Magic Wings by Faith Raven (the read aloud family TXT) 📖

up from the waist.

 

“What the Hell are you doing? Put me down!” Oriel demanded but Jacob disregarded her cries.

 

Oriel began to lightly beat Jacob on the back still demanding to be put down but instead he began to whirl her around in a circle even though he knew she hated it. Oriel was very sensitive about spinning around; she would nearly vomit just thinking about it.

 

 “Jay put me down! I mean it I’m going to throw up on your back” She tried to warn but because she was having so much fun she couldn’t stop herself from laughing so hard.

 

This caused Jacob to twirl her faster within minutes both of them were dizzy. Suddenly, falling to the ground they both looked at each other and burst into yet more laughter, they almost looked like a pair of drunken homeless people. Both of them snapped out of their trance when they heard a pair loud click-clack designer high heel boots approaching them.

 

 “Hey, Jacob.” A familiar voice spoke from behind them.

 

Jacob was the first to turn considering his name had been called. A second later Oriel snapped her head in the same direction of the voice only to see Brigit Martin and Lauren Nightingale stood in front of them. Without a word Jacob jumped to his feet and tried to put his cool-guy attitude back on.

 

“Sup ladies?” He asked in his cocky toned voice, within seconds the three of them had drowned into an all-out conversation excluding Oriel.

 

Jacob glanced over his shoulder to see Oriel was still sitting on the ground. Jacob’s eye brown twitched a little, maybe it was with embarrassment or confusion, either way Oriel still did not move. When both girls looked over at Oriel again acknowledging her, all she did was politely wave.

 

She smiled and waited for them to converse again before sneaking away.

 

I’ll text him later. Don’t want to get in the middle of that.

 

Oriel thought to herself before taking one last glance at her best friend who was laughing at something Lauren had said. She wanted Jacob to be happy but she couldn’t help but feel a little betrayed by him.

 

 She knew it was neither Lauren nor Jacob’s fault but she couldn’t help but blame them. Lauren was the cute brunette with nice big brown eyes and flawless chiselled face. Her lips were the perfect size. Oriel didn’t want to truly admit it but Lauren was a little prettier than Brigit and Brigit was seen as an idol. Jacob was the hunky basketball player who had the perfect build and full set of spikey hair to fit his bad boy image. Together they were a couple made in heaven. But that couple had no room for people like Oriel in their life, she knew there would come a day when Jacob and she would drift apart, Oriel could feel it already happening but she wasn’t ready for it.

 

Not yet. Please don’t leave me.

 

Oriel thought within her head, she felt hopeless without Jacob. She had known Jacob most of her life and to so see him leave so soon just broke her heart ever so slowly.

 

The walk was silent, because she couldn’t talk to anyone, and it would look silly talking to her own self –not that she cared because most of the time she spent talking to herself. Walking up her drive-way she looked at the houses that were next to the one she lived in. They all looked the same, brown bricks, old and no story to them. Oriel was absent-mindedly looking at her house from the outside imagining, if her parents would ever allow her to paint the outside of their house blue to make it more attractive. Unexpectedly, she heard footsteps and saw Mr Anderson leaving the house next door with a couple of boxes in his hand.

 

 Diverting her full attention to her neighbour James Anderson, carrying two large boxes Oriel leaned closer to the fence that divided the two gardens but then began to walk towards the small gate between the middle that let people pass through more efficiently.

 

 “Hello Mr Anderson, would you like some help there?” Oriel asked, beginning to walk towards the struggling man.

 

 “That would be great, dear.” He managed to wheeze out from behind the boxes.

 Oriel smiled as she made her way around from her driveway to the Mr Anderson’s lawn and took the boxes from his hands. She had been so distracted about Jacob and looking at a brick wall she hadn’t even noticed that James was emptying he’s house.

 

 “Are you going somewhere, Mr Anderson?” Oriel asked, taking another box from James’s driveway and adding it to the car.

 

 “Yeah, I’m going to stay closer to Katy.” He simply replied.

 

Something about his tone told Oriel that there was something more to his story. Katy was the youngest of his children, she had recently moved out from home. Oriel knew Katy very well because she had practically grown up with her. Katy was only a few years older than Oriel. She used to be an outgoing, adventurous girl who loved to explore but after her mother’s death she was never the same.

 

 “How long are you going for?” She asked walking beside James.

 

James motioned his hand over at the last box that was sat lazily on the lawn.

 

 “That’s the last box, sweetie.” James told her before opening the car door.

 

He stood in silence for a few minutes as he waited for Oriel to bring the box, his hand placed on his bad back. James was known for his horrible back; most of the time he walked slummed over because he was in pain because of it.

 

 Oriel picked the last box that wasn’t closed and sealed like the rest of the boxes the top was opened, she couldn’t resist but to peek in. In the small box was stacks of photos, old ones and new ones. Oriel could tell because in some of the pictures James was very young stood next to a very beautiful lady, who must have been his wife when they were younger. Another picture that Oriel was able to get a glimpse of was of a small girl holding a teddy and sitting on the same lawn she was walking on, that girl was not Katy.

 

 “Here you go,” Oriel handed the small box to James as he fixed something in the car.

 

 “Thank you, dear.” He replied taking the box from her hands and placing it in the car.

 

“You’ve been a big help, kid.” He smirked and nodded his head.

 

 “Mr Anderson how many times have I told you I’m no longer that little girl who used to throw mud in your garden claiming I was scaring off the demons?” Oriel chuffed back, recalling at the memory of her running around in her own garden and collecting mud so she could throw it at the so-called demons in Mr Anderson’s garden.

 

 It used to drive Mrs Anderson crazy.

 

 “And how many time have I told you to call me James, I’m your neighbour not your teacher.” He teased back, wagging his finger like he was a teacher telling a student off.

 

 Oriel only rolled her eyes and smiled. She attempted to leave but her curiously got the better of her and she couldn’t help but question once again.

 

 “So James, how long are you going for?” She asked looking straight into his worn out blue eyes.

 

 His wrinkles looked deeper than any other day. The unshaved prickles on his chin showed that he must have had a rough morning. That wasn’t like Mr Anderson. As long as Oriel had known him which was a long time, he was a well-organized man who always had a clean shaved face.

 

 “Forever.” He replied pulling out his packet of cigarettes.

 

 “Why? Is everything alright with your daughter?” Oriel asked further knowing she was walking on thin ice asking too many question but she had remembered that he had mentioned –Katy- his daughter.

 

And she wanted to know if anything had happened to Katy because she had been close friends with her growing up. She missed her.

 

 “You’re a really persistent little girl, aren’t you?” James told her lighting his cigarette.

 

 “Mr Anderson I’m not a little girl.” Oriel scrunched her eyes together making her eye brows stich together.

 

 “Mr Anderson?” He raised his eyebrow before blowing out a puff of smoke away from Oriel’s face.

 

 “James.” Oriel corrected herself unable to stop herself from rolling her eyes.

 

 “You know Oriel; let me give you a piece of advice. Don’t let a guy dominate your life and always listen to who you really are.” His words seemed melodious but something within his eyes showed that there was a deeper meaning to his words.

 

He looked completely broken. It almost felt like he would break into a million pieces right in front of Oriel.

 

 “Er...I’m confused.” Oriel blankly spoke her thoughts.

 

 “You’re a good kid, you’ve almost been like my daughter, I remember when Katy moved out you were the only kid who challenged me about everything, the rest were afraid of me.” He laughed at an amusing memory that crossed his mind.

 

 “I’ve seen Katy suffer a lot I don’t want that to happen to you.” His last words hit home, Oriel had pieced it together what must have happened.

 

 “I was always a weird kid.” Oriel smiled to herself.

 

 “Yeah you and that Jacob kid.” James laughed and puffed the last smoke before dropping the cigarette on the ground.

 

 Oriel had the intention of asking another question about Katy and her boyfriend Stephen when suddenly, Oriel’s pocket began to vibrate.

 

 “Oh! Sorry about this,” She told James pulling out her phone from her jeans pocket.

 

 “It’s okay. Oriel. I have to go any ways. Just remember what I said and let you parents know I said thanks for helping me out on such short notice.” James smiled his last smile before it completely disappeared.

 

 “I sure will.” Oriel called over her shoulder as she began to walk to her own drive way looking down at her phone.

 

 “Take care. Sweetie.” Were James last words before she heard his steps walking to the house for the last time to lock it up?

 

 As Oriel had been walking she looked at the phone and saw that the caller was unknown.

 

 Unknown caller, who can that be?

 

 She pressed the answer button before putting the phone to her ear.

 

 “Hello,” Her voice suddenly, had become shaky but she didn’t even know why.

 

 There was no answer. She tried once more but nothing, the other side finally cut off leaving a distressed little Oriel waiting for an answer.

 

 Wrong number, I guess.

 

 Shoving her phone quickly back into her pocket where it belonged she pulled out her house keys and opened the door. Just stepping into the house she could already feel the empty feeling; it wasn’t like she was never left alone before she just missed that feeling of not having Jacob there with her.

 

 This punishment is worse than I thought.

 

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Publication Date: 01-21-2015

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