Waiting For The Beast (Lucifer's Clock Series, Book 1)

The Present/New Girl

Angelica looked over her appearance in the mirror. She was nervous about today. It had taken all summer for her to convince her aunts to allow her to attend  public school. After a lot of begging and insisting that she wanted to go to school like other kids, they had enrolled her in a private school.

Her aunts had done a phenomenal job homeschooling her. Angelica could do Calculus as if it was simple adding and subtraction. She could recite Shakespeare as if she had written it herself. She knew the globe so well; one would think she had traveled the world and not to mention she was fluent in six different languages.

So, it wasn't a surprise when she passed her entrance tests with flying colors. The school thought she would be able to go straight to twelfth grade with her scores, but she wanted to go through high school like everyone else, so she was placed in her age appropriate grade, the eleventh grade. The only part she disliked was having to wear a uniform and not being able to ride the big yellow buses that kids in public school got to ride. A knock sounded on her bedroom door.

"Come in," she said knowing it was one of her aunt's.

Her aunt Gabriel walked in. "Don't you look studious," she said grinning nervously. Angelica didn't know what her aunt's deal was. They acted like someone was going to kidnap her.

"You know millions of kids go to school every day," laughed Angelica.

"I know but none of those kids are you."

Angelica rolled her eyes. "I'll be fine."

"Let's get this show on the road," said Connie walking into Angelica's room with Adaira at her heels. Adaira went to Angelica and began to rub against her legs.

"Not you too Adaira." Angelica picked up the furry, white cat and rubbed her face against it. "I will be back. I'm only going to school." Adaira meowed as if responding.

When Angelica put Adaira down she noticed Connie had a bag in her hand.

"What's that?"

Connie's face lit up. "This is your new backpack."

Only Connie would be excited about buying a backpack for school. She handed the bag to Angelica. Angelica opened the bag and pulled out a huge, brown purse that had the initials LV decorated all over it.

"Don't you love it? It's a Louis Vuitton Cabas Mezzo tote," squealed Connie.

"Thanks Connie," said Angelica trying not to laugh. Her aunt had an obsession with shopping for high end items.

"You're welcome! I thought you would want to look as cool as possible since you are the new kid and this my dear is the coolest of the coolest!"

Angelica thought a regular backpack would've sufficed, but she did consider Connie the cool aunt in comparison to Gabriel, so she would take her advice.

"C'mon, we don't want you late on the first day," said Gabriel walking out the door.

Angelica and Connie looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Gabriel was a stickler for time while Angelica and Connie could care less about it. Gabriel was always the mature, responsible adult, while Connie seemed more laid back, easy going, and almost like a teenager.

Angelica was a lot closer to Connie then Gabriel, which she credited to Connie being easy to talk and relate to. Gabriel was always busy and never there, but Angelica knew that Gabriel loved her just as much as Connie. She just had a different way of showing it. She threw her books into her tote and put on some last minute accessories to compliment her uniform, if that was possible.

She was hoping Connie would be driving her to school, but when she saw Gabriel in the driver's seat of her mustang in the driveway her hopes were dashed. Connie hugged her before she could walk out the door.