Feather Light

Chapter 8

My dreams that night were dark but good, like rich chocolate or the warm space under the covers. Noah's eyes swam before me, almost black with a ring of gold around the iris, the little secret I never would have seen if he hadn't moved so close to me. Every time I stirred, I would check the clock, wishing for morning, for the next chance to see him again, and every time I would flop back, frustrated.

I have no idea how I went so quickly from fear to infatuation. One second, I was standing there, trying to bridge the gap between us for the sake of peace, next thing I knew, he was all I could see, all I could think about. It might have been his wings forming a tent around me as he leaned in, or the way he looked right into me, or the way he smelled, somehow familiar.

After Noah had flown off, I'd stood paralysed on the balcony, staring after him. My breath was shallow, every nerve was clanging. I didn't want to speak to anyone or eat or move. I just wanted to fly after Noah and crush myself to him. Since I couldn't, all I could do was wait in the space he left behind, knowing if I moved, part of the spell would be broken and I wouldn't be standing in the exact place where my soul had been touched and the dark turned from terrifying vacuum to blissful cocoon.

My sense of etiquette finally kicked in and I went briefly downstairs to apologise to Leigh. I could barely concentrate, couldn't even follow a basic conversation. I needed Noah, needed to see him again, right that second. If I could only stay asleep I knew the time would pass quicker but my dreams kept waking me.

"He thinks I look like an angel," I whispered into my pillow. It was the single most romantic and poetic statement I had ever heard, let alone about me. I finally gave up on bed and dragged a blanket out on the balcony. I sat in a cane chair and watched the sky lighten, waited for his return.

After an hour, I was floating in and out of a doze when the sound of wings roused me. I sat up, alert, but as the figure grew closer, I recognised the honey-coloured wings and curly hair. Leigh landed lightly on the balcony next to me and raised a hand in greeting.

"Hey," I said. "Are you okay? You look really tired." He looked worse than tired: he looked like hell. His eyes were bloodshot and his normally glowing face was pale and full of shadows.

"Yeah, fine," he attempted to smile. "Long night. And busy day today, clients and birds and all that. I just need a couple hours of sleep."

He began to move off to his room, but a question burst out of me before I could help it. "Hey, did you see Noah out there? I... we had a chat last night. I'm okay now. With him, I mean. We're good. So I was wondering if you'd seen him 'cause I thought we could all have breakfast together." I finished in a hurry, hoping I didn't sound too much like an infatuated school girl.

Leigh had his back to me but I watched as his wings dropped low on his back, as if he suddenly didn't have the energy to hold them up anymore. He spoke, his voice a tired sound. "Yeah, I saw him. You guys have breakfast. I'm going to bed."

"Okay, bye," I said, turning my face back to the sky, barely registering Leigh's exit. Only a few minutes later, I was rewarded with the sight of Noah's black wings against the sky. Now he wasn't chasing me, I could appreciate how at home he was in the air, how effortless he made flight seem. He cruised in slow and landed on the grass below me. I ran to the balcony and looked over at him, my heart in my throat.

He met my stare with his amazing dark eyes. "Come down. Sit with me." He didn't have to ask twice.

The kitchen was empty when I got down there after frantically pulling a brush through my hair and changing my tracksuit for jeans and a low-back shirt. Noah was sitting outside on the grass, his black, sleeveless shirt showing off his gorgeous arms and his long legs stretched in front of him. He sipped from a coffee mug and didn't turn as I sat beside him.