"So we'll both suffer, huh?"

The second part of the "Perfect Storm." He only intended to help them, but what will Milliardo do when he's strong-armed into staying over for the night?

Sometimes, I like to think, “Just where did it all go wrong?” and “Could it all have been avoided?” If there was some deity I ticked off somewhere along the way. It just gives me a headache, really, because then I realize how pointless it is to wonder. It's like counting the number of stars in the night sky or wondering how vast the Universe really is. So as much as I like it, I try not to dwell on it for too long.

However, for some reason, those thoughts kept popping into the front of my mind no matter how hard I tried to keep them at the back. A night out with three girls should have been what was worrying me.

The last time I went out with a group of more than three people was that incident from a while ago with the guys from work. I do feel a little paranoid that something odd was going to happen because of that and just general experiences.

In the meantime, a good portion of my retirement fund went into taking care of Angel and her current situation. Ultimately, we decided to split the work since there was four of us. Angel and Pizza would head to get the candles while I took the kid with me to go get some food. The store where we usually went to was where set off too. Along the way, I took the opportunity and asked her why she was hanging out so late.

“It's not even seven yet.” was her smart reply. “I don't want to go home. That's all.”

“Why?” I poked.

“Because...you know why.” she said. “That man is there again...”

“That William guy, again? Is he still in the picture? I thought your mom had broke up with that guy?”

“Yeah, she did. It doesn't matter. He does drugs and hits her and he comes over because he gets in trouble with his dealers and she lets him come over anyway and even if they do break up, they just get back together. I really don't even know if he is her boyfriend or if she's just soft on the guy. I'm just sick of looking at a big, fat ugly lie so..”

A child fleeing from a broken home in order to escape. How cliché is that? She's even hanging out with losers like me. Stories like this don't end well. Ever. I can't picture this girl being a junkie or street walker in a few years though. I really can't and I don't want to. When someone tells you something like this, what do you do? Am I in a position to stop this, to protect her and prevent such a bad end? I...

I have no freakin' clue, man...

I patted her head and, surprisingly, she let me, which was odd since I don't feel compelled to touch people. People need hugs sometimes, but this is the best I can do for now. Usually, though, she makes a sharp quip and pushes my hand away. At times like this, I can't see anything other than a little eleven/twelve year old girl.

“Forget about it!” I wanted to cheer her up, so I just started talking. “When the world starts getting you down, you just gotta take a step back and clear your head. The world isn't black or white, but a shade of gray that changes from lighter or darker depending on whether you're an optimist or a pessimist.” I paused since I had run out of things to say. “Dreams do come true, but happy endings don't exist. Still, I think you can be happy. I don't think that is an impossible thing. My name is Milliardo and I approve this message.”

'This world sucks...” Iris Kelly wiped her eyes and sighed. She had completely ignored my little joke at the end. It was a very heavy sigh.

“...Don't get any ideas, but I ran away from home myself. Well, okay, technically I “left” since I was eighteen at the time, but same thing, really. I wouldn't recommend it, but I did it and it sucked for the most part. I only just got stable work and a moderately comfortable place to live. Succeed or fail, I want to do it my own way. As for right now, I'm...not bad. Very good, I would say, but overall, I wouldn't be say I'm happy.”

I forgot the point I was trying to make so I shut up at that point before I made things any worse.

“Aren't you happy with your girlfriend?”

“I am.” I didn't hesitate in answering. “Life does suck, but I do think it is possible to be happy or find something that can bring you happiness. It can be music or reading or something like that. For me, Angel is my therapist. You just have to find your own therapy, but don't get any boyfriends until you're twenty.”

“I don't have any hobbies.” said the girl. “And I'm really not smart or anything.”

“Don't say that...” See, now there's a problem already. That's a pretty big one too.

“I'm not...” she repeated. “There's no way I'm going to be some kind of doctor or whatever.”

“You don't need to be a doctor to be smart. Doctors are human too, you know. They're just as stupid as the rest of us. Police can only respond to crime not prevent it. Politicians rarely, if ever, hold up to any of the promises they make when being elected and teaching, arguably the most important job in the world, is filled with underpaid teachers, scandals and generally, they don't really do anything, but what they're told. You don't need to be a genius, you just need common sense and a code of ethics and principles. I'm better off a simple loser and delivery boy than a CEO. A coward like me is better off high pressure situations so I'm okay with being a bottom feeder. It's just what it ultimately boils down to, I guess.”

I've spent plenty of time thinking about those kinds of things so it's easy for me to accept my faults and idiosyncrasies. Even so, I can't tell a kid to abandon all hope. That's beyond what a mere loser would do.

Nothing more was said on the subject and when we reached the store, there was an argument going on between the boss and the guy in charge of making the food over hours. It became apparent that we weren't going to get anything there so we left and moved on the next store.

“I guess today's just a bad day.” said Iris Kelly.

Indeed, it seemed to be so. The next store was much less the hassle and we got our sandwiches. There were four orders and too sodas for Iris Kelly and Pizza. Now that I had completed that mission, it was time to head over to Angel's place.

But before that,

“So what are you going to do now, IK?”

“'IK' what's that?”

“Your initials, obviously. Saying your full name all the time is a mouthful.”

“Well, you can call me Iris or Kelly, if you want. I don't care. In fact, you're like the only person who calls me by full name all the time.”

“Oh, really? Well, I'll keep doing it then.” Points for being an individual if nothing else.

“I thought it was a mouthful? You're kind of flaky, you know that?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean you're all over the place. You say one thing, but contradict yourself. You're never...consistent.”

“Well, people are shades of gray too. Don't forget that.”

“I guess I'll go home and go to sleep for now.” Iris Kelly said wistfully. “I have school tomorrow, anyway.”

That's an initiative I've never had. I made sure to keep that thought by myself as children are easily swayed by even throwaway comments like that.

It wasn't even seven o' clock yet, but I walked her home anyway. The sun had already set anyway. The days were gradually becoming longer and longer, but summer had yet to arrive just to yet. The whole situation with Iris Kelly was making me worried. Sooner or later, something was going to give in her life and the bit that worries me is that I'll be unable to do anything but stand by and watch. “Just another useless adult” isn't something I want to be. At the same time, I realized just how cliché my own story was: a youth raised in a stable home environment yet turns out to be the black sheep who wants to rebel and breakaway. I guess we're all playing roles here.

“Hey, Milliardo. What happened to Iris?” The Angel greeted me in front of her building. I won't say anything like her being my “muse” or my “flame,” but her visage was enough to relieve the dark clouds that was beginning to hang over me.

“She went home. She has school tomorrow, you know.”

“Well that's good. She shouldn't stay out too late on a weekday anyway. Pizza is upstairs setting up the candles.” She shook, literally. “I'm so excited. We can tell ghost stories and make hand shadows all night long.”

“You're looking forward to this, aren't you? Even though your lights are out.”

Angel coiled her arm around mine and pulled me into the building. “I don't really care about that.” she said cheerfully. “In times of emergency, we have to think positive and look at the bright side of things.”

“'The bright side' huh? What if there is no brighter side, though? What if it's just black?”

I knew immediately that I had made a mistake. Angel stopped on the landing and proceeded to lecture me. “Milliardo, you think too much, you know that? We promised to have fun and make everyday an adventure, remember?”

“Of course, I do.”

“I don't know why you care so much about that girl since you won't tell me anything about her, but deep down inside you're a nice guy so I can't hold it against you for helping someone. However, if you're going to do it halfheartedly, don't bother!” She pouted and turned away, crossing her arms over her chest. “Humph, I still won't forgive you for making me tell you to spend time with another girl.”

She had a point so I really couldn't say anything. It's scary, heartbreaking and relieving that she can guess so accurately when it comes to me. People say nobody knows themselves better than they do, but Angel knows me pretty well. I wonder if that's her 'love' of me or just her blind faith in her love of me.

“AH! Hey...!” She snatched the bag of food right out of my hand.

“I'll have you pay me back for that later!” she said before ascending up the stairs like the wind. For a girl with so much hair and such large breasts, I was surprised she could run that fast. I jogged up the stairs after her, but at a much slower pace.

In a nutshell, the girl's apartment was much better than mine. It's full glory couldn't be appreciated because it was so dark, but even by candle light, it was very nice. The half dozen or so candles that were lit gave the place a paranormal atmosphere. As the Angel said, it would be perfect for ghost stories and hand shadows.

“We still have hot water and with a lighter or a match, we can get the stove on.” Angel explained once I arrived.

“So basically, you just need me for food and candles, huh?” I surmised. “I'm glad I could help. Really.”

“Yup! So you can go home now!” said Pizza.

“See ya!” I said and headed straight for the door. I was stopped by Angel who stood in my way.

“Sorry, Milliardo.” She said, smiling. “You're not going anywhere tonight.” To demonstrate her seriousness, she locked the door so I could hear it.

“Angel...what are you doing? I have work tomorrow, I can't can't here.” Angel...she's almost too playful sometimes.

“I wouldn't bother arguing with her.” advised Pizza from the background. “When she makes up her mind, she can be stubborn.”

This isn't the time to be stubborn though. I could lift her up out of the way, but to touch her so freely...it's just something I can't do. I'm not like Xavier and the other guys.

“C'mon...” I grumbled. “Move...”

With what couldn't be called anything but a sneer, she replied, “Nein.”

“Heheheh...” Why in German? I couldn't help but chuckle. This girl is so weird. “But seriously though, I have to get up super early. I have to be in work by six and I get an hour earlier.”

“That's way too early.” said Pizza. “I'm just a part timer and don't work that early.”

“Well, I'm full time so I can't be so flexible with my schedule.

“It's fine.” said Angel. “I'll let you go at four and walk you home myself.”

“So we'll both suffer, huh?”

What kind of compromise is that?

“We're in this fifty/fifty after all.” Angel puffed out her chest and showed a steadfast resolution.

I guess this what they call being strong-armed. In spite of all this, though, this person really is therapeutic for me.

Nothing happened immediately. I don't know what usually goes on here, but we all hung out in the kitchen and ate. For me, it was awkward and not just because I was out of my comfort zone, but because I was hanging out with girls. Not a dramatic departure from what was becoming something of an everyday thing, but I still had to wonder how they could break into someone's house and get comfortable too.

Or am I just over thinking things again? It's not like anything weird is going to be happening. Gradually, I settled down and relaxed.

Time passed. Slowly, but it passed and it was already eight before I realized it. I had plenty of opportunities to run away, but stayed, compelled by some shred of masculinity. When Pizza went into the shower, Angel invited me into her room. There was something she wanted to show me. Her room had a sweet smell, well the whole place smelled like women, but there was a familiar scent in Angel's room that quickly put me at ease.

“So what's up?” I asked. She was rummaging through a suspicious black bag in her closet.

“I was planning on surprising you the next time I came over, but now is as good a time as any.”

“...Okay...I'm a little afraid to ask, but I'll bite: for what?”

Angel stood up and turned around. She held in her hands a frilly black dress.

“Roleplay.” she said gleefully.