Night World : Dark Angel Chapter 9

It was David, of course.Gillian off around and stared at him, blinking. He was stand honorable in spite of app earance the entranceway, his jacketslung over one shoulder, the other hand in his pocket. His jaw was tight, his eyes dark. He was grimaceing atTanya. at that place was a silence.(How long? How long has he been there, backer?)(Uhhh, Id govern since round rough(predicate) the beginning.)(Oh, my.) So thats why Gillian had been so low key and noble and completelyow Tanya do all the yelling andthreatening. They must have bring discharge like Dorothy and the Wicked Witch.A sense of justice stirred in spite of appearance Gillian. She made a hesitant move toward David.David-you dont r repealer-David shook his tip. I understand just fine. Dont try to cover for her. Its better for me to find place.(Yeah, shut up, minibrain forthwith look mildly distressed, slightly awkward. You guess they fatality to be entirely now.)Uh, I guess you guys want to be alone now.(Anyw ay, you have to travel rapidly to impart your pester.)Anyway, I have to hurry to get my ride.(These arent the droids youre looking for.)These arent- (Im release to kill you, Angel) Flustered, Gillian made one last gesture of defense andalmost ran for the door.Outside, she liberty chited blindly. (Angel)(Sorry, I couldnt resist. But look at you, pip-squeak Do you get laid what youve done?)(I guess I got rid of Tanya.) As the epinephrin of battle faded, the truth of this was slowly beginning todawn on her. It brought a hint of glorious warmth, a sparkling promise of future happiness.(Smart kid)(And-I did it fairly. It was all true, wasnt it, Angel? Shes reliablely been messing around with Bruce?)(Everybodys been messing around with Bruce. Yes, it was all true.)(And what close to Kim? Is she the one who sp rents rumors round people?) (Like notwithstandingter on Eggos.)(I just-she disclosemed so sweet. When we talked ab go forth rumors in the cafeteria she patted my hand. )(Sure, shes sweet-to your governance. Turn left here.)Gillian prepare herself emerging from the school building. As she went beat the steps she axiom three orfour cars set casually in the roundabout. Macons BMW convertible was one. He looked up at herand gave an inviting motion toward the car.Other people shouted. Hey, Jill, need a ride? We wouldnt want you to get lost in the woods againGillian stood, musical noteing like a southern belle. So companionship people wanting her-it made her giddy. Angel wasgrandly indifferent (Pick anybody) and she could see Amys Geo a little distance away. Amy and Eugenewere standing by it, looking up at her. But getting in a car with Eugene Elfred would be disastrous to her bracing status.She picked Cory the Party Guy, and the ride home was filled with his nonstop talk about Macons troupeon Satur twenty-four hours. She had trouble getting rid of him at the door. Once she did, she walked up to her quietnessing roomand fell on her bed, arms out. She stared at the ceiling.(Phew)It had been the most incredible twenty-four hour period of her life.She lay and listened to the quiet kinsfolk and tried to gather her fancys.The warmth was serene percolating inside her, although it was mixed with a certain amount ofanxiety. She wanted to see David again. She wanted to survive how things had turned out with Tanya.She couldnt let herself feel knowing until she was for certainRelax, would you?Gillian sat up. The congressman wasnt in her ear, it was beside the bed. Angel was sitting there.The fix hit her like a physical blow.She hadnt seen him since that morning and shed forgotten how bewitching he was.His hair was dark golden with paler gold lights shimmering in it. His wait was-well-classic perfection.Absolutely pure, denned like a sculpture in stain. His eyes were a violet so glorious it actually hurt tolook at it. His expression was rapt and uplifted until he winked. Then it dissolved into mischief.Uh, hi, Gillian whisper huskily.Hi, kid. Tired?Yeah. I feel used up. Well, take a nap, why dont you? Ive got places to go anyway.Gillian blinked. Places? Angel I never asked you. Whats heaven like? I regard as, with angels like you,its got to be different from most peoples idea. That meadow I saw-that wasnt it, was it?No, that wasnt it. Heaven-well, its ticklish to explain. Its all in the oscillation of the spatial-temporalharmonics, you know-what youd call the inherent vibration of the plane. At a steepervibration everything assumes a much more multiform harmonic theme. Youre reservation this up,arent you? Yeah. Actually its classified. Why dont you get well-nigh sleep? Gillian already had her eyesshut.She was happy when she woke up to smell dinner. But when she got downstairs, she put only hermother.Dads not home?No. He called, honey, and left a message for you. Hell be out of town on business for a while.But hell be back for Christmas. Wont he?Im sure he will.Gillian didnt say anything e lse. She ate the hamburger casserole her mother served-and noticed that hermother didnt eat. subsequentlyward, she sat in the kitchen and played with a fork.(You okay?)The voice in her ear was a welcome relief. (Angel. Yeah, Im all right. I was just thinking about howeverything started with Mom. It wasnt forever and a day like this. She was a teacher at the junior college)(I know.)(And thus-I think it was about five years ago- things just started happening. She started acting crazy.And then she was seeing things-what did I know about drinking then? I just thought shewas nuts. It wasnt until Dad started finding empty bottles)(I know.)(I just wish that things could be different.) A pause. (Angel? Do you think maybe they could be?)Another pause. Then Angels voice was quiet. (Ill work on it, kid. But, yeah, I think maybe they couldbe.)Gillian shut her eyes.After a moment she opened them again. (Angel-how can I thank you? The things youre doing for me I cant raze start to tell you )( Dont mention it. And dont cry. A cheery face is worth triple A bonds. Besides, you have to answer the retrieve.)(What phone?)The phone rang.(That phone.)Gillian blew her nose and said a practice Hello to excite sure her voice wasnt shaky. Then she took adeep breath and picked up the receiver.Gillian?Her fingers prehend on the phone. Hi, David.Look, I just wanted to make , sure you were okay. I didnt blush ask you that when-you know, this afterwardnoon.Sure, Im okay. Gillian didnt need Angel to tell her what to say to this. I can handle myself, youknow.Yeah. But Tanya can be pretty intensified rough metres. After you left she was-well, forget that.He doesnt want to say anything drear about her, Gillian thought. She said, Im fine.Its just- She could almost feel the frustration building on the other side of the line. And then Davidburst out as if something had snapped, I didnt knowWhat?I didnt know she was-like that I mean, she leans the teen helpline and shes on the Centralia relief commission and the Food Cupboard project and .. . Anyway, I thought she was different. A well behavedperson.Conscience twinged. David, I think she is some of the things you thought. Shes brave. When thatwindowpane-Quit it, Gillian. Youre those things. Youre brave and curious and-well, too honorable for your owngood. You tried to give Tanya another chance. He let out a breath. But, anyway you might haveguessed, were finished. I told Tanya that. And now His voice changed. Suddenly he laughed,sounding as if some burden had fallen off him. Well, would you like me to drive you to the partySaturday wickedness?Gillian laughed, too. Id like it. Id love it. (Oh, Angel-thank you)She was very happy.The rest of the week was wonderful. Every day she wore something daring and flattering scavengedfrom the depths of her closet. Every day she seemed to get more popular. muckle looked up when shewalked into a room, not just meeting her eyes, barely nerve-wracking to catch her eye. They wa ved to her from adistance. They said hello up and down the halls. Everyone seemed beamingsome to talk to her, and pleased if she wanted to talk to them. It was like being on a skyrocket, going higher and higher.And, always, her guide and protector was with her. Angel had come to seem like a part of her, the mostsavvy and apt part. He provided quips, smoothed over awkward situations, gave advice aboutwho to tolerate and who to snub. Gillian was exploitation an instinct for this, too. She was gainingconfidence in herself, finding new skills every day. She was literally be orgasm a new person.She didnt see much of Amy now. But Amy had Eugene, after all. And Gillian was so busy that she nevereven got to see David alone.The day of the party she went to Houghton with Amanda the Cheerleader and Steffi the Singer. Theylaughed a lot, got pennywhistled at everywhere, and shopped until they were dizzy. Gillian bought a dress and articulatio talocruralis boots-both approved by Angel.When Da vid picked her up that night, he let out a soft whistle himself.I look okay?You look He shook his breaker point. Illegal, entirely also sort of spiritual. How do you do that?Gillian smiled.Macon the Wallets house was the house of a rich guy. A fleet of artsy reindeer made out of some kindof white twigs and glowing with tiny lights graced the lawn. Inside, it was all high ceilings and tracklighting, oriental rugs, old china, silver. Gillian was dazzled.(My first real party I mean, my first Popular Party. And its even kind of, sort of for me.)(Your first real party, and its all for you. The world is your oyster, kid. Go out and crack it.)Macon was coming toward her. Other people were looking. Gillian paused in the doorway of the roomfor effect, aware that she was making an entrance-and loving it.Her outfit was designer casual. A black minidress with a drill of purple flowers so dark it could hardlybe distinguished. The soft, crepey material muck to her like a second skin. Matte bl ack tights. And ofcourse the ankle boots. Not much makeup shed decided on the fresh, soft look for her face. Sheddarkened her lashes just enough to make the violet of her eyes a startling contrast.She looked stunning and effortless. And she knew it very well.Macons hooded eyes roved over her with something like suppressed hunger. Hows it going? Yourelooking good.We feel good, Gillian said, squeezing Davids arm.Macons eyes darkened. He looked at the intersection of Gillians hand and Davids arm as if it offendedhim.David looked back dispassionately, but a sort of wordless menace exuded from him. Macon actuallytook a step back. But all he said was, Well, my parents are kaput(p) for the weekend, so make yourself athome. at that place should be food somewhere. There was food everywhere. Every kind of munchy thing. Music blasted from the den, echoing all overthe house. As they walked in, Cory greeted them with, Hey, guys Grab a glass in, its going fast.When hed said that he would roun d up a keg last week, Gillian had foolishly misheard it as a cake.Now she understood. It was a keg of beer and everybody was drinking.And not just beer. There were hard liquor bottles around. One guy was lying on a table with his mouthopen while a girl poured something from a rectangular bottle into it.Hey, Jill, this is for you. Cory was stressful to give her a plastic glass with foam overflowing the top.Gillian looked at him with open scorn. She didnt need Angels help for this.Thanks, but I happen to like my brain cells, Maybe if you had more mention for yours you wouldnt beflunking biology.There was laughter. Even Cory laughed and winced.Right on, Daryl the Rich Girl said, natural elevation a can of diet Barqs root beer to Gillian in salute. And Davidwaved Cory away and reached for a Coke.Nobody tried to pressure them and the guy on the table even looked a little embarrassed. Gillian hadlearned that you could pull anything off if you were cool enough, collected enough, and if you didntback down. The feeling of success was much more intoxicating than liquor could have been.(How about that? Pretty good, huh? Huh? Huh?)(Oh oh, yeah, fine.) Angel seemed to deliberate. (Of course, it does say, Wine maketh the heart ofman glad)(Oh, Angel, youre so silly. You sound like Cory) Gillian almost laughed out loud.Everything was exciting. The music, the capacious house with its opulent Christmas decorations. The people.All the girls threw their arms around Gillian and kissed her as if they hadnt seen her in weeks. Some ofthe boys tried, but David warned them off with a look.That was exciting, too. Having everyone know she was together with David Blackburn, that he washers. It put her status through the ceiling.Want to look around? David was saying. I can show you the upstairs Macon doesnt care.Gillian looked at him. Bored?He grinned. No. But I wouldnt mind seeing you alone for a few minutes.They went up a long carpeted staircase run along with oil paintings. The r ooms upstairs were just as beautifulas downstairs palatial and almost awe inspiring.It put Gillian in a quiet mood. The music wasnt as loud up here, and the cool marble gave her the feelingof being in a museum. She looked out a window to see velvet darkness punctuated by little twinkling lights.You know, Im glad you didnt want to drink back there. Davids voice behind her was quiet.She turned, hard to read his face. But you were surprised?Well-its just sometimes now you seem so adult. Sort of worldly.Me? I mean-I mean youre the one who seems like that. And thats what you like in girls, she thought.He looked away and laughed. Oh, yeah. The tough guy. The wild guy. Tanya and I used to party prettyhard. He shrugged. Im not tough. Im just a small-town guy laborious to get through life. I dont look fortrouble. I try to run from it if I can.Gillian had to laugh herself at that. But there was something serious in Davids dark eyes.I admit, it sort of had a way of finding me in the past, he said slowly. And Ive done some things thatIm not proud of. But, you know Id like to change that-if its possible.Sort of like a whole new side of you that wants to come out.He looked startled. Then he glanced up and down her and grinned. Yeah. Sort of like that.Gillian felt suddenly inspired, hopeful. I think, she said slowly, trying to put her ideas together, thatsometimes people need to-to express both sides of themselves. And then they can be well, whole.Yeah. If thats possible. He hesitated. Gillian didnt say anything, because she had the feeling that hewas trying to. That there was some reason hed brought her up to talk to her alone.Well. You know something weird? he said after a moment. I dont feel only whole. And the truthis- He looked around the darkened room. Gillian could only see his profile. He shook his head, thentook a deep breath. Okay, this is going to sound even dumber than I thought, but Ive got to say it. Icant help it.He turned back, toward her and said with a mixture of determination and apology, And since that daywhen I found you out there in the snow, I have this feeling that I wont be, without He trailed off andshrugged. Well-you, he said finally, helplessly.The universe was one capacious heartbeat. Gillian could feel her body echoing it. She said slowly, I I know. I know how it sounds. Im sorry.No, Gillian whispered. That wasnt what I was going to say.Hed turned sharply away to spotlight at the window. Now he turned halfway back and she saw the glimmerof hope in his face.I was going to say, I understand.He looked as if he were afraid to believe. Yeah, but do you really? I think I do-really.And then he was moving toward her and Gillian was holding up her arms. Literally as if drawn to doit-but not just by physical attraction. It sounded crazy, Gillian thought, but it wasnt physical so much as well, spiritual. They seemed to extend together.David was holding her. It felt incredibly strange and at the same time perfectly natural. He was warm andsolid and Gillian felt her eyes shutting, her head drifting to his shoulder. Such a simple embrace, but itseemed to mean everything.The feelings inside Gillian were like a wonderful discovery. And she had the sense that she was on theverge of some other discovery, that if she just opened her eyes and looked into Davids at this moment,somehow it would mean a change in the world(Kid?) The voice in Gillians ear was quiet. (I really hate to say it, but I have to differentiate this up. You haveto sidle down to the master bedroom.)Gillian scarcely heard and couldnt assume attention.(Gillian I mean it, kid. Theres something going on that you have to know about.)(Angel?)(Tell him youll be back in a few minutes. This is important)There was no way to ignore that tone of urgency. Gillian stirred. David, I have to go for a sec. Be rightback.David just nodded. Sure. It was Gillian who had trouble letting go of his hand, and when she did she facilitate seemed to feel his grip.(T his had better be good, Angel.) She blinked in the light of the hallway.(Go down to the end of the hall. Thats the master bedroom. Go on in. Dont turn on the light.)The master bedroom was cavernous and dark and filled with large dim shapes like quiescence elephants.Gillian walked in and immediately banged into a piece of heavy furniture.(Be careful fancy that light over there?)Light was showing around the edges of reiterate doors on the other side of the room. The doors wereclosed.(And locked. Thats the bathroom. Now, heres what I want you to do. Walk guardedly over to the rightof the bathroom and youll find another door. Its the closet. I want you to quietly open that door and getin it.)(What?)Angels voice was intricately patient. (Get in the closet and put your ear against the wall.) Gillian shut her eyes. Then, feeling barely like a burglar, she slowly turned the handle of the closet doorand slipped inside.It was a walk-in closet, very long but stuffy because of the fit out bristling from both sides. Gillian had aprofound feeling of intrusion, of being an invader of privacy. She seemed to walk a long way in beforeAngel stop her.(Okay. Here. Now put your ear against the left wall.)Eyes still shut-it seemed to make the absolute darkness more bearable-Gillian burrowed betweensomething long sheathed in plastic and something heavy and velvety. With the clothes embracing her oneither side, she leaned her head until her bare ear touched wood.(Angel, I cant believe Im doing this. I feel really stupid, and Im scared, and if anybody finds me-)(Just listen, will you?)At first Gillians heart seemed to drown out all other sounds* But then, faint but clear, she heard iivoices she recognized.