When LOVE is not Enough

Chapter 12 - Angel

I've never been this happy in my life, I can see the changes in myself, my confidence is off the charts, and I even make an effort to look good when I leave the apartment. I have started hanging out with Iris and Lily more. I was going to sleep tonight but they have convinced me to go out with them. Here I am sitting at the bar, shaking my head to the sound of the loud music not caring about anything but having a good time with my friends. 

Anthony came to join us along with other guys from the gym and yes the annoying Zeke had to be one of them. He has been begging me to go on a date with him ever since the first time we met. He knew Axel and I were seeing each other but strongly believed that Axel was just toying with me. "Well isn't this my lucky day? Where's your puppy dog today? did you finally get a wake-up call to dump the rich wannabe's ass?", I rolled my eyes returning my attention to the whiskey in my hand. "Come on baby, it's about time you give in to all of this, you know you want it", he said gesturing to his body. It was just ridiculous, he was half the man Axel was and even if he had more money than him, that was not why I was with Axel. "Zeke, leave her alone, I don't want any trouble ok?", Anthony said making him back off. 

When I saw Iris dancing with Anthony and Lily eating some guy's face I started feeling lonely, wondering what Axel was doing. This was the first time that he has travelled and though he told me that he travels a lot, I just hoped that the day would never come. I was so used to having him around that I just couldn't exist without him. The gym was boring without him so I had to drag Lily which turned out to be funny as hell. She couldn't do aerobics even if her life depended on it so she settled to being my cafe partner since we were leaving the gym an hour early. 

Axel told me that he was visiting Mr. Lu for business and it will take up to a month. It was the third week, I tried calling him earlier today but he was not reachable so I settled with reading the chats that we had from the previous days. I found myself laughing just thinking about it, that was until my phone started ringing. I didn't know the number so I went to the ladies' room because it was a little less noisy. "Hello?", "Uh...Hi, is this Angel?", a voice asked nervously. "Yes, who is this?", I asked. "Am Jamie, Alice's friend from the birthday party?", "Oh yes. Hi Jamie, is everything ok?", I had to ask because from what I remember from the party he didn't seem like someone who talked much. "We need your help please, it's her Mum... we went out to a party without permission and am worried she might hurt Alice. I tried to call her Dad but I couldn't reach him", he was scared which freaked me out too. "What? what are you talking about? Does she hit her?", I had to know. "Please, I don't want to get in any trouble", "Hey relax, where are you?", "They already dropped me at my place but am just worried that's all", "Jamie, I need you to be straight with me if you really want to help her ok? Does her Mum hit her?", he remained silent, I was about to repeat my question when she spoke, "Alice came with a bruise one day and when everyone asked her she said that she fell but I didn't believe her so I asked her when we were alone and she said that her Mum lost her temper and hit her because she broke an expensive flower vessel. She said that her Mum apologised and made her promise that she would never tell Max because he will leave them... that's all I know, I promise", "Ok ok, I believe you. Can you send me her number?", I said and he hang up after promising that he would. I lost the clubbing appetite. I tried figuring out how I was going to handle it and settled for doing this on my own. When I got in my car I called Alice but she was not picking up so I went for the obvious crazy thing.

"Angel, what a nice surprise, is everything ok?", Max said as he opened the door wider for me to get in. He was checking me out and my club attire was kind of not helping. "Good evening Max, Axel had requested me to come to pick Alice up, something about wanting to see her when he lands so here I am", I said avoiding his hungry eyes. He was married for crying out loud. "She is upstairs the first room on your left, please feel at home", he said showing me the way. I walked faster and the more I got close to the room the more I started hearing sobs and someone shouting, which gave me the strength to walk faster. "You and your Father should be grateful. I had to put my life on hold for you, only to be rewarded by such slutty behaviour? no daughter of mine will behave like a whore do you understand me? am talking to you! Look at me when am talking to you". That was enough for me to barge into the room only to find Rachel grabbing Alice by the hair, her cheek was swollen and her eyes puffed. Her eyes went wide like she saw a ghost. "Let her go right now or I swear to god you will not feel any of your bones for the next year", I said with so much anger that I felt her fear from where I was standing. Alice ran to me hugging me, I checked her face, there was nothing that a pack of ice couldn't fix so I told her to pack a bag and wait for me downstairs. She hesitated but I assured her it was going to be ok. When it was just me and Rachel, she started sobbing out of nowhere. I couldn't tell if she was lying or not I just knew that she did not deserve my time. I took a good look at her and left closing the door behind me. She was clearly delusional.