Fallen Swords Academy

Chapter 2: This Werewolf Would Always Be By Her Side

(Picture of Shade==>)

-Shade Sapphire-

I felt a jolt of electricity pass through me as Apollo jumped on my back, wrapping her arms around my shoulders as I instinctively grabbed on to her legs on either side of me, "What are you doing?"

"Getting a piggyback ride," she smiled wickedly, resting her head against my shoulder. Her long curly black hair caressing the nape of my neck, playfully moving against it. Even though I couldn't see her eyes; I could almost imagine the silver glimmer of something mischievous dancing across them.

With my truck locked and with Apollo wrapped around me like a fruit roll up around a finger, I walked over to Sweet Surrender Cafe. It was a nice warm place, owned by a couple of locals of the town, and it was one of Apollo's favorite places. Not much of a surprise since it catered to her sweets obsessed needs, she was practically in heaven from the moment we entered.

I took us to an empty table close to the windows, and while Apollo focused on her menu I took that time to study her. The sun's midday light made her black hair shine like a combination of onyx and obsidian stones. Even without the light embracing her, she still gave out her own personal glow. A glow I only ever saw when she was around her little brother Andrew and her dog, Taboo. I wish I could capture that side of her in my sketches, but it was like trying to capture a snowflake in my hands one second I had it but then it was gone. She was so close to me yet still galaxies away from my reach.

"Hey Shade I'm gonna steal your free hugs shirt." She said her eyes never leaving the menu.

"Why?" I suppressed a chuckle and just smiled.

"Because I want lots of hugs," she looked up, her face turning all adorable for a second. How the heck did this girl do it? One minute she could look like the most untrustworthy sexy woman in the world and the next look as sweet as ice cream. Wearing a black shirt that hung loosely around the corners of her shoulders with a red tank top underneath and those ripped black shorts hugging her legs weren't helping one little bit. I would have thought I would have grown some kind of immunity against her, but no, still defenseless to her charm and her other assets. Oh god, I sound like such a pervert.

A waiter came and went, taking our orders then coming right back with them.

I took a drink out of my coffee, savoring it's rich flavors. I put it back down watching the warm smoky vapor swirling off its dark surface for a second. When I looked back up Apollo's silver eyes were watching me intently with the intensity of a microscope, while she took spoonfuls of her chocolate and cookie dough ice cream sundae.

"Shade."

"Yeah?"

"Uh, it's nothing."

"You're forgetting who you're talking to, I know that expression, and I know it's something. Spit it out or I'll take your sundae," I took her smaller soft hand into one of my bigger rougher hands. She frowned and let out a defeated sigh, "I hate you so much sometimes."

"I know."

"I'm...hearing them again."

The them she was referring to were the voices she used to hear back when we were kids. That brought back memories of when we used to have sleepovers at each other's houses and she would always end up crying because the voices wouldn't leave her alone at night; and it was always at night when those voices would make their unwanted appearance. She'd always held on to me, tears dripping down her eyes until she fell asleep. Ever since than I've felt very protective of her, even though now she never shed anymore tears in front of me. Hiding behind that tough nothing-can-hurt-me-exterior , she barricaded me and everyone else from her pains and her darkest fears.

"How can I help?" I asked.

"When we go back to the academy, can I sleep in your room?"

"I-I don't--." I started to say truly caught off guard by her request.

"Forget it. It was a stupid thing to ask," she said a hint of pink rising across her cheeks. Was she blushing?

"Yeah you can." I answered before I could think twice about the repercussions of this decision, after all Fallen Swords like any other academy with on campus dorms had a strict policy, which prohibited any co-ed sleeping arrangements. How we were going to get around that rule would be a toughie, but I'd figure out something later.

"Are you sure?" She said almost hopefully, with the twinkles in her eyes reappearing.

"Completely."

"Shade what would I do without you, you hunky werewolf?" She smiled, back to her normal ice cream eating self.

"You'd be lost, you wouldn't even be able to find yourself on google." I teased, she catapulted a chunk of ice cream right on my cheek. It hit and left a sticky, wet trail running down my face.

"Very mature, kind of like your drawings." I wiped away what remained of it off my face with the back of my palm.

"Not all of us can be as godly gifted in the arts as you, wolf face." She stuck her tongue out in defiance.

"Wolf face? You get that out of a fortune cookie." I couldn't help teasing her when she got like this, all riled up.

"I'll bite you...hard."

"I'm shaking with fear."

"You better be." She threatened then burst out laughing. "Oh man, I miss talking to you like this."

"It's only been a two weeks." But I couldn't agree more, I miss spending time with her talking about whatever decided to makes its home in her mind.

"I know what you mean."

"So feel like going to the arcade after this? We haven't been there in a while. We could check out the new games."

"Sure. We still have that tie to take care of, in what game was it?"

"Pac man, obviously. I have to defeat all those colorful squids, it is my destiny." She said passionately with a raging volcanic fire rising in her eyes, and looking more and more like an anime character come to life.

"They're ghosts." I interrupted.

"Ghosts squids." she retorted back stubbornly crossing her arms over her chest.

"Sure why not." I shrugged my shoulders in defeat, and at the same time my chest rumbled with suppressed laughter.

Finishing off the rest of our drinks, we paid and left for Dante's Arcade. Where Apollo would probably get pissed off at a game, again.

(Hope you guys enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it. I'm dedicating this chapter to RoseMarry, your comment encouraged me to write it sooner than I planned. Comment & vote, peeps.)