Don't Forget

16. Private Lessons

Sleep came easier the more days passed when I didn't receive a second threat. After a couple more days of nothing, I relaxed, more convinced it had just been a joke.

Even my friends seemed to ease up about the incident. I knew they hadn't let it go, that it still lingered in the back of their minds, but now they weren't hovering around me like helicopter parents. Rian was the most laidback about things, no longer tense whenever I was near. The others weren't quite as relaxed, but at least they weren't insisting on following me everywhere.

As I settled into my seat in Professor Algoren's class, my eyes flitted toward the angel in the corner. He was the only one at his table in the left corner of the auditorium-style classroom, at the aisle seat. Today he had sat at an angle, turned so that he could look over his right shoulder and observe the rest of the class.

I openly stared at him, feeling safe from the center of the classroom beside Maion and another angel. I studied the planes of his face and the contours of his neck, the wavy length of his black hair, the slope of his midnight wings. I knew it was his otherworldly features that attracted me to him, but there had to be something more. Something deeper, like the mystery behind those intense eyes and the reason for his scowl.

Professor Algoren started class by slamming his briefcase on the desk, causing a couple of angels (and myself) to jump in their seats. He ran a hand through his already-disheveled silver hair as he began to lecture on prey-predator relations.

At the table to my right and a row down sat the new angel. She was just as breathtaking as the other angels, but she was also exotic. Her hair fell in gentle waves to her shoulder-blades, and when her hair moved, it looked like dancing flames. Although I couldn't see them from here, I knew her eyes were a striking green, gemstones set in a heavenly face. She even had an accent that lifted and fell in a cadence that could only come from some foreign land.

My brows furrowed. I wondered why Viena Riviera didn't attend Vietate High until the third year-what had she been doing beforehand?

I didn't know much about the exotic angel. Not even Maion or Cassiel had heard much about her. Apparently she kept to herself most of the time. Otherwise, she spent her time with the Proelia. How she managed to wedge her way into the exclusive circle of the five fighters was beyond me. My only guess was that she was a phenomenal fighter. She didn't look it.

I stared at Viena for a while, lost in thought. Then I noticed that she glanced to her left and gave a slight wave. I followed her line of sight and saw Shar nod back. I sat straighter in my seat, questioning what kind of relationship they had.

Maion touched my shoulder after class and told me she was headed to her combat class but we'd catch up later. I waved her goodbye and dilly-dallied in the classroom, packing my things one at a time. I wasn't in a rush, since my personal training class had been canceled for the rest of the week.

When my gaze lifted again, they fell on the figure in the corner, who was also packing as slow as I was. My eyes widened. Why was Shar procrastinating too?

I strapped my bag over my shoulder and headed to the door, keeping my strides slow on purpose. Once in the hall, Shar matched me step-for-step. He didn't look at me, and his aloof expression suggested he was ignoring me.

I tried to ignore him too, but the rush of heat to my face made that difficult. Out of the corner of my eye I could see his arms swing at his sides, the veins bulging. I listened to his footsteps match mine in perfect synchronization-my heart worked overtime.