Divinity

Chapter 7

"Emilia?" Andrew and I broke apart at the interruption, looking up in shock. Noah stood before us, his eyes glued to Andrew's hand, which was still cupped around my cheek. He dropped it as soon as he noticed Noah staring. I couldn't help but feel instantly guilty, but I stood my ground. I did not allow myself to spring back, away from Andrew, as my instincts told me to. It wasn't fair. It was not fair for Noah to ignore me for weeks on end and then look at me like that, like I had killed someone in front of him, just because he had caught me with Andrew. He needed to accept that I was going to move on given how he had been treating me.

"Yes?" I tried hard not to let me guilt seep into my tone - though I couldn't be sure I was successful. Andrew seemed surprised by my reaction, I could see him out the corner of my eye, looking down at me with his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Noah's eyes were flickering between us, as though in disbelief. "Um... can I talk to you for a second?"

I nodded hesitantly, taking a couple of steps away from Andrew. "I'll leave you." Andrew interjected, and before even a second had passed a strong gust of wind threatened to knock me over. By the time I looked over my shoulder to watch him leave he was already gone, his wings carrying him far away from us.

Turning back to face Noah, I noticed his posture seemed less rigid than it had before Andrew had left. "He kissed you." He frowned, glancing towards the sky like he were afraid Andrew was going to return.

"I kissed him." I corrected, trying not to let my sadness show as I watched his expression drop at my words. I didn't want to hurt Noah, I would never have kissed Andrew had I known he would be there to witness it.

"Why?" He asked, his face completely composed now, like a sudden wall had gone up, guarding his emotions.

"Why?" I echoed, "I really don't feel comfortable discussing my relationship with Andrew with you." As much as I felt sympathy towards Noah, a part of me was also bitter - why did he want to know about my life, when he had almost completely removed himself from it?

"Your relationship." He repeated, forlorn. "He's your boyfriend now?"

"We're friends." I corrected, after a pause. "Regardless, who I date is not your concern."

"It's a good job you have already left Heaven, they don't appreciate cheaters up there." He commented, making a move to leave.

"What is that supposed to mean?" My voice began to raise. "I'm not a cheater, we aren't together - we never were!"

He shook his head, "Maybe not, perhaps it was only me that thought it were heading in that direction."

"Whatever we were... it ended. You ended it. You can't expect to ignore me for weeks and have me waiting for you to get over your mood-swing." He was beginning to anger me, how dare he suggest I was unfaithful. "I'm not immortal - I have to move on with my life when it's clear my feelings aren't being reciprocated."

"You don't get it!" He exclaimed. "How am I supposed to have feelings for a human!"

There was silence for just a few seconds, while I digested what he said. It reminded me of something I had once been told, that all of the angels allied with god would never be able to put me first. There would always be someone else who was a priority, someone who I would forever be battling against.

And that wasn't a fight that I could win.

"So... because I'm not an angel, you won't be with me."

"Maybe we could..." he paused to come forwards and grab my hands so he could hold them in his. "We could find a way to get your angel side back... and then we could be together."