Chapter Four

Mate.

I sit for the rest of Flight Training with that word as the only thing on my mind. I still haven't found a reasonable explanation as to why he would say it.

I'm pretty sure werewolves have a soul mate that they just call their mate, but I've never heard an angel use it.

Mr. Woodrow? I call out in my mind.

What is it Luciana? His voice replies.

Where is the rehabilitation center that the transfers came from located? I think as a plausible reason comes to mind.

Australia, why? He replies and I clap excitedly.

Just curious why they have a small accent, I lie smoothly.

Diana jogs over to me with a small smile and I raise my eyebrow.

"What's up with you?" I ask amused.

"Daniel was staring at you.”

“Uh yeah, I don’t have any wings, that tends to make angels stare.”

"No I don’t think that was why,” she snorts. “I think he likes you!" 

"I think you're delusional—”

“Oh come on you should go for it! I mean what’s the worst that could happen?”

I roll my eyes. “Not gonna happen. Now class ends in ten minutes so let's get going," I say and start walking back to the locker rooms.

"Why is no one else going?" She asks.

"Because they don't have to walk to class, it takes a lot longer to walk around the floors and up the stairs than to fly straight through," I tell her and she face palms herself.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry! I keep forgetting," she gasps and I wave it away.

"Everybody does don't worry," I sigh, shoving my hands into the pockets of my hoodie.

She changes and we start walking to our last class. The bell rings as we are heading up the stairs and it is a flurry of feathers within seconds.

I stifle a laugh in my sleeve as I watch two angels collide into each other, then argue over whose fault it was.

I plod into the empty classroom and sit down at my desk in the back corner of the class. The vulgar names and crude drawings scratched into the wood of the desk make me sigh tiredly.

Several of the drawings are of an angel getting her wings chopped off by a sword or axe, her hands chained in front of her.

I know it’s supposed to be me, but the idiots seem to think that wings are still removed the same way they were 100 years ago. They used to use a sword or axe, but now they surgically remove them so that nothing remains but the stitches. The problem is, the area doesn't heal very well at all.

Even after almost ten years, mine are still tender and sting and ache if I put too much pressure on them. I am taken out of my thoughts when a pencil hits me in the head.

I turn to see Zayn's twin brother Kyle and it takes everything I have to not smash my head on the desk. Here we go again . . .

---

I shove open the door to my room and stalk straight into my bathroom. I vaguely hear the door close followed by footsteps. 

"Are you alright?" Diana asks and I take a deep breath.

"I'm fine, just tired of those assholes," I mutter through gritted teeth.

"Yeah from what I've seen the students at this place are dicks to put it mildly—"

"No not the students, the Council! They are the reason I get made fun of, why I get practically tortured on a daily basis. I'm not allowed to fight back, I'm not allowed to stop them, because then I’d go to prison for the rest of my life or die," I growl.

She takes a few steps back, wringing her hands together. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize how bad it is for you here," she murmurs.

"Yeah, nobody does until they actually spend a day with me," I hiss.

I stare in my mirror for two seconds before ripping off my hoodie and my baggy pants. I pull out my hair and run my fingers through it so it’s loose. I take out the burning contacts, sighing in relief.

Diana gapes at me but I walk past her and ignore it.

I change into a tank top and shorts and fall down on my couch.

"Why are you still staring at me?" I snap at Diana who is looking at me with her mouth hanging open.

She fumbles for something to say for a few minutes before finally spitting it out. "You are gorgeous! Why the hell do you wear such ugly clothes?" She exclaims.

"The Council. They think my body is too perfect and that everyone would figure out that I’m a hybrid. Apparently they think the angels in this school are actually smart enough to make that connection," I mutter in annoyance.

"As awful as it sounds I bet they would treat you a hundred times better if you showed them what you actually look like," she says and I shrug.

"Maybe, but that can never happen so, oh well I guess," I sigh, lying down on my stomach.

She frowns and sits down on her bed, watching me carefully. "What do you do for the rest of the day?" She asks after several minutes of silence.

"Me? Nothing. Everybody else is usually playing games in the gym, practicing flying tricks, or doing something else that requires wings,” I mumble into the cushion.

"Oh," she mutters and I wince at the disappointment in her voice.

"I—uh, I can show you around the Academy's grounds if you want? There's a lake and a beautiful forest," I suggest.

"That sounds great!"

I smile at her excitement. "Let me change really quickly," I tell her and put my baggy cargo pants and sweatshirt back on.

I pull my hair back into a ponytail and tuck it into my hood, tugging it over my head. I purse my lips in annoyance and hesitate. Can I risk it? Then I shake my head and put the contacts back in anyway.

I shove my hands into my pockets and lead Diana out of the Academy and into the courtyard behind it. The old stone path is uneven and I almost trip several times walking across it.

There are several sculptures of angels, most of them old prodigies, long forgotten. Mosses and lichens cover the statues, obscuring their faces and bodies.

I weave through the maze of stone figures with expertise, quickly stepping out of the courtyard and into the forest.

"This is so beautiful," Diana breathes out as we walk under the canopy of trees.

"Wait until you see my secret hideout," I tell her and she looks at me confused.

My lips curl into a grin and I start running, constantly looking around for signs of someone following.

Diana easily keeps up with me, her confusion vanishing as we move deeper into the forest. The trees become thicker and block out the sunlight, making it colder and darker.

I take several turns, most are unnecessary but I don't really want Diana to remember where this place is. Then the forest suddenly opens up in a small clearing.

She gasps. The lush grass is dark green and tickles my thighs as we move through it. There is a pond, surrounded by bright flowers and fruit bushes, the water lapping gently at the overgrown weeds on the banks.

I walk over to a big oak tree on the other side of the clearing and reach down into a hole by the roots. My fingers find a strap and I yank out a backpack.

"How did you find this place?" Diana asks, staring into the pond water in awe.

"After a pretty brutal beating from Zayn and Kyle, I ran out into the forest and got a little lost. I was really disoriented from the blood loss and concussion so I don't really remember much of what happened, but I woke up here, right next to the pond and eventually found my way back. I’ve been coming here at least once a week ever since," I explain with a shrug.

I open up the backpack and empty the contents onto the ground. Two pairs of clothes, a water canteen, medical supplies, and lots of food spill out.

I tear off my hoodie and change into one of the pairs of shorts.

"Aren't you worried someone is going to see you?" Diana asks when I sit down in the grass, only wearing my tank top and shorts.

"No, I've been coming here for five years and have never seen anyone. The branches block out the chance of someone flying overhead and seeing anything and this is the deepest part of the forest, nobody comes here," I reassure her but she still looks skeptical.

She hesitantly settles down next to me, glancing around as if to check for someone watching.

A breeze comes over us and I blink slowly, an elated sigh leaving my lips.

I grab my canteen and pass it to Diana who smiles before taking a long drink. She instantly pulls it away from her mouth, coughing violently and I burst out into laughter.

"What the hell is this?" She sputters, her eyes watering and face turning red.

"Fire-water," I chuckle and take the canteen from her, downing half of it in one swallow.

"Damn bitch, you are a badass," she coughs.

"Definitely not a badass. Just used to it. I can't actually get drunk, I just do it because the burning in my throat helps me forget the pain in my back," I explain, taking another pull.

"Oh. So it still hurts then—if you don't mind me asking," she adds quickly when I stay quiet.

"Hurts like hell, I've just gotten better at dealing with the pain," I mutter, draining the remainder of the canteen.

"I still don't know how they could do something like that to a—how old were you?"

"Eight."

"What the fuck is wrong with them? Why would they do something so horrible to an eight year old?"

My lips are twisted into a grimace at the memories it brings up and I take a deep breath. "Not that this isn't a fun topic but can we talk about something else?”

“Like what?”

“Like—I don’t know—uh . . . Oh! What do you plan on doing after you turn eighteen?" I suggest.

Her face lights up. "I want to be messenger angel, I can fly really fast and I would get to travel all over the world, meeting new people and learning about everyone and everything!" She chatters on excitedly making me smile.

"I've never heard messenger before but you make it sound like a lot of fun.”

“What about you? Do you know what’s going to happen?”

I shake my head. “I have no idea, I’ll probably be tossed into the Cage or executed," I mutter.

"I'll vouch for you when you have a trial to determine if you’re safe enough to return to society," she jokes.

The corner of my lips turns upward for a moment. "Thanks."

"What will happen when you turn eighteen? With your wings I mean."

"I honestly have no clue—though neither does the Council. I am the first angel to have their wings taken before eighteen but my birthday is in a few weeks so I guess we’ll just have to wait and see."

"I'm actually really excited," she says and I laugh. "I know it's stupid but seriously!"

"Believe me so am I. I’m hoping I will get a new pair, but there's a chance the Council will take those too and I don't know if I can go through that again," I sigh.

"That's fair," she murmurs.

It's quiet as we both stare up at the canopy. After a few minutes Diana turns back to me. "Hey so this might seem like a weird question but I really wanted to ask. Are you—"

A massive gust of air has me bolting upright in an instant.

"Hiding from the bullies?"

I feel a shiver run down my back and my legs shake at the deepness of his voice.

Diana groans beside me, throwing a furious glare at him. "What are you doing here Daniel?"