as I admit how breathtakingly gorgeous he is. Even with my new wardrobe and haircut, I feel completely inadequate by his side.

Distracted by his perfection, I don’t notice we are nearing Orchard Avenue until we’re at the corner. Awareness hits me like a sucker punch. Short of breath and in physical pain, I freeze, unable to cross the street, unwilling to get closer to the source of my new nightmares. The pressure of Gabriel’s hand increases.  His fingers brush my back in small circular strokes.

Eyes widening, I suck air noisily through my nose. My yogic breathing doesn’t work this time and the terror threatens to overtake me. Then Gabriel’s warm hand is cupping my chin, forcing me to focus only on him. “It’s okay, Alexia. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

And I desperately want to believe him.

He moves to the inside of the sidewalk, becoming a buffer between me and the dark memories of that particular street. His head’s close to mine, his breath tickling my neck as he whispers into my ear, “You’re strong. You’re brave. You can do this.” Over and over, like a litany.

Before I can give into my panic, we’ve moved beyond the corner. But it’s still uncomfortable because I’m leaning on Gabriel, in the literal and figurative senses. The feeling of security’s so huge, such a relief, that I can’t trust it.

“I’m fine,” I lie pasting a bright smile on my face and stepping away from his warmth. The minute our contact breaks I feel cold and strangely bereft. “Let’s go.”

Gabriel keeps pace as I charge my way toward school. At the crosswalk I reach for my bag, which Gabriel surrenders with a barely noticeable amount of reluctance. It’s better if we part company before anyone notices us. After all, my goal is to be invisible and Gabriel’s about as visible as they come. With his celebrity looks, he couldn’t be inconspicuous if he tried. But as I mentally dismiss him something akin to physical pain settles heavily in my chest. Crap!

“Thanks Gabriel. I’ll be fine from here.” With a drop of his hand he nods.

The light changes and I hurry across the street in the middle of a yellow mob of kids, determined not to glance back over my shoulder. My heart twists, as if it misses him already – totally ridiculous since I just met the guy. Walking straight to Algebra, I keep my head down carefully skirting around any dark ones in my way. In the classroom I sit in the same front seat as the day before. About as far away from Jonah Wilkes as I can get.

A second later Gabriel slips quietly into the second row, one seat from the end. As he adjusts his desk, I realize he’s directly between me and Jonah. He grins, despite my scowl, and the effect he has on me is more powerful than ever. My stomach somersaults while I grip my desk so hard my knuckles whiten. The whole class is focused on him – for he’s too beautiful to be overlooked – chattering excitedly. Out of the side of my mouth I hiss, “What do you think you’re doing?”

He answers me the same way. “Math.”

Girls are twittering about him, using words like hot and doable. As the teacher calls the class to order, I glance over my shoulder and whisper, “You have this class?”

He leans forward causing his sandy-blonde hair to flop over one eye. “I do now,” he whispers back with a conspiratorial wink. Everyone’s staring at him – and me.

Mr. Ramirez clears his throat and I’m out of time to suggest Gabriel sits somewhere else. My face is burning as I sink down in my seat. For the next hour I pay rapt attention to the teacher but it might as well be Greek. I don’t comprehend a word.

I do learn Gabriel’s last name is Kustosz.

When the bell rings I’m one of the first ones out of my seat, but before I can escape Gabriel’s at my elbow following me down the hall. Although I'm ignoring him, we’re too close not to be together. I’m hyper aware of his heat, his halo, his amazing smell. All around us I hear bits of conversations – kids talking about us. Feeling their scrutiny, I don’t dare look at anything other than my shoes as the humiliation burns in my cheeks. Inspiration flashes and I halt, suddenly.

Pausing to let Gabriel get ahead of me doesn’t work. He stops too, his familiar hand coming to rest against the small of my back. I stare straight ahead, keeping my voice discreet. “What’re you doing?”

His voice is also low, low and amused. “Going to our next class, Alexia.”

Unable to help myself, I turn and glower at him. My response is out of control and louder than I want it to be. “There’s no ‘our’, Gabriel. There’s ‘yours’ and ‘mine’. No ‘us’!” Everyone within earshot is curiously watching, ravenous for gossip

He’s tranquil in the face of my anger, his smiling eyes radiate patience. Looking down at me he tucks an errant strand of hair behind my ear. His fingertips softly graze my cheek causing me to shiver. Instantly I feel as fearsome as a fuzzy kitten.

“Maybe there should be.” He stuns me with his dazzling smile.

Without a word, I make a beeline for French.

In class Madame Mimi showers an inappropriate amount of attention on Gabriel. She flirts outrageously, giggling and flipping her hair, but I seem to be the only one who notices. I decide to call her Madame Putain. It fits.

On the way to third period, I pretend he doesn’t exist. Only I can feel the searing heat of his hand against my back. When we enter class, he keeps himself between me and Jonah all the way to our seats. Coincidence? I wonder as he sits behind me again, one seat over. Although Jonah’s the deep slate of a stormy ocean, with Gabriel between us, his halo barely affects me.

Gabriel, on the other hand, I am keenly aware of…every movement, every shift, every breath. For the next hour, I try to concentrate on biology, but all I can think about is chemistry.

After science, I try another tactic and hide in the girls’ bathroom until the bell rings. The space has a cold institutional feel I find comforting. From inside my stall I stare at the cracked blue floor tiles and read the graffiti that covers the walls.  I learn Naomi is a slut. At least in someone’s opinion.

I’ve spent a lot of time hiding in bathrooms.

Not caring if I’m late, I actually consider ditching Government altogether until the Fosters’ concerned faces fill my head. Crap! When I finally emerge into the empty hall, Gabriel’s lounging against the wall, unconcerned. He grins as annoyance crosses my face, pointing out smugly, “You’re late for Government.”

His smile, I want to slap it off his face…or kiss it away.

Crap! Crap! Crap!

My words, short and clipped to cover my traitorous thoughts, sound angrier than I feel. “If you care so much, you should’ve left me.”

That gets the smile off his face. He grips my shoulders firmly but without hurting me. It actually feels sort of nice. “I’m not going to leave you,” he insists.

It feels as if he’s talking about something other than class, something I don’t understand but sense is bigger than I can handle. I grumble, “Even if I ask you nicely?”

As my words sink in, he blinks several times. “Would you do that?”

“What?” My sullen response causes his eyes to widen.

“Ask me to leave you?” There’s surprise with an undercurrent of something I can’t quite identify in his voice. It almost feels like panic, but since we are practically strangers the emotion makes no sense.

Ducking my head, I avoid the answer with a question of my own. “Even if I did, would you really go?” A red thread-like fiber curls on the ground near my feet, I stare at it while waiting for him to answer, afraid of what he’ll say.

Soft as a feather, his fingers trace my jaw line. Gently, he lifts my head until we’re staring into each other’s eyes. His narrow with import. “If you really wanted me to leave, I would.”

The air between us is heavy with his unspoken plea. It hits me that he doesn’t want to be sent away and I don’t really want him to go – at least not for today. The stark vulnerability of need twists in my stomach. I feel weak and scared, because I don’t want to need him. I don’t want to need anybody.

“Do you, Alexia?”

His words flow over me like a haunting melody causing me to forget the original question. “Do I what?”

“Want me to go?”

Quietly he clears his throat and for the first time he appears uncertain. His eyes continue to hold mine and I’m unable to look away, to protect myself even in that small way as I admit the truth.

“No.”

I tremble slightly as the confession hangs between us.  He swallows and I watch the way his throat bobs, the way his jaw muscles flex, the way his lips ripple, and his pupils expand… Movement at the end of the hall breaks the moment. Gabriel sighs, reaching for my bag. “We should get to class.”

Dumbly nodding, I turn away from him, my body feeling shaky and unreliable. It takes all my concentration not to stagger.  Anger and guilt tangle in my chest as I try to process what just happened. Then I feel Gabriel’s steady hand settle reassuringly into the small of my back and bite back a growl. “Maybe you shouldn’t touch me.”

Wordlessly he lets his hand drop, and I nearly relent.

At the door to Government, he stops and hands my bag back to me. I pause, confused. “Don’t you have this class?”

His left eyebrow dips as he inquires, “Do you need me to?”

I think for a moment, wondering at his cryptic question before shaking my head. “I guess not.”

“I’ll meet you right here for lunch.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“I insist.”

“Whatever.”

Although he’s waiting for me to go, I hesitate, worried about after lunch. As much as I want to, I don’t think I can face Mr. Creepy on my own. But I can’t bring myself to admit it. Clearing my throat, I ask, “What about – nevermind...”

When he looks at me – a deep, searing stare that shakes me to my core – it’s as if he knows my mind. “This is the only class we have apart. So the bad news is you’re going to have to put up with me the rest of the day and I’m not taking ‘no’ for an answer.”

Relieved and more than a little grateful, I nod. Giving my hand a quick squeeze, he lightly admonishes, “Now get to class. You’re late.”

 In that moment I’m too mollified to realize how bizarre it is that he knows our collective schedule. But as I sit in Government, self-loathing sets in. I hate that I’m counting on Gabriel to get me through English. It’d be better to leave – get away from him and from the Fosters before thing become complicated. The only person I can depend on is myself. I know this from experience.

Afterwards, Gabriel’s waiting just like he promised. As we walk to lunch together, amidst stares and whispers, I resign myself to no longer being invisible. But as we enter the cafeteria, I’m ill-prepared for the resulting attention.

First everything comes to an immediate halt. Noise stops and movement ceases in an almost exaggerated way, reminding me of a poorly-made sitcom. The result is disorienting. My body reacts in fight or flight mode as Gabriel smoothly steers me through the maze of gawking students to an empty table in the back.

In a stupor, I let him seat me facing the wall. As he settles across the table, I fidget uncomfortably, panicking because I can’t have my back to everyone. Needing to watch for the darkness, I try to glance over my shoulders at my surroundings without being obvious about it but the movements make me nauseous and agitate my injured neck. Noticing my distress, Gabriel stops unpacking his lunch to pat the seat beside him.

“Why don’t you come sit next to me, Alexia.”

I want to, but worry what people with think.

Continuing to read my mind, he offers, “They’re already talking about us. There’s no reason for you to be sitting over there in agony, when you would be more comfortable on this side.”

As painful as it is to admit, he’s right. So I switch sides. I try not to sit too close but, because there’s a metal bar in my way, end up touching his thigh with mine. Despite our layers of clothing, my leg tingles where we connect. If Gabriel notices, though, he doesn’t react. Instead he watches with interest as I pull a Vitamin Water and a cereal bar from my backpack. With a frown he asks, “That’s all you’re having?”

I shrug. “Didn’t think I’d be very hungry.”

Nodding he begins unpacking his lunch, producing a thick sandwich loaded with veggies and meat on wholegrain bread, an apple, a banana, a Vitamin Water like mine, and a tiny package of Oreos.

“Here,” he says handing me his banana.

Hungrier than I anticipated, I take it without arguing. “Thanks.”

“You’re most welcome.” Crooking an eyebrow, he contemplates me challengingly. “You’re also eating half my Oreos.”

His edict makes me laugh because he has no clue how crazy I am for Oreos. “Half?” I retort, “I was planning on eating them all.” I grab them possessively, clutching them to my chest. Pulling at my hands, Gabriel makes a mock attempt to reclaim his dessert. We scuffle, wrenching the cookies back and forth, until we’re both quaking with laughter.

“Is this seat taken?” I look up to see two cheerleaders smiling – all vacant and phony but dazzling nonetheless – down at Gabriel. My heart slams painfully in my chest as I realize I’ve let my guard down yet again.

Or maybe my pain has to do with how lovely the two girls are with their perfect makeup and short, sexy uniforms. One blonde and the other brunette, they resemble what I imagine to be the epitome of every teenaged boy’s fantasy. Once they capture Gabriel’s attention, they sit down uninvited.

“I’m Naomi Bennett,” the brunette bimbo says coyly. Her halo’s a smudge, merely a slight darkening around her edges like a grease stain. She nods toward the blonde. “This is Kendra Douglas.”

“Hi,” chirps the blonde one. “You’re Gabriel, right?” She tosses her hair with such skill it should be an Olympic event. Kendra’s surrounded by a flimsy ring the color of stale beer. She’s barely good, which becomes apparent in the way she’s blindly following Naomi’s lead.

They don’t acknowledge my existence as they make themselves at home at our table. Their attention is exclusively for the gorgeous boy at my side. Suddenly, I am invisible again.

Deflated by the turn of events, I turn away to catch Jonah watching us. Hate shoots like daggers from his eyes toward the two girls seated opposite me and I wonder at the history behind his scowl. All of a sudden, he’s conscious of my scrutiny. Giving me a quick, sharp glare, he turns back into himself, his chaotic halo darkening into slate as he picks at his lunch.

“Alexia?” Gabriel’s breath is low and humid against my ear. I realize he’s been speaking to me, waiting for some kind of response. At some point he has nestled his hand against my back. My skin begins to sing with awareness and I scoot away.

Shaking my head to clear it, I snap back to him. “Sorry, I must’ve zoned out.” As I turn toward him, he doesn’t pull back. He – is – so – close.

An involuntary shiver trembles down my spine as our noses brush. He swallows, a small gulp so loud it fills my ears causing me to tremble even more. My stomach tingles in an unfamiliar yet not unpleasant way.

Alarmed he pulls back, holding me at an arm’s length for evaluation. “Are you all right?” The concern in his sea-colored eyes makes them wide.

“Fine.” Nodding self-consciously I fiddle with my water as Gabriel opens his Oreos, giving me two and keeping the other half for himself.

“Oooh,” crows Naomi enthusiastically. “I just love Oreos. They’re the best.”

Gabriel grins. “Yep.”

To my extreme satisfaction, not only doesn’t he offer her any, but he seems to take great pleasure in breaking them apart and slowly savoring them in her face. His thigh presses against mine and I wonder if his action is conscious, if he’s deliberately maximizing our contact.

“So Gabriel, how do you like Midlands High?” Naomi smiles at him sweetly, overlooking the cookies. But I get the impression she’s not used to being ignored.

“Fine.”

“Is it better than your old school?” Kendra bats her eyelashes at him then backs off as Naomi elbows her under the table.

“Yes.”

As the two girls attempt to chat with him, Gabriel remains polite and brief. Even in the face of his one syllable answers, they can’t take a hint. He makes a private joke of rolling his eyes at me as he exaggeratedly eats his Oreos, and before I know it, I’m playing along with my own cookies.

When the bell rings, Gabriel clears our combined trash without a word. I’m still sitting when the cheerleaders stand in tandem. “What class have you got next?” Naomi asks.

“English,” he answers curtly.

They move to intercept him on his way back from the waste bin, chattering over the top of one another. “We’ve got English too!”

“Isn’t Mr. Abernathy the best?”

“Did you get yesterday’s homework assignment, since you were out?”

“He’s one of the best teachers at this school. He’s won National awards and everything.”

“My locker’s right on the way, I could get you the answers.”

“He’s really handsome, for a teacher and all.”

Naomi tries to take his arm, but Gabriel successfully evades her grasp. Parting them like the Red Sea, he reaches out to help me to my feet. His lips twitch with barely contained mirth that makes his eyes sparkle.

Glancing at me as if I’m some spider she just noticed crawling across her shoe, Naomi shoves at Kendra and they flank Gabriel in unison. “Walk with us,” she begs.

“No thank you.” Looking pointedly at me he asks, “Are you ready Alexia?”

I’m anything but ready. But I won’t admit it. He remains motionless, hand outstretched, waiting for me to surrender my bag to him. The cheerleaders are hovering and in a fit of impulsiveness I sling my backpack at Gabriel in an enthusiastic arc that nearly knocks Naomi down. Choking back a giggle, I enjoy the rush of satisfaction as she stumbles backwards.

Kendra rushes to her friend’s aid as Gabriel catches my carelessly flung bag. Disapproval radiates from his eyes and the tight set of his lips but I don’t care. In this strange new world where I have to suffer perky cheerleaders and perfect boys, it feels good to lash out. As Jonah brushes past me, I see the smirk on his face and I know he gets it.

Shooting daggers with her eyes, Naomi stomps past us dragging Kendra by the arm. “Bitch,” she snarls.

“Was that really necessary, Alexia?”  The disappointment in Gabriel’s eyes fuels my mood.

“Yes,” I answer, feeling defiant and perversely happy.

With a soft shake of his head, he asks, “Are you ready for our next class?”

The smile freezes on my face as the realization that I have English next sinks in. The knowledge causes instant corporeal pain and I regret having eaten. My heart sharply accelerates in anticipation as my legs turn to rubber. Mr. Creepy’s sickening behavior speeds through my mind blurring the present surroundings.

Everything in the scene before me goes fuzzy around the edges. Solid objects start to dissipate as the floor tilts, pitching up to meet me at an impossible angle. Then, everything vanishes.

THE HALO CHRONICLES:

THE GUARDIAN

Happiness damn near destroys you
Breaks your faith to pieces on the floor
So you tell yourself that’s enough for now
But happiness has a violent roar

The Fray

CHAPTER 1

When I was a little girl I thought the shadows could harm me. I was terrified of them. Then I learned there are far worse things in this world than the absence of light… things like hate, racism, pure evil, and high school. Yep, that’s what I said, high school. Most people overlook the real darkness of the world, seeing instead average citizens – adults mostly, some teens, a few kids, an occasional teacher – but I see them for what they are: monsters. Now I look for the shadows, welcome them even. There’s safety in shadows. Especially when your only goal in high school, in life, is to be invisible…

*

Seven long blocks.

I tell myself that’s all it is – a cake walk. Basically I lie.

Kate and Steven have already left for the day, so I linger on their freshly painted front porch taking in the variations of pastel blue and antique white gingerbread trim. Inhaling deeply, the pungent chemical smell of the paint slices through my fear allowing me to clear my head. The acrid scent is strangely soothing.

For a minute I regret not accepting the ride offered to me. Kate wanted to stay. Drive me to the first day of school, my being new and all. But I tell her that’s not the way it’s done when you’re a sophomore. She gets it and lets the subject drop. She’s good that way.

I shut the front door, which is the same shade of red as a Christmas poinsettia, taking extra care to use the key given me and return it to the inner pocket of my new backpack. Looking down, my eyes trace the bottom edge of my jeans as they rest against my new Ed Hardy sneakers. The shoes match my top perfectly, both a vivid shade of electric purple– not a color I’m entirely comfortable with. The whole outfit’s new, like the backpack and my haircut.

At Kate’s insistence I capitulated to a back-to-school shopping spree. It seemed to make her sublimely happy to dress me up like Suburban Barbie, and since I don’t care too much one way or the other, I thought it was the right thing to do.  So I now have a new, colorful wardrobe that puts me in the same category as the porch – recently overhauled. But I miss my faded army jacket with its oversized sleeves and holes worn clean through the pockets.

As I contemplate the walk before me, my heart squeezes in a familiar, unpleasant way that proves, contrary to my makeover, nothing has really changed. Nothing ever really does…

Just seven blocks.

And Kate’s already gone because I told her I would be fine, that I could handle the first day all by myself.

Basically I lied.

Does it make a difference that I’m sorry when I have to lie? I like to think so… but does it make the lie harder to tell the next time? No.

But it’s not any easier either, so that’s something.

Regardless, lying is what I’m good at, so I tell myself today will be just fine. That there’s nothing to be afraid of… And despite the cramping in my stomach, I leave the safety of the pretty porch and begin to walk.

It’s seven fifteen. School starts in forty five minutes. If I amble I’ll reach Midlands High School just as the warning bell rings, I’ve made three dry runs already this week. Even though I have an assigned locker, I don’t plan on using it. To use a locker I would have to stop, turn my back on people. High school’s about staying in motion, staying invisible.

But I am conspicuously purple. And I no longer have my jacket. 

To console myself, I make believe Derry’s at my side, striding along on his gangly legs, his still-developing center of gravity causing a jerkiness to his gait.  Derry’s the only friend I’ve ever had and now he’s gone. Missing for thirty-six days. I know this because I’ve been with Kate and Steven Foster precisely thirty seven-days.

I don’t tell the Fosters this – not that they wouldn’t go out of their way to try and help me – it’s just, Derry is personal.

Six blocks to go… like a countdown to an execution, or the tolling of the bells at midnight... the blocks vanish beneath my feet as I move toward something sinister and ominous. It doesn’t help to change direction, no matter which way I go, I’m always moving toward it. Never away… never toward safety.

At the corner, I turn right onto Midlands Avenue and continue to walk, slowly. As my new shoes shuffle along the perfectly square blocks of sidewalk, I look in vain for flaws in the cement. The morning is so crisp the details of the neighborhood are a sharp assault to my senses. On both sides of the street, lush manicured lawns gently slope toward stately, old homes. Flowers bloom from every possible surface in a profusion of colors. The wind brushes against me and I realize that here, even the breeze is pleasant.

For a moment I long to be back at The Children’s Center with its cracked, crumbling pavement and tenaciously growing weeds. There the air was stale but familiar. I think about the Center, the closest thing I can call home, for the next two blocks and wonder for the millionth time where Derry is. He can’t take care of himself. He needs me…

…And just maybe I need him.

Maybe I need one person in this cursed life to care about me, and whom I can care about in return. Then I wonder if I’m asking too much.

Four more blocks.

When I reach Fort Thomas Avenue I turn left, surveying the tidy landscaping and brick accents that give the wide street a small-town charm I instantly distrust. In my experience, places that look like this, so safe one feels a false sense of utopia, are the worst. Nowhere’s ever safe.

To my right are snappy little shops with green awnings and thriving flower boxes. They’re closed this time of the morning. Idly, I wonder if Kate shops there and whether she’ll take me with her sometime. One store’s a used CD place. Maybe I’ll stop there on the way home, if the day doesn’t turn out to be too bad. I’m always looking for more music.

With a swift stab of pain, I realize it doesn’t matter anyway. I no longer own the MP3 player I got for Christmas as a charity gift. It was dark pink and came with a gift card for 200 downloads, which wasn’t nearly enough since my tastes are eclectic. I gave it to Derry and can’t bring myself to regret the decision, even though it was fully loaded and not an appropriate color for a boy. It was the only part of me I could leave behind for him when I had to go. When Derry listens to all my favorite bands I hope he thinks of me. At least a little.

The foot traffic’s heavier now, teens walking in boisterous groups and alone.  Most kids are in shorts, since it’s August. For the most part they look bright and shiny, and rich. It occurs to me I’ve never been to a school this nice and maybe, because of the affluence, it’ll be different. Better.

I try to picture what it would be like to stay here in this place, but the harder I focus the more the idea becomes intangible, dissipating like the morning fog. It’s as if I’m trying to capture something that doesn’t exist… something that never can, for me.

Rounding the next corner I see the dark spot, just off the main road, on Orchard Avenue, a tight knit clump of guys. On the surface they look normal but my skin crawls. There are just three of them but my heart starts to pound in an all-too-familiar nauseating way and I consider turning around. Skipping school. But I don’t want to disappoint Kate and Steven. Their home feels safe. I’ve never had that before and I want it. Even if it’s foolish – even if it can’t last.

Loosening my coffee-colored hair from behind my ears, I hunch my shoulders, ducking into myself. But my newly cut hair is too short to hide behind.  And I don’t have the safety of my jacket. Diverting my eyes, I stare at the sidewalk in front of me, feeling highly vulnerable. I regret declining the designer sunglasses Kate wanted to buy for me. If I had sunglasses I could observe things better.

The three boys notice as I pass. I don’t look, but can feel their repulsive attention all the same. Bile starts to churn in my stomach, rising. My heart’s rioting beneath my ribcage as I pick up my pace. From experience, I know the reaction will lessen with distance. Fervently, I hope I don’t have class with any of them. If I do, maybe I can switch. Then maybe I can stay, at least for a little while.

Less than three blocks to go.

The pristine sidewalks are congested with teenagers. Excited chattering surrounds me adding to my anxiety. My stomach rumbles in protest and I’m glad I’ve not eaten. New environments often make me sick. I’ve learned to take precautions.

Two blocks.

The last two blocks are shorter. Up ahead I can see the three story brick citadel that’s Midlands High School being overrun with shiny, happy people - for the most part that’s what they are – and I allow myself a brief smile at the R.E.M. reference. Though my reaction’s lessening, I’m still cautious.

Ahead of me in the semi-circular courtyard, I spot a potential problem. Just one boy, a blob of battleship gray in the buttery sea of students. I alter my course, giving him a wide berth. He doesn’t pay any attention to me, which is just the way I like it.

Mentally I review my plan. Visualizing my route using the class schedule and campus map I’ve memorized, I cross the street with the oblivious herd of teens and resign myself to the horrors of high school. Main building, second floor, left wing. First period Math. Algebra II. I focus on my unsullied, purple shoes as I weave my way through the heaving mass of adolescents, trusting my senses to alert me to any real danger.

The worst part of a new school is getting the proverbial lay of the land. Interpreting the cliques and teachers, identifying who’s got power and who just thinks they do. Most of all who to avoid. Not the obvious bullies or bitchy popular girls, but the truly malicious, malignant ones. This is my fifth school in two years. I have made surviving an art.

Relieved to make it to first period without incident, I’m slipping through the classroom doors when uncontrollable sensations assault me. Palpable dread, a leaden ball in my stomach. My mouth goes dry as my heart slams against my ribs, faltering before it speeds up. I inhale sharply, knowing the danger’s in the back of the room on the side closest the door.

With a side-long glance, I look.

The boy stares apathetically at his desk, his acne-pocked face sullen. Long greasy hair, dyed an inky black, hangs limply around his shoulders. He looks quiet, almost wimpy, but surrounding him is a cloud of churning ash that keeps obscuring him from my view. Crap!

I slump forward, shuffling to the opposite corner of the room near the window. The class isn’t yet full and no one seems to notice my bizarre behavior as I slide into a first row seat. Gripping my desk with both hands, I focus on yogic breathing techniques as the room fills. In this instance they help.

I breathe.

As the class fills putting more bodies between me and the dark boy, the sensations abate. By the time the teacher enters the class I’m sure I can make it, for today at least.

It’s hard to recall exactly when I first started seeing my fellow human beings in the parameters of light and darkness. I was very young and already on my own. The first time I saw someone truly dark – almost black – I wet myself. I was six.

I don’t see auras. No pretty colors or hippy dippy philosophies. I see variations of good and evil that halo the entire body and my physiological processes react accordingly. I’ve little control over either phenomenon. It really sucks.

Halos are like a color scale ranging from black to gold to white. The center’s neutral, no color or halo of any kind. On one side there’s good, a spectrum of yellows, starting out faint hazy goldenrod, growing brighter and lightening into clear white brilliance. The other side’s bad, starting as an ethereal dull silver mist, turning gray then charcoal, before darkening into the still blackness of pure evil. With an energy all its own, a halo’s pattern and movement mirrors its owner’s emotional and moral states.

The boy in the back of the room is angry. Hurt, pissed, out for revenge. His halo tumbles around him like an ominous storm cloud. I get all of this in the time it takes for the teacher to call the class to order and open his class roster. Mr. Ramirez, as he introduces himself, begins to take roll.

John Avers. Mindy Butler. Stacey Bucchanan.

I listen intently for the name of the boy in the back.

Geena Davies. Luke Davis. Graham Ernst.  Alexia Grabovski.

I listen so intently I don’t recognize my own name as it’s called.

Alexia Grabovski.

It’s only after the third time the teacher says it that I react.

Alexia Grabovski.

“Here.”

It comes out as a squeak. Feeling the collective eyes of the class, including the boy, staring at me I meet Mr. Ramirez’s amused gaze. “Daydreaming already, Miss Grabovski?”

“No, sir.” I shake my head back and forth a few times. Mr. Ramirez goes back to his list and I gulp before regaining his attention. My cheeks burn with humiliation, as I unavoidably prolong the spotlight. “Uh, Mr. Ramirez?” He pauses. “It’s Alex, not Alexia.”

He makes a note on his paper, giving me a warm smile. “Okay, Alex.” He’s surrounded by a thin but solid layer of ecru. If I were staying, I would probably like him. A lot.

But I’m not…staying. And I'm not Alexia.

Alexia is a pert girl on the cheerleading squad, who spends her time shopping and dreaming of prom. The kind of girl who’d carry a rat-dog around in her handbag. Someday she’ll trade in her pink bedroom for a sorority house full of other cheerful, aptly-named sisters. She has her whole bright future ahead of her.

I am not that girl.

My name’s Alex. I spend my days trying to dodge the darkness and, if possible, stay one step ahead of it. The most I can hope for is to make it to my eighteenth birthday so I can get out of the system and fade into obscurity. I take one day at a time, trying my best not to look ahead – the future terrifies me.

By the end of roll call, I learn the boy’s name is Jonah. Jonah Wilkes.

*

Second period French. So far so good. I sit down next to a frizzy, red-haired girl with glasses and hand-me-down clothes. She’s benign – harmless – I’m sure of it. Her halo’s a diaphanous lemon chiffon. 

Most people have very vague halos, slightly good or bad, but for the most part neutral. They may waver with emotion and circumstance, but generally remain on either one side or the other. There are a lot of “good” people surrounded by faint gray halos. These are the people who make the right choices for wrong reasons. The ones that would do wrong if there was no consequence or chance of getting caught. For the most part, society keeps them in check.  Those faintly gray people don’t bother me.

On the flip side there are those who do wrong for the right reasons, like Robin Hood. They possess some of the brightest, most clearly-defined halos I’ve ever seen. Ironically often a school’s iconoclast, its “rebel”, has a heart of gold. And a golden halo to prove it.

The brighter or darker a person’s halo becomes, the more intrinsic it is to their make up. They’re the ones who choose to do good or evil because of their own moral compass, regardless of external expectations. Then there are those rare people who embody goodness or evil. I’ve never seen any up close but I come across them on the news occasionally. Mother Teresa and, at the opposite end of the spectrum, Adolf Hitler are the most famous examples I can think of. The first and only time I saw an image of Hitler, I threw up.

The French professeur, Madame Mimi, is one of those outwardly nice people who really isn’t nice at all. She’s surrounded by a light fog the color of dirty cement. As she commences the morning’s leçon, I idly wonder if she talks about students behind their backs. Two-faced fits her.

The whole class has to choose French names. I pick Jeanne, like Jeanne d’Arc. My own grim joke. But no one’s laughing, not even me.

The lemon chiffon girl, I learn, is Becke Finch.

I cross Jonah’s path again in third period Biology but now that I’m more used to him, I know what to expect. Also his halo’s shifting, less chaotic and lighter by the time we’re dismissed. He reminds me of a child, the way his halo fluctuates.

Children can vary greatly in a short amount of time as their emotional state changes, even flipping from light to dark and back again. They don’t have a developed voice of reason to keep them grounded and without it often are slaves to the feelings of the moment. That seems to fit for Jonah, somehow. Suddenly, I’m feeling hopeful. Maybe he simply needs an outlet for his emotions, a friend or a therapist.

It’s too soon to know for sure and I’ll probably be gone long before I can discover the answer. But I find myself wishing for his sake, that his friends might make a difference in his life.

After fourth period Government, I sit alone at a corner table in the cafeteria eating a BLT sandwich, carrots, Pringles, and a Vitamin Water. Kate offered to send me with lunch money, but I don’t like taking things. Room and board’s hard enough.

As I eat, I try to ignore the other tables of tightly packed kids. I’ve seen it all before – tons of times. High school seems to follow that rule of nature, like associates with like. A couple of the tables are noticeably darker, mostly misfits, pariahs, an occasional Goth. There are the few bright tables of the overachievers and honors kids, glowing like beams of sunlight. The predominant tables, though, are a mix of popular kids, their halos, while encompassing both light and dark, are equally weak. They lack substance and definition. Then in the far corner, completely alone, is the roiling halo of Jonah Wilkes.

After lunch is English, not one of my favorite subjects. Reading aloud embarrasses me. Also every English teacher I’ve ever known has had a hard-on for making the shy kids read in front of the class. When I walk into English, I’m prepared for that. I’m even prepared for Jonah Wilkes, sulking in the back of the class. What I’m not prepared for is Mr. Abernathy.

He’s watching the door, evaluating the students as they enter, sizing up the guys and ogling the girls. Instantly my stomach cramps and my bowels turn watery. I breathe through it, then mumbling an excuse, turn around and sprint for the bathroom down the hall.

I spend a few minutes splashing cold water on my face and calculating my chances of transferring to another class. When I return he’s waiting, smiling at me in an uncomfortable way. Mr. Abernathy is swathed in cold, smooth gunmetal. He leaves a metallic taste in my mouth that makes me want to grimace.

“Alexia Grabovski, I presume.” His voice is jovial, adding to the ick factor. “Please take a seat. Join us, Alexia.”

The only seats left are in the front row. I wonder why?

The class snickers as he places a not-so-fatherly hand just behind my shoulder, careful not to actually touch me, and guides me to the front center seat. My skin crawls. If I hesitate even a fraction of a second he’ll bump into me causing “accidental” contact. Without stopping to question how I know, I realize he’s used this ploy before. With a tight smile I slip away from him and take the seat on the end.

“I prefer to be called Alex,” I say, after swallowing back the vomit that’s lodged in my throat. The wall behind his desk is covered with accolades. Awards and articles meant as a testimonial to what a great teacher Mr. Abernathy is.

He follows me as the class begins to lose interest and pursue their own conversations. Standing benignly off to my right side, he bends forward slightly so his stale breath brushes against the sensitive skin of my collarbone but still not close enough to seem inappropriate. His smile holds polite yet professional interest at odds with the dark sphere of menace that encircles him.

Bile rises in my throat and I swallow it down with a gag. I kick myself for being a naive idiot – for not skipping school, for actually wanting to stay however briefly with the Fosters, for believing things might be different this time.

Mr. Abernathy’s husky voice is nearly covered by the din of the class. “All comfy now, Alexia?”

Contorting in my seat, I look him straight in the eyes. His pupils are so dilated that his watery blue eyes look black. Up close, he has a stench like sour bodies – it fills my nose, mixing with the metal taste on my tongue and causing my stomach to cramp even worse. Fighting the urge to put my head between my knees, I try to distract myself by thinking up a nickname for him. I decide on Mr. Creepy.

Mr. Creepy stares. His fingertips twitch, as if resisting the urge to touch me. And I can’t help but wonder if this weren’t such a public setting…?

After a long, uncomfortable pause he whispers, “Alexia.” The way he says it makes me feel exposed, like I’m in my underwear.

The taste in my mouth is nearly unbearable. I stifle a gag as my voice comes out low and pained. “It’s Alex.”

His reply’s a whisper. “You shouldn’t be afraid of who you are. When you get older like me, you’ll realize Alexia is a gorgeous name.” He’s looking down at me, only not at my face.

I feel violated, numb, but refuse to let it show. “Are we going to have a lesson today? Or just talk about what old people know?”

Lips twisting into something akin to a grin, his gaze travels lazily upward to my face. But there’s malice in his eyes. Still he lingers. “Touché, Alexia.”

Strolling back to his desk, he makes a pretense of reviewing his papers while really he’s leering at a couple making out in the back of the class. From my vantage point in the front, I follow his gaze to where the guy’s got his hands on his girlfriend’s ass as she perches on the edge of his desk. Mr. Creepy’s getting off on it.

Suddenly his eyes shift to me and I get caught watching. Flushing with excitement, he continues to pointedly hold my gaze as his halo coils around him like a snake. He wants me to know that he saw me. Unfortunately, I do.

Feigning a look of shock, Mr. Creepy clears his throat then frowns at the couple disapprovingly. “Let’s begin,” he says. Although speaking to the entire class, his eyes dart to mine secretively before sliding away. Then directed to the girl-half of the couple he orders, “Please take your seat Miss Bennett.”

He spends the entire lecture seated, lounging behind his desk. His relaxed posture, like every gesture and every question, is calculated. Whenever he looks in my direction his eyes make me feel dirty – it’s like he’s projecting pornographic thoughts.

Five minutes before the end of class his eyes turn feverish and he dismisses us early. I try to get the heck out of there but get stuck behind a couple of slow kids, one of the last ones to exit. Waiting anxiously for my turn to leave, I try to ignore my glassy-eyed teacher as his x-rated thoughts pummeling me from across the room as I make my escape.

I wonder why none of the other students seem to notice something’s amiss. Maybe on top of everything else, I’m beginning to hallucinate. Then I realize they can’t see his halo, which undulates about him in stilted, jerky motions. In my peripheral vision I see him lick his non-existent lips. He smirks knowing he has my undivided attention. His dark halo continues to thrust.

I have to get the hell out!

Stumbling out the door, I bump into Jonah. His halo’s darkened again into charcoal but it doesn’t bother me at this particular moment. His pale eyes, however, are unnerving as he regards me uncomfortably, with something that could pass for sympathy. “Fuckin’ teachers,” he mumbles before ducking his head and shuffling away.

In Physical Education I’m grateful there are no dark ones to avoid. I’m also grateful it’s the first day and we’re not expected to do anything other than watch a video. Hurray for Coach Mann and her school bus yellow halo!

After school, I try unsuccessfully to switch English classes. By the time I leave Midlands, the place is deserted and it kind of feels good not to be looking over my shoulder.  I don’t think about tomorrow or the fact that I probably won’t last a week in Mr. Creepy’s class. I won’t think about having to leave Kate and Steven’s so soon. Instead I decide to go to the used CD store and blow what little money I’ve managed to save on music. After the hell of a day I’ve just survived, I’m entitled to indulge. So I begin compiling a list of bands in my head.

Just as the green awnings of the local shops come into view, something overhead captures my attention. It’s like a blazing light streaking across the sky, but low and close. Like a meteor about to crash into earth, or a plane falling from the sky – but there’s no fire. If it’d been night, I’d believe it was a shooting star.

But stars can’t visibly burn in broad daylight, can they?

It vanishes just beyond the shops, leaving me momentarily blinded and anxiously listening for some sort of inevitable collision that never happens. This is why I’m distracted – why I’m not thinking about Orchard Avenue and the clump of dark ones until it’s too late.

“Hey, new girl!”

I hear and feel them at the same time. Instant stomach flu-like pain has me cramping forward, clutching at my abdomen. My heart accelerates into an arrhythmic staccato. Fear is sharp and tangy in my mouth, like an old penny.

I freeze, wondering if it’s too late to run.

Then I feel him behind me, my skin prickles at my hairline just before he grabs my shoulder, spinning me around. My heart sinks. There aren’t just three guys, but six or seven. Only a few are dark ones, the rest pale gray followers. The one in front of me is the color of lead pipe. He might be considered cute, but it’s difficult to see objectively through the filter of his sickening halo.

He steps back, appraising me with a smirk. “Hey, I hear you’re so hot for Mr. Abernathy you were practically giving it to him in English today.” The boys laugh.

The air whooshes from my lungs as I’m shocked into silence. Toward the back of the group, I see Jonah. He looks at me, maybe apologetically, then mumbles, “I’m out.” Turning his back to the dark intentions of his associates, he leaves. I watch his halo darken and churn as he retreats.

A finger snaps in front of my eyes, interrupting my reverie. “Over here, new girl.”

Closing my eyes against a wave of nausea, I concentrate on edging backwards, away from the kid in front of me. I manage two steps before meeting a wall of solid mass. Two of the boys have circled around behind me, a predatory move I should’ve anticipated. I shudder, my eyes popping open, as they put their hands on my body. Their leader leers gleefully at me, checkmate in his expression. “Bring her this way,” he growls to them.

They push me roughly forward. One cups my ass as he walks. Nearly incapacitated by their halos, I shuffle forward, too sick to resist let alone fight back. My brain feels thick, feverish as I struggle to make it work at the same time willing myself not to pass out.

Scream, I think to myself. Scream, you idiot!

By then I’m in the small side yard between two houses obscuring me from public view. Which is very bad. The energy thrumming through the group’s palpable as everything slows down. It’s nearly an out of body experience. High in the sky overhead I notice a dark cumulus cloud as it slowly drifts in front of the sun, bathing me in shadow. The penumbra reminds me that I need to do something, but it takes a moment to remember what.

I have to scream!

The sucking of air into my lungs signals my attacker as to what I’m intending to do. His hand comes up against my windpipe. Hard. I’m pinned against the wall of a house and I can’t breathe. I can’t get any air at all!

Frantically, I claw at his hands until he barks, “Hold her.” Now there are more hands pinning me, some are rough and eager, while others seem hesitant. Spots dance in front of my eyes and I feel sleepy. With relief, I realize I want to go to sleep. Everything will be okay, I think, if I can just sleep. The kid in front of me dissolves as everything fades away. For the first time in my life, I’m happy to embrace the darkness.

Then several things happen all at once. The sun emerges from behind the cloud, illuminating everything in brilliant light. As I squint against the glow, the kid lets go of my windpipe. The others release me as well and I drop to the ground, clutching at my throat and dragging in ragged breaths of air.

Two seconds pass.

Around me is noise, commotion my oxygen deprived brain can’t process. Finally I’m able to sift through the sounds. Fighting. I hear an unfamiliar voice roar, “If you touch her again, I’ll kill you!” I believe the voice. He means it. I wonder who her is? Whoever she is, she’s lucky to have such a protector.

I hear the sounds of shuffling. Low moans and curses. Sounds of retreat.

The roaring voice is gentler now. Laced with concern, it asks, “Are you alright?”

Surprised, I surmise it’s talking to me so I manage to nod. I can hear the voice hovering over me but when I open my eyes I only see light. Blinding, brilliant white light radiates around the voice. Blinking rapidly against the bright onslaught, I strain to focus on the speaker. In the middle of the light is the most exquisite boy I’ve ever seen. His face is both achingly perfect and terrifyingly severe. I want to cry at his resplendence.

You’re beautiful! The words slip through my mind before I can censure them. Surprise, followed closely by relief, registers in his eyes. Then he smiles at me, a joyous, lustrous smile that crashes over me and embraces me on all sides. I should be having a nervous breakdown or something, but somehow he fills me, keeping all other reactions at bay.

I am swallowed by the sun.