Cupid Collections

10. Nate - 3: The New Life

Nathaniel walked down the halls where his class was held. He had a determined stride and an angry expression. No one had ever taught him to control his anger and it was getting worse as he aged. He let out a frustrated growl as he left the building and headed for the land outside.

He needed to get away.

He needed a breath of fresh air.

He stormed straight passed the meadow and straight into the forest.  He heard the continual rustle of the sticks and leaves as he stepped on them.  His breathing turned to ragged breaths desperate for oxygen. He might as well have been jogging through here.

He passed by a few groups of Nature Angels  and classes that were in the middle of learning some lesson or another. Finally, his feet grew tired and his majestic wings spread on their own accord. Suddenly he was off the ground and dodging the branches until he rose above the trees.

Here, he was free. Here, no one was watching him. Here, no one was controlling his next move or judging him for a decision he made himself. Here, he could be himself. Down on the ground, he was always being told what to do. He had to follow his own path but he was constantly being told how his actions were wrong.

He was tired of it. He didn’t like it. He just wanted to feel free like he did now.

But even now, he couldn’t be free. He could only rise up so high before an invisible ceiling would prevent him from going further. He could only soar so fast before he would tire himself out and be forced to land.

For the moment though, he enjoyed it. The breeze that blew through his hair and ruffled the feathers of his wings felt so refreshing. As slowly as he could, he descended back into the forest below him and back to the life he so desperately hated.

He watched out for branches as he neared the ground.

“Nathaniel?”

Nathaniel looked down below him only to see the curious brown eyes of Ariel. His focus waved and he suddenly fell out of the sky and landed on the ground with a loud smack. Ariel raced over to his side with wide eyes.

“Are you alright?”

His back was sore and his arm would surely bruise from landing on it. His wings felt both exhausted and sore and almost as if they were bent out of shape. Still, he lifted himself off the ground and stood while calming dusting himself off.

“I am perfectly fine,” Nathaniel replied stiffly with a warm smile.

Ariel returned the smile but didn’t seem to believe his words. “What had you been doing? You could have further hurt yourself!”

Nathaniel admired the fact that she cared. She had always cared.

“I was upset with some of my superiors,” Nathaniel admitted. “I just wished to escape from everything.”

Ariel’s brow furrowed in confusion as if she could not gather such a concept. “How so?”

Nathaniel shook his head unwilling to explain. He motioned back toward the group that she had come from.

“Should you not be with your class?”

Ariel sighed as she looked back at them over her shoulder. She didn’t really want to be with them. She had raced off to see what Nathaniel was doing. Her job was becoming a very boring routine.

“I do not wish to be there,” she whispered truthfully.

Nathaniel raised one eyebrow questioningly. It seemed so unlike her.

“I can show you a place perfect for escaping,” she said, surprising him further. “Shall we go?”

“Yes, please,” Nathaniel agreed wholeheartedly. Ariel looked over at her group once again to make sure their attention was not on her. It wasn’t. She began to lead the way through the forest. Nathaniel stayed close behind. They didn’t speak but Ariel would glance back at him to make sure he was still following. At those moments they would share a small smile.