“Just curious. I forgot to ask when your dad was here and dropped the wing bomb on me.” I shrug my shoulders and lean into him. “I think I’m done talking about this now. I got all the answers I needed, and the rest will come as we go, right?”
He nods as he maneuvers us under the covers to lay together.
“Do you want to cuddle and sleep? Or would you rather watch a movie?”
Sleep. Definitely sleep. I sigh, and he laughs at me
“I love when you do that. It’s like you let your guard down and just don’t care about filters in that moment.”
I really needed to work on that, it’s a new habit I’d picked up since coming here, and I didn’t like it. Sometimes I think the stupidest shit, that’s the last thing I need someone using against me.
I give up caring about that though, and lean into his warmth. Falling asleep to the sound of his heart-beat.
Brian
After Harleigh and I spent the night answering as many questions as she had, we made a decision to just live our lives as we were before without letting this new knowledge change our dynamic.
We were close friends, and now we’re dating. I do my best to keep her away from Colten and vice versa.
I can see it in her eyes whenever they’re near each other. She dislikes him, and wants to get back at him for trying to possess her. For thinking she could be his little toy and I don’t blame her. But I also don’t want her to succumb to the darkness that he seems to call to inside of her.
I know that she has to make her own decisions, but as her guardian angel, I also need to make sure she has the information required to make that all too important decision.
She doesn’t think I see the darkness in her, thinks that I see her as purely good, but that’s a lie. I do see it, and I love it about her.
I know, given the right knowledge, she will make the right decision for herself in the end. But if Colten or anyone else tries to pull that from her too soon, she won’t be ready and may end up doing something she will hate herself for later.
I see her. I see all of her, and I think she knows that, but refuses to accept it. She’s scared of what having any sort of evil inside her makes her capable of.
I’m not. I love her, I know her, and if she was going to be a danger to anyone, I would sense it. Heaven would also sense it and warn my lovestruck ass.
She is completely protected, and I will always be there for her. Whether she chooses good or evil, I am there with her. She is my life, my soul, my purpose. I knew it the day I met her. Dad confirming Heaven knew it too was just a bonus.
That conversation was weeks ago now.
We just got back to campus from Christmas break, and she’s not handling the stress of keeping this from her parents very well. They had a long talk and admitted that she was adopted, but she’s so unsure of how to tell her parents about this world, or if they would even believe her, and it’s starting to slowly eat her up inside.
She’s going to have to tell them soon if she wants them to continue to be in her life, and Dad and I will help her if she needs it.
9
Brian
“Thank God! Bry, I’m starving. What the hell took you so long?!”
“Aww, beautiful, that’s such a nice greeting.” I chuckle at her rolling her eyes as I wrap my arm around her waist, and head into the cafeteria. “You know you can start lunch without me.”
I’m met with a death glare.
She’s really been on edge since we got back from break, and I hate seeing her like this. I know she’s worried about telling her loved ones, but I know that she’s close to losing it on Colten, too.
The fact that she already kneed him in the nuts once is enough of a sign of that, but every time he gets near us she looks like she wants to jump down his throat.
He triggers violence in her right now, and it’s something they’d have to sort out eventually. They couldn’t do this for four years.
“Yeah, no thanks. Last thing I need is Colten and his crew of idiots seeing me alone. I hate him, Bry.”
I nod as we grab our food and find a seat.
She does hate him, but there’s something more there as well. I’m just not exactly sure what it is. I can’t outright label it desire or want because of the anger in it, but maybe that’s what it is.
She already admitted to being attracted to his darkness, but she doesn’t look at him with caring and fondness the way she does me.
What Dad said about soulmates is always on my mind, though. I will do whatever I have to in order to make her happy, and to help her feel complete. Even if that means sharing her with that asshat.
Though, that doesn’t seem like it will happen anytime soon if they can’t stand to be in the same room. Not with her wound up tighter than a fucking eight-day alarm clock.
Their push and pull has officially drawn the attention of everyone around us as well.
“Sorry, beautiful. Art took a bit longer because we’ve been given a partner assignment and my partner just so happens to hate being around other people. Should be fun. Speaking of, here he comes.” I nod in his general direction as he stalks toward us.
As Harleigh turns to look, I see a wave of panic flit across her face and cringe. I forgot she knew him, or at least saw him. I know his staring made her uneasy that day. It’s something we should discuss at some point, but it hasn’t happened since so I’m not anxious to bring it up.
“Hey, Darren, how’s it going?” I ask, being polite.
“It’s fine. Look, I hate dealing with people.” He glances over at Harleigh, taking her in before turning back to me. “It’s nothing personal, I just prefer being alone, always have. How do you want to divide this up?”
