Darkest Dawn

Icarus

It had been two months since her and Abel had met up for their first coffee date. Two happy months. Being friends with Abel Farshadow wasn't like Briana had expected. For one, Abel wasn't as she'd imagined him. Statues would show him triumphant and strong. He'd have the build of Troy. In reality, he looked a lot less well fed. Which was true since he mainly lived off coffee.

He was tall - the majority him being gangly legs. But they'd get the face right. The bold lines, gaunt cheeks, strong jaw and pointed nose. When he spoke to the crowd he was electric, charismatic and just bloody beautiful. But the rest of the time he was closer to the walking dead. His skin was an unhealthy grey and dark purple bruises from lack of sleep hung under his eyes.

Briana watched his long fingers lovingly caress his Starbucks coffee.

"When can I meet your friend?" He asked. Briana played with her coffee lid, tearing it to thin plastic ribbons.

"Soon." She'd told him about Maria. Explaining who she was with, during the days she couldn't meet him. But she didn't want to introduce them. She'd told Abel her real age instead of Emily's - introducing her sixteen year old friend might make her look like a liar. Abel huffed moodily.

She sighed, "you're always crabbier when you're tired." He pouted but reluctantly admitted that he was behind with his deadlines. Abel wrote pamphlets for an unlicensed publishers but he also had a regular job with a lawful paper. One day, the stories he wrote - published chapter by chapter - would become classics printed in hardback. Her favourite was Pearlomari which he hadn't written yet. She didn't think she'd be able to contain the hype if she was still here with him when he began work on it.

They were sat in Trafalgar square. In the future she'd sit here with a school trip - the reading on her lap with pages flapping irritatingly in the wind. Abel's fingers brushed against hers. Briana tried to pretend she hadn't noticed. Don't read too much into it. He put his hand over hers. Blood rushed to her cheeks. "Briana do you think about me when we're not together?"

"Err course I do. I worry - you're kind of a maverick and you're weird."

Very weird. That had been another shock about the nation's hero. He was a bit of a dork. He chuckled, running his fingers through his messy hair. "Don't worry, I know you're too busy to think of me much. I'm ok with that." He rested his head against her shoulder and Briana became suddenly self-conscious about breathing.

"I wish you weren't." He spoke softly.

"Huh?"

"I wouldn't mind if you got upset and demanding - if you clung to me a little."

Briana frowned, "you want me to be upset?" He lifted his head, still keeping it lowered close to hers and tapped her under the chin reprovingly.

"Obsessed - perhaps." Briana pulled a face at him.

"Not gonna happen. You are not the centre of my universe." Though you may be the reason for my existence in this time. He sighed and snuggled close beside her. Briana's heart trembled in her chest. This was the biggest thing she hadn't expected. She was getting confused by her friendship with Abel. Now even wishing to go home wasn't simple. She felt sad about what he'd think if she suddenly disappeared. And she worried about the revolution more and more. He would be its father - history would never forget him name. But he'd be dead in three years.

"Emily, put your phone away." Maria called out.

"No effing way," Briana retorted, tears of laughter streaming from her eyes. It was Dalton's tenth birthday and he'd wanted a fancy dress party (the theme being things he loved). The vast gardens had been taken over by two inflatable bouncy castles and there were various games and tables groaning under the weight of party food. Dalton was sliding down the bouncy castle dressed as Doctor Who and beaming from ear to ear. The sunny boy didn't mind that he didn't know most of the kids - he made friends easily.