Angel's Wings

Chapter Thirteen: Parties and Planning

"Dancing's not a crime unless you do it without me." - Panic at the Disco

My hand flew out in reach of Blake's as I opened my eyes, shocked. Blake squeezed my fingers reassuringly. "Vael? You okay?"

I sat up with a gasp. "I know who it is."

"Really? Who?" I looked behind me to see Blake staring at me with wide, expectant eyes. Instantly I felt more soothed. How was he so wonderful?

"Alfredo," I whispered, suddenly afraid that someone might overhear us. "Alfredo Despacito Jones is the angel." Blake's mouth made a little o as he leaned back on the hay bale and blinked in surprise. It's not every day you hear about a popstar/classmate frequenting in someone's dreams as a supernatural being.

"Wow," he said.

"Yeah."

"Well," Blake said slowly, swinging his legs off of the bale and letting go of my hand, "I guess we know what to do next."

"What's that?"

Blake smiled and stood, drawing himself up so tall that for a second, it was like he wasn't even human. His grassy green eyes beamed down at me with the sunlight twinkling in them. I bit my lip. "Confront him." I gulped and instinctively shook my head. I was beginning to see more and more of what lay beneath the charming surface of Alfredo Despacito Jones. The dark, twisty, and progressively aggressive truth. I wasn't sure which I'd see once I talked to him.

But I also knew that what Blake was suggesting was inevitable. Even if Alfredo was, in reality, totally ignorant to what I was dreaming about him, I wasn't going to be able to look at him the same anymore.

Blake watched my expression go from resistance to defeat in silence. He extended a hand towards me, and I took it, not even letting go once I had stood. His hands were unusually warm, which was a comforting contrast since I had gone cold with stress. In that moment my heart did a strange, fluttery sensation I had never experienced before. The world felt blurry all except for him, but at the same time I was hyper-aware of every sensation on my skin. A light breeze brushed past us and goosebumps exploded all over my arms. Must be all this heat that's making me feel so weird. "Thank you," I said dazedly.

"No problem." He sounded like he had lost some of his usual composure, too. "Um, I don't normally like parties, but there's one tonight and I'm sure Alfredo will be there if you want me to go with you."

"Okay."

And with that, we left, hand-in-hand. Suddenly a party doesn't seem like such a bad idea.

***

"I'm a dial, you're my sun. Hey, you lovely, I want to be your hole-in-one." Alfredo's voice boomed over the speakers as Tyrone, Blake and I entered into a mansion, which presumably belonged to one of the more popular kids at our school. We had had just enough time to go home and change, in which time Tyrone had of course come over to assist.

This time I was in something fiercer. A tight leather cocktail dress hugged my body so tightly that it brought out curves I didn't even know I had, including a shocking amount of cleavage. My hair hung straight down my half-bare back, with some kind of elaborate braid disrupting it down the middle. Tyrone had lined my eyes so heavily that the blue in my irises came out as ice-blue and striking, and my lips were a dark cherry red.

Blake also looked uncharacteristically dappar. He had put a large jean jacket over a fitting white t-shirt and combed back his light brown hair. It was a subtle transformation, but a strangely magnetic one.

"Thanks for coming," I whispered to him, stumbling in my six-inch heels and grabbing onto his arm for balance.

"I'm happy to," he whispered back, looking at me almost shyly. I blushed.

"So, coconut," Tyrone hollered, shoving his way between us and putting his arms around both of our shoulders. "What are you going to do about that tasty squabble over you earlier today?" Oh, right. That was today. I grimaced. I had actually managed to forget about Joesephe for a few hours, something I could only accredit to Blake. But truth be told, I wasn't sure what I was going to do. Like my dream, the fight demanded confrontation. And the last thing I wanted to do was talk to Joesephe again.

One thing at a time, Vael. "Great fashion sense,very vintage," Tyrone said turning to Blake now. He looked my new friend up and down approvingly, which, knowing him, was a huge compliment. Blake grinned.

"Thanks, man. You too. Very, uh, modern." Tyrone laughed. Then his attention landed on someone across the room. I looked to see that it was my terrible excuse for a brother.

"'Scuse me," he muttered and left, walking with barely a flounce. Blake raised an eyebrow.

"What's that about?"

"Tyrone doesn't have great taste in guys."

"Oh."

Suddenly the lyrics stopped and only guitar music started to play. I watched as Alfredo leapt down from the stage with apprehension. Blake sighed.

"Here, I'll go get us drinks. Go talk to him, Vael. You can do it."

"Easy for you to say." But I let him go anyway, suddenly feeling much colder in my slip of a dress. I braced myself and began to make my way over to the popstar.

He spotted me right away. "Vael!" He yelled, waving me over with a red cup in hand. I groaned inwardly. Courage, Vael. Courage.

For a moment Alfredo and I just stood in the midst of the pounding music and flashing lights. He looked me up and down, eyes widening a little. "You look stunning," he said, so quietly that I could hardly hear him. He offered me the cup. "I believe an explanation is in order?" I nodded seriously and took the cup, suddenly craving some liquid courage. I tipped my head back and drank, feeling the tingling sensation shoot through my veins.

"Yeah," I gasped, ignoring how the room already seemed sharper. "Yeah you do."

"Well," Alfredo said, glancing around. "I have about ten minutes. Why don't we go somewhere more private?"

Hi, guys!  We're so extremely sorry for yet another late posting.  This should be the last one since school just ended and now we have the summer and a lot more free time.  Thanks so much for your patience. 

Be sure to let us know your thoughts on this or any chapter! Things are only going to get more exciting from here on out, so stay tuned!  And, as promised, a fan-written chapter is coming soon!