Heavenly (24 page)

The girl lowered her head. Her whole body looked like it had turned to steel. I had the urge to reach over and pat her

arm, but didn't.

When class was over, everyone filed out, still spouting off disagreements with the molly chick who timidly hung back

so as to not go with the flow. That's when I noticed him. An older man dressed in soft shades, and similar to the clothing

Matthias wore. He stayed close to her side as she wove through the desks toward the door.

My heart tapped against my ribs. I followed her down the hall, staying a safe distance behind. The man's white hair

was slicked back, baring a kind face with gentle angles and a ready smile. He was completely attentive to her, watching her

every move, not one second wasted on where he was going because he flowed through the crowds like an unseen current.

She went to the end of the long hall and took the stairs up to the second floor. It was Friday. School was out for the

week, so I imagined she was going to her locker to get books to take home.

I followed.

Sure enough, she went to her locker which was at the very end of the hall, on the bottom corner. Robotically, she

kneeled down, twirled the dial, opened the locker and neatly stacked her books. Then she shut the door. Odd. Most kids took

home their books for further study over the weekend and I figured a brain like her would do the same.

Her guardian stood over her shoulder, watching intently. The hall started to empty out, and I realized it would be very

obvious that I was there without a reason, so I picked out a locker nearby and pretended to fiddle with it, throwing occasional glances down the hall.

She shut the locker, rose to her feet, smoothed her denim jumper and stood in the hall for a moment. Keeping my face

toward the locker door, I tried to sneak peeks at her without her noticing. Her eyes shot straight ahead, her posture was erect as a post.

She started in my direction and I played with the locker dial. They drew closer. My heart thumped. I looked at the

man, waiting for his eyes to meet mine. But his attention never left hers and as they passed, I couldn't stop myself.

"I see you," I blurted.

They both turned. Both stared at me.

"You," I nodded at him. "I see you."

Her eyes widened. "Me?"

"Yes, you." I walked over, my gaze shifting from her—she was shocked that I was talking to her—to the man

standing at her side. He looked mildly surprised, but his smile was genuine.

I tried my best to communicate with him without her noticing, but I couldn't take my eyes off him. He had the same

soft radiance Matthias had. A magnetic field surrounded him. His eyes were kind, his smile calming and gentle. I wished

Miss Molly could see him. Matthias said seeing heavenly beings was a gift. I was certain she could handle whatever was

troubling her if she knew she wasn't alone.

"Where are you going?" I asked her.

She seemed stunned that I'd ask, let alone care. "Home."

I verified her answer with a look at the gentleman. His smile faltered some.

"That's not where she's really going," he said. His voice was laden with tenderness. He must be a grandfather, some relative of hers. Thrill shot from my toes to my heart. I smiled at him, then at her. He was there to protect her, to make sure she didn't do something to hurt herself, the unspoken message was clear.

"Where do you live?" I asked her.

"Why do you care?"

"Um."

She started walking, throwing annoyed, fearful glances at me. Her guardian kept steady pace at her side. I tagged

along. "You don't have homework?"

Her brows went up. "Why do you want to know?"

"You left your books." I gestured with a nod in the direction of her locker. "Most of us have to study at night, but, obviously you don't have to. That's lucky for you."

She stopped, glared. "Look, you don't know me, I don't know you and this attempt at being my friend is about as

transparent as glass."

"You're right," I said. "You want to know why I'm talking to you?"

She shifted. "I guess."

"Because you looked so upset in class. I followed you because I thought you might hurt yourself."

Her face twisted. She took a step back. The gentleman's lips curved up slightly and he gave me a nod of approval.

"That's ridiculous," she stammered, walking on. I stayed at her other shoulder. "Leave me alone, okay?"

"How about we go to Starbucks and get a drink? My treat. We can talk and—"

"Like that's going to happen." She smirked. "Don't you have some jock you want to go sleep with?"

My mouth fell open. The guardian's face flashed with frustration and embarrassment. "She's out of sorts. I apologize."

"Don't worry about it," I said. "I understand."

"I'm not worrying about it," she spat and took a left down the stairs.

"What can I do?" I asked the guardian. I felt like water was evaporating before my eyes. "I should do something.

What? Tell me." I stopped on the stairs.

The girl continued, taking the stairs at a half-skip. He remained at her side, but looked over his shoulder at me, his

appreciative gaze holding mine a moment. "You've done enough. Thank you."

A burst of calm filled me. I walked in a euphoric glow to my car. I'd seen another guardian. Outside of seeing

Matthias, nothing more thrilling had ever happened to me. I couldn't stop smiling. Would I see more?

In the parking lot, I glanced around—then felt silly. Few students remained at school so of course I wouldn't see any

guardians here, not now anyway. Interesting that I hadn't seen any others at school earlier. But then I'd been so locked on

Miss Molly and her guardian, I wouldn't have noticed.

I unlocked my car and got in.

Luke.

I texted him and waited, mulling over the kind gentleman assigned to Miss Molly. Who was he? I itched to know. But

if Heaven was filled with Earths former residents, that meant zillions of people lived there. That meant the chances of

Matthias knowing that girl's guardian were slim to none.

So what. I'd seen another angel, that was the miracle. That was enough.

My cell phone vibrated and I clicked it on.

doing what?

He didn't answer. Could this be more frustrating? Strangely, my blood didn't boil like it usually did when Luke broke

the rules.

The girl's face came into my mind. I'd seen her around since freshman year. She'd been in some of my classes. She

started high school wearing a pony tail and still wore her hair that way. Who wore denim jumpers? Pregnant women. I was

pretty sure she wasn't pregnant, just fashion-challenged.

I shouldn't think of her like that, she was a lonely girl who probably didn't have a lot of friends. But she probably had

family who cared about her. I'd looked into that gentleman's eyes and saw deep caring, the kind a grandparent has for a

grandchild.
He
cared.

For a moment I wished I knew where she lived. I would go there and see how she was. Make sure she was okay. I was

unspeakably glad that I'd seen her guardian with her. Whatever happened next was out of my control, but the assurity that she wasn't alone enabled me to let go of my concerns.

I started my car, and texted Luke:
so u'll tell mom and dad why you didn't come home with me?

No answer.

I pulled up to Britt's and parked. Her white mustang sat out front, so I figured she was home. Both her parents were still at work since their cars weren't in the driveway. It was only four o'clock.

I knocked. Waited. Knocked again.

I took out my cell phone and texted her.

After a few minutes of waiting, I gave up and went back to my car just as I heard the revved growl of an engine

barreling down the street. Weston's silver truck was speeding toward me. He had Brady in the car with him. Both guys looked

surprised to see me. The truck jerked to a stop and the boys jumped out and ran toward Britt's door.

"What?" I jogged after them.

Weston's fists banged on the wood door in heavy thuds. "Britt!"

"What is it?"

"She's crazy." Weston pounded again.

"What do you mean?"

"Britt!" He gave one last bang on the door then started around the side of the house, Brady and me at his heels.

"What happened?" I asked Brady as we followed Weston.

"She told him he was going to be sorry." Brady shrugged. "Psycho if you ask me."

"But not too psycho for you to hook up with, right?"

Brady shot me a fiery glance before we met up with Weston at Britt's backdoor, his fingers skimming the top of the

door frame for Britt's extra house key. He found it and jammed it into the lock, then thrust open the door. Brady and I stayed close to Weston's heels as he raced through the kitchen, up the stairs, and straight to Britt's bedroom.

"Britt!" He threw open the door and we all tumbled in to Britt's bright pink and red bedroom. Britt lay with her eyes closed, sprawled on the bed in her sheer black bra and panties, her hair a scraggly mess, empty vodka bottles littering the

floor around her bed.

Weston and Brady both came to a screeching halt. Weston crammed his hands into his dark hair. Brady's face turned

crimson. He covered his gaping mouth with a hand.

I broke between the two of them, embarrassed for Britt that she was practically naked but more than that, I hoped she

was still breathing. I darted to the bed, sat next to her and pressed my fingers to the vein in her neck. A pulse beat hard.

I let out a breath. "She's alive." I patted her cheeks with my hands. "Britt? Britt?" When she moaned and moved, my racing heart started to slow. I got up and pulled the bedspread up and over as much other as I could, but she was laying on

half of it.

"Get over here and help me," I demanded.

Weston and Brady came to my aid, Weston glaring at Brady. "This is your fault."

"She's your ho."

"Shut up both of you! Weston, take her upper body. Brady, grab her legs."

"I don't want him touching her," Weston bit out.

"Get over it."

Brady lifted her legs, his eyes trying not to gravitate up the rest other.

"Just do it," I said. They raised her and I pulled back the covers. "Lay her down."

After they did, I arranged the bedspread around her. Weston and Brady stood back, watching. Thick, mucky silence

hung in an invisible triangle. Britt groaned again. Her eyes fluttered open.

"Wes?"

"Hey." He kneeled down next to the side of the bed. "What are you doing? You scared the hell out of me."

"I did?" She blinked. Her voice sounded tiny, pathetic. I cringed. Did she really want him to save her? Did she think that was what a healthy relationship was all about—manipulation? She looked like a weakling. I'd never find myself like that.

Ever.

I saw concern in his eyes but also fear—like he was wondering if Brady's "psycho" comment was justified. I had the

troubling thought that Britt's efforts to reel in and hook Weston might catch her in the snare.

"You came," she muttered, dreamy-eyed to Weston.

Weston glanced at me and Brady—as if he was trapped in a terrible version of some white trash movie.

"I knew you'd come." She rolled closer to him, and her backside was exposed.

Weston nodded and appeared at a loss for words. Brady fidgeted next to me. I walked around the side of the bed, next

to Weston, so Britt could see me. Her dazed eyes shifted from Weston to me. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to check on you when you weren't at school today. I ran into Weston out front."

"I don't need your help, he's here." Britt warbled out, and reached for Weston's neck to hug him. When he didn't lean close, she settled for clinging to his sweater sleeves.

"Yeah, he's here. So is Brady."
You've got your whole fan club.

Britt jerked around, saw Brady, and her eyes widened. It was then she seemed to realize that she was in her

underwear, and she pulled the blanket up around and over her body. "You two talking again?" she asked but since she was looking at Brady, it wasn't clear which guy she was addressing.

Brady's gaze fell to his shuffling feet. Weston cleared his throat and stood, the distance he created between himself

and Britt an obvious message. "You sent us both the text."

Uh-oh.
"She probably hit Brady's name in her address book by accident," I put in, hoping the suggestion might help somehow. Weston's tilted head told me he doubted it. Brady didn't meet my gaze, his eyes still on the floor.

Britt sat up, the bedspread falling around her waist. Just a second ago, she appeared to care whether or not any of us

saw her. "My head is throbbing," she muttered, holding her skull with both hands. "Wes?"

Weston's eyes flicked from Britt's chest to Brady. He jerked his head in the direction of the door in a silent gesture
of
get lost.
I took the cue and crossed to Brady, tugging his sleeve. "Let's leave them alone."

Brady followed me out and I shut the door. I leaned against one wall, Brady against another. "How did you end up in

Weston's car coming here?"

Brady shrugged. "The two of us settled this. It's no biggie, you know?"

"No biggie," I said. "That's why he asked you to leave."

"You asked me to leave."

"So, what, are you going to make a play for Britt? Share her? I don't get it."

"You don't have to get it. It's none of your business."

Just a few weeks ago, Brady had spoken to me civilly. I didn't know what had changed, but I figured Britt had

probably poisoned him because she was mad at me. "You're right. None of this is my business."

I headed down the hall. Let Britt solve her own problems. I'd come to make sure Britt was okay and gotten myself