The Guardians (9 page)

Abby nodded.

Since my mind was still devoid of decent questions, I asked another one I knew the answer to. “Are you and Chaz twins?”

“No, I’m only sixteen. I skipped fifth grade.”

“You must be pretty smart.”

Abby giggled. “Yeah, I guess I kill the whole ‘dumb blonde cheerleader’ stereotype.”

I didn’t understand what she meant, but I nodded anyway. Abby continued talking. “I’ve got an academic and cheerleading scholarship to UGA next year.”

It was only through Rafe’s obsession with football that I knew anything about the University of Georgia. “That’s great.”

“Yeah, I’m excited about it. I’m not sure how well my Dad is going to adjust with both Chaz and I leaving home. I worry about Hannah, too,” Abby said.

“I’m sure they’ll be fine.”

“I hope so.”

When we arrived at her house, Abby turned to me and smiled. “Wanna sit for awhile?” she asked, motioning toward the rockers on the wide front porch.

I stared at them for a minute, unsure what to say or do. The thought of having to wrack my brain for more conversation made me nervous. But at the same time, I didn’t want to leave her.

“Okay,” I finally replied, easing down in a cane rocker.

“So tell me a little about yourself?” Abby asked.

I flushed and stared down at my hands. “There’s nothing really to tell, I guess.”

“Oh come on. Everyone has a story. What’s yours?”

“Well, I’ve got two sisters and two brothers.”

“
And
,” Abby prodded playfully.

I tried to think of how to piece together the lie—the lie that was our backgrounds. I couldn’t tell her the truth that I was a guardian angel doing my century bound service term. I looked human like her, but I was very different—that actually only our emotions made us anything close to equals.

“Um, well, our parents were missionaries. We’ve lived all over the world.”

Abby leaned forward. “Really? That’s awesome. I’d really love to travel someday.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty neat.”

Her brows furrowed for a moment. “But where are your parents?”

“Uh, um, they died in a car accident several years back.”

Abby gasped. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I’m so nosy—”

I shook my head. “It’s okay.”

Relief flooded her face. We sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few seconds. Finally, Abby spoke up. “I know how you feel. Gabriel’s probably told you that our mom was killed in May.”

I know because I was there
, I thought, but instead, I nodded.

“It’s been so hard,” she began, but then her voice broke. “Daddy feels so guilty, like it’s his fault.”

“Why does he feel that way?”

“Mom was volunteering in this really bad neighborhood.” She shook her head. “They’d argued about it that morning. He told her not to do it anymore, but she just kept saying as a minister’s wife, it was her duty and all. Then as she and Hannah were on their way to the car…” Abby choked up, unable to continue.

Almost instinctively, I reached out and grabbed her hand. She stared up at me in surprise. “You don’t have to talk about it,” I drew in a deep breath. “But if you want to, I’m here.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “I haven’t been able to talk to anyone…”

“I understand.”

After sucking in a ragged breath, she rushed on, “It makes Daddy so sad, and Chaz refuses to talk to any of us about it. And Hannah…she doesn’t talk at all.”

I shook my head. “I’m so sorry.”

“Thanks,” she whispered, squeezing my hand. She smiled weakly. “You know for someone who never says anything, you sure know how to listen.”

A tingle ran up my spine before my cheeks filled with warmth. To hide my embarrassment, I tucked my chin to my chest. “Thanks…I-I’m here for you if you need someone to listen.”

“I appreciate that.”

Before I could say anything else, the front door opened, and David stepped outside. “Abby?”

She quickly dropped my hand. “Oh, sorry, Daddy. I was just talking with Elijah.”

David smiled. “Oh, okay.” He looked over at me. “Looks like your family is gonna be a part of ours with Gabriel’s working at the church, and I just found out today that your sister, Sophie, is going to be Hannah’s homebound teacher.”

Even though I already knew that, I smiled and nodded. “That’s nice.”

“And now you and Abby seem to be new buds, as well.” He glanced back at Abby. “I just thought it was time you were getting ready for bed.”

I quickly rose from my chair. David nodded. “Evening, Elijah.”

“Yes, evening, sir.”

As he closed the door behind him, I turned to Abby. “I guess I better be going.”

She smiled. “Well thank you for walking me home.”

“It was my pleasure,” I said as I returned her smile.

I started off the porch, but Abby reached out and grabbed my arm. “And thanks for listening. I really appreciate it.”

I nodded.

“See you in school tomorrow,” she said.

“All right then. Goodnight,” I said.

“Goodnight.”

Abby went inside the house, and I started off the porch. I didn’t care if Gabriel was still mad at me because I knew I was staying. And that made me very, very content.

Chapter Seven: CASSIE

I caught Zach’s gaze from across the cafeteria. When he smiled at me, I smiled back and waved.

His smile widened as he gave a quick bob of his head.

My attention switched to Elijah who appeared to be succumbing to a coughing fit. “Um, are you all right?”

Once he recovered, he said, “I just don’t think you should be smiling at him like that.”

I sighed. “What’s wrong now?”

Elijah glanced at Rafe for reinforcement. “On the surface there’s nothing wrong, Cass. It’s just you have to be very careful the signals that you give to a guy. I mean, we’re just not sure exactly what the Dominion wants from your involvement yet, so you just need to be careful.”

I narrowed my eyes at them. “Wow, by the way you guys believe in me it’s a wonder the Dominion bothered calling me out at all.”

“That’s not what we’re saying,” Elijah said.

“And just for the record, who made you an expert? You’re just as new at this as I am!”

Rafe dropped his slice of pizza and made a T with his hands. “Whoa, whoa, whoa.” He leaned in on his elbows and lowered his voice. “JayJay’s right, Cass. You can’t go around with this epic chip on your shoulder all the time about the job you’re doing. The two of you have been placed with me for a reason, and you have to trust me when I give you advice. Okay?”

I pinched the ends of my sandwich. Deep down, I knew Rafe and Elijah were right. I just hated admitting it. I also hated having to be such a clueless newbie all the time. I glanced up and found them both looking expectantly at me. Forcing a smile to my face, I said, “Okay, I’m sorry. I’ll remember to listen to you guys.”

Rafe grinned. “That’s my girl,” he said through a mouthful of cheesy pizza.

I didn’t look in Zach’s direction for the rest of lunch. His mood was elevated, and I could feel that all the way across the cafeteria. Besides my newbie status, something weighed even heavier on my mind. Auditions for
West Side Story
were that afternoon, and I was determined to get a part. After Zach had been revealed to me, I had hesitated about even trying out, but at the same time, the more kids I interacted with, the more good I could do during my stay in Oakdale. Not to mention the more guardian experience I could gain.

When the bell rang at the end of the day, Elijah met me outside my math class. “Nervous?” he asked, his face filled with concern.

“Are you kidding me? I’ve been waiting for this all day!”

His dark eyebrows arched in surprise. “Really? Well, that’s good to hear.”

“Yeah, the only thing that stinks is I’m one of the last ones to audition, so I’ll just have to wait around all afternoon feeling like I’m going to explode.”

Elijah smiled. “Why don’t I wait with you?”

“You’d do that?”

“Of course I would.”

“Thanks Elijah.”

True to his word, he stayed by my side as I watched other girls wring their hands and pace nervously backstage. Before I could brace myself, their emotions overwhelmed me. One girl brushed up against me sending anxiety ricocheting from my head to my toes. All the confidence I’d possessed deflated like a popped balloon. When I finally heard my name called, I’d been so drained by emotion that Elijah had to push me through the curtain.

I stepped onto the stage and saw the auditorium packed with students, and I froze. Literally, the word ‘stage fright’ flashed like a neon sign in my mind. Sitting four rows from the front was Zach. He was slouched in his usual position with one of his arms draped around the dark haired girl, whose name I’d learned was Lauren Sinclair. She was the one he was sitting with at lunch and the one who he’d stayed with the night before.

Lauren’s audition had been flawless earlier in the afternoon, and I only assumed she had stayed in the auditorium to scout out the rest of the competition. Before my emotion sucking episode, I’d surmised she was my
only
competition for the role of Maria. Now I wasn’t so sure.

Zach had an expression of absolute boredom etched on his face. I realized sitting the entire afternoon through auditions wasn’t his idea of a good time. But I suppose he owed her since she’d let him stay the other night. Zach twirled his guitar pick between his fingers as if it were the one thing keeping his sanity in check. He glanced at me, and his expression changed from boredom to anticipation.

“Cassie Christenson?”

My gaze snapped to the drama teacher, Mr. Conley, who was standing at the edge of the stage. “Yes?” I squeaked.

“Are you ready?” Mr. Conley asked, his voice drained of patience.

I wanted to say,
“Well, I wish you could’ve asked me that question about thirty minutes ago. I’m not feeling it so much at the moment!”
But instead, I replied, “Yes sir.”

With trembling knees, I stumbled over to the pianist and thrust the music into her hands. Then I walked out to the center of the stage. I feared my knocking knees might give way.

“And what are you singing, Miss Christenson?” Mr. Conley prompted.

“
Think of Me
from
Phantom of the Opera
,” I quickly replied. A murmur of astonishment rippled through the crowd.

Mr. Conley also gave me a skeptical look before he mumbled, “Um-hum,” and sat back down. Out in the audience, Lauren smirked at me.

Everyone’s doubt about my ability sent confidence, or maybe pride, soaring back through my veins like I’d been given a blood transfusion. As the pianist struck the opening chords, I tuned them all out. I became one with the music. I didn’t bother restraining myself or keeping it within the rafters. It’s just a fact that, even in human form, I could put some of the greatest vocalists in the world to shame.

When I got to the first vocal break with a musical interlude, I slipped momentarily out of concentration to stare into the audience. I fought the urge to laugh at the expressions on everyone’s faces. The pen Mr. Conley had been aimlessly clicking was now frozen in mid-air. His jaw hung open in astonishment. Several of the others in the audience held the same expression. Lauren had narrowed her eyes to darkened slits of jealously. Next to her, Zach ceased twirling his guitar pick. He gaped at me, mouth wide, with a mixed look of amazement and fascination.

Fueled by their reaction, pride ruled me for the rest of the song. When I came to the operatic flourish at the end, I truly let go, closing my eyes and letting my voice carry me up to the heavens where I belonged. My eyes were still pinched shut when the last chords of the song echoed off of the piano. Before I could open them, applause erupted all around me.

My eyes flew open to see the entire auditorium, minus Lauren, on their feet and applauding wildly. Mr. Conley even had tears in his eyes. Yes, I must’ve totally aced it!

Mr. Conley stepped to the edge of the stage. “Miss Christenson, you have one of the finest voices I have ever heard!”

“Thank you,” I replied, as I tried to control my roller coaster emotions.

“I assume you did a lot of theater and choral work at your last school?” he asked.

I chewed on my bottom lip. I didn’t know quite what to say. If singing with the Angelic Host counted as choral work, then I suppose I was good to go. “Yes sir, I did.”

“You have quite a stage presence as well.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Mr. Conley finally remembered himself. He turned around to the face the others. “I want to thank all the ladies who auditioned this afternoon. Parts will be posted in a few days after auditions for the guys. Thank you for your time.”

I started off the stage where Rafe and Elijah were waiting on me. Rafe, still outfitted in his practice gear, shot me a look.