Angel in the Shadows, Book 1 by Lisa Grace (Angel Series) by Lisa Grace

is Mandy. I’ve never kept
a secret from her before. She knows all about Seth. How can I not
talk to her about seeing angels? She would believe me; but would it
put her in danger? Would it put her soul in danger? Am I just being
weak and selfish wanting to share this with her? I have so much to
think and pray about. I hope God is listening. Even more than that,
I hope He feels like answering.

CHAPTER 4 - BACK HOME
    Mom and Max, my little brother, come to pick me
up. Mom asks, “Did you have fun?” Why do Moms always ask the
obvious questions?
    “Of course,” I say. I give her a hug.
    “Was that boy you like, Seth, there?”
    “Yes, Mom,” Max starts making kissy noises so I
smack him and say, “Cut it out, grow up.”
    Mom says, “Don’t hit your little brother.” She
pops the trunk for me to put my duffle bag in. So far, everything
feels normal. I say goodbye to Carrie and give hugs to some of the
kids before we head out of the parking lot to go home.
    “Did you bring my cell phone?” I ask.
    “No.”
    “Aw. I wanted to call Mandy and see what she’s
up to.”
    “You’ll just have to wait until you get home,
all of ten minutes.”
    “No Mom, we gotta stop for milk,” Max says.
    Mom talks without taking her eyes off the road,
“So tell me about camp.”
    I try to think of something she might find
interesting that doesn’t involve my relationship with Seth or
Zadok.
    “Oh yeah. Seth, Jackson, and I got to save this
girl from drowning. She went under and we towed her back
unconscious and Zad… I mean Mr. Z. and I had to give her CPR and
she’s okay now.”
    “No way,” Max says, “You’re making it up.”
    “No, I’m not,” I say. “I did the chest
compressions.”
    Mom replies while driving, “I’m sure your
sister’s exaggerating a little bit.”
    “No I’m not. Ask Mr. Steve.”
    Why do parents always think kids aren’t telling
the truth? My feelings are hurt that my own Mom doesn’t believe me.
They wonder why we don’t come to them more often. This is exactly
why I can’t tell her about Seth. She’ll just think it’s some kind
of puppy love thing and try to diminish the way I feel. I for sure
can’t tell her I see angels. She’d have me in counseling tomorrow
and ground me for telling a lie.
    Sometimes I hate being fifteen; it’s such an
in-between phase. Old enough to learn how to drive, but not old
enough to drive by yourself. Old enough to like boys, but not quite
old enough to go on a date. Old enough to do all the testing for
college, but not old enough to go. Old enough to have a period and
get pregnant, but not old enough to have a serious relationship. I
want to tell her about the Busch Garden’s trip, but I think I’ll
wait until Seth calls. Maybe if Mom speaks to his mom, she’ll let
me go. I try to think of something that will freak her out that
doesn’t include my seeing angels or demons.
    “I put a snake in Robby’s cot. He’s a counselor,
too. He screamed like a girl. It was so funny,” Max starts laughing
and making girly screeching noises.
    Mom says, “Now why would you do that? That
wasn’t very nice. I hope they made you apologize to him.”
    I just shake my head. She just doesn’t get it. I
hope when I’m a mom I remember what it’s like to be my age. As soon
as I get home I text Mandy. We plan a call for after eight so we
can talk without her mom listening in. I can tell her everything
about Seth and me, and she can catch me up on what’s happened to
her while I was gone. During our phone call we make plans to go to
the mall tomorrow. We both need clothes for school and our moms
give us a budget to do some shopping on our own. They’re both busy
with work and don’t really have the time to take us anyway. The
rule at my house is I have to show my mom the receipts for the
things I buy. She can take back anything that doesn’t meet with her
approval.
    Mandy says, “Wait till you see how I look.
You’re not going to believe it!”
    I know