Tears Of Fire

Chapter Twentytwo, Part One

I threw my arms around him again, we were back in the mouth of the cave, and we had chosen to leave before someone else came. I couldn’t believe he was here. Dallas and Drake both stood with their arms crossed in a jealous sounding silence. I laughed out of sheer joy; I had no reason to be sad now. I laughed because Dallas and Drake had yet to remember who the angel was. It was simple really, his name was Jonathan now. I smiled an ear to ear grin. Jonathan laughed. He took my hand and led me to the back of the cave. Dallas and Drake obviously didn’t like it but put up with it as the elementals, they, Jonathan and I headed to the back of the cave. It was like holding your dad’s hand, nothing romantic at all. My mom had stayed long enough to make sure I was okay and for me to stop crying then she left on the next plane so that people would think I was with her, or not here at all. Avery was waiting for us in the main room, smiling and frowning at the same time. He raised his eyebrows when he saw me and Jonathan.

“I heard about what happened at the school.” He said, looking to Blaise. Blaise threw her hands up, her hands were still slightly smoking and her skin was so hot that little waves of heat were rising off her skin.

“I saved our asses and I don’t even get a thank you?” She asked, storming off to the couch and sitting down dramatically. She turned on the TV and left it on the news. I glanced at the clock, it was 7 pm. The fight had taken a couple hours but had only felt like moments. I was still covered head to toe in blood. None of it was mine.

“I’m going to go take a shower,” I said. “Hey Jonathan, there’s one you can use too.” I told him he nodded and followed my down the stairs. I directed him to a bathroom across the hall from my room. I got in the shower and stood there, watching the water run from dark red, to light read, to pink to clear. I scrubbed at my hair and once I was sure I was clean I got out of the shower. I wrapped the towel tightly around myself, trying to keep in the warmth. I looked at myself in the mirror, which I had to unfog. My eyes were big and bright, my hair long and wet, my skin as pale as usual. You would never guess that I had taken many lives just an hour before. I shook my head and went out to my room. Jonathan was sitting on my bed dressed in plaid shorts, and was toying with something he had in his hands. I tried guessing at what it was but had never seen it before. I walked to the walk in closet and picked out a long sleeve shirt and an old pair of dance sweatpants I had gotten a while ago. It was all black, better for heat. I dressed quickly and went out to my room, while scrubbing at my hair with the towel. I up trying to dry it when it was damp, not dry. I yanked my brush through it and sat down next to Jonathan. After sitting, I fell on to my back, staring at the ceiling with my feet hanging over the edge of my bed. Jonathan sighed. I propped myself up on my elbows and looked at him. He looked happy, but I couldn’t tell if he was happy sighing or sad sighing.

“What’s wrong?” I asked him, he looked at me and smiled. He lied down beside me and handed me the thing he was toying with. It was a gold heart necklace with gems laid in to it. I looked at him. He opened it and showed me the picture put in to it. It was one of us together in the last life on one side and a couple more gems, and a picture of him on the other. I smiled. It was stunning, of course.

“Nothing’s wrong, everything is right, I just, I can’t stand to leave you unprotected even with me by your side. It’s all a combination of gems to help strengthen you. The picture isn’t of our last life time but one of the more important ones. I want you to wear it to remember me. As a friend, nothing more.” He added. My smile grew wider and I sat up so he could put it on. It looked amazing.

“Thank-you, it’s beautiful. But I have nothing to give you,” I told him, feeling sick of it. Every life time he gave me a present and claimed that all he wanted was to be my friend. I told him that too one time and he insisted on it. I learned to just suck it up and accept it. He smiled and messed up my hair. We lied there, staring up at the ceiling talking.