Hates Catch 22 The Book of Verboten

Chapter 1

Artie

The union ceremony between Markus and Elizah was going to be starting in less than four hours. Everyone on Mount Olympus was busy working together taking care of all the little last minute important preparations. The ceremony was like a marriage on earth but here once the union is complete no one can separate the two because their hearts become as one blending together.

On what was a very happy day for most, it was a day of sorrow, loss and disappointment for Artie. As the time drew closer to this dreaded event Artie's mind did a dangerous thing. He let his mind wander and he began to wonder. 'How did this happen? How did my life stray so far off the course that I thought it was going? She is mine. I saw her first. I will never forget the way she looked the first time I laid eyes on her.'

Artie closes his eyes and remembers...

She is the most beautiful angel I have ever seen. Her beauty makes me stop what I am doing and admire her. Her wings are perfectly white with a pale blue heart in the center; each feather is untouched by the breeze that passes by her.

She is so full of light and pureness. She emits such lovely radiance from her face. Her eyes... 'Oh'... a deep rich brown, full of life and joy. Her angelic tiara is place perfectly on her head with the morning dew drop in the center of her forehead.

Her hair, like strands of liquid light, falls to her waist. She is wearing the most exotic cherry blossom dress I have ever seen worn by an angel. She is a wonderful glimpse of heaven for me to visually savor.

Artie's heart pangs with sorrow as his memory brings him to when the tides change.

In the beginning of their third year at the Angel Training Academy, he had seen Elizah walking around with three of her friends and he had pointed her out to Markus. He told him how he felt but was to afraid he would be rejected since she was so beautiful.

But when they finally formally introduced themselves to her, Markus being more outgoing had stepped up in front of him first like he always did taking his spotlight.

Artie really didn't think anything of it because sometimes he would pass her in the halls and she would speak to him. He could feel the connection, the electricity jolt his body when she touched his arm. His heart did summersaults every time she laughed. He always felt like he was on cloud nine when he was near her.

Then one day out of the blue it was like he didn't even exist anymore. She had become distant and started to hang around Markus more, making him jealous. He was in love with her and didn't want to have her as a trophy like most angels but as a partner.

Artie allows himself one last memory of Eliza...

Beautiful as always, walking towards him in the hallway at school. She smiles and begins walking excitedly in Artie's direction. Artie's heart leaps with anticipation and a hope that fades instantly, as she strides past him and embraces Markus who is just behind Artie.

Artie's chest wrenches in heartache. Snapping back into the now, he opens his eyes abruptly, recoiling from the pain of his memory. His stomach heaves in response. Just knowing that the ceremony was going to be starting soon, he choked on the bile that was filling his throat. He couldn't stand the thought of her being in another angel's arms even if it was his best friend.

He had met Markus first in school and they had became instant friends, inseparable like two peas in a pod. Watching Markus court her was bad enough but for them to do this was shameless. The ceremony was too rushed. Every day as they got closer was tormenting him since all he could do was just watch. He wasn't able to sleep anymore, his dreams were becoming nightmares, and he felt like his life was over.