I know I just updated a couple of days ago, but I got a really good idea for how to continue this story and granted, it will change some of the plot, but not too much. It will all work out in the end. Ha-ha. Get it? Of course not, it's an inside joke between my friends and I. I am really hyper at the moment. It's snowing!
~PennStateGRL4eva~
Luce's father's funeral was held three days later at Shoreline. In those three days she had turned into an emotional wreck. Shelby was keeping and uncomfortable close eye on her and Matthew was watching from a distance. Daniel knew to stay away for a while but she could not help her desire for him to be at the funeral.
As Luce stood in front of her closet she realized that she truly had no idea what to wear. It may sound strange since she had an entire closet's worth of black clothes squeezed in but none of it seemed to fit the proper funeral attire. She remembered that the general rule for funerals was if you are over eighteen you need to wear all black but that still did not help her.
Then Shelby burst through the door with Gabbe right behind her, both of them panting and laughing. Gabbe coughed and frowned at Shelby as she glanced pointedly at me and both of them were quiet.
"It's okay." Luce said, not taking her eyes off of her depressing wardrobe. "Don't mind me. Just go back to your happy lives."
"I'm here to help you Luce." Gabbe said.
I looked at Shelby and told her just by glaring at her to leave which she did.
"I don't need any help." Luce said stubbornly.
"I'm not helping just you but Daniel too. He's been a wreck. Do you realize what will happen if he isn't happy when he needs to tip the balance in a week?" Luce shook her head. "He's going to choose the wrong side!"
"It's next week?" Luce gaped.
"There have been rumors that while Abba has him there he may as well make his decision." Gabbe confided.
"Oh my gosh." Luce sunk down onto her bed. Gabbe sat next to her dutifully.
"I brought you this." She said, handing Luce a bag that had Express written on it in white fancy letters.
"Gabbe—" Luce began.
"No, you are not going to complain. I know you need something so don't lie to me and say it is too much." Gabbe pressed.
Luce sighed in defeat and opened the bag, pulling out a strapless lace dress that looked more like it should be worn in a casino than a funeral. Luce opened her mouth to complain about its lingerie style but Gabbe waved her off.
"You would be surprised how us angels dress at funerals. Especially at other angels' funerals. So no complaining. Besides, Daniel's face will be priceless when he sees you in that hot little number." Gabbe said as she giggled, jumping up from Luce's bed and leaving the room.
The funeral ended with still no sight of Daniel and Luce felt hopeless. Not only was the love of her life probably heart-broken, but the world was going to Hell on Earth thanks to her. She hugged her mother goodbye before running to her room and packing a backpack full of clothes and changing into jeans and a hoodie. Shelby was in class so Luce was glad to leave without the questions, leaving her to creep down the hallway in peace. She snuck along the wall of the school that sealed out any dark forces and gasped as she collided with something that said in a hushed tone, "What are you doing?"
Luce looked up and thought she would see Daniel's violet eyes, but no; she only saw Matthew's warm gold eyes penetrating hers. "I'm going home." It was partially true.
"Which one?" Matthew couldn't be fooled.
"I don't know. Whichever one I find." I said, pushing past him.
"How can you do this to Daniel? Do you know how torn up he'll be? And you're probably not even strong enough to travel yet."
"Oh well. I need a break from all of this Matthew."
"When are you going to stop being a coward and face your problems? Maybe Daniel is right about you being a bitch." Matthew said coldly.
"Maybe, maybe not. But you can't tell me what to do." She said, gathering a shadow in her arms and stepping through it.
The last thing she heard was "Shit Luce."
She landed in a vast field of wildflowers. It was the most beautiful and colorful thing she had ever seen in her life and it broke her heart as it made her think of Daniel. The flowers were brilliant shades of pinks and yellows and baby blues with sparse rocks here and there. She could hear a stream trickling nearby and there was a dense area of trees that stretched as far as Luce could see. It wasn't too cold outside and she found the light breeze peaceful.
But something was different about this shadow. It disappeared upon arrival and could not be detected anywhere. Was Luce in Heaven? She noticed that her short, fake black hair was once again long and her natural color. It trailed down her back in a long braid and swayed lightly in the wind, swishing against the back of the gown she was now wearing. It was an elegant purple floral pattern with short puffy sleeves and lace enveloping the sleeves and collar which happened to leave Luce's shoulders bare. She had on a pearl choker that a gold chain that dangled in the back.
Two horses slowly wandered into the pasture and the first thing she noticed about them was who was riding the beautiful, pitch black stallion. She stood as the three of them approached her. "Welcome to paradise Luce." The man spoke.
HOLD UP! WHO IS IT? WHO IS IT? Well keep reading, you'll find out!
~PennStateGRL4eva~
Luce smiled at him as he held out a hand to her. She fingered the silver cuffs on his Union Uniform and smiled to herself, enjoying the way they sparkled in the sunlight. She looked up into his beautiful eyes and saw that he was smiling too. "I brought you here by the way, not the shadow." He told her matter-of-factly.
"Did you…" Luce paused, dumbfounded, before trying again. "Did you create all of this?"
He shook his head, almost looking disappointed that she assumed he did. "I just brought you to a place that you used to hold dear to yourself. We're in Tennessee by the way."
"I didn't think Tennessee was home to any Union soldiers." Luce said coyly.
"We were just another one of those love stories about people that were ripped apart by the Civil War."
Luce rocked lightly on her heels. "Well we were ripped apart by much different soldiers."
"Touché." He said, nodding and looking away into the distance. He looked down at her and smiled mischievously. "Would you like to go on a ride with me?"
"It would be my pleasure." Luce said, curtsying before accepting his hand. He pulled her up and helped her onto her own horse before kicking his horse in the flanks to make it walk. "Can I say something?" she asked after they had ridden in silence for some time.
"Say anything you like. I don't care if you use vulgar language by the way. I'm not the right person to judge in that case." He said, smiling at her reluctantly.
She laughed, "Well, I overreacted. You had every right to call me…what you did and that I accept your apology Mr. Grigori." She said.
Her laughter was contagious and soon both of them were clutching their sides in fits of laughter as he led her slowly through the pasture. They came upon a spot next to the stream and Luce saw that it was too wide to be a stream but not wide enough to be a river. It was beautifully average. Just like Luce whenever she stood next to Daniel and his angelic abilities and beauty.
"What's wrong?" he asked her, reaching over and turning her face to face him. "I'm sensing something is disturbing you."
Luce sighed as she dismounted her horse and stood on the edge of the water. "Is it your angelic powers sensing it or your observation skills?" she asked.
She listened as Daniel dismounted his own horse and approached her, stopping when he was within a foot of her. "You still want me to become human."
"We'll never agree on this, will we?" Luce did not need to turn around to know that Daniel was shaking his head. "So then where does that leave us?"
"Love is accepting someone for who they are. Not who they can become." Daniel said pointedly, his words clipping.
Luce chuckled. "That is friendship, Daniel." She paused. "Where have you been these past couple of days? I really needed you."
She felt his hand on her shoulder, rubbing slow circles with his thumb on her skin. He took a step closer to her, making him close enough for her to feel his breath on her neck. "I am so sorry. There were some things I needed to take care of."
"That's my point!" Luce said, spinning around and facing him. "I should come before your job Daniel! Me! Please don't make me give you an ultimatum but I will if I have to." She threatened.
Daniel looked down and released her shoulder, slowly walking back to his horse, the beauty of the day swallowed in the sorrow in his violet eyes. "I'm sorry Luce. But you will never understand what it is like." He said before riding off into the woods, leaving Luce feeling more alone than she had in her life.
That was actually longer than I had anticipated. Hm. Does anyone else think that the lead singer in the band Lifehouse would make a great Daniel? Review please. And I ask for no flames. You all know who you are that have given me flames.
~PennStateGRL4eva~
