Angel

Chapter Five: The Question

I'm starting to question my decisions right about now, I am now realizing that I've just invited what is to me a total stranger into our house.

Was this a mistake?

There could be a very real chance that she could be lying about the whole thing and she is a spy from the other side ready to betray us at any moment. I don't want to have to kill her, she seems so nice, but I guess that won't matter if she rats us out.

I take a peek at her trying to see if there is anything suspicious about her at all, maybe she is wearing a secret spy device or something that would be perfectly hidden under her very long black hair. She notices me looking at her and she just smiles at me. This girl is nice, maybe too nice. As soon as I have that thought I realize that I am talking like my brother and if I'm being honest that is the last thing that I want to do. Maybe I need to be more trustworthy, perhaps this is a sign to let loose a little more.

I look up to see that we are now coming closer and closer to the house. I look over and see Marina talking to Lailah. She seems surprised about her amount of energy. People are usually surprised to see the amount of energy that Marina has, it's most likely her human side.

We are now facing the door and we all go quiet. I take a big sigh before saying “We're back!”

Johnny comes from around a corner and looks at Lailah, for the first time that I've ever known him he was too stunt to speak, I'm sure that his mind has a million questions but the first thing he said was “Who is this?”

“This is Lailah,” I say

“Okay sure do you know that you are supposed to let people in the house know when someone is coming over for obvious reasons,” he says very clearly pissed off at me.

“Chill, she knows I'm a demon and soon enough she was going to know that you two are humans,” I say, taking off my hat and tossing it on the couch.

“Marina?” he now directs his gaze at my sister

“I didn't say anything about the human bit I had my contacts on the whole time! But she knew Angel was a demon because we found her while being on a super secret mission to town 82 but she doesn't have anywhere to live so we figured that she could maybe perhaps live here?” Marina stubbles over her words.

“I have no words,” Johnny says throwing his hands in the air

“Johnny what are we supposed to do she has nothing we are fortunate enough to have plenty of space in this house plus she already knows the family secret. She is practically one of us!” I am trying to lighten the mood.

Johnny thinks for a minute and then looks at her with a puzzled face. He walks over to her very slowly and says to her “My family is everything to me, my sisters have asked me to trust you to live here but if you are there are some things you have to do first”

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“Yes of course” Lailah immediately says yes

“You must never mention our secrets; whatever is in this house stays in this house. I am not going to change the way we live just because you are here now I have the right to preserve the peace of this house no matter what”

“I promise with my life and soul that I will never mutter a word,” she says intensely, almost matching Johnny's energy perfectly, almost.

“Another thing is that we all do our part here everyone has got to contribute in some way”

“I was already planning to find a job first thing in the morning. I will contribute financially as well as help out around the house.”

“Okay well then” he sighed “I guess you will be staying with us,” Johnny said hesitantly

“Thank you, Johnny!” Marina jumps to hug Johnny; he reciprocates it by giving her a side hug.

“Here I'll show you to your room,” I say, taking her to the guest bedroom which is now officially Lailahs room. “It's pretty empty but once you get more settled in you'll get more things eventually”

She looks around the room in amazement “It's perfect thank you”

In that moment I think I realized how lucky I was to be in the position that I am in, I never had to struggle financially or had a family to back me up.

“Hey, I just realized we need to get you some clothes to come to my room. You can pick out whatever you like!”

“Really? Are you sure?”

“Yeah of course just for the time being, we can hit the shops sometime in the next few days so we can get you some new stuff”

“I don't have any money right now,” she says shyly

“I'll buy it!”

“I couldn't ask you to do that”

“Trust me I have enough money plus I want to do this for you to show that you're not alone anymore you have me”

She takes a long pause and then turns to smile at me

“Thank you for everything you and your family have done for me it means more than you could ever imagine”

I take her shoulder and she puts her hand on top of mine. I cannot help but notice that she has a puzzled look on her face. After a few moments, she looks and me and takes a deep breath

“Can I ask you something?”

“Yes of course,” I say

“Well I don't want to come off as rude but it's a different culture than mine and since I'll be living here I'd love to know as much as you'll let me but-”

“It's okay Lailah you can ask questions” I chuckle

“I wanted to ask what was that thing with the arms that Marina did with Johnny, I thought she was attacking him at first but I guess not based on his reaction”

“Oh!” I laugh at her reaction “No she wasn't attacking him, although he'd probably think otherwise, that was a hug”

“A hug? What is it for?”

“It's more like a form of affection to show that you care about someone it's a bit like a shoulder touch but it's much deeper than that, I'm not sure how to explain it, perhaps one day you'll be able to experience it for yourself”

“Me?” she stops for a bit “I don't think I'd be able to get that close to anybody but it is a nice thought”

I can't help but smile at her. I feel this sense of hope for the future. I want to see where this new chapter of our lives will take us, things will change around here maybe for the worse but more likely for the better. I've only known Lilah for less than a day but she already knows so much more than people I have known my whole life. My identity is something so sacred to me and I didn't realize that the possibility of being myself with someone who isn't my family could feel so nice.