Hey Guy! Sorry it's been so long! I got caught up in my classes and one thing led to another and… you know how it goes. But this semester shouldn't be too bad so hopefully, I'll be able to up load more often. Let me know if you have any comments or suggestions!

Ch 2

I walked around the table looking for a shot. I saw the purple solid ball close to the corner pocket. The only problem was there was a blue strip in the direct path of the cue ball. I would have to jump the ball. Bending at the hips and rested my left hand on the green felt, I slid the cue into the crevice between my pointer and middle figure. My right hand elevated the end of the cue high. Lining up the shot, I hit the cue ball low and followed through. I watched the cue ball jump over the striped ball and slam into the solid purple, which then glided into the corner pocket.

"If I didn't get those balls from the counter myself, I would accuse you of cheating," Roger said. He was my latest victim of my pool skills. He was holding his own but I only had one more ball on the table where he had four. Roger had bet the pink slip to his motorcycle. I added the pink slip to a mustang I had won last week to the betting pot. He was going to lose his ride. I circled the table looking for my next shot.

"Sorry man. I've had centuries to practice. I was around when it was invented," Roger was a relatively new fallen angel. He had only fallen 87 years ago.

"Yeah. I know. Just thought I would have gotten enough practice by now to win a game against you," Roger huffed

"I've rarely seen Patch lose a pool game," Rixon called from half way across the room walking towards us. "The only time he loses is to me." He laughed

"You wish you were good enough to bet me," I called back. I saw my next move. Banking the cue off the side, I could just make the orange ball into the side pocket. As I bent over to line up my shot, my phone vibrated. I pulled it out of my pocket. A number I didn't recognize flashed across the screen.

"Hold on Roger. I'll be right back," I said as I walked a little ways away from the table. My brows creased. I was worried that it was Dabria. Ever since she visited me a few months ago and told me she knew part of my plan, I was worried she would try and stop me.

I picked up the phone. "What's up?" I asked. The voice that answered was not Dabria's

"I'm calling to see if we can meet tonight. I know you said you're busy, but…"

I laughed. It didn't take her long. "Nora. Thought you weren't going to call. Ever," I was making her eat her words. I would do it every time. She said things in the heat of the moment that she would later regret.

"Well? Can we meet or not?" She asked

"As it turns out, I can't," I said. I was in a sort of tournament. I wasn't leaving till closing time. I knew she would be long asleep by the time I was free.

"Can't or won't?"

"I'm in the middle of a pool game. An important pool game." I looked apologetically at Roger.

"You've got 60 seconds to return to the table or you forfeit the game," Roger yelled at me. Joking or not, I did need to return to the game.

"Where are you?" she asked me

"Bo's Arcade. It's not your kind of hangout." Not only was this not the scene for her, I did not want her around all these fallen angels. Too many questions. No one but Rixon knew I what I had planned. And I planned on keeping it that way.

"Then let's do the interview over the phone. I've got a list of questions right-"

I had heard enough. And I would not lose this game due to her need to have a perfect GPA. I hung up the phone and slid it back into my pocket as I walked back to the pool table.

"Sorry Roger. This girl just won't leave me alone."

"Females are crazy. If it wasn't for my needs I wouldn't even bother with them. All they want is someone to wrap around their little finger and control. And I'm telling you, I ain't going to be someone's puppet."

"Totally," I said as I lined up the shot. I watched as yet another ball made it into the pocket. Only the black eight ball left. That would be a piece of cake.

An hour later, as the tournament had progressed, I was now playing Hector. Hector was a big angel. He must have been enjoying the earthy food since he fell.

There was a crowd around our table of people who had already been eliminated. They were watching the game and placing bets of their own. I was bent over the table and right before I shot ast the cue ball, someone shouted my name. The sudden distraction made me miss the shot. I looked up ready to kill the person who interrupted me. When I did, I saw a girl with curly auburn hair. Nora. This I had not anticipated. I figured she would be too much of a good girl to drive 30 minutes out here behind her mother's back. Not only that but the outside of the arcade should have been enough to send her home. The fact that she made it all the way down here without getting scared and turning around to go home had really surprised him. Then he saw she was being followed.

"Upstairs. Now," the cashier, Shane, grabbed her shoulder and tried to force her back upstairs.

"She's with me," I told him. If she was this brave the least he could do was get her in without having to pay the ridiculous cover. It was obvious she was definitely out of her element. She kept glancing around as she made her way towards me dodging pool sticks as people lined up shots.

"Sorry about the hang-up. The reception's not great down here," I lied to her as she got close enough to hear me without me shouting. I nodded to the angels around me to signal them to leave us alone.

"I won't be too long," I told Hector. As he walked away, I saw him nudge Nora. I smiled. Serves her right for messing up my game.

"Eight ball? How high are the stakes?" she asked. How cute. She actually thought we played for money; for something so trivial. Sometimes the stakes even got so high that angels would bet their human vessels.

"We don't play for money," I tell her.

"Too bad. I was going to bet everything I have against you," she teased me. Angle, You would lose everything you have. I thought. Then I recoiled a little at the innocent nick name I had let slip. Where had that come from? She continued not noticing my distraction, "A few quick questions and then I'm out of here."

I smiled even more, if that was possible. I looked down at her paper. "Jerk? Lung cancer? Is that supposed to be prophetic?" There was something else written on her paper but was scribbled out beyond recognition. I assumed it was something about me she didn't want anyone else, especially me, to know. Maybe she thought I was hot. Even though I hated to admit it, it would damage my ego a little if she didn't.

"I'm assuming you contribute to the atmosphere. How many cigars a night? One? Two?"

"I don't smoke," I honestly didn't. I knew I couldn't die so I had no intention of living with blackened lungs for the rest of eternity.

"Mm-Hmm," Nora hummed as I saw her write definitely cigars on the paper. I sighed. Just because I came to the pool hall, I smoked. She was so judgmental. As she was writing, her hand accidentally nudged the solid purple. I glanced around. If Hector noticed, he would call the game.

"You're messing up the game," I told her, gritting my teeth. When I found Hector, he was preoccupied by a friend. It was amazing she didn't know she could really get me in trouble. I plastered a smile on my face to act like I was joking with her. When she looked up, Nora smiled back at me. Even though she was annoying as hell, she did have a beautiful smile. Nora looked back down at her paper to read the next question.

"Hopefully not in your favor. Biggest dream?" she looked back up at me expectantly. I had claimed stripes in the game so she wasn't messing with my balls. I just hoped she wouldn't push the ball a little in Hector's favor.

My biggest dream was to be human. I wanted to feel the grass between my toes and the cold rain on my face. But I couldn't tell her that. She would say I was crazy. So I said the next best thing. "Kiss you." I smiled and wiggled my eyebrows in her direction.

Not breaking eye contact as the blush crept up her face she said "That's not funny." I thought it was very funny. I needed her to trust me and the quickest way to get her to trust me was to get her to fall for me. The blush that was evident all over her face said all that I needed to know.

"No, but it made you blush."

As the blush deepened, she jumped up on the edge of the table and crossed her legs pulling her notes onto her knees. At least this way, she wouldn't be messing with the balls. Across the hall, I saw Hector scowl at me. He wanted to get back to the game as did I.

"Do you work?"

"I bus tables at the Borderline. Best Mexican in town."

"Religion?"

I scowled a little. I know there was one God who sent Jesus to die for the sins of man. But somehow, I didn't think "Christian" fit my lifestyle. I believed in God but I no longer looked to him since I feel. I was an Archangel. I knew the man as best as an angel could. But I had been burned so I no longer had any ties to him. I decided to avoid the question.

"I thought you said a few quick questions," We had already been talking for five minutes. "You're already at number four."

"Religion?" Nora asked again looking impatient

"Not religion… cult," I said as I shrugged. I guess you could call the clan of Fallen Angel's religious beliefs a cult.

"You belong to a cult?"

This was getting annoying. "As it turns out, I'm in need of a healthy female sacrifice. I'd planned on luring her into trusting me first, but if you're ready now…" I smiled at her inwardly laughing at my joke. That was exactly what I was planning on doing. The only difference was instead of any healthy female, I need her. She was the only female that would work. Her sacrifice would get me a human body. I watched the smile slip from her face.

"You're not impressing me."

"I haven't started trying yet," I informed her.

"Vee told me you're a senior. How many times have you failed tenth-grade biology? Once? Twice?"

"Vee isn't my spokesperson," I said annoyed.

"Are you denying failing?"

"I'm telling you I didn't go to school last year," I smoothly lied. If she knew the only reason a senior was in a tenth-grade class was to gain a sacrifice, she would run screaming from the building.

"You were truant?"

I decided to try another tactic. If she was going to trust me, maybe she needed a little something in return. I laid my pool stick on the table making sure not to touch the balls. I crooked my index finger at her so I could whisper in her ear. She looked skeptical at me so instead, I leaned into her.

"A secret? I've never been to school before. Another secret? It's not as dull as I expected." I lingered a second before leaning back to look at her. The look on her face told me that even though it was the truth, she doubted me. "You think I'm lying," I smiled at her. Of course she did. She didn't trust anyone but Vee. It was going to take some work to get this girl to trust me.

"You've never been to school, ever? If that's true- and you're right, I don't think it is- what made you decide to come this year?"

I smile at her. I could lie. I could tell her some story about being homeschooled and wanting a 'normal teenager experience' but what was the point when the real answer would do so much more to further my agenda.

"You," I tell her as one corner of mouth turned up into a crooked smile. I watch her cheeks turn a slight pink color. She may not admit it, but I was getting to her. My smile grew wider as I could almost feel the uncomfortable feeling roll off her. I scared Nora a little… and she liked it. Nora Grey was into bad guys.

"That's not a real answer," she said a few moments later. I could hear the slight tremor in her voice.

It was time to make the move. I stepped closer to her so we were so close to touching. I swear I could feel the heat radiating from her body. I had not been this close to her ever and I could tell it made her nervous.

"Your eyes, Nora. Those cold, pale gray eyes are surprisingly irresistible. And that killer curvy mouth." I see her stop breathing for a moment. The urge to run my finger across her lips or down her cheek was almost irresistible. But I refrained. If I did, I feared she would step away immediately and ruin this moment I had created. As she stares into my eyes, I stared back. And for the first time, I think I can see her sole in them. For the first time a twinge of guilt wrecks through my body. After a long moment, Nora steps back and I take a moment to mentally shake myself. She is nothing but a collateral damage. Sometimes, things, however unpleasant, must be done to reach the desired outcome. That was all she could be.

"That's it. I'm out of here." Nora states as she starts to turn and leave. But something is holding her back. She looks at me. "You seem to know a lot about me. More than you should. You seem to know exactly what to say to make me uncomfortable."

"You make it easy." In fact, the majority of women were all same. It takes very little from a stranger to make them uncomfortable. Not only that, but I did know more than I should. I had been following her for a while now. If she only knew. I saw her facial feature change from shock to something else.

"You admit you're doing this on purpose?"

"This?" I question.

"This- provoking me." I smiled. This was way too much fun.

"Say 'provoking' again. Your mouth looks provocative when you do."

"We're done. Finish your pool game." She violently grabbed my pool stick and thrust it out towards me. I didn't take it from her. She exhaled in exasperation.

"I don't like sitting beside you. I don't like being your partner. I don't like your condescending smile. I don't like you." I saw her telltale sign she lying. She didn't lie much, but when she did, her lower jaw twitched a little, as it did now. I smiled. She may thing my smile was condescending but she liked it.

"I'm glad coach put us together," I said. She would never know that I was the one who set it up.

"I'm working on changing that." I smiled a little wider. There was nothing she could do to change that. She head shook slightly as if scolding me for laughing at her. As she did, something white caught my eye in her hair. I reached out towards her and untangled it from her locks and Nora's eye widened slightly. Her hair was soft; which was not what he expected. Most girls with curly hair used a lot of product and gel to hold the curl so their hair crunched when you touched it. Not Nora's hair. It was naturally beautiful. Why did these little things make such a big difference.

"Piece of paper," I say to her as I throw it on the ground. I had to mentally shake myself again.

"That's an unfortunate place for a birthmark," she commented.

She had seen it; the one visible thing that could link the two of us. Our similar birthmarks were in the shape of raindrops on the inside of our wrists. I had searched the Earth for someone with this birthmark and I had finally found her. I pulled down my sleeve. "You'd prefer is someplace more private?" I quipped. This line of questioning needed to end and she needed to leave. I was getting antsy and wanted to get back to my pool game.

"I wouldn't prefer it anywhere. I don't care about your birthmark, period." She said. Good.

"Any more questions? Comments?"

"No."

"Then I'll see you in bio." I dismissed her. I watched her swallow some words; most likely that she hated me or she didn't want to see me again. She turned on her heals and tucked her notebook under her arm and walked up the stairs and out of the bar.

"So who was that Patch? That girl that wouldn't leave you alone? Didn't seem to me that you were too eager to get rid of her," Roger sneered. He was annoyed at the delay of game.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Let's just finish the game, you owe me that new Tesla Roadster."

"And you owe me that nice Corvette," he laughed

As I lounged on my couch later that night, I thought of Nora. She was just a means to an end. Maybe Rixon was right. Maybe I should have just grabbed her and killed her instead of trying to get her to trust me. My plan was having an adverse side effect. I couldn't deal with this. I needed to get my mind of Nora and her eyes and hair. So I got up and wandered into the kitchen. I set about making some spaghetti sauce from scratch. Half of it would go to waste but I needed to focus on something other than Nora.