Chapter 17

__Harper__

I packed my books into my bag, sore from the morning's run and the classes. Since being back together with Gabe it felt like he was pushing me extra hard. Between sparing and running. Flying was the only time I would be able to outmaneuver him. He was larger than I was. More body mass larger wingspan to manage. My turns were sharper, faster. I hauled my book back up to my bedroom and pulled my suitcase out, I was truly excited to see Callie and Kayla again. It stunned me how much I had missed them and did not even realize it. I had just pushed my suitcase shut when an arm slid around my waist.

"Ready?" Gabe's playful voice tickled my ear and he had no idea how ready I was. I tugged the suitcase off the bed and turned to face him. His arm fell to his side and he plucked the suitcase out of my fingers. Knowing better than to fight him, I collected the rest of my things. Purse, phone, charger, and laptop. We did have some paper due and I needed to get it done. The beast oddly quiet inside since accepting Gabriel back into my life fully. I had been able to relax on my school work, instead of finishing the required fourteen pages on the fall of the angels in one sitting, I was able to limit myself to a couple of paragraphs a day. It worked better for my mental and emotional health. I mean the distraction that usually pulled me from my studies was a really good one. I caught myself thinking back to our make-out session shortly before he left to pack and my heart started to race again. I cast a look over to him and his cheek was red. Either he was thinking the same thing, or he had been caught listen to want I was thinking about. I held the door open for him and Miles was standing on the other side. We both pulled up short, and I took half a step ahead of Gabe, placing myself in the path of Miles in case he decided to make it hard for us to get out of the school.

"Headed home?" he asked with his hands stuffed in his pockets. Gabe nodded and I looked between them.

"So I have a question for the two of you. I am having a party as our father's" his head ducked sheepishly and I could feel the awkwardness radiating from them both.

"When?" I took the point because apparently, they weren't going to.

"Saturday night. It starts at 9. Nothing too serious. Just bring a swimsuit, there is a pool." He turned away walking from the hallway. I looked back to Gabe and he had an odd look on his face.

"I don't know if that was a true invitation or just a joke...why would he invite us to a party?" I chewed on the inside of my lip thinking the same thing, you never really knew with Miles. I shook off the feeling that it was a trap and we continued out of the school. It fell to good to be going back to see Callie and Kayla. I had missed them so much.

***Gabriel***

I kept glancing over at Harper and checking that her hand was still in mine. I would never fully come to terms with the fact that she loved me, nor the simple fact that an angel like her wanted to be with me. When she had told me that she needed space I had felt my heart tear in two. The dark thoughts that plagued me I was not proud to admit. It had felt like being thrown out of the warm house in the middle of winter. It nearly tore me in two, but having her back made me feel like I was on top of the world. We walked hand in hand out of the school and the van was waiting for us. I could see the excitement in my mother's face and Kayla was bouncing in the passenger seat. I would have nightmares about the way my mother had reacted when she had heard the news. She had gone nuclear, she was sure that I had done something that I should apologize for. I pulled the back door open and crawled in while Harper slid into the front seat.

"Thank you for letting me come home this weekend." She turned and smiled warmly at Harper.

"You are always welcome in my home, doesn't matter if you are dating my knucklehead son or not." Her cheeks flamed red, and I just watched her. Having to refrain from helping her at night is what hurt me the most. It was the hardest to watch her struggle, but it had ultimately been my father that had told me to stop helping her. The phone call had come after he heard from Miles that we had taken a break.

"You have to let her face this on her own, it won't do you any good to baby her." I nearly chucked my phone at the wall, it had hurt. But in the end, there was truth in his words. I watched and struggled with her, but didn't step in. It took a toll on her, I saw it every morning.

"So how are you going to spend your summer, Harper?" And my ears perked up. I hadn't spoken to her about the family vacation yet. I shook my head at my mother in the mirror, trying to get her to understand I hadn't approached the topic yet. But, of course, she totally ignored me.

"Oh...I don't know yet, I mean my parents usually spend the summer in Europe but I haven't gone with them since I was old enough to stay home alone...so probably just head home I guess..." She looked back to me in a slight panic like she had answered wrong. I shook my head and letting it fall into my hands. If I could get any more embarrassed I would die.

"Mom..."

"Oh really! Maybe I could talk your parents into letting you come on our family vacation. We save up every year and we head to a little beach house my parents own...they usually stay there in the winter and they don't mind us using it in the summer. It would be so nice to have you go along with us." I wanted to dig myself a hole and crawl into it. I had just gotten her back. I don't think making her stay for 3 months in a beach house with my family was going to win me any brownie points.

"Gabriel was supposed to ask you about it, but I figured he was just waiting for a good time, but when you're nervous it's never a good time." She looked at me in the mirror and smiled. I heard a giggle from Kayla and I leaned back against my seat. I felt her mind reach out to mine and I took it as an invitation. She showed me amusement and excitement. She was excited to take this trip with us, but she wanted to know how I felt about her going. If it was too soon.

"I will talk to my father when we get to the house."

"Perfect!! I can finish up dinner and we can plan from there, if need be I will talk to him." Mom nodded as the subject had already been settled. Her mind lingered around mine like a soft caress for the rest of the ride home.

Cal was waiting on the porch when we got there, and he took on look at me.

"Went that well huh? Barbie is back I guess."

"I will still kick your ass, Cal, don't push me." She spoke from over my left shoulder on her way through the front door.

"I was really starting to enjoy our bro time." I shook my head and put a hand on his shoulder.

"If you ever get a girlfriend you will understand the problem with that statement."

"Whatever, I am just counting down the days to our fam vacation." I froze and my mother looked at me then to Cal. And he didn't pick up on the tension. I mean he couldn't, not know that the extra spot that my father had left was going to be filled with Harper this year. It had to be obvious. But then again Cal always struggled with the obvious.

"Cal sweetie, I thought your mom was going to need you this summer..." Cal stopped walking and turned to look back at my mom. He looked between the two of us and you could see the light bulb go on above his head. His chin raised a little bit but I could see the hurt in his eyes.

"Oh. I get it. Barbie is going." He nodded and looked out towards the street.

"Cal it's not like that--" He walked off the porch and I looked to my mom for help. She looked upset and then to the house. She wanted Harper to come, but she didn't want to hurt Cal.

"Cal wait please, let me talk to your mom. Maybe we can work something out." He turned back.

"Nah Miss M, I don't need to tag along to be the third wheel all summer." I sighed and felt his hurt and rejection.

"Cal, please don't be an ass, come inside we can figure this out so that everyone gets to go." I knew Harper could hear us and she was going to enter the conversation. But I put a hand up towards the doorway. Both motioning for Cal to come in, and for Harper to stay.

"I don't need your pity Gabe, I thought we were closer than this...for a girl bro?" I couldn't tell him how much more she was, he would never understand. He walked away down the sidewalk muttering to himself.

"Mom--" I looked at her, Caleb was my oldest friend. I didn't think he would react this badly.

"Give him time, we will invite him over for the fire later and see if his attitude has changed, if not we will find a solution."

"I don't have to go, Callie, I can go home. I don't want to interrupt any tradition you guys have." Harper stood in the doorway to the house and my mother looked torn. We both know how absent Cal's mother was. His father had left when he was 5 and his mom was around just enough that the court wouldn't take him from her when he was younger. Now she was never around. He was lonely he had no brothers or sisters. It was hard to think about leaving him behind. It is what he looked forward to every year.

"No, I invited you. I didn't think Cal would..." my mother stopped and she sighed. I could see the tension in her shoulder. Harper looked to me, she didn't ask for this and she certainly didn't want Cal hating her for taking his spot.

"Just give me some time I will try to work this out...I mean we could probably afford another ticket if we doing go to some of the parks...." Harper looked at me.

"If you tell me where it is, I can get my own ticket. We can fly together." She offered and smiled at me softly. Anything to make things easier for my mom.

"Oh sweetie, you are a guest..."

"And Cal is family. He deserves to go more than I do, it is something you all have done for much longer than I have been around...I will talk to my dad. He might not even be okay with me going we don't know yet. Come on, I am excited to have your cooking again." Harper turned and walked into the house. It was hard to believe this girl was real. I looked to my mom and she looked just as shell shocked as I was.

"IF you ever let her slip through your fingers again I will disown you." I nodded like that was a fair repercussion. She walked into the house after Harper, and I turned back to look after Cal's retreating form. His shoulder slumped forward in defeat.

"Go talk to him." Harper poked her head out of the house and gave me a soft smile.

"I'm going to help your mom with dinner, I'll be fine." She walked out to me and I put an arm around her waist pulling her to me.

"Do you know how amazing you are?" She pursed her lips like she had to think about it. I dropped a kiss to those lips and they tasted like honey and sugar.

"Of course you do. I will be right back." I released her and jogged off the porch.