Chapter 4

I eased out of her bed and made my way to the kitchen. When I walked through the living room, I saw a truck parked outside. it must have been her dad, I walked to the kitchen and started cleaning our mess from the night. Trying to insure a good first impression with her father.

Angel walked out of her room, she rubbed her eyes and looked outside. When she saw the truck, her expression turned to one of fear. We heard a door open and some footsteps. Her dad was a very tall, brute of a man. He had a truckers hat on and a dirty shirt. He saw me and I thought he might pull a gun, or a knife. He walked towards me and slammed me against the wall.

Angel screamed. “Dad, no. That's Sam, the guy I was telling you about. He is the one who helped me up when I fell off the bridge.”

He glared at me, then spoke in a very strained voice. “So you are the boy that saved my baby girl's life?”

I gulped then spoke, barely keeping the shake out of it. “Yeah, that was me.”

Then something clicked. He smiled and pulled me into a rough hug. I was confused, so I awkwardly patted his back.

“Nice to meet you kid, I’m frank.” He pulled himself back.

“Why are you here? I locked the door when I got home. That means you were here yesterday, and I didn't see you on the couch. Where did you sleep?” his stern glare returned.

“I slept on her bed, we each got a side with separate pillows and blankets. Don't worry, nothing happened. I should probably finish breakfast.” I felt him watch me as I finished and dished out the food. We sat and ate. Afterwards, Mr. Mercer, Frank, leaned back and spoke.

“You know kid, I had my doubts about you staying here, but having a hot meal and a cup of coffee has really helped. I better get you two to school.”

We got in the pickup truck, he was a trucker, but had this as his town vehicle. it was easy to see how much he despised driving. Maybe he just did it for Angel.

We got to school, and went through our classes, same as every other day. The same long mornings, then a quick lunch. Which I decided to spend with Angel from now on. Then we went to our afternoon classes and then off home. This time we split and went our separate ways.

Once I got home I dropped my bag and started doing some chores as always, then I went to my room as always and did my homework at my desk as always. This is everything I usually did before I met Angel, why does it feel so different today? Something was different, inside of me. I felt like I changed, more grown up you could say, but it's more than that. i'm not exactly sure what I felt. I just know I felt different.

I finished my homework and decided to play a game. I booted up the PC and played some games with my buddy. That got boring so I texted Angel.

Me> Hey, what's up

Angel> Not much, you?

Me> Playing a game, until I texted you at least

Angel> You wanna video call? We can use Skype

Me> Sure, i've got a webcam on my PC

Angel> i’ll call.

Then I waited with skype open on my computer, seeing when she would call. After a few minutes she called, and I answered near immediately. I looked at my screen and saw her on her bed, sitting indian style. We began to speak. We generally chatted about mundane topics, like what happened at school, or upcoming tests. Until it got later, then we switched to more serious topics, telling more childhood stories and experiences. Once we were both tired and ready to sleep, we called it a night.

This is how our days went for a few weeks, on more than a few occasions she would state that she was getting slowly better with her issues, getting slowly happier in general. The first snow came right before halloween. We both went trick or treating, I went with my little cousins, and she came with us. Her and I claimed some candy as our own and walked them home. It was only 8. I called my mom and asked her if I could sleep at Angel’s. She said fine, and warned me not to do anything stupid.

Even though me and Angel are just friends, the majority of people seem to think we are together. We went back to her house and watched some scary movies in the essence of halloween. Angel loved the Adrenaline burst they gave her. We watched a few movies and realized that it was getting late, and then we kinda faded away from the movies, we both fell asleep on the couch. With her in my arms. I woke up and her head was buried into my shoulder. I looked up and saw her dad standing over us, with his arms crossed and a scowl covering his face. I got off the couch quietly and walked to the kitchen, where he followed. I leaned against a counter, and waited for him to initiate a conversation.

He started with “She’s my baby girl, I don't want any funny business. She says you are just friends, but I see the way you look at her. Different from the other boys. They all show the normal look, you have one that practically yells you love her.”

“I do care about her. Enough to put myself in harms way to cheer her up. You have nothing to worry about, and I don't plan on doing anything to mess up our friendship.”

He adjusted his feet. “She is all i’ve got left. I don't know what I would have done if she had jumped, probably follow her. Her mother disappeared when she was 3. She is my life, she is the only reason I keep my trucking job. Kid, I don't want her to have a life like mine. I know you plan on sticking around with her. Please keep her happy, I know she didn't ‘fall’ off the bridge. She tried to jump and you caught her.”

I shifted my gaze, which he saw and prompted him to continue. “Unless that's not what happened.”

I cleared my throat. “She was ready to jump, standing there, I called out to her, and started talking to her. Then I climbed up with her, trying to show her that she wasn't alone. She agreed to come down, I got down first. She slipped and I caught her as she was falling. Then I pulled her up, the momentum of her coming over the railing knocked me into the road, right in front of that car.”

He glanced around and wiped his eye. Then he nodded and walked away. I went to the couch and sat in front of it, not disturbing her. I sat there, deep in thought when Angel stirred, she reached out and spread her arm out. Giving me a full look of the markings. I felt bad, observing her arms in her sleep. I saw the damage she had done. I know it will always remain, whether it be fresh, or scars. They were there, and that makes me feel horrible. I will do anything and everything in my power to help her. Even if it means I need to suffer more hurt. It would be worth it.

I pulled her sleeve down and she woke up. She saw me holding her sleeve, and yanked her Arm away. I looked at her.

“Your sleeve came up while you were sleeping, I brought it back down. You told me you stopped after my second hospital visit. Why would you hide this from me?”

Angel sat up and crossed her legs; I raised myself next to her. She took a deep, slightly shaking breath, and spoke. “You couldn't understand. I’m always alone, even when we're hanging out I feel a barrier between us. I want you to help, I need you too. I don't want to do this, but if no one can love me, then how can I love myself?”

I put an arm across her back, letting it rest on her shoulders. I turned my body to look her in the eyes. “That's the thing, you can never say people don't love you. Look at your dad, the only reason he isn't here by your side every second is because he is working to make you happy. You can never say people don't love you because I do. I love you Angel.”

I saw tears falling from her eyes, I pulled her head into my chest. I sat quietly and combed my fingers through her hair, we sat that way for hours. During which, she fell asleep. I picked her up, and carried her to her bed where I let her sleep.