blond with legs for miles and an ‘I dare you to mess with me’ attitude and you’re going to say what, exactly, when people ask you who I am?”
Gabrielle laughed. “I hadn’t thought about it, really. I guess we can just make you my sister. My adopted sister. We certainly don’t look like we came from the same gene pool.”
“K … that way it will make more sense when I call you sistah .”
Gabrielle found herself laughing again. Phalen had a way of making her want to smile even when she didn’t know if there was much reason to.
Phalen reached into her pocket and brought out a pack of grape bubble gum.
“Phalen, you may be addicted.”
“Hey, I can’t help it if this stuff is yum. I could be wanting worse things on Earth.” Phalen moved forward in her seat so she was looking Gabrielle right in her eyes. “Like a romantic relationship with a human,” she said with a wink, then sat back.
“We all have our vices, I guess. Even angels.”
“Agreed, but mine won’t get me booted from Heaven.”
“I know … but … it feels right.”
“How can a relationship between you and a human be right ?” Phalen waited but got no answer. She tried again with a different question. “Are you sure you’re not just trying to use him to forget about Javan?”
‘Ouch.’ Gabrielle thought, but this time, she expected Phalen’s reply.
‘Yeah,’ Phalen responded, ‘I thought that might sting a bit, but maybe you need to consider the possibility.’
“You have a point. I will.”
“Hmm … “
Gabrielle looked at Phalen quizzically. “What?”
Phalen watched Gabrielle while blowing one of her purple bubbles. This one ended up so big that Gabrielle worried she’d be helping Phalen get the grape stuff out of her hair. Instead, Phalen sucked it back in her mouth.
“I just expected more of a retort from you on that one. You getting soft?”
Gabrielle laughed. “Not hardly, Phalen. Since I try not to think about Javan, I just hadn’t thought about that angle. I need to, though, before Lucas or I get in any deeper. Besides, you’re always looking for a fight, so you’re always waiting for a retort.”
“Not with you, sister, not with you. I’d be a fool to ever want to go up against The Angel of Karma. And I’m no fool.”
“No, Phalen, you’re not,” Gabrielle said with a wink. “We’re here.”
They arrived before most of the students so Phalen would have a chance to get accustomed to the surroundings. She would be able to discern the Fallen better if she already had a handle on the different energies in the area.
While Phalen studied the first prospects unloading from their cars and getting off busses, Gabrielle searched for Lucas. As the clock ticked off the minutes before the first bell, he was nowhere to be seen.
“Still no Romeo?” Phalen asked without looking at Gabrielle.
“No.”
And that seemed strange.
She’d expected the morning to be like the last two had—with him arriving early like her and having a few moments together before school started.
“And we have our first sighting.” Phalen pointed.
Gabrielle followed the direction of her finger and eyes toward the gym. She thought she’d stopped breathing, knowing that was where Lucas would be. With a relieved exhale, she began to breathe again.
“That’s Mara.”
“Pretty little demon, isn’t she?”
“Yes, she is,” Gabrielle agreed with a biting tone.
“Don’t worry, you’re much prettier. Lucas would be a fool if he ever got the choice and didn’t pick you. And that’s, of course, based on looks alone. Sometimes, your mood is worse than a demon’s. If that info is thrown in, it might be more of a toss-up.” Phalen laughed at herself, slapping her leg as she enjoyed the moment.
“You’re really feeling full of yourself today, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, well, someone has to lighten things up around here.”
Gabrielle looked back at Mara. She was standing near the back of the building where a
Gabrielle laughed. “I hadn’t thought about it, really. I guess we can just make you my sister. My adopted sister. We certainly don’t look like we came from the same gene pool.”
“K … that way it will make more sense when I call you sistah .”
Gabrielle found herself laughing again. Phalen had a way of making her want to smile even when she didn’t know if there was much reason to.
Phalen reached into her pocket and brought out a pack of grape bubble gum.
“Phalen, you may be addicted.”
“Hey, I can’t help it if this stuff is yum. I could be wanting worse things on Earth.” Phalen moved forward in her seat so she was looking Gabrielle right in her eyes. “Like a romantic relationship with a human,” she said with a wink, then sat back.
“We all have our vices, I guess. Even angels.”
“Agreed, but mine won’t get me booted from Heaven.”
“I know … but … it feels right.”
“How can a relationship between you and a human be right ?” Phalen waited but got no answer. She tried again with a different question. “Are you sure you’re not just trying to use him to forget about Javan?”
‘Ouch.’ Gabrielle thought, but this time, she expected Phalen’s reply.
‘Yeah,’ Phalen responded, ‘I thought that might sting a bit, but maybe you need to consider the possibility.’
“You have a point. I will.”
“Hmm … “
Gabrielle looked at Phalen quizzically. “What?”
Phalen watched Gabrielle while blowing one of her purple bubbles. This one ended up so big that Gabrielle worried she’d be helping Phalen get the grape stuff out of her hair. Instead, Phalen sucked it back in her mouth.
“I just expected more of a retort from you on that one. You getting soft?”
Gabrielle laughed. “Not hardly, Phalen. Since I try not to think about Javan, I just hadn’t thought about that angle. I need to, though, before Lucas or I get in any deeper. Besides, you’re always looking for a fight, so you’re always waiting for a retort.”
“Not with you, sister, not with you. I’d be a fool to ever want to go up against The Angel of Karma. And I’m no fool.”
“No, Phalen, you’re not,” Gabrielle said with a wink. “We’re here.”
They arrived before most of the students so Phalen would have a chance to get accustomed to the surroundings. She would be able to discern the Fallen better if she already had a handle on the different energies in the area.
While Phalen studied the first prospects unloading from their cars and getting off busses, Gabrielle searched for Lucas. As the clock ticked off the minutes before the first bell, he was nowhere to be seen.
“Still no Romeo?” Phalen asked without looking at Gabrielle.
“No.”
And that seemed strange.
She’d expected the morning to be like the last two had—with him arriving early like her and having a few moments together before school started.
“And we have our first sighting.” Phalen pointed.
Gabrielle followed the direction of her finger and eyes toward the gym. She thought she’d stopped breathing, knowing that was where Lucas would be. With a relieved exhale, she began to breathe again.
“That’s Mara.”
“Pretty little demon, isn’t she?”
“Yes, she is,” Gabrielle agreed with a biting tone.
“Don’t worry, you’re much prettier. Lucas would be a fool if he ever got the choice and didn’t pick you. And that’s, of course, based on looks alone. Sometimes, your mood is worse than a demon’s. If that info is thrown in, it might be more of a toss-up.” Phalen laughed at herself, slapping her leg as she enjoyed the moment.
“You’re really feeling full of yourself today, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, well, someone has to lighten things up around here.”
Gabrielle looked back at Mara. She was standing near the back of the building where a
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