My Angel

My Angel: Chapter 6

In the few short weeks since I'd last seen her, Jules had completely changed. Just like Charlie had said, pretty much all of her long hair had been sheared off, so it hung in uneven lengths from her head. It was like someone took a knife to it. I also couldn't help but notice that she was a lot more defined - she had muscles before, but now...

None of that really bothered me. No, what was freaking me out was the fact that she was staring at the ground, not letting me see her face while she stood there... vibrating? She was shaking so bad I thought she might collapse.

"Jules?" I said stunned, my new voice full of concern.

I could see her tense up, her fists clenched. Bonnie was behind her by a couple of feet, looking between the two of us with fear. I tried to send her a smile, my stupid, excited one melting into one of trepidation. It didn't help a thing, she scooted back a couple more feet.

"What do you want?" she demanded quietly, her voice full of held back rage. She still wouldn't look at me, her eyes were locked onto the porch.

I wanted to reach out to her, to hug her, to let her know everything would be ok. To help her - just like how she's been helping me "I... wanted to talk to you," I said softly.

"So talk," She hissed. "No one's stopping you." Her knuckles were white as she kept them at her sides.

I didn't respond at first. I'd never seen Jules act like this before. Not with anyone, and certainly not to me. She was always carefree, happy and joking. Seeing her, looking like she wanted to - to run me off. It hurt.

"Alone, if you don't mind," I said more quietly still, and I was surprised how steady my voice was.

Julie turned to Bonnie, and gave her a little nod. Bonnie looked between the two of us even faster, like she wanted to say something - as though she didn't want us to be alone, but after a second, she gave a little nod back. Jules stepped out, slamming the door closed behind her. I took a step away from her, worried that being this close would upset her even more.

"All right," said Jules after a second, I saw the tension and hostility in her frame relax a little, not by much, but a little - and then finally, she looked up at me.

She let out a little gasp, finally actually seeing what I looked like now... I could see it in her eyes... the heart broken, dead inside kinda look. The same one I'd given in the mirror every day.

My eyes widened a fraction, and I tensed up as I felt myself break a little inside. This wasn't a look she was meant to have - she was never meant to be... broken. Not like I was.

She shook that off and instead stared with ferocity in her look again; that dead, agonized sadness still there, but she stared at me with eyes that were almost dead black, blank, and uncaring.

I flinched, taking another step back. I carefully leaned on the railing, not wanting to break it, but I needed something to keep me steady. I blinked, forcing myself to focus. Forcing myself out of my memories when another person I loved gave me that same look.

"Well?" Jules said harshly. "Let's get this over with."

I didn't say anything for a second.

"Sam?" I questioned softly. I got a deep scowl in return. After another second though, she shook her head, giving a frustrated sigh.

Some of the fight seemed to drain out of her, but only by a hair. "It wasn't what I thought it was... I was wrong." She said, struggling for what to say it looked like. Like she was unsure of what she could say.

My eyes never moved from hers. "You mean Samatha hasn't been forcing people into this cult against their will?"

"It's not a cult!" She snapped defensively, shaking again. Quickly though she calmed herself down. "No. She's... not who I thought. She's actually been helping me... a lot."