Between Heaven and Hell (PA #2)

Chapter Forty-Seven

Willow

Four weeks.

A midpoint.

Four weeks have passed since the disastrous night in Galileo's office, and four weeks remain until the school year is over.

I'm...it's a stretch to say I'm better, but it's not so far from the truth. I'm carrying on, I guess. It's the only thing I can do.

The rest of the guys have been great recently. They're definitely overcompensating for Galileo's absence in our strange group, but I won't lie and say I don't like the extra attention. It's nice to feel wanted after Galileo unofficially broke up with me.

Unofficial because it's not like he sent a card confirming as much, but the message is still pretty clear. This also means our relationship officially lasted for less than three weeks. That has to be some kind of record.

The man of the hour scowls at our assembled team. "I swear to God if any of you embarrass me out there, I will wipe out your entire family line. Except for you, human. You have no family to wipe out."

I barely feel the sting of the insult. And it's not true, anyway. I might have a less-than-stellar biological family, but my chosen family is pretty great. If he doesn't think they're valid enough to threaten, then that's fine with me.

It's the second day of the dodgeball tournament. Our team won both of our matches yesterday, so we've advanced to the semi-finals today.

Galileo could have kicked me off the team but he didn't. I think he gets some sort of sick pleasure from watching me pretend to be unaffected in his presence. He keeps me in his sights, no longer allowing me to sit and talk with Albert.

I'm stuck by the angel's side, his unwilling assistant. It's sadistic and just plain mean, but at least he's not forcing me to participate in the actual practices or games. He's not trying to actively kill me, so that must be a positive sign. Or he doesn't want to risk losing. They're both valid options.

As much as I don't want to look for signs that we can mend our relationship, I can't help myself. If anything, I blame the mate bond for the constant impulse. The thing in my chest that's finally started to reveal itself–after the scene in Galileo's office–refuses to accept that it's been rejected. That we've been rejected.

Nothing I know about mate bonds explains this reaction. A mating bond can be severed before it's actually completed. It was severed by Galileo when he rejected it, but the thread in my chest that flows to him is still present. It makes no sense. But, I mean, this entire mate situation is abnormal, so what's one more thing.

Galileo's pep talk to the team–if one considers threats to be acceptable forms of encouragement–goes in one ear and out the other. I've become somewhat of an expert at tuning him out. He hates it. Even now, even from me, he can't handle being ignored. Too bad for him, I'm a pro at ignoring anyone and anything.

We're fire and gasoline lately. We set each other off and make each other worse, but we can't seem to stay away from one another.

I've tried, but he never lets me for very long. This realm is too damn small. I'm actually looking forward to leaving it for a few months. Though, with my luck, we'll somehow end up in the same place for our trial.

I hate that there's a tiny part of me that's happy about the idea. It's the bond's fault. Completely and utterly. It has nothing to do with me or my own feelings on the matter. Not at all.

I will be taking no further questions at this time.

A face is shoved right in front of mine. Barely startling, I blink away the glaze in my eyes to see properly. It's Galileo, because of course it is.