Cheating Death

Unlikely Events

Azrail's POV

I saw her enter the school building and I tried to keep my disdain for that girl from showing up in front of everyone. Lily was constantly playing the field as if she would never run out of hearts to break. She came strutting right by me looking up from her phone long enough to wink and me and I scowled. I couldn't stand that girl. I tried to be nice to her once and she spread rumors about me that, ultimately, everyone believed, because she was popular and I was a nobody. I started to walk away but I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Ava.

I never knew why she was friends with Lily, but then again, who wasn't friends with Ava. She was a hard person not to like. I have always felt a connection to her in some way from the beginning of our elementary days. She was always kind to me and never seemed shaken by the rumors. Whether she believed them or not I don't know and never planned to ask her. I tried to avoid her because of Lily. I was the only boy that was not a part of Lily's conquests and I planned on keeping it that way.

Her so-called friend ignored her as she tried to speak to her. Ava started to turn around and I hid behind the nearest wall, peaking out at their interaction but trying not to come off like a stalker. Lily ran off and I couldn't help but notice the pain in Ava's eyes. I wanted to reach out to her to comfort her for some reason, but I couldn't bring myself to move from my position. I instead stared at her beauty as the morning light shone down on her. Her soft brown hair lit up like she was an angel standing there. Her eyes shone almost as if they were silver. She looked around like she was scared for a minute, then hurriedly walked into her classroom.

I should probably get to class myself but I thought better of it. These classes were boring and I already had enough credits to graduate thanks to my advanced classes. I sauntered out of the hallway when the coast was clear to go to my favorite hiding spot. I found it years ago and it seems like I was the only one to ever visit it. A little slice of heaven in this awful world. It was especially beautiful this time of year with the changing of the leaves clashing just perfectly against the crystal clear water of this little oasis in the woods. I loved fall and never really met anyone who shared my interest in it. All anyone could ever focus on was the thought of everything dying. But what they didn't see was the beauty of seeing how life was coming to a transition period before everything died off.

I lay there forever. It seemed like I was trying to stop thinking of Ava. It would never happen between us anyway, so why fantasize about it? I begrudgingly got up and walked back towards school, unaware of how much time had really passed. What I thought was going to be an easy sneak back in was instantly shut down as soon as I saw the principal. She was standing there with her arms crossed pushing her breasts up slightly and fuming mad. If she wouldn't have been so pissed she might have thought she was beautiful.

"Where exactly have you been, Mister Azrail?" Ms. Jones asked with her high pitched voice, which could make nails on a chalk board sound like angels singing.

"I just needed some fresh air for a minute," was all I could reply as she just clicked her tongue at me in disapproval.

"Well, I've called your father and he is on his way here now." She quickly turned on her heels and walked back inside to the school.

I just hung my head and sighed. I didn't mind being in trouble because my dad never really took anything seriously. He always just assumed trouble followed me wherever I went. Dad always just rolled with everything and tried to let me figure out who I was on my own. Sure he would give loving advice when needed, but for the most part I was on my own to discover what this world held.

I strolled into the office and saw dad waiting for me. He turns and smiles but says nothing more. Ms. Jones sits down at her desk and starts giving dad the speech of me laying out of class constantly and disappearing. She went on to tell him how I should value my future and start focusing on my schooling. He nodded at the appropriate times but he never responded. He slowly rose to his feet when she was finished and thanked her for her time. Then we walked out of the office and started down the hall to leave when he looked at me and said, "I'm not worried about you skipping class because I know how smart you are, but I thought you were smart enough to try to appease them here."

I sighed, "Dad, I just have a lot on my mind right now and I need to clear my head."

He looked at me with understanding in his eyes, "A girl?"

I smiled and shook my head, at which he chuckled. He knew me very well. All of a sudden, Ava comes running out of her class and runs into me, knocking herself down. I bend down to help her up as she is profusely apologizing. She grabs my outstretched hand, looking up at me, holding her breath. The world feels as if it has stopped. I feel this warm sensation that is like the sun on a summer day running through my body.

We stand like that for a second just staring at each other. She holds this familiarity in her eyes that I can swear I am looking right into her soul. It's almost like I've known her longer than just seventeen years.

"I'm sorry," she says as she drops my hand and runs off. I stared after her for a few more minutes even though she is long gone. When I turned back to my dad to tell him how weird that was, I realized he was fuming.

"Don't you go around that girl ever again! You understand me?"