I'm Not Perfect

CHAPTER 1

What happens when a person dies? Easy, they go to heaven. What happens when a good person moves on? They become an angel and if they were a very good person, they become a guardian angel. So what happens when a guardian angel is seen by their protege? Bad things. Now imagine this: what would happen if a guardian angel fell in love with their protege who – by the way – can see them? Sheer chaos. What, do you think that couldn't happen? Yeah, well, it did. To me. That's why I'm here; to tell this world and the one after all about my quote-en-quote "mistake" that I made. But let me clarify something. I don't regret anything. Falling in love with her was the best thing that has ever happened to me. EVER.

I guess I'll start from the beginning. My name is Christian. I died when I was 17 years old. I have no memory of my life before I died. I only remember my name and how I died. Everything else is nothing. I'm not your typical angel – or at least I don't look like one. I swapped out the blonde hair and blue eyes for pitch black hair and sharp green eyes. Plus, I'm tall, pale and quiet. So I become that looming presence in the corner. Heck, even the other angels say that I look more like a demon. But I don't care; it's who I am. And besides, good old Pete takes care of them.

Anyways, back to what I was saying. So I was wandering around heaven like I normally do when I'm trying to find something to entertain me when Garrett – the angel heading Dispatch – grabbed my arm and started dragging me toward his office.

"Starting today, you're going to be a guardian angel." He said, pushing a piece of paper towards me once I got into one of the plush chairs across from his desk that was littered with piles of other papers similar to mine. They were all information sheets on various humans just like mine was.

"Guardian angel? Isn't that for goody-goodies?" I said while reading my "orders".

"Goody-goodies... You're an angel too." Garrett murmured. "Anyways, you're not doing this because you're good. The Big Man says this is discipline order."

"Discipline? What for?" I was watching over a girl. Not only that, but a girl who looked more like an angel than I did. Blonde hair, blue eyes, healthy skin, and a dazzling smile. She even had an angelic name: Julia.

"That's right... You got amnesia right before you died." Garrett awkwardly coughed. "I can't tell you explicitly, but I can tell you that if you did remember, you probably wouldn't be here right now. And besides, aren't you always wandering around the square trying to find something to do?"

"Yeah, but babysitting isn't on my list."

"It is now."

I rolled my eyes. Sure, I don't mind helping people, but that doesn't mean I want to babysit some random chick for the rest of her life. Especially since with her looks, I could start liking her.

"By the way," I kept scanning the paper, looking at all of her information. "What happens if someone sees me?"

"No one will." Garrett handed me a small silver flip phone. "Only a small percentage of humans can see us spirit beings. And that percentage is VERY small."

"What's this for?" I flipped the lid of the cell phone up and opened the contacts list. Only four names where listed: Garrett, Jesus, Mary, and God.

In speaking of Garrett, he sighed and ruffled his brown hair like he usually does when he's explaining something to me that I really should know but don't because of one of three reasons: I'm not paying attention, my amnesia, or I'm just not angel-y enough to know about it. "We need to keep tabs on everyone in the field so we'll contact you once a week to check up on you."

You're kidding, right? A babysitter being babysat? What is this, a bad movie?

"Now, get going." Garrett stood up and started pushing me toward the door. "You're going to be late."

"Late? Late for what?" I protested, trying to walk on my own.

"Your departure." With one final shove, a bright light enveloped me and the next thing I knew, I was falling. Falling into the never fading light that just seemed to go on forever.

Forever... that was until I slammed down onto a carpeted floor face-first.

Cursing under my breath, I picked myself up, dusted off my white wings, and looked around. I was in someone's bedroom, that's for sure. Probably a girl's. Pale blue-grey walls, white carpet, white shelves, black iron bed frame with blue sheets and a small white desk covers with cute statues... it was kind of nostalgic... like I've seen it before…

My inner rambling was cut off by someone walking in. Well, more like run in furiously with flames from hell behind them.

Instinctively, I tried to drop down into a crouch with my - albeit smaller than average - wings around me, but I was too slow and the mystery person grabbed me by my collar and ran out of the room, followed by slamming me into the incredibly hard hallway wall.

The jolt of pain from the impact was enough to knock the wind out of me for a moment. Even though our wings look strong, they are actually very sensitive to pain. Any little amount of it is enough to – well, to do what just happened to me.

"What are you?" When I recovered, I saw a guy. Wonderful. Platinum blonde hair fell into his cold, ice-blue eyes which were currently glaring at me.

"An angel. Can you please put me down? This is really painful." I tried to rub my poor wings that were slowly being dug into the wall.

"How can you be an angel?! You're him, aren't you?! You should be in hell by now!"

"What on earth are you talking about?! Him?! I've never seen you before in my life!!!!"

"Rich? What on earth are you doing?" A soft voice echoed up the stairs to my left. "A guest?" After the voice came the angel. The angel that was in need of protection. She was radiating. I could almost see a halo behind her long, wavy blonde hair and her deep blue eyes sparkled with life. Every word that came out of her pale pink lips mesmerized me. "Rich, put our guest down."

"But sis, he's-"

"A very important guest. Yes, he is. Now big brother, put him down." Grudgingly and unceasing his glare, Rich – I think was his name – dropped me to the floor. "I apologize for his behavior. He's always been like that." She held out her hand for me with a genuine smile. "Would you mind telling me your name?"

"C-Christian." I stammered, feeling an uncharacteristic blush rise up as I took her hand. Thankfully, my black hair covered half of my face, so hopefully she didn't see it.

"Christian... Nice to meet you! My name is Julia."

"Nice to meet you too..." Julia... she’s the one I’m supposed to guard. So Garrett did something right for once.

"Oh, yes. This is my older brother, Richard. He's a SP."

"A what?"

"It's short for Spiritualist Psychic." Richard tugged on the wing nearest to him. "As a spiritualist, I can see spirits. As a psychic, I can communicate with them." He gestured to his sister. "By the way, she can too."

"Huh..." I think I’d kill Garrett if he wasn’t already dead. Only a small percentage, my foot. I bet that everyone here can see me.

"So are these wings real or fake?" He kept poking and tugging at my wing.

Thoroughly irritated, I pulled it back and extend the other. "Yeah, they are, you jerk. And by the way, the one you're PLAYING WITH is injured with no thanks to you." Slamming me into the wall like that... I honestly didn’t think it’d hurt. After all, I never got hurt when I was in heaven. Then again, things are different here.

"You're hurt?" Julia gently smoothed down my feathers.

"Only a little. But it does hurt a bit where it made contact with the wall." I tried lifting my right wing – the hurt one – and I only meet with pain.

"Here, I'll get some ice for it." She started to leave, but without thinking, I signed my death warrant.

I took her hand.

RICHARD WAS GOING TO KILL ME.

Well, at that time, I didn't know that, being already dead, but you get the idea.

"No. You don't have to. I'm fine, I really am." Realizing what I had just sentenced myself to, I let go.

"Oh, okay..."

Awkward silence descended upon us. Hallelujah for questions.

"Tell me again why you're here." Richard pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation.

Okay, so it was more of a demand than a question, but you get the idea.

"I thought I told you; I was sent here by God," Or Garrett, but he's close enough to God, right? "To be your sister’s guardian angel."

"My guardian angel?" Julia repeated, tilting her head to the side.

"Yep."

"You don't really look like one." STAB. I really should have seen that one coming. "I mean, you don't dress like one."

Why is it that even in the 21st century, people still expect angels to come down from the heavens on a cloud with a light behind them, wearing togas, robes and sandals? Alright, so I can't really blame them, what with me falling not-very-gracefully from the ceiling in my black punk jeans, black and red striped shirt, black combat boots, and black fingerless gloves, oh, and my tiny, not-fully-fledged-angel-size wings (each only stretched from my wrist to my elbow), but still! Angels are physically incapable of lying! Believe me, I've actually tried; it's impossible.

"I was born this way and what do you have against punk?" I crossed my arms and awaited a response.

"Nothing." She couldn't help but smile at my attitude, I guess. "But you know, you look like a little kid when you pout like that."

For some reason, that didn't irritate me as much as I thought it would have.

"You're awfully honest..." I trailed off, inching away from Richard.

"Oh, that's right!" She hit her forehead, showing her forgetfulness. "Richard! I need you to drive me to violin practice! Maddie can't take me."

Violin? Oh, that’s right. I forgot her info said she played violin... And something else, I think. Ah, I can’t think of it. Feh, it’ll come to me later.

"Hey, Demon Boy-"

"RICHARD!!!" A very audible SMACK brought me back to reality just in time to see Julia slapping Richard on the head. Got to love the joy that is karma.

"Uh, sorry. I was spacing out. What’s up?" I shook my head clear of the cobwebs left from my thoughts.

"I was going to ask you if you were going to come or not." Richard now sported a lump mirroring mine.

"I'm coming." I stepped towards the open window and waved, taking off for the bright blue skies.