Chapter 2

Risk

Gabriel wiped some of the snow off of a park bench and sat down, looking at the book in his hands. Yesterday he was given a proposition that the Archangel definitely wanted to accept. Read the book, get a date.

He was tempted to read the book Archangel style by just snapping his fingers and reading it in just a few seconds but he thought against it. He thought that would be cheating and if he really did like this girl, cheating wouldn't be the best way to start something like this out, even if she had no idea about it.

So, for the next few hours he read about the journey of one Harry Potter and his adventure at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which he thought was a pretty disgusting name (seriously? Hogs and warts? It's worse then something called Pigfarts!). But when he finished he couldn't help but think that it was a terrific read.

Gabriel smiled as he looked on the inside back cover to see Carrie Baker's number scribbled in blue pen. He quickly got up from his seat on the bench and walked over to the nearest payphone. He deposited a quarter into the machine then dialed then number. He picked up the phone and put it to his ear, waiting patiently as it rang.

"Hello?" answered Carrie once the ringing had stopped.

"You're a wizard Harry!" he joked, hoping she would know who it was.

"Ah, so you read the book?" she asked, though she didn't really need to.

"Yup. And I gotta admit, I really liked it." Gabriel said as he held the book tighter in his hands.

"Okay, but just to make sure that you read it…what was the name of Hogwarts game keeper?" she quizzed and Gabriel let out a sigh of relief. He actually knew the answer to that question.

"Some hairy dude named Hagrid." The Archangel answered.

"Ten points to Gryffindor!" she joked and Gabriel could tell that she was smiling even over the phone.

"So, do I get that date now?" he asked, crossing his fingers.

"Oh, so we're calling it a date now?" she asked.

Gabriel drummed his fingers on the book nervously. He searched for something to say but just came out with "Well, I, uh…"

The Archangel heard Carrie giggle over the phone. "Dude, I'm just messing with you."

Gabriel smiled. A girl after his own heart. "I knew that." He lied.

"Sure you did." She said. "I get off of work in about an hour. You can pick me up there." Then she hung up the phone.

Gabriel smiled, happy that he could see her again. But what was he going to do for an hour? He snapped his fingers and looked down at the new book in his hand. Time to read the next one…

-OTN-

An hour had passed and Gabriel was as happy as ever. It was weird…he hadn't had a real date in a very long time, but he was looking forward to it.

The Archangel walked down the side walk of Kalamazoo, Michigan to arrive at the café where Carrie was waiting outside the door. She was wearing tan coat, jeans, boots, a hat, and gloves. He couldn't blame her, it was freezing outside and it had just started to snow again.

"What, no car?" she asked, rubbing her hands together.

Gabriel shrugged. "I like keeping it old fashioned." He lied. He really had no idea how to drive those metal deathtraps.

"I can tell." She said and they started walking down the sidewalk together, not really going to a specific place.

"So, what do you want to do?" Gabriel asked as he heard the crunch of the snow beneath their feet.

Carrie looked like she was thinking for a moment before answering, "Well, there's a pizza place a few blocks from here."

Gabriel nodded. "Pizza. Sounds good."

They walked for a few minutes in an awkward silence. It seemed as if neither of them knew what to say. They just met each other the other day.

"I'm just wondering, why are you actually going out with me when we only talked for like five minutes yesterday? For all you know I could be some crazed killer." Gabriel asked, breaking the silence.

Carrie shrugged. "What's life without any risk?"

"That's a good philosophy you got there. And I'm not a crazed killer by the way." Gabriel said as they continued to walk down the sidewalk, snow gently falling on their heads.

"That's exactly what a crazed killer would say." She said and smiled. Gabriel smiled back. Her smile was frigging contagious.

A few minutes later they arrived at the pizza parlor and took a seat in one of the open booths. They ordered there pizza then sat there in an awkward silence again before Carrie said, "So, you liked the book?"

Gabriel nodded. "I like that Dumbledore fella; reminds me of my Dad." he said and smirked.

Carrie nodded. "I totally win that bet then."

"So, how'd it go with that essay thing of yours?" he asked, trying to keep a conversation going.

"Stayed up all night but I finally finished it." She said. "So, Gabriel, tell me about you."

"Sweetheart, call me Gabe. Gabriel's to…formal." He said. "About me…uh…there not much to share really. Why don't you go first?"

"Okay, Gabe. I'm a chemistry major in college, have two older brothers, and I accidently blew up a frog my junior year of High School." She said and laughed a little.

Gabriel gaped at her. "You blew up a frog?"

Carrie laughed and nodded. "Yeah, that's…kinda a long story. But it ended with me smelling frog for the next week."

"I wish I saw that." Gabriel said and laughed.

"Sure you do. So, you have any siblings?" she asked as the waiter came and put down a pizza pie in the middle of the table.

"Holy crap, are we really gonna eat this whole thing?" she asked, staring wide eyed at the pie.

Gabriel shrugged. "Well, I am hungry." He laughed and took a slice. "And I do have siblings. Many siblings. And there all dicks so I don't talk to them anymore."

Carrie gave him a curious look. "Really? They can't be that bad."

"You have no idea." He said and took a bite out of his pizza. "Do you and you siblings get along?" he asked.

"Well, they can be a pain in the ass sometimes but I love 'em. And you kind of have to get used to living with two guys who played football. Carter and Tim actually made me practice with their football team once when I was ten. Pretty funny, actually."

Gabriel nodded and continued to eat his pizza. They continued talking, laughing occasionally. The Archangel hadn't had this good of a time in a very, very long time. Well, he always got a kick when he would trick some dick but this was a different kind of happiness. Carrie was smart, funny, and easy on the eyes. Wait, what was he doing? He can't be in a relationship; he's an Angel for Dad's sake! But yet again, he did leave Heaven and he could do what he wanted. He really did like this girl, so he decided that he would take the risk.

Once they had almost finished the whole pie they left the pizza place and stood out on the sidewalk, snow still falling and coving the ground.

"Thanks Gabe, I had a really nice time." Carrie said and smiled.

"Me too, sweet cheeks." He said, actually feeling a little cold from the snow that was constantly falling on him. Damn you, Michigan.

"You need to stop it with the nicknames." She said but offered a joking smile afterwards.

"Maybe…maybe not." He said and grinned.

"Don't be a smart ass." She said and hit his arm.

"Hey!"

Carrie stuck his tongue out at him. "I have class tomorrow so…why don't you call me over the weekend?"

"Oh, so you do like me."

"No, I do tolerate you." She said and brushed some of the snow out of her hair.

Gabriel shrugged. "That's good enough for me."

Carrie nodded, kissed him on the cheek, and then walked away.

Gabriel sighed and stuffed his hands into his pockets. He still had no idea what the hell was going on with him but as he watched her walk away he couldn't help but wish she would come back.

He started walking the opposite way down the sidewalk, thinking about everything, when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. No, someone. He stopped and looked around. He kept looking until he saw someone dart in an ally. He followed, having the feeling that this guy had been watching him.

Once he entered the ally he stopped dead. He hadn't expected to see him.