~24~ We Are Life

(Angel’s POV)

“Can you go and get my book in my room?” Devin asked me. I sighed and rolled my eyes.

If I’d known that Joey would only pick me up so he and Devin could finish some project (although I’m sure Devin was doing all the work, considering they weren’t within the same school and Joey needed “help”), I would’ve stayed at Zac’s.

I trudged up the stairs and entered his dorm-like room, only to realize I didn’t know what subject they were even working on. It’s not like they could simply say “science” and I’d know, because it seems as if he has every science topic. Chemistry…Physics…Biology…Introduction to the Principals of Chemistry…Ecology…

“Devin!” I yelled, making my head pound. “Which book!?”

Of course I wasn’t gonna go back down stairs just for that question and then have to trudge back up the stairs and then back down and etc. So I looked through his bookshelf for any book that was labeled “Grade 12”.

I sat down on his swivel chair and sighed with my headache. I looked around the room with my eyes and then laid my eyes on a binder that said “Joseph Edwards”. With that, I stood and grabbed the blue binder from the highest bookshelf.

At the first page, it was just a picture of Joey and basic profile like birth height, weight, eye color, hair, etc. But I noticed that above the large picture, it read BEFORE.

Before what? He looks the same as he does now. Well that’s what I thought until I flipped the page to “after” and his skin seemed healthier with no dark marks, or break outs. His eyes even seemed more brilliant blue.

What had happened though?

Through the next pages, everything was separated by “before” and “after”. Diseases…behavior…IQ tests…strength…everything was different in a way. Only, the “after” was a whole lot better. There was a page with dosage and times and reactions of “The Drug”, but I was sure that it wasn’t some medical prescription.

“The effects of the drug resulted in the powerful advantage and manipulation over water,” I read off the sheet. Manipulation over water? “The ‘trigger’ of this instance is the first emotion by the attention of the drug—”

What was the first emotion then?

I flipped pages back and found the answer.

“The first ounce of emotion shown was adoration—presumed cause,” I read. What the h3ll is that supposed to mean?

I flipped back to the other page.

“The only thing that will halt manipulation is…intense odium,” I finished.

I kept reading and reading and then I figured it out.

“Angel! We kinda need that Chem book!” Devin’s voice yelled. I grabbed the Chemistry book along with Joey’s binder and then stomped down stairs.

When I got downstairs, I set both books down on the table. Joey immediately grabbed the Chemistry book and started copying down some equation or theory, but Devin’s eyes had stayed on the binder. Then they flashed up to mine and we were still quiet. All while Joey stood and left to go to the kitchen.

“Where’d you get that?” Devin quietly asked me once he left.

“Where you kept it,” I answered, maddened. He sighed and grabbed the bridge on his nose. “Let me ask you this; does Joey even know?”

“You don’t even know what you’re talking about,” he said.

“Yes I do,” I reasoned. Joey walked back in and questioned the tension. Then he looked down to the binder. His blue eyes flashed up to mine and it was if he was seriously a deer caught in the headlights.

I scoffed, pushed past Joey, and walked out. I didn’t care how it was autumn, but I was going to the pool. I walked along the sidewalk, crossing my arms because that was as much heat as I could gain.

“Angel?” a voice called. I turned to see Brian.

“Brian…” I whispered.

“We need to talk,” he said.

***

“So now you’re moving…” I said. He nodded. I looked over to him and noticed that his eyes were now green. Wait…what?

“I have something else to tell you,” he said, looking away from me.

“First you’re moving, and now what?” I asked. He looked even further away and then looked to the ground. I shook my head and looked away for literally a second and then looked back to see him holding out a fresh rose to me.

“What…”

I looked to see the rose bush that had magically grown beside us.

“Oh no. Not you too,” I said, standing up.

“What are you talking about?” he asked, concerned. “Wait. Did they tell you…?”

“They who? I found out about Joey on my own,” I said. “And now you?”

“It’s different,” he hissed. “I wanted to know why Zac had saved you and why Joey was obsessed with you, so then I found out about this drug and I happened to take it…and…now I have powers.”

Why’d he bring Zac into all of this? Please tell me that he wasn’t like them…

“How long?” I asked. He shrugged.

“A while…”

“And no one told me anything!?” I yelled.

“We couldn’t have; Devin didn’t want us to, but Zac thought—”

“Zac?” I asked. He said nothing. Great. Zac was a part of this. And with the vibration of my phone, it was Lulu.

“What?” I spat, even though I didn’t wanna take my anger out on her.

“Zac’s in the hospital,” she said.

“Okay…so?” I asked, acting as if I didn’t care—for her sake.

“So is Joey,” she added. I looked to Brian for a ride and he was already grabbing my arm and towing me out of his house and to his car.

(Joey’s POV)

“Can someone just please get me some water!?” I yelled.

There was burn marks all over me, but instead of using water, all they were doing was spraying numbing antibacterial sh!t on me.

And now I couldn’t feel my body. But did anyone care, or give me a glass of water? No.

That’s all I needed. I’d heal immediately. But then I started to think of the fact that if I was to pour water all over me and heal super fast, they’d know something was up.

I didn’t care.

I focused on getting water from the sink across the room, but my anger dominated.

“Joseph Gregory,” a voice scolded. I looked over to see my mom. Crap…

(Angel’s POV)

“Well now I know I’ll feel better cuz God sent an Angel down to me,” Joey tried to humor. He sat in the hospital bed with his arms wrapped from burn marks. But as I read, he was like an aqua superman. He shouldn’t have these injuries.

“Stop,” I said to him as I sat by him and he immediately grabbed my hand. His face was slightly cut up. No matter how mad I was at him for keeping his super natural powers from me, I had to be there for him considering he was hurt this badly. “What happened?”

“I got stuck in a fire and—”

“Is Devin alright?” I asked immediately. He nodded.

“He’s fine…he stayed at the house,” he assured. “It was a fire at some building and I thought I could help—”

“Then why are you here?” I asked. He shrugged.

“I can’t control the fire as—”

“I meant why are you here if your immune system should be through the roof!”

He shushed me.

“Keep your voice down,” he hissed. He slid over and then pulled me into his bed and wrapped his arm around me. “I can’t heal wounds without water. Especially when it’s a burn and I’m too mad to even control anything.”

“Then why are you mad?” I asked, leaning my head on his shoulder.

“I don’t wanna talk about it,” he said.

One thing I learned about being with Brian, was that it’s not always a time to be asking questions and responding to everything. And that’s what I planned to do with Joey right now because all he wanted was someone to be there with him and I was that someone.

I stood up and looked at him. He had closed his eyes and looked so peaceful.

“What do you need?” I asked him, politely.

“I need my girlfriend,” he replied, his eyes opening. He pulled me closer to him by the waist and reached up to kiss me. He pulled away and I gave him a look. “What?”

“I meant to make your injuries better,” I playfully rolled my eyes.

“Me too,” he smiled and pulled me closer.

“Joey—”

“Joseph, the doctor—” a woman started to say as she walked in. She had blond hair with blue eyes that matched Joey’s. His mom. “Hi…do I know you?”

Joey had dropped his grasp on me and I walked over to her and shook hands with her.

“I’m Angel,” I smiled.

“Mrs. Edwards,” she said for herself. Um. Alright? She walked past me and went to Joey’s bedside. “You’ll be discharged this evening.”

“Alright,” Joey said. His mom shook her head.

“Of all times you have to be out of the house somewhere, you chose then?” she asked, disappointed. “You were supposed to be at Devin’s!”

“I was,” he reasoned. I could vouch for that…

“Well not as long as you said you were going to be,” she reasoned.

“Mom, it doesn’t really matter—”

“Yes it does!” she reasoned. “In the time it took you to get scorned by some fire, you could’ve been doing your schoolwork.”

“Mrs. Edwards,” I stated. “He was at Devin’s house nearly the entire day. He just wanted a break and it’s not his fault—”

“Excuse me?” she said. “And who are you to say that’s where he’s been?”

“Um because I saw him there,” I answered with a scoff. She crossed her arms.

“And why were you there?” she asked.

Is she stupid? Why wouldn’t I be there? One, because I’m his girlfriend and I’m usually by him, but secondly, because Devin’s house is my house. Unless…she didn’t know about me at all.

I looked to Joey and he said nothing.

“You don’t know who I am, do you?” I asked, crossing my arms.

“Angel—” Joey started to say. I laughed to myself and just left the room, asking the receptionist where Zac’s room was. 

(Zac’s POV)

“Cheers,” the Chief toasted to me in my hospital room. Some policemen and firemen left and then it was just the Police Chief and Fire Marshal.

“You know, you’ve made an astounding turn out,” Rivers admitted. Wow. I never imagined him, of all people, saying that.

“Told you,” Sherman laughed. I laughed along. We all just laughed there as if we’d been on the same side of justice since day one. And then with one single knock on the door, Angel walked in and our laughter stopped. Chief Rivers cleared his throat and gave me a cautious look. Oh right, because I was their property in their mind and anyone to get close to me was just another person to convince me to not be on the squad…

“It’s fine,” I told them. They walked out, nodding slightly to Angel as she sat in the recliner in my room. She said nothing.

“What’s wrong?” I asked. She shook her head. “Did you go and see Joey?”

She nodded. Oh.

“Well how’s he doing?” I asked, guilt starting to consume me. After all, it was my fault he was here.

“He just needs water,” she answered with a bit of suspicion. Water would serve him well.

“Did you get some it for him?” I asked, just to make conversation.

“Why would I?” she spat. “He’s prissy little mother can do it for him.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“What does it take for a guy to just be honest?” she asked. “First Brian and his feelings and now Joey and his mom—”

“I’m lost,” I stated.

“Of all this time, his mom doesn’t even know we’re dating,” she clarified. Why? Why would someone be ashamed to be in a relationship with her?

“That’s stupid,” I commented. She just continued to look out of the window. “Come here.”

She didn’t argue or deny me, she just walked over. I grabbed her waist and pulled her into a laying position next to me. She leaned her head on my shoulder and I smelt her hair.

She was sad and needed someone right now. I wasn’t gonna talk back to her or call her melodramatic; I was just gonna sit there and listen as I comfort her. Well, that’s what I’m planning to do…

“Why’d you come here?” I asked her.

“Lulu told me to check up on you,” she answered. I’m kinda glad she did that. “And…now I need you.”

She needs me because her ex boyfriend and current boyfriend were keeping secrets. But so was I. I sat up and looked at her.

“I need to tell you something…” I started. She didn’t say anything. Where do I even begin?