June 14, 2012

To my readers,

After nearly six years, I have decided to take this story down. My apologies to anyone who wished to read the Guardian Angel, whether you are a new reader or a returning one. It has been a pleasure writing for you all and receiving your feedback over the years. So, thank you to all who read, reviewed, or favourited this story. I'll be leaving the first chapter here for the sake of posterity. Perhaps one day in the future I will rewrite the Guardian Angel and have it published. Should that day ever come, I will be sure to let you know.

- DC

Chapter One

"Eric, you were terrific at practice today," Coach Gibson said, placing a fatherly hand on the teenaged boy's shoulder. "You're the best player on our team. If there's anything you need, you can ask me. I'll help you with anything."

"Er... thanks, Coach," Eric replied meekly, running a hand through his platinum blond hair.

"Keep up the good work," the coach said to the rest of the team with a nod before leaving the boys' change room.

Eric threw open his locker and frowned at the rusty condition. With a small shake of his head, he shoved his football gear into his bag and headed out into the school parking lot.

"Hey, Eric! I'll see you tomorrow."

Eric looked up and nodded at Andy, giving a brief wave goodbye. He sighed and gazed up at the clear blue sky. There was something magnificent about this day. The sun was shining, and the birds were singing. Coach seemed to have taken a liking to Eric today. Well, he was their best quarterback after all, but he liked to think that had nothing to do with it.

"Buddy! Great practice today," Edwin called from across the parking lot, a large duffel bag slung over his shoulder.

"Yeah! I'll see you on Monday, dude," Eric yelled back.

"What!" Edwin exclaimed. "You're not free this weekend!"

"Nope, I've got that English test to study for!"

"What! Already!"

"Yes! Unlike some people, I like to study early for my tests!" Eric cried.

"That's where you're wrong!" Edwin said, pulling out his car keys. "I don't study at all!"

Eric rolled his chocolate brown eyes. "Well then, you can go out, have some fun and fail the test horribly. 'Night, man." He tossed his duffel bag into the back of his convertible before hopping into the driver's seat. He started the car with a satisfying rumble and began to back out of the parking lot.

Edwin waved amicably, his smirk still in place. "Have fun with your books Eric."

Eric sighed, refusing to reply as he sped out of the parking lot and down the street. It was mid October and the last of the sunny days was coming to an end. He loved the sunny weather of late summer. The temperature was always just right and the rain would go on hold long enough for the roads to stay dry.

He slowed his convertible when he drove through the residential areas. His neighbourhood, known as the 'Heavenly Neighbourhood'. The place where the town's greatest kids grew up under the care of 'fabulous' parents. He scoffed at the idea in his head. The kid across the street from his house was the Devil-child. And Eric's parents were far from perfect.

He cleared the thoughts out of his head forcefully, pulling up in the driveway of a quaint white house. "Ahhh... home at last," he sighed, shutting the car off. He jumped out of the car, grabbed his duffel bag and headed inside. He went through the front door and stood in the foyer, gazing up at the splendour that was his home. "Mom! I'm home!"

"Why are you so late!" his mother's voice drifted from the laundry room down the hall. He strode into the room, dropping the duffel bag on the floor nonchalantly.

"Football practice," he told her with a shrug.

She huffed impatiently, shaking out a new dress shirt for Eric. "I don't like you playing those sports," she said. "Simply unethical."

"Mom, you know I love football," he said. "And it might get me a scholarship to... somewhere." His mother merely frowned at the idea.

"If you got seriously injured, college would be the last thing on your mind," she told him, taking hold of his duffel bag.

"Don't try scaring me out of it," Eric stated. "Dad wants me to play for the team. The whole season, I promised him." He looked down at his shoes. "Jay never listened to him. Someone has to make him proud."

She stared at him sternly. "Eric, don't–"

"Right, I know, I crossed a line," Eric put his hands up in mock defence. "I shouldn't say things like that about Jay, I'm sorry." Jay was an uneasy subject in their household.

His mother nodded, but didn't say another word about it. "Well, I suppose I'll wash your gear," she said, pursing her lips as she opened the bag cautiously. "When's your next game, sweetie?"

"Homecoming," he told her, looking down at his shoes. Anything to look at but her. He could still feel her anger welling up from his comment about Jay. He always knew how his mother felt without her voicing it. "We're playing against Ollie High this year. That team is hardcore, we barely beat them last year. We almost didn't make that last touchdown!"

"Alright honey, I don't know what you're talking about, but keep it down," she said. "Jay is still sleeping upstairs." Eric furrowed his brow and checked his watch.

"What? It's five o'clock in the evening, why is he still asleep?" he asked incredulously.

"He got home at eight o'clock this morning and passed out in his bedroom," she stated. "I'm not quite sure whether or not he was drunk..."

Eric turned away, not wanting to hear about it. He was a bit ashamed of Jay. "Okay, I'll keep it down," he said, running a hand through his platinum blond hair. "I'm just gonna go take a shower. I feel like crap."

Without waiting for a response, he headed upstairs. He tugged his shirt off and tossed it into the hamper in the hallway. He stood in the bathroom doorway stretching his arms, his toned muscles rippled from every movement.

His sweat pants fell to the ground before he stepped into the shower. He turned the knob to the far left and revelled in the extreme heat. Steam wafted through the air as he grabbed hold of his Old Spice body wash. He considered showers as his thinking time. His time to brood about his not so perfect life. As if he had issues. He definitely didn't know what was in store for him.

Rinsing himself quickly, he shut the shower off and stepped out, wrapping a thick white towel around his waist. He opened the bathroom door, letting the steam escape from the room and the cold air hit his towel clad body. The water trailed down across his chest, hitting the floor in multiple droplets. His mother would be pissed if she found out. She was the type to worry about wet carpets and steamed up wallpaper.

Eric shrugged to himself and walked down the hall to the doorway of his room. His bedroom was surprisingly clean for a teenaged boy. His clothes were folded neatly and put away in his dresser drawers, the papers on his desk were stacked neatly. Even his computer was clean and straight.

A few drops of water fell into his eyes, blurring his vision. He wiped them away and entered his room. There was one thing that seemed out of place...

"Hello Eric Brody!"

"AHH!" he cried aloud, grabbing his towel tightly to ensure its safety.

His eyes fell on the source of the voice. A teenaged girl sat on his bed with her legs crossed and her hands resting politely in her lap. Her straight black hair cascaded just past her shoulders and shone in the sunlight. She was dressed in impeccable white jeans, a white tank top and white velvet pumps.

But the one feature that caught his attention wholly was her eyes. They were a bright sky blue and they shimmered with each movement. They were almond shaped and appeared curious at the moment.

She glanced down at his towel. "Oh, there's no need for modesty," she said. "I've already seen everything."

"What!" he gasped, feeling extremely self-conscious. "How? Oh my god, what are you doing in my house?"

She narrowed her eyebrows confusedly. "I'm not God, what gave you that impression?"

Eric took a step back, pressing his back against the wall. "Who are you? What do you want with me?" he questioned.

"Me?" she giggled. "Who I am is not really relevant." She smiled. "And I don't really want anything with you..."

He gaped at her. Was this girl completely insane? "Are you lost? Are you from out of town?" he questioned. "Did Andy set you up to this? If he did, I'm going to kick his ass halfway around the world for it." He cringed. "Did you really see everything?"

The girl giggled again. As she laughed, he could feel his heart beating faster from the melodic sound. There was something completely off about this chick. "Don't be so shy," she said, standing up from his bed. "I'm supposed to know everything about you, but they seemed to skip that part of my lessons... Oh well, no better way to learn than from first hand experience."

His cheeks flushed a deep red. "Could you please leave?"

"Oh no, I'm not allowed to leave, not yet at least," she said, nonchalantly looking around his bedroom. "And I'm not supposed to tell you who I really am until you're more adjusted to the idea of me being here."

"What? Are you completely insane?" he asked. He glanced down at his towel. He wasn't willing to get closer to her without being fully clothed. "Um... okay. I've asked you to leave politely several times. Why are you still here? And don't tell me you can't leave. This is my house, I can tell you to leave if I want–"

"Eric? What's going on?" his mother said, entering the room. He jumped slightly, attempting to cover himself up even more. "Who on Earth are you talking to?"

"This chick won't leave me alone!" he cried, moving away from the girl by his bed.

"Won't leave you alone? Are you being stalked?" his mother asked.

"No, I've never seen her before in my entire life," he told her.

She glanced around the room several times. "What are you talking about? What girl?"

"That girl!" he said, pointing at the dark haired girl. The girl tilted her head to the side.

His mother looked to where he was pointing. Her eyes settled on the window beside the bed on the other side of the room. She moved over to it and poked her head outside. "I don't see any girl," she said, pulling her head back in and shutting the window. "Should we call the police about her?"

Eric froze, his eyes never leaving the sky blue orbs of the girl clad in white. She smiled at him innocently, never moving from the spot beside his bed. "Uh... no, I don't think that would be necessary," he said blankly.

"Well... if you ever see that girl again, be sure to tell me," his mother stated. She gave him a concerned look before exiting the room.

He moved towards the door and shut it tightly. He turned back around, looking directly at the dark haired girl. She had a amicable smile upon her face. "Okay, who are you really?" he asked. "Are you some part of my imagination? Am I becoming a schizophrenic?"

"Now that you are more welcome to my existence rather than trying to rid of me, my name is Aurora," the girl said.

"Why are you here? Why can't my mom see you?"

"I'm here to protect you," Aurora told him. "Your mother can't see me because you are the only person who can."

He narrowed his eyes. "Are you some weird ghost, or something?"

"No, silly, I'm your guardian angel."