Underground Angels

Chapter Five | I Do Something Really Weird

Chapter Five

I Do Something Really Weird

 

            The bike rides to school were becoming increasingly annoying and cold. Annoying because a) it was cold and biking when it’s cold is the worst and b) Gabriel insisted on offering her a ride every day. Every. Single. Day.

Noel managed to get to Maths without much hassle, but had to blow her nose every few minutes – it was the bloody wind that did it, and her poor nose was giving her the nickname ‘red noses reindeer’ and ‘Rudolph’ among her miniscule group of friends. Plus, she couldn’t wear her contacts because her eyes were so puffy.

“Morning Rudolph!” Corrie said happily, waving her over. Gabriel was already sitting in his seat, the one directly behind Noel’s – she was positive this was on purpose. “Where’s the rest of the sleigh team, could Dasher not make it?”

“Ha-ha, very funny.” She grumbled, slouching in her seat “November really sucks.”

Ned patted her shoulder sympathetically “No worries Noel, we’re almost halfway through.”

She groaned and banged her head against the desk, and heard Gabriel chuckle as he got up, probably to greet someone across the room. He was so popular, Noel had no idea how he did it – it was only his second week and somehow everyone wanted to be his best friend. This was a gift Noel sorely lacked, not that she really minded.

It’s those cheeks she decided they’re just too adorable for a guy his age, and the hair…the eyes help too…and he’s not in bad shape, either…

Simon Jenks turned around in his seat, the one directly in front of Noel, and gave her a helpless smile “Hey Noel, do you have any idea what the answers are to the next test on the fifteenth? I seriously need to know.”

Noel didn’t know what happened, she was about to reply that how the hell would she know, but suddenly her vision blurred, and when she got it back the whole room was staring at her. The look on their faces could almost be described as fear, but Noel didn’t know what she could have done – had she gone oddly cross eyed or something, made a weird noise? Oh stars, did she fart out loud?

Glancing over at Ned and Corrie, she gave them a desperate look.

“You – uh – started babbling answers.” Ned whispered, leaning close.

Corrie nodded “And your eyes…they rolled back in your head. It was…” she let the sentence hang unfinished, but Noel got the idea.

Letting out a trembling laugh, Noel got up shakily “Got you!” she said loudly “Your faces – priceless!”

Everyone watched her as she backed slowly out of the room, and they joined in with her nervous laughter. She caught Gabriel’s eyes briefly, but he didn’t look scared, and definitely wasn’t laughing.

Exiting the room, Noel crossed the hall and opened the nearest door. This specific door happened to be the janitor’s closet, which smelled strongly of bitter lemon cleaner and cigs. Only seconds after she closed the door, it opened again, revealing Gabriel.