† 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 † Angels Love

Chapter 5

The first thing I noticed was the cold. My room at Celestial College was practically freezing, and I curled up tighter under my blanket, trying to escape the icy air. It had been snowing all night, and the morning light filtering through my curtains was pale and silvery, making everything look washed out and colorless. Usually, I loved winter—the peaceful quiet of snow covering the ground, the way the world seemed to pause for a moment. But today, all I wanted was to stay warm in bed.

I rolled over, my face buried in my pillow, when I heard a faint creaking sound. My eyes snapped open, instantly alert. I sat up quickly, scanning the room, and my heart sank when I saw a familiar figure leaning against my desk, a smirk on his face.

"Good morning, Starly," Christopher said, his voice full of fake cheerfulness. He was lounging there like he belonged in my room, his red eyes bright with mischief.

I groaned, rubbing my eyes. "Christopher, what the hell are you doing in my room? And how did you get in here?"

He shrugged, pushing away from the desk and walking closer, completely unbothered by my irritation. "Wards can't keep me out if I don't want to be kept out," he said with a grin. "I thought you'd know that by now."

I glared at him, wishing I could set him on fire with just a look. "Well, you're not supposed to be here. Radiant dorms are off-limits to Umbrals, remember? Now get out."

Christopher ignored my demand and casually sat down in my desk chair, spinning it slightly so he faced me. "Oh, come on, Starly," he said, using that ridiculous nickname he'd come up with just to annoy me. "Don't be so uptight. I'm just here to say hello. You know, brighten up your morning."

I snorted. "You're here to annoy me, as usual. You're like a stray cat that won't leave no matter how many times I tell it to go away."

"Stray cat?" He laughed, leaning back in the chair. "I'm flattered, really. But I think you're underestimating how much fun it is to see you all flustered. Besides, I had a free morning, and I figured, why not spend it with my favorite angel?"

"You must be really bored if this is how you spend your free time," I shot back, pulling the blanket tighter around me. "Don't you have anything better to do? Like tormenting someone else for a change?"

"Not really," he said with a shrug. "You're the most fun. The others are too easy to mess with. But you, Starly... you're different. You always put up a fight. I like that."

I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore the small, unwanted thrill his words sent through me. "Well, go find a new hobby. I'm not in the mood to deal with your games today."

Christopher leaned forward, his expression shifting to something more serious. "But that's just it, Star. I don't think you know how to stop playing games. Everything with you is a battle. Light versus dark, good versus evil. It's exhausting. Don't you ever get tired of it?"

I stared at him, caught off guard by the sudden change in his tone. "What are you talking about?" I asked, confused. "This is just who we are. Guardians protect the light. Influencers... well, you try to spread darkness. We're supposed to be enemies."

He shook his head slightly, his red eyes never leaving mine. "Maybe that's what we're supposed to be. But maybe I'm tired of being what everyone expects. Maybe I just want to annoy you because it's the only time I feel like I get a real reaction from you."

I blinked, my mind racing to make sense of his words. "Are you saying you don't actually hate me?" I asked slowly, trying to understand.

Christopher smirked, but there was something different in his eyes now, something almost vulnerable. "Hate's a strong word, Star. I like pushing your buttons. I like seeing you react. But hate? No. If I hated you, I wouldn't bother."