FORBIDDEN by Megan Curd, Kara Malinczak Page B

through her hair, pushing it away from her face. She was amazing. Downstairs her mom was making coffee, and her dad had already left for work. Her little brother was still sleeping in the room next door. Sometimes heightened senses came in handy.
    Hannah rolled away from me, leaving both of my arms free to move again. I got out from under the covers and returned to my spot against the window.
    How had this happened? I was still trying to wrap my head around how we’d gone from me watching her from afar for the past three years to me being part of her life in basically two days. Sure, it’d started in Rome but I’d been sure to keep her at a distance. For some reason we were drawn to one another.
    Across the room she began to stir. I smiled as she squinted her eyes into the stream of light pouring in. “Good morning, Sunshine.”
    She grunted and put her head under the comforter. “You’re telling me good morning on the day I’m supposed to die?”
    I rolled my eyes, but of course she didn’t see it. “You’re not going to die. You’re with me, remember? Now get out of bed and get ready to meet the day.”
    My attempt at happiness in light of what was supposed to happen didn’t bode well with her. When she reemerged from the mountains of covers, her eyes were shining with tears. “What am I supposed to tell my family? Am I supposed to just act like nothing is going to happen?”
    It was obvious why humans weren’t supposed to know when they were going to die. They became basket cases. And who could blame them? Most people aren’t exactly thrilled at the thought of snuffing it and knowing precisely when said snuffing was going to take place. “I’m sorry, but you’ve got to. Especially since nothing is exactly what’s going to happen. You’re going to be fine.”
    She muttered something about angels being insensitive, which made me laugh. I liked her, even when she was grumpy. Hopefully that wouldn’t wear off after I’d been around her more. I went to her closet and pulled out her favorite jeans and a long-sleeved baseball t-shirt I’d seen her wear numerous times. She laughed when I tossed them on her bed. “What, are you picking out my clothes for my funeral?”
    “Just put something on. I’m gonna go make sure everything is on the up and up. Don’t leave for school without me, okay?”
    She nodded and hugged her pillow. I slung my legs out of the window and went to push out when she freaked. “What are you doing? You don’t have your wings!”
    I cracked up. “I always have my wings, Hannah. I just don’t need them right now.”
    “We’re on the second story!”
    “Doesn’t matter. I’ll be okay. You can watch if you want.”
    “I believe you,” she said as she looked at her alarm clock. “Crap! I’m gonna be late. Angie’s coming to pick me up and –”
    It was my turn to freak. “No! You’re not riding with her.”
    She dropped the shirt I’d laid out for her. “What? Why?”
    “Just don’t, okay? Let me take you to school.”
    Her eyes were questioning. “Angie has something to do with me dying.”
    “No she doesn’t.”
    “Then why would you wig out like you just did? Somehow she’s involved.”
    “Look, I can’t discuss it. Just promise me that – ”
    “I’m not promising you anything until you tell me what is wrong with riding to school with my best friend.”
    We stared each other down. Then an idea struck. I pushed myself out of the window backwards without another word.
    Hannah screamed. “LEVI!”
    She was hanging out of the window the next instant, searching on the ground for me. I swooped down, pulled her all the way out of the window, and covered her mouth all in one motion. When we were high enough that she wouldn’t be heard and she’d figured out what happened, I let go of her mouth. She punched me. “What the heck was that about?”
    “Don’t tell me you don’t like the view.”
    She looked down and gasped. I had brought us high enough that