AQUA ANGEL

Episode 1

The excruciating and unbearable pain woke me up again, the fourth time in a row. I have been waking up to this tremendous pain for the past four days. A pain I’ve never felt in all my life. A pain which whenever it arouses sent every part of me shaking tremendously, a pain that sent my senses heightening than usual, I could hear every single talk, laugh and cries in a distance…a pain worse than death itself, I was starting to get used to it but today, the pain escalated than usual and I thought I was being soaked into a specially made concentrated hydrochloric acid. It was immeasurable, worse than the earlier four days. It started from my heart and slowly it overtook every part of me. The past four days' pain made me run away from my roommates, I couldn’t stay in the same room with them screaming and writhing every single night. To contain my screams I moved to the top floor of an apartment building that was marked for demolish. I let out a long cry and writhe holding a steel shooting out of the building. I let out another sharp and long scream as I felt my skin slowly tip apart. I continue screaming and writhing until I lost the strength to cry. Slowly I felt something pushing out of my skin, which was kinda crazy and weird because suddenly I felt sudden and strange ease and relief as it continue to push itself out of my skin. It was really strange but I guess my life in the past few days had been totally strange. I weakly turned my head to look at it, my blurry vision made out something very feathery. It didn’t look right to me, it doesn’t even make sense at all. I concluded standing on my weak and wobbly legs, can’t blame them. I hardly ate anything the day before. I was thankful when my legs didn’t give way as I walked to the non-transparent glass of the window. I felt something fixed on my back, weighing me down like a backpack of very heavy textbooks. I turned my back to the glass to view the heavy thing weighing me down and with my blood-drained face, I could still express shock and confusion. I knew that moment my life was screwed because I’ve got wings and there was blood at the end of the wings attaching to m back and it was slowly dripping down to my butt.

Here’s how my perfectly normal life got ruined. Here's how the story starts.

*****

My ear picked up the blaring alarm sound of Jenna's alarm and I groaned not wanting to stand off the bed yet but I knew I had to stand up eventually as the alarm just won't stop. How annoying. I opened my eyes to face the ceilings and I groaned softly before getting out of bed in my mickey mouse pj's. One silly thing about me is...no matter how hard I try to go back to sleep after waking up, it never works. It was an impossible task for me so I took my sleep pretty seriously. I frowned facing Jenna's bed which was opposite to mine. I wanted to punish her for disturbing my pretty sleep but since I couldn't think of any punishment I took the blaring alarm and put it right next to her ear. She jolted up in a start making me chuckle.

"What the f**k? Becky is that you?" She asked right before removing her sleeping mask.

"Oh, it's you..." She sounded disappointed to be facing me with my foot silently tapping on the floor, hands folded and eyebrow arched. Jenna is 19, an average-weight girl with caramel skin, hazel eyes, a small nose, a round face, chubby cheek, and shoulder-length strawberry hair, and a typical nerd.

"Would you learn how to control your alarm? Like seriously you know how much I value my sleep Jenna, I'm not having classes until 10 in the morning and you woke me up by 6, what would you have me doing in the remaining four hours." I raved with a frown on my face.

"You can always watch movies on your laptop." She scoffed getting out of bed in her short nightgown and heading towards the bathroom which door was at the end of the room and middle of our two beds.

"I can't believe you, Jenna." I rolled my eyes and throw my hands up in the air in defeat before moving back to my bed. Our room had three occupants and we were at the beginning of the first semester of our second year. Cool right? I was very intelligent which was weird because according to my uncle which I stay with told me; my mom wasn't so bright so was my dad, which means none of them went to college. My dad was a fisherman, lost at sea during a heavy thunderstorm and my mom died two years after giving birth to me so I stayed with my uncle, my mother's only brother, Jerry, well...he loved me very much so I call him dad, I can't say for his wife. She never wants me around. She just wanted me to always help her around with her fish trade rather than go to school to be the goddamn professor I wanted to be. Since there was no brainiac in the family. They didn't expect the gene in me until one day my uncle Jerry caught me helping out a kid with her homework. I was five at the time and I was helping an eight-year-old fur with her school homework so, he gathered up his money and decided to invest in me. Though I was a few years late I was double promoted in high school, pass my SATs with flying colors but people wondered while I decided to go for history instead of pharmacy or medicine but...I always think history is beautiful. Everyone should be made to know their history because that will guide them. I was a straight A's student right from the start till now and I was always proud of it because I never let my uncle down. To always maintain my scholarship is the only reward I could give him for his sacrifices to get me to where I was. Just like me Becky and Jenna are on scholarships, intelligent and nerdy but...we are the three categories of nerds. We have the social need, anti-social nerds otherwise known as library nerds and the normal nerds. Becky is a social nerd, a nerd that likes to party and update social media pages every day, and Jenna, she's a library freak...she always prefers to be alone in a very quiet place. Like me, Becky doesn't even need to read to pass but she does read anyway. I met the two on my first day of college, I was very nervous about the interview but Becky had assured me it was okay, that I was gonna be fine, we met Jenna later. We turned out to be roommates but we were students who depended on part-time jobs to survive so we couldn't stay in the hostel besides we didn't complete our accommodation fee, we moved the second semester of our first year and we've been together ever since.

"I can't find the dryer." Jenna frowned coming out of the bathroom with a towel on her tied around her and another on her head. I decided to ignore her and just pretended to be asleep on my bed but she knew I wasn't sleeping.

"Helen come on...I'm talking to you." she pointed out removing the blanket covering my body from me. I turned to her with a dirty frown on my face.

"Why would you even ask me? Becky used it the last time...why in the world would you turn to me?" I gave her a look of dismay and she sighed before moving to yell into Becky's ear.

"Goddammit" Becky groaned from her sleep.

"Where the f**k did you put the dryer Becky?" Jenna asked but Becky was back asleep. That's who she is...she willed herself to sleep anytime she likes.

"Come on Becky, I have an 8 am class and I'll be late if you don't-

"It's right in your drawers Jenna, I knew you were gonna use it so I kept it there, can I go back to sleep now?... My class isn't till 11 so please let me sleep in peace." Becky's voice was muffled by the pillow she was facing. Her voice had always been orotund compared to me and Jenna's soft and honeyed voice.

"Oh" Jenna muttered in realization before moving to her drawers to get out the hairdryer which she plugged to dry her hair but I was expecting her to call me as usual.

"Um...Helen" I groaned loudly standing from bed to help her with it.

"What can you do without me?" I muttered as I keep drying out her hair and she scoffed.

"Oh please-

"Say one thing wrong and you'd be forced to do it yourself," I warned and she shut her mouth while I chuckle in response.

"You coming for Mythology 02 class aren't you?" Jenna asked and I sighed.

"I don't think I have a choice actually...it's an additional credit course for me though I don't believe any of it is true or necessary-

"I think mythology is kinda fun...the fairytales and kinds of stuff. I never get bored in that class coupled with the handsome professor." I chuckled at Jenna's intuition before dropping the dryer and curling iron.

"You know...I wish we could exchange our thoughts on that mythology class...I don't even see why you need mythology in Zoology but it's a great part of history and I have no interest in it whatsoever." I twitched my lips unconsciously as I talked while helping Jenna curl up her hair with the curling iron which I had successfully retrieved from the open drawers which stood right next to her bed.

"Yeah right but it's still a great part...I mean Zoology is a great part of mythology. They are kinda related if you ask me-

"All done," I announced and Jenna stood from the short stool she'd been sitting on while I work on her hair. She moved it to her pack of drawers and sat on it to check on the work I did on her hair on the huge mirror which resided on it.

"Wow, you're good at this," Jenna remarked and I smiled.

"You said that all the time." I chuckled moving back to my bed before Jenna stood and walked to her small reach-in closet which separated her bed from our little living room which contains just two sofas, one facing our small TV and the other opposite Jenna's closet. There was a table between the two sofas and a TV stand raising our TV. I sighed and folded my legs on my bed grabbing my PC on my end table. I opened it up to be welcomed by the recent picture of Dylan Harold. Yeah...he was my crush which I had no damn guts to walk up to and confess my feelings for...again. Dylan Harold is 21years old with a sweet serene voice...the type that made my hair stand on end anytime I'm next to him, he had ombre hair, bow-shaped lips, marble Grey eyes, which befitted his long Greek nose and oblong face. He was slim and tall about 188cm and had tanned caramel skin. He was cute and extremely hot. One of the richest guys in school. I met Dylan in Australia, back at home. He had come with his family to Airlie Beach and had saved me from drowning, I was ashamed of not being able to swim since I was a fisherman's daughter but I just don't get it, Dylan saved me and led me back to my uncle and since then, his face had been etched into my memory. I met him again on our orientation day. I was kinda mesmerized by how manly he looked now, he was looking like a boy of 15 the last time I saw him but now...he was looking muscular and extremely handsome.

"You staring at that guy's picture again Helen?" Jenna asked coming out of the kitchen was after our little living area. It was small but could fit all of us in at the same time. What can we say...the room is the best affordable room we could get as three students that live off part-time jobs.

"Of course not...I'm just looking for... interesting music to play." I lied shuffling through my computer to get any suitable music.

"Oh really? Try telling me without batting your lashes." Jenna quirked her brows at me but I only rolled my eyes in response.

"Why can't you just...go talk to him and lift it off your chest. He might come to consider you-

"We both know what happened the last time I tried to do that," I replied grimly. Well...I've tried talking to Dylan once and it was a disaster. I wasn't even trying to confess my feelings to him. It was just a nice gesture of trying to make friends with him. It was the second day of the orientation so I mustered up the courage to speak to him at least to remind him of me back in my home. I exhaled and inhaled deeply before approaching him as he rested against the wall next to the notice board talking to Jasper, his friend.

"Um hi" I had nervously greeted him but he had given me a confused expression instead and he had looked back before pointing to himself to ask if I was talking to him.

"Yeah, you..." I had shamelessly replied and he chuckled exchanging a curious look with his friend.

"I'm Helen...Helen Ruben, I lived in Australia...do you remember? The girl you saved from-

"What makes you think you can talk to me?" he had asked cutting into my introduction and embarrassing me because as of then, students had gathered around us giving me the filthy cheap girl look.

"Well...I just wanted to remind you of me-

"What makes you think I wanna remember you?" he was right. Why do I even think he wanna remember me? He had no use for me. I was just a poor fisherman's daughter.

"I'm sorry." I had muttered embarrassingly and started to make my way out but a wrapped paper landed on my head and other students started to make fun of me because I was stupid enough to think I could be friends with the most handsome guy in school.

"I wish I could get that scene off my memory," I muttered in exasperation as Jenna got herself busy in the kitchen.

"You really should stop thinking about it, it's been over a year." Jenna reminded me and I sighed.

"Yeah...it happened last year and now I'm in my second year. I won't let that happen again." I promised myself before getting my legs into my bunny flip-flops and heading for the bathroom after taking my white towel in my hand. My ash brown hair was a mess. It wasn't dyed. I have always had natural ash brown hair, which was kinda weird but it was part of me. Many people admired it. I had blue eyes, a heart-shaped face with a turn-up nose, and heart-shaped lips. I didn't deny I was pretty in my way but sometimes I felt less than myself...especially when I'm next to Dylan. I brushed my teeth and tied up my hair before stripping and getting into the bathroom cubicle. I moved out of the bathroom to see Becky and Jenna devouring two plates of hot pancakes on the sofa facing the TV.

"Becky is up!" I sounded surprised because she was still deeply asleep when I entered the bathroom.

"Yeah...rose to the smell of pancakes." I laughed softly at Jenna's response because it was kinda funny. And yes, Becky loves food. Becky is. Black American whose mother is an African woman, she was taller than all of us and was muscular, broad-chested, and tanned. But she was beautiful, her long curly hair was breathtaking and her rectangular face with full lips and golden eyes was spectacular. She was a badass nerd. She's brilliant but loves to party. Something very rare in nerds.

"The aroma was so delicious I had to stand. You ain't expecting me to miss on that do ya?" Becky admitted while I chuckled. Moving to the large reach-in closet Becky and I share to pick my dress for the days.

"Guys I gotta go. I'll be late for my class if I stay for any more minutes. Just know I love you guys and Helen don't be late for mythology. See you in class. I gotta go now bye." Jenna hurried to grab her glasses and her jacket before walking out in her armless pink top, faded jeans, and laced boots.

"And we love you two." Becky and I said in unison after her.

"I hope you guys spare me some pancakes," I asked having a hard time choosing if I should put on a gown or top and jeans or top and skirt.

"Yeah... Yours on the counter but you better hurry before I'm done with mine." Becky wriggled her brows at me and I chuckled.

"you wouldn't dare." I gave her a cold gaze before settling for tapered Jeans and a top with an illusion neckline before picking a parka to complete. I was in my underwear when I walked to the kitchen to grab my pancakes because I was starving. I dried my hair and put on some light makeup after eating while Becky was in the bathroom. I was already dressed and ready to leave for school when Becky finished her business in the bathroom.

"I thought you ain't having classes till 10-

"And it's 9.20 am already Beck." I pointed out for her and she pouted in realization.

"Didn't know it was already that late. How time flies." Becky muttered moving to her bed while I get my stuff in my backpack.

"Are we meeting by lunch?" I asked her putting my laptop into my bag.

"Yeah, I guess-

"You guess?" I quirked an eyebrow at that because normally we do meet at the cafeteria at lunch, almost every day and if anyone is missing out there has to be a reason.

"I...Tyson asked me to have lunch with him-

"You're ditching us for a guy?" I gave her a horrified expression bulging my eyes at her I'm disbelief.

"Helen listen...since...since I broke up with Aiden. He's been very supportive and I-

"C'mon you know we are always there for you Beck, we are okay...if you wanna have lunch with this Tyson guy it's alright." I assured moving towards her bed which was separated from mine by our closet.

"Thanks, Helen." She returned the smile warmly.

"Okay...don't be late for class and I love you-

"I love you too," she said immediately I made my way out of the room and moved to the stairs then walk my way down. Our room was on the fifth floor of the apartment building but we weren't bothered about it because we can always take the crappy old elevator or keep fit by walking down the stairs. I caught a cab and head for the campus which was 30mins drive from our apartment. I paid the driver and walked into the gates of San Francisco University with renewed energy like the new semester. My phone rang immediately I entered the lecture room block and I tried to pick but bumped into someone in the process.

"Sorry," I muttered without sparing the person a glance.

"That was rude-" I kinda recognize that serene voice but I didn't mind, I just picked my call.

"Hey, Jenna you outta class?" I asked into the phone immediately I picked.

"Yeah...there's still some time left before the mythology class where are you?" I asked and I heaved a sigh of relief walking out of the lecture rooms.

"We could meet in front of the lecture blocks-

"That'll be great. It's exactly where I'm headed." Jenna replied sharply and cut off the connection without goodbye making me groan. I wonder why she always does that.

"Boom!" Jenna shouted softly and I jolted in shock to see her right behind me. Now I get why she does that.

"I saw you immediately I was out of the building." She laughed staring at my blanked face.

"You..." I gritted my teeth harshly and started to rush after her for scaring the daylight out of me.

"Stop...stop." Jenna pleaded as she lead me to one of the park benches buried in the open area in front of the lecture buildings.

"Heard the newest and hot news on campus yet?" Jenna asked immediately both of us were settled on the bench.

"What's that?" I asked with a curious gleam in my eyes. Jenna sighed and removed her nerdy-looking glasses exhaling before starting her news.

"Ashley broke up with Dylan." Okay, that was shocking because those two were like the cutest couple in school. My face paled and a new founded hope ignited in my chest. This...was the first step to my misery.

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