Fallen Angel

13. Grey feathers

Aurora was sitting on the floor, next to the bed, in the dark. She hugged her knees with her arms and hid her face. She couldn't stop crying. If an angel acted like that, how was a demon supposed to be? Now that she knew his secret, what would she do? The phone rang three times in fifteen minutes. On the last call, they left a voicemail.

"Aurora, please call me. I know you don't want to talk to me or see me, but I want you to really listen to me. I care about you more than I would like. Please-". The message ended with his voice broken. It was Ethan.

Aurora didn't move. Little did she know that, just on the other side of the wall, an angel was in the same position as her as he also cried.

***

Someone knocked on Ethan's apartment door. The angel hid his wings and got up faster than lightning thinking that maybe Aurora had finally decided to give him a chance. But, when he opened the door, he saw that he had made a mistake. Olivia was wearing a lot of make-up and clothes that he had never seen before; probably they were new.

"Hello, Ethan! How are you? I see you..." she looked him up and down. "I see you are tired. What happened?"

"Haven't you talked with Aurora?" He wasn't even able to say hello.

"No. Should I have done it?"

"No... no, of course. It doesn't matter. What did you want?"

"I wanted to ask you something, but maybe this isn't the best place. Is it okay with you to accompany me to the river?"

"Now? What is this secrecy?"

"Just say, yes, or no?"

Ethan pondered. Getting out of the house and getting some fresh air wouldn't be bad for him. He finally agreed. He went to change his outfit and they both left.

As they walked, Olivia tried to find out what had happened to Ethan, but the boy always avoided answering and found other topics of conversation. After talking about art work and university, they arrived at the river bank. Ethan was feeling anxious. They were in the same place where he had seen Aurora cry a few hours ago. Because of him.

"We are already at the river. What did you have to tell me?" He looked her straight in the eyes, seriously. Olivia blushed. The breeze moved his black hair like night and that made him even more attractive.

"Well... Look, I'm probably very much like a fifteen-year-old girl, but... I never know how to handle these topics, not that it happens to me often, exactly... But..."

"Tell me. You know we have confidence," he encouraged her.

"Yes, well... it's just that..." She dared to raise her head and look him in the eyes. Blue eyes like the ocean.

And, without thinking, she said:

"Would you like to go out with me?"

Ethan looked surprised. He had noticed a long time ago that Olivia showed some interest in him, but he did not imagine that it would reach this point.

"Ah, well, from the look on your face I can see that I've been very stupid." She started to laugh.

"No, no. Please don't think that. I wish I had your courage. I'm flattered that you ask me, and I appreciate it. But..."

"Yes," she cut him off. "I understand. Don't worry."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay! I feel so much better now that I've told you. Thank you for being so kind. We can still be friends, right? Please take good care of Aurora!"

Olivia ran off before Ethan could say anything. He didn't see it, but tears began to fall down the girl's cheeks. Deep down, however, she was glad to have taken the step.

"Please take good care of Aurora!" Those words made his heart beat faster.

***

By the time he got home, Cassius had already arrived and had even prepared dinner. Ethan didn't say it out loud, but he was grateful for the gesture. He changed his clothes and sat at the table.

"Cassius..."

"No, she didn't come, nor did she call. I don't know anything about her."

"How did you know that I was about...?"

"Eat."

The mashed potatoes and the hamburger were delicious. Cassius was really a good cook. Ethan, however, wasn't very hungry. He did not tell his friend what had happened with Olivia because the archangel did not know her and because he considered it a private matter. In addition, it hurt that Aurora had not given any signs of life. He didn't dare go to her apartment. He had a feeling he would make things worse by invading her space.

"And now, what are you going to do?" asked the archangel.

"I don't know. You were right, I fucked it up."

"Yes. But we need the ring, remember?"

"Yes, I know. Not the best time to plan a robbery at Aurora's house, though."

"At her house? Do you know where it is?"

"Yes, yes. The plan was to find God's protégée, who is Aurora, and steal, or "borrow" as you say, her heart-shaped ruby ring. I have found the protégée and consequently the damn ring. Don't you see that I've been spending the day with her for weeks? We went to class together every day, studied in the library, went to an amusement park and even argued."

"Don't be dramatic. Where does she hide the ring?"

"I'm not being dramatic. And I won't tell you where she hides it. I want to do it myself."

"You are not capable of doing it. You're too in love with her to think straight."

Ethan felt as if someone had punched him in the stomach. Maybe he wasn't quite aware of what it all meant.

"Does it hurt you? Think that these physical pains will increase the more you realize how in love you are. I warned you. It's dangerous."

"I'm so done with your damn lessons!"

The angel got angry enough to spread his wings. And then Cassius saw it. His face went pale.

"Ethan..."

"What the fuck do you want?"

"The wing..."

"It doesn't hurt anymore."

"I'm not saying it because of the wound... The feathers..."

Ethan turned to look at his left wing. There were a few feathers that had turned grey.

"What the hell...?"

"Fuck." Cassius ran a hand through his long hair, nervous.

"What does it mean? It had never happened to me."

"It means you're in love. Very much in love. Of a human."

//

Hi! Sorry for being inactive so many days, thank you for waiting. I hope you like this new chapter! Hopefully next one will be posted soon :) Thanks for reading! Don't forget to vote if you liked it <3