Dancing In The Void

An Angel.

Those were the only two words that remained as his mind went empty with sheer numbing awe and his body became a frozen statue standing in the entryway of his room. The seconds passed like an eternity, and he desperately sought an explanation of some kind, a plausible reasoning for the sight before him, but none was found.

His eyes stared blankly, soaking in the spectral radiance. The pale moonlight trickled in through the shattered window, illuminating the angelic woman that sat in his bed and reflecting in the tears that fell down her cheek. She sobbed and breathed softly. It was difficult to see more than half of her face, with her head buried in her bloody knees and with both of her arms wrapped around them as if to cover herself up. It was an unfortunately familiar posture that he knew all too well, that of a child crying out for their mother.

He gulped, daring to quietly breathe again after realizing he’d almost forgotten and his lungs were starting to give out. He was able to take a closer look, and noticed that the bloody knees were as a result of the wounds on her arms and hands. Instinctively, he yearned to help her, but his muscles refused to budge. He was completely clueless, and just kept staring in shock.

An angel was crying out in pain, strands of her long, straight, azure hair falling over her face as she trembled and shivered, and yet he could not move to help. There was no halo on her head, no divine grace or heavenly glow about her. But the gigantic silver wings that sprouted from her back were undeniable proof that she was an angel. They almost encompassed the whole length of his room as her pinions stretched wide from wall to wall. Beautiful perfect feathers of blue-ish white aligned them in row after row in a mesmerizing, hypnotic way.

Out of nowhere, a sudden gust of wind blew in through the open window, and its icy chill shot a surge of adrenaline through him. Emboldened he finally spoke, his voice barely a whisper:

“What-”

He didn’t even fully get the word out and the angel stopped weeping and rushed from his bed in a mad scramble. She was on the window ledge in an instant, just about to jump when he called to her.

“WAIT!” He yelled, taking a shuffled step forward. “W-who are you? W-what are you doing in my room? What the hell’s going on?’

The angel stopped, carefully balancing on the ledge, careful not to step on any large shards of glass. She turned her head slowly, revealing her eyes. They were pure white, iris-less eyes filled with fear, grief and despair. The two of them stared at each other for a moment that stretched on and on for what seemed like an eternity.

“I… am so sorry…” The angel said at last. Her voice was haunting and ethereal, yet at the same time comforting and calming. An unnatural sound accompanied it, an echo that reverberated deep in his ears and mind like the touch of warm honey upon his skin.

“W-what… why?” He asked.

But no answer came. Instead, a single pearly tear fell down her cheek and she jumped. He rushed to the window, trying to catch glimpses of her, but he only saw her white shadow against the blackened sky. Then came the sound of her beating wings and she flew off, vanishing into the starless sky. The moon itself disappeared alongside her, swallowed by black clouds and leaving only a somber, cold dark in their stead.

“Come on Constantine, why are you so fucking tense today?” His friend asked, startling him from his anxious trance.

“Evan I swear to god, I’m gonna punch you if you don’t stop.” Constantine said, slapping his hand away from him. He quickly reconsidered his mood and sighed, speaking with a more apologetic tone. “I… didn’t sleep well last night. I also didn’t study for the god-damn vector test, but most of all I’m worried that Nikolai hasn’t shown up yet.”

“Jeez man, you need to relax.” Evan said as he casually leaned back in his seat. “Vectors are easy. And Nikolai is probably just skipping morning classes again.”

“You’re probably right.” Constantine said with a shrug. “Can I copy your answers on the test?”

“Fuck no.”

“Why not?”

“Not my fault you stayed up all night watching horror movies instead of studying.” Evan laughed.

“How’d you know that’s what I did? Besides, its halloween time, what else should I do?” Constantine said with a smile.

“Study?” His friend answered plainly. “Also c’mon dude we’ve been friends forever, I know you better than you do… Also Nikolai texted me that you were asking for recommendations.”

That traitor… Constantine thought as he slammed his head into his books, letting out a pained groan. “I hate vectors…” He wheezed.

“Don’t forget after the test we have that biology project to work on too.” Evan said with a grin, further adding salt on the wound.

He let out an even louder, more painful groan. He turned his head towards the windows, looking out it at first, then turning his attention to his reflection in the dirty glass. Constantine Sancthos stared at his messy hair, colored its unusual natural silver shade. He ruffled it, arranging it a bit before giving himself a smile. His reflection smiled back, with its warm brown eyes and slight five o’clock shadow.

Ah god damn it, I forgot to shave again. He thought to himself. But that thought was quickly replaced by the fear of the upcoming test.

It wasn’t that he wasn’t good at math, but even since elementary school, Constantine had issues with numbers. It wasn’t anything too serious for the longest time, yet now as he reached this last year of highschool, the issues had compounded and added up.

Even so, despite his crippling laziness and procrastinatory moods, Constantine was an extremely hardworking person when he wanted to be. He wouldn’t be caught dead without giving his best, as long as it was something he truly cared and was passionate about. It was a talent he had cultivated in his youth, alongside his ability to be good around other people. He had a strange awkward charm that made others feel very safe, and Constantine’s greatest strength was that he knew how to listen to those around him. This was a skill born out of necessity during a troubled, haunted childhood.

The unpleasant memories began flooding back as if summoned by his anxiety and worry. Wisps and images flashing through his mind of his father’s angered, wild face. Following that, the sight of the candle-lit room with the torn wallpaper, and the dreaded construct in the far corner, the birthplace of his torment. The last memory that flashed through his mind was the frightful day when a self-inflicted gunshot ended his suffering.

Constantine shook himself awake, focusing back on the present and not the past.

The teacher had walked in, apparently for some time now. She had even started her lesson, and Constantine decided to give listening to it a try. They were starting a new chapter on Eastern Galliopa’s history.

“God this lecture is so boring…” Evan whispered to him, a few minutes later.

Constantine turned to his friend with a scrunched up expression in his face. Even he wasn’t entirely sure if he agreed or if he was actually somewhat enjoying the lesson and was trying to let his friend know as much.

Evan Wallace was a smart guy. Exceedingly so. Not just in an academic sense but knowledgeable about many aspects of life. He absorbed information like a sponge, but you would never know that based on first impressions. Most people’s first impressions were usually based on one of three things: his constant, humorous, jokey attitude, his unyielding, raunchy pervertedness, and his frighteningly good looks. Yes, many an eager girl and boy initially found themselves drawn in by Evan’s tall, fit stature, the locks of wild curly hair colored a deep golden nuance and the attractive sly gaze of his light yellow-brown eyes before quickly realizing the person underneath was a lot more of a clown than they thought he was. Most would quickly put him at arm's reach afterwards, or find themselves being put there by Evan himself, remaining not more than friends.

Only Constantine and Nikolai knew the real Evan, the kind and gentle soul that he hid below his arrogance and bad, inappropriate jokes. Constantine thought back to the lucky day when he met this life-long friend of his. A simple game of football in a kindergarten playground where a four-year old Evan missed a kick and hit a random new kid square in the face. One apology later, a new friendship was born.

“Do I have something on my face?” Evan asked after noticing his friend staring.

“No I’m just… staring into space… your face happens to be in the way.” Constantine said.

“Well, you could have picked worse things to stare at I guess…” His friend shrugged.

“You two back there!” The teacher snapped, annoyed at being interrupted. “You really think your conversation is worth bothering the whole class for?” She said, her thin hands on her hips.

“Yes!” Evan snapped back. A classmate quickly smacked him over the back of the head, prompting a yelp out of him. It was more an issue of being startled than being in pain. “What was that for, Kath?” He said, looking over his shoulder at his assailant.

“You’re being a rude prick, turn around and shut up.” She said, not looking back at him instead focusing on her book.

Evan coughed, successfully intimidated. He turned back to the teacher who was waiting for his response. “S-sorry.” He began. “I had something on my face. Costy was letting me know.”

The teacher wasn’t fully satisfied with the answer, but she begrudgingly accepted it, turning back to her lecture. Constantine suppressed a chuckle, as Evan curled up on his desk and looked at him with worried puppy-like eyes. The rest of the class passed uneventfully, with both of them actually straining to listen somewhat intently. As soon as the bell rang, they both rushed out of their seats and through the hallways to their next class. This was gym, one of their shared favorites. Since the gym was in a building across campus, they decided to take a couple detours. Along the way, they passed by the Deterna High Library and a few other laboratories, hoping to catch a glimpse of the missing Nikolai. No such luck befell them.

“I’m sure she’s fine.” Evan kept saying as they made it to their lockers and changed into their work-out clothes.

The ensuing work-out matched the bubbling anxiety and worry that Constantine was harboring. The intensity of it helped purge a lot of those negative feelings, leaving him pleasantly exhausted and relaxed. It started with warm-ups and stretching, as most gym classes like these are wont to, before a series of running laps around the massive gymnasium. Most kids preferred to run outside along the nature trail or the track, but as they were in the middle of autumn, the chill in the air was quite an unpleasant one. Too unpleasant for many to dare face.

Constantine’s issue was, however, that he himself hated running. Which was a ‘shame’ as many teachers told him, since he was quite good at it. He was fast, but he grew tired just as fast, especially over long distances. Still, he enjoyed the exercises, especially now as their presence helped keep his mind clear. Next came a few games, and Constantine and Evan both joined up with classmates for a fierce game of basketball.

“Oh… my… gah…” Evan said, catching his breath after the game. The two of them drifted and bumped into each other as they walked away to a resting bench. “We were so… fucking close…”

“Eh…” Constantine shook his head, wiping the slew of sweat from his forehead and hair. It was as if he just took a shower, but instead he just desperately needed one. “Well… I played like… dog-ass-shit… I really thought… I’d hit that last shot…” He said moments before collapsing and splaying out on the bench. Evan quickly pulled out a water bottle from one of the many backpacks under the bench and drank it. Once he was done he tossed it to Constantine.

“Thanks… Wait, is this yours?” He said, drinking without waiting for confirmation.

“Nah.” Evan smiled. “Nah I’m kidding, I’m kidding its mine, I'm not that much of an asshole.“

“Wouldn’t put it past you…” Constantine said, standing up and trying to recover from nearly choking on Evan’s joke.

The two of them sat the rest of the class in silence, observing the rest of their friends as each group did its own thing. Some people continued the game, others were playing some different ones, and a few were with the teachers, making up some physical exam they missed. Soon however, Constantine’s eyes drifted to the loner girl further to his left, away from the general activity of the rest of the class.

It was Katherine, the girl that smacked Evan over the head in class. She was currently performing some strange gymnastic routine, doing some weird splits, headstands, handstands, and pirouettes. Constantine was quite impressed by her precise, accurate movements as her pure snow-white, long, flowing hair billowed beautifully with her swinging dance. He was also impressed by her physique. Lithe, yet powerful and fit, with muscles pleasantly defined even though she covered a lot of herself under her yoga pants and long skin-tight shirt. He caught himself staring and decided to be tactful and look away, unlike his friend, who was practically drooling over himself as he watched her.

“Come on man.” Constantine said with slight disgust as he pushed Evan’s cheek to make him stop.

“What?” He shouted back, annoyed.

“Stop salivating over the new girl, you’re being creepy. Besides, I thought you didn’t like flat girls?”

“With an ass and legs like that? Are you kidding?” Evan continued, wide-eyed. “Look at the way she moves dude, god damn you gotta be kidding me. Her tits could be concave and I’d still-”

“Shut the fuck up please.” Constantine said, interrupting his friend with a laugh. “Its just weird, usually you’re not the one doing the staring.” Constantine gasped, as if he had a realization. “Maybe that's it! You’re intrigued by the fact that she’s not intrigued! She's been transferred here a month and she still hasn’t given you a dram of attention. Aside from that slap earlier.”

“Yeah, so what? She hasn’t given much attention to anyone really. She’s a bit of a weirdo. You know her last name’s just initials, even in the school computer system? Its just D.B. I heard some dudes theorizing that-”

“Maybe she’s just shy and bad at socializing. You should try talking to her.” Constantine suggested, not letting his friend finish that train of thought.

“You think I should?” Evan said, nearly leaping out of his seat as he did..

Constantine just laughed at him.

“Oh. Ha, fuck you.” He added with a bored look and dry voice.

“Hey dweebs.” A new voice suddenly interrupted their conversation, with both boys suddenly realizing that they were caught. “If you wanna stare at something, take a picture and stare at that, it’ll be less weird for everyone involved.” Katherine continued, having walked to the benches. She was now looking down at the two of them, with neither daring to look at her. Her voice was deep, raspy, with a subtly pleasant monotone twinge flowing through it. Constantine was first to muster up the courage and turned to her.

“Uh... yeah, we’re sorry about that.” He said, struggling to find the right words to apologize. “We were just really impressed by your dance… thing.”

“Also, taking a picture would be making it less weird?” Evan asked, almost immediately invalidating Constantine’s apology.

Katherine was silent for a second. But her angered scowl soon turned to an expression of slight confusion. “Huh. On second thought, you’re right.” She said plainly. “Can you pass me my water? Its in the bag to the right of yours.”

Evan nodded, and leaned forward, looking at the bags between his legs as he searched. Meanwhile, Constantine and Katherine were left in an awkward silence, with him looking up at her in an uncharacteristic curiosity and intensity.

“Hey, I came here to tell you to stop staring, not to give you a better view.” She said, mildly annoyed.

“Oh… s-sorry its just, somehow I never got to see your eyes until now. They’re very… cool?” He said, being careful not to offend her further. “I like your hair too, nice hime style cut.” He threw in an extra compliment for safety. Indeed, Katherine’s eyes were unlike any he had ever seen before. Her right iris had a deep blue color and her left had a black with a hint of red shade, completely unlike the other. But what was even more unusual was that her sclerae were both a dark gray, almost black color instead of white.

“Huh? These?” She said, pulling down her eyelid with a finger. “G-Genetic defects. Two of them even, how lucky for me, huh? How’s that water coming along, Evan?” She said, somewhat flustered about the attention.

That’s… lucky? Constantine thought.

“I can’t find it yo.” Evan said, sighing and throwing up his hands. “You wanna drink of mine?” He asked, offering the bottle.

“Are you gonna make it weird?” Katherine asked back.

“Maybe.”

“Then no, keep searching. Red bag, pink zippers.”

“God damn it.” Evan sighed as he leaned back down and started combing through bags much more violently this time. He stumbled onto a giant cello case stuffed deep under the bench, and recognizing it as Katherine’s he started unbuckling it.

“NO!” She yelled. In a flash, she had dashed over and kicked the case shut. Evan somehow managed to pull his hands out in time and hold them over his head, thankful to still have all his fingers.

“Jesus! I know I was being rude earlier but you don’t gotta chop my hand off!” He said.

“S-sorry.” Katherine apologized, struggling to pull her water bottle from her bag and trying to play the situation off. “I slipped.”

“It’s alright, happens.” Constantine joined in, trying to diffuse the situation. Katherine however just picked up her bottle, her bag and her cello case and bolted off, but just after a few steps she stopped and turned back.

“I… wanted to ask. You guys… friends with Nikolai right?” She asked.

Both boys nodded. “She’s his girlfriend in fact.” Evan added, pointing at Constantine. “Don’t ask me how this twerp managed something like that. I call it divine intervention.”

“Fuck you man.”

“Huh. I see. How is she? Showing up today?” Katherine asked, somewhat surprised.

“We…” Constantine began. “...Don’t really know. She’s probably just skipping classes early today. I’ll let you know if I see her.”

“That’s cool. Cool. Constantine, right? Thanks, I’ll see you two around.” She said awkwardly before dashing away for real this time.

The two were left alone on the bench to mull over what had happened. They both shrugged, and soon turned to leave as lunchtime was rapidly approaching. Evan felt the need to add a comment, clearly wounded by what had just happened:

“How come she only remembered or cared about your name…?” He mumbled, but Constantine didn’t answer him.

Instead, after a quick change of clothing the two of them were making their way back to the main school building. They separated, as each had to leave their bags in their lockers and they happened to be on different floors.

Constantine walked with a slight huff, somewhat hungry and tired after his earlier class, but he couldn’t help but smile and bump fists with some of his buddies as he passed by them. He finally made it to his locker and struggled to open the padlock because of his sweaty hands, but eventually he managed. As he tossed his bag inside, his eye caught on something on the underside of the locker door. There, he kept a veritable collection of pictures, notes, and small gifts from and of Nikolai. He tried to keep it somewhat clean and pretty, not wanting to seem too obsessive. But Nikolai, knowing his combination and often poking through his lockers for snacks or candy, seemed to enjoy it and encourage this collage. So who was he to complain?

By the looks of it, the item that caught Constantine’s eye was something that could only be there because of someone who knew his combination, and his heart leapt at the prospects. He picked up the brand new black envelope, tearing it open gently by the red cherry-sticker and immediately reading the contents within. A dumb, goofy smile crawled on his lips as he immediately folded the note in his coat pocket, and closed up everything.

He rushed through the hallway, slipping and sliding between all the other students and teachers like a bat out of hell. He went up one floor, then another, then a third, and lastly the final floor, with one final staircase waiting on the other end of it. One quick scan to make sure no grumpy rule-abiding teacher was around before he climbed those too. Pushing through the fire door and walking out onto the roof, he was greeted by the harsh light of the noon sun.

“Boo!” A scary visage jumped from behind the bulkhead, startling Constantine and making him yell in fright.

“Aah! Oh god damn it, Nikolai!” He said, breaking into a worried laugh as he calmed himself. “You fucking scared me!”

“I know that was the point!” She continued, not yet taking the realistic goat skull mask on her face. “Do you like? I think it will be great for Halloween this year!”

Constantine laughed. “Is that why you skipped school this morning, Niko?”

“Yeah! You know I saw this mask in the window of that halloween shop on third street and I couldn’t risk it getting sold out. That place gets packed like every week before halloween…” She said with excitement in her voice, rambling on about the rest of the morning as Constantine listened to her. Her voice had a soothing, sultry smugness in its intonation, alongside a deep, powerful raspiness to it, like the voice of a heavy smoker. But cigarettes were not the fault of this voice, instead the truth lied beyond a much more sorrowful reason. Constantine walked up to her slowly and took off her mask despite her initial protests.

“Hello, Cherry.” He said softly to the woman he loved all too dearly.

Nikolai Isaga, or “Cherry” as only Constantine dared lovingly calling her, was a gorgeous young girl, with pristine black hair that flowed down over her shoulders and further down to her waist. She was dressed in the usual school uniform combo of a white shirt and blue skirt, although she wore a single nylon thigh-high over her left leg, one that matched the long nylon armglove she wore over her left hand.

Constantine brushed aside a few strands of her hair, gently rubbing her pale skin and staring into her singular cerulean right eye with a smile. She blushed at him looking at her so intensely and gave him a shy smile back. He felt relieved, her alluring smile always overjoyed him. She was beautiful beyond his words, but her beauty was like that of a shattered porcelain finery that had been repaired. Whole once more, but the scars forever there.

The left side of her body was covered in dark red burn scars, ‘coiling on her like a serpent’ as she would often describe them. They began from her foot up across her leg, her waist and stomach, over her left breast and under her arm. There, it seemed to spiral across her entire limb all the way to her fingers, where it would spiral back and over her shoulder. The head of the snake, as she called it, moved across her neck all the way up to her left eye. A red, blinded eye that she kept hidden behind a medical eyepatch with the design of a flaming rose on it. It was her decision, a choice she made born of the desire to accept and overcome the dreadful event that caused her pain, her mutilation, her loss.

During a holiday trip to the mountains, her family’s cabin caught on fire by accident. She was the only one to escape the gruesome flames, though not unscathed, as her parents and older sister were trapped inside and unable to be saved. By some miracle, the seven year-old Nikolai survived the hunger and cold in time to be rescued, and her life was forever changed.

But time, and the close company of her dearest friends, Constantine and Evan, had allowed her life to prosper. And now, the happier memories of the present day were all the young couple were preoccupied with. That and each other’s tongues.

“Mmnm-muah, okay, okay relax you dork.” Nikolai said with a cheeky smile as she broke away from their intense kiss.

“Mmm, but I don’t wannaaaa. I missed you today.” Constantine said as he gently pulled her in by waist.

“I didn’t call you on the roof to make out!” She giggled.

“What did you call me for?” He asked, mewling like a puppy.

“Lunch!” She said excitedly as she pointed to her purse-bag resting against the rooftop railings.

Constantine’s immediate grumbling stomach reminded him just how hungry he actually was. He sat there for a few moments, watching Nikolai as she walked away, arranging some of the nearby lounging chairs closer to a small wooden table. He wanted to help her, he knew he should, but he was completely mesmerized by the sight of her in the bright sunlight, the beauty of her smile shining even more intensely than all the rays.

He managed to pry his eyes off of her for a few moments, and turn to the tall buildings and blockhouses behind her. Deterna was a beautiful riverside city, a jewel on the expansive Danaway River. The harbor was constantly busy with the sounds of dozens of ships ready to dock and deliver their endless cargo, while a dozen more ships were always ready to leave, and take their exports upriver to Gausville or Brenwood. While the highschool building wasn’t particularly tall, far in the distance he could see the river if he strained his sight, and the giant harbor district if he strained a bit more.

The one thing that was visible clear as day from almost anywhere in the city however, was the Grand Lighthouse, one of the city’s greatest monuments. Built out of a white marble material on top of one of the riverside cliffs, the “White Column” as the lighthouse was nicknamed, was a tall, sparkling beacon for all. Ships and Captains did not rely on its light much nowadays, but it was still symbolically lit every night, lighting up the dark skies over the river. Now during the peak of the day, it was turned off.

“You gonna eat from, there?” She called out once she had set the table, waking him from his intense stare.

“Urgh, right!” He said. With a goofy pep in his stride, he rushed over and sat down, enjoying a wonderful home cooked meal in great company. “Let’s see what you made!” He said, digging in.

“Toasted sandwiches with fresh pesto and that cheese you like from Old Max’s shop, no tomatoes for you cause I know you hate them-” Nikolai began.

“Yep, soft, squishy, jelly-like texture, hate those things.” Constantine interrupted to add to her sentence.

“Right, dork. Not too spicy either cause I know you’re a pasty white guy without taste-”

“Now that’s just mean.”

“-But I love you nonetheless.” She smiled smugly before making a quick kissy face in his direction. “For drinks I got some lattes for both and lastly for dessert, I got our favorites. A chocolate éclair for you, and some chocolate dipped cherries for me!”

“God aren’t you just the sweetest cherry of them all.” Constantine said, beaming. Nikolai gave him a shove to try and get him to stop, but the blush on her face proved how effective his compliment really was. The two then began to eat, chatting about their day in between bites.

“Y’know.” Constantine brought up after some time. “That new girl… mrnch… She asked about you in gym today.”

“Who? New girl? You mean Katherine?” Nikolai asked.

“Yeah that’s her.”

“What’d she want?” She continued, trying to decipher what she could possibly desire from her.

“I don’t really know… she just kinda acted all awkwardly with us and then bailed.” He said, reaching for his drink. “Though to be fair, that was kinda our fault for checking her out so blatantly…” He blurted without thinking, to his immediate regret.

“You did what now?” Nikolai said, her voice suddenly icy cold.

“Uh… nah I mean, don’t worry you’re like, way hotter than her, your boobs are like way bigger!” He said, desperately trying and failing to salvage the situation. He couldn’t help but giggle in fear as Nikolai yanked him by the collar and pulled him close to her face. He looked up at her in silence for a few seconds, her eye an indecipherable ocean of intimidation and fear.

“You’re lucky you’re a cute little dork you know that?” She said, softly, and seductively.

“T-thanks… no uh… sorry. Won’t happen again.” Constantine said with a gulp and a nod. “I mean, if you were there I woulda checked you out instead I mean… oh… I’m just… gonna finish the wonderful food you got me… and be quiet… I love you…” He awkwardly rambled on, much to Nikolai’s amusement.

Some twenty minutes later, after they both finished their food and their conversation, they stood up, deciding it was time to go back to class.

“Ghh… we have that math test now.” Constantine bemoaned himself as they walked to the door.

“You didn’t study?” Nikolai asked.

”I was… watching horror movies…”

“You dumbass, I told you to watch one and then study for the night!”

“You cannot possibly be chastising me after you skipped morning classes to buy a mask!” He shouted back, earning himself a friendly punch in the shoulder. “Ouch!”

“That’s what you get for - oh no.” She said, suddenly worried.

Crdink, crdink, went the roof door.

“What…? OUCH!” Constantine cried out as he got punched a second time. “Heh, what was that for?” He chuckled.

“You forgot to prop the door open!” Nikolai pouted, trying to seem angry but only being awfully cute instead.

Constantine laughed. “Oops, I’ll text Evan real quick.”

“Tell him to move it.”

Constantine smiled, and put his phone away after he was finished.“While we wait… wanna continue what we were doing before lunch?” Constantine cooed, sliding himself closer to Nikolai and seductively grabbing her by the waist.

She huffed, and rolled her eyes. She thought about refusing and playing along for a bit, but in truth, she probably wanted to kiss him more than he did. “Like I could refuse you…” She said, jumping and wrapping her arms around his neck before pressing her red lips against his. The kiss was intense, burning with fiery passion. The two of them slowly moved to the bulkhead, taking shelter from the harsh sunlight beneath a small sunroof. But before they did, Constantine soaked in the sight of her beautiful, gorgeous face in the sunlight. She looked divine. Their fun ended all too quickly however, as some ten minutes later, Evan slammed the door open and caught them in the act.

“Well if it isn't my favorite breakfast duo, Bacon and Eggs, fancy meeting you here. Guess I can’t jump off the roof today, damn.” He smirked as he held the door wide by the handle. “What, did you two lovebirds forget to keep the door open?”

“Hiya pricklord, feel free to eat my ass.” Nikolai greeted him warmly.

“That’s his job, not mine.” Evan struck back, nodding towards Constantine.

“You can eat my ass too.” Constantine laughed.

“Damn, what a deal. Two for the price of one? Makes it hard to refuse even.” Evan said, rolling his eyes. “This is the love I get for coming to your rescue? Hmpf. Maybe I should let you both up here…” He said, cheekily closing the door before Nikolai rushed and caught it. When Evan opened the door with a laugh Nikolai greeted him with a flurry of friendly jabs to his shoulder, making him laugh and snort even harder.

“You would dare!” She accused.

“I totally would!” He admitted.

“Face it Evan, we all know the only reason you wanna leave so badly is cause you’re a scaredy-cat.” Nikolai said, moving past him and making her way down the stairs. Constantine and then Evan soon followed.

“Hey don’t make fun of me for being sensible and not liking the roof…” He said, his body shuddering as he took one last look out on the terrace before shutting the door.

The three of them then sprinted down the hallways, realizing they were late for class. They made it in time, as the teacher was barely starting to hand out the test papers. Lucky for them, as Miss Gertrude had a tendency to not allow anyone in or out during test time. She berated them slightly for being late, but allowed them to sit down.

“Good luck!” Evan and Nikolai wished each other in tandem, but Constantine just spaced out as he silently peered over the paper in front of him.

I am so… god-damned FUCKED! He yelled in his mind.

An hour and a half passed. An hour and a half of brutal, agonizing turmoil, as Constantine desperately fought with every neuron in his brain for a crumb of information or a pathway to any sort of solutions to the problems on that damned piece of paper. He sat there, straight against his chair staring blankly in front of him. Nikolai and Evan crowded around him after the test, trying to wake him from his catatonic state. Even a few other classmates gathered around, trying to see what was going on.

“Is he dead?” One of them asked.

“Nah. Naah.” Evan answered quickly.

“But right now he probably wishes he was…” Nikolai added as a worried follow-up. “Hey Hani, you okay?”

“Alright, alright you guys can give him some space now.” Evan continued, clearing away the growing crowd.

“I think I failed… royally.” Was all the poor guy could say without crumbling on the floor. His friends gave him some compassionate pats on the back before getting ready for the last few classes of the day. They passed like a blur. Constantine woke up as if from a dream and found himself looking out the classroom window again.

Its already dark…

“It gets so dark so early nowadays.” Nikolai said out of the blue. It was an eerie coincidence, as if she somehow read his mind, but Constantine didn’t really pay it any mind. “Hey babe. You feeling better? You were kinda quiet for a while there.”

“Hmm? Oh yeah I was just, recollecting myself.” He said, his voice noticeably quieter and more relaxed.

“Can’t be losing your shit over a test dude. Relax, I’m sure you got a pass at least.” Evan said, joining their conversation without looking up from his book.

“Oh what the test? No, I don't really care about it anymore.”

Nikolai and Evan both looked incredulously at each other, and both, in tandem, exclaimed: “Denial.”

“I hate both of you. Have I ever mentioned that?” Constantine said with a deadpan expression on his face before bursting into laughter. “Whatever, let's go home. I’m tired.”

The three of them cleaned up the last of their books and notes, and made their way to their respective lockers for the last time that day. Not a single one of them could have imagined for a moment that it would actually be the last time they would run through those halls, the last time they would bump into their friends and chat about random topics, or indeed, the last time they would struggle at least three times putting the combination into the padlock before they got the right one. They all rushed around with joyous smiles on their faces, saying goodbye to their friends and acquaintances, turning in any last piece of work to the respective teachers and finally meeting in the campus plaza, by the Mermaid Statue fountain. Once complete, the trio made its way down towards the southern district of Deterna, where they all lived in somewhat close proximity. Evan lived the farthest, so after about thirty minutes of walking, he had to turn in a different direction.

“Alright guys, that was a fun day.” He said as they took a quick pause.

“It really was.” Constantine answered, while Nikolai just nodded and kept sipping her latte. “Bye Evan! See ya Sunday!” both of them said, waving at him as he walked away down the dimly lit avenue.

“Don’t forget to work on the biology project for monday, fucker. Remember last time? You made me do like half of your work!” Evan shouted back to his friends, specifically towards Constantine.

“You’re making stuff up, I don’t remember that.” Constantine said, sticking out his tongue and scratching the side of his head. Nikolai laughed and rolled her eyes.

“You little…” They heard him say but the rest of the sentence went unheard, as he was too far by now. He did however yell out one final: “Alright, see ya guys!”

“Hey Nikolai, mind if I walk you home?” Constantine said, spinning on his heels towards her. He had walked her home nearly every day for the past couple months, yet he still greatly enjoyed the act of asking her.

“Of course not, darling!” She responded, a wide smile creeping across her face as she gave her lover a warm hug and a smooch on the cheek. It was chilly that evening, and her coat wasn’t the most weather-appropriate. Still, pressing herself against him warmed her plenty, especially as they made their way to her apartment complex. The long, peaceful and comfortable walk came to an end, and the two turned to say their goodbyes. As was customary by now, they shared one final kiss for the day, and it was the longest and most passionate one of them all. Although neither wanted to be the first to break it, eventually, they both paused.

“Okay, that’s enough.” She said with a smile, and a flick of her tongue. “Bye Hani!” She added, running up the stairs of her building and unwillingly, or perhaps willingly, giving Constantine a pleasant view of her skirt as she did. He chuckled, and waved at her. His mind lingered on that image the rest of the way home.

His pleasant mood was unfortunately viciously soured as he reached his neighborhood and noticed that the entire grid, not just his block, was having a blackout.

“God-damned elevators and damned electricity.” Constantine cursed to himself as he climbed all the way to the tenth floor of his building in the thick, inky blackness with only his phone flashlight to guide him.

The climb was arduous, tiring, and worst of all: boring. But Constantine kept quietly walking, thinking about the events of the day. First and foremost he thought about the test, and just how awfully he did on it. Then he thought of Evan, and the biology project. He came up with some interesting ideas and the shiver of excitement of putting them into fruition began to crawl through him. Lastly, as he was reaching his apartment, he thought of Nikolai. Of how his heart fluttered like crazy whenever he thought of her, and how by some miracle he managed to keep his composure enough to not turn into a blubbering idiot around her. He sighed.

Maybe I can move in with her, or she with me. He thought as he opened the door. This apartment feels so empty and alone sometimes, reminds me of...

But the thought remained unfinished, as the deafening sound of something shattering froze him in his tracks in the middle of the hallway. A cold sweat overwhelmed him.

Did one of the vases fall? He wondered, but pushed the thought away quickly. It would have been quite the timing for a vase to fall as soon as he stepped inside. His mind raced, trying to think of anything that could cause such a loud banging in his room. The noises continued, though he couldn't understand them, as in his panic they were drowned by the deafening sound of his thumping heart.

Finally, he decided the only thing that made sense was that it was a burglar or an intruder of some kind. Why would they decide to break into an apartment on the tenth floor was a question he had no time to ponder. Instead, he managed to unfreeze himself at last and take off his backpack, slowly putting it on the floor. He sought a weapon, and quickly found and grabbed the umbrella on the coat rack. Quiet as a phantom, he moved through the empty rooms of his home checking inside one by one, until he reached his bedroom. There, he felt all the warmth in his body leave him as his eyes went wide at the sight before him:

An Angel.