I felt rather self-conscious about my chosen outfit when I left the bathroom. I hadn’t noticed how dressed up Mila was when she had first arrived. Mila was wearing a beautiful floor length sky blue summer dress. She had her hair tied up into a bun and two little gold earrings hung from her ears.
“We’re going to see people fight, not watch horse races.”
“Stop it!” She laughed. “It’s fine. C’mon, we need to go. We’re going to miss Sam's fight, and she’s first.”
We walked over to the guardian block where the angels take their classes. I marvelled at its size. It wasn’t exactly a ‘block,’ it was an auditorium, and a big one at that.
A lot of students were already there, including Raina. She glared at me as we walked past, I smiled sweetly, making her glare deepen.
Mila and I managed to find a small row of seats at the front of the auditorium that were unoccupied. I spotted Eli chatting with Tay in the middle of the mats as competing guardians stretched around them. Almost as soon as I sat down, Eli saw me and awkwardly looked away; so much for things going back to normal between us. Within a one minute time span, Eli and I had made eye contact at least five times. Every time his eyes met mine, it sent butterflies fluttering around my stomach.
“Samantha Windsor verses Caine Jones.”
He brought the whistle to his soft but firm lips and blew. It looked like Sam was first as she approached the mat, tying her dark curls into a tight bun. Everyone cleared the fighting space and her opponent stepped forward. The guy was huge, he was just as tall as Eli, if not taller, and he made Sam look like a child. Her face showed no signs of fear or doubt, instead her eyes were fierce and ready. Eli blew the whistle again and the competitors dropped to fighting stance. It was amazing to watch as they danced around each other, punching here and kicking there, everyone flinched and cringed every time a hit landed. They both had so much strength and speed, no wonder vampires chose to kill our species more than guardian angels.
The match was over quicker than I had anticipated and the results were mind boggling. Sam had gotten the incredible hulk on the ground, giving her the victory. We clapped, cheered and chanted her name.
“Zavion Forster,” announced Eli, “verses Leonardo DeLanzy.” He blew his whistle and the match begun.
“I didn't know Zavion was a guardian angel,” I said to Mila.
“He isn't,” said the voice next me.
“You again?” I sighed, my eyes falling onto Rylan.
“I just can't seem to stay away from you; you attract me.”
“Get in line,” I said jokingly.
“Zavion is a god.”
"What? Then why is he fighting and taking guardian angel tests?"
“Wow, you really don't know anything about our way of life. Gods are trained to fight as well. Zavion filled in for a sick angel.”
“What about goddesses?” I asked, eagerly.
“Goddesses aren't meant to fight.” Rylan chuckled. “They’re too precious.”
Too precious? I hadn’t experienced so much sexism before in my life until I came here. Goddesses were put on a pedestal. We were the same as gods in every way. The only difference was that we were female. That didn’t mean we were less capable of bringing down a vampire.
“What are you doing here?” interrupted a familiar voice.
I looked up, it was Tay. Rylan gave Tay a dirty look and then nodded goodbye to me.
“How are you feeling?" he asked.
“I was good until you chased off my friend.”
“He has detention he should be tending to, not socializing,” Tay countered.
I ignored his comment.
“Sorry I haven't spoken to you since that night,” he said quietly. “Things have been a little rushed; I’m sure Mr Aleksandrov will come speak to you at some point.”
“Yeah, well, in the meantime I’ll just get on with my life and pretend that I wasn't almost slaughtered by the one person trying to kill me.”
I was bitter. I'd like to think that after the whole situation with Hank, that Mr Aleksandrov and Tay actually cared, but I got the feeling they didn't. I was alive and in the safety of the school; as far as they were concerned, the whole incident should be forgotten. Little did they know that every time I close my eyes, I see his deathly white complexion and his petrifying stare. I picture his cold laugh and scary snarl. Thinking about Hank made my chest heavy and my breathing hard. I tried to calm myself. Was I having a panic attack? It felt like the room was closing in and suffocating me. Hot flashes began rolling through my body, getting hotter and hotter.
“Ruby, are you okay?” asked Mila.
“I- I don't know. I can't breathe. I’m burning up,” I gasped. I leant over, bringing my chest to my knees, nausea radiating through my stomach.
“Eli!” called Mila.
Within seconds Eli was at my side. “What's wrong?”
“She can’t breathe.”
“Am I dying?” I cried.
“You’re having a panic attack; we need to get you outside.”
Eli wrapped his arm around my waist and I slung my arm around his neck. I tried walking but I couldn't, I tried with every urge in my body to move but I didn't budge. Eli scooped me up and carried me outside. I could feel everyone's curious stare burning my skin, high schoolers loved gossip and I had a feeling that I was the one that would be talked about today, once again.
As soon as the cool air hit my face, I breathed in deeply and the air filled my lungs. The oxygen swooped in so fast I thought my lungs were going to pop like a balloon. Eli carried me onto a grassy area and leant me up against the tree.
“I need you to breathe slowly. In, out, in, out,” he said, coaching me.
Within minutes my thoughts started grouping and breathing became easier. In the distance Mila and Zavion came running over.
“Are you okay?” they asked, almost in unison.
“She needs space; I'm going to take her for a walk. Zavion, tell Tay he’s going to have to referee the rest of the exam.”
“Tay left just after you took Ruby outside.”
Confusion crossed Eli’s face. "Okay, the clipboard is on the ground, where Ruby was sitting. Give it to Guardian Sera and tell her to take over."
He nodded in agreement and they both ran back to the auditorium. Eli helped me get to my feet and we slowly walked towards the sports oval.
“What happened?”
“I don't know. I was thinking about that night with Hank and then I started panicking and getting hot.”
“That night is over, you beat Hank. You were better than him and you got away. I know the nightmares are still fresh in your mind, but just know that you are safe here at Sage. You are untouchable. The more you think about it, the more these panic attacks will reoccur.”
His words echoed through my mind, untouchable? Safe? Then how come I didn't feel safe? In the pit of my stomach a horrible feeling stirred.
“About last night,” he began, interrupting my thoughts. “I think instead of pretending like it didn’t happen, I should apologize. It was wrong of me to use your emotional vulnerability to take advantage of you.”
“You didn’t take advantage of me Eli, I’m not a child.” I’m not. I’m eighteen, which gives me the right to vote, drink, and do anything I want. Legally.
“Now that I have apologized, I want to put it behind us and forget about it,” he continued, as if I never said anything.
“Fine.”
The walk back to the auditorium was just as awkward as the walk back to my dorm last night. No words were spoken and no glances were spared.
The fights were still going; two male guardian angels that I didn’t know were fighting it out in an intense brawl. They did high kicks, low kicks, rolls and flips. I envied the way they moved. If I had skills like that, I’d hunt Hank down and take him on myself. I saw Zavion and Mila sitting where I was earlier, at the far end of the auditorium. I walked up to them and sat down.
“How are you?” asked Mila.
“I'm a lot better now. I have no idea what happened,” I explained.
“That's okay; you’ve been through a lot,” she said.
I didn't want to talk about me anymore so I changed the subject. “Has Cloud fought yet?”
“She didn't show up for the test; she was matched up against Raphael," Zavion replied.
“Maybe she slept in?”
“It wouldn't be the first time.” He snickered.
“Does Raphael pass automatically because his partner didn't show up?” I wondered aloud.
“Nah, he’ll fight your Angel.”
I smiled at the term 'my angel.' Eli was my angel; so far he was always there even when I wasn't in immediate danger.
A woman called Raphael to the fighting mats. She was very tall and slender, definitely super model material. Her auburn hair glistened in the sun that shone through the dusty windows. She was carrying a clipboard; she must be Sera. Sera was very pretty but a little weathered from fighting and being outside so much. She looked like she would have been my mother’s age, maybe even a little older.
“Raphael Ames will be fighting his mentor, Eli De Luca, due to his opponent not arriving today,” Sera announced.
Her voice was husky and deep, it complimented her features well. Eli stepped up to the mat; he had switched his baggy jeans for a rather sexy pair of black sweat pants. All the girls that sat in the auditorium sighed as Eli pulled his shirt off and revealed a black tank top that clung to his muscles.
Sera blew her whistle and they dropped to fighting stance. Eli circled Raphael rapidly, trying to seize him from behind but Raphael was definitely trained to avoid that situation. Everyone watched in amazement as they fought. Raphael wasn't taking it easy just because Eli was his trainer and Eli wasn't slowing down just because Raphael was his student. Raphael's face was determined and angry; he wasn't able to land a hit on Eli. Eli's speed was hard to focus on and although Raphael was fast, he was no Eli. Eventually the match came to an end after Raphael was pinned to the ground.
Students drifted from the auditorium, no doubt heading to the common room; it was breakfast time, after all. I wanted to run over to Eli and tell him how amazed I was, but I figured it wouldn't be much of a compliment considering he was only fighting a student. I gave in to my hunger and headed to the common room for breakfast. The room was fuller than I anticipated but Mila and I found seats next to two students, one was noticeably a god and the other a guardian angel. They were both boys and looked older than eighteen.
“Goddesses,” they both greeted and smiled.
“I'm Ruby, this is Mila. Can we sit?”
“Of course, I'm Gabriel and this is Hunter.” He gestured to his friend.
Gabriel was the guardian angel. He was average looking with blond hair and a group of light freckles spread across both cheeks. He looked innocent, but his friend, on the other hand, gave the impression that he was a total bad boy. His name, Hunter, made him sound even more badass.
Over breakfast we had a rather interesting conversation. Gabriel was on his second to last year before graduating and joining the official guardian angel ranks. Hunter was also on his second year before graduating. He was supposedly joining the higher powers army against vampires and their leaders.
Mila was lost in Gabriel’s eyes as they discussed whatever it was they were discussing.
“So are you the vamp girl?” asked hunter.
My stomach lurched. "No, I'm not." I growled.
“Don't worry, I find it sexy,” he said, finishing with a sultry wink. His smile widened as fire rushed through my cheeks.
“We need to go,” I mumbled to Mila.
Mila opened her mouth to protest but after a quick glance at my face, she quickly stood up and said goodbye.
“What's wrong?” she asked as we left the common room.
“They’re seniors.”
It was weird for me to refer to them as seniors because at the human school I was referred to as a senior. This particular school ends when you are twenty two.
“So? Gabriel was nice.”
“Do you like him?”
“He's cute.”
“He’s also a guardian; your uncle isn't going to like that.”
I know it was unfair of me to play that card because I wanted to avoid Hunter, but I was also looking out for Mila; I didn't want her to get hurt. If they did see each other again and it became serious, Gabriel had to finish school and the higher power will forbid it.
“I know.”
“Can't you sleep with people your own age?” a voice snickered behind us.
I opened my mouth to tell her off.
“Can't you sleep with someone that isn't related to you?” Mila countered, stepping in before me.
My mouth dropped as Mila took care of Raina herself.
Raina's friends looked at her disgustedly, making Raina look worried.
“You're disgusting,” Raina grunted.
She turned on her heels and left with her posse in tow.
“What was that about?” I laughed.
“Once, when we were little, I dared Raina to kiss her brother and she did,” Mila explained.
“You knew her when you were little?”
“We used to be best friends,” she informed me.
The thought of Mila being best friends with someone like Raina made me cringe. I was glad Mila didn't turn out like her.
After today's events, I invited Mila to come sleep at my dorm room. I wanted company to stop me from thinking about Hank. My mind had a way of always coming back to him, as much as I tried to think about something else, the night of my mother’s death and the night at the cabin kept creeping back into my mind and I was scared of what might happen if I was alone. I know the school is protected, but I just didn't feel safe. I felt like Hank could snatch me from my bed at any moment.