Vita

Chapter Sixteen

We have no idea where Avery and Zoe would take Ember. We sat in the kitchen of his house at the island in the center of the kitchen. I swirled in the bar chair, trying to think of where they would take her.

"Maybe they're in Zoe's house?" I suggest.

"That would be too obvious since we were there," Levi counters.

"Then I give up!" I break into tears, "I'm tired of all of this! I just wanted a normal life!"

Levi turns his head to look at me, his face showing sadness, "it's okay, Eleanor."

"No, no it's not. First my father died, then I moved to this town to find out I'm a rare type of angel, and then we had to kill the nogitsune, and my mother died because of me! And now since the school year began all we've been trying to do is find The Black Angel!" I put my face in the palms of my hands, not daring to look at Levi.

"We haven't been spending all our time looking for The Black Angel," he stands up and touches my shoulders, gently rubbing them.

"You're right. It's also been our relationship falling apart," Levi's hands freeze on my shoulders and then fall down across my back.

"What?" he says; his voice harsh.

It's too late. I can't take it back now, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. I don't want to lose you."

"Why would you lose me?" he says awfully calmly.

"Because," I stop and take a deep breath.

"Why, Eleanor? Why would you lose me?"

"Because I did something t-that will probably make you hate me," my voice cracks at the end, but I can't hide it from him any longer.

He wraps his arms around my waist from behind and whispers in my ear, "it's okay. What happened?"

"It's not okay when I kissed Isaiah!" I break, screaming the words, trying to get them out as fast as possible. His hands squeeze around my waist and I feel his chin rest on my shoulder, and then he sighs.

"When did you kiss him?" his calm voice radiates through me. He's not mad... yet.

"Two nights ago," I whisper.

"That's why you ignored me at school all day?"

"I was feeling guilty. I felt horrible. Please, please forgive me, Levi, because I love you."

"I forgive you, and I was never mad at you because of it. It was just a kiss and you regret it, and I'm sure you had a good reason," he kisses my bare shoulder. My spaghetti strap of my black dress slid off my shoulder because of my small shoulders.

"How can you forgive me when I don't even forgive myself?" I whisper, turning myself around to look him in the eye. His dark, black eyes.

"I honestly don't know, Eleanor, but I have because I love you," his grasp on my hands are loose, but they're still burning my skin.

I give a small smile, "Thank you, but I will continue to feel guilt, and I'm so sorry."

He leans in and kisses me on my lips. The warmth of him burning me inside and out. Oh, how I love Levi. For his love for me. For his forgiveness. For everything. And I know he will help me find Ember. I know we can find her, I know.