Chapter 2

Harper

A knock on the door brought me around to the living, and I groaned and pulled the blankets up over my head. The knock became a little louder and I threw my pillow at the door.

"Harper?" Gabriel's voice was soft like he wasn't sure if he was supposed to really wake me up. I heard him open the door and I shifted back under the blankets and I heard him pick the pillow up and put it on the bed behind me. And he gently peeled away the blanket and I pushed at his chest gently.

"No, it's not morning. You are just early." He looked down at his phone and then back to me.

"Only by like an hour, I figured you would want time to get up and get a shower." I peeked open one eye at him and he looked so sweet and caring.

"Fine, thank you. Yes, I would love a shower before class. I didn't even think about that." I sat up and stretched out my back and he turned away. I got up and my yoga shorts were still covering everything nothing was exposed.

"Are you okay?"

"Yea, I just didn't know if you have pants on or not." I smiled and patted his shoulder.

"Yes I have pants on, what should I wear?"

"Doesn't matter, but we have combat early this morning. It's chilly out I would suggest pants and a long-sleeve shirt, but no jacket. It will only slow you down, and get hot once you start moving." I smiled at him and grabbed my clothes and disappeared into the bathroom. The hot water felt so good early in the morning, it both woke me up and made me want to crawl back into bed and go to sleep. I washed my hair, and brushed my teeth at the same time, trying to cut down on the time I would need to get ready. I got out and very quickly threw my clothes on, swearing when I got a cramp in my foot from trying to throw it into my pants before my legs were dry. Gabriel spoke through the door with a soft knock.

"Are you okay in there?"

"Yea, I'm good. Thanks." I called back, I pulled a brushed through my hair, and pulled it over my shoulder braiding it. I opened the bathroom door and walked into my room and it felt way colder than the bathroom did.

"Is this acceptable?" He looked up at me and smiled at me.

"Yes that's perfect, do you have a pair of boots you can run in and don't mind if they get muddy or dirty?" He asked and I pulled on my high socks over my pants, and went to the closet and grabbed my two pairs of boots, and held them out for his inspection.

"Laced. They will be more comfortable, and move with you better." I put them on and laced up the front of my boot that came up to about my mid-shin. I stood and he looked me over.

"You should be okay, don't worry they won't put you in the high skill class, they might pull one of us down to help if you are odd. But I don't think you will be, it will be okay." We walked out of my room and I looked at him nervously.

"Don't be nervous, everything will be okay. I promise they won't let you get seriously hurt."

"I'm an angel, a female angel. I don't know the first thing about fighting." He looked at me and sighed.

"Alright, well most of it is instinct the first few matches. No one truly knows how to fight until you are put in the middle of it. They are going to judge you based on your instincts, that's all. You seem to have pretty good reflexes and I don't know about your stamina." We walked out to the field left of our room and people were starting to group up and talk. Waiting for the teacher.

"Stretch, trust me you don't wanna pull a muscle your first day." I was good at stretching, being both a cheerleader and a soccer player gave me good lungs, and flexibility. I stretched my hamstrings, and some of the other first-years followed me, others didn't give a hoot. I bounced out my muscles trying to warm myself up and I looked to Gabriel.

"It will be okay, I promise." The teacher walked out and we separated. I looked at him and I felt my arms wrap around my waist like they always did when I wasn't comfortable being on my own. Trying to protect my stomach.

"Alright, new kids fall in line." We did as we were told and the teacher walked down along us. Looking us over, she stopped at me and I felt my heart pound in my chest, she didn't say anything, but she was thinking.

"Alright, these are the pairs," She rambled off names, and my head perked up when I heard my name.

"Harper and Vivian." I turned and a girl a size bigger than me, and overweighing me by at least 45 pounds came forward. She was a bruiser, but that would mean she would be slower than I would. She was heavy on her feet, she walked hard. Landing on the heel, I watched her move over to me and I noticed her left shoulder dip.

"You must be the new angel..." She smirked at me and looked in my eyes.

"I am going to tear you apart little girl." Probably, that was a distinct possibility, if I didn't keep my head on straight. We watched as people began to match up. She turned to me and the teacher touched our shoulders.

"No low blows girls, keep it professional." She moved away and I didn't realize that meant we could start until her left hook slammed against my cheek. It didn't break anything, but it would be a bruise. I stumbled sideways and the older kids were watching roaming from fight to fight. And I felt him before I saw him, I didn't have time to look around. I danced on my toes, just like dribbling a soccer ball. Light on the feet, always on the toes. I took a blow to the left rib cage and she was a heavy hitter. It knocked the wind out of me, I threw a quick right into her nose, and she stumbled back long enough to get my breath back and make a quick plan of action. I couldn't let her get me on the ground. If she got me down, it would be over. I would be done and I wouldn't wake up for another six decades. She looked at me with anger when her hand came away bloody. I watched her advance, and she threw a quick right, and I moved left and her hand was there waiting for me. She hit me hard in my stomach, and I felt my feet come off the ground, and I saw her hand come down against my jaw. I rolled away, and to my feet. Trying to shake the dizziness out of my eyes. She came back over and her knee came up and I shoved it back down and threw a hard left hook against her jaw, and then came back with a knee up against the side of her knee dropping her. I threw my knee up, but she tripped me and I rolled to get to my feet and her foot met my rib cage. I crawled a few inches and she grabbed my braid.

"I told you I would tear you apart." I huffed a deep breath, testing my ribs, and threw my elbow up into her jaw and pushed to my feet when she stumbled back I got to my feet and flexed my hands. I wouldn't go down without a fight. Instinct is what Gabriel said. She came forward and I opened my left side to her and she took it, slamming three quick hits in and I threw a backhand against jaw knocking her down and I quickly brought my knee up into her chin, knocking her down and she was out cold. I lowered my hands and I heard applause. I jumped startled by the sudden noise and my left knee gave out on me I hit the ground jarring what if I had to guess would have been broken ribs on my left side, a bruised cheek, and a sore jaw. Gabriel came forward and I looked at him and he was beaming.

"I thought you said you didn't know how to fight." I wrapped an arm around my ribs and he came over to help me to the healer that was waiting on the sidelines.

"I don't," He smiled and shook his head running a hand through his hair.

"Well you could have fooled everyone here, that was amazing." I smiled up at him and I sat down on the bench waiting my turn. Most of the people here were in worse shape than I was. A girl knelt in front of me and motioned for me to move my hands away from my ribs.

"She was testing you, you know." The Healer laid her hands on my ribs feeling for the broken ones.

"What?" She looked up at me and smiled, she had a kind face.

"That girl was a year above you, she was testing you. Seeing where you fell in your skill range and you surprised her." She touched my nose and stopped the bleeding and fixed the bruise on my cheek before tending to my hands. I flexed my newly healed hands and Gabriel smiled at me.

"You did well. Good job, but your class has barely begun." She smiled and stood I walked back out and fixed my hair.

"You're up Harper," I looked and a girl about my size stepped forward and she was nervous, she wasn't sure of me and I wasn't sure of her. She was in her first year, that I was sure of. She didn't throw at punch she was afraid and I didn't want to hurt her. I looked at our teacher and she looked at the other girl.

"Five laps." She turned and ran and the teacher looked at me.

"Find a sparring partner." I smiled and turned to Gabriel. He looked at me and shook his head.

"Oh no, no." The teacher looked him over and smiled.

"Go on Gabriel, she is a good fit for you for now." She smiled and moved away to monitor other fights. I looked at him and pulled my hands up in loose fists. He stepped forward and I frowned at him dropping my hands lossy to my sides. He looked at me curiously.

"What?"

"Your glasses, have you ever thought of contacts, it's safer." He pulled them off his face and I looked at him.

"How blind are you?" I asked and he shrugged.

"I can still see you, it's far away things I have a hard time with." I moved closer and threw a light right hook and it connected with its mark. He took a step back.

"Put them back on, we will just have to be careful not to hit you in the face that's all." He put them back on and I smiled and pulled my hands back up and he swung a weak right at me and I pushed it away and countered with a tight jab to his right side. He spun around and looked at me. I wasn't meaning to hurt him, he just needed to take me seriously as an opponent. Which at this point he wasn't.

"I can't hit you, Harper." I looked at him and frowned.

"Why not?" I circled him and before he could answer he was shoved from behind into me. I managed to keep him on his feet and he pushed his glasses up his nose.

"Come on Mathers let's go around, I need a boost in confidence." I felt my anger rise a level and I stepped around Gabe, and he caught my arm.

"Don't- it's okay." I looked at him and then to Miles who didn't seem at all afraid of me. I wasn't a very well trained fighter, but I had anger on my side. The technique would come in time, but at the moment I had what I needed to make him second guess coming at me or Gabriel.

"If you won't I will," I told him and he frowned. He didn't like fighting, I knew that much, I just couldn't stand here and watch them push him around. It wasn't fair to him and wasn't going to stand here and let it happen anymore. He didn't move a moment, and I moved forward and Miles looked at me.

"Oh pretty angel, I wouldn't want to damage your beautiful face." I felt my anger rise another level, and I felt my hands tighten, and out of the left-field a right fist met Miles's cheek and I moved out of Gabriel's way. He was doing this to protect me, he moved me back and Miles smiled at him.

"It's about time Mathers." He dove at his midsection and Gabriel drove his elbow into the soft tissue of his back, knocking him down. And he danced away, keeping on his toes not giving Miles a way to get around his defense. I felt other people circle up and I wanted to jump in. A shrill whistle stopped the fight in its tracks and I moved straight to Gabriel. He put an arm around me pushing me behind him. He wanted to protect me. I kept my hand on his arm.

"Alright, boys break it up. Miles give me laps." He didn't say anything because he knew the teacher saw him start it. She walked away and Gabriel turned to me.

"Are you okay?" I nodded and watched Miles run.

"What is his problem anyway?" Gabriel shrugged.

"I honestly don't know I think look weak to him I guess I don't know." I nodded, I guess people pick on those whom they feel intimidated by. I heard a bell chime and he moved toward the other side of the field. I followed him and I felt the excitement rise in my blood. I wanted to fly, my wings shifted and fluttered and Gabriel smiled. He held a hand out and when we stepped across a line on the grass he spread his wings and took off and felt giddy and I spread my white wings and pushed off the ground. I followed him up through the clouds and we were joined by other students I undid my braid and let the air dry whatever was left wet from my shower this morning. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the wind on my face. I broke through the first layer of clouds and Gabriel was right behind me. I tucked my wings and rolled down through the clouds, a giggle escaped me as I flared my wings to slow my descent. I pushed back up and circled Gabriel, he followed my movement. I landed and I was excited my blood was pumping and Gabriel landed a few feet from me.

"You are a gifted flyer," I smiled at him and I could feel the redness in my cheeks from the wind. He smiled and moved closer.

"There is nothing like it, I love the feeling in my heart when I fly." I arched my impressive eleven-foot wings and pushed off again, and he laughed and followed me. His laugh was attractive, I weaved through the clouds dodging around classmates. I frowned as I broke the second layer. I could taste it on my tongue, we needed to land and now. I turned and I couldn't see him.

"Gabriel?!" I called but nothing. I fell a few feet and everyone was looking around at the dark clouds.

"It's lightning! Land!!" I screamed and people fell from the clouds, I landed and searched for him, but I couldn't find him. The teacher looked at us counting.

"One is still missing!" I took two running steps and froze solid. Thunder cracked and the sky flashed and a form tumbled from the sky. I pushed down hard against the ground and rain started to fall. I made it to him, but he was dead weight falling. I opened my wings to slow us as much as I could before rolling and wrapping my wings around him a few feet from the ground. We hit and I felt the world blacken for a second before coming back into focus. People were standing around us and I pulled my wing open and he was wrapped in my arms and the teacher looked at me and sighed with relief.

"Good job. Harper. Come on let's get them inside guys." Someone lifted me and pulled me away from Gabriel.

"I'm fine," I pushed away from the person and planted my feet on the ground. I stumbled slightly but I followed Gabriel. They laid him on the table inside the school and I sat on the ground next to him. A healer came with her students to see if anyone needed help. They came to me and I waved them off.

"Him, he might have been struck." They focused their efforts on him and I rested my head back against the edge of the table. I was tired.

"Don't sleep girl, you may have a concussion for as hard as you struck the ground." One of the students came over to me and touched my head very gently. I relaxed under her care and she fixed the pounding in my head.

"Thank you." She nodded and they moved away from Gabriel, and I stood beside him his eyes fluttered and I huffed a relieved sigh.

"Gabe are you okay?" He rolled to his side and sat upon the table. I touched his back and he smiled up at me. The teacher came over to us and looked at both of us.

"That was incredibly reckless Harper, but extremely brave and an impressive show of your aerial knowledge, and Gabriel I'm just glad you weren't seriously injured." He nodded at us and moved away.

"What does he mean?" I looked at the window watching the rainfall.

"Harper?" He stood and I watched him move for a second. Determining if he was actually okay.

"Harper!" I jumped and nodded.

"Okay, okay. I moved up an extra layer of clouds and you weren't there when I turned around. You had disappeared I could taste the storm, smell it. I had everyone out of the clouds, but I couldn't find you. Thunder sounded and you fell." I shrugged and picked at my fingers.

"How badly was I hurt when I hit?" I didn't look up from my fingers.

"You didn't hit--" I mumbled and he moved in front of me and put a hand over mine and put a finger under my chin.

"What do you mean I didn't hit?" I sighed and met his eyes, I just didn't want him to be angry at me.

"I was able to slow your decent enough that when I wrapped you in my wings you didn't take any damage upon impacting the Earth." It came out in a rush and I hoped that he didn't understand any of it, but he was angry in seconds of it coming out of my mouth, and I knew he had caught all of it.

"You did what?" I sighed and dropped my hands.

"I couldn't just stand there and watch you hit the ground-"

"You could have been hurt, you could have been killed had you not been able to slow us down enough- Harper you can't just do things like that. You have to think about saving your own life every now and then."

"Gabriel you are my only friend here, and as such I will protect, defend, and save you every single time you require it. No matter if it is hazardous to my health or not." He sighed and rocked back on his heels.

"Thank you Harper-" I nodded at him happy to have at least gotten a thank you. Although I was expecting more of a blow-up from him. The bell chimed and he walked with me to my history class. We were able to sit together and he seemed a little distant, but I didn't know how he would react to being saved by a girl. Most guys didn't like it, they found it insulting for some reason I don't know. I watched him through the rest of the day and he seemed to have withdrawn from me. He still walked me to my class and was thereafter the bell rang, waiting for me outside of the classroom. After dinner, he went straight to his room without saying a word to me. And I felt lost for the first time at the school. I laid down and cried for the friend I had thought I lost.