"I told you," Angel whispered, laying on the couch and biting her nails. "Dahlia warned me."
Brooklyn jumped up and started pacing, a look of deep concentration on his face. "Who would do it?" He asked.
Angel threw up her hands. "I really don't kno -" she shut her mouth, trailing away.
"Look at Cathy," Dahlia said. She gestured to the bench Cathy was sitting on, biting on her chocolate bar and giving a fowl look in their direction. Angel frowned and shook her head. "Can't she just mind her own business," she scoffed and redid her ponytail. Dahlia pursed her lips. "Why does she even hate us so much?" Angel asked. Dahlia stayed silent for a moment before clearing her throat. "She's probably just jealous."
"Angel?" Brooklyn asked and Angel looked back up at him, her mouth slightly open.
"Cathy Braxton," Angel breathed.
Brooklyn frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. Angel only just realized that he had a business suit on with the buttons on top undone and his tie swaying loosely. His jacket lay on the couch. "What about her?"
Angel got up and made her way towards him. She swallowed. "Cathy always hated us for some reason," Angel said.
Brooklyn frowned once again and sat down on a counter chair. "Are you sure?"
"Oh I'm sure," Angel scoffed. "She made it clear through high school."
"Well, she's in France at the moment, visiting family," Brooklyn said, sighing.
Angel frowned and folded her arms, she lifted a brow and stared at him. "And how do you know?"
Brooklyn shrugged and looked down. "We dated," he answered.
Angel's eyes grew wide and her arms dropped to her side. "Since when?" She asked, outraged.
"Since the end of my matric year," he said, frowning at her. "She was nice."
"It's an act," Angel said bitterly. "So why did you brake up?"
Brooklyn sighed again. "She said I have too much baggage," he answered flatly. "But she wouldn't kill anyone, Angel," he said firmly.
Angel paced backwards, biting her fingernails again. "How would you know?" She started. "Cathy seemed ready to push Dahlia into a river."
"How did this person even do it, huh?" Brooklyn asked. "How did he make it look like an accident?"
Angel's mouth dropped and she whipped herself towards Brooklyn. "The car brakes!" She exclaimed and Brooklyn looked bewildered. "She cut it and made it look like an accident." Angel suddenly gasped. "And then she tried doing it with our car!"
"Angel," Brooklyn started, trying to stay calm.
"Think about it!" Angel interrupted him. "It makes sense! The same person already tried to kill us!"
"You're making serious accusations here, Angel," Brooklyn said, holding his hands out. "You can't assume it's Cathy. Besides, she's been in France since last month."
"How sure are you about that?" Angel asked.
"I uh I um...why would she lie!" He said. "It just doesn't make sense," he said frustrated.
"A lot of things just don't make sense," Angel said. "There's many things my memory has blocked out and not just of that night, but of things before that as well."
Brooklyn sighed. "I've heard about cases like that," he said.
Angel looked up at him and went to go stand right in front of him, her eyes on his. "My life, and now probably yours as well, is quite frankly in danger at the moment," she recited. "But I need to know."
Brooklyn nodded his head and they stood there staring at each other.
Angel backed away and cleared her throat. "Um, what's the time?" She asked.
Brooklyn checked his watch. "Quarter past one."
"You're probably tired," Angel said.
"Will you be okay here on your own?" He asked, getting up and making his way towards her.
"It's not like I'm going to sleep in anyway," she said. "And I'll talk to the security tomorrow and tell them to tighten it."
"Are you sure." He gave her a concerned look.
Angel wanted nothing but him staying with her and sleeping tightly next to her, knowing that she's not alone, but she couldn't say that.
"I'll be fine," she said.
Brooklyn nodded his head and grabbed his jacket on the couch and made his way to the door. Angel stood in front of him after unlocking it. "Call me if anything else comes up," he said, the same concerned look on his face. "And lock all your doors."
Angel nodded her head, but frowned right after. "See Brooklyn," she said. "That's the thing, I left nothing open and there was no sign of any braking in."
Brooklyn shook his head. "This person's good," he said. "And I have a feeling he's got more than just writing on the walls up his sleeve."
💧💧💧💧💧💧
Angel strode on the grass on campus, looking up at the trees looming over her and the summer sun streaming through the green leaves. It looked like the perfect day, yet Angel felt like she was living a nightmare.
As predicted, she didn't get any sleep the previous night after what happened and she slept for half of her political science class. She did not want her education jeopardized, but she felt safer sleeping in a room full of people than in her flat.
"Hey Angel," Matt said, appearing next to her. "You look tired."
You have no idea Angel thought.
"Yah, I had trouble sleeping last night," she said and adjusted her bag on her shoulder.
"I've been meaning to ask you," he said and Angel turned her head to look at him. "Would you like to go out to dinner tomorrow night?"
Angel stopped and stared at him, caught off guard. Was he asking her on a date? Her first date in two years? "With you?" She spluttered and mentally cursed herself.
He laughed. "Well, yeah," he said after chuckling.
Angel stood there, thinking. "Um," she muttered.
"Please?" He pouted. "Pretty please? We have so much to catch up on!"
She considered his face and couldn't help staring at his abs popping through his shirt. It couldn't hurt, could it? "Fine," she finally said.
"Yes!" Matt said, pumping his fist. "I'll pick you up at eight," he backed away and gave one last grin before leaving.
"Hey there party animal."
Angel screamed and jumped about a mile high, clutching her chest and heaving. She closed her eyes and calmed down when she saw Hillary laughing her head off.
"Wow, I didn't know you scared so easily," she said, finishing off with her giggles. "Who was that hotty?" She asked, wiggling her eyebrows as the two of them continued walking across the grass.
Angel shook her head. "Just a friend," she said.
Hillary lifted an eyebrow and smirked. "Oh, and the guy from Earnest's party was also just a friend."
Angel looked down and could feel herself blush. "Um, yah, an old friend."
"How many hot old friends do you have!" Hillary exclaimed and giggled again.
Angel gave a half smile.
Hillary frowned and grabbed her wrist. "Why do you look so down?"
Angel didn't quite like it if people confronted her, but Hillary's truly concerned face made her feel slightly warmer inside. "Just the stress of things like living alone and you know, those things," she answered.
It wasn't a lie.
Hillary pursed her lips. "You know you can come over anytime you want," she said, her hand on her hip. "I mean, we live right next to each other! We can have sleepovers and things!"
Angel smiled, but didn't quite feel like she would want to do that.
"I know what would cheer you up," Hillary said, hands on hips and smirk on her face. "The mall!" She jumped up excitedly and Angel couldn't help but laugh.
"People are going to look," Angel giggled.
"Come on!" Hillary groaned. "You know you want to!"
Angel felt the same way as when Matt asked her to go do something, uncertain. Yet again, she didn't want to go back to her apartment and feel like she's being watched...
"Okay," she agreed.
"Great!" Hillary said and hooked her arm in with hers. "You know, Angel? We actually have a lot in common," she said.
"We do?" Angel asked, curious.
"Uh ha, we both are pretty, both love fashion, both have great taste in guys, and the rest I'll still have to get to know about you!"
Angel gulped and stared at Hillary's happy face.
Would Hillary still be all bubbly if she knew more about Angel?