Colors of Angels

12. Leaving

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Arabella's Point of View
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I was 8 or 9 years old, my mom was in her room. I walked in to show her a picture I had drawn of her and me. She was sitting on her bed with her back to me and didn't hear me come in.  I walked around the bed and saw she was crying. She was holding an old photograph and when she saw me she stood up and quickly slipped it into the bottom of her top dresser drawer. I showed her my picture and she wiped away her tears and smiled at the pictured and hugged me. later that night when she was in the shower I dragged a chair into her room and pulled her drawer open and found the picture. I saw my mom, she looked younger, she had her arms around a guy and was looking up at him, she looked so happy. The guy was smiling down at her. I later figured out that was my dad. I never looked for that photo again.

As we drove down the dark streets to my house that picture was the only thing I could think of, that smile, looks like it's telling you you are the only person in the world. The one that was directed at my mother all those years ago, and was now shown to me earlier this night. When we got to my house I opened the door of the car slamming it behind me before Drew even turned it off. I jog up the driveway and grab the key from the obvious spot. The doormat. 

I walk in and quickly turn the corner into the living room and up the stairs. Down the hall, second door on the left. I push the door open and see my younger self standing in front of the dresser. I blink and the image is gone. Drew makes his way up behind me and I enter her room. I have a feeling like this is a new place. I've been here a million times but I feel like every step the floor is about to collapse out from under me. I get to her dresser and pull open the drawer.

What if it isn't here anymore? What if i'm wrong......what if I'm right? What would that mean? Oh God.

I dig to the bottom of the drawer and feel a photograph. It's still here. I pull my hand out gripping the photo and turn it over so I can see the front. My mom, so happy, and Pennington. It is him. He's unmistakable. The blonde hair, the eyes, the shape of his jaw and that smile.

Pennington is my dad. Oh. My. God. 

"That is your mom Arabella. Who is that?" Drew quietly asks me. 

"My Dad." I say. we stand there a moment before I turn and look at him. I can feel panic building in my stomach. I look into his eyes.

"Pennington is my Dad" I whisper to him voicing my thoughts. "We need to go show Falah. Where is she?" I ask.

"In the car" he says. I can see he is worrying about me right now. I walk past him and down the stairs. I lock the door and replace the key behind me. I walk over to Falah who is leaning against the car. I hand her the photograph.

"This is your parents." She says looking down at it. "I can see it so easily, you look exactly like them, more like your dad though." She says looking between me and the picture.

"Ya it is them. But that man, I've never met him, he left my mother before I was born. I saw this picture when I was eight. That is Pennington Falah, that is the man I saw when I was in Meriah's body." I'm trying to hide it but the panic is obvious in my voice. Her eyes fly to my face.

"Are you sure?" She asks me. I nod and look at the ground. I have a sick feeling in my stomach. Lightheaded, dizzy, like a cotton head. Say it anyway you want but I didn't like it.

"This would explain why he is so obsessed with you." She says nodding towards me. "I bet he's been watching since you were born, waiting to see if you were a guardian. When you turned out to be not just a guardian but a Hyper he wanted you to be a part of the Rebels, not the Society." She says.

I nod. I can't seem to find my voice. 

"We really need to get you somewhere safe Arabella" Drew says. I nod and open the car door slipping into the seat. It feels so comforting, the familiarity and comfort of old memories. Falah and Drew get in and I glance at the time as he starts the car 3:58. I close my eyes and lean my head back against the seat. 

When I open them again the sun is up and the clock reads 6:47. We are driving and I do not recognize where we are as I look around the outside of the car. 

"Hey there, sleepy" Drew says quietly. I look back at Falah and see she's spread out across the back seat asleep.

"Where are we?" I ask Drew talking quietly so as to not disturb Falah. 

"On our way to the council."

"Where is the council?" I ask.

"Scotland" Drew says glancing over at me. 

"Scotland?" I ask unbelievingly. "No freaking way." I start to get slightly excited despite the fact that my dad turned out to be a psychotic angel and my ex is an angel and all his angel friends were kidnapped by my psychotic dad. I mean SCOTLAND. SCOTLAND PEOPLE. 

Drew laughs at me. "Yes Scotland. Don't get to excited you are not gonna be having time for sightseeing love."

"I know" I say. Not tryin to hide the disappointment in my voice. "But I'm still gonna be in Scotland." I say showing slight excitement. I look over at him and see the smile I love so much on his face. A smile spreads across mine and I look out the window realizing in this moment I am happier than I have been in a long time.