Chapter Seven

I heard Angel before I saw her. Her shoes were slapping against the sidewalk, but it didn't register with me that it was Angel; I thought it was just another jogger.

"Nudge!" Her sweet, childish voice called out, and the four of us turned around to face her, Iggy still with his arm around my shoulders, and I could almost feel Max tense up, awaiting the news that her dad had tried to capture her and Gazzy... Angel looked at us, a few feet away from me, shifting her weight back and forth on her feet, looking uncertain and nervous.

"Can we talk? You know, just you and me?" Angel asked pointedly, and Max and Fang looked at each other before Max pointed about a mile off to a secluded spot.

"Meet us over there, 'kay?" Fang dropped back and barely brushed against Iggy, leading him and his comforting arm away from me.

I watched them leave, then turned my full attention onto Angel.

"I'm sorry I got mad at you. It was stupid. I guess I was just jealous, which was totally stupid. And, if you don't ever forgive me, I understand. It's my own stupid fault. But, when I was reading your thoughts back at my house, I realized that I'll always be your little sister, and you'll always be one of my big sisters, no matter what." Angel was beginning to tear up, as I stood there and watched her, arms crossed.

"Angel, there's nothing for me to forgive you for. I was never mad at you, you should know that."

"Okay," she said, brightening up a little bit. "Here, I got something for you, when we would have to separate. I mean, I didn't think it'd be like this but, here," Angel motioned for me to extend my wrist, and I did, letting her put a bracelet on.

It was a charm bracelet. And it already had its first charm, a little heart with angel wings. Angel grinned sheepishly like Gazzy did so often, and I hugged her.

"Thanks, Angel. It's totally awesome. And, I hope you do great with your normal life. School, slumber parties, you know. Just, just don't get your wings taken off, 'kay?" Angel laughed and smiled.

"'Kay." We let go of each other, and I stepped back.

"I better go now, but, keep in touch. Text me or something." Angel nodded and waved as I walked off to where Max and Fang and Iggy were waiting for me, and I watched her retreating form, thinking about the person it held.

When I caught up with the three, they were tearing into granola bars and I grinned at them, ready to go. We took off into the sunlight, feeling strong and powerful, able to overcome any problem that came our way. Optimistic, I think, is the right word.

But, of course, things couldn't stay that way forever.

This hypothesis was once again tested true because, without warning, I suddenly dropped out of the sky like Max used to, images of people in whitecoats, Erasers flashing through my head, the overwhelming feeling of being chased striking fear into my heart.

I screamed, unable to flap my wings and knowing I was going to die.

"Nudge!" Fang yelled above me, but I was already gone.