Dark Angel Academy (The Complete Series) - G. Bailey Page 0,39
the fallen world.
“What are you reading, Katy?” Riley asks, dropping down next to me. I slam the book shut and smile at him.
“Nothing interesting,” I harshly answer. I’m still pretty pissed at him.
“More secrets, huh? Do your new friends know about your ghost seeing skills?” he asks, and it almost seems a cruel question. Like they couldn’t be my friends if they didn’t know my biggest secret, and that’s not the case.
“No one but you, and you know that. I don’t think The Angel Academy wants a ghost seeing angel,” I admit, feeling a little more than on edge with how he looks at me. A little part of me wishes Riley didn’t know at this point.
“Have you had any trouble with ghosts here?” he asks, eyeing the book, and I cover it the best I can with my arms.
“Nope, this place is clear,” I say, leaving out any mention of Ren, who has all but disappeared recently anyway. That should be seen as a good thing, considering he can apparently kill people, but damn do I miss him.
“What do you remember about the crash?” he asks, and I pause. We haven’t talked about the crash at all, and I’m not sure how to bring up how sorry I am that it happened. I was driving, so it was my fault for looking away, even for a second. I know the angels say the crash was predestined and so was everyone else’s accidents, but maybe I could have saved us if I were looking.
I don’t remember a lot, just fragments of flashbacks that don’t add up to a real picture in my mind.
“I was driving us home from the cinema, and then...” I stop, shaking my head before frowning at Riley. “I’m sorry I crashed the car because I wasn’t looking. Why does it matter what I remember, anyhow?”
“I remember a man in the road,” he slowly tells me. “And I don’t blame you. I know it was someone else’s fault, and I think that’s someone we know.”
“I-I don’t remember that,” I whisper, wondering where he is going with this. A part of me is happy he doesn’t blame me, but not so happy if he is blaming some random person. There was no way an angel was in the road; I would have seen a man or woman with wings. The big wings are hard to miss.
“See, that man looked just like the gardener. The one you keep talking to,” he warns me. “The one you are far too close to.”
“That’s impossible. He lives here, and he hasn’t chosen a side, so he doesn’t leave the academy. Ever,” I remind him, feeling angry and defensive of Thallon. After all, Thallon has been nothing but good to me.
He drops his hand on my shoulder. “Something is wrong about him, Katy. Don’t you see it?”
“No, I only see someone who needs to find better things to do than follow me around. Riley, for the love of god, find a girlfriend here and remember I’m your best friend,” I tell him, picking up my book and walking away before he can say anything else to ruin our friendship.
“Whoa, careful with the weeds. You might pull out the actual plant,” Thallon suggests, and I pause, knowing he is right.
“Sorry.” I carry on my work until Thallon’s hand covers mine.
I look up, and his worried eyes meet mine. “What is it?”
“It’s been a hard week. Riley is acting less like my best friend and more like a jealous ex-boyfriend, and I don’t see him like that. Then I ran out of Parma Violet sweets, my Doc Martens are getting grubby and need replacing, and I’m sure I’m failing equestrian studies, because I get the feeling Ayda doesn’t like me.”
“I’m going to need to slow that down,” he chuckles, pulling off his gloves. “So no more sweets, and that makes you mad because?”
“They are my favourites,” I answer.
“Okay, well, we could look in the kitchens for some,” he suggests, trying to make me feel better, but that just makes it worse.
I sigh. “I already did, and they don’t.”
“I’m sorry,” he tells me. “Now, about Riley, he will move on. Just give him time, and Ayda does love you, how couldn’t she?”
“You’re right, it’s just been a bad week,” I say, and he smiles at me.
“We all have those,” he mutters, running a hand through his hair.
“Tell me about your life before here. If you don’t mind,” I ask. “I need a distraction.”