You Fill My Sails With Your Wasted Breath

Cameron finished Maggie's lawn and I quickly cheesed it so I could get the rest of the lawns done. The faster I worked, the faster Katie and I could start investigating. First, I would interrogate the brothers. They knew something. Then I'd catch them in a lie! It'll work perfectly!

Too bad it took me until 6 to get the lawns done cause a dog toy got lodged in the mower and I had to go get it fixed at the local Home Depot. When I got home, my dad had gotten Donatello to weed whack and I was stuck making dinner with my mom. My dad immediately bonded with Donatello, like he was the son Dad never had. Awesome for his daughters!

"You'll have to invite Donatello over for dinner someday honey." My mother said to my father. He smiled a little and shook his head.

"I'm afraid he's leaving soon." My dad said. "Michigan starts in a few weeks."

"Oh damn it I forgot! " I shouted as I hit my hand against the table.

"Ariella! " My mother snapped at me. "You do not swear in this household. " Oops....

"What did you forget? " My father asked coolly.

"Nothing. " I muttered as I hung my head. "I'm not hungry." I walked up to my room and sighed. It was 7:30 when I started to call Katie. Shaking my head, I walked over to my window. I didn't want to talk to Katie. I wanted to talk to….someone. Someone who wasn't in on all of this. Someone who would make me forget. As if on queue, my phone started to ring. Glancing at the name, I grinned when I saw it was my friend Joshua. I never really called him Josh. It made me think of some tiny little baby kid. I flipped open the phone and smiled into it while I said, "hey" to my best guy friend.

"Sup Ariella? How's it hanging?" He asked, his voice sounding so different. I hadn't heard a guy talk since the four angel boys and they all had oddly normal pitches. Joshua was deep and rumble-like; like thunder.

"Nothing much. You wanna head over to my house and chill for a bit?" I asked. I had had Joshua over my house a lot the passed five years of secondary education since, well, I've had a crush on him since I met him in sixth grade. It was my first year of middle school and most of the new kids in my grade didn't really talk to me. I saw him in the hallway though, looking for some button or something and I found in next to my locker. After I found it for him, his wonderful nature reeled me in and he and I had grown to be great friends.

Joshua, you see, had this way about him. No matter what you did, he'd make you think you were great at it, even if he made fun of you for a bit. He was sarcastic and he had a sweet side. He got angry at things like willful ignorance and hypocrisy. He never yelled though. He said he leashed his anger a long time ago and he'd never use that against anyone ever again. I actually never found out what happened so I just let it be. Joshua loved whatever he got into and no matter who it was with, he would go all out. He was friends with everyone and didn't have a problem talking to people. He was just….great! Who wouldn't like him? Not to mention his face was handsome. He had a strong nose and a jaw that jutted out a bit. He had perfectly straight teeth thanks to braces in 7th and 8th grade. He had brown hair that curled around the ends that barely brushed his low cheeks and pale blue-green eyes that hinted at grey right near the iris.

Joshua was every girl's dream guy.

And I got to hang out with him…..HAHAHAHA! WIN!

"Sure," he said, his excitement being overshadowed by his deep voice. "I'll be over in ten. You want to play a game or do you wanna just chill in your living room?" I thought it over.

"What do you think will make me forget about crazy shit that makes no sense?" He thought it over and I heard his car start up.

"Well," he started as the click of his seat belt echoed through the phone. "I've got Call of Duty." He offered.

"We always play Call of Duty!" I whined. He let out a sigh.

"Alright, well I've got zombie games?" he offered. I grinned and nodded.

"Alright, let's kill some zombies!" I said as I leaned against the window, my free hand tapping the wood frame of my window.

"Alright, I'll be over in five."

"I'll be counting the minutes." I said sarcastically, making Josh chuckle.

"You always were the weird one."

"Please." I snorted. "Who's the bi one in our relationship?" I demanded. He was silent for a moment before his snort was heard.

"You suck you know that? I thought we said we wouldn't bring that up."

"Oh, my bad." I mumbled.

"I'll get over it." He answered. "We'll talk about your slip up when I get there." He said chuckling maniacally.

I hung up the phone quickly and cleaned up my room a bit. No need for the guy I had a crush on to see my underwear basket….I made sure I was presentable, shorts that reached to my mid-thigh since everyone hates that skank who wears short shorts, and a black tank top. I walked down to my parents, telling them Joshua was coming over, which was pointless since Joshua knocked on my door as I got to the dining room where my parents were talking about the heat. I walked over to the door and opened it. In my pantry stood the lean mean 6'1 brown haired boy I loved to see.

"Sup Ariella?" He asked as he offered me a broad grin.

"Nothing much, come on in. Let's go get to talking about your ga--"

"Mr. and Mrs. Becker!" Joshua shouted as he walked through the house that he had gone through so many times. "How are you two doing this fine night?" He asked as he cut me a glare. I grinned and followed after him. The child was an enigma to me. How could he wear jeans on a day when it's 80 degrees outside? Not to mention housing his always casual black sweatshirt. He walked into my lining room and my parents greeted him warmly.

"How are you, Joshua?" My dad asked as he extended his hand for a high five. Joshua took it and my mother stood to head towards the cabinets to get him a plate to eat.

"Here, Josh sweety, I'll get you some dinner." She said.

"No thank you, Mrs. Becker. I'll just take whatever Ariella didn't eat." I gaped.

"How did you know I didn't eat?" I demanded as I crossed my arms.

"Because you sound cranky." He said pointedly as he sat at my table and started to make conversation with my father. He quickly began to eat the plate while I rolled my eyes. My appetite was still shot because of Zach and the angel thing so I decided not to look at the food. "Joshua, I'm going to your car to get the games. I kinda want to play God of War." I said as I headed towards the door.

"I think it's in the back. I had a bunch from the other day." I nodded and walked out to the boys black jeep, pushing the front seat forward to find the games like I had so many times before. He did have God of War but he also had some zombie game so I grabbed it too.

When I started towards my house, I glanced at the sky and noticed there was a star that showed exceptionally bright and it made me wonder why. Maybe it was Mars. I hadn't remembered the constellations and I didn't want to bother my dad while he was eating. I ignored it with a sigh and headed back into the house. I set up the living room when my mother called out to me.

"Sweety, why don't you and Joshua play up in your sister's room? It'll be less disgusting to hear the killing and whatever else is going on in your games." I grinned and headed up to my room with the games, telling Joshua to come up whenever he was done. Of all the people I've known, my dad was really cool with Joshua. Who the heck knew why?

I plopped onto my bed and started up my television as well as the games. Another 10 minutes later I was still running around this stupid Athens or whatever trying to find the key to unlock the ax that I can use to kill that guy from level three…

Basically, I was lost.

Joshua came up to my room and grinned as he walked in. "Never been in your room before," he mused. "It's calmer than I thought it would be." I rose my eyebrow and threw the controller at him.

"What the heck does that mean?" I demanded. He caught it with a smile and walked around my room a little. He looked from the poster I had of a dragon and a tiger to the poster of Johnny Depp then at the pictures I had random people draw me. I liked encouraging people to do things and I had a lot of friends in the art department. They were willing to draw me anything and I was willing to take it.

"I figured you'd have pictures of dead people on your wall or targets with people's faces." He said with a shrug. He picked up my tiny sparkly pig that I had made at the local Plaster Fun Time and then at the books I had on my far wall.

"Ha ha," I muttered. "So funny."

"What's wrong with you?" He asked as he sat next on my bed and leaned against my headboard while I was on my stomach near the foot of the bed.

"I can't get the stupid ax!" I growled out at the television, my brown eyes glued to the animated figure that was running around a cobblestone area while spots of grass grew from between them. I wanted him to trip, just because it would have been funny.

"No, Ariella, the reason I'm over here." Joshua said as he folded up his dark sweater.

"I can't just chill?" I asked as I rolled over a little to look at him. He crossed his lightly muscled arms across his chest and rose a slender brown eyebrow. I loved when he would look at me like that. Like he knew me. Because he did. I had let this boy in when others were much too stupid to infiltrate my barriers.

He was like that best friend who would never get the girl except in those stories where the best friend gets the girl cause the main guy's a dick….

"Ariella, you haven't given me that excuse since I found out you liked me." I blushed and rolled back over so I could start the game again. "Awe, Ariella you still like me?" He asked softly as he moved to lay next to me. I shrugged and started the whole "I'm busy with a game, let's not talk about this" charade. "Ariella," he said as he brushed my hair out of my face. I hated the way he did that to me--acted like he was sincere. He was so sweet.

"Joshua, can you get this level please?" I asked, holding out the controller to him.

"Ariella," his voice was soft and his big hands pushed the strands of my hair out of my face slowly. "We need to talk." I frowned.

"Alright," I said as I moved to put my weight on my arm. "About what?"

"Those angels." He said quickly. I stared at him.

"You know about them?" He sat up and stared at me, his blue eyes completely different. His brown hair was now pushed back on his head, though it had fallen messily into place.

"My name is Nathanael, Ariella, and I am the angel of truth and knowledge." I stared at him for a second.

"Joshua, what are you doing?"

"Listen to me, Ariella, you're one of the only humans who have stumbled upon this idiotic game."

"Game?"

"I need to spell this out for you? Really?" I bit my lip. He was an angel so that meant Zach and his brothers really WERE angels too!

"Zach and his brothers are playing a game?"

"Zach and his brothers are the archangels. They're the high and mighty "we're daddy's favorites" and when they get bored, they disrupt everything. I hate hearing them whine. So like the good little altruists up there in Heaven, the Seraphim Af just felt like giving them a stupid day off. Day of course meaning thousands of years." I stared at Joshua. Well, Nathanael. He was telling me why the brothers were on Earth. I stood and ran to my desk. Paper and pen… I needed to write this down so I could show Katie or do something with it!

"So…can you tell me this again?" I said quickly as I found a pen.

"I'm afraid I can't." The voice from inside Joshua said. I made that "what the hell are you talking about" face and held out my hands.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Being in a person's body without their consent has dangerous repercussions. I will have to find my own body and contact you once more." I nodded a little in confusion but before I could say anything else, Joshua stared at me with that look in his eyes that said he was just as confused as I was.

"What the hell just happened to me?" He asked.

"You tell me." I said as I sat next to him. He shrugged and rubbed his head.

"I don't know! There was someone else in my head and made me move aside. It was like I was put on autopilot but I knew everything that was happening." I nodded.

"Hm, what was with using someone's body?" I asked myself. I bit my lip and thought it over. Nathanael said they were archangels. Archangels didn't have bodies did they? What did he mean he'd find a body and get back to me? What the heck? Can angels just like zap into someone's body? Do they need permission? Can they even talk normal? What is the whole frequency with them? Why do they need bodies? Why can't--

"Ariella." Joshua said as he grabbed my shoulders. "What is going on? What the heck was that guy doing in my head?" I sighed.

"I wanted you to come over so I didn't have to worry about this." I whined as I leaned my head forward.

"Worry about what? Are you in some kind of trouble Ariella? Did you piss off Carnies or something?" I laughed a little and shook my head.

"You are such an idiot, Joshua." He didn't seem amused though.

"Seriously, what the heck was that guy doing in my head and what the heck was he talking about? Angels? Archangels? Game?" I shook my head and ran my hands through my hair.

"You wont believe me." I said shaking my head.

"Ariella, I had some guy in my head, I think I'll believe whatever you tell me." I took a deep breath and contemplated it. What to do? I couldn't just go around spilling my guts about angels could I? I mean, dad and Katie already knew and I think that was more than necessary. I guess I could just tell him….

"These four guys moved into Mrs. Stowe's house and I think they're angels." I blurted. He rose his eyebrow and nodded.

"You're right I don't believe you."

"See?"

"What would make you think that?" He demanded from me. I shrugged.

"I just got this weird hunch that something was up with this Zachariel kid cause that's a form of Zachariah but he's an angel from this TV show that I don't know and he's apparently a dick and I don't know."

"The Zachariel kid's a dick?" Joshua asked me.

"No, Zachariah. Zachariel is a dick too but that's not the point. I just thought they were and for a few days I've been looking stuff up on angels and I don't know. Nothing added up. It just didn't make sense and now this crazy angel thing possess you and I'm stuck with a bagillion more questions." Joshua shook his head and sighed before staring at me.

"Your parents know about this?" He asked.

"My dad knows I think they're angels. I don't have anything to show him yet. But come on Joshua. An angel took over your body and used you like a clown costume. You can't say that you don't believe me." He shook his head.

"What the hell would angels be doing here, Ariella?"

"I don't know." I said truthfully. "Nathanael said there was a game or something. Maybe that was it. Maybe there's a game they're playing." I offered.

"What like Call of Duty?" He asked me.

"I don't think so. Maybe some giant game of chess or whatever. Like God and Lucifer are just chilaxing in the big park in the sky and playing like that bad guy in X-Men." Joshua shook his head.

"Ariella, did you invite me over so you can move this crazy on someone else?" I shook my head quickly and grabbed his hand.

"No, Joshua, I swear. I wanted to talk to someone about absolutely nothing and you called me. I was so happy when I saw it was you. I didn't want to have Katie come over cause all we would do is deal with that annoying Zach or look up more useless information about angels. I just wanted to do something normal and completely boring."

"I'm boring?" Joshua asked me, truthfully sounding hurt, after a moment or two of silence. I hit his arm and got off of my bed.

"Fine, whatever. You are boring. Get out." I said as I crossed my arms over my chest. He laughed and shook his head before laying on my bed.

"Your bed's so comfy though. I want you to come and cuddle with me." He said as he held out his arms. I fought the blush on my cheeks and shook my head.

"I'll get you for statutory." I said as I turned around. He pulled me by my stomach and pinned me down onto the bed.

"It's not rape if you like it." He said from above me. I scrunched my face and rolled my eyes.

"You are so egotistical." I said as I looked away from him.

"And?" He asked as he moved my face back to look at his. "You love that about me."

"PFF!" I said as I sat up. "I love your hair. It's so fun to pet." I said as I touched his hair gently. He laughed a little and shook his head.

"I was sure it was my abusive nature." I rolled my eyes and grabbed the controller from the end of my bed.

"Bull. If anyone was the abusive one in this relationship it'd be me." He laughed and nodded.

"This is very true, Ariella." I wrapped my long legs in that crazy pretzel style and started to aim for that ax again. "You moron, go towards the ledge and hit the box first. You need to get the scepter of Zeus before you get the ax." I glared at him but tried his way and before I knew it, I eventually got the ax.

"You bum! You should have told me before!" He laughed and rolled his eyes.

Joshua and I played video games until my mom called him down at 11:30. "I know you two are having fun," my mom said as I walked with Joshua down stairs. "But I'm afraid you'll have to leave." Joshua smiled at my mother and nodded.

"Of course, Mrs. Becker. I know I already over stayed my welcome. I'm sorry you had to put up with me for so long." My mother smiled, that one that she gave anyone who complimented her, and patted his arm.

"Oh don't think anything of it Josh. Come by whenever you feel like it." She said as my father came into the room. He smiled at Joshua and shook his hand.

"That's right son. We're always here for you if you need anything." I rolled my eyes at him and he smiled at me.

"I appreciate that, Mr. and Mrs. Becker. If you ever need me to baby sit this pest again, I'll do it." He said as he wrapped my head in a noogie. I whined and tried to get him off but he only laughed and let me go. I helplessly tried to fix my hair and he shook his head. "Can you walk me to my car, Ariella? I don't want the big bad tough guys on your street to jump me." He said with a pout. I rolled my eyes and headed for the door, slipping on my flip flops.

"Be back in a sec." I told my parents as I walked out the door, closing the screen door carefully behind me. Joshua opened his car door and I looked around our neighbor hood.

"Ariella," Joshua said as he rolled down his window. I looked up at him.

"Sup?"

"I'm going to need you to call me tomorrow. Or text me, or something. Anything. I want to help you with this angel thing. If something get's hairy, you'll never be able to defend yourself and I'd never live with myself if I knew you were in danger and I couldn't stop it." I smiled a little and hid my face a little. "Ariella, look at me ok?" I did and my smile vanished. He was all serious. "I love being your friend, Ariella and if this is going to happen, I want to be there and make sure you stay my friend alright? I'm not going to let some teenager get into a stupid game with angels alright? Or even worse, get in trouble with the law." I smiled again and nodded.

"Alright, Joshua. I'll call you tomorrow. Katie and I are supposed to be sleuthing tomorrow."

"That's a bad idea. Just chill tomorrow. I know, I'll take you guys to the beach. I don't want this getting any farther just yet." I rolled my eyes.

"You're not running this novel, Joshua." He sighed and put his head on his arm.

"You're still on the 'my life is a novel' thing?" He asked. I nodded proudly and turned to stick my nose up. "Ariella, take a step back and realize that if you do something stupid enough, those four guys, who might not be angels, might press charges and that'll stick around with you for a long ass time. Longer than you think. And it'll do a lot to when you're out of college."

"Oh God, Joshua, you sound like a father from the 1980s." He sighed and shook his head.

"I'll be over tomorrow?" he offered. I nodded and turned towards the house. "Ariella?" Joshua said as I got to my stairs. I turned to look at him and he smiled at me. "Sleep well." I nodded and waved a little, smiling as well. Stupid boys….

I walked back up to my bed and yawned. Stupid everything.

Stupid angel guy coming into my room when I was hanging out with Joshua. Stupid Joshua with his awesomely adorable knight in shining armor thing. Stupid Zach for even making this happen. Stupid God for being a douche and playing this game…..

"Ariella?" I heard my dad say from the door. I looked over and smiled.

"Sup dad?" I asked.

"Do you have any information about this angel stuff? I overheard you and Josh talking and I don't want you to get into trouble ok? If you're going to stalk or something, tell me." I sighed and nodded.

"Alright dad, I'll tell you. Come on over." I said as I sat up. He walked into my room, his 6 foot stature filling my room. "I was hanging with Josh today because I was sure I was going to give up on the angel thing. Then….we were just sitting here and he started talking like someone else. He called himself Nathanael and he said he was an angel. He said that Zach and his brothers were archangels." My dad stared at me for a moment.

"Ariella," he said with a sigh. "This…I can't believe this. No logical person would."

"I did." I said as I stared at him. His green eyes stared at me and I stared back at him. "I think this is real dad. If you don't want me to do it fine, you can want but I think something may be coming and you know how that turns out in books. If I ignore this, it'll come and bite me on the rear and then I'll have to get in it dad. Let me do this and end it before it gets too far. Let me do this. Please." I begged. He stared at me and I knew he wouldn't let me. It was going to be the hard way. Just so we could have crazy awesome friction when the good part gets going.

"I'm going with you." He said as he nodded. "I'll let you go if I can go with you." I stared at my dad.

"You're kidding right?" I asked. He shook his head.

"I want you to be safe and I want to make sure of this for myself. You tell me right now I can't go and you're never going to get another step with this." I debated with myself and held out my hand.

"You have to listen to me dad. You have to make sure you don't get carried away with your dad thing alright? We're doing this my way and my way only." He nodded and took my hand in his before giving it a firm shake.

"Yes ma'am."

I had a very bad feeling about all of this…..