Falling (The Falling Angels Saga) by E. Van Lowe

will not stay away. You’re mine, morning breath and all,” he said, leaning toward me and puckering up, trying to pull my hand from my mouth.
    “No way, José!” I said, brushing his hand away. I leaped out of bed, laughing, and headed for the bathroom.
    “So let me get this straight,” he called after me. “You snore, you talk in your sleep, and you have bad breath. I don’t know, Amanda, I think I’m getting ripped off.” The sarcasm coming my way was the source of more laughter.
    “Tough luck. All sales are final,” I called back. “I’m yours, remember?” I went in the bathroom and closed the door behind me. I leaned back against it, allowing the feeling of joy our playful conversation had conjured to wash over me. It lingered, like an expensive perfume. I was happier than I’d been in a long time. Guy and I seemed to have picked up right where we left off. I felt so good.
    I could tell from how rested I was that Satan hadn’t visited me during the night. I didn’t know if he’d tried, but if he had, he hadn’t succeeded. This revelation was more confirmation that a life with Guy still might be possible.
    Despite wanting to spend the day with him, it was a school morning, and I had a big day ahead of me. Guy must have sensed that I had to leave because when I came out of the bathroom, he was gone. I was disappointed he hadn’t waited around, at least to say good bye, but at the same time, I was relieved. It would have been hard telling him I had to go.
    I showered and dressed, singing the entire time. I can’t remember when’s the last time I’d burst into song, but that morning I did. When I got downstairs, sure enough, Chief Obi was still in our entryway. Thoughts of Tony and my mother arguing over him brought a smile to my face. They were a lot like Guy and me. A fun couple. I couldn’t wait to tell Suze that Guy was back. I was anxious for Guy to meet Tony. I knew they’d hit it off.
    The last time I thought Guy had returned I chose not to tell Suze. But for some reason, I didn’t have the same fear as last time. I wasn’t afraid that Guy would up and leave.
    When I got outside, Guy’s Mustang was sitting at the curb in front of the house. Guy was behind the wheel wearing a pair of sexy Ray Bans and a clean white tee.
    “Taxi,” he called as I started up the walk.
    Images of Orthon pushed their way into my thoughts. When I believed he was Guy, I had wondered why he’d chosen to ride a motorcycle instead of driving his own car. It was another signal that should have tipped me that he was an imposter.
    I grinned at Guy and got in the car. “I hope you’ll accept a bus pass for my fare, ‘cause that’s all I got.”
    “A bus pass isn’t quite enough for a taxi of this caliber,” Guy said, once again smiling his smile. “You’ll need to throw in something a little extra.”
    “Like a school book?” I asked, making my voice sound very naive. I fastened my seatbelt.
    “No. You’ll need your books for school. We’ll figure something out. Don’t worry about it,” he said, winking at me as he put the car in gear.
    Our drive to school was the perfect time to catch him up on much of what had happened in my life during his absence. I’d forgotten what a great listener Guy could be. By the time we pulled into the school parking lot, I was certain I had bored him to death with talk of my actions over the last few months—but he needed to get caught up. I looked out the window at my fellow classmates entering the building, and my mood instantly darkened as thoughts of what I had to do came to light.
    “What’s wrong?” Guy asked, sensing the change in me, his dreamy eyes softening.
    I sighed. “I’m dreading telling Ashley that I’ve decided to run against her in the school election.”
    “If you’re dreading it, maybe you shouldn’t run. You can still change your mind, can’t you?”
    “Yes,” I said smiling. Guy always asked the right questions. “I’ve thought about