Chapter Two
As the world could not touch me, I remembered the past six months. All the wonderful times Darien and I accidentally bumped into each other or I saved him. I was going to my happy place as reality was just so painful.
~~Six Months Ago~~
Keith smiled as he saw I was gone reading an article about the most famous and available batchelor in all the city. The City's prince. One who was amazingly gorgeous and from what I was reading funny too. I didn't even know Keith was behind me reading over my shoulder.
"What'cha reading?" I jumped, spun around, and was perched on the back of the sofa even before the magazine hit the ground. Keith looked at me wide eyed. "You really were out of it girl."
"Sorry, it was a really good article." I slid onto the seat of the sofa.
"Umm hmm. I can see that. Don't worry Ang, your not the first girl to find him hot and delicious looking. Though he seems too good to be true. So kind. So generous." Keith picked up the magazine then flopped down on the sofa with me.
I sighed and got up. "I'm going patrolling. I have no clients today so I figure the city needs protecting." I walked into the second bedroom that had been mine since I saved Keith's life three months ago before passing out in front of him. Keith was getting mugged at the time. He was so grateful that he decided to help me out. We have been best friends since. I let him play with my hair whenever he needed to play or practice, though the one thing he couldn't do was cut my hair.
I changed out of my pajamas and into the outfit I created to wear when I protected the city. I actually have several copies of my outfit because they tend to get battered really quickly during fights.
I smiled as I put on my panel skirt. The skirt fit me nicely and the seams from two inches below my hip line down were not attached to each other so I could move. The skirt ended at my knees. The top was a simple backless halter that ended just below two inches below my bust. Both pieces are white with lavender trims and silver accents. The outfit may be simple, but it does the job.
I brushed the fur of my wings lightly and smile when they soften for me. Next I brushed my hair making sure to start at the bottom and worked my way up. I just finished brushing the last of my tangles out when I reentered the livingroom. Keith went behind me when I sat down in a diningroom chair. We had a planned dance when I was going patrolling. Keith wanted to make sure my hair didn't get messed up as I flew around the city. He did that by styling it.
Today Keith decided to to make six complete small braids that followed into a single ponytial. The rest of my hair in the ponytail was made into one big braid. He put a band with three bells with purple ribbon on the end of the large braid.
"Well... You're all done, and if I may say... Fa-ine. My best work yet."
"You're work is always the best." I rose and hugged my friend.
"You're just saying that." He said into my ear.
I pulled back and smiled. "Never. I always tell the truth. Remember?" I started to walk to the balcony as Keith was laughing. The wind blew for a mere moment then quieted when I opened the balcony doors. The day was so beautiful with the sun ful in the sky. The sky clear with just hints and whisps of clouds. I smiled as the sunlight graced my skin.
I leaped up onto the railing on the balcony. I listened but heard nothing but the busy street below. No sirens. No screams. I didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing for today. Some feeling was crawling around in my chest.
I was about to jump when Keith came through the balcony doors. I turned to see him and he looked frightened. "Sorry Ang, but something is happening at Price Tower. I think you need to go there now." I nodded to him and flung my body into the air, spreading my wings wide. I catch the air easily and shifted to the north. Price Tower was on the corner of Washington and Central which is eleven long city blocks away.
I rounded a corner and then caught the sight of someone being thrown out off of Price Tower. I grunted and picked up my speed. I cursed softly as I had to swoop down to catch him before the person hit the ground. Screams from the street below were ignored as I finally gripped him and cradled him as if he was my bride.
For a second I did not know who I had in my arms. Who I just saved. Then my eyes really focused. Darien Price! Oh! My! God!
He opened his eyes and saw me. I felt him jerk and his heart race faster than it already was. Though he was in shock, he was relaxed in my arms. He trusted me completely.
"Are you alright?" He nodded as I placed my feet on the ground. I placed his feet on the ground and kept him steady while the officiers come to his side. I look up and know there is some unfinished business.
I turned to leave and Darien grabbed my arm. "How can I thank you?"
"Keep helping others as you have been." I smiled and then ran, jumped, and flew up to the top level of Price Tower. As I landed on the large balcony of what I am assuming is Darien Price's office, bullets fly past me with one hitting my bare shoulder. I glared at them as one black claded man run to me. His first and only mistake was trying to punch me. I ducked down and upper cutted his stomach making him black out.
I looked back to his partners and saw only three more bad guys. Within ten minutes I had them out cold and was leaving the main office as the police showed up and started to cuff them. I smiled when Mik, one of the few police officiers I knew that I was delighted to give my statement to. He carried a digital tape recorder for quicker statements. He asked me the standard questions and I gave my version of the event.
He turned off the recorder and looked at me. "So... How did it feel with Darien Price in your arms?"
I blushed after I turned away from him. "Sorry, but I gave my statement."
"Umm hmm...thought so." Mik chuckled as I went to the balcony.
"Why is everyone going 'umm hmm' when they talk about Darien Price to me?" I mumble under my breathe as I walked the length of the balcony. I closed my eyes and listened harder now that I was this far up above the street. I sighed at nothing. No sirens that I could hear.
"Silent?" I turned and saw Darien Price leaning against the balcony's floor to ceiling glass windows. He walked forward. "I wanted to thank you again for saving my life. If there is anything I can do, just ask."
"I need no thanks." I looked to the city. "I do what I do to make people feel safer in their lives. If I asked, then that would change the feeling of saving people."
"You really are selfless, aren't you?"
I laughed sharply. "My best friend would say so."
"Best friend?" I bit my lip knowing I slipped. "I think its nice that you have someone close to you and that you are not all alone." I watched him look me up and down. "I think I will hold a charity in your honor. I think a fashion show." My eyes widened and I looked at him. "I take it you approve?"
"On a deeper level than you could ever know."
"A fashion girl. Why am I not surprised." He chuckled shaking his head in amusement.
"Not in the way you may think. And if you really want it to be a charity, have the fashion show with unknown designers. Give them the chance to shine."
"I think it would be perfect. Can I ask you to participate?"
"I don't know. I need to think about it." It would be nice to walk the runway, but would that be right?
"If you decide to, you could always come here and see me. Even if you just want to come and hide from the world for some time."
I sighed. "I should go."
"People to save, city to protect?"
"Yeah." I jumped from the balcony and glided over the city. I soared for an hour before I had to go home and talk to Keith. Keith would be going to work in a couple of hours, and I needed his advice.
I got to the apartment and Keith was automatically squealing. He dragged me to the TV and showed me what the cameras caught which made me blush. I saw how the world saw me with Darien in my arms. The way our eyes met and we stared at each other as I slowed our descent.
"Heavens! No wonder Mik asked me about it." I flopped stomach first onto the back of the couch. I covered my face with a pillow. How terribly embarrassing.
"What was it like to be with the man so gorgeous the gods weep in shamein your arms?"
I sighed and uncovered my face. "It felt natural talking to him. Oh yeah! The reason I came back." I pushed up still leaning against the back of the couch. "He is going to throw a charity fashion show in my honor and would like me to participate as Angel Kat. Should I?"
"ARE. YOU. KIDDING? You should do it." Keith came and knelt before me on the couch and took my shoulders. "Tall, dark, and handsome asks you to a charity event, you should always say YES!" He came around and grabbed my wrist towing me out the balcony doors. "Now go and accept." He pointed planting his feet solidly on the ground.
I shyly left the apartment and took my time going back to Price Tower. I flew high in the city. When I reached Darien's office balcony, no one was there. I sighed and sat on his railing just looking out at the city. He had such a remarkable view. So breath taking. So peaceful. I stretched out my arms and wings.
"What a beautiful sight."
I slipped from the railing at Darien's voice. I pushed against the side of the building and flew back up to Darien's balcony. He looked sorry for shocking me. "Its alright, I was just lost in my own thoughts."
"I wasn't expecting to see you so soon."
"I'm sorry to just show up and sit on your balcony railing."
"Like I said, you are welcome here anytime." He tilted his head to the side. "Was there a reason you are here, or did you just wanted to see the view?"
"I actually came to see you. I thought it over and I will participate in the fashion show, but you must understand that something could happen to prevent me from attending."
"I understand completely. Superman had those types of problems." I chuckled at the comicbook reference. "Oh, a comicbook fan."
I shrugged. "I had to research how to be a superhero, though most of the time I just followed my own heart. Let my instincts guide me." I blushed realizing that I just talked about myself with someone who was like a stranger to me.
"Oh my. Is Angel Kat blushing? Strong, beautiful, and shy in long conversations."
I was actually thankful when I heard sirens below. "I have to go."
"Will you come back tomorrow. I could have the information about the charity ready for you by say two o'clock."
"Then I will try to see you then." I smiled before leaping off his balcony the second time that day. I saw him smile too. I felt giddy and as if a wieght had been lifted off my shoulders. The fire that the sirens were responding to didn't phase me at all. In fact, I did not hesitate to save those that were trapped in the building. I felt so freed that even Keith noticed a difference in me.
The following day was quiet. Like the universe was saying 'meet him!' At one I decided to wait on his balcony again for him. This time I wasn't on the railing and I kept my ears open. My stomach growled making me remember that I never ate lunch. There was nothing I could do now, it was almost two.
I turned away from the view when I heard the door to his office open. Darien Price in all his well tailored, groomed glory came walking in. He smiled seeing me out on his balcony, then turned to a red-headed woman to tell her something. She bowed her head and went over to his desk.
He opened up the balcony doors and stood to the side. "Won't you come in?" I accepted his offer and entered his office. "I am happy to see you're early. No troubles today?"
"Happy to say no. The city is pleasantly silent which meant I could come and wait while looking again at your view." He offered me a seat on one of his leather couches while the red-head handed him a folder then left the room. He placed the folder down on the table in front of the couch and sat on the opposite side of the couch from me.
"Well we have the basics of the event decided on. We will be announcing the charity tonight and advertizing for participants then and all week. The charity will be in one month giving us time to get participants' applications, choose the lucky ten, and give them two weeks to come up with the designs and create them. Each particiant will create two pieces. One formal and one casual. What do you think so far?"
"What is the theme?" I don't know why I was so curious. Was I going to enter?
Darien smiled and leaned back on the couch. "I thought that would be obvious. The title of the fashion show is 'Angels Among Us' becasue you are the inspiration. I was also thinking that doctors, police officiers, firefighters, and charity vollunteers could be the models for the fashion show." I smiled thinking of how much they have thought about every detail of the event.
"Will the designers have to pay out of pocket for their outfits?"
"Of course not. I will be giving each deigner one thousand dollars on visa cards so they can purchase any suppies they need for the fashion show. Any left over after the show will be theirs to keep, though we won't tell them that till they try to turn them in."
"Your sneaky in the kind, caring way." I flushed when my stomach growled loudly. "Forgive me. I must have forgotten about lunch." I started to rise to leave, but Darien touched my arm. His touch tingled my skin and made me cross my ankles when I sat back down.
"Please don't go. I will have something brought up." He rose and walked over to his desk. He told someone named Karan to bring me something to eat.
He sat back down on the couch. "You didn't have to do that."
"Yes I do. You are hungry and need to eat. Also this way we can continue to talk." He seemed like he didn't want to let me go for some reason. To tell you the truth, I didn't want to go.
The afternoon went on and we discussed all sorts of things about the charity fashion show while I ate the club sandwich on delicious dark honey wheat bread. The taste was amazing. When I finished the sandwich, I was full. When I saw it was five o'clock, I sighed knowing I had some sewing I needed to get started on back home.
"Thank you so much for all that you are doing. I really should let you and I get back to work."
"You were the rest of my day. I'm glad that I got to keep you this long. Oh by the way, here is a copy of the charity's application. You must know someone who is a designer to suggest it." He placed the folder his assistant gave to him earlier into a satchel purse and handed it to me. "I figured you would need something to carry it in. And you don't need to return the purse, its yours."
"I'm starting to think your doing too much for me." I place the satchel's strap over my head and the opposite arm.
"There could never be too much to do for my hero." I laughed and blushed as I stepped out and onto the balcony. "Fly safe my angel." My heart beated quickly at his words, but I shifted my attention to flying through the city.
These past two days have been feeling so surreal when I was around him. Starting with that article that just caught my ear yesterday morning, and going on to the meeting I just left. My skin is still tingling from when he touched my arm. Yesterday I decided to start writing everything that had happened to me into a journal. Everything that has happened to me since my accident nearly two years ago that changed my old life forever. Now I have a new life. One where Darien Price just came into it.