Lucia and Jennie everyone who was there gasped and were in deep shock, especially Jennie as she held her mouth with her both her hands.
Angelo had saved Lucia from being dangerously hurt by the ball that came flying with extreme speed across the air.
The speed was lethal, but Angelo was able to withstand the impact. His fast reflexes had saved Lucia.
"Oh my god!" Jennie gasped still in shock while Lucia couldn't say anything.
Angelo let go of Lucia without showing any signs of being hurt.
"Oh my God are you okay?" Jennie anducia said in unison.
Some of the players came to check on Angelo.
"Yo bro, so sorry, are you okay?" The taller one asked while crouching down.
"Yeah yeah I'm fine, thanks" Angelo replied humbly.
"Are you sure that was quite hard?"
"Yeah I'm sure just keep playing".
"Sure okay, still sorry though". The guy said as they went back to the field and continued their rehearsal.
"Angelo are you sure you're okay?" Lucia asked again.
"Yes Lucy I am, it didn't hurt much" He said flexing his shoulders. "..see, I feel great" He added.
"You literally saved me, I don't know how you're fine because I probably would have died". Lucia said.
"I know right, how are you not hurt? That's like humanly impossible that thing was slikely go at 10 miles a minute".
"That's a stretch" Angelo said as he gave a short laugh, exposing his amicably perfect white teeth.
"Okay but I think we'll need to take you to the school nurse for a check up, just to make sure". Lucia added.
"I'm fine, really fine I don't need a check up".
"Okay if you're sure.. but how did you cover me up so fast, your reflexes are insane"
Angelo just gave off a short awkward laugh.
"Anyways thanks though, you really saved me I don't think I woulda survived that hit, how are they so careless when playing football, it could have been really bad" Lucia said obviously annoyed by the careless guys.
"We're those the guys that hit it, I mean the guys who came here?". Jennie asked.
"I don't know didn't see who did it, it's probably them". Lucia added.
Jennie sighed it off, meanwhile Angelo knew well who hit it.
"How dare he try to hurt Lucia?". Angelo thought to himself as he glared at Tristan, who also gave a short non-chalant glare back.
About an hour and thirty minutes later, football practice had ended and it was time to leave.
Lucia and Jennie were engaged in a deep conversation about make up when they suddenly heard Tristan's voice.
"Lucia!" He called out and immediately she turned around. He gestured with his hands telling her to come.
She was so tired of Tristan and just wanted to go home, she sighed and gave a "save me" stare to Jennie who could do nothing but shrug her shoulders and watch.
Lili stood up and looked straight at him while going to him, but he made hand movements gesturing for his bag which she forgot. She went to get it and As he stared in her direction he managed to lock gaze with Angelo, whose eyes showed a list for revenge and anger, emotions Angel's are forbidden from feeling. Taking advantage of his gaze Tristan smirked.
Angelo on the other hand didn't remove his gaze from him.
She came face to face with him and handed him the bag. "Can I go now?".
He looked at her. "I'm not done, come with me".
Lucia's face got sadder. "Tristan please".
He ignored her and kept going, she followed behind him slowly like a humble servant.
Angelo stood up to follow her and Jennie followed suit.
They were going to the school's main building from the other entrance at the back, which was still the entrance to the field from the building.
But as they got to the door, Tristan turned back to look at Jennie and Angelo who had been following.
"And why are you coming with?"
"Umm excuse me, I don't know why you think we should trust her with you?" Jennie said immediately.
"Leave or else you know what..." Tristan said sternly, giving her a knowing gaze.
Jennie felt a wave of defeat and gave a stepbback. She looked at Lucia "you sure this whole thing is even worth it?".
"It isn't, but I have no choice.." Lucia said "... let's just get this over with" She added urging Tristan.
Angelo still wanted to go with them but Jennie held his hand back. "Just wait" she said let out a sigh afterwards.
Angelo stood there by the entrance with Jennie waiting and hoping. Although he could read Lucia's mind, he couldn't risk exposing any part of his powers recklessly.
Lucia went with Tristan and on getting to the locker room, she stopped by the door.
"Here's your bag, can I please leave now?"
"Why are you by the door?" He asked, with an expressionless stare.
"Umm, I can't go in there I don't feel comfortable, besides it's not allowed". She replied as she looked around anxiously.
"You don't wanna go in?" He asked as if he was making her choose.
She shook her head "No, please, I really can't". She looked towards the ground
Just let me go!! What'd I ever do to you? I wish you'd just go to hell. Lucia said in her thoughts.
And as usual, Tristan heard and laughed shortly, his teeth were just too perfect.
What exactly is funny?, airhead!. Lucia added her gaze everywhere but on Tristan.
But as usual he had to ignore. He brought his arm forward to her face, gesturing to collect his bag, and Lucia gave it to him.
"Can I please leave now?" She asked humbly.
He stared at her for a brief moment "sure". He finally replied and she let out a sigh of relief and ran away.
"Finally, gosh I hate that dude, just wanna go home and take something refreshing at this point...!". Lucia thought to herself as she ran away.
Tristan watched her from behind. He always found her adorable...For some reason.
Lucia was approaching her two friends still waiting at the entrance and as she arrived Jennie asked, "Are you done?".
Without stopping Lucia replied "let's just go". and walked fast right past them boththey followed right behind her and Jennie walked fast enough to catch up to her.
Angelo slowed himself down, he couldn't go with them.
Jennie turned back to look at him "Angelo, you coming?".
"I'll be here a little longer, don't mind me" He replied.
Something about him was so charming to Lucia as she waved a goodbye to him, he waved back with a warm smile. That smile..!.
That smile of his made Lucia's hormones jiggle and she felt a rush of shuver flow through her body.
*********
8:45PM AT LUCIA'S PLACE
"I'm so happy your evil step mom is gone, she literally is the worst thing holding your entire existence down right now". Jennie said as she sat down on the floor wearing her Straykids skzoo pyjamas, holding a tray with a bowl of chocolate chip cookies and two cups of milk.
"Trust me, you're not happier than me, I wish she'd just disappear forever, I don't even know when she'll be back and that's the worse part, I have to be in fear, especially now that you're here I really don't want her barging in and finding you..." Lucia said as she sat at the mirror untying her hair and giving it a brush.
"Yeah you're right though, but I still can't understand why she treats you so bad, like you literally did nothing to her".
Lucia turned with the chair to face her and hitting her laps in a crazy frustrated manner she replied "Yeah I know right, she blames me for my father's death yet here she is flexing his wealth like it's hers, almost like she did it herself".
"That's starting sound true" Jennie said as she bit out of a cookie while using her phone.
"Oh and something's wrong with the new person who moved in next door". Lucia added.
"What the allegedly Handsome new neighbor?"
"Yeah that one"
"What could possibly be wrong?"
"Come here" she said as she led Jennie towards her window. They said there looking over at the window if the house opposite them.
"And what exactly are we looking at?" Jennie asked confused.
"It seems the person is always watching me, everytime I'm at this reading table and other times when I'm not, I see the person staring at me, and like when I look back, he suddenly closes his curtains and I can't see who it is anymore ".
"Oh wow that is some Slenderman typa shit".
"It creeps me out honesty and I have no idea what to do".
"Well I suggest that if it happens again, go right there, knock and tell em you don't appreciate being watched and if it happens again, you're going to be reporting to the cops".
"I tried reporting for domestic violence and child abuse and got ignored what makes you think this is going to be any different ".
"Ugh you're right..." Jennie said tapping her fingers on the window sill while looking up.
"...Okay you know what, just give me a call if it happens again."
"And what are you gonna do? Mrs hero" Lucia said closing the curtains and going to sit down where the milk and cookies were.
"What I can .. I'll do what I can" Jennie answered and they both laughed it off while enjoying their night snack.
Meanwhile Angelo in the next building, Was at his mirror in in his room. His beautiful bright large wings spread across the room.
His face filled with pain and sadness. The wings coming out caused a great amount of pain to him. It had never hurt so bad before.
At least now he would be more discouraged to bring out his wings every now and then but if he didn't, how would he have known that a section of his wings had already turned black?.
What sin did he commit? What did he do wrong? What could he have possibly done?, as far as he knew it he played by the rules since he got to earth. Where did it go wrong?. He only just got here!.
This whole punishment was going to be harder than it seemed.
Analysing his wings his mind suddenly flashed back to when he saved Lucia on the field.
"Is that why?, am I being punished for saving her again? But this isn't fair, Tristan who's also not human meddles with her life everyday why is it different for me?".
"Maybe because he's not an angel" a husky familiar voice said.
He turned around slowly to see Angel Damel in his lavishing bright white and gold robe, holding his staff of course. He would recognize that voice anywhere. He bowed his head in respect "Angel Damel, to what do I owe this divine visit?"
"Oh stop with the formalities Elman, my presence isn't that much of something divine".
"May I ask why you've come to see a lowly outcast Angel like me?" He asked humbly, his face and gaze not leaving the ground.
Angel Damel came closer "I can see they're already turning black..." He patted Angelo on the shoulder. "...stay strong dear, only the strongest soldiers survive in the toughest battles, you still have time to make things right".
"I know, but....this isn't as easy as it seems... I'm literally already losing, I don't think I'm one of the strongest soldiers".
"Well I won't try to convince you to believe otherwise, but believe me child, you have something other Angels don't..and that is Human empathy....you feel as much emotional pain as the Human does, which is what makes you special...but you must remember that you're an Angel, an Angel with a purpose... Now you asked earlier why it's different for the demon, well he is not an Angel to begin with He doesn't do whatever he wants, he too has rules, but it isn't and will never be the same with yours. Being an angel is a completely different kind of privilege for us, while our work is to make and improve the spiritual lives of humans, theirs is the complete opposite, and building the human spirituality requires a lot of things and meddling in human affairs, is not one of them, if you do even one thing wrong, you could go wrong and mess up their spirituality which is really fragile, especially from a young age, and messing it up...in the wrong way...."
"Makes me no different from a demon" He interrupted and completed the Angel's statement.
".. exactly!...we have these rules for a reason Elman, rules that were carefully planned out by or creator himself, he knows what he's doing, don't mess up his work!" The Angel concluded and vanished.
Angelo understood it a little clearer now at least, but something still felt very unclear.
Why exactly did he have empathy? What could he do to stop feeling so empathetic for humans? This is where it all wet wrong? Him created as an angel with the ability to feel human empathy, even stringer than some human themselves.
He carried himself back to the mirror and reaching for the blackened feathers, he pulled one out. He watched as it turned to dust and scattered in the air.
Being an angel was too hard, did he even want the Angel life anymore?.
He withdrew his wings, which was more painful that bringing it out. He felt his back was sore, he turned around and tried to look at his back in the mirror, it was a bit reddened.
At least it would seem like it was reddened from the ball that hit him earlier.
He decided to do his usual 5 hour prayers before going to bed.
As he tucked himself in, he looked over to Lucia's window.
He would keep her safe from Tristan no matter what!