33: Training

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"Alex, stop flipping that thing." 

I looked across to the driver's side at my mother. As soon as she walked in the hospital room with my father and brother on Thursday, everything just came pouring back. It surprised me at how I remembered them so quickly. I was so happy when I saw them, I broke down into tears. 
My mom broke down with me while my brother and dad just rolled their eyes and stared.

"Where did you get that lighter?" She glanced at it.

"It's not mine." I lied.

"Then who's is it?" 

I flipped it closed once more and put it in my grey jeans pocket. "It's... Maryanne's."

"Why have you got it?" 

I shifted in my seat. "She came over on Thursday and left it there."

"You're not lying to me are you?"

I chuckled. "No, not at all. Are we almost home?"

"We are home sweetheart."

I looked out the window as she drove up the drive to quite a large house. 

"Make sure you return that lighter, Alex. And I have a surprise for you! Gabriel came over before we left and I told him to wait-"

I jumped out of the car and walked to the front door. I walked inside the door into the hallway and looked around. The staircase was in front of me, living room to my left, formal dining room to my right and an archway next to the staircase that looked like it led to the kitchen. 

I stopped a moment to locate Gabriel. For the past two days, I'd been concentrating on controlling myself. I thought I was at least getting somewhere. I wasn't as hot anymore but I still had an unusually warm system and unusually warm skin. The nurses still flinched whenever they touched me. But by the end, they could put their hands on me without telling the doctor I was still burning up.

I ran upstairs and turned left. His energy was hard to miss. When I stopped in front of the door a weird feeling passed through me. It felt safe. Calm. 

I opened the door. Gabriel was sitting on what I was assuming was my bed with a book in his hand. 

He was in blue jeans and a grey baggy hoodie. My first instinct was to jump on him but I had to control myself now. I didn't know if I could spontaneously combust. I had to be careful.

He stood up, placed the book on the table and walked toward me. "Alexis," He started. His fingers tips lightly skimmed my cheek. "What has your mother said about your hand?"

"She hasn't. Since I'm 18, I asked for some information to be kept a secret from her. After about a week I'll tell her I got a tattoo without her permission."

He skimmed his fingers back and forth across my cheek and down my neck. My body started to heat up. "She'll be angry."

"I don't care. How else am I supposed to explain it?" 

He sighed and turned around. My eyes were drawn to the two large slits in his baggy grey hoodie. "Why take your shirt off if you have clothes with holes in them?"

He looked over his shoulder. "I don't want to ruin all of my clothes."

I laughed. 

The door opened and my mom walked in with a smile and a bag in hand. "Sorry to interrupt, but I have your dirty laundry here. Want me to wash anything else?"

I shook my head. "No, but thanks."

She nodded and smiled at Gabriel before she left.

"How are you? Have you had anymore flashbacks?" He asked.

"Not since the night you left. I remember speaking to you about who I was and how I was still an important angel even though I sinned."

He smiled. "Yes, it surprised me to hear that you sinned and you were still in that world."

"Yeah," I mumbled. "It's just, I don't quite understand something..."

He grabbed the corner of my shirt and pulled me toward the bed. "What's that?"

"How your feelings toward me could change. I could see the hatred in your eyes, Gabe. I'm still not familiar with my emotions but I could almost feel the anger radiating off you." He pulled me to sit down and chuckled.

"That took years. You were a very interesting creature."

There was a question I was aching to ask him. It was on the tip of my tongue but I was worried about the answer. But I asked him anyway: "Am I the same person, or completely different to the woman you fell in love with?"

He tilted his head but didn't answer. My hands clenched and my body burned with anxiety. 

But then a small soft smile planted on his face. "When you were human you were her. Your personality, the way you smiled, the way you spoke. And yet, there was something different about you. She'd reincarnated a couple of times in the past but this time it's different. You're different."

I stared past him. I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know whether I wanted him to say the same or different. Both answers seemed wrong in a way. 

"But I've fallen even harder for you,"

I turned my attention back to him.

"I didn't think it were even possible. I was in love with you back then but right now I'm madly and truly in love. I know it sounds slightly corny, but Alex, I've fallen harder because of how different you are. So to answer your question, yes you are different to the woman I fell in love with. In a good way."

I could feel my heart swell. That was definitely a good answer. My insides warmed and I suddenly felt relieved.

He lightly kissed my forehead. "We're going to have to keep things simple."

I sighed knowing exactly what he was referring to. "I'm learning to control myself."

He chuckled. "You think you are but you're hardly doing anything. I'm going to have to teach you, otherwise who knows what you could accidentally destroy."

I frowned. "That's not funny."

"It's not meant to be. You're still not used to everything." He leant back and rested his head on my pillow.

"I'm sure it isn't that hard. I'm still getting the hang of my strength and speed."

"That'll take time." He pulled me down with him. "But everything you think you're getting used to? You're not. There's so much more trust me."

I sighed. "I thought so."

We sat there staring at the ceiling for a few moments. The voices in my head were barely there anymore. It sounded like there were only three people. I put my thoughts into words and asked Gabriel what the voices in my head were.

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