FALLEN

11-Plans

11

P L A N S

            “C’mon Angel, turning sixteen means you should have a big party!” Bree practically whined, pouting.

            I, on the other hand, had my head on the desk.  I hated large groups of people, and when people made a big deal out of me.  A huge birthday party was just a combination of the two things in my life I found most irritating.  That, in my opinion, is not what birthdays, “special” or not, should be remembered for.

            Bree and Cass had for some reason decided that it would be nice to have a formal party.  Why they had chosen my birthday as an excuse to have it was beyond me.  I wasn’t even looking forward to my birthday…Except maybe to get wings.  Admit it, flying would be incredible.

            “Ok, so we’ll decorate the whole front hall and living room, and maybe the dining room too.  I’ve already gotten permission for all three areas,” Bree announced, breaking me out of my thoughts and surprising me.

            “When did you manage that?” I blurted out.  Bree looked pleased to have finally gotten a response out of me.

            “That’s for me to know and you to…not know,” Bree said, starting out smugly and ending…not so smugly.  I couldn’t help but laugh, at which she screwed up her face and stuck her tongue out at me.

            “Anyway, want me and Sam to go get some stuff?” Faye asked, interrupted whatever might come next.  Her words broke Bree and I out of the staring match we seemed about to get into.  Cass was giggling like the crazy chick she was in the background.

            “Um…” Bree pulled a list out from somewhere in the stack of papers in front of her and checked it, “Ok, we need decorations, cake, and stuff like that.  We’ll all go together to get dresses tomorrow.”

            I was kind of surprised, listening to her go through the list. From what I could tell, Bree wasn’t much of a planner.  Apparently if something caught her interest, she really tried for it.

            “Oh, and take Angel with you,” she added.

            “My time could be spent much better in other ways,” I complained loudly as Faye dragged me into a party store in downtown Manhattan.

            “Like what?” Faye asked sarcastically as Sam grumbled, “Suck it up.”

            “Sleeping,” I responded with a cocky grin.  Both Faye and Sam rolled their eyes, but at the same time couldn’t help but laugh.

            “Hey, Faye!” a voice called from down the street, “Angel! Sam!”

            Looking in the direction the voices had come from, we saw Kristian with another guy we, or at least I, didn’t recognize. He had thick dark hair with blond bangs and beautiful blue-green eyes, probably the result of colored contacts.

            As they reached us, Kristian wrapped Faye into a warm hug and kissed her quickly.  He also gave me and Sam one-armed hugs before introducing his friend as Valentine.  Valentine greeted us enthusiastically and the two boys joined us.

            “Ok, so tomorrow is Angel’s birthday and we need to get decorations,” Faye announced to the newcomers.  They nodded in understanding and began browsing the shelves.

            I let the others do the picking and choosing, seeing as they would be the ones enjoying the party.  I would offer my opinion if necessary, but otherwise I wasn’t planning to be much help.  I took up a post by the doors as stared out at the busy streets of Manhattan.