Writer's Note: Yes, this story takes place before Silence. Plus, it's my story and I can do as I please with it. c: Happy Reading3


In short, Patch had been forced to leave Nora because he was a fallen angel. He turned out being her guardian angel at one point and they were in love, blah blah blah. Anyway, the archangels did not approve of the angel-human relationship, so they assigned Patch to another person. He had to dump her so that he could take care of the other girl. She cried while explaining this to me.

I couldn't help but feel bad, and almost wanted to fly over to her house and hold her while she cried, something very unlike me. My new, scary emotions made me feel like a male Bella Swan. I HATE Bella Swan. With a burning passion.

Ugh.

After she'd stopped crying, I'd told her it was okay to be sad and that I'd be there for her when and if she needed me. Why I cared so much about her I don't know. Either way, she was a new friend and she made my heart feel a little bit bigger. She was a person I'd throw on a fake smile for because she was so broken. I'd ended up telling her about the Max Dilemma. Not about my wings or the possibility that I could suddenly die like the rest of the School's experiments before and after the bird kids.

I'd watched a lot of hybrids die, like they had an expiration date.

When was mine?

I shuddered, remembering when I'd died from the School performing tests on me. And Max had saved me. I growled to myself and made a fist. I barely had any memories without her. It frustrated me. All I wanted to do was forget her.

When I'd gotten off the phone with Nora, I 'd finished my poem.

She smiles and it brightens the room. Her soft, clear skin welcomes a flush of pink into her round cheeks. The boy before her is merely a joke, compared to her. He is nothing yet she is everything. Complete opposites, pulled together by simple chance. Two things in common; forgotten about and brokenhearted. The broken girl before him provides a new space in his heart, makes him feel alive. The broken boy in front of her provides a shoulder to cry on and a good friend.

I tapped my pencil against my lip, but couldn't think of anything else. I decided it was good enough, shoved it into my binder, and finished my math. Easy.

After that, I lounged around in my boxers on the sectional and flipped through channels on TV. Nothing good, nothing entertaining. It was seven PM and I was still thinking about Nora.

"Okay, time for bed," I told myself, clicking the flatscreen off.

As I crawled under the covers, I groaned, realizing I'd left the bathroom light on. I was mumbling to myself when I walked in. Nora's ex-boyfriend, Patch, was standing in my bathroom. I blinked, making sure I wasn't having some crazy bird kid hallucination. I wasn't. And boy, did this guy look pissed. "Ehm. Can I help you..?"

His eyes were like daggers and cut slits in me. "Stay away from Nora. She's mine," he growled.

I smirked at him. "Yeah, um, last I checked, dude, you dumped her. Plus, we're just friends. So, do me a favor and fuck off?"

He lunged at me and pushed me against the wall, holding me up by the throat. "Listen to me. She is MINE. And you will stay AWAY from her. Are we clear?" A guttural growl told me there would be consequences. My reply told me I didn't care.

I lifted my arm up, turned, and brought it down on his. He dropped me, laughing. "Well, YOU listen to ME. She is MY friend, my ONLY friend, and it's my life, I will do AS. I. PLEASE." I was shouting at him now, a rarity for me.

Patch was still laughing. "Seems like you've got some skill. But I can't feel. Good try."

Oh, shit.

Again, he came at me, but I was too fast for him. I quickly stepped to the side and he went rolling down the stairs. I jumped over the railing and met him at the bottom. He glared up at me and stood quickly, getting up in my face. "Fine. Do as you please, bird brain. Just remember. I'm watching you." And he was gone.

By that time, I was too furious to come close to sleeping. So I stayed up for hours, just laying in bed, watching the sky get darker.

I don't remember falling asleep.