After purgatory

II

Purgatory.
That's what they call Earth at St. Claire.
After Ebraham further counselled her and explained to her the proper procedure that would take place, introducing her to St. Claire. It is a school or campus of some form for the offsprings of gods and angels, any thorough devils being banished to a segregated part of the campus. The only reason Pandora was only allowed in was due to the respect and adoration of her mother. Ebraham's assistant, Clarisse, lead her through the stone halls of St. Claire. Purgatory being the only middle ground for gods and angels and all of these mystical creatures, dressed in human skins. It was made to decide whether an angel had good intentions or whether they would eventually fall to the temptations of darkness. "So, you'll be staying in the 3rd wing, which is this hall here." Clarisse said as she turned the corner.
"Will I get to at least say goodbye to my friends?" Pandora asked helplessly.
The woman's face scowled before settling again, "Sunday. That will be the last contact you have with your old life. Those demons came after Elizabeth because they knew what you were. They're after you, Pandora. Elizabeth was an unfortunate example of their version of collateral damage."
"Elizabeth was not collateral damage." Pandora snapped, the woman seeming taken aback as she beheld the fierce anger that this particular angel contained. Clarisse stayed silent while slotted a blue in a wooden door. The door clicked open to reveal a large room with two beds. On one sat a petite girl with long blonde locks and eyes of blue. She looked precisely how an angel should. "This is your roommate, Angelique. I will check on you again on Friday." She said before quickly pacing away, her pantsuit rippling, leaving Pandora alone in the doorframe.
The girl turned and smiled, tucking a lock of sunlight in a strand away.
Her small white dress was comfortable-looking but still graceful as she was with her rosy cheeks. "Hello, I am Angelique." The girl said with a ghost of a French accent. Pandora smiled back, Angelique's warmth radiating through her. She slowly dropped her duffel bag on the vacant bed, scanning the room. She couldn't help but feel inferior with the angelic girl and the majestic scene, with her untamed black hair and shrugged on clothes.
"I'm Pandora." She said, still looking around the room. The girl put down her book. "Pandora... that's an unusual name."
Pandora grinned as she met Angelique's eyes, "Why? Because it's related to the devil?" Angelique's discomfort supplied her with a feign of victory, probably from her father.
"Who's kid are you, anyway?" Pandora questioned as she began unpacking her things. Angelique picked up a nail file from her bedside and began carefully filing her manicured nails,
"Gavreel, angel of peace, and Charmeine, angel of harmony."
"So, a through and through angel, huh? Awesome." The girl smiled.
"What about you?" Her French accent thickened. Pandoras actions slowed, chewing over her answer. "If i tell you will you fear me?" Angelique straightened, her bare legs swinging off of her bed. "No."
"Aphrodite is my mother," she began but was cut off by Angelique.
"Why would I fear that answer? Aphrodite is one of the most important and powerful goddesses, if not the most! After all, what is a world without love?" A silence passed between them, Angelique unaware of the coming words. "My father is Lucifer."
Angelique's quiet but undeniably ragged breath told her all she needed to know. She could practically see it, the darkness that must've radiated off of her in a such a place of light and purity. She certainty couldn't deny the conflicting that took place within her in many cases, the good and bad, pure and tainted battling. "But you do have a choice, Pandora. You can choose the light or darkness." Angelique's eyes dropped, "It is up to you."
***
Lessons were fairly straightforward, they learnt of the mythical history that was not truly mythical, what it was to truly be a good person and how everything they knew on earth was a lie. As a whole, Pandora was baffled and tired. Within a short time Angelique recovered from the news of exactly who her new roommate was, quickly becoming something of a friend. They were walking to a class named 'Morality' as Angelique spoke of her new love, Andrew, going on about how Pandora's mother must have been watching over her. "What about you? Have you ever been in love?" She asked, clutching her books, as a stereotypical schoolgirl would.
Pandoras hands limped slightly, "No. I suppose not. I mean, I've had to relationships but I was never able to return the love." Angelique nodded though she mustn't understand due to her abundance of love towards everything. The class was bustling, students leaning, sitting and messing around on the singular marble tables.
They were all ridiculously gorgeous, of course, after all, their parents were literal Gods! The boys were all elegant, the lines of their bodies long and muscled. The girls were glowing, their skin practically glittering. Pandora had stopped walking as she beheld it all, the ethereal beings. Angelique was walking to a cluster of people all bunched in the class corner, by the window.
She spun around and ushered Pandora over. Everyone wore white, whether it were just a white shirt or a white suit.
Pandora waved awkwardly as she slipped into the cluster. They all smiled warmly of course, looking far too practiced. "This is Pandora, she's new."
A short, athletic looking girl with brown skin and green eyes embraced Pandora in a hearty hug. "Nice to meet you, honey! I'm Saphira." A cute, chubby hand that belonged to Saphira extended towards her, Pandora taking it willingly. "I'm Andrew." A hazel haired boy said. Glancing at Angelique, she replied, "Ah, Andrew. Do you prefer to be called Andrew or Andy?"
He chuckled, "Anythings fine, really."
A a girl with fire hair and eyes of brown stared at her intensely, a slight hint of bitter suspicion behind her tamed expression. "Pandora, huh?" She said, extending a silver tipped hand, a faint Scottish accent present. "That's a funny name." Her grip was firm and accretive against Pandoras light hold. "I am Rosalie, daughter of Athena."
"Pleasure." Pandora grinned. She liked Rosalie. To her surprise, Rosalie grinned  back. "Finally, this is Gabriel." Angelique said. Pandora didn't know how she'd missed such a big presence, as her eyes met his dark ones, she could've hidden from his general intensity. This creature was too beautiful to be true, not hot or handsome--beautiful. Standing at a height taller than everyone else present, wearing a suit of white to match his skin and his close-to-platinum hair. His hands were braced against a table, leaning casually.
His pink lips twisted into a smile, quickly changing from their serious expression. His head inclined, slightly, "Pleasure to meet you, Pandora. A lovely name." His eyes never left her own and if only for a moment, the rest of the world crumbled away.
The teacher or preacher or whatever you could call her walked into the room and everyone shuffled to their seat. But Gabriel's eyes still caught her own.
She had a feeling he would be the sweetest end.