WestFiction- "In the Arms of an Angel" by Xtine

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In the Arms of an Angel> chapters 1-3

A vacation was what Gaby needed. Her life in the Philippines was just so complicated that living there for another week would kill her. Her parents, Jude and Cez Lorenzo, were treating her as if she was a spineless kid that needed to be taken care of every minute every hour of every day. She was 19 for Christ's sake! Her boyfriend, Anthony---make that her ex-boyfriend---dumped her because he found someone else. Her male best friend, Sean, doesn't talk to her anymore ever since she confessed that she has always loved him. Her eldest sister, Samantha, just miscarried the baby she was carrying out of wedlock. Her younger sister, Lara, is having a very complicated relationship with a drug-dependent guy. Her second brother, Michael, is on the verge of breaking up with his long time girlfriend and her baby brother, James, is changing women faster than you can say the girl’s name! All of these were creating havoc on her life and putting so much stress on her. So when her favorite cousin, Anya, invited her to go to Sligo for a vacation, she said yes right away and arranged the necessary papers.

“Honey, your mum and I don't think Anya will be able to take care of you!” her dad said, whilst she was in her bedroom packing her things for her much anticipated trip.

“Dad!” Gaby cried. “Anya is 21 years old. I'm 19. We can take care of each other! And I can very well take care of myself. Stop treating me like I'm some weakling who can't stand on her own two feet!”

Her dad came over and placed his large hands on her shoulders, calming her down. “You know that's not what I meant! Your mum and I are worried you'll get…”

“I won't, ok?” Gaby snapped immediately. “I’m perfectly fine and I'm going to have the time of my life! This is my chance to see Ireland, to go to Europe and---“

“See this Mark dude from Westlife!” he cut in for her.

She laughed inspite of her frustrations. “ You know me too well, dad!” She hugged him and kissed the side of his face. Gaby felt crying. She was really mean to her dad. “Dad, I’m sorry. I don't mean to be a pain in the ass. All I want is for you to give me back that trust I worked for. I want you to believe that I can do this, that I can still do the things I used to do. All I want is for you and everyone else to treat me like before.”

Pushing her on an arm’s length, he cradled her face in his callused hands and wiped the tears that escaped from her eyes unknowingly. “I know, I know. I’m sorry. I’m just scared for you. Like everyone’s scared for you.”

She shook her head while sobbing. “I don't wanna be scared, dad. So stop being scared for me. I’m a brave girl! I can sock any bad guys if I want to!”

He chuckled. A hearty laugh that made Gaby`s insides jump on delight. “I haven’t heard you laugh in quite a while, dad. I love you.” She embraced him tightly and then let him go. “I gotta go pack or else I won't finish at all. I have an early flight tomorrow.”

A kiss on the cheeks and he was gone. “I have to move fast or else I`ll be up all night packing,” she muttered to herself.

CHAPTER 2

The drive to the Manila International Airport was terrible. Gaby`s mum was bawling her eyes out. Her dad was quiet all the way. Her siblings were morose.

She cleared her throat and screamed, “CHEER UP PEOPLE!!! It’s not like I’m never coming back!! Two months is how long I`ll be gone!! It’s not like I’m going to die on my own there!”

The last statement hung thickly in the air. “Come on,” she encouraged quietly, regretting her last statement. “Smile. I can’t go with all of you looking like that.”

Several coercing later on, she made them smile. Forced smiles. She wasn’t having any of those melancholy faces. She didn’t want to leave with a heavy feeling.

When her dad started unloading her luggage, it finally hit her! This was the first time she’ll be gone for so long and without any of them. Gaby felt sad and yet she was marveling at the thought that she was an independent chick for two months.

She made her good-byes quick. The quicker the better. Less pain. Less tears. I don’t want to cry, she thought. After several hugs, Gaby managed to disentangle herself from their tight, possessive embraces and walked away with the trolley containing her things.

“SLIGO, Ireland here I come!” she uttered excitedly to herself.

As she boarded the plane, she felt a sense of freedom coming over her. It was an intense feeling that started from her toes and worked its way to her head. When was the last time I felt I was free? she asked herself. Eight months ago, a voice said. Eight months ago, her brain thumped. Eight months ago she was a normal teenage girl going to a college and dealing with school works and meeting deadlines. Eight months ago she had a boyfriend. Eight months ago she had a bestfriend whom she love dearly. Eight months ago she had a life. Now she has nothing. Just this cold, heavy feeling all over her.

Gaby let out a despondent sigh. She dumped her bag at the overhead bin and then slumped on her seat by the window. Imagine that, she thought morosely. Eight months ago I had a run-of-the-mill and boring life. Now it’s more than boring. I'm living my life as if everything is going to end whenever I get dizzy. Now I'm living in fear that one day I`ll just die. Thanks to my brain tumor.

Brain tumor. The word echoed through her brain and thumped and thumped and thumped, building into a crescendo until it filled her whole body. She let the tears of self-loathing, anger and fear come running. She hated this. Why did I get this sickness? Why did it happen to me? Why? Questions flooded her and she felt mentally ill. How long have I asked myself these questions? she questioned herself. Will I ever feel happy again? Will I ever see light in my life? Or will I die filled with unanswered questions?

CHAPTER 3

Her pity party was soon disrupted by loud voices near the airplane door. Gaby looked up to see what was happening then decided not to. She went back onto her sulking. I have no time to mind other’s business when my life is dangling on a cliff, she told herself sternly.

“I can't believe this!” a voice boomed, obviously vexed at something. “I've only been here for 2 days and I'm being summoned back home!”

She didn't mind him. She went on to staring at the window. It was so peaceful outside. The space was vast, with green, lush grasses. The sky was littered with fat cotton-like clouds and the sun was nowhere to be seen. “An angel!” she muttered when an angel started forming in the clouds. Gaby smiled. She loved it when she looks in the clouds and sees formations. It was an exhilarating experience. Not a lot of people appreciate the beauty of clouds. Too bad, she thought. There are so many beautiful things out there waiting to be discovered. I guess I`ll never discover them all. I would die wondering if mountains can be moved, if stars can be plucked from the skies, and if there's such thing as true love. She shook her head again. NO MORE SELF-PITY!!! She scolded herself, mentally punching her stomach for being so disheartened. She stared at the skies and studied the clouds again. This time she saw a cherubic face. “A smiling baby!” she exclaimed in delight.

“What did you say?” the voice asked, this time it was nearer. Actually, it was so near she felt his breath on her skin.

She shook her head. “Nothing. I just said I saw a smiling baby.”

The voice smiled. “Where?” he sounded so excited.

Without turning around she pointed outside and up to the sky. “There. See that round cloud there? Study it intently. A smiling baby will appear.”

He moved closer. Gaby could smell his aftershave. She inhaled it a bit, letting the smell linger in her nose. Hugo Boss. She’d recognize that smell from a mile!

“How’d you know I'm wearing Hugo Boss perfume?” he asked. Gaby has spoken her thoughts aloud once again. He leaned forward once more to look at the clouds. “I can't see anything!”

“I`d recognize that smell anywhere! I had a really close friend and he loves that perfume. I love that perfume.” she decided to turn around and saw herself staring at the face of an adorable dark-haired, baby-faced man named Shane Filan. Yes, Shane Westlife. “Holy cow!! You’re Shane!” she exclaimed. She must have sounded disgusted because he looked offended.

“Yes, I am. Sorry, I can't help it,” he said, leaning back and settling on his chair.

Gaby stared at him in part-bewilderment and part-confusion. “Huh?”

“I said I'm sorry I can't help but be Shane! You sound so disgusted!” His eyes drooped. His eyes were lovely. It reminded her of those cute puppies she'd often see in the malls.

“NO!” she exclaimed in defense. “I'm not disgusted! I'm star struck. I'm sorry!” she touched his arm and gave him a begging look.

“I`ll let ya off the hook if you show me the smiling baby again,” he stated. This time she saw him smile. Gaby felt at ease all of a sudden. It was as if she had found a friend that instant. And she knew that if she could make him see the angel, he would become her friend for life.

“Stand up. Let’s switch seats for awhile.” They stood up and traded places. He peered on the glass and crunched his nose in concentration. “Now, look up there,” she ordered, pointing her index finger infront of him. “Examine it. Really look at it. There, see that round cloud?” he nodded slowly. “Good, you're getting there. Now see the tiny clouds inside the circle. Then look for the boat-shaped cloud inside the round clouds. Are you seeing it?”

He hushed her. “Shh…I'm seeing it! I'm seeing it! Oh wow!! I can't believe I'm seeing it!” he stared at it a minute longer and then turned to me. “Thanks! That was awesome! I can't wait to see more!”

She smiled. He looked so happy, like a five-year-old kid getting an ice cream cone. “No problem. I'm glad you find it wonderful. It's fascinating, innit? I love studying them.”

“It sure is!” he gushed once again. “Thanks! You just made my day. I was having a horrible day, actually.”

“Same for me. No, lemme correct that. I've been having a horrible life for the past eight months.” She told him, her face frowning and she automatically rounded her hands into tight fists.

He turned to face her, touching her fists. Gaby eased a little and felt her shoulders relax. “Eight months? Jeez, that's like forever!”

She snorted. “Yeah, tell me all about it!”

“Oi! I still don't know your name,” he suddenly said. He smiled at her, his eyes crinkling at the corner. He had one of those radiant smiles that make Gaby jealous. Because I used to smile like that. I used to be able to smile as if smiling alone will save me from whatever predicament I was in. Now it's so hard to smile, to put my feelings in it, she thought painfully.

“My name? What’s my name? Crap!! Wait a sec…hehehe…okay, okay, I'm just kidding!” she laughed when he began to tickle the sides of her tummy. “Don't do that! We don't want me to pee in here, right?”

He stopped immediately. “Of course! I don't want to smell like a toilet!”

Gaby let out a hearty laugh. This feels good, she thought to herself, laughing as if I have nothing to worry about. “I'm Gabrielle. But call me Gaby.”

“Gaby. Gaby.” He recited. “I'm pleased to meet you and be your seatmate for the duration of the flight!”

She scoffed. “You sound like one of those flight attendants!”

Shane laughed. “Well, I really am glad you're my seatmate and not some stern looking old lady who shush me everytime I start to hum!"

“I know what you mean! One time I was on my way to Singapore and this middle-aged guy was complaining to the flight attendant that I was too loud, singing and all. And I was only humming, mind you!”

“Are you on your way to Dublin?” Shane asked.

“Nope. I'm going to Sligo to have a vacation.” They buckled their seatbelts when the sign flashed infront of them. The plane was about to take off any minute now.

“Cool! That's where I live!” he exclaimed, slightly bouncing on his seat.

Gaby rolled my eyes. “I know that by now. I know where all of you live! Every decent Westlife fan knows that!” she pointed out.

He shrugged. “Where will you be staying? You can stay with me in our house! Yeah!! We can ride horses, go to pubs and party!”

“WHOA!” she exclaimed. “Shane, calm down! It's so sweet of you to invite me but I've a place to stay. My cousin lives in Sligo.”

“You're Irish?” he asked.

Gaby shook my head. “She is. Not me. Well, she’s half-Irish. Her mum met a wealthy Irish man and married him. She used to live in Dublin but when she visited Sligo, she fell in love with the place and moved there on her own.”

“What about her step dad?” he inquired. “Ok, don't answer that if you think I'm being too nosy.”

“It's ok. I don't mind. Her step dad, Uncle Scott, died 3 years ago. I've only met him once when they visited us and he’s a funny guy. You’d think he wasn't a rich man. He was so down to earth. And he loved Anya very much.”

The plane started its take off. She felt dizzy. She always feels dizzy when the plane was about to take off but this time it was intense. Her temples were throbbing. Suddenly, she had the urge to sleep. “I'm a bit tired, Shane. I'll talk to you later. I'm going to take my nap.” With that she closed her eyes, leaned back on her seat and clutched the pillow on her lap. This was going to be a long trip.

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