Fallen Grace

13

Grace entered the house and threw the keys to Miles' jeep back onto the key holder. Her mother was sitting at the kitchen table with her laptop in front of her and a glass of wine.
When she saw Grace she gave her a confused look and then smiled.

"Are you still in your pyjamas?",her mother questioned as she hit a few buttons on her laptop.

"Went to the drug store, stole some pain killers",Grace said as she took a seat at the kitchen table. Her mother was surprised that Grace actually sat down usually she would head straight to her room without saying a word.

"Sure,Gracie",he mother said as she rolled her eyes. "How was school?",her mother said not even considering the fact that Grace could have skipped school. She knew her daughter would never skip school.

"Also, you should get nuggets from Pedro's. They're God damn good! ",Grace exclaimed.

"Don't say God damn, Grace",her mother said with wide eyes.

"Can we go to Pedro's?",Grace questioned.

"You want to go?",her mother asked dumbfounded. "You want to have dinner with us?",her mother asked again. This was unlike Grace. In fact it was the first time she and her mother spoke for more than a minute and had a conversation where Grace didn't reply with one word sentences.

"Sure, let me know when you guys can. I'm going out tonight by the way",Grace said standing up.

"You're going out? That's great to hear, Gracie. With who?"

Her mother looked at her with hope in her eyes. Grace hadn't been out with her friends or with anyone in months. She hardly left the house.

"Damian."

"Who's Damian?"

"He works for the devil."

"Okay,fine keep your secrets but I'm glad. It's good that you're finally getting back to yourself",her mother reached out her hand and grabbed Grace's hand. She squeezed her daughter's hand slightly.

"I'll never be myself again",Grace said as she pulled away and retreated to her bedroom for solitude.

She opened the door to her bedroom and went straight to take a shower. She needed a shower. The heat of the water relaxed her and made her forget about reality for a while. When she got out of the shower she wrapped herself inside her towel and rummaged inside her closet for a decent set of clothes to wear. She decided on jeans and a purple blouse with her black ankle boots. Grace never liked dressing up. Grace then applied a little powder to her face followed by some mascara and lip gloss. She heard footsteps from the hallway as she looked in search of her favourite hair tie. Her bedroom door swung open and she turned to see Miles with a serious look on his face.

"You didn't go to school today",he said as he moved entered her room.

"Yeah, so?"

"How do you expect to finish final year if you aren't there to actually finish final year?",Miles said as he hopped onto Grace's bed and laid back against her pillow.

"You know you have your own room right?",Grace said and as she did she remembered the broken window. She leaped out of her room and across the hallway to Miles' room. When she entered she was relieved to see that the window was all intact.  No shards of glass and dead bodies outside.

"Invasion of privacy",Miles said as he entered his bedroom.

"I'm leaving",Grace said as she turned and exited his room.

"Munchie",Miles called after her and followed her into the hallway."How much longer are you going to keep this up?",he asked as he brought his hand to his head.

"Keep this up? You say it like it's an act. I don't even know why you're here Miles, all we do is fight. Maybe you should just leave me alone",Grace said in anger.

"Believe me,Grace. I wish I could",he said as he turned around and walked back to his room.

Grace headed to her room and shut the door. She groaned in anger. Miles made her so angry.

"Damian",Grace whispered in hope that he would fetch her right at that moment because she really didn't want to think anymore.

Grace wanted to get her mind off everything. She wanted it all to stop and Damian promised her fun so he had to deliver.

"You called, Amazing Grace?"

Damian was standing at her dresser with a smile spread across his perfectly carved face. He was wearing a t-shirt. Which revealed his arms that were decorated with tattoos. The neckline of the shirt was low enough to reveal the beginning or end of a tattoo that was on his chest. Grace figured that he had tattoos all over his body. His jeans were coupled with sneakers. His hair was ruffled as usual and Grace wanted to run her fingers through it. She couldn't take her eyes off him.

"You ready?",Damian eyed her. "You look... better than you did this morning."

"Yes, can we get out of here now?"

"Someone's an eager beaver",Damian smirked. "That's a terrible expression, why do people even say that? Are beavers naturally eager animals? Eager to build dams perhaps?"

"Tolerance level decreasing",Grace said as she fought a snicker.

"Close your eyes,Grace."

"Don't disappear again",Grace smiled.

She didn't know how but she always seemed to smile around Damian. As much as she didn't want to, she wanted to even more. Listening to his snarky comments and his sarcastic remarks made her smile. Just listening to his voice made her smile.

"Close your eyes and you will see",he spoke. "Joseph Joubert",he added to clarify that it was a quote.

Grace slowly closed her eyes and took a deep breath when she let out the breath she was about to ask whether she could open them yet. Damian's voice beat her to it.

"You coming, Amazing Grace?

Grace's eyes fluttered open and she looked around the room but Damian was no where in sight. Her gaze drifted to the the window and there he was. Outside. Damian was flying. His wings arched off his back and were as black as ink. Grace walked toward the window. She wasn't scared as she opened it. She reached out and stroked his wings. She rubbed them between her fingers realising the beauty of it. Each feather was so intricate and unique. She  continued to study every detail as if she was trying to memorise each feather.

He didn't stop her or back away from her but Damian seemed fascinated by the fact that Grace was so fascinated.

"Are we actually going to leave at some point?",Damian questioned and brought Grace out of her dream like state.

Grace climbed onto the window and leaned back on her knees. She looked at Damian.

"I'm going to jump but this time you have to catch me okay?"

Damian smiled. Grace moved further off the window and leaped into Damian's arms. They were strong and engulfed her entirely. His wings also did the same. She felt safe and could smell him. The spring rain.

"Hold on tight,Amazing Grace."

Damian's wings slammed upward and drifted down as he moved. He held Grace tightly within his grasp as she closed her eyes so she could see.