My Guardian Angel

Chapter 9: Depleting Magic

Staring at her face through the mirror, Katherine squinted her eyes, focusing with all her might at her reflection in which never shifted; never stirred. She soon sighed and turned her back from the mirror though stopped in her tracks just as I entered the bathroom.

She was startled. She probably thought I was still sleeping and didn't want to wake me, but I didn't forget to set my alarm this time.

Looking into her eyes, I could see the uncertainty and doubt that filled them, and it made my heart frown. Without a word spoken between us, I stepped forward, entering the bathroom, and wrapped my arms around Katherine's slender limbs, feeling her feel less stable against me.

Oh, Katherine...

She was shaking. Her skin trembled with what I could only imagine to be fear.

"Katherine," I heard myself speak, intruding on the prior silence.

Katherine's limp hands found their way into my hair and she gently combed her fingers through my dark strands, evidently restraining herself from pulling harder, not wanting to hurt me, but my sweet guardian angel was hurting so much. I wouldn't have minded if she did pull a little too hard, if it would help her cope.

"Though our fates remain uncertain right now, we're safe in this moment, together."

One of Katherine's hands slid down my back and pressed me further against her. My breath depleted due to the sudden pressure.

Katherine.

"What's better? To be safe, or to be free?"

***

The classes prior to Katherine's felt long and redundant. All I could think about was the fact that Katherine was hurting, and no matter how hard I would try to cheer her up, it seemed like nothing I could do would help. In all honesty, there's nothing I really could do but to be there for her. And, I swore in my heart and to her that I would always be by her side. I just wished she would tell me her thoughts and what I could do to help her, if anything.

She must had been so used to doing things alone. It must had been a change for her to now have someone she could talk to- someone that could fathom what she's going through.

On the way to Katherine's class, footsteps sounded through my ears, seemingly nearing, paired with a familiar masculine voice.

"Angelica, wait up!" Jack hollered. Not this again.

I turned around and forged a smile, though my mind was swarming with anxious thoughts.

"Hey, Jack."

Jack stared at my expression, seemingly finding something off.

"Angelica... I can't help but feel as though you've been avoiding me lately."

"I haven't."

"Okay, well, you weren't at school yesterday, which is unlike you. Were you sick? Are you okay?"

"Yea, I'm fine."

"Angelica, you don't seem like yourself. Something feels-"

I exhaled as my guard dropped. Of course Jack would see right through me. Of course he would be able to see that I wasn't my usual self. Then again, I may had been bad at hiding it, for lying was never something I was good at nor something I would promote. Lies would always eat at my soul. I didn't like how it would make me feel.

I reached out for Jack's hand and casually walked through the halls, dragging him along with me, ignoring the thudding of my heart, faking calm.

Soon, I reached the janitor's closet, and, seeing that the door was cracked, I entered the room and swiftly closed the door behind us.