Dark One
Dark one
Prologue
I sit on the windowsill, watching her sleep for as long as I can. Her brown hair spread out on the pillow like a Japanese fan, her porcelain skin catching the moonlight just right so that her face is completely lit up. Little does she know how many times I’ve sat here and watched her sleep. She doesn’t know that for years now, every day that I can remember since I first saw her, I’ve been watching her, taking care of her. She is mine. If only she knew.
I sigh to myself and stand. My wings unfurl and a sad smile dances across my lips, as I look at her as she sleeps, surely dreaming. No doubt she is dreaming of that boy she likes. I don’t like him. Never will. He isn’t good for her. She is mine. Yet I don’t own her. She has her own will, she doesn’t even know of my existence. I must protect her and keep her safe at all times. If I don’t- I don’t even want to know what will happen to her. I was the one who volunteered for this job. Nobody wanted to take her but I did because as soon as I saw her, I knew that she was to be mine. But as an angel I cannot truly be with a human. I had fallen and I was destined to stay on earth until I did something worthy of returning back to heaven. When she was born, it wasn’t my name he chose to be her soul mate…but in the instant that she was born, she was also cursed. Though I was no longer welcome in Heaven, even I knew everything had changed in the world. In all of my existence, I never wanted to protect something so fiercely. She would have no guardian or soul mate though. She was cursed to be truly alone. I begged to be her guardian.
Because nobody would accept her and because God is fair, here I am.
One
In the early morning light I can just make out my dog Pug’s face. His tongue is lolling to the side of his mouth and his right paw is over his eyes. Pug doesn’t like to be awoken by light and my curtains are usually drawn so he’s a little annoyed this morning. I smile at him, my little puppy, and reach out to stroke his head. He’s the most ugly yet surprisingly adorable dog in the world.
I get up to take my shower but decide that since I had a shower last night, my hair’s fine. It’s just school anyway, it’s not like it’s a beauty contest because if it were, I would definitely not win. My long, plain brown hair could pass for pretty I suppose, if I did the right stuff to it. Whatever, I had a rough night anyway. I couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched all night. I awoke to the sound of light tapping at my window. It was probably the branches of the willow tree outside my bedroom, but I’m not above being paranoid.
My hands reach up to my head and lazily tie an elastic band around my hair. I walk to my wardrobe, open the second drawer and stare at its contents for so long that I’m sure I look like I believe it holds the meaning of life. I’m so damn tired I really ought to just stay home, but that would upset Cara, my best friend. She’s the complete opposite of me from head to toe. I’ve got dull brown hair with natural blond highlights that doesn’t know weather to be straight or curly- it doesn’t even seem to want to be wavy, and she’s got beautiful red curls that just shine like the sun’s forever in her presence. I’ve managed to get by with meagre C cup breasts while Cara’s got double D’s. Her whole body curves pleasantly in all the right places and mine just barely has an hourglass shape.
The only thing I have going for me are my hazel eyes, they’re a darkish shade of green with black flecks spattered all about with a vibrant orange around the irises. Her eyes are a lovely sky blue, which all the guys fall for.
When I’m done dressing myself in my somewhat flattering school uniform, I walk to the kitchen with Pug by my side and pop some toast in the toaster for myself and put down a fresh bowl of water for Pug. He can’t eat in the morning because that would mean two meals a day and Pug’s a little on the chubby side of things.
As I butter my toast my phone rings making me drop the knife on my big toe and getting all over the place. I sigh and answer, knowing full well it’s Cara by the ring tone.
“Hey, yeah, I’m just getting ready. You made me drop butter all over the floor and my foot. Don’t ask.”
“But babe, I thought we agreed that you wouldn’t be so clumsy! I’m gonna be there in like, five minutes so you’d better make breakfast to go.” Says Cara over the sound of cars. She’s driving and talking on the phone again. She knows if she gets caught she’ll get a major fine, but she keeps doing it anyway.
“Okay, well get off the phone. I’m trying to eat and you’re trying to drive. See you in five. The door’s unlocked as always.” I say.
Cara walks right in five minutes later. By then I’ve eaten my toast, much to her dismay because it seems that she hasn’t eaten. We sit down and laugh for a bit while I prepare her something quick to eat and soon we’re out the door.
Two
“You drive like a maniac!” I say as we pull into the parking lot of our school.
“Why thank you,” Cara replies, “I’ve been just dying to hear you compliment me all day.” I don’t question her sarcasm; I always say something about her atrocious driving skills.
We make our way to the main entrance of our school and part ways when we get inside because our lockers are at opposite ends of the school. We begged to share a locker but the school doesn’t allow it. I honestly don’t see why, it’s not like I’m going to steal any of her things.
As I walk to my locker I get the familiar feeling of being watched. I’ve had this feeling for as long as I can remember, but lately it’s been exceptionally strong. When I reach my locker I notice that it’s slightly ajar. Not again! I think to myself.
I open it and find that though it’s been opened, it appears that nothing’s been taken just like every other time it’s been broken into. My locker has been broken into about seven times so far since the beginning of the school year. I don’t understand why somebody would open a locker and not plan to steal anything. It’s just plain strange.
I take out the books that I need for first period and smile to myself as I pass Damien in the hall. He looks at me with his big brown eyes and my heart melts. Victoria, his girlfriend of no intelligence yet high status, runs up to him when she notices him looking at me and scowls at me in a rather unflattering way that makes her face look all wrinkly ad disgusting. Maybe I’m being a little too dramatic, but her face just looks wrong to me.
“Did you hear me?” Cara waves her hand in front of my face, “Hello, earth to Khiara!”
“What?” I say, completely embarrassed that I didn’t notice her presence sooner.
Cara shakes her head at me and smiles, “I said, don’t forget the party tonight! Everybody’s gonna be there and you have to bring the chips and drinks. You’re my best friend and we always help each other out right? Plus you promised and volunteered to bring refreshments so, there is no backing out or forgetting now.”
I just nod my head. When it comes to Cara, nodding your head and saying “Mmhmm” to everything she says doesn’t offend her, it just makes her think you’re listening.
Cara’s into parties and I’m just not. It’s way too loud for me honestly. Whenever we go out, I’m the designated driver because she just ends up getting so smashed that she doesn’t remember where she lives. It’s a sad existence, but it’s mine. Somebody has to keep this girl together and it’s not the many idiot boyfriends she’s had over the years, it’s me. We’re best friends, we take care of each other no matter what. It’s just how it is.
We reach the door of our English class and exchange glances. Mine is filled with contentment and hers distaste. I roll my eyes at her and we walk to our seats, which happen to be right next to each other and the reason why we both hardly get any work done. She’s always yammering on about something while I’m trying to do my work and I’m always trying to tell her to kindly shut up. For some reason though, I always get peace when I read. When I’m reading, it’s like the whole world disappears around me, even Cara.
