(Angel's POV)
I roll in bed and look at the time on my phone. 7 am. I couldn't sleep at all. The moment my eyes close, all I could see was Ellie getting shot. I sigh and get up. Thank god it's Saturday. I wouldn't be able to go to classes like that. I get the box from under the bed and place it on top. I find a letter taped to it.
Hey, Angel...
So, this is basically a box of the things I didn't know where to put. Pics mostly. Have fun, I guess.
~Mary.
Opening the box, the first thing I see is my graduation photo. I take it and place it on the desk. Then, a photo of Mom and I. I pick it up before hugging it tightly.
"I miss you so much, Mom." My voice cracks.
I then place it on the other side of the desk. I sigh as I go back to see a photo of Damon and I. A mirror selfie of us kissing.
"Look." I say and show him my screen.
Elena just posted a mirror selfie of her and Matt with Matt kissing her belly.
"That's cute." He says.
We're lying on his bed, in his dorm. I'm scrolling through social media and he's playing with my hair. I roll my head so that my cheek rests on his pec and look up to him.
"It's kind of the trend now. Couples take mirror selfies of themselves doing anything." I explain.
"Come on then." He says and sits up.
"What?" I ask as my head drops on the bed.
"Come. Let's take one."
"A mirror selfie?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
He just shrugs and gets off the bed.
"Am I gonna post a couple's mirror selfie with myself?" He asks.
I just giggle before getting up and following him to the bathroom.
"What do you wanna do?" He ask.
"Maybe one where we're kissing?" I ask.
"Come on, then." He says and raises his eyebrows.
I giggle before standing on my tippy toes and peck his lips.
"That's it?" He pouts.
I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Did you take the picture?" I ask.
"Nope." He says.
"Then, it's not it." I smirk.
He smiles before I lock my hands behind his neck and connect our lips. He wraps an arm around my waist as he gently bites my lower lip. I wrap my arms around his neck and deepen the kiss.
I get pulled back to reality when there's a knock on my door. I open to see the dorms mailman.
"Angel Simms?" He asks.
"Yeah." I say.
"This was sent for you about a week ago." He says and gives me an envelope.
"Thanks." I say after signing before closing the door.
It's from Damon's dorm. Plus, I can recognize his handwriting from how he wrote Angel on the back.
Just as I was about to open the envelope, someone else knocks on the door. I open to see Damon. He takes the envelope and speeds off.
I sigh before closing the door and leaning back on it. Every time I see him, my chest hurts. My heart aches. As if someone hit me in the heart with a hammer. I sit down and hug my knees as I feel pain erupt in my head.
~*~
"Hey." Garret says as he sits down.
"Hey, thanks for agreeing to meet me." I say.
"It's nice having coffee with a new friendly face."
"You could say that again."
He then chuckles.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" He asks.
"I-I just wanted to get out of the dorm. I... Also... Kinda didn't want to be alone." I say.
"I'm glad I'm the one you called." He smiles.
"You were so nice last night. I thought we'd get to know each other more."
"What would you like to know?"
"Well, why don't we start with... Uhm... Why did you enter Criminal Law?"
"You'll actually find it funny." He chuckles.
"Go on." I smile.
"How To Get Away With Murder. The series."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I was really interested in what they did so I entered criminal law."
"So, you're gonna be Lawyer Garret not Officer Garret."
"I could be either."
"Ok... If you could change one thing in your life, what would it be?"
"We're getting deep, aren't we?"
I just smile and shrug.
"Well... To be honest, I'd stop my Dad from cheating on my Mom."
"Yeah. I'd stop my mom from having that one night stand."
"But, that would mean you wouldn't be born."
"Maybe the world would be better off that way. Or maybe I would be her husband's baby."
"I guess."
The waiter then comes and takes our order and we stay silent for a few minutes. Garret's phone then rings.
"It's my Mom." He says.
"Yeah. Yeah. Take it." I smile.
I then take out my phone and start playing Color Switch.
"Good morning, mom... I'm fine. Everything's good. I'm actually having coffee with a friend... Yes, don't worry. I'm focusing on my studies...They did?! Tell me who?... She goes here? What's her major?.......Mom, I'm gonna have to call you back. Bye." He says.
"Anything interesting? You sounded excited." I say, not looking up from the phone before my ball crashes into the wrong color.
I lock the phone and look up to see a pissed look on his face.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"It's you." He says.
"What?"
"You. You're the baby."
"What ba- Wait do you mean-"
"You're my sister."
~*~
I sigh as I throw myself on the bed. God! Today was such a tense day! I found out I have a half sibling. After Garret told me, Lawyers came and they told me to call my lawyer. After we were complete, they took us to Garret's house. I kept telling them that I don't want anything. Garret and his mother should have everything. But, the will strictly says that if I don't receive my portion, Garret and his mother would go to prison.
Mrs. Parker, Garret's mother, is actually really nice. She welcomed me in a nice way. When I apologized for my mother's actions, she told me that it wasn't my fault and that I shouldn't apologize. She also told me that even if the will didn't state the prison thing, she wants me to have my portion. After a long negotiation, I signed the paper and received my part. On our way back, though, I gave everything to Garret.
"Look, you probably hate me right now. But, I just want you to have this. I don't need it, believe me. My mother left me a lot more than I can use if I lived for a thousand years." I say and give him the file.
"I don't hate you, Angel." He says.
"Garret, our last conversation you said the one thing you'd like to change is the fact that your dad cheated on your mom. You'd like to stop him... Aka stop me from being born."
"Which was exactly what you wanted."
"True."
"I guess that gene runs in the Parker family."
"Angel Parker, huh?"
"Yup."
"Angel Simms is what I'm used to, though. My mother's maiden name."
"It sounds better too." He chuckles.
"Yeah. I think so too." I smile.
"Welcome to the Parker family." He says and hugs me.
"I'm glad I'm one." I smile and hug him back.
After that, I came straight here and her I am. I sigh and look at the clock. It took us literally all day. It's nine pm now.
I take out my phone and call Delilah. I then walk over and stand watching out the window. A calming view of the forest. A couple rings later, she picks up.
"Hey, Angel. How's everything?" She asks.
"Hey, Delilah. Fine, I guess." I say.
"How'd it go? Meeting your half family."
"Well, only Garret is my half brother. Andreah, the baby sister is from another man."
"Oh. Revenge? He cheated 24 years ago so she cheats now?"
"I don't know. And it's still 23. My birthday isn't until tomorrow."
"Alright. How are your headaches?"
"Excruciating."
"I know. What happened at the party? Did you get a headache?"
"Surprisingly, no. It was fun."
"That's good news. Anything interesting?"
"What do you mean by interesting?"
"Boys?"
"Delilah."
"Are you and Damon not over?"
"I don't know."
"Do you want it to be over?"
"No."
"Then man up and talk to him. Confront him. Fight for him."
I then take a deep breath before staying silent for a few moments. I then hear Ellie cry in the background.
"Isn't she sleeping through the night?" I ask.
"She did. But, last night a nightmare woke her up. I think she's having one now too." She says.
"Let me talk to her."
"One second."
"Hewwo? Mama?"
"Ellie, hey. What's wrong, sweetheart?"
"It buwns."
"It's just a dream. Do you remember what a dream is?"
"Something that is not weaw. Onwy in my head."
"Good. Can you go back to sleep, now, baby?"
"Can you sing me to sweep, mama?"
"Sure sweetie, which one?"
"New."
"You want me to sing you a new song?... I'm a bit tired, but I'll try."
"Ok."
"Which song?"
"Anything."
"How about this... I'll think of a number, if you get it correctly, then you pick the song. If you don't, I'll pick."
"Ok."
"Alright, what number am I thinking of? You have two tries."
Four.
"Uhm... Thwee?"
"So close. Try again."
"Fouw?"
"Correct. Good girl. What song do you want?"
"Biwdy."
"Birdy? What's that song?"
"Night biwdy."
"Night bird... Nightingale?"
"Uh-huh."
"Alright. Are you tucked in comfortably?"
"No. Dewiwah, can I sweep in Mama's woom?... Alright, come here, Ellie."
I feel the tears in my eyes intensify and try my best not to cry as I focus on the view in front of me.
"Alright Mama. Sing pwease." Ellie says.
"Alright." I say then start humming it's melody.
(I can't sleep tonight
Wide awake and so confused
Everything's in line
But I am bruised
I need a voice to echo
I need a light to take me home
I kinda need a hero
Is it you?
I never see the forest for the trees
I could really use your melody
Baby I'm a little blind
I think it's time for you to find me
Can you be my nightingale?
Sing to me
I know you're there
You could be my sanity
But bring me peace
Sing me to sleep
Say you'll be my nightingale
Somebody speak to me
Cause I'm feeling like hell
Need you to answer me
I'm overwhelmed
I need a voice to echo
I need a light to take me home
I need a star to follow
I don't know
I never see the forest for the trees
I could really use your melody
Baby I'm a little blind
I think it's time for you to find me
Can you be my nightingale?
Sing to me
I know you're there
You could be my sanity
But bring me peace
Sing me to sleep
Say you'll be my nightingale
I don't know what I'd do without you
Your words are like a whisper cutting through
As long as you are with me here tonight
I'm good
Can you be my nightingale?
Feels so close
I know you're there
Oh, nightingale
You sing to me
I know you're there
'Cause baby you're my sanity
You bring me peace
Sing me to sleep
Say you'll be my nightingale
Oh)
"She's sleeping deeply." Delilah says.
"That's good to hear. She's in my bed?" I ask.
"Hugging your pillow."
"Way to make me feel better."
"It's ok. So, as we were saying. You need to man up and confront Damon. Talk to him. Find out if he wants to be over or night. Explain everything."
"I-I can't do that, Delilah. He probably loathes me."
"The way you described him, I don't think he could ever hate you."
"I-I'm a bit tired. I gotta go." I say.
"Ok. Good night."
"Good night." I say and hang up.
I let my tears escape before burying my face in my arms, never turning away from the window. I can't take it anymore. I want to go back to her. My little baby. I need her. I want everything to be back to normal.
What is normal? Me being without Damon and back home with Ellie? Me before Ellie? Me with Damon?
I close my eyes as I turn around and slide down, crying my heart out, silently.
I don't know. It's all too much for me. I wanted to call or text him so many times. I miss him deeply. It's like a part of me is missing. There's a void in my heart that isn't full until he's here. I don't know if I should wait or forget. Waiting hurts. Forgetting will hurt even more. But, not knowing if I should wait or forget is the most painful. I'm confused, hurt, guilty, and hopelessly in love. Love is complicated. It can be beautiful but painful. It could leave memories that nobody could steal, but it could also leave pain that only your loved one could heal.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, without any warning, I am pulled into a chest with arms being wrapped around me.
My favorite scent enters my semi-blocked nose once again. The strength that held me together is holding me once again. I take a deep breath and feel myself calm down in those arms. Just for a moment, before another breakdown attacks me and I pull their body close to mine as I continue to cry.