Corrupt Me

Angel didn’t really talk to me much during the rest of the school day, which I thought was a little odd. He seemed to take it alright when I said that we couldn’t be together. I mean, he looked disappointed, sure, but seemed okay. Maybe he was just giving me a bit of space to sort through some things in my own head. Or not giving Isabelle any more reasons to yell at me, as she had been doing all day. Well, not yelling, but certainly putting snippy remarks into conversations about how I’m grounded and giving me dirty looks every now and again. Either way, I kind of missed how Angel usually acts around me.

The rest of the school day wasn’t very interesting, to tell the truth, and when I got home, it was even more boring. I was allowed to do my homework, eat dinner and go to bed. So exciting. Oh, and I was also allowed to be interrogated again by my mother, who seemed to think that I had left parts of my story out last night when I was telling her where Elise and I went. I mean, I had, but that’s not the point. And I was certainly not going to tell her the real reason I was out of the house so late. She’d murder me. Eventually my dad got her to leave me alone, which I was grateful for. He also said something to me just before I went upstairs to bed, which made me panic a little bit that he might understand more than he’s letting on. He said, “Son, you seem to be going through a bit of a difficult time at the moment. Just know that if you need to talk to someone, that I’m here, and that I will love you no matter what, okay?”

In my mind, I was shouting: Oh God, what do you know? How do you know something’s up? Is it really that obvious?

Out loud, I just said, “Okay, Dad. Night,” and went to bed, confused and wondering how he could possibly know that I’m “going through a difficult time right now.” I fell into a very uneasy sleep.

***

Next morning, I woke up to my mother screeching at me that I was going to be late if I don’t hurry up and get out of bed immediately. I rolled my eyes as I saw that I had plenty of time to get up and ready for the day, but got up anyway, knowing that I would make her madder at me if I didn’t.

I ate breakfast quickly and went through my usual routine of getting ready and leaving with my sisters for the bus stop. Again, like the morning before, Georgia and Sara asked me why I was grounded, but I really wasn’t in the mood for their questions so I snapped at them to leave me alone, and they did. I felt bad, but it really was bothering me. Why does everybody need to know my business?

I didn’t see Angel when I arrived at school, and only saw him as I entered my first period class, and he didn’t even say anything to me, but he did smile, so maybe things are okay between us.
It was only after math class that I found out that things were more than okay.

As I left the room to head to the biology labs, Angel caught up to me. Isabelle was walking with me, but talking to somebody else at the time. However, as soon as Angel spoke, she turned immediately to listen in to our conversation.

“Hey, babe, I have some books for our assessment in my locker, can you come with?” Angel asked me. I noticed Isabelle scowl at the “babe”, but I didn’t care.
“Uh, sure. I guess I’ll see you later, Izzy?” I said, turning to her. She still looked furious, but she pulled me in for a hug and a kiss anyway, before walking off with her friend to her English class. “Where’s your locker?” I said as I turned back to Angel.
“This way,” he replied, taking me by the wrist and leading me away from the classrooms.

It took me much too long to realise that where Angel was leading me was nowhere near anyone’s locker, let alone his own. We were walking down the hallway in an older part of the school that seemed to be barely used.

“Angel, where – ?”
“Shh, in here,” he said, pulling me into a classroom that smelled very suspiciously of smoke, and not tobacco smoke either.
“What are we – ?”
“I’m kidnapping you,” he said, cutting me off again.
“W-What?” I was starting to get nervous now.
“I’m just kidding. Relax. I want to talk to you and you know how difficult it is when you’re grounded and Isabelle is always around.”
“But we’re skipping class, Angel!”
He laughed, “Yeah, I know. It’s fine, relax.” He pulled me over to a couple of chairs that were set up in a circular shape.

“What even is this place?”
“Stoner’s paradise,” he said, laughing again, and this time I smiled. I sat down on a badly graffitied chair and he did the same. Then he sighed and looked down at his shoes.

“What’s wrong, Angel?” I asked, concerned.

He sighed again. And again. I just waited.

“I-I …” Another sigh. “Look. Micah, this… this is one of the hardest… God-fucking-damnit. Stop being such a fucking wuss.” He was talking to himself, but it still kind of shocked me. “Okay. Here goes. Micah, I like you. A lot. I-I think I might…I might…Y’know…”

I had no idea where he was going with this, and I really wish I did because he was pleading with me to know what he was talking about. He looked so worried and upset and it broke my heart to see him so vulnerable.

“I-I’m sorry, Angel, I don’t know…”

“I think I might love you, okay!” he shouted.