Do you believe in Angels?

“You’re so silly!” Clara giggled as she elbowed her best-friend who was lying next to her on the grass.1

“No. I’m serious!” Jay laughingly insisted as he elbowed her back. “There’s gotta be something beyond those stars. Why do you think they glitter and shine like that? And I’m telling you it’s probably Angels.”2

“Really?” Clara mockingly squinted at the dark blue sky. “Cuz all I see are white shiny dots.”3

“That’s what makes it so magical.” Jay said, ignoring her sarcasm. “Not being able to see it. But feeling it and knowing something’s out there… watching over us. That’s why people feel safer on starry nights.”4

The thirteen year old girl couldn’t stop her mind from drifting to her mother who was suffering from a coma and currently lying on a hospital bed.5

“Jay?”6

The seriousness in her tone caused him to turn away from the sky and look at her. “Yeah?”7

“Do you think Angels are watching over my mom?”8

“Yeah… of course. Angels watch over those who need them the most.”9

“Do you think they’ll protect her?”10

He smiled at her. “I most certainly do.”11

The blonde girl’s grey eyes lit up with the slightest bit of hope and just as the corners of her lips twitched upwards to smile back at him they were both called in by their parents.12

Jay was sent home, before Clara’s dad sat her down to talk to her.13

“Honey I have some bad news”14

**********15

Three years later.16

Barbara a green eyed girl with flowing dark ha8ir was reading in the cafeteria while her two other friends talked over their lunch.17

“Hey you” She looked up to find a tall skinny girl with dark hair standing over her, with a gang of friends with her. “You’re in our spot.”18

“It’s a cafeteria” said Jay, who happened to be one of Barbara’s friends. “It’s everybody’s spot.”19

“How cute.” hissed the tall dark haired girl. “one loser sticking up for another.”20

“More like pathetic.” Clara spat stepping forward. Her icy grey eyes scanned the three who were seated at the table. “Leave now, if you don’t want any trouble.”21

As if her threat wasn’t strong enough, she moved her hand over the table, toppling a bottle over so that its content spilled all over the girls books.22

Barbara squealed and Clara and the gang burst out laughing.23

“oops.” She said primly as she eyed the girl desperately grabbing her dampened books.24

“Was that really necessary?” Jay felt a steady rise in his temper.25

“Let’s just go.” The green-eyed girl timidly urged. “please.”26

“Fine.” He angrily grabbed his tray. “C’mon Tony.”27

The gang smirked triumphantly as the three left the table.28

Jay stopped in front of Clara, “What’s wrong with you?”29

His dark eyes bored into hers and he saw nothing. The warm connection they once had was long gone, all that was there was icy greyness.30

“I know this joker isn’t trying to talk to me.” She mocked coldly while the dark haired girl scoffed. “Keep walking loser, before you make me barf.” 31

Jay sauntered off wondering how her words could still hurt after three years.32

***********33

Clara had just shoved the last of her books into her locker when her friend Jodie (The dark haired girl) called her. 34

“We’re heading over to Alex’s you coming?”35

“It’s Wednesday Jodie.” She reminded and the Jodie’s face grew solemn.36

“Right.” She said. “See you tomorrow then.”37

“Later.”38

Clara opened her locker to take one last glance at her mother’s picture and closed it back with a pained sigh. She left the school building and headed for the grave-yard. Jay, who saw the whole thing, followed her.39

Clara hugged herself as the wind grew chilly.40

“I could lend you my jacket.”41

Startled by the voice, she gasped and turned to find Jay walking next to her. Her expression turned into one of disgust. Her arms dropped to her sides and her demeanor became guarded.42

“You creep are you stalking me?”43

“Stalking you?” He gave her an incredulous look. “Clara we used to walk home from school together everyday!”44

“The fact you can’t seem to let that go is even creepier!” She stated. “Now go away”45

She quickened her pace and Jay quickened his to keep up. 46

“Clara please.” He begged. “Why won’t you just listen?”47

“Go away.”48

“We used to be best-friends!”49

“For Christ’s sake Jay that was in the past!” She cried as she stopped walking and turned to face him. “Let it go.”50

“You’re the one to talk!” He yelled back. “Why don’t you do yourself a favor and take your own advice.”51

She looked up at him with a stunned expression on her face. 52

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She croaked and began walking faster.53

“Yeah you do.” He walked on to keep up. “You never forgave me did you?.. for building up your hopes only for it to come crashing down minutes after.”54

“Shut up.” She growled.55

“That may be true.” He continued. “But Clara it’s not my fault she died!”56

“Jay just shut the hell up!”57

“That’s what all this attitude is about isn’t it?” He carried on. “That’s why you pretend to be this mean arrogant person, that’s why you suddenly stopped talking to me!”58

Clara turned and shoved him as hard she could causing him to stagger back. “Screw you! Stop talking like you know me. You have no idea what I’ve been through. You. Don’t. know. Me.”59

“You’re right I have no idea what it’s like to lose a mother.” His eyes bored into hers as he edged closer to her. “But I do know what it’s like to loose someone you love.”60

His chocolate brown eyes bored meaningfully into hers and just when he thought she was about to budge, she scoffed and looked away.61

“I’ve had it with your crazy talk, I’m outta here.”62

Without looking, she abruptly turned to cross the street.63

“Clara!” He called. “Clara wait!”64

But she ignored him. By the time she realized why he was calling her, she was already half way across the street, and the car gave a horrifying screech as it headed straight for her.65

She felt herself being pushed away but it was too late. Both she and her rescuer were hit, but she received less of the impact.66

*********67

Clara woke up on a hard uncomfortable bed with all sorts of tubes inserted into her wrists. Her mind was fuzzy and vision blurred.68

“Where am I” was the first question that came to her mind.69

“What the hell happened?” was the second.70

The people fussing and talking over her didn’t help the situation. After a couple of seconds passed, she realized they were doctors and she was in a hospital.71

The car!72

She remembered the sound Jay’s voice, telling her to stop. The recalled the impact of someone pushing her right before she was hit.73

Idiotic loser.74

Jay was so capable of a bone head move like that.75

Through the fussing doctors and nurses in scrubs and face masks, she was able to catch the sight of a second stretcher being rolled beside her. Doctors and nurses fussed over that stretcher too.76

Jay…77

It wasn’t easy, but she did all she could to have a clear vision of the person in it; to find out if it was Jay and how badly he’d been hurt.78

After moving and turning her head to and fro, squinting between the doctors, she could finally see. She could see… blonde hair? Her brows creased in puzzlement as she looked into a familiar pair of grey eyes. Her heart caught in her throat.79

“M-mom?” She croaked.80

The woman lying on the other stretcher smiled lovingly. “Hi honey”81

**********82

At that moment it was like just Clara and her mom were alone in the room. Both lying on stretchers and staring at the other.83

Confusion was written all over Clara’s eyes. Her mom looked so unreal. Her skin glowed. Her blonde hair looked like spun gold. Her grey eyes shimmered.84

“But- I don’t understand… you’re dead.” Saying it hurt her like the first time she found out.85

“I’m… away” Her mom smiled. “Now this is about you.”86

“Me?”87

“You’re the one living a life now honey.” She smiled sadly. “And I have to say, am a bit disappointed by some of the turns you taken.”88

Anger rose within Clara. “Disappointed? You left! So don’t tell me about taking a wrong turns! What I did was get by!... without you”89

Her mom sat up in her stretcher and with an intense look in her similarly grey eyes. “I didn’t leave you! You know I would never willingly leave my baby. It was time for me to go, I had no say.”90

Clara lowered her eyes. “I know. I just felt… abandoned.”91

“Oh sweetie you aren’t!” Her mom smiled. “I’m watching over you everyday… and I get the flowers bring me every Wednesday, they’re beautiful.”92

Clara smiled tearfully.93

“And that’s why I’m here now. To take care of you before you make any more mistakes”94

Clara’s brows knitted together in puzzlement. “Mistakes?”95

“Sweetie when you feel like you’ve lost someone, you should surround yourself with people who love you… not push them away.”96

Clara knew what her mom was talking about and lowered her head blushingly. “Jay was just a friend mom…”97

“Clara Marie Brown he was more than a friend!” She took on that stern tone that was oh-so familiar to Clara. “You should be ashamed of the way you treated that boy!”98

“We grew apart.” She claimed weakly.99

“We both know that’s nonsense” Her mom insisted. “You two were inseparable!”100

“He lied to me mom” Clara wailed feeling like that same thirteen year old girl again. “He told me the angels would protect you!”101

“Oh Clara.” Her tone of voice and eyes softened instantly. “They did. Can’t you see that?”102

Clara stubbornly shook her head.103

“Didn’t you hear what I just said?” She said softly. “I’m away… not dead. I watch over you. I get your flowers… I’m sitting right in front of you now, looking better than ever. Who do you think made that happen?”104

Clara eyes were now starry, “Who?”105

“The Angels.” Her mother smiled. “They protected me.”106

Clara’s eyes lit up with realization107

“Only time will decide that poor boy’s fate.” Her mom continued. “If he lives, remember he never gave up on you for three years, he jumped in front of a moving car for you. If he dies, well, always remember that he’s with me and the Angels are protecting him too.”108

Clara felt a wild burst of emotions; guilt, hurt, love and an overwhelming longing for her best-friend.109

“Mom…” She sobbed. 110

“I don’t want him to leave. He doesn’t have to stay with the Angels” She cried frantically. “I want him to be with me”111

“Mom? Mom!”112

************113

Clara opened her eyes to find herself on the stretcher with doctors and nurses fussing over her again. The room was back to normal. She quickly turned to her right. Relief flooded her as she saw the same stretcher beside her.114

“Mom?” She said causing a sharp pain in her neck and reminding her that she was also hit by the car. 115

“Mom!” She ignored that pain and the hands of the fussing doctors until she could finally see the person lying on the stretcher next to hers. Her whole being froze.116

It wasn’t her mom. It was Jay lying still as ever. There was so much blood… He clothes were stained and covered in it, but his face was so pale and blank. His eyes were closed as though he were asleep and would not be waking up anytime soon. Clara’s breath caught in her throat. No…117

She watched as they rolled him away into the operation room.118

“Jayyy…” She cried out weakly, before falling into an unconsciousness of her own.119

Clara woke up to find her dad sitting over her. He looked like he’d been crying. It’s a horrifying feeling to be on the verge of losing an only daughter right after losing a wife.120

“You’re finally awake.”121

“Dad…” Clara muttered, her voice thick with sleep. “What…”122

Then here eyes widened as she remembered. “Jay! Dad what happened to him? Is he?”123

“Relax Clara… I’m right here.”124

She turned to find her best-friend lying in the bed next to hers. They were sharing a room. She overwhelmed with relief as she looked at him and he smiled back at her.125

Her dad seeing something more than friendship in his daughter’s and her friend’s eyes said, “I’ll leave you two alone for a while.”, and excused himself.126

She lay there looking at him. He was alive! To think she almost lost him, just when she began to appreciate him. How painful it would have been.127

“Er Clar?” His voice still sounded rather weak. “You’re staring. Now who’s being creepy?”128

“You were just knocked into next week by a car and you still remember that?”129

He sighed. “It’s kinda hard to forget the stuff that hurts you.”130

Clara felt overwhelmed with guilt. “Jay…” Her voice shook. “I’m so sorry…”131

Alarmed by the shakiness of her voice, he sat up. “No C. its fine. You were hurting you too.”132

With-out hesitating she removed the needles from her wrists and got up from her bed.133

“Hey! What are you doing?”134

“I’m so sorry.” She said walking over to his bed and sitting at the edge of it. “For everything.”135

“It’s fine” He said wiping her tears. “Really, so it took a car to knock you back to your senses, What matters is that you’re here now.”136

Clara laughed tearfully “Move over.”137

“On second thought,” Jay shifted so she could sit more comfortably. “It did take three years, so you’re gonna have to do something quite extra-ordinary to make it up to me,”138

“Hmm…” Clara smiled cheekily at him. “Like this?”139

With that, she leaned over and pressed her lips softly against his. Jay closed his eyes instantly swept away by the feel of her soft lips. What he dreamt of as a young teenager was finally coming true. How he missed that mysterious raspberry scent of hers. He savored the feel of her blonde hair tickling his cheeks.140

“God I missed you.” He whispered with his eyes closed after she pulled away.141

“You won’t have to from now on.” She promised as she lay back and snuggled close to him.142

“You know, now I’m glad I got run over by that car if that was what it took to get you to start talking to me again” He said half seriously half jokingly as they cuddled on the small hospital bed.143

Touched by his statement she said, “Trust me, it took more than that.”144

He gave her a puzzled look. “Like what?”145

“Well” She started dreamily as she recalled the divine image of her mom,“Do you believe in Angels?”146