Miniel – the angel of love.
I kept coming back to the center every day for more than a month. It seemed that since my meteor shower date with Hunter, I had a permanent smile on my face. I felt lighter inside. I also found it easier to sleep at night. My nightmares were somehow replaced with dreams of the magnificent boy I met at the most unlikely place.
Every day, Hunter would wait for me at the front steps and we’d go to our garden together. He would always have his guitar case slung on his back. I would always play the song, ‘Angel’ for him. It was like we had our own world, and no one could touch us… hurt us or haunt us here in our garden.
Hunter was devilishly handsome… and heavenly sweet. He would give me flowers almost every day. He would serenade me with his beautiful voice. He would kiss my scars every day before I went home and he would tell me that he would chase my nightmares away.
He was teaching me how to play ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’. It was a difficult piece, even for me. When my hands would get too stiff or tired, he would take the guitar from me and he would play the piece as fast as humanly possible, just to tease me.
“Someday, I would get that piece by heart, and you would be so proud of me,” I vowed.
He leaned forward and kissed me. “I have no doubt you will. And you are right. I would be so damn proud.”
One afternoon, as the sun prepared to set, we were sitting under a tree in our garden. I was sitting between Hunter’s thighs, resting my back against his chest, with his arms wrapped around me. I played ‘Angel’ on the guitar. I sang the words with my heart, and he listened to me intently.
He leaned his cheek against mine… close to where my scar was. I would feel him occasionally kiss my temple, then my scars. His soft, lingering kisses were speaking to my soul, pulling at my heartstrings.
When I strummed the last chord, I turned my head to look at his face. He leaned forward and kissed me softly on the lips.
“I would always remember you when I hear that song,” he said, smiling gently. Then the expression on his face turned sober. “You are my angel, Allison. With you in my arms… I find hope… courage… comfort…” He took a deep breath and added, “Love.”
I raised my hand and cupped his cheek. He turned sideways and kissed my palm. He took a deep breath and then he smiled.
“When I came to this place, I felt it was a curse. It was my death sentence. I went here to punish my father… to punish myself. I lost the will to live, the will to fight. This was my hell.” He shook his head very gently. “I never thought I would find heaven here. It never occurred to me that I would meet an angel amidst all the anger and misery that I felt.”
“You’re too young to waste your life in anger and misery, Hunter,” I said. “Like me… life goes on. Our mothers left us… but the only way we could really make them live in our memories… is if we start living our lives again. Forgive. And move on.”
“When I came here, I had no sense of purpose anymore. I had no will to let go of that tragic day. I lived that day over and over in my head for the past three hundred and sixty-five days. I didn’t want to see again, because I thought nothing in the world was good and beautiful anymore.” He took a deep breath. “But I would give everything just to see your face right now.”
I smiled and then I leaned forward to kiss him. I put the guitar aside and shifted my body so I could face him properly. I took his hands in mine and then I brought them to my face. He touched every inch of it, as if he was memorizing my features, imagining in his mind what I looked like.
He gave me a crooked smile. “You’ve been lying to me.”
“What?” I asked.
“You’re not horrendous,” he said. “Not even close.”
I laughed. “Well, I’m no beauty queen either.”
He shook his head. “You’re beautiful… wonderful.” Then slowly he leaned forward and kissed my left eye… then my right… then the tip of my nose… my right cheek… my left cheek. “And, angel… I think…” He took a deep breath. “I’m falling for you.”
My eyes widened and I think I dropped my heart to my toes. My breathing completely stopped. And before I could react or say something… before I could even breathe again, Hunter closed the gap between us and kissed me on the lips… numbing me and electrocuting me at the same time… then completely wiping out my senses.
***
“You’re happy,” Meredith said to me after dinner that night. We were sitting on the couch, drinking hot chocolate.
I just smiled at her. She fell silent for a while, not really knowing what to say next.
Well, this is awkward.
I really did feel for Meredith. She looked so unsure, so uncomfortable, but also so determined. So I decided to help her out. “I am,” I said. “He’s… beyond great!”
“Who would have thought you would meet somebody in the center, right?”
I nodded. “He made life worth living for again. No offense to you. You know I love you, Mer.”
“What’s his name again?”
“Hunter. Hunter Vaughn.”
Meredith took her laptop and typed something. After a while, I saw her eyes widen.
“What?”
“Your boyfriend is… really hot!”
“He’s not my boyfriend.” To be honest, I don’t know if he was. We never talked about it… about us. He said he was falling for me. But we never really told each other that we were going steady… that I’m his girlfriend now. Maybe it was too early. What mattered most was that… we’re happy. I’m happy. I barely have nightmares anymore.
Meredith continued reading on the screen.
“What’s that anyway?” I asked.
“I’m checking his file. I volunteer there so I get access to their database… at least the basic stuff,” she replied. “Hunter Zale Vaughn. Age, sixteen. Parents: Patrick Vaughn and Diana Vaughn, deceased. Only child. He’s from Jacksonville…” She trailed off as she continued reading Hunter’s profile. “Apparently the prince of Jacksonville.”
“What?”
“His father owned one of the biggest property development firms in the country. His mother owned several real estate firms. Hunter was tested with an IQ of…” She trailed off and stared at me with an amazed expression on her face. “One hundred sixty. Whew!” She shook her head. “He was a member of Mensa. He achieved Chess Master rating at the age of fifteen. He played tennis and was on the school’s football team. A black belt in Karate. He played the guitar and drums. Geez! Is there anything this guy can’t do?”
I felt a sense of pride run through me. I sighed. Yeah. That’s Hunter.
My Hunter.
“Hot. Genius.” Meredith shook her head. “Wow! No wonder you were going back to the center every day.”
I laughed and threw a small pillow at her. We fell silent for a while. Then Meredith took a deep breath and I just knew she was going to say something awkward.
“Alice… since I’m your designated… guardian. I get to be the one to tell you that…” She took a deep breath again.
Oh no! She’s going to give me ‘the talk!’ This is going to be embarrassing!
“Just make sure…” she started and I thought she looked constipated.
“We’re not having sex, Mer,” I cut her off. “And it’s very unlikely that we will. Well, at least… not yet… not in a very long time.”
She breathed in a sigh of relief. “Okay. I’m sure you’re a smart girl. And you’re dating a genius. But… well, just be careful, okay? I won’t stop you… but you two could have a good future going for you. Even with his condition. As long as you make the right choices and… wait for the right time.”
“I’ll remember that.”
Meredith began searching through the net again.
“Anyway, what’s up with you?” I asked her.
She heaved a frustrated sigh. “My company’s going to shut down. I will have to start looking for another job.”
I instantly felt bad for her… actually more of guilty than bad. She’s twenty-five and taking on the responsibility of a forty-five-year-old woman. And it’s not like my mother left her with a fortune anyway. She only left behind a few trinkets, which Meredith didn’t want to sell. I didn’t either.
I smiled at her ruefully. I think Meredith has taken care of me long enough. It’s time for me to do my share around the house. I finished my hot chocolate. Then I went to her and gave her a hug. “Thanks for taking care of me, Mer.” I kissed her cheek and then I went to my room.