Welcome to Growing Up

“Well this is an unfortunate turn of events,” Cody said, staring at himself in the mirror.

Behind him, Asrael spread his wings, and for a moment it looked like Cody had two heads and a pair of massive feathered wings. “How so?”

Cody poked at his jaw. “I have a zit.”

“Aren’t blemishes a common occurrence for all adolescents?” Asrael said. He tilted his head to one side quizzically.

“I’ve never had one before, and school pictures are today,” Cody said. He sighed. It didn’t really matter what he looked like for school pictures since people only really saw Jonathan’s pictures anyway, but he shuddered to think about what Sterling Shepard’s friends would do if they saw.

“As you always say, there’s a first time for everything.” That Asrael could smile and make a joke like that was disturbing, seeing how he was the angel of death. Or maybe he’d just been around Cody for too long.

Cody sighed and reached for his toothbrush. He’d heard his mother nag Jonathan plenty of times – if he didn’t pick at it, it wouldn’t scar.

Asrael studied Cody’s reflection some more. “After school, if you like, I can help you practice your piece for your bar mitzvah.”

Cody blinked, surprised. “Really?”

Asrael nodded. “I’m nowhere near as talented as Israfel, but –”

“Thank you,” Cody said. “I’d really like that.”

Jonathan banged on the door. “Cody, stop talking to yourself in there. It’s creepy.”

“I have a zit,” Cody called back.

Jonathan laughed. “Welcome to growing up, little brother. Now hurry up and get out of there – my study group will be here any moment now.”

Cody rolled his eyes. Jonathan just wanted to impress the pretty girls in his college classes.

Asrael started to fade from visibility. “You don’t want to be late for school,” he said.

Cody rolled his eyes again. The angel of death was starting to sound like his most annoying nanny.

(322 words)