Roses of the Angel

By Kalee Marshall

Eve Williams is ready to begin her senior year in high school with the help of her family, friends, and faith. As she heads to her first class, Eve is already wondering who will ask her to prom. But when football player and notorious bad boy Ryan Mitchell walks into the classroom, Eve thinks she has her answer. Soon he asks her on a date and Eve accepts, despite warnings from her friends and her own misgivings.

Ryan is the mastermind behind the school’s bullying problem and her friends are his victims. To exacerbate the issue, he cheats on her and their relationship ends. Disheartened, Eve embraces her single life, earns a generous college scholarship, and works as a retail store manager. But on Halloween night, everything changes as a robbery unfolds at the store, leaving Eve unconscious and a secret admirer to reveal himself.

Roses of the Angel is the tale of a teenager as she grapples with affairs of the heart and struggles to find her way in life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Jul 21, 2015
• ISBN: 9781483435053

Book preview

Roses

of the Angel

KALEE MARSHALL

Copyright © 2015 Kalee Marshall.

Philadelphia skyline art based on original illustration by KSH Creative.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of both publisher and author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

ISBN: 978-1-4834-3504-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-3505-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014922418

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Lulu Publishing Services rev. date: 6/9/2015

Contents

Red Rose

Chapter 1:   Inception

Chapter 2:   Acquainting

Chapter 3:   Real Lies or Realize

Chapter 4:   A Night to Remember

Yellow Rose

Chapter 5:   Revenge and Retribution

Chapter 6:   Black Friday

Orange Rose

Chapter 7:   Change of Weather

Chapter 8:   Confession Part 1

Chapter 9:   Confession Part 2

Chapter 10:   Angel or Demon

Pink Rose

Chapter 11:   Closure

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to:

My Family: My mother Tashina, my step-father Bernard, Raynesha, Toni, Taisha, Aikeem, Cynthia, Kwame, Reginald, Keshia, Dwayne, Jessie, Diana, Andrea, Pat, Renee, Roberta, Brenda (Cookie), Jeannie, Antron, Alphonso, April, Victoria, Silver, Uncle and Cousin Darryl Gilliard, Tracey, Lia, Anthony Marshall (my beloved father), and other relatives for inspiring me and to write this story to the world.

My Friends: Jielin Zhang, Roderick Sterling, Thuc Hoang, Yu Lin, Nathalia Rodríguez, Erin Sheahan, Imani Pugh, Jessika Meads, Carlos and Diego Álvarez, Gregory Bush, Jordan, Aneury, Yenny, Lilibeth, Vincent, Maritza Rodriguez, Laura Polo, Eduardo Grob, Sundeep Pal, Brahain Ascencio, Carlos Rivera, Nadia Mendez, Katiria Garcìa, Noel Aragon, Joseph James, Joon-Yong Kim, Jessica and Jennifer Forbes, Avni Pandhi, Nikita Patki, Jessica Suliman, Nadia Torres, Aaron Cooper, Emily Carlin, Pejman Shizard, Salar Alemohammad, Derek Ramoutar, Juan Carlos, Juan Segura, Alejandra Salazar, Sujin Kim, Steffany Ramos, Mousa Conde, Chido Tendayi, Baron Cross, Donatas, Jeffrey Mumbauer, Jasmine Jackson Chiara Tilli, Aeyoung Shin, Shaohui Ren, Monique Tee, Michelle Rosado, and Jessica Castañeda.

My Acquaintances: Adrian Holmes, Eileen Abrams, James Ruffins, Benjamin Banks, Eric Weiss, Kellie Brown, David Greene, Kevin Covington, Carl Moore, Jack Drummond, Michael Robinson, (Center for Male Engagement), Chris Schramm, Nick Asenjo, Yunong Xia, Lisa Wells, Virginia Ramirez, BMe Community, Kenneth Chen, Donald Hall, Matt Lily, Linsey Tomasi, Ashish Nayak, Anthony Davila, Cassandra Sanchez, Oliver Covington, Ruben Monegro, Dawn Sanders, Martin Bass, Artis Jones, Anthony Davila, Joan Taveras, Charles Phy, Gilberto Gonzalez, Christine Farnum, Christina Smiley, Anthony Moran, Ronald Jackson, Earl Weeks, Clarence, Donzella Allen, Frances Garcia, Deborah Loot, Rainah Chambliss, Rel Dowdell, Fred Dukes III, Michelle Meyers and Wayne Williams.

I defiantly acknowledge and give a special thanks to Nayara Goncalves. She is a blessed, beautiful and brave young woman who was confronted by a thief in an attempted robbery. However, the Florida native stunned the robber by evoking the name of God and was saved from potential violence in July 2010. Nayara did not only stun the robber, she has surprised many internationally as a result of her story featured on several news networks. Her story inspired me to write Roses of the Angel, which is a fictional story that similarly involves a robbery but with different twists and outcome. Although, I have never met Nayara in person, I did manage to get in contact with her. Hopefully, one day, I will get to meet her and thank her personally because without her, this story would not exist.

While attending Community College in 2011, I was encouraged to write by English professors Eileen Abrams and Benjamin Banks. It was then that I began to write Roses of the Angel. After only writing a few chapters and submitting two pages from one of the chapters, I won a creative writing scholarship. This was the incentive to complete the story, while ideas for story were inspired by acquaintances, professors, and friends. It took nine months to write this story, which is the same amount it takes to bring a child into the world. Nayara, thank you for this child.

Make yourself familiar with the angels,

And behold them frequently in spirit;

For without being seen,

They are present with you.

- St. Francis de Sales

Red Rose

A red rose symbolizes romantic love. The red rose is the most common and popular colored rose as the gift for the love from the lover. The red rose also signifies sincerity, respect, courage and passion.

Chapter 1

Inception

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A phone call came in the afternoon. Eve was at her bedside reading Stephen King’s debut novel Carrie. The first phone ring occurred when she was reading out loud to herself the infamous scene where Carrie goes to her prom. Eve had not gone to her prom yet, and while reading Carrie, she started having second thoughts if she should go at all. When the phone rang for the second time, Eve picked it up in her room.

Hello?

Hey Eve, said her best friend Kim. How are you? Guess what day it is.

Eve sighed, I don’t want to talk about it. Then she chuckled and said, I know what day it is. It’s Labor Day.

Oh ha ha, you think you’re clever for a little game of trivia. Anyway, you know once it’s Labor Day that means it’s the last day before school begins and that concludes our summer, so you know we gotta do something fun.

So what do you have in mind?

Inside my mind, I am seeing us all heading to the shore, and I think we all should do that soon.

Oh? The Shore? I could go for a refreshing dip. I know it’s supposed to be sunny all day, so we’re all good for the weather. But how are we going to get there? You know in Philadelphia we have no shore. The only thing we got is the deadly Schuylkill River and Boathouse Row.

I know that’s right. Don’t you worry about where. Joey and I will be on our way soon to pick you up.

Pick me up? You guys got a car?

Joey does now. Remember Mother Bethel wasn’t feeling all that well these past couple of Sundays?

Y-Yeah, Eve said slowly and added, Please don’t tell me she died.

No, she didn’t die. Just because she’s lived a lot of years to be 85 that doesn’t mean she had a short end. She was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, so she decided to give her car to Joey for free since he has been driving her from home down to church.

Guess it’s good for the both of them. Mother Bethel will have someone to drive her around, and now Joey has his own car with no payment. That’s what I call a fair trade.

Tell me about it. Anyway, we’ll be there in less than a half hour, so grab your swimsuit, other belongings, and yourself to enjoy the ride.

See you then Kim.

Alright E-V-E, bye.

Eve grabbed her gym bag and put it on her pink cottage full-sized bed. After she placed her swimsuit, sandals, and sunscreen in her bag, she looked over her scrolled tiara headboard. Her old middle school graduation cap was nailed above her headboard like a crown waiting for a queen to wake from bed to start the day. This graduation cap was a symbol for Eve since this was the last year of high school. As she was zipping her gym bag, she heard the honk of a car horn. She looked through her bedroom window and saw a Silver Ford Taurus SES in the middle of the small two-way street. Her phone vibrated a text message.

*

After she stepped outside, she got into the car and was welcomed with smiles from her friends Kim and Joey. These were two out of eight friends Eve went to school and church with. Kimberly Jenkins had ivory skin and a pear-shaped body. She had straight, dark brown hair and a very charming and gregarious personality. She was Eve’s true sidekick. Joseph Prince was built thin. His brown eyes matched his peanut-butter skin. His short, black hair had waves like an ocean.

Genevieve preferred to be called Eve because everyone pronounced her name wrong. Unlike the French pronunciation, her name was pronounced like this Jen-a-veev. She stood 5’4" with an hourglass-shaped body. Her dark brown skin matched her eye color. Her complexion made her the darkest one in the group. Her straight jet-black hair went down to her shoulders.

E-V-E, you ready to hit the road and catch on to the Shore? Kim said.

Oh you can bet on it. It would be a nice way to get out of the city and enjoy the official last day of our summer vacation, she answered.

What’s going on Eve? Joey asked. How do you like my four wheeler?

I love it, and I love the sweet scent of the car’s air freshener.

Black ice scent will do it. You can’t go wrong with that scent.

No, you can’t. I’m happy for you, Joey. You went from having a two wheel vehicle to owning a four wheeler. How do you feel about it?

Man, I don’t know where to begin. Of course, number one, I would have to say I am very thankful that Mother Bethel gave me her car for free. In return, I have to drive her whenever she needs me, and I am down with that. She never asks for much. Those who don’t ask for much, deserve the best.

Well said Joey. Well said. After all, you do deserve a car. You got your driver’s license last year at 16. You got your license before all of us. I don’t even have mine yet.

You’re not alone, Eve, said Kim. I don’t even have my license, and I’m about to be eighteen years old.

Joey skillfully eased the car into traffic on I76, crossed the Walt Whitman Bridge into New Jersey and headed for the shore.

One day y’all will get your licenses. It’s just a matter of time with practice and effort. To me, earning your driver’s license is like almost graduating from something in life.

What do you mean by that? Eve asked Joey.

For example, it’s like graduating from school like we’re all about to do. No one is guaranteed to graduate from school. Some people don’t graduate from school because they don’t put any effort into their schoolwork or just don’t have the capacity and will to do it. Right? Same thing with a license.

Eve responded, So, in other words, what you’re trying to say is a driver’s license is like earning your diploma because it’s based on your effort and willingness to achieve it?

Exactly. That’s right on the point, he answered.

Hmm. I just learned something from you Joey. I learned that I should stop procrastinating, Kim noted.

"Procrastination is the killer of opportunity. Never let it get the better of you. Procrastination is mind over matter, but what really matters is your mind over procrastination. If you got an objective list with two options: to do it now or later, check the now box."

Kim chortled and said, "Check mark on the now box. You’ve just now inspired me to get my license."

Same here, Eve commented. There’s no way I want to keep riding on the bus.

That’s a positive way of looking at it. But I’m telling you, when you pass the driving test, you will feel proud of yourself. After all Eve, if it wasn’t for you on that day, I wouldn’t have gotten my license.

Eve’s eyebrows rose. What do you mean by that? Kim asked him. She turned to Eve for answers. In response, Eve shrugged her shoulders.

Here’s a clue, he said. It’s in the back of my seat.

While Eve was sitting on the leather backseat of the car, she reached in the back pocket of the driver’s seat. She felt in her hands something hard with a rectangular surface. Inside the pocket was the Bible that made Eve nostalgic.

Care to explain, Eve? Kim asked her.

Wow. I do recall the moment he’s talking about now. This was the Bible I bought with my first paycheck. I used to carry it with me every time I went to church. It was like a good luck charm because something good would always happen. Remember the time when Joey failed his driving test?

Mm-hmm. I remember the first attempt; he was disappointed. Then on the second attempt I knew he was sad to the point that it looked like he didn’t want to talk to anyone. He had the same problem each time - parallel parking. Parallel parking is the last part of the test and it is the most common part where people fail.

Kim bit her bottom lip when Eve went into detail. Then Kim responded to Eve saying, I remember that. But excuse me Eve, parallel parking is no joke. I’m pretty sure Joey felt the pressure of not only failing but of having to keep on telling people that he failed. How did you convince him?

Eve replied, Well, as I was saying, I really wanted to talk to Joey, especially since I knew he didn’t want to answer anyone who kept asking him if he passed the test, not only for the first attempt but then also on the second attempt. He had only one attempt left to pass. The only thing I gave him was advice. I asked him if he prayed about his situation. He took a while but he told me the truth which was that he didn’t. I sat right next to him and prayed with him to God that he would persevere and succeed. Then the next thing you know, on his next attempt he passed the test. You and I were cheering him on as he drove back home as an official driver with a license.

Wow, an interesting and compelling story, Kim said and added a question of her own. So Joey, do you think it was the prayer that helped, or was the Bible a good luck charm?

You know, that’s a good question. At first, I was thinking of the Bible, but now that you mentioned it, it could’ve been a combination of the two because the prayer did uplift my spirit and took my failures off my mind.

Gotcha. It’d be funny if you’re right. As the old saying goes: God works in mysterious ways, Kim pointed out.

Either way I am thankful to God and thankful I have you guys, Joey stated.

Aww, so sweet. Thanks, Eve replied.

As Joey guided the car onto the Atlantic City Expressway, Eve’s phone started ringing, and she answered with a yes, Then yes again and then for the third time. Then she hung up the phone.

What was that all about? Kim asked.

To be honest with you, I really don’t know. It was my boss Mr. Nguyen, saying that he has something special for me the next time I go back to work.

Kim wrinkled her forehead. Wonder what that could be?

From the Atlantic City Expressway, Joey moved onto the Garden State Parkway. The three friends cruised along the Parkway talking about the summer and their up-coming senior year. Finally, Joey called out,

Hey ladies, we should be getting close to the Wildwood Boardwalk soon.

So what do you guys want to do first when we get there? Eve asked them.

There’s no need for a plan. Christina has everything taken care of while Matthew is assisting her for this so-called big mystery game they got planned for us.

Mystery game? Now I am curious. I wonder what Miss Detective has in store for us.

*

Euphoria was in the air on the boardwalk, and there were lots of people taking advantage of the last days of summer. Above them were balloon animals flying in the sky. Eve and her friends passed by the WILDWOOD entrance sign looking for parking space, which was hard to find due to the size of the crowd. The boardwalk looked like a city within a city of people walking all over the place like a marching band. After Joey parked his car, Eve and Kim called their other friends. Kim ended a conversation on her cell phone and said, Guys, I reached Christina. I know where they are. Follow me. Everyone else is at Morey’s Pier.

Down on the beach side of Morey’s Pier, one girl was standing while others were sitting on the sand, and standing was no one other than Christina Perez. Tina was petite with an hourglass-shaped body. Her natural olive skin tone had been kissed by the sun.

Hello, Eve, Kim, and Joey. I’m glad you could join us, said Christina. Sit down and get ready to hear about this mystery game. In the meantime…Oh, you guys are right on time, Matthew.

He was running toward that part of the beach and looked like the intro of Baywatch. Matthew Markinson stood very tall at 6’2", which made him the tallest of the whole group. He was well built with prominent muscles and looked like he belonged in a Muscle & Fitness magazine. His hairstyle was black locks down to his shoulders. He never liked when people called his hair dreadlocks because he didn’t find anything dreadful about them. He had a warm smile, reddish brown skin, and a muscular body that made him very distinctive from all the others. After running toward the group, his upper body hunched over as he placed his hands on his knees.

All righty then, Christina said, "while Mattie’s catching his breath, I’ll explain to you my mystery game. Since today is the last day of summer, we need to do something fun and keep our brains exercised