Solace of the Angel

Chapter One

"I'm sorry that I set fire to the hotel," I said blandly. The officer didn't look impressed. "And I'm sorry that I broke the vase in the museum." He still wasn't satisfied. "Also, I'm sorry that I stole the handcuffs and buckled your new recruit to the desk." I rolled my eyes and scoffed as I finished my sentence.

"Thank you, Ms. di Angelo," the officer said.

"You're welcome," I muttered. He looked at me down his abnormally crooked nose and wrinkled his nose in displeasure at my dark brown skin. His bald head was red and the skin was peeling slightly from over exposure to sunlight.

"Thank you, Officer Kringlehopper. We had no idea about any of this, I'll assure you," my father, Will, said.

"And I'll assure you that it won't happen again," my other father, Nico, said. "Isn't that right Raven?" I looked away as his black eyes fixed on me.

"Yes sir," I mumbled. My short be, choppy black hair swung before my eyes, like a curtain protecting me from the outside world. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not sure that we're the ones that you should be apologizing to," Will said.

"But I already-" I protested. I was cut off by a fatherly gaze from Nico. "I'm sorry Officer Kringlehopper."

"Thank you, Ms. di Angelo. You know, one more of these little incidents, and we would have to notify the state, do you want that to happen?" the officer asked. His voice was the most condescending thing that I had ever heard.

"Yeah right. You'll be dead before then, old man," I muttered, just loud enough for him to hear.

"RAVEN!" Nico said. He flicked me in the back of the head and glanced at Will to carry me off the scene. It took just long enough for Will to drag me off for me to hear Nico say,

"I'm so sorry officer, I don't know what's gotten into her!" Will sat me down on the fraying blue fabric chairs in the lobby and paced in front of me.

"Raven! Why in the world were you acting like that!?" Will said. I rolled my eyes, despite my better judgement.

"I don't know."

"Well, it's best that you figure it out! Do you want to get sent off to juvie?" he asked.

"I don't know."

"Raven! Why do you keep saying that!?"

"I don't know!"

"Seriously, I love you- and you know it! But what has gotten into you!? I know that you're at that age, but-"

"Raven! What were you doing acting like that in front of the police!? You know how hard they can be on kids! Especially kids with dark skin! I thought that you were better than that!" Nico said, storming in from the office. Then, my tough girl act fell apart, as it always did around Nico.

"I-I'm sorry!" I cried.

"You had better be! That was outrageous!" he yelled. Will put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry," he sighed. I wiped away a tear that I pretended didn't exist.

"Come on, let's go, and we can talk about it on the way home," Will said. I groaned.

In the car, I pretended to be listening to them scold all the way back to camp. Moaning, and saying that I was sorry even more times.

". . . And another thing!" Nico said, and since he wasn't driving, he could turn around and deliver the ultimate guilt trip. "RAVEN! Are you even listening to me!?"

"I treasure every pearl that falls from your lips, my dear father," I mumbled sarcastically. He was about to blow his top when Will glanced back into the backseat. I tried to hide the tears that were accumulating in my eyes, but it was a losing battle. Will rested a consoling hand on Nico's leg, and they had a silent conversation.