Fallen

Chapter 16. Back to school [Caleb]

The alarm on my phone blares at 7 in the morning.

M, like last time, is lying in my bed. He's sleeping with his back to me. His wings, surprisingly tame behind his back. I'm grateful not to wake up with wings in my face and a mouth full of feathers.

I try to crawl over his sleeping form. Note the word try. I accidentally place my foot on his stomach. He bends over, groaning in pain.

"Sorry," I say, morning voice hoarse.

I stumble over him and land face-first on the cold floor with a thud. I blame it on me still being half-asleep.

M turns around in bed. His back, facing me once again as I sit up from the floor. This time his wings hit me in the face, a clear sign of revenge.

I stumble up off of the floor, skidding down the hallway on auto-drive, all the way over to Lucy's room.

I knock on her door forcefully. If we don't hurry, then we'll be late.

She opens the door, looking as ready as ever. She's already in her clothes. And her hair is made, as made as it can be looking like birds fought in it. But that is just a thing that comes with this family.

"Since when did you get up and ready on your own," I find myself asking her. Already in a grumpy mood.

"Since you're too occupied cuddling your boyfriend." She states arrogantly.

She walks past me, down the stairs, taking two steps at a time.

I decide to ignore her comment. I did not cuddle with M.

I instead walk into the bathroom and get myself ready for the day, putting on some simple and clean clothes from the hamper.

When I go downstairs, Lucy and M are sitting around the kitchen counter. Both are eating away at a bowl of cereal.

"Ready to go?" I ask Lucy, swinging the keys to my bike around my finger.

"Can't we take the car?" She asks, dropping the bowl in the sink.

"Nope, that's not happening," I tell her. The only reason we took the car yesterday is because M doesn't own a bike or knows how to drive one.

I look over at M. He's looking up at me from over his bowl.

"We'll be back by 2," I say, looking down at the clock on my phone screen. "You can relax a bit. There's a ton of food in the fridge if you get hungry. So just be careful, do whatever and wait here."

He nods, mouth full of cereal.

I should probably stay home. Skip school for today. Maybe for the rest of the week. How stupid can I be to let a guy I barely know for some days stay in the house alone?

M picks up on my inner fight, or at least I think he does because he stands up and places his hand on my shoulder.

"You go. I will be fine."

"You sure?" I ask him.

"Of course. I will be here when you come back. You told me last night how important school is," He tells me.

"I can stay home, though." School really isn't that important when there are bigger things at play.

Still, he shakes his head.

"Okay, just call me if anything happens. You remember what I showed you, right?" I ask.

He reassures me with a nod.

I walk out with Lucy a bit later after explaining where everything is once again. I don't want to come home to a starving angel.

We both jump on our bikes and speed through the forest. The school isn't too far from our house, and we make it before the last bell rings.