Sang's Freedom (Original And Rewritten)

Chapter 3: Gabriel

-Chapter 3: Gabriel Coleman's POV-

I looked down at the girl in my arms. Damn, this girl had some crazy beautiful hair.

Her hair was like that of a chameleon. It was mostly blonde with highlights of caramel and strawberry, and there near her ear was a strand of honey.

"Did she just faint?" asked Luke, looking to Kota nervously.

"Yeah, we should get her inside. Gabe, do you have her?"

I nodded. She wasn't that heavy. "Does anyone know who she is? It's weird she was up in that tree in the middle of the night."

"Do you think she's Academy?" asked Luke. "She moved like a ninja. I didn't even see her until she was two feet in front of me."

"Maybe..." Kota pulled out his phone, sending out a quick message as we walked towards his house. "Mr. Blackbourne is going to want to know about her."

They reached the house, and Kota snuck in first to make sure his mother, Erica, and his sister, Jessica, were still asleep.

When Kota gave the OK, we hurried up to his bedroom and I deposited the girl onto Kota's bed. The cut on her head had stopped bleeding.

I wondered if the girl had passed out from losing so much blood, or from all the excitement. She didn't seem to have a concussion, and I hadn't missed the way she had started shaking when Luke touched her.

Kota brought up his first aid kit, tossing Luke a wet washcloth. The girl had elbowed him good in the cheekbone and broke skin. The cut would heal in a day or two, but the bruise would last.

I watched as Kota worked to wash the blood from the girl's temple. I wish I knew her name. She was beautiful. Her face, her eyes, the curve of her cheek. There was the arch of her brows, and the fullness of her pink lips.

My eyes traced down her frumpy clothes and I groaned. "If this girl is Academy, I'm getting her a whole new fucking wardrobe."

Kota chuckled, pausing when his phone went off. He read the message, snapped a photo of the girl and returned his phone to his pocket.

"If this girl is Academy, we're keepin' her," Luke laughed, wiping his face with the washcloth. "Tough lil' cookie."

From the bed, the girl stirred and Kota managed to get a hand over her mouth before she shrieked. "Shh, we aren't going to hurt you," Kota whispered.

Her green eyes were wide, frightened as Kota pulled away his hand.

"You can't keep me here!" she blurted.

Luke laughed, but I recognized the concern that flashed in Kota's eyes.

This girl had been alone in the woods. She was scared, uncomfortable with touch. When Luke surprised her, the girl's first instinct was to attack.

It wasn't normal.

There was darkness in her eyes.

"No one's going to keep you anywhere," Kota told her softly. "You passed out. We can take you home, if you feel well enough to walk."

She nodded slowly.

"May I ask your name?"

"Sang," she answered.

Luke scrunched up his nose. "Like I sang a song?"

She nodded.

"Weird." Luke's face broke out in a grin. "I like it."

Sang looked away, cheeks turning pink as she mumbled out a thank you.

"Are you from around here?" Kota asked, fixing his glasses.

She shrugged. "We moved in that house on Sunnydale Court."

Kota nodded. "We saw the movers. How do you like it?"

She shrugged again.

"Do you need anything? I could get you some hot cocoa, or..."

Sang glanced out the window and I looked over to see the rains starting up. "I...would someone take me home?"

Luke's hand shot up, but her eyes looked up to find me.

"Would you?"

With Sang looking at me with those damn eyes, I felt my cheeks heating up. "Sure, why the hell not?"

Sang scooted off the bed, but didn't take my hand when I offered it as she slipped past into the hall.

"Bye, Sang!" Luke whisper yelled as Kota got a hand over his mouth.

Sang had paused half way down the stairs, and I placed a hand on her wild hair. She went ridged beneath my touch.

"I fucking love this color," I breathed. "Come on, let's get you home."

Sang's house was the red two-story house kiddy corner from Kota's. As we walked out into the rain, the girl shivered. I tried to offer my jacket, but she only glared, wiping her wet hair from her face.

I was surprised when Sang didn't go through the front door, and instead went walking around the side.

Near the side of the house grew a large oak tree, and Sang immediately reached up to find that her fingers were just short of the lowest branches even when she made a run and jump.

"Fuck!" she swore.

I looked up startled that such a word could come out of such a pretty mouth. Sang bit her lip as she turned to look at me.

"Help me up?"

"What, the front door ain't good enough for you?"

A slight grin slipped across her face. She looked like trouble.

"Would you believe me if I said I had no choice?" Sang asked, trying again for the branch as the two of us were drenched by the downpour.

I opened my mouth to the sky, feeling like Luke as I caught a rain drop. "Sure Trouble. Here, gimme your foot."

I hiked her cute little butt up the tree, though once she got hold of the lowest branch, Sang needed no more help from me.

She was breathtaking, and it took me a moment to shake off the glamor before I followed her up. The girl reached a height level with the roof and fearlessly jumped. Her feet slipped on the wet shingles, but I was there to catch her.

Sang laughed nervously, fingers sinking against my wet, bright orange button down. "Saved me again..." she murmured. "What...what's your name?"

"Gabriel."

"Gabriel." She put a finger to her bottom lip, and I fought back the urge to pull that finger away. "I hope I see you around."

"Me too, Trouble."

I smiled in the rain as she shimmied her way down through the window.