Chapter 2: Pride

                                    

                                          
Ravn looked at Gabrielle in disbelief before bursting into laughter, his laugh reverberating throughout his room. Gabrielle's angelic smile started to waver as she stared at Ravn laughing so hard like he's almost going to collapse on the ground. Did he just laugh at her?
                          
Amidst of Gabrielle almost losing her smile, she still has it maintained on her face. While Ravn is laughing his soul out, Gabrielle is smiling purely in front of him. What a sight.
                          
Ravn's laughter slowly died down, so he stood straight back up and wiped the tears on his eyes from laughing. He calmed his breathing before looking back at Gabrielle, trying not to laugh as her words started to echo back in his head the moment she's in his sight once again. Seeing her smiling amidst his laughter got him serious. Why is she still smiling innocently?, He wondered, slightly creeped out.
                          
He sighed. "Wow, I didn't know burglars started wearing angel-like costumes nowadays. Is that supposed to shine on the civilians and make them surrender their valuable possessions so easily?"
                          
"Like I told you, Ravn, I'm an angel. I do not steal and do illegal stuffs."
                          
"How did you know my name?" Ravn raised his eyebrows. He never met this girl before. Gabrielle tilted her head, "I know you. I know all about you."
                          
"Now I'm starting to wonder if you're a burglar, a stalker, or just a crazy lady wandering through the night." Ravn placed his finger on his chin, as if he was thinking about what Gabrielle is actually portraying.
                          
Gabrielle held her tongue from telling him how he dared to call her a crazy lady. She kept her smile, which actually annoyed and creeped Ravn out. "I'm not a burglar, I'm not a stalker, and I'm not crazy. I'm an angel, Ravn. Please believe me."
                          
Ravn clicked his tongue. "Now I'm convinced that you're crazy. I'm calling the police." He started to walk to his bed and Gabrielle saw what he was going at. "Wait, no. Don't call the police. Please." Gabrielle calmly said since he'll be the one looking crazy when the police comes here, and the last thing she wants is having Ravn away probably in a mental institution, and that would mean she won't be able to do her mission.
                          
He ignored her and took his phone. Dialing a number on his dial pad. He placed the phone on his ear.
                          
That's it.
                          
Gabrielle started to move. She approached Ravn, and before he could say something to the phone, Gabrielle grabbed the phone from Ravn's grasp in a swift motion. Gabrielle cancelled the call, earning a surprised and annoyed look from Ravn.
                          
Gabrielle smiled kindly which worsened Ravn's annoyance. She's crazy, he thought. "Give me back my phone, you self-proclaimed angel."
                          
"I can't give it to you if you're calling the police. Listen to me."
                          
"Like hell, I'm listening to you." Ravn snarled. He charged at her, trying to take back his phone but Gabrielle was too quick to move. She kicked Ravn's legs, putting him down on the floor. His eyes widened at her quickness and her strength.
                          
Gabrielle sighed, she gave up on keeping her smile. Ravn eyed at her change of emotions as the angel wiped her face in frustration. "Don't tell me I'll be going through this six times more with the rest of the cursed men." She muttered in exasperation, which was inaudible to Ravn.
                          
Gabrielle looked down on Ravn who was still in shock. She approached him slowly, and he shifted uncomfortably. She kneeled down beside him, her eyes boring down on his. "Dude, get your creepy ass away from me." Ravn panicked and tried to back away from Gabrielle but she firmly placed a hand on his chest to keep him on his place.
                          
"You have called me a burglar, a stalker, a crazy lady, a self-proclaimed angel, and now a creepy ass. Isn't that too much? I told you I'm an angel." Gabrielle said calmly despite actually getting fed up of the names he's called her. She mentally apologized to Seraphiel from losing her composure on this mortal. If he's looking down at her, then she knows Seraphiel has sighed.
                          
"Stop talking nonsense. You don't even have wings. If you're acting like an angel, you should even have bought fake wings to complete your look." Ravn sneered. With that, Gabrielle rolled her eyes with a sigh. "Goodness,"
                          
Gabrielle didn't expect she would do this but if this would make things easier, she wont hesitate. Gabrielle's wings sprang out behind her naturally and with ease. The moonlight dawned down at her, the wings highlighted by it as well as Gabrielle's blonde hair. Ravn stared at her with his lips parted. He was truly amazed at how divine this lady looked in front of him. It felt like a dream. Everything around Ravn felt light. The angel in front of him was so beautiful. It was the most beautiful face he's ever seen in his entire existence. He felt breathless.
                          
"Do you believe me now, Ravn?" Gabrielle's voice snapped Ravn from staring at her in awe. Now the room is back to its darkness along the moonlight illuminating the surroundings. Ravn swallowed a lump on his throat, still staring at Gabrielle. He managed to nod his head.
                          
Gabrielle's angelic smile went back on her face. "Good!" She exclaimed as she hid her wings back. Ravn sat up, squatting in front of her. "Assuming I believe in you--"
                          
"You should be."
                          
"Okay, um, if you are an angel, why are you here down on Earth?" Ravn asked, slowly calming down.
                          
"I have a mission." Gabrielle began. "And that is to get rid of your curse along with the rest of the six cursed men." 
                          
"Wait, wait. You mentioned I was cursed, what did you mean I'm cursed?" Now that Ravn remembered what Gabrielle said earlier, he was now on full attention of himself.
                          
"The seven of you are cursed with the seven deadly sins which are pride, envy, wrath, lust, sloth, gluttony, and greed. You are cursed with pride." Gabrielle paused. "The seven of you are probably expected by the King of the Underworld, and are probably going to be taken in time, which I honestly do not know when." The angel paused once again, giving Ravn the time to let what she said sink in. As he comprehended what she said, his eyes widened. "What do you mean we'll be taken!? And to the Underworld!?" He freaked out.
                          
"Yep." Gabrielle replied shortly. "Don't worry, I won't let them take you. I can't fail my mission."
                          
Ravn's eyebrows met in confusion. All his life he's been living happily while giving himself the love he deserves, then all of a sudden an angel shows up to him, telling him he's cursed and is going to be taken to the underworld on who knows when?
                          
"Have you met the rest of the cursed men?"
                          
"Nope. You're the first one I've met." Gabrielle smiled. She was kind of excited, but she never forgot what she had to go through before having this calmed conversation. Those name calling and violence. "You're the first one I've met and that reminds me of taking you to our new house!"
                          
Gabrielle stood up excitedly and grabbed Ravn's hand to stand him up. He was confused as Gabrielle pulled him out of his room towards the balcony. "What do you mean new house?"
                          
"You'll be leaving temporarily as we work on your curse. We can't leave you here, what if someone from the Underworld just suddenly comes here and take you? I can't let that happen." Gabrielle said. "So, come on!"
                          
"Wait, are you saying we're going to start living together?" Ravn asked, and luckily, Gabrielle couldn't see the small shade of pink on his cheeks.
                          
Gabrielle laughed. "Silly! I'm taking the rest of the cursed men there too! I can't just transfer from one house to another, that's tiring." Ravn's mouth formed an 'o' as he mentally slapped himself for thinking such things. "So what do--?"
                          
With their hands still held together, Gabrielle's wings spring out once again. Ravn's eyes were glued to her wings, still amazed with it, and oblivious to where this current moment is going.
                          
Ravn yelped as he was flipped, now on Gabrielle's arms. She was indeed strong but she was slightly wavering at carrying a mortal. What else could she do to bring him to the house? Seraphiel would laugh at this scenario. How could she even think of carrying a man in her arms? Then again, despite Gabrielle struggling, she still had her angelic and innocent smile on. She was still as excited as she was a while a go.
                          
"Hold on tight, because we're going to fly!"