For the rest of my life: raf x sulfus (angel's friends)

Chapter 23: Tornado

I walked into Lucas's house. My feet slid across the rug due to my tiredness. "Why don't you crash in the guest bedroom? You look exhausted," Lucas approached me. I nodded and followed him down the hallway.

The room was small and arranged like someone lived in there. Lucas closed the door and I rummaged through the fully stocked drawers. I teenage girl lived here, and I was definitely in her room. Who lived here?

I wasn't going to ask more questions to confuse the ones I already had. I got under the silk sheets and was suddenly surrounded with warmth. I laid back into the silver pillow cover and looked at the ceiling. I continued to push my blond and red bangs from my face.

A knock startled me, and I sat up. Sulfus peered through the door, and my heart jumped. This is who I loved. I pushed away the covers, and he slid next to me. "I missed you," his voice was low right in my ear. I leaned into him.

"Where did you go? I was worried," I looked up to meet his hazel eyes.

"I needed to see Kabale. Her father, Cedric, has done something unspeakable. Cabiria and I went to her. She wanted to confront her father, but never actually did. She was too scared." Too scared? Kabale? Who could this man be?

"Who is Cedric?" I looked back into my lap. His arm tensed around me.

"He is our General of war in Sulfur city. Battles were fought between Angie Town and Match City in the past, and as you probably remember, no one won the war. Cedric wants to fight the war again, and no one can stop him from attacking. He can also control all the soldiers that can be drafted from Match City. Anyone can be drafted, and I am one of those people." My breathing began to shorten.

I looked up at him once again. "No! You can't go. I need you to have this child. I need you to be here, safe," my heart was racing. His arm squeezed my shoulder as a tear ran down my cheek. How could he leave?

"I'm doing everything I can for prevention of this war in the first place. If I can't, then I might have to leave. If I am drafted and decline, then they can throw me away forever," his words were stabbing me in the chest. I couldn't let him see me cry.

"When does he plan on rounding up troops?" I knew I should have been afraid of the answer.

"He wants to round them up weekly, in a month's time span. Basically anytime this month." My mouth was dry and my words were all fumbled. His touch did nothing to me.

Whatever I was thinking, it wasn't clear. Anything could happen, and with everything going on right now, I couldn't handle anything else. Not now.

I couldn't look at him. Not that it was his fault, but I couldn't handle his sorrow look when I'm about to burst into tears. "How long-? How long will you be gone?"

"The war lasted for a couple centuries last time," silence. Pure silence is all that covered and flowed through the air. I clutched my stomach. It hurt too much. His words that rang through me hurt. He will be gone.

With Reina, Quinn, the baby, and now he's leaving, I didn't stand a chance. He's leaving me. I couldn't think straight. All I wanted was my life back. I wanted a safe life in Angie Town. "I don't know if I can let you leave," I said, my eyes still watered down.

His eyes contained every sadness I knew how to comprehend. Mine did as well. I cradled my knees as his arm wrapped around me.

I stayed like this, and Sulfus had fallen asleep. My eyes were wide open with a sparkling tear rolling down my cheek every minute. I was pouring hot tears into my lap. I picked myself off the bed, and went to the bathroom. I flipped the light on careful not to wake up Sulfus.

I washed my face and looked at myself in the mirror. My stomach was getting bigger every day. It wasn't very noticeable yet, but it made me almost smile. The smile was brought to a frown very quickly though.

--

I was shut down the rest of the week. I ate, slept, and sat through conversations without a word. Arken had been over to Lucas's house several times since my big appearance. Besides him, no one has laid a single knock on the door. When Arken came over, I always sat in a closet until he left. Sulfus the same.

I knock was heard on the door. Lucas answered as I began to hide thinking it was Arken again. Kabale stepped through the door. "I need to talk to him," she rushed past Lucas.

I was about to say something. "You have been drafted," her voice cut me. Sulfus coughed out, and I fell. I wanted to cry.

Sulfus came to me, "It's required. There is no way out of it. I'm so sorry," he was so calm.

"You can't leave! Stay with me, please," I was almost begging. I was so torn. He just looked down on me. I wouldn't seem him almost forever.

"It isn't your choice, blondie," Kabale sneered at me.

"Kabale, stop," Sulfus stopped her.

"If you walk out now, don't come back," I was in shear pain when I said that. I broke my own heart. With that, he said nothing else, and walked straight out the open door.

I was broken, and he was gone. Just like a devil to leave. Kabale walked out smirking. I remained on the floor crying. The dark brown floor was soaked with my tears, and then a hand touched my shoulder.

I turned my head up to Lucas. I don't know what it was I saw. Maybe it was his eyes, or maybe the way his smile makes me smile. He took me in his arms. I might not have been able to live without Sulfus, but I knew the one thing I needed right at this moment. Lucas.