In The Arms Of An Angel
Chapter 9
Gaby felt someone's breath on her face and that woke her up. She opened her eyes and saw that she was on top of some lad! She panicked. Was I raped? She
thought. "OH NO!!!" she gasped. "Did I rape this man?" she pried herself off
from the unknown character and studied him. His face was flushed and he
looked haggard. His lips were unbelievably red. His coat was opened and he
was there, on her blanket, sleeping soundly. What did I do? Did I rape him?
She asked herself over and over again. "I have to get out of here," she said
out loud, instantly panicking. What did just happen to me? She started
looking for her knapsack, walking about in no particular direction. "SHIT!"
she shrieked. She was sprawled on the grass. She tripped on the strap of her
knapsack. She saw him stir and she scrambled to her feet.
"Where are you going?" the Irish accent-laden voice asked.
She cleared her throat. What does she tell him? "Um," she began, "did I
rape you?" she asked.
He bolted right up. He was laughing yet shocked. "What did you ask me?"
"I asked if I raped you!!"
"What made you ask me that?" he queried again.
She looked confused and mad at the same time. "I woke up on top of you! I
must have done something terrible that I can't remember. Look at you! Your
coat is opened, your lips looked like it was kissed savagely and again, I
was on top of you!" she was getting hysterical. She needed to get this over
and done with.
"No you didn't rape me! I would have let you, though," he answered. She
flinched at his remark. "I'm only kidding! Relax! You only kissed me!" he
sounded like it was no big deal. But in truth, it was a big deal to him.
"Why would I wanna kiss you?" she snapped back, scratching her head, not
looking at him.
"You just grabbed me and then, BAM! You went lunatic and started kissing
me!" he told her, looking at her, hoping she'd glance his way.
"Look, I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry. I truly am." She was
blushing now, her face turning red and her neck heating up with color.
He reached up to her face and wiped the dirt on her cheek with his thumb.
She recoiled at his touch. He was hurt when she did that. He wanted nothing
than to hold her again. He cleared his throat and began to ask her the
questions burning at the back of his head. "Why were you going mental awhile
back?"
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. What did just happen? She asked herself. Visions of her falling from a ravine flashed before her. Mark saw
the fear on her face and he instinctively touched his hands on hers. She
relaxed. "I was having a bad dream. I dreamt I was falling from a cliff."
Mark nodded, digesting the facts she was revealing. But why was she so
scared? I've had nightmares before but I don't react that way, he thought.
"Is that all? Then why were you shaking so bad?"
She sighed. "I was just extremely scared." Gaby pulled her knees together
and placed her chin on them and looked afar. "I'm so scared." Funny how I
try so hard to be brave but my dreams tell me just how scared I am and how
unready I am to die, she quietly told herself.
A sob escaped her throat. She wasn't ready to die. She wanted to do so many
things, things that she knows would make her a complete person. She wanted
to grow old and have great-grandchildren. She wanted to love, to fall madly
in love and get swept off her feet. She wanted to live. But time is running
out. She can't do anything about it.
Mark sat beside her and wrapped his arms around her. There was something
about her that made him care. He's a really kind person but he doesn't
really hit it off at first with people because he comes off as snotty. And
he's a shy fella. But not with this girl, he thought. She's beautiful but
not your typical drop-dead gorgeous lady. She has a quiet beauty that he
finds irresistible. "Are you ok?" he asked, still holding her close to him.
Gaby managed to nod her head and wiped her tears. "I'm going to be ok," she choked. She reached for his hand and kissed it. "Thank you for being here. I
do appreciate it."
"You're very much welcome," he replied, squeezing her hand. He felt his
tummy do a nosedive when she kissed his hand. His neck was starting to heat
up and he knew any second now he was going to turn beet-red.
She didn't notice the blush. She stared at him, studying his familiar face.
The face she has grown to love. OH MY GOD! Her head screamed. HE'S MARK
MICHAEL PATRICK FEEHILY! AND I JUST SNOGGED HIM!