I enter the library, hoping for a bit of silence and to be left alone, but instead, I forget about the letters. Hundreds of angels are in the library, pouring over them.
Oh shit.
I approach the librarian, and she hands me a stack of letters. "Don't yell in the library again, or else," she says, but I don't pay much attention to that.
I manage to find a chair to sit on and read my letters. The first one is from Jezebel.
Orson,
Fuck you.
Jezebel.
I sigh and roll my eyes. Stupid drama. Stupid girl drama I don't even want a hand in. The next letter is from Amber.
Orson,
Are you mad at me? How was I supposed to know that you were on our side?
For God's fricking sake, Orson, as soon as I saw you in that devil's dungeon, I thought you and your brown-haired girlfriend were traitors, since you weren't locked up. Children of the skies, but ones who turned nonetheless. I couldn't bear traitors. I dueled you guys, but I lost. And you smirked in my face. Personally, I think I did well. I challenge you to face off against me and your girlfriend if you don't believe me.
Well, I don't know about you. Don't think I don't know about you cursing my "insanity" and your hate. Now I know what Jezebel means by you being stupid and selfish, but I don't quite agree so personally, though.
P.S.: I asked your friend Angela. She said that you and her aren't dating yet. You should totally ask her out sometime. My advice? Ask her outdoors, in the bright sun. She'll love it.
P.P.S.: Now, I know you're seriously doubting me, but I'm a girl myself, and I date a girl. Who's the expert here?
P.P.P.S.: Jezebel says, "F_ _ _ you."
P.P.P.P.S.: If I die, tell Pa I love him.
Amber Skyward
I'm stunned. Amber died thinking that her father was alive.
I quickly skim through the rest of my letters. A letter from Angus basically consisting of two letters, 'f' and 'u'. That berserker can't even spell. Gabby's one giving me advice on how to fight, which I skip. I'll read it some day, but bad timing. Angela doesn't write, though.
Bono writes to me, saying thanks for freeing him. It's simple, but I also ignore it.
I try to focus on the fact that Jezebel and Amber are both officially dead. D-E-A-D. But I feel horrible because I'm only slightly saddened.
Lastly, I receive a letter from Goodie. For some reason, I read the whole thing.
Miss Orsin?
Ken u tel me and the udders a story? Pleeeeeease????????????
Goodie
I facepalm. I think the kid was trying to say, 'Miss Orson, can you tell me and the others a story, please?'.
I don't get the gesture, but it's cute.
"Miss Orson?"
The little psychopath staring at me has darling blond curls atop his head. His hair looks like spaghetti.
"Yes, Goodie?"
"You dropped a letter, Miss Orson!" he said, waving the letter in the air.
"Gee, thanks, kid," I say as I scan the envelope. It's from Evangeline, my sweet love.
Orson?
If you're reading this, good sign! You're still alive!
Orson, remember us playing truth or dare while on the mission? I can't deny that I haven't been completely honest with you (and Jezebel). Find me. There's something I'd like to admit in person.
Your apprentice (and brat),
Evangeline Youngspire
I shrug. "Goodie, have you seen Miss Melody?"
Goodie shrugs back. "She's right over there, Miss Orson."
"I'm a boy, not a fucking girl, Goodie!" I snarl.
Goodie sighs. "Fine, Mr. Orson."
I walk over to Evangeline and sit down next to her. Neither of us notice the little psychopaths following me. "Hey."
"Orson," she greets.
"You wrote there was something you wanted to say in person?"
"Two, actually. One, this." She waves my letter in the air.
"Got a problem with that?"
"You called me a bleep-er! A jerk-bleep! A smug little bleep! A son of a bleep!" she shrieks.
"And?" I roll my eyes.
"YOU ARE A JERK! I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY I LIKE YOU ANYM-"
Suddenly, Evangeline freezes, like she'd just had a slip-up, of which she did.
"You seriously like me?" I ask, bewildered.
She tries to deny it by shaking her head. "No way, why would I-"
Goodie steps forwards and tugs at the sleeve of Evan's shirt.
"Yes, um," her voice trails off.
"Goodie," Goodie and I say at the same time.
"What do you want?" Evan asks tenderly.
Trust me, she never uses that tone with me.
"Miss Melody, you should totally ask Miss...um, I mean, Mr. Orson out!" Goodie says enthusiastically.
"Um...my name isn't Melody."
"You lied, you Pinocchio! What is it, then?"
"Youngspire," she mutters softly.
"Youngster?" repeats Judy. Or at least I think the kid is Judy.
"No. Youngspire."
"Youngster."
"Read after me. Young-"
"Young-"
"-spire."
"-spire."
"There you go. Youngspire."
"Okay then, Youngster."
Evangeline looked as if she was about to facepalm (she's an angel, I've only seen her swear once, and that was to the corpse of the girl who had wanted to kill her), but instead, she says calmly, "What about Evangeline?"
"Kay, E-van-gel-line."
Finally.
"So what did you want to tell me about?" I ask.
"A story?" asked Noodle hopefully.
I shake my head. "Maybe later, if you're nice. Go on, Evangeline. What did you want to admit?"
"You know about the truth-or-dare games we had while we were trying to locate the headquarters of the Underworldians?"
"Yeah?" I ask.
"A story, Orson?" asks Poodie.
I shake my head. "Go on." What could Evangeline possibly want to say?
"Fine," Evangeline sighs. "I-"
"A STORY!" yells Whoodie.
"No, no and no!" I roar. "Shut the hell up!"
A few glares from overprotective parents.
"I wanted to tell you that I lied about-"
"STO-RY! STO-RY!STO-RY!" several of the little psychopaths chant.
"FUCKING SHUT UP!" I yell at the top of my lungs.
Almost instantly, I get about a thousand glares from parents, and that almost every little kid in the library had his or her ears covered by his parents.
To break the tension, I say, "Go ahead."
Evangeline facepalms. "Fine. I lied about my crush on Kev. I had to answer somebody."
I smirk. "Liar. Who do you like? Jezebel?"
Evangeline shakes her head. There's silence in the room. She takes a few deep breaths before admitting. "I like you."
What?!
"Awwww!" shouts Hoodie.
"Orsangeline forever!" yells Woodie.
"A story, please?" pleads Goodie.
I realize that, as much as I hate them, maybe I do really care about the kids' well-being. They're so small and innocent. We're not safe from the Underworldians, at least not yet, but I will not let them hurt these children. More importantly, I will not let Jezebel and Amber's sacrifice be rendered useless.
I don't care if I'm hurt. I won't let any evil being touch the little psychopaths...or Evangeline, for that matter.
Whether I really like Evangeline or not, I have to stick with her for the kids. Choiceless, I put on my best forced smile, put my arm around Evangeline and started to tell:
"Once upon a time, in the undersea kingdom, there lived a bitch with a fish tail as legs..."