A Thousand Years

Chapter One
Unsuspecting Heroine

It was another beautiful day in Huntington Beach. Summer brake was coming to a close and soon I’d be starting my sophomore year of High School. It was a bit nerve racking but somehow I managed to be ok with it. I was wiping down the last of the tables at Granny’s café where I worked. My Grandmother owns the place and all the girls here have to wear these cute Lolita style uniforms. It draws the men in anyway. Most of the girls feel like the uniforms make them sex objects. But I like my uniform, call me crazy I’m a sucker for gothic Lolita style clothing. Hell I’m also a sucker for a good anime or manga too. Grandma and I were actually planning a trip to Japan next summer and I’m really looking forward to it.

I made my way back behind the counter where Skye my childhood friend who is a year older than me was working at the register. The other girls glaring at her with envy because she wouldn’t have the men gaping at her breast or backside today. At least not until they paid for their food. It wasn’t that I didn’t mind the men gaping at me like they’d never seen a woman before. It was more like wearing this uniform took me to another place and I just ignored the men. I wasn’t going to let anyone ruin the joy I felt when I had my uniform on. I was proud to wear it, and of my Grandmother for keeping the family business running with everything that was going on these days.

“If you get any perkier we’ll have to start giving you downers”.
Skye said with a sly smirk as she finished up what she was doing. I smiled at her clasping my hands behind my back.
“Hey, it’s a beautiful day. And Grandma’s health is good, I have a lot to be happy about”.
I beamed at her. Skye rolled her eyes turning back to the counter leaning on it as she sighed lightly.
“Well, I’m glad one of us is in a good mood”.
She smirked at me. I frowned at her knowing she was going through a bad break up with her ex-boyfriend. Placing my hand over hers I patted it lightly.

“Hey, we’re young. We have our whole lives to settle down with a guy. We shouldn’t rush it you know?”
Skye smiled at me squeezing my hand lightly. I knew she was grateful for me because it showed. We were always together like best friends normally are. We could talk about anything together. And I knew she was the one person in the world who would never replace me. I’d been replaced before, by family and friends. But Skye was different. We had a strong bond that couldn’t be broken no matter what.

The bell over the door rang and Skye narrowed her eyes at the five of them as they walked in. I stood upright at the sight of him feeling the color flood my cheeks.
“You have got to be kidding me”.
Skye snarled. I squeezed her hand lightly.
“Skye please don’t”.
She looked at me narrowing her eyes.

“Krissi the guy is a druggie! And a jerk! He’s rude to everyone and he never comes to school! Last I heard he was homeless”.
She whispered like it was a disease or something. I watched him as he sat with his friends at one of the tables. Jimmy Sullivan had been in my first grade class, hell we had the same class every year until he left or was kicked out. it depended who you talked to. And Skye was dead against me having anything to do with him. Jimmy smiled at me waving me towards him and I held my breath. Skye shook her head vigorously as she bit her lower lip silently begging me not to go over to him.

I walked over to the table and smiled at him. His friends all looked me up and down but I didn’t pay attention to them my eyes fixed on Jimmy. He smiled at me looking cool as ever as his arm draped across the back of the booth.
“Hey Parker, I was hoping you could do something for me”.
Jimmy said with a smile. I blushed feeling like a fool.
“Sure Jimmy, what do you need?”
Jimmy’s smile never left his lips.

“Your grandmother still owns that vacant lot right? The one near the school?”
Jimmy asked, I nodded to him.
“Yeah, she does”.
Jimmy looked to his friends as if to say “I told you so” before continuing he never lost that charming smile of his as he leaned forwards on the table his eyes never leaving mine. I swear I could have died in that moment.
“The guys and I have this band now, and we need a place to have our first show. You think she’d be ok with us having it there. We’d need permission to play there, you know so the cops don’t ruin everything”.
Jimmy said his hand grazed my cheek and I blushed.

“Do you think you could talk to her for us?”
Before I could open my mouth to speak Skye stormed towards us.
“That’s enough!”
She got between Jimmy and I narrowing her eyes at him as she kept her arms out.
“Listen up dickwad because I’m only saying this once! Stop manipulating Krissi! Just because she had some misguided infatuation with you doesn’t mean you get to use it against her!”
Skye blurted. I felt my face get hot.

“Skye!”
I glared at her tears rolling down my cheeks. I turned rushing from the room feeling humiliated. Was Jimmy really manipulating me? Using my crush on him to get what he wanted? I slumped back into the wall tears in my eyes as I stared at the open sky. I could hear footsteps approaching and sighed at the sight of Matt Sanders. Jimmy’s best friend we’d been in the same class before too.

“Hey, you ok?”
Matt asked. I shrugged hugging myself as I diverted my gaze.
“As ok as I can be”.
I whispered. Matt sighed shoving his hands in his pockets.
“I’m sorry about all that inside. I told Jimmy we shouldn’t do that. But he was convicted you’d do him this favor for nothing”.
Matt said leaning back on the wall next to me lighting a cigarette. He looked over at me.

“I’d do anything for Jimmy”.
I muttered looking away from him. Matt smirked to himself shaking his head.
“Ok, that’s probably because you’re a totally sweet good girl. But Kristen”.
He started. I looked at him and gave a half-hearted smile.
“Krissi please, I don’t like my name”.
I said. Matt laughed to himself exhaling smoke from his lips.
“Kristen’s a hot chick’s name”.
He teased. I blushed looking away from him.
“And well, I’m not flirting or anything but the name suites you”.
Matt continued looking back to me.
“Anyway, as I was saying, Jimmy’s sort of got a girlfriend right now”.
I felt my heart break as I hung my head tears building in my eyes.
“We’re guys, we’re dicks at this age, and I really don’t know if we’re ever mature. But I guess we’ll see as time goes on”.
Matt said with a smile. I shrugged.

“It’s not looking good right now”.
I muttered wiping my tears away. Matt nodded in agreement.
“Fair enough. Anyway I wanted to apologize, we shouldn’t have come here but Jimmy’s hard headed, he does what he wants when he wants.”
Matt explained.
I looked at him, I really didn’t remember Matt ever being this nice before. He smiled at me exposing his dimples as he did.
“Anyway, it’s ok if you don’t want to help us out”.
Matt said tossing the nub of his cigarette aside and stepping on it.
“Hold on”.
I caught his arm.
“Can I come?”
I asked looking up at him. Matt smirked at me.
“I’m not sure you’d like it”.
I crossed my arms.

“What makes you think that?”
I asked. Matt laughed to himself.
“A sweet girl like you? You probably listen to boy bands and other pop music crap”.
He smirked. My eyes narrowed slightly.
“Since when is Iron Maiden a boy band? Or Metallica? Alice Cooper? Guns N Roses? Need I go on?”
Matt had a look of shock on his face as he looked down at me.
“Wow. I was sure you were one of those fan girl types”.
I sighed to myself shaking my head.

“Well I’m not. But there is very little you and Jimmy know about me so I won’t hold your assumptions against you”.
Matt smiled at me.
“Hey if you wanna come your welcome to. No charge if you can get us in”.
Matt said. I nodded to him as my grandmother emerged from the back door.
“Here you are, the place is filling up we need you inside”.
Grandma said. I turned to her and smiled.
“Grandma, this is Matt him and his friends have a band and they wanna use the lot to give a show”.
I smiled at her hopefully. Grandma sighed crossing her arms looking Matt up and down.

“I don’t think you’re good for my Krissi”.
Grandma said. I frowned at her.
“Grandma, Matt’s a really good guy, and he’s responsible you can trust him”.
Grandma sighed shaking her head.
“Kristen, we have a café full of hungry people. We don’t have time to do this”.
“I’ll work extra hours, if any damages are done or something bad happens I’ll take full responsibility”.
I smiled at her. Matt gaped at me kind of shocked that I’d do that for him, I mean we hardly knew each other. Grandma raised her eyebrows at me.
“And you would give up pay for your hard work to cover any damage done?”
Grandma asked. I nodded to her without hesitation.
“Of course, I’ll do that”.
Grandma looked at Matt and sighed.

“You need to be out of there by midnight! I want no trouble from the cops!”
Grandma barked at him. Matt nodded to her.
“Of course. We’ll be out of there by midnight”.
Grandma sighed still looking skeptical of Matt.
“Follow me to my office, and you, get to work!”
Grandma instructed. Matt smiled at me.
“Thank you”.
I smiled back at him.
“No problem”.

I worked my shift and started closing up the café. As I was locking the doors I could hear someone approach me from behind. I turned looking to see Matt standing there. He smiled at me lowering the hood of his black hoodie.
“Hey, I thought you could use an escort home”.
Matt said. I smiled at him crossing my arms.
“You don’t have to. I know you and the guys have a show to get ready for”.
Matt nodded stepping up on the curb.

“We do. But we wouldn’t have without you. Your Grandma sure is a strict lady. She wrote up a contract with my dad and everything.”
Matt snickered. I laughed lightly as we started to walk.
“Yeah, Grandma’s always got her bases covered. She’s always been like that”.
I said looking over at him. Matt smiled at me.
“Well, it’s good you have her. But can I ask about your parents?”
Matt said. I nodded to him.
“Yeah, my dad is always traveling for his work, he’s a paranormal investigator and exorcist. And my mom well, She’s not part of my life, she doesn’t have the maternal instinct to be a mother”.
I explained putting things as nicely as I could. Matt shook his head lightly.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”
He sighed. I smiled at him continuing on our way.
“It’s ok, I don’t mind. Most people aren’t interested in me so they don’t ask questions”.
I said. Matt turned to me as we stopped outside of an alleyway.
“I actually find you very interesting”.
Matt smiled at me. His smile faded as his eyes lifted and narrowed in one sweeping motion Matt took me in his arms as we were thrown backwards by a powerful force. I winced opening my eyes looking up at the massive beast that toward over us. Matt looked back at it standing his ground blocking me off.

“Hide!”
Matt called over his shoulder to me. I was too scared to move as I watched the beast lunge for Matt again this time Matt was ready setting the monster flame with fire that he manifested out of nothing. Matt thrust the blast into the monster’s chest incinerating it to nothing but ash. I sat trembling as I looked at him. Matt looked back at me wiping the blood from his lip away as he approached his eyes fixed on my hands. As I slowly lowered my gaze I saw my hands were glowing with white light. Matt kneeled in front of me placing his hand on my shoulder.

“Take deep breaths”.
Matt instructed. I shook my head lightly as tears trickled down the corners of my eyes unable to speak at all. Matt sat on one knee in front of me remaining calm and focused.
“Come on, you can trust me, take deep breaths”.
He said again. This time his cell started to ring. Matt took it from his pocket and I saw the name “Val” across the screen. He looked at me.
“I need to take this”.
I nodded to him looking away as I started to try and clam myself down. Matt stood taking the phone call.
“Everythings fine babe I promise. Yeah, I found her. She’s ok too”.

I looked up at him feeling confused. Matt hung up turning back to me and helping me to stand.
“You ok?”
I hugged myself looking at him.
“What’s going on? How did you do that? And why were my hands glowing?’
Matt sighed running his hand back through his hair.
“It’s a long story.”
He said, I crossed my arms narrowing my eyes at him now.
“Then give me the short version”.
I demanded feeling on edge and scared now. Matt shoved his fists in his pockets.
“You’re a Divine, well the Divine. The one chosen to save humankind from Lucifer. I’m a guardian, it’s something that was passed down through my family for lifetimes. Though it is believe that the same soul was just reborn every time. Meaning you and I have been together in every lifetime. As Divine and guardian”.
Matt explained.

I gaped at him feeling like he was crazy.
“You have got to be kidding me! I love magic and supernatural as much as the next person but this is insane! It can’t happen”.
I said feeling shocked by what he said.
“He isn’t lying to you honey”.
I turned seeing Grandma approaching us. She had a sword in her hand which shocked me.
“It seems that this young man is the rightful guardian. And you’re coming of age is being declared otherwise that demon wouldn’t have been able to track you”.
I looked between Matt and Grandma.
“Are you two high?”
I asked. Matt laughed while Grandma gave me a stern hard look.

“Kristen, this is the truth weather you like it or not. You are the Devine defender of Heaven. And Matt is your guardian. The time has come. I was hoping to make things easier. But we need to get you to Japan sooner than I thought”.
Grandma looked to Matt.
“I’ve spoken with your father he understands”.
Matt nodded.
“I’ll head home and pack. See you at the airport”.
He waved heading off while I still stood dumbfound by this information.