I, once again, found Soul's arm around me. At first, I was more comfortable than I had ever been. Finally, though, I had the courage to open my eyes. What I saw was my head on Soul's chest and his arm around my bare shoulders.
I sat up quickly and pushed him onto the floor. Then everyone else in the living room woke up.
"What the hell?" Silara asked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
"I fell, that's what." Soul replied casually. To be honest, I felt a little bad. I didn't need to push him. It was kind of an instinct. Maka threw open her bedroom door.
"What was that?" she demanded.
"Soul fell!" Patty cackled. Maka rolled her eyes.
"I'm hungry." I said.
"I'll make breakfast!" Tsubaki answered.
"Where's Liz?" Silara asked.
"In Soul's room." I told her.
I walked over to the door and opened it. Liz was lying on her stomach, one arm dangling over the edge of the bed and her eye mask covered only one eye.
"Liz, wake up." I said, shoving her a little.
"Go away." she commanded with a wave of her hand.
"After you get your butt outta bed I will."
Liz just groaned in reply.
"Liz! There's a sale on shoes!" I lied.
"Nice try, Angel. But I'm not getting up for another twenty minutes to a half hour."
I smirked. "Fine, then. You leave me no choice."
I marched off to the kitchen, grabbed an ice pack and a cup of freezing cold water, and went back to Lazy Liz.
"Last chance." I warned her.
"Don't need one."
"Okay…"
I set the ice pack down on her back and poured the water over her mess of blonde hair.
Liz shrieked and jumped out of the bed.
"What happened?" Soul deadpanned.
"Liz wouldn't get up. So I froze her a bit." I told him, and shrugged.
"Yeah, and it was totally uncalled for!" Liz yelled. I giggled and went back to the living room. As I grabbed my bag to go get dressed, my foot touched a silver chain. On the end was a charm that looked like a black bird with red striped wings and a red-tipped tail. The Maynelia bird.
I clutched the necklace and ran to the bathroom. I felt something on the back and turned it over. There was an inscription.
Happy birthday, Red. Love, Soul
The necklace was my birthday present. From Soul.
I smiled and got dressed. When I went out to the living room, everyone was in the kitchen eating. But Soul was literally on his hands and knees looking around the couch.
The necklace. He's looking for the necklace… I thought.
He was dressed too, his jacket spread out on the chair.
"What are you looking for?" I asked like I didn't know.
"Oh, nothing…" Soul replied.
"I'll help you look for nothing, then." Soul glanced at me for a moment, and then went back to searching.
When I was sure the coast was clear, I dropped the necklace on the floor and acted as if I hadn't known it was there. Soul noticed it and put it in his pocket hurriedly.
"Thanks, Red." he told me.
"Any time." I replied and turned to face him. He turned to face me at the same time, and his nose brushed against my cheek gently.
Soul stood and helped me up. I cleared my throat.
"Well I'm pretty hungry. How about you?" I asked, walking towards the kitchen.
"Yeah, me too."
Later That Day
"Later Soul." I said as I climbed off the back of the motorcycle.
"See ya, Red."
He waved goodbye and sped off, scattering the leaves everywhere. As I walked down the path hidden by trees to my house, I couldn't help but feel some sort of negative energy from the area. Precisely from the graveyard next door. It felt… kind of familiar. So after I dropped off my stuff, I ran around to the back gate. There was nobody there except a girl around my age with long brown hair. She was standing in front of a large grave shaped like an angel. The girl turned around. She had these sad, icy-blue eyes that were very, very familiar. Then it hit me. The girl was Ruhana, my little sister.
She blew a kiss to the stone and left.
When I was sure she was gone, I ran to the angel. It had my face, when I was little. I was scared to look at the engraving. But I did. In loopy, swirly letters read:
Angelina Tsubasa
December 18th- June 16th
Seven Years is Too Young… She Will be Missed
Loving Sister
There was a red rose sprouting from the ground and vines winding around the angel's feet and ankles. Tucked gently into the vines was an envelope yellowed with age. I eased the envelope out. My name, Angelina, was scrawled on the front. It was for me, so I opened it.
Angelina-
I miss you so much. I know you're not really dead, but there's something that I need to tell you. Mother and Father told everyone you fell downstairs and broke your neck and that you were dead on the spot. They had a closed-casket funeral and gave you a tiny grave marker. So, when I had enough, I bought you this one. Mother and Father still don't know about it. I love you and always will. Oh, I almost forgot. Happy tenth birthday!
Love,
Ruhana
Incredibly calmly, I put the letter back in the envelope and slipped it back through the vines. Then, I collapsed on my knees. It was as if someone had buried a knife into my back. I just sat there, unmoving.
"Am I… dead?" I barely heard my own question over the wind.
"No, you're not dead." a voice came.
"Soul. What are you doing here?" I asked, still staring at my grave.
"You left your hair brush."
"It's just a stupid brush."
"I know. But, something felt… wrong. So I came to make sure you were okay. Are you?"
His question went unanswered. I didn't know if I was okay or not.
"Red, answer me."
I didn't. I didn't even move. Soul sighed and wrapped his jacket around my shoulders.
"Come on. You have to go inside." he told me.
No answer, no movement. He let out a short breath and cradled me in his arms. I still didn't move.
Soul carried me down to my house and sat me down on the couch.
"You're not dead. You're alive and here." he said after a while.
"Where's 'here' Soul?" I asked.
"Your home in Death City."
I didn't reply.
"You're here with me."
That made me look at him. His eyes were worried.
"I am here with you. I'm not dead. Angelina is dead and I am not Angelina." I tell Soul. He smiled at me warmly. And I don't know why, but I hugged him. I buried my face in his neck and he hugged me back, like he never wanted to let go.