Dance of the Angels

Chapter 2

“Who do you think killed April?” asked Ianto. Alex had heard the question too many times, most of which were from his pest of a friend: Ianto. Ianto had asked everybody he had talked to the question, even the teachers he had that morning including Mrs Morris. “Do you think he was like… some psycho sex pedo or-”
“Shut up,” groaned Alex as he finally had enough of his friend's incessant, repetitive questions.

“Don't tell me you're not the tiniest bit curious,” said Ianto. “She used to be our friend, remember?”
“Yeah, I do remember,” muttered Alex. “But I'm not as morbid as you so I'm not too bothered.” Alex went to speak again but was cut off by Ianto aggressively pushing him into whoever was walking by in the corridor.

Naomi.

A knife was plunged into the abdomen of a girl. She screamed as she tried to slap the boy away. Naomi recognised her surroundings as the park not too far away from the school. The blood pooled on and around her body, staining her school uniform.

“Sorry,” muttered Ianto.
“I’m just going to get some air,” said Naomi as she picked up her pace. Alex and Ianto exchanged a look before looking back to Naomi who hurried through the cafeteria and through the doors to the outside.

Breathing heavily, she leaned against the school wall. Luckily, there was no one around that the minute; most people were eating inside or still in class. She let the new information sink it: Alex had killed April.

“What’s wrong?” Naomi was startled for a moment but let out a sigh of relief as she realised who it was. She hugged Michael tightly, glad he was there. “Well what is it?”
“These people…” she said. “They’re horrible.”
“You have to find the good,” he said. They released each other from the tight grip of the hug.
“How?” she mumbled, “Gareth abuses Katie, Alex killed April. It’s terrifying.” Naomi looked away from him, ashamed she was scared of her friends.

“You’ll just have to try.”
“How?” she repeated, looking up at him. She couldn’t look at his eyes however and instead focused on a clump of his black hair that swept over his forehead. “Gareth hurts his girlfriend and pushed her down the stairs, Alex is a murderer and Ianto won’t shut up about April’s death and-”

“Hey, shush,” Michael said softly. “Everything will be okay if you just try.” She looked down at the tarmac floor again.
“I don’t know how,” she mumbled.
“You will know when you have to.” The words offered no comfort but she knew he was trying his best. “You’ll see.”

“Hey.” Naomi looked up. Michael was gone. Just behind where he was standing were two brunettes. The shorter of the two spoke again. “You’re Ryan and Alex’s friend, right?”
“I guess?” offered Naomi.
“I’m Jen,” she said, introducing herself. “This is Ruby.”
“Naomi,” she told them.

They stood and talked for a while, sharing information. Classes, friends and Naomi told them about her homeschooling with Michael. While they were talking, Naomi noticed the loving looks exchanged between the two girls and she was sure they were about to hold hands at one point until Ruby caught what they were doing and stopped.
“I don’t mean to be rude,” said Naomi. “Are you two together?” Jen worriedly glanced at Ruby before clearing her throat.
“Yeah,” she said quietly, almost embarrassed about saying it out loud. “Not many people are accepting of us being lesbians. We get a lot of hate.”

They were silent for a moment, the couple expected her to scrunch her nose up in disgust and hurl insults at her. Instead, Naomi smiled.
“Well I’m glad you’re happy together,” she said. “People can be quite stupid about love.”
“Oh,” said Ruby. “We weren’t expecting that.”
“I don’t mean to spout religious stuff at you but God created you as you are. You should be proud of who you are.” Ruby gave her an uncertain glance but Jen smiled.