Fallen: Chapter Five

Hailey

'I'm never going to find someone,' Mia sighed beside me, watching as yet another guy called my name.

'Oh shut up Mia, you're gorgeous and you know it. You're just too good for any of the jerks around here.' Comforting my best friend was a tedious, thankless job. She never took heed of my advice and sometimes I swear she was just digging for compliments. Although recently I had come to understand her a little more. Coming from a broken home, Mia could be very fragile, easy to break, delicate. Which is mainly why I wouldn't let her date any of the guys at school, they'd break her like she was nothing. I knew that.

'Pft, whatever,' she grumbled. 

Mia was pretty though, that was the frustrating thing. I'd have killed to look like her. With her dark blonde hair styled to perfection and her hazy blue eyes that she usually wore with black kohl and eyeshadow she appeared very mysterious to those who didn't know her. Mysterious and forbidden, being one of the most popular girls at Rover High. 

I dragged Mia by the wrist into her form room and sat us in our usual seats at the back where I turned to face her.

'Enough okay? I know half the girls at this school would kill to look like you, I've heard them say it. The only reason you don't have a boyfriend is because they're all pigs here. Wait until you're older and they're a little more mature and you'll find the perfect guy. I don't know why you're so fussed about it anyway, being single is great!'

'For you maybe,' she muttered, but she had the faintest hint of a smile on her lips and I sat back, satisfied I had done my job.

'What are we doing after school tonight?'

'Urm, shopping?' I suggested hopefully.

'I'm skint,' she frowned.

'And I'm loaded. I'll treat you.'

'No Hailey. I don't take money off people.'

'But you will off your best friend!'

Before we could say any more, the teacher walked into the room with a new student in tow. We all knew we were getting a new kid in today, but I don't think any of us expected what we actually saw. He was...beautiful, really. There's no other way to describe him. Almost ethereally beautiful. No human guy I know looks that good.

He seemed almost angelic in his appearance... Everything seemed light. His hair, a white blonde colour framed a pale face with bright green eyes. He was wearing a white t shirt which complimented his lean, muscular body in the most flattering ways. He smiled shyly at us all whilst we sat gawking at him. 

'This is Gabriel,' the teacher introduced and the word angel flashed through my mind once more. 

'Hi,' he murmured.

'There you are Mia,' I nudged my best friend who literally had her mouth hanging open. 'There's your new boyfriend.'

'You're joking, right?'

'Not at all. Probably don't wanna pounce on him straight away in case he turns out to be a serial killer or a nutjob. Let me get some inside scoop on him first.'

'I need a volunteer to show him around,' the teacher said, right on cue.

Naturally all of the girls in the class raised their arm but the teacher ignored them all and picked me, the only one who wasn't looking quite so desperate..

'Hailey, thank you dear. You may leave now and I'll explain to Miss Broguen why you are going to be late for your first class.'

I picked up my bag, said goodbye to Mia and listened in delight at the girls envious whispers. I led Gabriel out of the room and waited until we were out of earshot before talking to him.

'I'm Hailey,' I introduced, sticking out my hand. He took it and I ignored the reaction I had when his skin touched mine. It was normal for a girl to feel like that around a hot guy, except for this one wasn't for me. He was Mia's.

'Nice to meet you, I'm Gabriel.'

'Unusual name,' I commented.

'It is,' he rolled his eyes. 'My parents are religious though and it seemed to fit so...'

'Oh,' I began walking and he followed. 'Are you religious?'

'Not in the slightest. They try to get me to be but I'm just not interested. I'm open minded about it all though, don't get me wrong.'

'Interesting,' I mused. 'So where are you from then?'

'The South,' he replied. 'My parent's thought I'd benefit more if I was learning in a different environment.'

And so that's how we continued. Mindless chatter about things that didn't really matter. But as I found myself learning more about Gabriel, I found myself becoming intrigued. He really was like no other guy from around here and honestly, it made me determined to get to know him even more.