Angel on a Mission

Chapter 6

Gabrielle's POV

"Elle!" Brooke squealed excitedly as she dashed towards me. I quickly caught her in my arms and embraced her tightly.

"Hi, Mika!" she called out, waving enthusiastically at Mika, who responded with a warm wave and a smile.

"You must be Elle," a woman approached us, a friendly expression on her face.

"I'm Brooke's mom," she introduced herself, and I smiled in recognition.

Of course, that made perfect sense.

"Hello, Mrs. Smith," I greeted warmly. She smiled back and then turned her attention to Mika.

"And you must be Mika," she said, her eyes landing on her. Mika nodded shyly in response.

"The girls have told me a lot about you," she added as we settled ourselves down on the bleachers.

"Did they indeed?" I replied, amused, as Brooke plopped herself down onto my lap, giggling joyfully.

We chatted for a while, sharing laughs, before the football players made their grand entrance and Bella, along with the other cheerleaders, began to perform their routine.

I spotted Tobi among the crowd. He scanned the audience as if searching for someone. When his gaze finally landed on me, he waved, and I returned his gesture with a bright smile. Then, he winked at me, causing a soft chuckle to escape my lips.

I was aware that Alexander was standing just beside Tobi, but I deliberately chose not to look in his direction; I could feel his eyes on me nonetheless.

As the football game commenced, I found myself genuinely engrossed in the action unfolding on the field. It was an intense match, and I couldn’t help but silently pray that nothing would go awry.

But deep down, I feared I knew better.

Just as the game drew to a close and our side erupted in triumphant cheers, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I quickly pulled it out and my heart sank as I read the message. Without hesitating, I stood up abruptly.

"Mika, there's been an emergency. I need to go," I stated urgently, turning to Brooke and Mrs. Smith with an apologetic expression before dashing off.

I raced out from the field and the bleachers, my eyes darting around the area as people began to flood out, eager to leave now that the match was over.

Oh no.

No.

At long last, I spotted him.

He pulled out a gun and aimed it menacingly.

In a split second, I was in front of him, my hand gripping his gun and directing it skyward just as he pulled the trigger.

*Boom.

I heard the terrified screams of the crowd as the assailant looked at me, a mixture of shock and madness etched across his face.

"Stop! Please!" I pleaded, locking my gaze with his.

"Let go!" he bellowed at me, rage pouring from his voice.

"No, please! This isn’t right!" I responded, which only seemed to incite his fury further.

"I said fcking let go!" he screamed, finally managing to shove me aside. I stumbled to the ground, and he aimed the gun at me once more.

"Stop!" I yelled, panic rising in my chest.

*Boom.

Time froze.

I gasped for breath.

The bullet hung mere inches from me. I reached out and, with a gentle touch, it dissipated into nothingness.

I pushed myself up, though my body wobbled unsteadily beneath me.

This time freeze was draining my energy far more than I had expected.

In my angelic form, the process had felt effortless; but in my human state, it was incredibly taxing.

Determined, I approached the man again.

I took hold of his face and searched his eyes.

"You’re hurting," I said sincerely.

"You’re lost and confused. You don't want to harm anyone, but you believe it will bring you solace when it won’t—it won’t make you feel better. Please, listen to me," I continued gently.

"You are not evil. You have been wronged, and for that, I’m truly sorry. But this isn’t right, and you know it. You are better than this," I implored, a tear slipping down my cheek.

"You still have a chance. Don’t waste it. You can still live your life," I urged him.

"Repent and heal. Then, live," I concluded as I stepped back from him.

As my energy began to fade, I fell to the ground just as time resumed its normal flow around me.

"Martinez!" a voice called out in the distance, but my eyelids grew heavy, and I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness.

My human body was utterly exhausted.

Very exhausted.

Time slipped away from me, and I had no way of knowing how long I had been out.

I would find out when I woke up.

Gradually, I fluttered my eyes open to be greeted by nothing but a blinding expanse of white.

I couldn't possibly have been sent back so soon, could I?

A wave of anxiety washed over me as I began to fear that I had disappointed God.

"Elle," someone rushed to my side.

Oh thank goodness! I am still on Earth!

"Mika," I mumbled, propping myself up with a groan. Mika quickly helped me rise.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, worry etched on her face. I offered her a small, reassuring smile.

"I'm okay. How's the man?" I inquired, trying to gather more information.

"Man?" she asked, brows knitting in confusion.

At that moment, the door to the infirmary swung open.

"Elle!" Bella rushed towards me, with Alexander following closely behind, and enveloped me in a tight hug. I chuckled, finding comfort in her embrace.

"Are you crazy?! What were you thinking?!" she exclaimed, gripping my shoulders tightly.

"What?" I replied innocently, genuinely perplexed.

"You confronted an armed man all alone, Elle! Do you have a death wish?!" she scolded.

"How is the man doing?" I reiterated, my concern lingering since I lost consciousness before learning what had happened next.

"He’s been caught," Alex chimed in.

"Were there any injuries?" I pressed anxiously. Alex shook his head, and a wave of relief washed over me.

"How can you still think of others right now? We thought you were shot!" Bella exclaimed, her expression a mix of disbelief and concern.

"I almost was," I murmured, glancing down.

"You fainted from shock, Elle," Mika told me softly.

"Oh, I'm fine. I'm alive and well, aren’t I?" I affirmed, chuckling lightly.

Bella and Mika exchanged glances, a clear mix of concern and exasperation in their expressions.

"You're crazy," they said simultaneously.

I could feel Alexander's intense gaze on me.

"What happened after I fainted?" I asked, turning my attention to him.

Instead of the glare I expected, he was looking at me with curiosity.

"The man with the gun fortunately dropped his weapon, and I tackled him until the police arrived," he recounted casually, but I sensed there was more to the story.

I searched my memory, trying to recall the details despite the throbbing pain in my head.

The man had taken my advice to heart, which explained why he dropped the gun. After being tackled, he had kept looking at me, tears streaming down his face as he apologized repeatedly, thinking he had harmed me. But he hadn't, and I wished he knew that.

I wished I could tell him that I was okay, that he had made the right choice—and because of it, I was proud of him.

As my strength and energy began to return, I started to see things clearly.

I had done my part.

"Are you really okay now?" Mika asked, her voice still laced with concern. I nodded emphatically.

"I'm okay. I really am," I reassured them.

"We genuinely thought you were shot. Alex saw it happen. He told us everything," Bella explained, her gaze darting between me and her brother.

I turned to Alex and our eyes locked momentarily.

"The gun was aimed at you, and I heard the shot before you suddenly collapsed," he said, clearing his throat, his eyes shifting away from mine.

"I must have dodged it," I joked lightly, attempting to mask the weight of the situation. The girls laughed, but Alexander continued to observe me with that same inquisitive expression.

He knew something was off.

And he wasn't wrong.

He was not entirely clueless.

The nurse arrived shortly after, checking on my condition before allowing me to leave.

Both Mika and Bella insisted on accompanying me, refusing to let me out of their sight.

"Won't anyone come to pick you up? I really don’t think you should drive in this state," Bella pointed out reasonably.

"I agree. You should stay over at my place tonight. Please, Elle. We are genuinely worried about your well-being," Mika urged earnestly.

"I would offer for you to stay at my place too, but I fear my brother would murder you in your sleep," Bella added with a playful smirk.

"I'm right behind you, Bella. I can hear everything you're saying about me," Alexander quipped, a frown on his face.

"I meant for you to hear it," Bella retorted nonchalantly.

I chuckled lightly at their banter.

"Okay, I will. I’ll sleep over at Mika’s house tonight, with your parents’ approval, of course," I confirmed.

"My parents have already agreed to it. They are more than happy to have you stay with us and take care of you," Mika replied, her eyes shining with relief.

I smiled warmly.

I knew her parents would be more than willing to offer me a helping hand.

That’s just the kind of people they were.

I swung my legs off the infirmary bed, but the girls quickly came to my aid, supporting me as my legs felt weak beneath me.

"Step aside," Alexander suddenly interjected, looking pointedly at his sister.

"Let me help her," he insisted.

Bella's brows knitted together in skepticism.

"I'm not letting you touch her! You might deliberately drop her," she declared, guarded.

"Bella," I murmured softly, catching her attention. She pouted, still unconvinced.

"I brought her here earlier. If I had wanted to drop her, I would have done it when she was unconscious," Alexander argued.

"Well, that's good to know, I suppose," Mika replied hesitantly, glancing between the two siblings.

Bella rolled her eyes at her brother.

"Don't you dare do anything spiteful, Alex. I swear I will never speak to you again if you do," she threatened.

I let out a sigh.

"Bella," I reassured her again.

"Whatever," Alexander said, his tone dismissive as he switched positions with Bella.

He turned back to Mika.

"Let me take care of her," he said, his eyes earnest.

Mika hesitated for just a moment before she nodded and stepped aside.

With my legs still unsteady, I wobbled a bit, but Alexander quickly caught me, his hold firm and reassuring.

"This won’t do. I’m carrying you," he declared suddenly, scooping me up into his arms.

He carried me as everyone around us seemed momentarily stunned into silence.

Alexander didn’t meet my gaze, but I could feel the myriad of thoughts racing through his mind as he held me.

"Let’s go. You’re quite heavy," he remarked, and I frowned at his comment.

We walked outside, where I spotted Tobi and Miss Garcia just outside the building.

"Miss Martinez, are you okay?" Miss Garcia asked, her voice filled with concern.

I nodded gratefully.

"I’m fine, Miss Garcia. Just a little tired, that’s all," I replied.

Tobi glanced at Alexander before turning back to me, a stern expression on his face.

"Never again, Elle," he said firmly.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at his protectiveness.

Then, Mika's parents arrived.

"We should go," I suggested, glancing at my friends.

I said my goodbyes to Miss Garcia and Tobi as Alexander carried me to Mika's parents' car.

"Thank you," I said softly to Alexander as he carefully set me down and closed the door behind me.

He gave me a slight nod, and I felt a surge of gratitude towards him.

Oh, yes. I was still thankful for him, I think.