the protector // h.s au

prologue ||

"Harry, we have your client!" The receptionist's voice called across the humid waiting room, making me almost bounce upwards in excitement.

"Really?" I question ecstatically, placing my hands on the sticky counter and leaning forwards, closer to the receptionist that holds my future in her hands.

She chuckles lightly.

"Yes, Harry. Now even though I'm sure you already know the rules, I will have to go over them for business purposes." She spoke, raising her eyebrows as if to ask me if this was okay.

I nodded eagerly, silently telling her to carry on.

"Okay, so rule one is plain and simple: no falling in love with your client. Or anyone in their world, for that matter. Angel/Human love doesn't exist anyway. Secondly, your only day back at home is on Sunday. No exceptions. Third, you are to read about your client until you know them like the back of your hand, and then you need to personally get to know them. Being an angel is hard work Harry, it may not seem like it yet but it is. You must always be there for them. You are their guardian. Help them when they are in need and guide them through their troubles.

"Your client is a special one. She's come close to committing suicide twice this year alone. She doesn't have many friends and she is very, very quiet. As you'd know, many guardians, or protectors as they're calling them now, don't have much interaction with their clients at all because they don't need comforting all that much. This girl on the other hand, does.

"We're trusting you, Harry. Show us that we've made the right choice.

"Also, final rule is pretty obvious but don't let your client or anyone you associate with in their world know who you really are or know what your real intentions are.

"Good luck, Harry. Your file holds all you need to know regarding how to associate yourself with your client. Oh and by the way Harry, even though we don't monitor everything the protectors do in the human world anymore, we can still find out if you're breaking any of the rules so be a good boy. You and your client could be terminated if something goes very wrong, it has happened before." She concludes finally.

All I did through her whole monologue was nod encouragingly, wanting nothing more than to get out of here so I can venture to the place I've never been; the human world.

"Thanks so much... Lorrie." I say, glancing down at her name badge in the middle of my sentence to check her name.

She only laughed and nodded a 'you're welcome'.

With that, I'm out. I refrain from immediately opening the file and instead saunter home speedily, admiring the countryside in the twilight-induced darkness.

I'm engulfed by the cooling air conditioning as I enter through the front threshold and I'm so glad.

"Mum guess what!" I call out to my mother, slipping of my shoes and leaving them by the door as I run around the in search of her.

She's home today because it's Sunday. Sundays make me so happy.

"Yes Harry, what is it?" She answers finally rounding the corner and finding me.

"Mum I've gotten a client! I went down to the office today and got one!" I exclaim and she hugs me immediately.

"Oh gosh, Harry! I'm so happy for you! My baby boy's got his very first client oh golly! So what's their name, huh?" She chatters, pinching my cheeks at one point which causes me to cower away.