From EVERYDAY ANGEL #1: NEW BEGINNINGS: "I'm sorry," Aria finally whispered as she slid onto the bench beside her. "What if he was alone?" Gabby's voice trembled a little as she wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "When he died?""He wasn't," said Aria, too quietly for Gabby to hear."It's not fair," whispered Gabby, balling her hands into fists. "None of this is fair."Aria looked up at the ceiling and wished it were the sky. "At least he's--""Don't," snapped Gabby. "Don't say at least he's at peace now. I hate it when people say that like it makes death better.""I don't think anything makes death better," said Aria. "But it was time for--""It's never just time," said Gabby. "And how can you say that?" She shook her head. "I thought you cared about him . . .""I did," said Aria. "I do. But Henry was . . . I think he wanted to let go."Gabby gave her a long hard look. "You knew."Aria's eyes widened. "What?""All day you've been weird. You knew this was going to happen. Or that it had happened."Aria could feel it. This cusp. The chance to tell Gabby the truth.Aria sighed. She was so tired of keeping secrets. Would it make Gabby feel better, to know Henry hadn't been alone? To know it was time for him to let go? To know why Aria was here?"I saw him come this morning," she said quietly. "Saw who?"Aria chewed her lip. "The boy in the hall. I'd been waiting for him. He was a different kind of . . ." She trailed off."Of what?"Aria didn't actually like this word. It seemed too large, too heavy, but it was the only way she knew to explain. "Angel."She'd braced herself for any number of reactions to the too-big word, everything from disbelief to mockery to awe. But Gabby only stared at her, eyes red. "A what?" she whispered. Excerpted from New Beginnings by Victoria Schwab, V. E. Schwab All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.