Half and half

charlotte-flashback

Six months earlier

‘It’

The next time i saw him, it was three weeks later, in training. I was coming into the gym for practice when i heard a familiar laugh. My head shot up. Ash stood, surrounded by students teeming with questions, admiring his wings and the girls, more importantly, his looks. Of course, they didn’t just say it. The just giggled, covering their mouths with delicate gloves in varying shades of pink. I rolled my eyes and dumped my duffel bag on the gym floor. Madison and Cole headed toward me and set their bags besides me. “hey.” Madison said. Cole rolled his green eyes, “i hate it when they just  attack boys.” He snorted. I knew he probably had been in that situation more than once. With his ragged good looks and beautiful green eyes-even if he was royal- made him a girl-magnet. “they are such a disgrace for women-kind.” Madison commented. I laughed, “yeah. And he seems to be suffering so much.” All three of us laughed. Ash flirted with everything that moved, teased the other half and impressed the rest. He was a popularity god. And his handsomeness didn’t help things. Suddenly, a voice rang out right behind us, loud, “hey! Cupcake!” i winced and turned. Madison and Cole frowned, but turned with me.  “i’ve told you, my name is not cupcake. Its-” he cut me off, “yeah i know. Charlotte Dare.” i blinked, surprised he remembered my name. It was nothing compared to the other students’ reactions. The girls were torn between surprise and jealousy. Madison and Cole stared at me with wide eyes. I cocked my hip and put my hand on it, raising an eyebrow. “sure, superman.” He knew i was referring to his law-breaking flight. Ash narrowed his eyes, “i have decided you’re an intresting person. A word now please.” He said in an arrogant tone. I rolled my eyes, but when he approached me and put an arm around my shoulders, l let him. He led me to the outside of the gym. “yes?” i asked impatiently. He grinned at me. “hi.” He said cockily. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes and laugh. “well, hi to you too. Again. What is it?” i asked. He frowned. “want to go for a ride. It’s on me. After all i do know how to fly better. And faster. And i can fly.” He said in a dry tone. “i know how to fly.” I said indignantly. “sure you do.” He replied, trying not to laugh. I was going to say something real smart like, harrumph, when someone called behind me, “Charlotte, coach!” I turned and darted inside the gym. Just in time, the coach came around the corner. I smirked at a stunned Ash. “Mr. Stone. Will you please us with your charming company inside the gym?” he asked. Half the class gasped. Part of it was because Stone, Ash’s last name, was one of the most powerful families, along with mine. The other part, however, was because the coach had let him in. Everyone knew the coach had a strict policy of punishing late students, or those who weren’t in the gym on time. Yet he had let Ash in. I scowled, and to my surprise, i felt slightly pleased. I shook my head and i heard a surprised yelp when my flying hair smacked someone on the face. I turned to see an offended Cole rubbing his forhead. “sorry.” I grinned. “what were you trying to do? Shake water out?” he muttered, miffed. So i had seemed dog-like in my fur shake. Hair shake. Whatever. “No,” i replied, amused, “i was shaking bad mementos.” I said, pointing over my shoulder to a very smug Ash. I didn’t know what mementos meant but it seemed pretty cool. Cole frowned, “memories? You have memories with Ash Stone?” he said it like it was  a bad thing. I remembered his warm and strong arms wrapped around me. I frowned in annoyence at delaying a reply. “OMG you tots like him!” Maddison shoved students aside to get to us, “you do, don’t you?” without even waiting for a reply, she plowed on, “You do! Mega OMG. I mean, have you seen those abs?” she said, flushing. She was gesturing behind me. I turned and realized half the school (girls, duh) were staring at his perfect six-pack and smooth tan. “why doesn’t he have a shirt on?” i wondered. I seemed to be the only one. Cole was muttering something that didn’t seem very nice, when i saw Ash’s shirt in the coach’s hands. That was his punishmet?‼ the coach seemed to notice it was a bad idea because half the girls-heck, all the girls- had stopped jogging to stare at his gorgeous face and curling mouth. I wanted to punch him in the gut. Despite my tiny size, i could pack a decent punch. “you like what you see?” he called at me cockily. Then, to make things worse, he sauntered over. Maddison looked like she was about to faint. Pull it together woman, i thought, quirked. Ash arrived with such a smug look on his beautiful features, i made the first move that came to mind. I stepped closer to him, rose in my tiptoes to gain height… and punched him in the gut. A shriek tore the air, making all the gym flinch. “ow, ow, OW!” i squealed, jumping up and down and cluching my clenched fist. When my fist conected with Ash’s stomach, he didn’t even flinch. Instead, i felt like i had punched a brick wall. Maddie shoved a gaping Ash aside and shuffled over to me, jumping up and down in my shiny-new sneakers and logo-incrested shorts. “dammit, stop jumping up and down! You’re making it worse!” Maddison scolded. I whimpered and held still. She held out a hand. I stared at it and finally held out my clenched fist. She grabbed my wrist and held it up or examination. I bit my lip. The extra pain DID NOT help. Instead, i let my eyes jump from human being to the next. The girls looked stunned. The boys looked concerned. Cole, on the other hand, was inspecting Ash. Ash looked like he was trying to get to me but Cole stood in his way. He poked Ash on the stomach experimentally and then winced and rubbed his finger, “how long have you had your father’s protection?” he demanded. I immediatly began reciting in my head as if i were reading from a book. If a powerful father from a powerful family had a son or daughter in a dire situation, they gave them Blessings. Which meant nobody could mess with you. You became stronger than usual and an aura of protection helped keep whatever’s attacking you from landing a punch or spell that could actually hurt you. I returned my attention to the boys. Boy, actually. Ash seemed to have shaken off Cole and was trying to worm his way towards me against the crowd that had formed with Maddison’s declaration. I tuned in. “what?” i asked, staring at her. She looked a little uncomfortable, “i’m sorry, but i think it’s broken.” She repeated. I stared at her. Broken? An Angel’s bone could only be broken if something really powerful, like a bomb  or something attacked them. Epecially one with my status. How strong was Ash’s blessing? “broken?” i repeated. She looked slightly panicked. “let me through, let me THROUGH.” Coach shoved the last gaping students out the way and studied my wrist. He blanched. So it was broken. That was the only confirmation i needed. “what?!” i screeched. Maddison winced. My wings began paniky fluttering, lifting me a foot from the ground. I didn’t notice. “how am i supossed to learn flight if i can’t catch myself? Daddy’ll be furious! I won’t be able to write in tests!” my last sentence silenced me. I couldn’t write. I’d be kicked out of my job. I’d be kicked out of school. No diary entries. No letters. The world did a one-eighty turn and black spots appeared in my vision. My wings began pumping harder and harder, seeking escape. So hard i bumped into the roof of the gym, that was like, one mile high. The bump on my head did the trick. Everything went black and i started to fall. Somehow, even if i was unconcious, i could see and hear everything that went on outside from another’s eyes. I saw my body plummeting to the ground. The coach was panicking, his eyes wide and his stupid wings neaty folded. I saw a figure dart up from the ground, massive black wings pumping hard. Ash shot in the air and wrapped his arms around my waist. He flared his wings and absorbed the shock of the landing so it wouldn’t alter me. My wings hung limply by my sides. Ash didn’t put me down. He returned all the wide-eyed stares with inhuman calm. “i think she need a Healer.” He said to the coach, clamly. The coach was staring at him bulging eyes, back stiff. After all, Ash had just broken about every single rule the elders had aplied. Even if he did it to save my life. Then the darkness fully swallowed me and i sunk into Ash’s warm arms, and he held me up, one hand under my knees, the other circling my shoulders, so he held me like a child. Then i knew no more.

When i returned to conciousness, i didn’t open my eyes. Instead, i listened to the low voices. “.. it has been five minutes. Look at her skin color. Its like paper.” That was Ash. “Mr. Stone, i appreciate your save, but she is not a football that can simply be replaced. She will wake up when she feels like it.” Came the nurse’s stern reply. I moved my right hand nothing. I barely twitched my left hand and a searing pain shot up my arm. I yelped and sat upright in bed. The nurse and a very angry Ash jumped at the sudden noise. I didn’t pay attention to them. I stared at the bulky white cast that now clad my my forearm. I stared at it, only then feeling the dull throbbing in the back of my head. I threw the covers off and rolled to my feet. It wasn’t my smartest move. The world disappeared in a haze of black. When the blood stopped pumping in my head and my sight cleared, i realized i was leaning against Ash. I tried to get my own feet under me, but he insisted in letting me lean against him. And i gave a half smile.