Angel
“Whoever thought going home would be so nerve-racking?” I wondered aloud while walking up the cobblestone walkway to the house. It was like stepping back into a memory. For a moment, I was that lost six-year-old girl again, just waiting to be driven away when everyone realized I don’t belong. I shook my head, trying to clear my mind. I was no longer that little girl who needs to beg for attention. Realizing that I saw the passage of time had change both me and the house, The two-story cream cottage still had an array of beautiful plants surrounding it. Although the garden, once well-tended, had become wild overgrown with weeds and wildflowers mixed in. The paint had faded and chipped with the years. Little weeds were sprouting up through cracks in the walkway. The final difference was that the attic window was sealed shut; my thoughts became more troubling with each step. I never had the typical home or family, but the Hurlings were the closest I’d managed. Whatever it took, I was going to get them back. I took the worn key from my pocket and walked back into my life.
It almost looked exactly the same. The rooms still had dark wood paneling and grass-green carpeting. Mrs. Hurling had covered the wood flooring the year James had turned eight, hoping that the bright colors would make him feel better. Family photos still covered the walls and the fireplace mantel. My favorite one was resting in the center of the mantel. It was Mr. and Mrs. Hurling’s wedding photo. It was breathtaking. They weren’t even looking at the camera. It was a candid shot from after the ceremony. Both had a look of utter devotion on their faces. Even as time passed in every photo they looked just as in love as they did in that first one.
Sitting next to this photo was another favorite, a picture of all of them at James’ fifth birthday party. I loved looking at their happy faces. It was clear this is what people meant when they were talking about the perfect family. These were the people that you thought would wake up with smiles on their faces. It was looking at the photos that always made it hard for me to believe I had ever been apart of this family. Then again, none of these pictures had me in them. Every photo that had been taken during my time here was missing.
“Well, I guess some things have changed,” I said out loud mentally scolding myself for believing that things would be the same. “I better get started on dinner, because if there is any way back in here it is through my cooking.” I smiled slightly because I knew some things would never change.
I had just put the finishing touches on both the bread and the sauce when I heard the front door open. It was great timing. In ten minutes, the food would be done; that was all the time I’d need to convince James to let me have my old room back.
“Wow, something smells good! Hey James, were you cooking before you came to pick me up?” questioned a melodic female voice.
“Please Hope, you and I both know he can’t cook to save his life. How he survived before I moved in is a mystery.” A male voice laughed. Well, that was an unexpected development. I had no problem moving in with James, but I wasn’t sure how his roommates would feel.
“Hey, I can cook!” James protested offended.
“Dude, ramen and toast don’t count” The other guy answered, still laughing. The female voice joined in giggling.
“So, I take it you were cooking then Mark? Since I’m apparently incapable of doing so.” I could just see him folding his arms in my mind.
“Nope,” answered the guy I guessed was Mark. “Wait, if none of us cooked who’s here?” ‘Well, I guess it’s time to face the music,’ I thought. I put on my best smile and walked out into the hall.
“So um dinners going to take a few more minutes,” I said in what I hope was a carefree, friendly voice. It didn’t matter that I sounded friendly because as soon as I walked out everyone froze. I decided to take advantage of the moment to get a good look at my potential housemates. My eyes were immediately drawn to the woman. At first, I thought was she was merely pretty, but the longer I looked the more apparent it was that she was gorgeous. Or she would be if her mouth wasn’t hanging open frozen mid-sentence and her face didn’t look like she had just been hit over the head with a cartoon anvil. Hope was tall with platinum blonde hair and ivory skin that had a faint tan which gave her a healthy glow. She reminded me of a Greek goddess at least the portrayals I’d seen of them, maybe Aphrodite.
Next, I moved on to the guy who I assumed must be Mark. The only word I could think of to describe him was hot. Well, maybe another word described him too. That word was trouble. He had dark hair which I couldn’t be sure if it was brown or black. It had a slight wave, and it was clear to me he hadn’t trimmed it in a while. He was built, but not too broad definitely more soccer than football. The thing that got me were his eyes. Even from where I was standing I could see in them that he could be trouble. His eyes were a shade of turquoise green that reminded me of gems. They had such a clear color that you wanted to stare into them. Once you did though you could see a fire burning behind them. A fire gave off an inhuman glow. I quickly looked away from him to only find myself looking at James.
He was standing right across from me with his arm around Hope’s shoulder. He was taller now. In the past few years, he had surpassed his father’s 5”11 to become 6”3. Besides that he looked the same he still had sandy blonde unkempt hair. He was still built like the running back he used to be. When I first walked in his handsome face had been covered in shock, but it was carefully masked now. I knew that if I was closer though I would be able to see a war of emotions occurring in those normally calm sea blue eyes. The thought of getting closer to that storm almost scared me so I decided my best choice for the moment would be to retreat.
“I guess you didn’t get my message then? I’ll just finish up in here while you talk amongst yourselves.” I retreated back into the kitchen. Holding my breath until I had reached the safety of the stoves without someone charging in after me.
James
Though my day hadn’t started out well it was on track to being great. I was late for my part-time job, but no one had really noticed, and I had made it within my boss’s weird five-minute rule. He always says “Five on time. Past that mine.” Meaning as long as you’re less than five minutes late and are usually on time he won’t care. So that hadn’t been too bad. After I got off work I went to pick up Hope, who was in a great mood, which was pretty unusual because her boss tended to be a bit of a jerk and can’t go a day without hitting on her. So today day had all the makings to end wonderfully.
Now I could see that it wasn’t going to end the way I hoped. Walking into the house I had been greeted with one of my favorite scents homemade Italian. To be honest, I knew that smell, and it was definitely too good to be Hope’s or Mark’s cooking. I didn’t want to let myself hope though, so I played along with the other two, but then she came out. I couldn’t help but stare at her in shock at first. A lot had changed in these past few years. Her long burgundy hair was gone. Her style had gone from that of a fairy child to punk. And yet despite the dark hair, clothes, and changes of time I recognized her.
“I guess you didn’t get my message then? Well, I’ll just finish up in here while you talk amongst yourselves.” She said before retreating back into the kitchen. A lot had changed in these past few years, but her voice had not. That and her eyes were the only things that made her recognizable as the same person. No that isn’t true her eyes had changed. They weren’t as innocent as they once were, but they may be because they were no longer on a child’s face.
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell us one of your girlfriends was coming over!” Hope exploded after a few seconds. “This is not going to end well,” I thought. Before opening my mouth I shut it as soon as I realized she was glaring at Mark and not me. “You could have warned us, jeez. And what’s wrong with her? How in the world did she get into our house? Are you into psycho chicks or something? First Raine, now this chick!”
“I don’t know how she got in, and she isn’t one of my girlfriends. I’m not even sure if I know her!” retorted Mark, somehow managing to keep his voice low even though he was practically screaming. I was impressed because Hope was hitting way below the belt on that one. Raine was crazy and Mark knew that better than anyone.
“How would you know, you can barely remember who you slept with last night!” snapped Hope her voice was still hushed, but it was growing in volume. Okay, it was time for me to butt in.
“Can you two cut it out?” I interrupted before it could get any worse. It was clear that Hope’s last comment had gotten to Mark. He was pretty sensitive when it came to his love life, and Hope knew it. Mark was definitely a playboy, but he wasn’t nearly as bad as that. In fact, sometimes Mark was better about that than some of the “committed” guys I know.
“What! Why are you not freaking out? How can you be this calm when there is a complete stranger in our house?” Hope turned on me not even bothering to keep her voice down anymore. “Crap,” I thought, “maybe I should have acted a bit more upset.”
“Unless,” Mark started thoughtfully. I mentally begged him not to finish this sentence, “she isn’t a stranger,” he finished.
“Dinner is done!” called Angel walking back into the room saving me. I quickly followed her back into the kitchen as both sent me looks. Mark’s face was questioning, but Hope’s was scorching. I would have hell to pay later and a lot of explaining, but right now I was in heaven.
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