Demon Hunters: Book 1 Faith [editing]

Chapter 28

            Saturday morning. Riley yawned and stretched in her bed. A dull throb came from her left leg where the glass shard had cut into her just over a week ago. Finally, it's healing. Yesterday, she felt confident enough to put some weight on it, and it wasn't too bad.

            She reached under the pillow and fished out the new cellphone she got after her last one was destroyed in the accident. Diego had called her at almost midnight when he and Mason got back from the movie. They talked until almost two in the morning.

Riley got stuck at home yesterday because her father declared it a family dinner night, and so her mother decided to make homemade lasagna. Even though Riley helped prepare the spinach and other ingredients, she could do nothing to speed up the process. It simply had to bake in the oven. Her father would never let her go out when it was that late.

Lin and Dominic had their own date night and Diego took Mason to some geeky movie to calm him down after what his mother said happened to their father. Something about being attacked by a large bird. Apparently, his father ran away after the beast and fell down and hit his head. How he ended up at a hospital miles away, no one could explain.

  She rubbed her eyes and turned on her cell. Just after nine-thirty in the morning. Normally, she would sleep in on a Saturday, but today she and Lin were taking Zoe shopping for a Homecoming dress.

The very thought of it made her smile. Zoe actually wanted to go to the dance. She asked, "How do I go to the dance? Is there some kind of arrangement I need to make?"

"Well," Riley smiled, seizing on this opportunity to work in the idea of going out with Mason. "Normally, you wait for a boy to ask you to the dance." Everyone in the group knew how crazy Mason had been for Zoe, but also how incredibly shy he was. In fact, just before they went bowling, they all coached him on how to get to know more about Zoe, what questions to ask to learn about her hobbies and interests.

"A boy?"

"Well, you don't need to date the boy. You can just go as friends."

"Friends? Oh, but when are boys supposed to ask a girl to the dance? I'm supposed to go. I mean, I want to go. It's my first high school dance."

"Don't worry. It'll happen soon. Trust me." Riley was going to make sure it would happen even if she had to put Mason in a headlock and drag him in front of Zoe to force him to ask.

Yup. I've got some work to do today. They would make such an adorable couple. Riley beamed at the thought of it.

"Hey, you up yet?" She held the phone.

Diego yawned on the other line. "No." She heard him fumble with the comforter. "So warm," he said. Suddenly she felt this longing to be there with him, under the covers. She wanted to rest her head on his bare chest and listen to the beating of his heart. Her first time doing that occurred when she arrived early at his house and snuck into his bedroom. He always slept shirtless and with shorts. So when she settled under the covers besides him, she marveled at how warm he felt.

"I wish I was there with you now."

"I'm sorry." He said. She heard him sit up in bed. "I know your parents are out of town tonight."

Was it wrong of her to want to spend some time alone with the boy she loved? They'd been planning on spending this night together, but with Mason there. What if Mason went back home tonight?

No, Mason was her friend too. She sighed. "That's okay. So, how is he doing? Did he sleep in your room?"

"No, he slept on the couch in the den. He was just worried about his sister. The girl keeps insisting that some angel saved them from their dad. Says she has one of the angel's white feathers to prove it."

"It's so sad how children make up things like that as a way to deal with abuse."

"Yeah. It's really eating Mason up. He's blaming himself for not being there to protect her."

"It would have only made things worse."

"Especially right now. His dad's back from the hospital and recovering from his injury. They say he's grumpy and irritable, but hasn't left the bed since he got home. Safer for Mason to stay away."

"Yeah. You are right." Riley smiled. That's my Diego, always so noble. She laughed to herself. "Well, let's keep Mason occupied today. We need to get him to ask Zoe to the Homecoming Dance."

"But I thought Zoe wasn't interested in him."

"Look, Diego, she wants to go to the dance. It's her first high school dance. Can you believe it?"

"And?"

"Well, who else is she going to go with? Mason is sweet and cute and, well, way too shy."

"Okay, okay. What's your plan?"

"You and the boys getting tuxedos ordered this afternoon?"

"Yeah."

"Good. I'll text you what color Zoe's dress will be." She rubbed her chin. "Hmmm... With her dark hair, a deep red would look just lovely. Anyway, you make sure Mason gets matching accessories."

"And how are we going to get him to ask?"

"Let's meet for dinner after we go shopping. All six of us. As far as Mason asking, leave that to me."

"You know if Zoe rejects him, he'll be devastated."

"Oh, she won't. Trust me. I've got this all under control."