Be My Guardian Angel

Chapter 6

Lauren

"I'm so sorry, Lo." Max apologizes for like the hundredth time.

"How many times do I have to tell you it's okay?" I sigh.

"I just didn't expect it to get out of hand like that."

"It was a fire, Max. Fire tends to spread." I say sarcastically.

"I just thought that maybe if you were kept in the cafe a little while longer, Charlie would run off. I didn't expect it to kill you. I'm so so sorry." He pleads with me.

I put my hands on both his shoulders and look him in the eye before pulling him into a hug. "It is okay." I repeat slowly, rubbing circles on his back.

"How about I show you around?" He asks when I pulled away, rubbing the back of his neck.

"What is there to show me?" I laugh, looking around at the vast white nothingness and people with those stupid clipboards.

"Follow me." He orders, grabbing my hand and pulling me into more nothingness until we're away from all the snooty people.

He holds up a finger signaling for me to wait after telling me to stand back. He closes his eyes and snaps his fingers before a building appears. A freaking building. It looks like an Italian restaurant, with muted reds and grays.

He holds out his hand and bows, "My lady?"

I giggle softly before taking his hand with mine as he leads me to the entrance of the restaurant.

"Jerry?" He asks, tapping the podium at the entrance. A waiter, in a tuxedo and a handle bar mustache approaches the podium with a snooty yet bored look on his face; great more snootiness. "We'd like a table, please."

Jerry, I'm assuming, leads us to the only table in the back of the store with a dim little lightbulb hanging right above it before placing menus in front of us and practically stomping away.

"So what's with this place and all the painfully generic names? Jerry? Bill? Max?" I tease.

"Hey now, my name is not generic." He holds up his hands in protest. "My name happens to be very unique; like me."

"Oh," I place my hand on my chest and do my best British accent - which is actually pretty shit, "pardon me."

"You're forgiven." He says in an equally shitty accent before putting his menu in front of his face.

I chuckle and sip on the water that was already on the table and look at my menu. I hear a cough and look up just as Max hides his eyes behind the menu again. Why does he have to be so freaking cute?

Max

I listen to her giggle before actually looking at menu that's two inches in front on my face for what to eat. Yes, angels eat too; we don't have to but we can.

"What are you getting?" I ask her, still refusing to lower the menu.

"Oh I'm sorry," she says with mock sincerity, "I only talk to angels, not menus."

Shoot, she found a loophole. I slowly lower the menu before sticking my tongue out at her and she giggles again. I can't get enough of that.

"I'm thinking the chicken Alfredo with some red wine. What about you?" She smiles, sipping at her water, which is already almost gone.

"I think I'll have the same." I reply, folding my menu and putting it on the table. Right on queue, Jerry comes back to the table to take our order. He takes the menus before sniffing and haughtily walking away. He really doesn't have to be so rude.

We spent the time before Jerry came back with our food laughing and making jokes. I've never actually flirted with anyone but I think that's what this is; I like it.

I stick two straws to my teeth and pretend to be a walrus which causes her to snort water out her nose from laughing which causes me to laugh so hard the straws pop off my teeth and right into the food Jerry just brought.

"Classy." He rolls his eyes, stomping away again.

"What's his problem?" I joke, taking the plate that I accidentally snorted the straws on.

"French people." She jokes back.

We eat our food in relative silence because it was so good. I watch her as she glances at me occasionally, sipping on her wine, and slurping the noodles into her mouth, causing me to smile.

Everything she does is just so perfect. She makes me feel wanted and needed while everyone else treats me like a screw up. She never fails to make me laugh and just make me happier than I thought I ever would be. She saved me from being demoted to worker because she wanted me. She wanted me to be the one to watch over her even though I continue to fail her. I don't deserve to watch over a girl as incredible as she's proving to be.

"So what are we going to do, Max?" She says, shaking me out of my thoughts as she finishes her wine.

"About what?" I ask, tilting my head to the side.

"My life?" She questions, like it's obvious. "I don't really want to repeat the same day over and over for the rest of eternity. We need to figure out a way to stop this."

"Oh. Right." I say, twirling the straw around my water glass.

"What's wrong?" She asks, reaching for my hand. I hesitantly let her take it.

"Nothing, I'm fine." I respond, rather coldly.

"Max..what's gotten into you?" She pulls her hand back.

Oh nothing, you just get to live on earth and I'm stuck up here wishing I could be with you.

I soften my tone and smile at her. I can't help it when I'm with her. "I'm fine, Lo. I promise."

"Okay.." She says, unsure of whether to believe me or not.

"Whether I'm able to stop Charlie today or not, that's not going to stop him any other day. There's no definite way to make sure he never tries it again, especially considering you don't know you need help when you're down there." I tell her, twisting my mouth trying to think.

"Max, something has to work." She pouts her lip and her eyes start to cloud over.

"I know. I'll figure something out. I promise." I take her hand in mine and kiss the top of it, watching her eyes get slightly bigger. I'm going to take that as a good thing.

I don't let go of her hand as I lead her out of the restaurant, nodding at Jerry who, once again, turns his nose up in disgust.

"Let's get you back down there."

*** Aww bb. Max is my life, guys.