Wingless (2 page)

Classes at children's school are split up based on what we want our jobs to be and we take different tests to decide where we belong. I've always wanted to be a Fighter, but because both of my parents are Princers, I have to take some classes that have to do with Angel jobs, the Veil, and its many facets and boring life lessons like that.

But since I'm getting my wings soon, I've started training with an Archer. Specifically, Micha—the cutest Archer to ever live. The Archers are famous, because they protect Earth and humans from the Demons that reside in the Lower Veil. I'm not sure exactly what they do, but they're daring, adventurous, and heroic.
 

I would want to be an Archer, but there's only ever seven at one time. This group of seven was chosen only two years ago. I don't have a chance at all to be an Archer, which is why I want to be a Fighter—the next best thing.

Fighters protect Angels and the Veil. They do different things, like patrolling and stabilizing threats. The job isn't as intense as the Archers, who get to fly to Earth, or as selective, which is why I'm going to be a Fighter.

Also, I'm really good at it, and I have the mindset to be even better.

"I'll see you during social hour?" Tab asks as we enter the hallway full of wingless Angels. This particular school ranges from young children up until the age of fifteen going on sixteen, or the last levels.
 

"I was thinking of heading to the training center early, actually."

"You have a session with the Archer later, though, right?" It really annoys me that Tab refuses to say Micha's name. I know he feels threatened, but my crush is just that—a crush. Micha barely looks at me and even more rarely speaks to me, so Tab has nothing to panic about.

"Yes, I do," I tell him. I pause at the point in the hall where we usually break off. Tab goes to his specialty class, which is supposed to shape his focus of determination. I have to go to my Guardian etiquette, which is a huge waste of my time. I won't be chosen any time soon.
 

"So, you're training twice today?"

"Yeah. In three days, I'll have to start my real job, and I don't want to be behind," I explain, even though I don't owe Tab anything.
 

"I'd prefer you spend time with me," he whines.

"I really can't. But, after school you can come over and spend social time with my Guardians and I."

"Sure," he answers, but I know that he's upset. Truthfully, I don't like hurting Tab, but it seems like lately, and especially the closer my birth date comes, Tab just won't let me go. It grates on my every nerve, but I don't want to upset him.

"See you later," I say and turn to go. But Tab catches my elbow and spins me around so we're face to face. He kisses my cheek and then pulls back, staring into my eyes. I can't tell what I see inside of his.

"I love you, Annie," he says, and before I can say a thing, he kisses me on the lips. He's kissed me before, so it's not completely out of the blue. Although, the last time he kissed me, I shoved him down on the ground and explained that I don't want a relationship.

I don't know why it's so hard to believe that I don't. I want to be a Fighter. I have personal goals. Tab has agreed to my plans and said that as long as he's a part of them, he'll support me. For some reason, he just can't keep his lips off of me.

To make it worse, my Guardians love Tab. They know that I need to settle down sometime soon—I am sixteen in a few days after all. But, I just can't even fathom a serious relationship.
 

Tab breaks the kiss and then turns and walks to class. He waves over his shoulder while I stand here, dumbfounded. I don't even know what to do. I can't waste another minute thinking about my conflicted feelings, so I turn on my heels and walk to class.
 

CHAPTER TWO

Final Training Day

Outside of the main school building is a long, paved trail that wraps around the campus. I like to warm up after school by going for runs up and down the trail. It's one of the negatives about Angels—our legs aren't so strong. But I've been working hard to make sure I have no weaknesses.

After I finish running, I move into the training center, where I meet Micha. There are four people in my training group left, and we all work together and spar and have fun while getting stronger.

When we began our specialized training, there were ten of us in the group that wished to become a Fighter. In the first day, Micha had us sparring and two of the girls dropped out almost instantly, leaving me to be the last female standing.
 

A week later, a guy got injured when we were running through an obstacle course and was ejected. They apparently said that he was banned from being an Archer or Fighter because of the injury. Nobody ever saw him again, so that's what we're all left to believe. I try to only believe half of what a rumor is.

The others in the group just randomly left, so now there's just the four of us. I'm the only girl, but that's not hard to believe. Most girls want to be Virtues—the miracle makers. Perry, my best friend, got white wings and became a Virtue a few weeks ago. She said it was the happiest day of her life.
 

As I enter the training center, everyone in the room claps. I feel my cheeks heat with embarrassment. Normally, I like to come in, learn, get my work done, and get out. The guys tend to just ignore me, so I follow along and we have a comfortable, mutual understanding. When everyone, including Micha, is staring at me, clapping, I inwardly freak out.

"What?" I ask, holding my hands up in surrender. I stop in front of the five of them, my hands on my hips, awkwardly swaying from side to side while they continue to clap and embarrass me.

"It's your last day with us, so we're going to make it the best it can possibly be," Micha says. His baby blue eyes always bore right into me. It's like he's looking further into me than even I can see. But it's weird, because he's never really said too much to me. Of course, up until this point, we've been very serious.

"Okay…" I wait for him to elaborate further.
 

"I have a really hard obstacle course. If you make it out first out of the four of you, we'll give you the gift we bought you," Micha says.

"Well, Mr. Michael bought it, but I'll take credit," one of the guys says. I look over and it's the kind of lanky guy. We usually get paired up together because of our similar sizes. The other two guys are stockier and a bit heavier than me, so in any fight, I'd be at a huge disadvantage.

"Gear up and we'll get started so we can celebrate!" Micha yells, clapping his hands to get us moving. I stare at him one second too long, and he catches me, a slow smirk evolving on his face.

My cheeks instantly heat, again, and I turn away as fast as I can and run into the small female locker room. What is wrong with me? I've gotten to spend weeks with Micha and
now
he starts to notice me.

I quickly dress in black shorts and a black tee-shirt. The only time we're every allowed to wear colors is when we're on the job. Since we're training for our jobs, we're allowed to change out of white. I take full advantage of this perk, as I hate wearing white and matching everyone.
 

I rejoin the group just outside of the training center doors and see the large obstacle course that Micha has created. It reminds me of the course that the guy got hurt on early in the year during our training. My stomach flips with adrenaline and nerves.

"Remember," Micha says as he stops in front of the course, "Use your strength and speed to your advantage. Don't rely as much on your legs, because you'll have wings soon. Be smart, but fast."

"Want me to go easy on you?" Liam, the lanky boy asks.

"No. I want to win by myself," I say, narrowing my eyes on the prize. It is one of my biggest pet peeves when Angels try to go easy on you. I hate being let to win. If I win, I better earn it, and that's exactly what I plan on doing.

"Ready…set…go!" Micha says, and I sprint to the first obstacle. We're all on par with each other when we get to a large, white wall that's at least three times my height. I stop in front of it and look up, defeated.

I watch from my peripheral vision as the guys try to jump upwards using their legs' strength. I debate on doing it, but Micha said not to rely on legs, so there has to be another way. I walk back a few steps and decide to use my speed.

I run as fast as my little legs will take me straight towards the tall wall. When I'm just a few feet in front of it, I push off my back leg and leap up. Luckily, I make it half way up the wall to where a little foothold is. I didn't notice the tiny divots until now; it's perfect, because I can use them to my advantage.

I make sure to grab onto the indent and hang from the foothold with my fingers just barely hanging on. I don't know what to do from this position, but I can't give up now. I'm almost there.
 

I breathe, short, small breaths as I survey my surroundings. Another foothold is about five feet above my head. I can't make it from the position I'm in. There's no way I can just use my strength and jump five feet alone. That's basically my entire height.

But I can use my hands on the foothold to spin up side down and then grab the foothold with my foot. It's risky, but I think that I'd be able to do it. What do I have to lose? Nothing.
 

I spin around, using both of my hands on the wall. My stomach bottoms out when I look down and all there is below me is hard, white ground. I refuse to quit. I make it to the second foothold by just barely getting my foot on it and use my legs and arms to move myself up.

Before I know it, I've made it to the top of the wall. I let out a sigh of relief, but I can't just relax now. There are at least three more stations that I have to get through. I jump down from the top of the wall and use the white rope that hangs down the side to propel me safely without hurting myself.
 

The next obstacle is much easier and I get through it quickly. It's a set of blocks that vary in size from small, to medium, to large. The largest is only about eight feet tall and the smallest is a little under five. I have to jump and climb from block to block without falling into the water.

By the time I finish the obstacle, two of the three guys are right on my trail. The thing about being first is that you get impersonators. I do all the hard work of figuring out what works when these guys can just copy me and then speed it up. It's insanely frustrating, but there's nothing I can do.

I walk to the next station, pacing myself so I don't get too tired too fast. There's a tall building with one red door to enter. The red stands out against the white walls and white ground. It pops out like a warning. I look around the building, thinking that maybe I have to climb to the top, but that's definitely not the case.

So, I enter through the door and immediately, two guys jump out from the shadows and grab me. They pull me in different directions and the room is so dark that I can barely see them. It takes a few moments for my eyes to adjust.

Just as I can see the two Angels that have attacked me, I get hit square in the eye with a swift punch. The shooting pain fuels me and kicks me into high gear. I bend forward and roll to the side to put distance between my two attackers and me.

They're smart, skilled attackers. They look at each other and then rush me at the same time. Only this time, I'm ready for them. I dodge the first guy and stiff-arm the second, my arm hitting him right in the throat.

He falls backwards, clutching his neck as the second guy lunges towards me from behind. I duck under his swinging arm and swipe out my leg to trip him. He falls backward, and his head hits the white ground, hard. I jump on top of him, straddling his body, and place my hands on his neck, showing that he's in the kill position. One flick of my wrists and the man would be decapitated—dead.

A whistle is blown, and I know that I have won that fight. I jump up from the guy on the floor, swinging my fists in the air in victory. I quickly find a white door on the opposite side of the room I entered and run out as fast as I can.
 

One of the guys from my ground is already ahead of me. I'm not going fast enough. My heart sinks, but I push myself through the thick ground, refusing to admit defeat. I see the next obstacle as I run down the path. This last station was made for me.

I don't even look at the other three lanes for fear that I've fallen too far behind. I don't want to know what they're doing. I have to only focus on myself now. I jump off the short plank and catch the rope in both of my hands.
 

There's a pool of something black on the ground below me. It's something that I definitely don't want to fall into. This obstacle is all about upper body strength. I hang onto the rope and start to swing it side to side so I can reach the second rope.

I realize that the ropes have been put just far enough away form each other so that I can't just grab onto the next one. They want us to jump for it. So, I swing and swing until I feel like I can make the jump and then use the hardness of the rope to propel me towards the next.

I continue this pattern until I get to the last rope. It's definitely placed the farthest away. I don't know if I have the ability to make it far enough to clear the gap. But I have nothing left to lose.
 

I jump towards the final rope, which hangs above dry land, and just hang on for my life. I hit the ground hard, clinging to the rope as my last safety. I fall backwards, my head lolling down and nearly touching the blackness under the ropes.
 

My arms tremble with my full weight resting on them. But I muster all of the strength I have and pull myself up and out of harms away. A bell is rung, signaling the end of the obstacle course, but I have no steam left inside me. I'm beat.

"You did it!" Liam yells as he runs around the ropes and comes right to me. He wraps his frail arms around me and holds me, laughing.
 

"I can't wait for your present," the other guy says, standing above us.