Keeping it Real by Annie Dalton

angel girl,” Brice commented. “You were in the depths of despair last night.”
    “I feel great!” I bubbled. “I’ve figured out why Michael sent me. I was just walking along and - I totally saw what I have to do!”
    “Let me guess!” he said in a sarky tone. “You’re going to flit between your mates, beaming pretty vibes, until all of a sudden they rush to one another’s homes, kiss and make up. And little Mel goes back to Heaven tired but happy because her work on Earth is done.”
    I felt like he’d hit me. For a moment I just stared at him in shock, then I just saw red. “Ooh, silly me, wanting to help my friends!” I flashed. “Brice, you do realise those girls are in bits !”
    “So?” he said coldly. “You’re an angel, not their agony aunt.”
    “And you’re a heartless pig!”
    “At least I’m not living in La-la land! You might want to at least stop and think, darling, before you flit off to play good fairy.”
    “Brice, what the sassafras is there to think about! Michael sent me here to help my friends!”
    He’d got that pale, pinched look he gets when he’s angry. “You’re absolutely sure about that? There couldn’t possibly be any more to your mission than saving your precious girls?”
    He finally noticed Jools frantically shaking her head and abruptly walked out of the room. Jools went after him and I heard them arguing in low voices.
    I was trembling from Brice’s attack. This is so typical of that boy , I thought shakily. You just decide you can trust him then he publicly humiliates you. OK, so his good-fairy crack had come a teeny bit too close, but did he have to be so mean.
    I decided I wasn’t going to talk to Brice again, ever.
    When it seemed like the coast was clear, I ran up to get my bag.
    On my way upstairs, I glimpsed Delphine watching the TV monitors with a glazed expression, but as I hurtled back down, I saw the door had been closed.
    I heard Jools’ worried voice. “How do you tell someone something like that?”
    “You can’t,” Delphine murmured sympathetically. “I’m sure you’re doing the right thing.”
    I didn’t like to barge in on a private EA chat, so I left without saying anything to anyone.
    Outside it was sleeting again, and I quickly pulled up my furry parka hood. I don’t care what that creep thinks, I told myself, shivering. I feel really privileged to be on such an unusual and exciting mission . And I beamed myself smoothly through space.
     

Chapter Twelve
    I n order of urgency, my official worry list now read:
    Sky Nolan
    Eve Jackson
    Karmen Patel
    However, since Sky probably wouldn’t be back home for hours yet, rather than twiddling my little angel thumbs I’d decided to start with Jax.
    I shimmered into her room feeling v. slick and professional.
    My mate was still sleeping deeply, one arm dangling off the bed. Her fingertips had raw places where she bit her nails.
    I was pleased I’d got here before she woke up. Sleeping humans are more open to angelic suggestion.
    I sat down beside her, trying not to notice the grubby sheets. When I knew her, Jax was the cleanest girl I knew. She washed her hair every day, and if she ate something at school, she’d have to brush her teeth immediately afterwards. I’m not sure where she got that habit. It wasn’t her parents.
    Jax was the youngest Jackson and the only girl. She reckoned that after four trouble-making boys, her parents just lost interest. They gave her a sweet name - Eve. After that Jax was basically on her own. I think she did a really great job of bringing herself up. OK, there was the shoplifting, but if your mum and dad don’t teach you right from wrong, you’re hardly going to learn that from a teen magazine, are you?
    Jax’s eyes were moving under her lids. She was dreaming.
    I smiled to myself. The conditions for my friend’s first angel lesson were almost perfect. Later in the day something might just go ‘click’ and she’d remember her mad dream where