Angelina's POV
Flashback (1st Grade)
"Angel! The ice cream truck just came!" Drew hollers from the water fountain. He had gone to fill my water bottle. I run over to him after dusting my skirt since we were playing in the sand pit.
"Let's go and eat chocolate chip ice cream." He says the moment I reach him. It is our favorite ice cream. I look longingly at the truck but I can't eat it.
"I don't want to eat it." I lie.
"What? But it is our favorite." He gives me a disbelieving look. I don't answer because I can't lie anymore.
"What is it?" He asks.
"If I eat it I will get even fatter." I confess.
"But you are not fat." He says confused.
"But everyone says I am."
"If you are fat then I am fat too and we will get fatter together." He says making me laugh.
"But you are not fat." I point out.
"Then you are not fat too, now let's eat ice cream." We both run to the ice cream truck after taking money from our moms.
This always happens. Every time I am even attracted to someone these memories come back reminding me of him. They think I never tried to get over him but they are wrong. I have, but I can't because no one seems good enough in front of him. So I don't even try to go out with the guy I am attracted to because it wouldn't be fair to him.
When I look into the mirror to brush my hair and make eye contact with the mirror me, I am reminded of another fact. Drew always liked my eyes and used to say that they make me look even more like an Angel.
I let out a long sigh and shake my head trying to clear it from all these memories. Then I look over to my clock which is showing 7 PM. Today is Saturday which means our sleepover is today.
We made Chris agree for it because we want to know more about Dylan and his relationship. He was reluctant but we told him to come this one time and if he wants to he can bail from the next time. We could have talked to him outside but having too many friends results in anyone barging when you want to talk about something in private.
Giving myself a once over in the mirror for the last time, I grab my night bag and go down the stairs into the hall.
"Hello!" I greet the moment I enter.
"Hello sweetie! Are you all set for the sleepover?" Mom inquires. Mom will always be mom.
"Yes, and before you ask I have my night clothes, two pair of day clothes, toothbrush and toothpaste, comb, phone and it's charger, rubber bands," I point out everything as I speak so that she is satisfied then add "and I don't need a sleeping bag since Tay is staying over at one of her friend's house."
"Did you take pillow?" Mom asks. She is kidding right?
"Rosie has pillows at her home!"
"What if they are not enough for all of you?" She asks genuinely worried. I send Dad a pleading look.
"Darling she has got everything she needs. Why don't we go and watch that movie you were telling me about?" Dad says trying to distract her.
"Oh right! I almost forgot about it. Bye sweetie and have fun!" Mom exclaims and then drags Dad with her. When Dad turns I wave and he waves back.
"Big B, I need a ride!" I yell.
"Call someone" He yells back.
"Katie's car is in servicing so Chris is picking her up." I yell back. This is the way we converse most of the times.
"So book an Uber!" He yells.
"Asher, take your sister to her friend's house right now! How can you even suggest she should take an Uber in middle of the night?" Dad yells. At least his over-protectiveness came of any use to me. Almost immediately Asher descends the stairs. Even if Dad seems cool you don't want to anger him, it's really scary.
"Ok I will take you." He says loudly most probably for Dad's sake.
*****
"He is so handsome!" Rosie squeals. If you haven't guessed yet we are stalking profiles of celebrities.
"Don't you have a date with Justin next week?" Katie asks teasing Rosie.
"That doesn't mean I can't look." She retorts narrowing her eyes as I let out a laugh.
"I am so not cut out for this." Chris says from the window seat. Rosie, Katie and I are huddled up on Rosie's queen sized bed while Chris said he wanted to sit on the window seat. Rosie's room has a girly touch to it just like her personality and has a huge bookshelf mostly covered with novels. Beside the bookshelf she has a wardrobe. And a study table close to the window above which there is a huge collage of pictures. The walls are of lavender and white color scheme.
"What do you want to do?" I ask trying to make him feel comfortable. We are the ones who basically forced him.
"Honestly, I don't know." He says scratching the back of his head.
"What if we just talk and catch up with each other's life and then watch a movie? I mean catching up was the main reason we dragged him." Katie suggests.
I almost forgot how it used to be. Katie has always been the one we go to with our problems since she always seems to have a solution. Chris is the voice of reason in our group and the only one who doesn't take impulsive decisions at all. Rosie is our hopeless romantic and is always full of optimism. Ash has always been sort of our protector. He sees to it that no one bothers us. It is quite easy since he is a great basketball player as well as is known for his over-protectiveness over me. And if I have to say about myself I would say I am a bit of everyone. Maybe I will find some individual quality someday.
"What are you thinking about?" Chris asks. I forgot to add that he is really observant.
"Just how things were back when we were a group of five." I answer honestly.
"I feel you, just two weeks ago we were our tight knit group of five people without a care for the world and all of a sudden nine new people got added to the mix." Rosie says pensively.
"But our group has become livelier don't you think?" Chris asks.
"That's true" Katie says sighing.
"Do you guys regret the prank war?" I blurt. I realize this question has been haunting me.
"If one of you had put your egos aside and apologized, it would have been over a long time ago." Chris says and my stomach drops.
"But it was a really great experience which we can remember and laugh about in the future." Katie continues making me smile.
"And without it we would have not become friends with everyone else." Rosie finishes and an invisible weight lifts off my shoulders.
"Did you three rehearse this?" I ask shaking my head but still smiling.
"It was a matter of time when you asked this so why not answer in style." Rosie says flipping her hair and we all start laughing.
"Ok now let's come to the actual reason we gathered here. So Chris, tell us your story." Rosie says sitting cross-legged and putting a pillow on her lap.
"I already told you all!" Chris says shifting uncomfortably.
"You didn't tell us when you two first kissed." Katie says and Rosie starts making kissing noises. Chris starts blushing and sends me a pleading look but I just shrug my shoulders. Even I want to know.
"At the night of the party." He relents blushing furiously.
"Man, you two went from zero to ten real fast." I say.
"Something must have happened before that." Rosie says still inquiring.
"I mean sometimes he would close the distance between us and then take basketball equipments over my shoulder." He looks really uncomfortable.
"Wow Dylan is really smooth." Rosie says.
"Ok now stop, he is very uncomfortable." I say pointing at Chris who lets out a relieved sigh.
"Rosie now it is your turn." Katie says smirking.
"What?" Rosie asks.
"Don't act so innocent, how did we not know something was going on between you and Justin?" I ask eagerly.
"Slightly less details please or I would not be able to look at Justin the same." Chris says looking bewildered.
"I always admired him for his gentlemanly ways but it was never a crush since you all know I liked Asher. When they started sitting with us we used to talk a lot and became friends but nothing more than that. The night of the party when you all became too drunk we had no one to talk to but each other. He then said we should enjoy too and asked if I would like to dance then one thing led to another and we kissed. It became a bit awkward after that but that day when we met in a coffee shop, we cleared the air and he asked me out." Wow
"Did everyone except me get ahead in their love lives that night?" Katie wonders loudly then ads "Not that I have one to begin with."
"Speaking of that night, what is going on between you and Jacob?" Rosie asks me.
"Nothing, we are barely friends." I say incredulously.
"Please, Justin told me that he saw you two in McDonald's and Jacob pulled your chair and held the door open for you. Mind explaining that?" Of course he told her.
"Seriously, Anne is it true?" Chris asks raising his eyebrows.
"Didn't he tell you Jacob was apologizing?" I ask.
"From when does pulling out chairs and holding doors come in apologizing?" Rosie counters.
"I asked him to stop but he said his mom raised a gentleman. It doesn't mean anything other than that." They share knowing looks.
"So what was he telling you in your ear during the tryouts?" Katie asks.
"Are you all spying on me?"
"If you forgot you two were in public and almost everyone saw how you beat him with your bag and he was blowing kisses to you." Rosie says. I am really going to kill him now.
"He was just being an idiot." I say trying to brush it off.
"That would not have made you get so worked up." Chris points out.
"He said maybe after the tryouts I can show him how much physical chemistry I know."
"Wait; is this some kind of inside joke?" Chris asks.
"We were discussing our Hogwarts houses and his was Ravenclaw so I asked him to teach me chemistry. He asked which topics I need help in to which I said better question would be what not to teach. So when he asked that I said I am good at physical chemistry. That idiot took it the other way!"
"Oh my god" Chris starts laughing loudly holding his stomach and Katie puts a hand to her mouth trying to hold her laughter while Rosie just seems confused.
"Why are you two laughing?" She asks then it clicks in her mind "Tell me he didn't mean that."
"He did" I say with a huff. This makes her laugh too and even if I don't want to admit it, it is funny so I start laughing too.
"And you still say he doesn't like you."
"He was just messing with me and besides I told you I love Drew." They all groan.
"Anne you have not met the guy since about eight years!" Rosie exclaims.
"His looks must have changed and for all you know he maybe an arrogant jerk now." Katie continues.
"And it may sound harsh but how do you know he still loves you or even remembers you. Even if he does, you have no idea where he might be in this world." Chris tries to reason. By this time I am holding back tears.
"Look you have to get over him and date someone you actually know. Someone, who is here with you." Rosie says softly holding my hands.
"Don't you guys think I know that? I have tried to get over him but all these memories come back making me feel like I am betraying him." I confess.
"What memories? Why didn't you tell us about that?" Chris asks. He leaves the window seat and kneels down in front of the bed facing me.
"It first happened when we were dating and I didn't want to tell you. After that it rarely happened and I thought you all won't understand."
"Can you explain a bit?" Katie asks.
"Whenever I find someone even remotely attractive, memories of Drew and I flood my mind. I have already had two flashbacks. That's why after Chris I felt so guilty that I never dated anyone else since it would not be fair to the guy." A stubborn tear escapes my eyes even when I was trying to control my tears. I furiously wipe it because I hate crying. Katie puts an arm around my shoulder and Rosie resumes holding my hands. They know I hate crying so they don't mention it.
"I think you need to let him go. As Chris said his personality must have changed because your personality definitely has. You are no longer the girl who needs someone to stand up for her. Now you are yourself a protector. I know it is not easy and even if I agreed to go on a date with Justin I am not over Asher and Justin knows that. That's why we are taking it slow. If something can happen between you and Jacob, let it but just as I told Justin everything you would have to tell Jacob." Rosie suggests looking in my eyes.
"Do you like him?" Katie asks. All those times he understood me and our bickering take over my mind and subconsciously I let out a smile.
"I think I do." Speaking those words out loud make me realize how true they are. "I may not be head over heels but I think there is a possibility of us." Katie and Rosie high-five while Chris gives me a satisfied smile.
"Ok now who is up for a movie?" Rosie asks.
We all watch movies till our eyes are dropping then fall asleep knowing even if a lot of things have changed in the past two weeks our friendship hasn't.
*****
Author's Note
Hello everyone 😄! How are you all?
Some of you may have noticed or seen my announcement that Smitten Anyway has over 2K reads and 700 votes! I have said this earlier but these reads, votes and comments keep me going. They are my inspiration to continue writing. Thank you to each and everyone one of you who reads my novel.
So I have tried to explain the bond between Angel and Drew in these past two chapters. And you may be happy/sad to know that Drew's character will have a lot of influence from now on.
Now that we have a second ship for Anne as well, how about we name all the ships?
Jacob and Anne- I am thinking of Jane
Drew and Angel- I honestly have no idea so I will leave this to you all though Drel sounds a bit okay.
Justin and Rose- I am thinking of Jose
Asher and Rose- Come on she said she hasn't moved on so at least for the time being. Rosher? I am seriously confused.
Chris and Dylan- Chrislan/ Dylris/or anything else
Dasher and Sophia- I am thinking of Dashia.
If I forgot any couple or if you ship someone else please comment.
And in the love triangles it is really early to ask but which couple do you like more? In other words which ship do you think is endgame?
Anyways I hope you like the story so far and have great day/night ahead 🙃!