Seraphim: Chapter II

"I'm sure you're absolutely heart-broken I can't come tonight." Harper sighed dramatically as she held up one of her haltertops.
"I cried on Nathan's shoulder for hours." I smirked, rummaging through my closet.
"Yes, and now without me there I'm sure you'll be doing much more than crying with him." Harper muttered, dodging the skirt I threw at her.
"You think tonight's dress-worthy?" I asked, looking at my favorite red dress hanging in our closet and remembering the look in Nathan's eyes the last time I'd worn it.
Harper snorted, and I realized the futality of the question; nothing was ever dress-worthy to Harper. She was a strict jeans-and-shirt kind of girl. Which wasn't fair, considering how stunningly beautiful she was. Guys fell all over her everywhere she went, with her perfect body, striking eyes, and breath-taking smile. Too bad for them she wanted nothing to do with dating or relationships. Seventeen, and she'd already decided she was never going to date or get married.
I hadn't ever been interested in it, either, up until a year ago when I realized I wanted Nathan to be more than just a teammate. I wasn't exactly girly, but could easily be mistaken for one standing next to Harper. It's like the maternal instinct that most girls are born with had been replaced with the instinct to kill with her.
"Where are you going, anyway?" Harper asked as she plopped down on her bed across the room from mine.
I smiled again. We had orginally been going for a dinner and a movie . . . But that was when there had been a group of us. "Bella Notte," I said, and Harper raised a brow.
"Boy's getting fancy, isn't he?" She pressed a finger to her lips in thought, then rolled her eyes playfully. "Go with the dress."
I grinned and grabbed the short red dress off of the hanger and ran into the bathroom with an enthusiasm that made Harper laugh. I dressed quickly, then opened the door as I worked with my make-up. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Harper appear in the doorway.
"I'll try to be back by midnight." I said, leaning close to the mirror as I can the mascara brush over my eye lashes.
"You better," a voice that didn't belong to Harper said in a scolding voice, and I turned to see Jackson, my little brother in the doorway, arms folded over his chest. "You have classes in the morning, young lady. Nathan better not be keeping you out too late."
I smiled. "Yes, sir."
He eyed my dress. "Do I need to have a talk with him?"
"Take it easy, baby brother." I laughed, zipping my make-up bag closed and walking back into our room.
Jackson scoffed. "Don't think I won't, sis. Where are you going?"
"Bella Notte," Harper nudged him in the ribs and tossed me my phone.
Jackson grunted unhappily and fell into the rolling chair at mine and Harper's desk to glare at me. He technically wasn't allowed into our room, which residedon the top floor of the girl's dorms,but no one ever stopped him. No one ever said anything to the seven of us, for that matter.
"How about you stay with inme tonight?" Jackson suddenly suggested with unnecessary enthusiasm. "We'll eat all the junk food Chad won't let us near, watch some gory movies, play Apples to Apples!"
I laughed and ruffled his hair, then walked to the window to look out at the Academy campus, admiring the beauty that I never got tired of.
The academy was in the mountains, located in a valley so we were surrounded on every side by the towering forms. The girls' dorms were on the left side of the school buidling, the guys' dorms on the right. The training building was directly across from the school. Hundreds of kids wandered around, leaving classes, going to training, playing frisbee in the courtyard.
I looked at the clock on the wall. Five till seven. Being on the very top floor of a thirty-floor building, it was at least a ten minute walk to the front door.
"Gotta go," I said, grabbing my clutch andscooping up my heels. I couldn't put them on yet; the academy didn't have elevators, and descending all those stairs in heels was not a good idea.
"Midnight!" Jackson yelled as the door closed behind me, and I heared Harper's laughter follow me down the many flights of stairs.
I had full intention of getting back on time. But had I known what was going to happen on what should have been a carefree date, I would have stayed in for Apples to Apples.