The Fallen Angel

53.Something is off

"I'm already planning a lot for our trip," Aria said, her voice trailing off with a pause. But I couldn't focus on her words, my mind spinning with thoughts of Ero and our whirlwind romance. Lost in my own world, I absentmindedly examined my nails.

"Hey, are you even listening to me?" Aria's voice snapped me out of my reverie, and I blinked, realizing I'd zoned out completely. "Of course, I'm listening," I replied with a sheepish grin, trying to cover up my distraction.

"But seriously, I've got some epic plans lined up," Aria continued, excitement bubbling in her voice. "We're gonna have the time of our lives!" She nudged me playfully, but I couldn't shake the smile that crept onto my face as I thought about the adventures that lay ahead with Ero by my side.

"Seriously, how did I go from Adrian to Ero in the blink of an eye?" I muttered to myself, pacing back and forth like a caged animal. Just then, Aria, with her nosy detective skills, barged in on my inner turmoil.

"Hey, what's with the shady behavior lately? Spill the beans, Isabelle," she demanded, her eyebrows furrowed in suspicion. Before I could even open my mouth, she jumped in with her own assumptions.

"Aria, hold your horses! I have something to confess, but brace yourself," I blurted out, feeling like I was about to reveal my deepest, darkest secret. Aria shot me a look that clearly said, 'I knew it!'

"Ha! I knew you were hiding something from me," she exclaimed, arms crossed and ready for the big reveal. Little did she know, the bombshell I was about to drop would have her forgetting all about her detective work.

"It's about Ero-" I began, but before I could spill the beans, But knowing that revealing my relationship with Ero would only stir up more trouble, I quickly intervened. "Nah, nothing serious, just needed a breather," I fibbed, hoping to divert her attention. Hazel narrowed her eyes, clearly not convinced by my half-hearted explanation.

"Are you lying?" she pressed, taking a step closer. My heart raced as I scrambled for a response, but before I could answer, Aiden swooped in to save the day.

"Hey, love," he greeted Aria with a warm hug, effectively shifting the focus away from me. I breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for the timely distraction.

"Leaving you lovebirds to it," I smirked, ducking out with a flourish. Whipping out my phone, I fired off a text to Ero, "Yo, where you hiding, E? ಠ︵ಠ" No response. Frustration bubbling, I sent another one, grumbling, "Ignoring me, huh? ʕಠ_ಠʔ" Seen, but still nada. Shrugging it off, I kept on truckin', eyes glued to my screen.

Then, bam! Ran smack into Adrian, Mr. Charming himself. "Whoa, watch your step there," he teased, flashing those pearly whites. "My bad," I chuckled, giving my noggin a rub. Glancing at my phone, a message popped: "Gone for a smoke." Eyebrows raised, I muttered, "Smoking?" Adrian just stood there, grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

I shot him a sheepish grin and swiftly stashed my phone away. "Yeah, all good," I reassured him, flashing a confident grin. "Just out here killing it."

He cocked an eyebrow, sidling up beside me. "You sure? You've been ghosting school for a hot minute, and now you're suddenly all hyped up." He waved a hand in my direction, looking puzzled. "Something ain't adding up."

I shrugged, trying to keep it casual. "Just vibing," I quipped, hoping to throw him off the scent.

The hallway went from zero to creepy real quick, like something straight outta a horror flick. Fog rolled in, swallowing up everything in its icy grip, and I was left standing there, feeling like I'd stumbled into the Twilight Zone. I looked around, my heart pounding in my chest, as the mist closed in on me, making every hair on my body stand on end.

People started disappearing left and right, like they were being sucked into another dimension or somethin'. I was freaking out big time, struggling to keep it together, when suddenly Adrian's hand clamped down on my wrist, grounding me in the chaos

Panic surged through me, making it hard to catch my breath, but then Adrian's hand closed around my wrist, anchoring me in the chaos. "You good?" he asked, his voice a reassuring presence in the eerie silence.

Adrian's voice echoed through the hallway, sending chills down my spine, but I couldn't bring myself to respond. The air grew colder with each passing second, thick with smoke that billowed around us like a sinister fog. "Adrian, we gotta get outta here," I urged, struggling to pry his hand from my wrist as I grasped onto his for support.

My steps faltered as I felt like I was walking on thin ice, the ground beneath us feeling less and less stable with every move. Breathing became a battle, each inhale a struggle against the suffocating smoke that seemed to choke the life out of me. I coughed and sputtered, my chest tightening with each breath, as the panic threatened to overwhelm me.

As we ventured deeper into the eerie darkness, a voice resonated through the shadows, sending shivers down my spine. "Thou art wronged," it echoed, chilling me to the bone. I turned to Adrian, my voice barely a whisper as I asked, "What manner of sorcery is this?"

We pressed on, my heart pounding with each step. Suddenly, a magnificent figure appeared before us, towering over the hallway with wings outstretched like a celestial being. I froze in awe as the majestic wings enveloped the space around us. "Thou art wronged," the voice repeated, its tone echoing with divine authority.

Adrian stepped forward, his voice trembling with uncertainty. "Who art thou?" he demanded, but deep down, I knew the answer before it was spoken.

The ethereal being before us radiated a celestial aura, its form bathed in a divine luminescence that seemed to illuminate the very darkness around us. Its countenance bore an otherworldly beauty, with eyes that gleamed like radiant stars and a smile that seemed to hold the wisdom of the ages.

Cloaked in robes that shimmered with the iridescence of a thousand opals, the angel stood tall and regal, its majestic wings spanning the breadth of the corridor like a canopy of heavenly feathers. Each feather glistened with a mesmerizing brilliance, casting prismatic hues that danced in the dim light.

As Adrian conversed with the celestial being in a language beyond mortal comprehension, I couldn't help but be captivated by the angel's presence. Its aura exuded a sense of peace and tranquility, filling the air with a palpable sense of divine grace. In that moment, I felt as though I stood in the presence of something truly beyond mortal understanding, a glimpse of the celestial realm itself.

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It took too long for me to update ;)