Death's Assistant

Chapter 3: Alive Again

Haley didn't want to be tutored. Just like what she said, she didn't need to pass the exam. She just needed to complete her task. She just needed Adrian to ask her to Prom so she can take his soul to the purgatory safely. And plus, she has no idea who gives tutorials in the class. She hasn't talked to anyone in the school yet except Adrian, Mr. Prunes and those mean girls yesterday. It would be hard, with Adrian having someone in mind. She sat in an empty table at the farthest corner in the library, sketching a flower on her sketchpad while she waited for a tutor she doesn't even know.

"Hello ginger head." A familiar voice greeted, surprising Haley. She almost dropped her sketchpad and pencil. She turned to see Adrian and his warm smile.

"You startled me, Adrian!" she exclaimed in a low tone. "What are you doing here?" Haley asked, closing her sketchpad and settling her pencil on the table.

"Finding my tutee." He said as he glanced around. Haley furrowed her eyebrows, as if sensing she knows something about it. "In Chemistry? Requested by Mr. Prunes?" Haley asked.

"Yep." He nodded. Haley was delighted. More time to at least lure Adrian to ask me for Prom, she thought to herself. It was as if a lightbulb lit up in her head. "That would be me, sir!" she informed gleefully with a grin. Adrian sat beside her, setting his reference book beside her sketchpad and other books. "You failed your exam?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. That's bad, I know." Haley answered. She wondered why he looked like he can't believe it. Did Azrael make them think she's an industrious and intelligent student?

"Don't worry, I'll help you out, Haley." He said and opened his reference book. "We should get started."

For the past thirty minutes of trying to concentrate on the things they were studying, she was just doodling flowers and birds on her paper instead of answering questions. Nothing came in her mind, and if she tried her hardest to understand the topics, her head only ached. The last thing she remembered that Adrian said was about mixtures of chemicals, formulas... and nothing else.

"Hey, can't you concentrate?" Adrian asked. Yes, I can't. She said. She glanced around, seeing the girls looking around her. Why are these girls glaring at me like they want to kill me? She thought. Oh, scratch that. They want to kill me.

"I really can't do this." Haley banged her head on the table as she buried it in her hands. She can't do it. She can't do it with all those mean eyes glaring at her. Oh well, I'm dead anyways. They can't kill me.

"Let's go out later." Adrian then stood up from his seat, taking his books. "I know somewhere you might be able to concentrate." He said. Haley looked up to him curiously. "Where?" she asked, pursing her lips.

"You'll see." He grinned slyly. "Let's meet at the school gate later, okay." Adrian went out ahead, seeing that lunch time is almost over and he might run late for next period.

Haley grinned, standing up as she shoved her books in her arms. She watched him leave the library.

"I sense something." It was Azrael. He landed down on a table gracefully, folding his wings as he sat down on the table. His ash colored feathers fell down gracefully as his wings folded. Haley tilted her head in confusion, "What?"

"Don't act innocent, Hales." Azrael leaned closer to her. "I know you're starting to like him." He whispered, "The way Jack liked Rose."

"You know, I don't really understand why you should take him already." She said. "I mean, he's kind and very cheerful. I think it was right that I saved him eight years ago."

"It's death's way, Hales." Azrael sat up right. "It's unfair."

"Yeah, you're unfair." Haley joked. "For example, there's me. I saved a life but I died." But it was true. Death is unfair.