Chapter 3

They ran a few more tests and sent me on my way home, with strict instructions not to do anything stupid, and talk to the cop in school tomorrow. When we got home, mom said she was going to start dinner and that I should see if I can get Angel some night clothes to sleep in. We went upstairs and I found an old ac/dc tee-shirt and some shorts for Angel to sleep in. Then I set up the Console while she got changed in the bathroom. I got the tv all set up and made a bed on the floor. With an air mattress and blankets.

We went downstairs and ate spaghetti for dinner. Then I told my mom that Angel was staying the night again, and that I promised not to go out on another walk. We went upstairs, then I asked what sleeping arrangements Angel needed to sleep.

“I usually sleep with a fan on, we don't have tv in our rooms at home so that's up to you.”

I nodded, got up and shut the tv off, then turned the fan on. I got on the air mattress and got comfortable. “You get the bed, it's comfier.”

“Your injured though”

“You’re my guest, so you get the best treatment. if you wake up before me, just wake me up.” Then I nod off into unconsciousness. Cherishing the feeling of falling asleep naturally.

When I got up the next day, my mom was standing at the door, looking in. I got up, Woke angel up and told her she could change in here. Then I grabbed the usual jeans and hoodie that I always wear. I walked to the bathroom and changed. What I saw was a reminder of who I was. I will have the scars and the marks from both the road and those guys. I am covered in bruises and cuts, stitching making me look like an old doll, the bandages pouring out the sides of the wrappings like the stuffing.

When I came back, I saw Angel dressed in Jeans, a tee, and a long sleeve hoodie over that, not far off from what i've got on.

“Ready? Breakfast ought to be done.”

“Breakfast?” she had a look of confusion. I gestured for her to follow and went downstairs. Where mom had some waffles and sausage made up. We sat down and ate. Devouring every bite like we would never eat again. Then we got in moms car and she gave us a ride to school. Once we got there, we went our separate ways. Neither of us had very many friends. So we agreed to sit together at lunch, and study hall. School was as usual until 4th period. I got pulled from Trig to talk to the cop the doctors mentioned. The officer was the stereotype. Squat, with a thick mustache and balding head. He even had a box of donuts on the counter behind him. His name tag said Officer Flannigan.

He began asking questions. Starting with why were you following that girl.

To which I replied “She looked sad, so I wanted to see if I could cheer her up.”

“What inspired you to climb up on the guardrail with her.”

“I don't know, I guess I thought it might help her not feel alone.”

Some scribbling on a clipboard “Is it true that when you got down, you tried to push her off?”

“What? No, of course not. I talked to her, then she agreed to come down, so I hopped off to help her down, and she slipped. Then I pulled her up. it was raining hard that day, the rail was wet.”

“The car that hit you, they left the scene. Leaving you broken and bloody on the street. The paramedics got there just in time. You almost died for a girl you didn't even know. I know grown men who wouldn't do that.”

He took a breath and leaned back in his chair. “The scanners were filled with noise complaints saturday night. Then you were in the hospital, along with another young man who was badly beaten, care to explain?”

“I was walking with the girl I saved, her name is Angel. We were walking around, just stretching our legs. Then these three guys started following us. So I told Angel to hide, and tried to lead them away.

He nodded in understanding. “So you were going to let three guys gang up on you so they didn't mess with Angel, even when you were injured?”

“That's about the jist of it. Well, as I was running, I heard Angel scream. I turned around and ran as fast as my broken body could carry me. I turned onto their road, then I saw one punch Angel, that's why she has a black eye. I charged the guy from behind, adrenaline letting me ignore the injuries. I knocked him down and beat his face to a pulp.” Then I showed the officer my knuckles, bloody and raw, the movement of writing partially splitting them.

He leaned back in his chair, then spoke “They were talking about giving you parole, I think we should give you a damn medal. What about the other two?”

“Well, they pulled me off of the other guy, who was out cold. Then I broke free and swung a knife, nicking one in the chin. Then they took the first one and left. On our walk home, I started getting dizzy. I looked down and realized some of my stitches broke. That's when Angel called 911, for the ambulance. Which came and took me to the hospital.”

Officer Flannigan stood up and offered his hand. I stood and met his shake firmly.

“I'm going to get back to the station and get some reports written up for the three guys you described. We should be able to pin them with Assault, at the very least. i'm letting you off this time, but if something like this happens again, then i'm going to have to book you.”

After we finished up some paperwork, I went to lunch. I got my food and began scanning for Angel, I looked at the door and saw her waving. I smiled and followed her out.

“Where are we heading?”

She smiled “The library, the Librarians let me eat there, the cafeteria gives me a headache.” When we arrived I sat in the chair across from her, then started eating.

“Where's your lunch?”

She clenched her jaw for a second. “I don't eat lunch, I don't eat much at all.”

I glanced skepticially at her. “What about my moms food?”

She darted her eyes around a little “I was trying to be respectful”

I split the food on my tray in half and told her to eat. “Foods good for you, maybe not school food, but it will keep you going.” I handed her the extra fork I had and kept eating my half. She took a few bites, then she leaned back and pulled out a book.

“Whatcha reading?”

“It's this cool story about this guy who started at the bottom of society, then got this cool trinket thing, you can read it yourself if you want. it's called ‘Vendetta’ I really like it.”

“Sounds cool, I might have to check it out. So you come here, eat, then bring your tray back?”

“That's about it. I don't like all the people, so I come here.”

I nodded “I can understand. I usually throw some earbuds in and ignore them. Speaking of which, we still aren't in each others phones.” I said as I fetched mine out, which she swapped for her own. I put my number in her phone. Then set a funny face as the contact picture. We gave each other our phones. Then we started talking.

“Ok, if this were a movie, we would almost definitely fall in love because I saved your life. But I don't believe in destiny or fate or anything. I believe that everything is random. I do care about you, I barely know you, but I want to change that. Do you?”

She smiled, something i've found to be equally rare and beautiful. “Deal, we shall start hanging out, playing games, watching movies, listening to music, and talking.”

We finished our food, then we head off to our next classes. After school we agreed to go to her house. She said nobody would probably be there. I texted my mom and got the ok, and to be home at a reasonable time. We were both within walking distance of the school, and each other's houses. On our way there, we saw three guys following us, I saw them but didn't let on. if they had any honor, they would wait until everyone was healed up to start more fights. The docs said 2 more weeks until I would be good for movement.

We got to her house, an old house, slightly run down. it wasn't much to look at.

“I'm going to apologize now for the mess, I can't ever be bothered to clean it.”

I followed her through the house, to her room. When she opened the door, he saw what he expected, a slightly messy room with sparse furniture, really only a desk with a laptop, her bed, and a dresser.

“Hey, can I see some more of your drawings? I already have one on my wall. You are really good at it.” She walked to the desk, opened a drawer. She pulled a sketchbook out of the drawer, as if it were the billionth time. She handed it to me, and I saw a glimpse of another in the drawer, hidden under other papers. Scribbled black.

I decided not to pursue the other sketchbook, I opened up the first, leafing through I saw many magnificent drawings of anything from birds, to the sea, to people. Until I saw one of me. I could tell immediately, even with it being pen. She drew me, from her own eyes. She drew me talking to her, again when I was pulling her up from the bridge, and a final time when I looked at the car, right before it hit me. Maybe she tries to trade the blade for the pen, no matter how briefly. Her drawings managed to catch the human image, showing my emotion. Even the worry in my eyes was visible. I kept leafing through. I saw drawings of dragons, and cities, and oceans, and deserts. Then I saw more from the accident, the EMTs carrying me into the ambulance. Me laying on the bed with a battalion of doctors around me, fighting to keep me alive.

“These are amazing, I love every single one of them. How many sketchbooks do you have full?”

She shrugged and pulled a box from under her bed. it had around a dozen sketchbooks. The one I most wanted to see, was the one in the Drawer. We spent a few hours looking through sketchbooks. I was in awe, she is the most amazing artist i've ever seen. They are wonderful. They are so descriptive and full of Life, even the ones that were full of death.

After that, it was dinner time. We went to the kitchen and she began scrounging around for something to eat. I saw flour and a few other baking supplies, I started to grab that stuff out.

“Cookies” I said it with a smirk, then she went to the freezer and grabbed some chocolate chips. We made the cookies and while we waited for them to bake, we watched a movie. it was getting late, and if I tried to walk home. it would get dark before I got home, I texted mom.

After I got the ok to stay the night, I walked back to the kitchen. Checking on the cookies. They weren't done yet, so I went back to the living room.

“the cookies are almost done, and i'm good to stay here for the night, where am I crashing?”

She thought for a few seconds. “I got it, there's an air mattress in my closet. The pump is broken though.”

“That's alright, I can just use my lungs. Hopefully they don't burst.” I had to add with a smirk. Then I began pumping the Air mattress, She left her room. I could check the drawer, the one with the one sketchbook she was scared to show me. I could go and look through it, she would never know.

I couldn't break her trust though. I wouldn't, I keep filling the Air Mattress. She comes back with all of the cookies on a plate, still warm. She showed them off like a prize for a game show. I finished the air mattress and asked her what she wanted to do now.

She smiled, “I've got a ton of movies downstairs. Go grab some.” Then she went and got snacks, leaving me to pick movies. I chose a few action flicks, something to have on while we talked, I wanted to learn more about her. She returned and I was already laying on the couch. I went to sit up, but she raised a hand.

“It's alright, I was gonna lay down on the couch anyway, you mind?”

I smiled and scooched back. “Not at all”  She laid down in front of me, but put a blanket in between us, which I completely understand. We put on a movie, that I didn't even pay attention to. I just laid there for about half an hour. While the movie was playing, I could feel Angel fidgeting, Like she wanted to turn around and talk about something. She kept that up until the end of the movie. We both sat up, then we got a few more movies to put on in her room. We walked to her room, the now familiar layout of it comforting. I sat on her bed.

“What do you wanna talk about? I could feel you squirming the whole movie, somethings gotta be up.”

She sat next to me and began wringing her hands. “I… i’m just… “ She sighed ”I don't know. I just feel horrible that you did so much and got so hurt for me, when I still want to leave.”

“What do you want to leave? You can come stay with us if you aren't happy here.”

“No, Not here as in home, here as in life. You are just the only person i've met who actually cared. Even my dad just tells me to try and get good grades. He is always gone, always driving that big truck of his. I never see him.” Then she started crying. So I hugged her. “I’m just so relieved to have someone I can finally start trusting. i’m sorry if I take forever to open up, it's just that i'm not used to having anyone to talk to. Let alone hang out with and watch movies.”

I just keep holding her in my arms. I breath deeply, slow and sure. I opened my eyes to see that the air mattress had completely deflated during our movie. I move her hair away from her ear.

“I'm here for you, and always will be. I promise.”

Author's Note

Drop a review, say anything you want, I will try and respond to all I can.