Angels

In fifth grade, they meet. One girl was on her last chance, and the other was their last hope.

Cassiel, often called Cassy, has long dark hair and blue eyes. She isn't overly pale, but her freckles stand out. She's tall, and wears a striped shirt. She wears black shorts with a belt, and a blue plaid flannel tied around her waist. Cassy looks critically over the new girl. She's short and thin, and very pale. She altogether doesn't look like she eats enough, and she looks like the slightest breeze would knock her over. She has wavy blonde hair, and the undersides are black. She has mournful black eyes and a sad tilt to her mouth. She wears black denim shorts, a black and white patterned tank top, and an oversized tan jacket. "What's your name?" Cassy asks.

"Lily." Says the other girl quietly. "Short for Lilith."

Cassy grins. "So you're supposed to be my guardian angel?"

Lily hunches her thin shoulders. "Yeah."

Cassy grabs Lily's hand instinctively. "Don't worry. You protect me, and I'll protect you."

Cassy is supposed to save the world, Lily knows this well. Lily knows that someday, the devils and demons will rise, and the end of days will come, and this tall girl who pours glue on the boys and steals Lily's sketchbook, is supposed to save the world.

Lily wonders exactly how this will work, sometimes, especially as she navigates the odd new world of hers. As she watches movies, and does math problems, and draws. Lily draws everything, in black and white. Lily doesn't use colors.

Lily is an angel, and she isn't sure quite how the world works anymore. She has the wings of the fallen, and so this is her last chance. Well, also her first chance, but she doesn't get another if she messes this one up.

But Lily's still new to the game of guarding. So instead of just watching, she becomes closer and closer to Cassy. Lily isn't sure how much of this is allowed, especially interacting with other people, but Lily learns, slowly, that the humans that the elder angels scoff at are resourceful, and creative, and bright.

And Cassy? Cassy is the brightest of them all.

In sixth grade, Lily finally shows Cassy her wings.

"They're beautiful." Cassy says reverently, stroking the soft black feathers.

Lily hunches her shoulders. "No, they're not."

"Why aren't they?"

"Because they're black."

"Why does that make them bad?"

"Because all fallen angels had black wings."

"Oh. But you're not bad."

Lily half-smiles. "Sure."

Cassy turns her around. "You're not."

Lily hugs her best friend. "Thank you."

Cassy shrugs, and hugs her back. "Nothing to thank me for. You're not bad."

It's also sixth grade when Cassy realizes it.

"People don't see you." She says, out of the blue, one day to Lily.

Lily, drawing in her sketchpad, looks up. "Yeah they do."

Cassy raises an eyebrow, silently prompting Lily to continue.

"People see me, and they talk to me, but I will never take a center stage in their thoughts. I'll always be on the side, just...forgotten. Everyone sees me, and yet I am invisible."