Angel's Wings

Chapter Six: Party Preparations

"The only hope for me is you."- My Chemical Romance

"He is soooo dreamy," Delylah sighed, leaning against the locker beside me and twirling a long, golden lock of hair between two fingers. She'd been talking about Alfredo for the past ten minutes, and it wasn't even our next class yet. I hated to think about how much I'd be hearing for the rest of the school year. "He was such a gentleman," Delylah continued dreamily. "He was just so charming and down-to-earth and, dear mother of pearl, did you see his muscles?"

"Delylah, you have known him for an hour," I said slowly, rolling my eyes. The people in this school... A hand slapped the locker behind me and I jumped. I turned around to see none other than Alfredo Despacito Jones himself. He smiled up and down at me, his glittery eyes matching his equally sparkly smile. His hair looked so perfectly natural, but also unnaturally soft. My heart skipped a beat. Admittedly, there was something about him, something I couldn't quite place...but it was magnetic. I cleared my throat and looked away with some effort. He hadn't even said a word and already I was flustered.

Delylah seemed to have no such problem. "Hel-lo!" She sang, pushing past me and placing a hand on her narrow hip. Alfredo chuckled.

"Hi."

I sighed. Knowing my best friend, this could go on for a while. "I'm gonna go to class," I told her, patting her shoulder. "I'll see you at the party?" Delylah grinned, flashing her signature million-dollar smile. I peeked around to see Alfredo watching her with an intensely intrigued gaze.

"See you there, darling. Alfredo, are you coming?"

"Of course." Alfredo leaned closer to her but spoke loudly enough for me to her him say, "I'm the entertainment."

"Well, you'll have to skip out of a song or two to dance with me." I left before I could catch his response. Now if only I had that kind of game...I wonder what it would be like to be looked at like that.

****

Thunder whinnied and shoved his nose up against my shoulder, shaking me out of my daze. I laughed and grabbed his head, sliding my fingers over his soft, beautiful fur. I'd been spending time with my horse for hours now and still couldn't get over the events of today. Mr. Stephens' hand still felt like it was on my shoulder and it was like my hand could still feel that folded piece of paper Alfredo had passed to me. I was a mess. "Sorry, friend," I said sadly. "I think I should probably go. Tyrone's going to throw a fit if I look like this going to a party."

Thunder neighed.

As I walked out of the barn, feeling significantly better, I felt my foot scuff over something. I looked down to see one of the many chickens that always ran around on the farm. Except this one wasn't running. In fact, it wasn't moving at all. Something that looked suspiciously like blood was pooled around its neck. What in the...

"We think it might be bobcats." Ugh, never mind. Can I please go back to looking at the dead chicken? I crossed my arms. Joesephe strode towards me, leather jacket rippling in the slight breeze. He smiled a tight, close-lipped smile. "Hello, Vael."

"Actually, it's Vaelyumme to you."

"Come on, don't be like that."

"Don't you have a pig to gut or something?"

"Actually, I was just about to lock up. I have a party to get to."

What? No! I balled my hands up into fists. "You're going, too?"

"Vael- Vaelyumme, sorry- everyone's going to the party. Actually, I thought that if anyone wasn't going to go, it'd be you."

I snorted. "Of course you would-" I stopped short as a wave of dizziness suddenly swept over me. My vision blurred and as I fell onto my knees, I could only hear one thing. La, la, la. Music. It was music, one of the most beautiful songs I'd ever heard. And so, so familiar. Where had I heard that before? A bright light, also familiar, suddenly flooded my sight and I saw, barely able to make it out, a figure emerging, with something like feathers extending from its shoulders. I raised my hands to shield my eyes. What are you?

"Vaelyumme? Vaelyumme!" I came to to see Joesephe kneeling in front of me, strong hands gripping my shoulders. His face was close enough that I could see the tiny specks of gold in his eyes, and the alarm swimming in them. He gave me a little shake. Goosebumps exploded over my body. Joesephe lifted my chin with a finger. "Vaelyumme! Are you okay? What happened?"

I shivered, but his hands stayed locked on me. "I'm fine," I mumbled quietly, avoiding his piercing gaze. His behavior seemed odd. On edge. "Help me up?" Joesephe nodded and hoisted me up onto my feet, but his hands still remained, even though the dizziness had completely left my body.

"You can't do that again!" Joesephe scolded me, yanking me closer to him. Now he seemed almost...angry. "Okay? Don't do that!" I nodded, more than a little petrified. Joesephe let go of me and shook his head, gave one last glance to the chicken, and stormed off, leaving me in a cloud of confusion. For a moment I just stood there in stunned silence, dumbfounded. What had that been about?

But then I heard a steady pop-rock beat and several seconds later a familiar red ferrari skeeted into view. Tyrone hung his body out of the window and waved. His sunglasses slipped down his nose, jaguar-print tank-top clashing with the colors of his car. "Goldface! Come on, we're going to have to do an impromptu in-the-car makeover if we want to be fashionably late and not just a no-show! Get in!" I groaned.

Party, why did I have to go to a party?

Hi!! This chapter was sooooo much fun to write! What are you guys thinking of Joesephe and Alfredo? Let us know!