Angel (A Story Written by my Younger Self)

Chapter One

The bell attached to the door dinged quietly as Daniel, Stella and I walked through it. The smell of burgers, fries, and cookies was in the air. Mac's Diner. We've been here so many times that everyone who works here knows who we are, we even have our own official table.

The employees at Mac's Diner take the holidays seriously. Red and green Christmas lights were strung across the room, a Christmas tree was placed in the corner-underneath were several wrapped presents to the homeless.

Some times I wonder if Stella and I would be better off homeless than living with David-our lazy, alcoholic Step-Dad. We probably would be.

Stella, my seven-year-old sister, sat across from Daniel and I, playing with a two headed reindeer sculpture that had three different shades of blue. "Did you make that in school, Stell?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm gonna leave it out for Santa. Then he can give it to Azul." Stella responded without looking up from her sculpture.

She loved that story. Mom used to tell us the story every Christmas. How Azul, the blue, two-headed reindeer saved Christmas. Every year Stella made a gift for Azul, Santa's secret ninth reindeer.

A smile flickered on my face. She used to...Before the accident... The smile disappeared as quickly as it came.

My hand found its way to the locket my Mother gave me before the car accident. She told me with tears in her eyes "Willow, when you don't know what to do, open your heart and follow it."

Daniel must have read my thoughts or saw my expression. "So, what do you two want for Christmas?"

"A tiger!" Stella chirped, her long, frizzy red hair falling away from its usual residing place-her ear.

"Oh Dan, you don't have to get us anything."

"Yes I do, Willow," his shaggy brown hair was in the way of his cocoa brown eyes.

Dan is my only friend. Ever since Dad left and Mom married David, I fell into a depression. Dan is the only one there for me.

"Okay, just no more than ten dollars."

"Actually, I kind of already got you a gift," Stella looked up from Azul. She was intrigued.

Dan pulled something out from his coat pocket and placed it in my palm. Three tickets to the Nutcracker. I've always wanted to see this. Every kid in school went to this except me because we were broke at the time. I told my Mom and she promised to take me.

I threw my arms around Daniel and whispered: "thank you, you didn't have to do this."

"What is it? I want to see! Willow, let me see!" Stella demanded.

I unwrapped myself from Daniel, "Stella, we're going to see the Nutcracker!"

"We are!?" She cheered.

"Yes!"

Stella got up from her seat and wrapped her arms around Dan and me.

BAM! Everyone turned around. The door we just walked through flew open. Ten men with black masks and guns walked in.

"NOBODY MOVE THIS IS A ROBBERY!"