Angel Boy

Fly.

   “No,” I stated, crossing my arms over my chest to stand my ground. “What to hear it in French? Non.”

   “It’ll be fun, I promise.” Levi held up his right hand, the other covering his heart buried deep within his broad chest. A sign for a promise.

   Was he stupid, or just plain insane? There was no way I would go flying with a Bird. 

   “No, Levi, absolutely not--”

   “Oh, c’mon!” Levi threw his hands into the night air. “Haven’t you ever wanted to see the world from a different view? Haven’t you ever wanted to feel the wind through your hair? Haven’t you ever just wanted to . . . get away for awhile?”

   My mouth clamped shut, my eyes searching Levi’s. His words rang true in my ears. I had wanted to see life in a different perspective. I loved the way wind made goosebumps explode on my skin, the feeling of freedom running through my body. But more than anything, I wanted to get away. I wanted to leave everything behind, start over. Never looking back as I make a new, better life for myself.

   Levi took in my silence, a smile spreading across his face. 

   He walked up to me, grasping my wrist in his hold. A protest built on the tip of my tongue, but it burned in flames as Levi dragged us to the concrete railing of the balcony. He effortlessly stood on top, the wind blowing his hair. He pulled me up to stand beside him. He leaned down to whisper in my ear.

   “Don’t let go.”

   I shivered. “Wha--?”

   Levi maneuvered my arms so they wrapped around his neck, my stomach pressing against his back. Then, he leaned forward, causing both of our bodies to tip over the balcony. 

   A scream bubbled in my throat as I saw the ground fast approaching our falling bodies. But any air left my lungs as something moved against my sides, a flash of white fluttering out of my peripheral vision and we shot up into the air.

   I buried my face into Levi’s neck as wind slapped against my cheeks, my eyes shut tightly. My arms squeezed tighter around his neck, my legs wrapping around his waist. The muscles in his back stretched, creating a rhythmic motion against my stomach. The smell of nature and Levi overtook my senses.  

   “You can open your eyes,” Levi yelled over the sound of rushing wind.

   Slowly, my right eye peaked open. 

   We easily glided over the top of a forest, the moonlight illuminating everything it touched. The cliff could be seen in the distance. The wind was cold, but eerily soothing. My grip around Levi’s neck tightened, my ankles locking together around his waist. 

   Looking to the side, a gasp fell out of my mouth.

   Wings.

   White, graceful wings.

   The feathers looked pure, soft to the touch. They would’ve reach Levi’s ankles if he were standing. They looked majestic, like a lion’s mane. I hadn’t noticed the tears in his black shirt, two parallel tears going from the top of his shoulder blades to the bottom of his spine. As the wings flapped through the wind, the strong bone that connected them to the inside of Levi’s back--on his shoulder blades--was visible. 

   The only time I’ve ever seen a Bird’s wing’s was on television and in movies, never in person. They took my breath away.

   Levi leaned to the left, causing my arms to tighten around him. I looked over to the direction he flew in, my eyes squinting through the cold wind.