Angel

9.

The morning sun shined brightly in my eyes, trying to keep me awake. As he sung that song, his voice was still fresh in my ears. It felt as if the song belonged to him. I decided to return home after my outing to the mall the day before. I tried everything I could to keep it to myself and not tell anyone. But I felt compelled to tell him about it. Their comments pricked my heart as the truth of the situation smacked me square in the face.

I was looking for my car keys in the small jumble once more. I've never been able to keep them in place. They'd always vanish into thin air. I was careful not to trip over the boxes, but on the opposite, I tripped over another package and ripped it apart. I winced as I said, "Owww..." As I noticed a frame coming out of the corner of the box, I thought to myself, "I have to do something with these boxes!" I yanked it out without hesitation. Last year, Grace and I were at her 17th birthday party. My eyesight became blurred once more as I drew myself away from that tempting vision, not wanting to experience the misery.

Under the bundles of stuff, I found the keys. I dragged myself out of the slop and clenched my fingers around the cold metal. The frame, which was definitely the most attractive feature of my keys, stood out once more. The need to pull it out of the keys got the best of me, and before I realised it, my hands had reached it and broken it out, tossing it into the jumble. Having to look at the photographs that reminded me of the girls made me feel torn. I straightened my clothes and exited my flat, locking the door behind me.

"Ugh," I grumbled. Rain had never been a liking of mine. I walked out of my vehicle with my arms locked together. It was a chilly morning for a May. morning. As the rain became heavier and heavier, my legs rushed as fast as they could to the next protected location. I finally got inside the cafe and took a seat. "Good morning, sweetheart! It's a bit chilly today!" Cora greeted me warmly. I gave her a kind grin.

"Of course!" I replied, squeezing my arms together even tighter. I went about my business of serving and cleaning. My training was still unfinished, so when one of my coworkers asked me to "take this to table 5 please," I eagerly accepted the tray and headed to the front. As I approached the table, I noticed a bunch of young lads seated there, waiting for their order and joking around. None of them were familiar to me. As I approached the table, all of their gazes were drawn to me. One of them made a point at me, which made me feel quite uneasy.

I broke eye contact and looked down at the tray I was holding, which began to shake slightly. They were all dressed shabbily in leather jackets and hoodies. They seemed to be around my age, if not then a little older. As I approached the table and placed the tray on it, four sets of eyes were fixed on me. I took a cup from the tray and placed it in front of one of them. As I placed the cup, he studied me from top to bottom and held my hand.

As I struggled to break free from his grasp, I took heavy breaths. "It's hot," he replied, his gaze fixed on me. As they all laughed, he eventually let go of my hand, and I trembled. I walked back to the back of the kitchen as quickly as I could and slammed the door behind me. "Are..you..Okay?" Paige questioned, concerned. "Ye-yeah...I'm OK...," I replied and averted my gaze. "Can i tell you something, Nyx?" I was amused by how she began our talk. She was polite to me, despite the fact that she didn't look like anyone else.

"It's a little community. People talk. Or should I say gossip? Someone who lives outside of town might not even know who you are, however..." I could see where she was heading as she faded off. "People who know you in that town, on the other hand, judge you. It's possible that I have no idea what happened that night. Except for you...and...them, I'm sure no one knows what 'actually' occurred that night. I'm sorry, but... I understand. I won't say I've experienced this, but I have experienced something that leaves you absolutely damaged and..." She was unable to complete her sentence. "Helpless..." I lowered my head. She stepped closer to me. "I just wanted to let you know...that...I am here...for you." And, to my amazement, she hugged me. "Paige, thank you very much. It's very thoughtful of you" I gratefully accepted the hug.

"I'll see you tomorrow Cora." I waved at her as she left the caffe. The caffe was now closed for customers and I had to stay behind to clean up and lock. It was getting darker outside. I checked the time, quarter to eight. I got a hold of the cloth and spray and started to spray the tables. As I sprayed the tables, I heard some shuffling from outside. It left me concerned. "Is anybody there?" I asked, to no one in particular. The area around the caffe was now quieter except the busy street a few blocks away. I received no reply so I shrugged it off and continued to wipe the tables.

I heard some more shuffling this time, and I spotted a figure walking down the side walk. "HELLO! Is there anyone there?" I questioned, becoming increasingly frightened. I got the keys and packed my stuff. A figure blocked my way as I walked out the door, sending goosebumps up and down my spine and speeding my heartbeat. As I recognised the face, the recollection of this afternoon flashed through my head. It was the same guy from earlier in the day.

"Hello, hello, hello, Could I please have a cup of coffee?" He questioned, being extremely kind and moving closer. "No...uh, I'm sorry, but the cafe is closed. You can come tomorrow," I said as I stepped back. As he got closer, I began to back away even more, only to collide into the wall behind me. As he shoved me against the wall, I could smell alcohol on his breath. "No, I can open it whenever I want," he answered, threateningly. "Leave...me," I whimpered through my gritted teeth. He smirked and said, "Oohh...I like it when girls play hard."

"LET.GO.OFF.HER." Someone shouted from behind him as a hand made contact with his face, knocking him to the ground. I was shaking uncontrollably at this point. I observed a lad behind him, whose features I couldn't make out since I was trying to catch my breath, looked quite angry as he bent down and took over the stupid boy. I was so terrified that I didn't see any of it. "STOP!" I screamed, but they paid no attention. I gathered myself and bolted, away, away from here, anywhere.

When I got to my car, I fumbled with my hands and realised I had dropped everything. I needed to get home as soon as possible, and it wasn't a long trip. As my legs trembled furiously, I felt beads of sweat drip down my forehead. Despite the want to fall, I continued to run. I hadn't realised it yet, but I'd made it to the busy streets. And before I knew it, I was standing in the middle of a traffic jam. I locked my gaze on the large truck approaching me with brilliant headlights and a persistent beeping siren. "AHHHH!" I shouted, but a strong pair of muscular arms wrapped around my tiny shivering waist before the truck could reach me.

As I and my saviour dropped to the ground, a tremendous thump was heard. As I tried to free myself, his arms were still locked around my waist. "Are you all right?" In a worried tone, his deep raspy voice inquired. I turned to see who had come to my rescue. His tanned complexion was matched by his dark hair, which was swept to the back with mild curls. Under the street light, a darker shade of green encircled his pupils, which were precisely laid inside his eyes.

My cheeks were soaked in tears, sweat mixed in with them, and I hadn't realised it. I got myself up and ran as quickly as I could towards my flat, without saying anything. I couldn't give a damn about my stuff. I could hear him racing after me and pleading with me to stop, but the screams abruptly ended.

When I arrived at the residence, I took the stairs to the third floor. I walked up to my flat and checked under the flower pot for my backup keys. I dashed inside the flat with my keys, locked the door behind me, and rushed for the couch.

I looked for something I could use to keep my scream in check. I drew a cushion closer to my face, engraved my nails inside it, and shouted in it, tears soaking the bright blue cushion.

"AHHHHHH! Mom and Dad. I need your help! PLEASE!" I screamed. I wouldn't have felt so alone if my mother had been present. I wouldn't have felt so vulnerable if my father had been present; I would have known that his strong arms would be there to protect me. If I could go back to my previous life, I wouldn't be trying to save money for my future needs during my summer vacations. "I am sorry! I really am! I wasn't able to do anything! Aahhhhhhhh!!! WHY DID I MANAGE TO SURVIVE?" I said, peering out the window, hoping that someone up above was paying attention to what I was saying.

If only I had the power to go back in time... I wandered off and curled up on the couch, where my sobs gradually changed into interminable hiccups, the tears making my eyes heavier and darkness engulfing me.

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A/N: hollaaa lovers! Hehe 🤭
What are your thoughts on this chapter? Who was the saviour? I am gonna let your imagination run wild...

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Bye lovers!