{Chapter Three}
About a half hour after I sit down Angel comes out with a stack of papers clutched in his right hand. He scans the beige room for a moment before his eyes find mine and they turn sharp, forming a glare. He makes his way over to me and looks seconds away from punching me but thankfully seems to refrain.
"They say I have a slight concussion so I have to go home with you so you can watch me," he mutters. Then his eyes narrow as he points an accusing finger at me. "It's all your fault, if you hadn't have ran me over."
"I thought we established this, I hit you, I didn't run you over, you bounced off the car onto the street. Anyway, that's fine, I'm heading to a friend's house and he'd be happy to have you."
~ ~ ~
"Isaiah, who the hell is this?" Celeste demands when he opens the door. Angel glares at him but Celeste returns it ten-fold, making the younger man flinch slightly at his mistake. I drop an arm over Angel's shoulders and grin brightly, even when Angel pushes me away with a huff.
"I'm Ángel, and your friend ran me over a few hours ago, the doctors forced me to stay with him because I have a slight concussion." I roll my eyes at this when Celeste's widen.
"I didn't run you over, we've been through this before. I hit you, there's a big difference."
"I hate you," he growls in reply but I only smile.
"I think you mentioned that already. Now come on, I want to get high already," Celeste's eyes widen while Angel just looks at me, trying to gauge if I'm joking.
"Isaiah!" Celeste hisses at the same time Angel asks, "What?"
I roll my eyes and push my way into Celeste's house, the two of them just staying behind in shock. Yep, I'm getting an earful after this. I head into the living room and take a seat on the crappy sofa Killian found in the alley behind their cheap apartment.
"So you hit him? How did you not see him? He's a fucking giant." Celeste comments after taking a seat next to me on the couch. Angel, I note, sits as far from me as possible in the small armchair Andre gave them last year. It's a pale eggshell white, only it has a hole burnt into it where Andre fell asleep smoking a joint, and a red stain from spaghetti I dropped on it.
"It was your fault, I was busy thinking of you in bed," I reply, winking suggestively at Celeste who rolls his eyes. Angel looks between us in confusion, yet he still looks pissed off. I wonder if that's his preset, a pissed off expression.
"Are you two a thing?" He asks curiously.
"Well, we have things, wanna see?" I offer Angel brightly while I go to unzip my jeans but he puts his hands out quickly to stop me.
"No!" He blurts. I laugh and shake my head while I zip my jeans back up.
"To answer your question, no, we're not a thing. I'm in a relationship,"
"Yeah, his name is Invisible Steve, child of Nonexistent Bob and Imaginary Carol," I joke. Celeste rolls his eyes and punches me in the arm.
"Shut up, Isaiah. He is not imaginary. His name is Killian, he's a doctor." He assures.
I nod, "Oh yeah, of course he's a doctor." I look to Angel and point to my head before I move my finger in circles, the universal 'crazy' motion.
"Oh my gosh, Isaiah. I am not crazy. I mean, not much anyway," he adds. I laugh and nod, leaning in close to him.
"Not crazy at all, babe," I coo. He rolls his eyes again and pushes me away. Meanwhile Angel looks completely confused.
"So..." he starts, motioning to the two of us.
"No," I reply. "We just like to mess around. He does have a boyfriend though, or partner I guess? Man, you just need to get married so I can call him your husband. It sounds better."
"We're not getting married, Isaiah. I'm too young for that. Plus marriage means nothing. There's no point in it. Anyway, I thought you wanted to get high," he deadpans. My lips tilt in a smile and I nod.
"Of course," I pull a yellow medicine bottle out of my pocket and toss it in Celeste's lap. "Get a pipe."
He opens the bottle to inspect the bud, sniffing it to make sure it's good. Once satisfied a small grin twitches on his lips and he stands to get a pipe and rolling papers. I take the rolling papers from him to roll a few joints for us for later while he loads the pipe.
Angel watches us in interest, like he's never seen anyone roll a joint. Then something occurs to me and I snicker.
"You ever get high?" I direct the question to Angel. He focuses his eyes on me, and they narrow slightly.
"Of course, all the time." He responds, acting as if the question was mundane. I glance at Celeste out of the corner of my eye and I can tell he's trying not to laugh too.
"Sure," Celeste mumbles, snickering. I contain my laughter and nod, licking the rolling paper to finish the last of eight joints I got rolled. I put them in the medicine bottle for later and take the pipe from Celeste, who protests slightly but lets it go.
"Great, then I don't have to show you how to do it." I reply and light the bowl. I inhale slowly, allowing the smoke to fill my lungs. I hold it in a few seconds before I blow it out and hand the pipe the Angel.
He looks hesitant, but it only last a second and is replaced with determination. He grabs the pipe and lighter from me, but I notice his hands are shaking slightly. He brings the pipe to his lips and he lights the bowl. He inhales while Celeste and I just burst into laughter, unable to hold it any longer.
"You sure you know what you're doing?" I ask between laughs. He looks confused as he pulls the pipe from his lips but doesn't blow out any smoke.
"Of course," he replies, pretending to be appalled.
"Then you know you're supposed to have your finger on that small hole," Celeste says, pointing to where he's supposed to keep covered. Angel flushes but plays it off and nods.
"I know," he snaps and covers the hole. He flicks the lighter to life, puts it on the bowl and inhales, deeply. I chuckle and watch in amusement as he begins coughing loudly, wheezing and nearly dropping the pipe but my reflexes are fast enough to reach out and take it from him. I put it on the table and glance at Celeste.
"Get him a glass of water," I order and Celeste nods, but I don't miss the longing look he directs at the pipe since he wasn't able to get a hit before Angel. He gets it nonetheless and brings it over to me to give to Angel.
"Here, it'll help, try to drink some." I tell Angel. He doesn't answer, instead just continues to cough and wheeze, but he manages to get a few gulps. It eases his coughing a bit until it's nothing but a few coughs here and there.
"Ugh," he groans, wiping his wet brown-green eyes. It takes me a minute but I realize his eyes kind of remind me of this moss I commonly see, it's almost a pukey green with brown mixed in it. Something about that discovery really interests me.
"You okay?" I ask after he's calmed down. He looks thoroughly embarrassed, and I can't blame him. That's what talking big gets him.
"Yeah," he mutters.
"I thought you did this all the time," Celeste drawls as he grabs the pipe to take his turn. Angel flushes more but to his credit he's staying pretty composed.
"I might have exaggerated. I used to do it all the time."
"Lies," I state. He glares at me but we both know it's the truth.
"Fine," he grumbles. "I don't get high, but for good reason. I'm in school, I don't need to be killing off my brain cells when I need them the most."
I look at Celeste and a goofy grin is pulling his lips. "Nerd!" We proclaim simultaneously and begin laughing uncontrollably.
The funny thing is Angel joins us, laughing so much over nothing. Yep, he's high. And off just one hit, lightweight. I take the pipe from Celeste and take another hit, handing it back to Celeste. He takes a hit and hands it to Angel. He looks hesitant but tries again, and this time he manages to take a hit and hold it in.
As the smoke falls past his lips in a large white plume, slowly dissipating in the air, I realize the sight is really sexy. Erotic. Watching this rich-bitch, college boy dropping to this level and getting high. As the night progresses and we get higher I can't get my attention off this man. Every move he makes, the smallest motions, I keep a mental image of.
"Alright, talk, nerd. Why go to college? What are you hoping to achieve?" Celeste asks. Angel sighs, falling into his chair and looking up at the ceiling.
"I'm studying law," Angel says, sounding very bitter over it.
"Ouch, should we be getting high with you? You may sue us," Celeste laughs. Angel rolls his eyes and shakes his head.
"I won't sue you," he pauses before his eyes fall on me. "But I could easily sue him,"
"Don't bother, I have nothing," I reply and look around. "Fuck I forgot my cigarettes at the house. Honey, do you have any?"
"So now I'm honey when you need something?" Celeste points out. I shrug and tilt a brow.
"So you have any?"
"No, Killian took the last three this morning," he informs and I curse again.
"Dude, here." I don't realize until a box hits me in the head that Angel had a pack. I smile fondly at them then Angel.
"Aw, thanks, baby," I coo. I take one and toss it back to him. He nods and takes one out as well, using my lighter to light it up before tossing it to me. I take it and light the cigarette but before I can get a drag Celeste takes it. He takes a drag and hands it back to me.
"Don't call me baby," Angel grumbles, a blush on his cheeks. I chuckle and blow my smoke out.
"Why not, baby?" I tease.
"You have a boyfriend?" Celeste asks with a snicker. Angel glares at us, his mossy eyes irritated.
"Not that it's any of your business but yes I do," he replies. Something pulls internally, and leaves me bitter almost, not in any mood to joke around anymore. But then I realize how stupid that is and I ignore it, pushing it away deep down as I take another drag.
"He's bluffing," Celeste proclaims. I nod in agreement, letting the smoke fall past my lips slowly.
"Totally," I agree with a smirk. Angel rolls his eyes but cracks a smile a minute later and laughs.
"Damn, for potheads you're pretty smart," he notes, a teasing tone in his voice. It makes me smile and wink.
"I'm also pretty sexy. You know, you're like Google, you have everything I need." I purr, eyeing Angel from top to bottom in appreciation. He snorts and laughs.
"Yeah right, sure." He replies with an eye roll.
"I mean it," I assure. I wink for extra measure and he laughs.
"Okay, man, but you have to take me on a date first. I'm not some easy Tinder fuck," he jokes.
"Okay, I'll pick you up on Saturday."
"Wait wha--" he can't finish his protest because Killian comes in, dropping his bag by the door and looking around the room. When he notices the pipe his expression morphs into one of intense disappointment and irritation.
"So I think that's my cue to leave." I state and jump up. I take the pipe and medicine bottle, sliding them both in my pocket before Celeste can protest that I have his pipe. I motion for Angel to follow and when he gets up I go towards the door that Killian is still partially blocking.
"Hey, Killi, how's it going? Wish I could stay but ya know, I can't. Nice seeing you," I pat his shoulder and push past him to the door. When it closes behind us I immediately hear him chewing Celeste out for getting high.
Angel falls in step with me as we descend the stairs back to the parking lot.
"I'm going to take a wild guess and say that was his boyfriend?" He comments then snickers. I smile a bit when I realize he still isn't used to his high.
"Yep, that's Dr. Killian Xavier, or how Celeste used to put it, Dr. Hotty." I explain and unlock the car. I get in and Angel does too so I can take off before Celeste tries to come get me to back him up.
"Hm, he's hot," he notes.
I nod. "They're also in an open relationship," he perks up at that. "But Killian doesn't screw around."
"Damn," he mutters.
"But I'm totally free. I can be the peanut to your butter, the jelly to your peanut butter, the cream cheese to your bagel." I inform.
"You're so cheesy," Angel laughs. I grin.
"I know,"