"I heard there was a secret chord," I mumbled, letting the rain pull my hair, "that David played and it pleased the Lord. But you don't really care for music do ya'. Well it goes like this the forth the fifth, the minor fall and the major lift, the baffled king composing hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Halle-"
"I never knew you could sing."
I shut up, turning to see Levi crawling onto the roof. He was smirking, red hair the color of blood in the rain.
"I can't," I replied bitterly.
"Oh yeah?" He came over and sat by me. "Then what do you call that?"
"Call what?"
"What you were just doing."
"...talking strangely."
"Right then. Taking strangely. Well, you talk strangely in a beautiful way, Angel."
"Shut up," I mumbled, blushing to the tips of my ears.
We sat in silence for a minute before he spoke up again.
"That song that you were strangely mumbling, was it Hallelujah?"
"You know it?"
"Your faith was strong but you needed proof," he sang quietly. "You saw her bathing on the roof. Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew ya'. She tied you to her kitchen chair. She broke you throne and she cut your hair. And from your lips she drew the hallelujah."
"Another appropriate answer would've been yes."
"True, true. But I believe my voice is quite beautiful when it comes to talking strangely."
I chuckled at him.
"So, Angel, can I ask you something?"
I nodded.
"Well actually two things. First, why is this the only stone house in all of Orchid?"
"Seriously? That's all you wanna ask me?"
"I said there were two."
"Fine. It's because Ravi's business get's him a lot of money. He managed to buy one of the few stone houses in the area. They're from when the city was just coming up."
"I see. Second question, why're you up here singing one of the most depressing songs? Sorry, strangely speaking one of the most depressing songs?"
"I always liked that song, you know. Mom used to sing...strangely speak it around the house."
We were quiet for a bit, relaxing in the cool rain before I fell back against the roof. Levi followed me down.
"What about you?" I finally asked. "Do you have any family?"
"Hm, I do. I told Theo I joined because I heard you were pretty, or that's what he told you, right? It's not the truth. I told Theo to tell the others that, but the truth is my family needed the money. I'm from a poor family in Maple. It's just me and my mom and we barely make enough to feed ourselves. When I joined Project Reform, money got sent home and there wasn't another mouth to feed so..."
"Win win for everyone."
"Win win for everyone."
"I'm sorry," I said, batting rain out of my eye. "Because of me you're involved in all this and your mom's probably worried sick."
"Angel, I did this because of my own decision. Even when I didn't know the truth, I believed whatever you were doing would make a difference. Mom would be proud." He stopped for a second before laughing. "Look at me, talking like a mama's boy. It's embarrassing."
"I don't mind. Family's important, I know it better than anyone."
"Lena," he said, turning his head to look at me, "I'm going to stop beating around the bush. I know you love Theo, I'd have to be oblivious not to."
I felt my cheeks light up.
"See, proof. You really love Theo with all your heart, but there's something I need to tell you."
He leaned closer, cupping my cheek with his free hand and bringing me in. I froze and, in that moment, his lips met mine. My eyes shot wide as I pushed him away in a moment of panic.
"Levi, I-"
"Nope, I already know the answer," he said, his cheeks lighting up like the sun. "Love is not a victory march," he sang, walking away. "It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah."
He hoped off the roof, gone. I looked away, embarrassed, before following him off the roof. Except, I really hoped he wasn't anywhere near me. I ran through the building until I found a person behind the from counter.
"Ravi," I said, peeking into the front room, "you know where Theo is?"
"Not sure," he replied, "but you did decide today was a free day so, who knows."
Sighing I ran around, asking the others, besides Levi, who I avoided. When I finally found him, he was in the back, peeking through Ravi's stock.
"You know," he said, "I don't know how he finds anything in here. You know what else I don't know? Why he doesn't live in a bigger district. I mean, I'm grateful cause if he lived in another district he probably would've never found you and...you know. But now that you're here and safe, wouldn't it be okay if he moved?"
"It's not that simple," I replied, fingering over a vial of greenish blue liquid. "If he lived in another district, he'd be free game for...anyone. Since he lives here no officials can touch him."
"True, but doesn't he get robbed often?"
"Believe it or not, besides the pickpockets stealing small things, there aren't many crimes going on here. Without the government, we have to rely on each other. Ravi's actually pretty respected around here, so if there's ever trouble more people actually step up to help him rather than hurt him. Since he's the only direct link to the outside..."
"Lena?"
"Ravi's the only direct link to the outside world," I mumbled. "Almost everything foreign and illegal that comes into the city goes through him."
"Oh god," Theo mumbled. "You don't mean-"
"Theo, I'm sorry, Levi kissed me and I'm really sorry. We can talk about this some other time but right now I need to go have a conversation with someone. Bye!"
I ran out of the storage room and to thr front counter where I first found Ravi today.
"Ravi!" I yelled running into him.
He caught me under my elbows. "Shadow, what's wrong."
"Ten years ago, did you have a big order for guns."
He set me down. "Shadow, you know I don't work with stuff like that."
"I know but... Never mind, this has nothing to do with what's going on. Oh wait, maybe it does."
"What're you talking about?"
"Well, I figure, if we can find who supplies the government with guns- Oh wait, that's the Seventh Sword. You know what, stupid idea. Ravi, do you know where Clover is?"
"Um...yeah she's said she'd sleep in. Why are you-wait, where're you going now?"
I was already down the next hall, running towards the room Ravi gave her to sleep in. I ran through the door in the same position I would've if I was planning on breaking it down.
"Clover!" I yelled. "We need to start talking plans!"
"What?" She groaned, face sunk in a pillow. "I thought today was a free day?"
"Well, yeah it was supposed to be but not anymore. We need plans. I mean we're planning on over throwing a government on pretty much nothing."
"Okay, you're right, just calm down." She sat up, pinching the bridge of her nose before looking at me. "So, what do you have in mind, Boss Lady?"
"Well, I was talking to Ravi about who got guns to the Seventh Sword when I remembered that a while back we caught this smuggler. Not the human smuggler, but you know stuff. So anyways, I was thinking, she said she'd help me if I ever needed it. Granted, I hate her, but I she'd help if I asked."
"Okay, good. Where's the but?"
"What?"
"The but. You know, the one fall back in the plan. The one thing that could go wrong. Come on, we're rebels, something could always go wrong."
"Oh, yeah. We need to break her out of prison. But, you know, no big deal. Besides, we can use all the help we can get. And, the chances of her having a little army gung-ho for overthrowing the government is pretty high."
"I see your point. Alright then, what's her name?"
"Rosy Carnez, I'm pretty sure."
"Alright then, plan one, break the criminal out of prison. Let's get to the details."
---
"So here's the plan," I said to the rest, laying a map on the table. My finger drifted to the front an only door to the prison. "We're not gonna use this door."
"But that's the only door," Bryce said, giving me that smart ass look. "There's no other way in."
"No, dumbass, it's not." My finger traced over the map, touching down on the far side of the room. "As we all know, the prison's underground, except for the main entrance, which we can't get through. Right here's one of four places where the prison comes up to vent air. If I had to guess, I'd bet this, right here, was also used as an escape exit."
"What makes you say that?" Mila asked, speaking up for the first time in a while.
"Well, think about it logically. For starters, this place is underground, if the entrance caves in, the guards and whoever else happens to be in there needs a way out. So, if they make the air vents wide enough, they can sneak people out without admitting that there were more exits. I mean, there's nothing that says exit or entrance on here but..."
"They wouldn't make an underground building without one," Mila finished. "I get it. But is there any way for us to get in? I mean, they're exits, right? Why would they be openable from the outside?"
"Simple," I replied, smirking, "I can break into anywhere with the right tools."
"So," Ravi said, standing behind us with his arms crossed, "I'll be the supplier then?"
"Who else? Don't worry, though, you can keep all the money I gave you. You know, the day I came back for a little and tossed you the bag?"
"I'm not taking your money. I think overthrowing a tyrannical government calls for free weapons, at the very least."
"Right. Now then, Ravi, why don't you take the others to pick out weapons while I think of a real plan."
He nodded, escorting the others, even Mila, who managed to sneak her weapon out, and Clover, who I wasn't sure could fight. However, Theo stayed behind.
"What're you doing?" I asked.
"I wanted to talk with you."
"Okay, now isn't the time to talk. I mean, after we win all this and everything's done and over, sure. Now, not so much."
"Levi didn't wait until everything was over."
I glanced at him. "Is that what this is about? Are you worried I'll be taken by some hormonal teen?"
"No, not at all."
"Then what is it?"
"I'm jealous," he admitted, watching closely for my reaction.
"Wh-what?" I stuttered. Shit, getting nervous again. "What're you talking about?"
He smiled. "You heard me, jealous. I'm jealous that the hormonal teen confessed to the girl I-"
"Shut up!" I yelled, covering his mouth with my hands. "Don't. You can't say that. Not until e-everything's done and we-we're al okay. I mean I-I don't even know if I'm gonna make it out alive and-"
His wet tongue swept over my dry calloused hand.
"I cant believe you just did that," I muttered, wiping my hands on my pants.
"If I remember correctly, you did something similar to me a while back."
"I-I don't know what you're talking about."
"Alright then, if you want to play that way." He glanced at me. "I won't say it until everything's done and over and we're all safe."
"Don't say it so confidently. I probably won't make it out of this alive, and you know it."
His arms wrapped around me, bringing me closer to him. "I know that we'll be fine."
"How?"
Smiling, he backed away from me a bit. He looked into my eyes and me into his. One of his hands came behind my head, drawing me close again.
And time froze. Everything stopped in that moment and I wasn't sure who's heart I was hearing: mine, his, or both of ours. I don't know if I couldn't breath or if I didn't want to. Everything then and there was perfect.
His lips pressed gently into mine, eyes sliding closed. A moment of shock turned to bliss. His big, strong hand slid to my waist where it stopped and rested. The other slid through my hair, sliding through small knots until it stopped on the back of my neck, pulling me in for a better angle.
In return, my eyes closed. My hands travelled up his chest, forcing their way over his shoulders and into his hair. I tugged sandy locks, making him moan.
Our lips moved against each other in harmony, pushing against each other. We stayed like that for a short eternity before he bit my top lip and backed away.
"I guess you'll have to wait until after everything to find out, huh?" His cheeks were a light apple color.
I took me a minute to realize he was answering my question. Another for me to form a glare.
Smiling back a me, he headed out the door to catch up with the others.
Sighing, I dropped down, my knees jelly to the hard ground. I took in a shaky breath, covering my flaming features with warm hands that still smelled like him.
"And from your lips she drew the hallelujah," I said strangely.