Angel in the Shadows, Book 1 by Lisa Grace (Angel Series) (13 page)

“Just say, ‘no sex’ till we’re married. If he’s
willing to wait, then you’ll know he really loves you. Mandy–you’re
worth waiting for. Don’t sell yourself short.”

“Look Megan, not everybody feels the way
you do. My mom offered to take me to get on the pill and Alex’s dad
gave him condoms. We’d be careful. We’re not stupid! Our parents
are okay with it. Even the
school
gives out free condoms. They’re okay with it too. They’re not
prudes.
They
think we’re fine.
It’s natural,” Mandy says.

“Yeah, well, what if you get pregnant? Or an STD
then what? What’s so wrong with saying no and waiting?” I ask. “If
Alex really loves you, he’ll wait. If he’s so mature he should be
able to control his urges. You’re not animals,” I say heatedly. I
don’t know why I’m getting so upset. Mandy’s my best friend, I
don’t want her to get hurt by this guy. “Remember, this is how Alex
got his reputation last year. He had sex with that girl, let
everybody know, then dropped her like a hot potato. Don’t let it
happen to you.”

“Now you’re just getting mean! I
told
you what happened. That girl’s
father split them apart, not Alex,” Mandy answers. Her face is
getting red.

“That’s what
he
says. He could be lying. All I know is if he
really loves you, he’ll wait.”

“You’re the
only
one
saying to wait.
If his parents give him condoms and mine’s okay with me on the
pill, then it’s all right. You can’t expect everyone to wait until
they’re married. It’s just not realistic,” Mandy says.

“The reality for waiting is no STDs, unwanted
babies, or abortions. I like my reality better than one that
includes those things,” I say heatedly.

Mandy looks at me and says, “Don’t impose
your morals on me. If Alex and I decide to have sex, we
will
be careful. I don’t want to talk
to you about this anymore. We are going to have to agree to
disagree on this subject. I always knew your religion made you
uptight about things like sex, but now you’re letting it come
between us. I hope we can still be friends.”

I feel miserable. Not only wasn’t I able to get
across how important she is, but now she feels I’ve threatened our
friendship. “Mandy, I love you. You know you’re like the sister I
never had. I just think if he really loves you, he’ll respect you
enough to wait. I’m sorry I made you mad, but I’m not sorry for
what I said. That’s honestly how I feel.”

The rest of our weekend together is stilted. I
can tell we both feel like we’re walking on eggshells. Mandy comes
to church with my family and me, but I can tell her heart isn’t in
it. I can feel her pulling away from me and I don’t know what I can
do to stop it. I feel relief when she finally goes home to wait for
Alex’s call.

***

Monday at school, I say hi to Mandy. She waves
at me but doesn’t bother to stop and chat. Later, I overhear some
of the cheerleaders talking about a party that someone named “Jude”
is hosting. Susie notices I’m listening and actually comes over to
invite me. “Hey Megan, there’s going to be this big party, it’s at
a warehouse that Jude has found for us to use. I know Mandy and
Alex are going.” She shows me a flyer. “Rumor has it, there’s going
to be alcohol and some other stuff—you might not want to go.”

“Who’s Jude? I don’t think I’ve met him.”

“Oh, he’s new in school. He’s so handsome. You
really can’t miss him. He’s getting to be very popular for a new
kid. And having a party can’t hurt,” She waves and walks off to
talk to some other kids.

I’ve never been one to go to the parties where
there’s going to be drinking or drugs. The next day, when my dad
drops me off at school we find graffiti covering some of the
buildings. The janitorial staff is busy scrubbing and pressure
cleaning it off.

A rumor quickly spreads around the school that
the kids who did it were caught. One of the kids from school turned
them in. Later, I hear the name Jude popping up. Rumor has it he’s
the one that turned them in and the video surveillance backs up his
story. Jude is becoming a popular guy with the kids and the staff.
Later that day I go to the lunchroom, get my salad, and sit with
Johnny and Carrie. As I sit down, I hear a bunch of kids start to
clap and chant, “Jude, Jude, Jude”. I look toward the door and lose
my appetite. Jude is a dark angel. I feel Johnny next to me stand
up. I reach out and put a hand on his arm to stop him. He’s the
dark angel from the mall.

Jude looks over at us and waves, giving us a big
grin. He’s surrounded by a large group of kids almost like he’s a
rock star. I excuse myself to go to the restroom. I feel ill that
the dark angel has noticed me and saw me sitting with Johnny. I
know I’m going to be targeted.

When I enter the restroom I see a Goth girl
crying. It’s not a pretty picture. Black mascara is running down
her checks and ruining her carefully drawn face. It takes me a
minute to realize it’s the girl from Jordan’s memorial service.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” I go over to see
if there is anything I can do to help her.

“That’s Judas, not Jude! His name is
Judas!” she sounds hysterical, “He’s the one that killed Jordan,
but nobody will believe me! Not even the teachers. They all think
I’m crazy. And now they think he’s some kind of hero. What’s
wrong
with them? Why can’t they see
him for what he is? Pure—evil! It’s Judas without the
makeup.”

“I believe you,” I gently hold her by the
shoulders. She’s so upset I don’t think she heard me. “I believe
you. I know the truth,” I grab a tissue and try to help blot some
of her makeup. “What’s your name? Mine’s Megan.”

“I’m V-Vania. It’s short for Sylvania. I’m named
after my grandmother from the old country. I don’t know what to
do!” She wipes at her eyes and leans in close, “I know, he knows, I
know,” Vania whispers to me, “He’s not human. He must be an alien
or something. What if he’s here to take over the world? I’m so
scared.”

I smile even though I’m scared too. I want to
calm Vania down. “Look–I haven’t told this to anybody, because I
didn’t think anyone would believe me. I’m trusting you with the
truth. I know what he is,” I say. The bell rings for our next
class. “We need time to talk privately. Can you meet me right after
the last bell, in front of the auditorium?”

She shakes her head, “No. I’m too scared. Can I
just stay with you?” She looks like a total mess.

“Do you have an English class this year?” I
ask.

“Yeah, English One.” She starts crying again. I
hand her another tissue.

“Okay. Come to my class, sit in the back, and
I’ll tell the teachers you’re shadowing me for a report on an IB
student. Okay?”

She nods and gulps. It almost sounds like a
hiccup. “Okay. I don’t know if I can write–my hand is shaking.”

“Just do your best,” I say. “You can do this.
Now come on,” I head out the door to English. Vania follows so
closely she steps on my heels and bumps into my side a couple of
times. I hastily write her a permission slip since I have extras
from running errands for TV production class. We go into my class,
but no one asks to see it.

We get a few weird looks, but our story is so
strange the teachers don’t question it. Why else would a Goth skip
her easier classes to go to other classes? If she were going to
play hooky, she would have left school.

Before my next class starts, I call my dad to
let him know I’ll be running a half-hour late so I have time to
talk to Vania.

After we have our last class, I take Vania to
the bench outside the auditorium. Usually Johnny’s there to meet
me, today he’s not. Maybe he’s sticking close to Judas/Jude.

“Do you ride a bus or something? I can have my
dad give you a ride home when we’re done.”

“No. I walk home, but I’m too scared. Maybe I
could spend the night with you?” She looks at me hopefully, “My mom
works nights and Judas knows where I live. I’ve let him in before
when Mom wasn’t home. I’m afraid if I go there I won’t be alive in
the morning when my mom gets home.” Vania blushes, “I used to like
Judas in the beginning.”

“Sure, you can spend the night, and you should
be scared.” I face her, brushing my windblown hair out of my eyes,
“You’re right. He’s not human.”

“Oh—I think I’m going to be sick,” Vania runs to
the bushes and pukes. “I’ve made out with him!” She says crying, “I
was drunk.”

“Vania,” I sit down and wait not sure of what I
can do to help.

When she’s done, I walk her back to the
bench and make her sit. I hunt in my purse and pull out some
peppermint gum, “Here, chew this.” I pat her on the shoulder
feeling awkward, “Vania listen—Jude, Judas, whatever his name is—is
a dark angel. He
is
pure evil.
He’s here to destroy as many humans as he can.”

Vania looks at me in disbelief, “He can’t be an
angel ‘cause I don’t believe in God. He must be an alien,” Vania
says earnestly.

“Look, that’s probably why he’s left you alone.
If you’re not saved, he doesn’t have to try and steal you from
God.”

“So I’m safe, because I don’t believe in God?”
Vania looks at me like I’m crazy.

“No, you’re not safe at all. But he’s got time
to toy with you—because he knows when he takes your life you’re
his. Dead or alive.”

“I’m not his! I don’t belong to anyone!”

“Vania, listen to me, you just admitted
you know Judas is
not
human,”
I kneel to speak to her face-to-face, “I’m telling you what he is.
I’m
not
making this up. There
are only two kinds of people in this world. Saved and unsaved. We
all make a choice deep down. The only way you can be safe is to
accept you’re a sinner, just like me. I’m not better than you. But
I admit I need to be saved. He died on a cross for
us
. It‘s your choice to
make.”

Vania crosses her arms and looks back at me like
I’ve asked her to jump off a cliff.

“You’re saying I’m unsaved so I’m his?”

“It’s a choice between good or evil.” I nod. “It
is your choice.”

She crosses her arms, “I chose myself. No one
owns me.”

“Look Vania, we can go to your house pick up
some clothes. You can spend the night at my house, but my family
and I go to Scripture study tonight. I want you to come with
me.”

Vania says, “Thank you, I really don’t want to
be alone tonight. I have to think about what you said. I know Judas
isn’t human, but an evil angel?” Vania takes a deep breath. She
looks at a group of kids laughing in the parking lot, then back at
me. “I feel safer around you,” Vania smiles.

“Well don’t. Until you commit, your soul is in
danger. I can’t help you if you die without making that admission.
If you’re sure Judas killed Jordan, you could be next. When you
become saved, God helps protect those that are His. Until then,
you’re not safe.”

My dad pulls up and gives me a look when I tell
him, “Hi Dad; Vania is spending the night with us.”

I’ve never understood the urgency of people
becoming saved before. But now that I’ve seen Jude/Judas and know
what happened to Jordan, suddenly it’s all become real. Vania is in
danger. I can feel it in my bones. Johnny’s serious for a reason. A
lot of people could wind up in hell before Jude/Judas is done. I
know a lot of people are going to Jude’s party this weekend and
he’ll kill them if he can. I have to try to stop him.

That night at Scripture study, I see Vania
calming down. Afterwards, I ask her if she’s ready to be saved. She
says, “I have some more questions first.”

I say, “Okay we can talk tonight when we get
home.” I wish I knew my Bible better, but I just say a prayer and
ask the Holy Spirit to give me the right words to say.

***

Later that evening, after we brush our teeth, we
sit down on my bed and her sleeping bag to talk. Somehow, even in
bedclothes, Vania manages to look Goth. Her pajamas are this black
corset looking thing with long black silk pants so wide they hang
like a skirt. “That’s very ‘bride of Frankenstein’,” I say.

“Thank you.” She twirls and smiles, “That is the
look I was going for.”

“Now what questions do you have for me about
being saved?”

“So Jesus is God, right? And He came to Earth as
a human. He died on a cross as a sacrifice for our sins–which is
kind of gothic don’t you think? Then if you’re sorry for your sins,
and ask His death to count for you, it does, right? ‘Cause He never
sinned, right?” Vania asks.

“Yes. He died for us,” I say. I don’t want to
confuse her by adding anything.

“How come it’s so easy?” Vania asks. “Why don’t
we have to slit a wrist or cut off a finger or something? It sounds
too easy.”

“It’s simple because it’s a gift to us. We have
freewill. We can choose to accept His love and the gift of
salvation or we can deny it. God doesn’t want puppets. He wants
people who choose to love him.”

“Here,” I page through my Bible and find John
chapter three, verse sixteen. I point it out to Vania and give it
to her to read.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His
only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him, should not
perish but have eternal life.” She takes a deep breath and slowly
lets it out.

“Okay. I’m ready,” Vania says.

“Ready?” I say.

“Yep. I’d rather belong to God than the devil.
I’ve seen true evil and I don’t like it. I choose to love God.

We pray for Vania to be one of the saved.

The house phone rings. My dad yells from the
kitchen, “It’s for you Vania.”