“Besides, I’ve never really been close to my aunt. We only started visiting her about two years ago, when her and my mom finally started speaking to each other again. Even then, it was only once or twice a year.” She shook her head looking away. “I’d rather be in Flagstaff. It’s where I belong.”
Angel’s expression had changed, she couldn’t put her finger on it, but he seemed genuinely concerned or maybe something else… damn it, the last thing she wanted was pity. Not from anyone, but especially not from him. That’s why she was so determined to save money. Even when Sydney’s family had offered to let her stay with them, they meant rent free, but she absolutely refused. If she was going to stay with them, she’d pay them.
“What about after high school? Will you be with your mom then?”
Sarah kept her chin up. “No, I’ll work and go to school. Sydney’s parents said I could stay with them as long as I need to, and as soon as I can afford my own place, I’ll get it.”
That look hadn’t changed. It seemed even more intense now, and his lips were pressed tight. “Well, that’s too bad.”
Sarah’s heart dropped. She knew it, he felt sorry for her. She pulled her feet back abruptly and sat up, startling Angel. She started putting on her shoes. “We may not all have a great start, you know, but it’s where you end up that counts.”
Angel looked at her confused. “What? What are you talking about?”
She finished putting on her shoes and stood up. He jumped up in front of her. “What’s wrong? What did I say?” He searched her eyes.
Sarah glared at him. “My life is not that bad. Oh, sure, compared to yours maybe, but I don’t need all --”
Angel put a finger on her mouth, “stop, that’s not what I meant.”
She tried backing away but he slipped his big hand in hers. She stopped, but stood firmly facing him, unwavering.
He looked at her thoughtfully and put his arm around her waist. “Listen to me. All I meant was it’s too bad you’ll be leaving. I’m really enjoying hanging with you and now you’re telling me it’s only temporary? You’re damn right I think it’s too bad.”
Sarah stared at him speechless and feeling a little stupid for over reacting. “Oh,”
Angel smiled. “Wow, but you turned on me fast.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I just...”
His lips were on hers again. She allowed herself to indulge in a few more of his kisses, and then forced herself to wrap it up, before things got too heated again. It was getting late and she still had to meet Valerie somewhere so they could get home together.
They met Valerie in the parking lot of an In-and-Out near her aunt’s. There were a lot of other kids there from school. Valerie and her friends were standing around her car. They all gawked when they saw that Angel was dropping Sarah off.
Sarah completely expected him to just drop her off as discreetly as possible and drive off. Instead he got out of the car and walked her over to Valerie and her friends, holding her hand the whole way. When he said goodbye he pulled her aside, but still in plain view of everyone he gave her another mind blowing kiss.
CHAPTER 4
Angel groaned as the music from his sister’s radio blared in through his open bedroom door. He was having the best dream ever all about Sarah. It was so real, her beautiful eyes, her lips, he could even taste them. Who knew how far the dream may’ve gone. He frowned listening to the music that interrupted his fantasies. His sister Sofia was only sixteen but she’d recently discovered The Beatles and was blasting their music every chance she got. To top it off, the blow dryer was roaring.
His mood quickly shifted, when he replayed last night’s events in his head. He lay there thinking about everything that had happened. He chuckled to himself when he thought of how effortlessly he’d cracked her up. Everything he was feeling now was so unexpected.
More than anything he wanted to ask more about her mom, but it was obvious she didn’t want to talk about her. Why would a mom dump her daughter on someone else, just like that? What kind of problems could she be ironing out? Something in Sarah’s poignant eyes told him she’d been through a lot, and he felt for her.
Damn, this sucked. All week long all he had wanted was a chance to talk to her, get to know her a little. But after last night, he wanted so much more, and soon she was leaving. He sat up and shook his head. He wouldn’t worry about it now. Fact was her plans weren’t carved in stone. Anything could happen between now and then. She could change her mind.
He glanced at the clock, 8:30. Deciding it was too early to call her, he showered and went downstairs. Eric was already there sitting at the kitchen counter talking to Sofia. His parents left early to open the restaurant and Sofia had made breakfast. Eric looked up from his plate at Angel and smiled knowingly.
“Hey, how’d it go last night?”
“It was cool,” he said. He walked over to Sofia and kissed her on the forehead. He looked at Eric’s plate of eggs and bacon and then at Sofia.
“Any left for me or did he eat it all?”
Sofia rolled her eyes. “There’s enough for everyone.”
Angel walked over to the refrigerator, glancing at the clock. It was just after nine. Good enough. He pulled the orange juice out of the fridge and poured himself a glass. Walking by the table where he left the keys to Eric’s car and his cell phone, he picked them both up and tossed the keys at Eric. “Thanks, man.”
Eric caught the keys in mid air, nodding his head. “Late night?” he asked, with a smirk.
On his way out the back door, Angel motioned he’d be right back. Outside, he looked up Sarah’s cell number on his phone. She’d programmed it in last night before he dropped her off. Just seeing her name, Sarah Lynn, did something to him. He sucked in his breath deep and pressed the call button. It rang a few times then she answered.
“Hi, Angel.” Her cheery tone made him smile. “I was on the other line, let me hang up.”
“No, that’s ok, I can call back.”
“No, it’s Sydney, we’ve been on the phone for a while. I was getting ready to hang up anyway. Hold on, okay?”
“Alright.”
She clicked over to the other line. It was only nine, and she’d already been on the phone for a while? She wasn’t kidding when she said she was close to her friend.
He thought about it and wondered if he’d feel the same way in her situation. Eric and Romero were his best friends, but he couldn’t imagine himself so hung up on those two numb-nuts that he’d be dying to get back to them. Then again, girls were different in their relationships. Not only that, he thought, Sarah’s situation was different altogether. He sat down on one of the patio chairs, and then he heard the line click.
“Angel?”
“Yeah.”
“Sorry about that.”
“That’s okay. Chatting this early?”
“Yeah, Sydney can be an early bird. The phone woke me up, actually.”
“Ah, she’s like my sister. Her damn music woke me up this morning. Are you tired?” He hesitated then asked, “any plans today?”
“Not now, but tonight I do.”
Angel felt his face warm. “Oh?”
“I’m working,” she said. “Babysitting for the neighbors down the street.”
He exhaled slowly. “So, when can I pick you up?”
“I can be ready in about an hour.”
He’d never felt so damn eager to see anyone in his life. “Alright then, I’ll call you in an hour and you can tell me how to get there.”
Once off the phone, he walked back in the kitchen where Sofia and Eric were laughing. Angel was surprised he was still there. He remembered Eric saying he had to be up early. He walked over and grabbed a piece of bacon from the pan on the stove.
“Didn’t you have to be somewhere this morning?” He leaned against the counter across from Eric.
Eric smiled. “You trying to get rid of me?"
“Nah, but I remember you tellin’ Romero you c
ouldn’t stick around and hang out with those chicks ‘cause you had to get up early.”
Eric cleared his throat and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Yeah, well, why do you think I’m here so early? I handled my business already, and then came over to get my car.”
“I need to change. I told Mom I’d be at the restaurant early.” Sofia finished putting the dishes in the dishwasher and started out the kitchen.
Angel winced. “How early, Sof? I gotta be somewhere soon.”
“I can drop her off,” Eric said.
Angel looked back at him. “You sure?”
“Yeah, I gotta go by there anyway. I’m gonna go work out at the gym. Maybe I’ll pick up a burrito while I’m there.”
“I won’t be long!” Sofia yelled running up the stairs.
Angel glanced at Eric’s plate. “Dude, you just ate.”
“Yeah, that’s why I gotta work out,” Eric patted his stomach.
Angel shook his head. He turned around and grabbed a plate out of the cabinet, emptying the rest of the eggs and bacon onto it.
“So, what happened last night, did you score?” Eric cocked an eyebrow.
Angel had a mouthful of food and didn’t respond immediately. After a couple more seconds of chewing, he shook his head. He didn’t usually kiss and tell, even with girls he didn’t care about, and he knew Eric wasn’t the type to go telling anyone. But he felt especially protective this time.
“What?” Eric chuckled. “You’re kidding me? She shot you down?”
“No, she didn’t shoot me down.” Angel scoffed. “We just… talked that’s all.”
Eric laughed some more. “Losing your touch, uh? I thought for sure I’d be hosing the backseat of my car down, the way you were looking at her.”
“How was I looking at her?” Angel frowned.
“Like you wanted to swallow her up, that’s how.”
Angel feigned bewilderment, but he knew just what Eric meant because that’s exactly how he had felt.
Eric kept on. “Come on dude, I can’t believe all you did was talk.”
Angel rolled his eyes, “Nah, man, it wasn’t like what you’re thinking. That’s not what I was going for with her.
“What?” Eric shook his head. “Angel Moreno is into talking to chicks now? When did you turn into a total wuss?"
Angel shrugged, and took another bite of his food. He avoided looking at Eric; suddenly not sure he wanted to talk about it. “I don’t know, dude, she’s just cool to hang with, I guess.”
Eric nodded, as if he got it. “So, you’re not into her? I thought she was pretty hot.”
“I’m into her, you ass, just ‘cause I didn’t bone her the first night. Not all girls are like that, you know.”
Eric grinned. “So, you did get shot down.”
Angel glared at him sipping his juice.
“Well, you’re not making any sense, either you did or you didn’t? What’s the big deal?”
“It’s not a big deal,” Angel wasn't sure why, but he was getting frustrated. “I kissed her goodnight, if you have to know. But we talked the rest of the time.”
“So, did you find out what was up with her and Jesse?”
Angel wished he’d slammed Jesse’s head a little harder the other day. “She went out with him way back, and you know what a pussy Jesse is he can’t let it go.”
“She actually went out with that idiot?” Eric spoke with a mouthful.
“Yeah, tell me about it. That’s what I thought.” Angel polished off the last of his breakfast and threw the plate in the sink. He glanced at the clock. “I gotta go finish getting ready.”
“Where you going?”
“Got a date,” Angel grinned, but avoided looking directly at Eric.
Eric seemed confused at first, then his eyes and mouth shot wide open as he put his hand over his mouth. “No!”
Before he could say anything else, Angel shot him a look. “Not a word,” he warned. “Don’t tell Romero anything either. I don’t need to hear his crap on Monday.”
Eric grinned from ear to ear. “Shut up,” Angel said, walking out the kitchen.
“I didn’t say anything,” Eric protested, chuckling.
“Yeah, well, you were thinking it.” Angel could hear Eric laughing, even as he walked up the stairs, but he had to smile.
************************************
Sarah couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so alive. Standing under the shower with the warm water running over her body she thought of Angel, as she lathered herself and smiled.
The past year had been all but hell, and the past two months had been worst, with Sydney having to drag her out of her funk every time. But now she felt jubilant. It scared her a little. She was still very aware of the fact that this was Angel. The Angel she’d heard so much about. But he said he was looking forward to getting to know her. He sounded so sincere, and his kisses, God those kisses. Just thinking about them made her quiver all over.
Sydney’s call woke her up just after seven, and they talked until Angel called. He knew she was going out last night for the first time since she’d been out here, and was anxious to see how it went. Sarah told him everything, not wanting to leave anything out, especially about the kissing. Sydney hadn’t been surprised at all that Angel was interested in Sarah and was happy she sounded so excited, but warned her to take it slow.
She got out of the shower and dressed. She went back in the restroom to get her blow dryer and ran into Valerie, still in her sleep clothes, a long t-shirt and basketball shorts. “Where are you going so early?”
Sarah’s cheeks reddened. “Angel is picking me up.” She tried not to smile too big.
Valerie’s jaw dropped and eyes popped wide open. “He is?”
Sarah nodded, smiling sheepishly. She grabbed the blow dryer and started back to her room with Valerie in tow. “Oh my God, you’re so lucky! Was that who called so early this morning?”
Sarah stopped at her bed and looked through her purse. She didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. The more she made out of this, the harder it would be if she turned out to be Angel’s flavor of the week. A faint haze of pain sunk in, just thinking about it. But she knew it was a definite possibility.
“No, that was Sydney,” she said. “Angel called while I was on the line with him.”
Valerie rolled her eyes. Sarah knew what Valerie thought of Sydney. She’d never actually met him but she didn’t understand their friendship. “There’s no way that guy is not in love with you,” she’d said, many times.
Sarah also knew Valerie resented the fact that she had preferred, literally begged to stay in Flagstaff with him and his family, rather than come and live with Valerie and her Aunt. Even now, she talked more and was closer to him than she’d ever been with Valerie.
Valerie plopped on Sarah’s bed. “Are you gonna tell Angel about Sydney?”
“I already did.” She left out the part about Angel referring to Sydney as a she this morning, and the fact that she hadn’t corrected him.
Valerie’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, “Really? What did he say?”
Sarah made a face. “Valerie, we hung out one night; you honestly think he cares?”
“I’m telling you, guys are territorial.”
She shrugged. “Well, territorial or not, I’m not his girlfriend -”
“Yet,” Valerie interrupted. “We’ll see what he thinks of Sydney once you two get serious.”
Sarah felt something tighten in her chest. She thought about how he’d gotten right to the subject of Jesse when they got to the beach. How stone faced he’d turned when she told him she’d gone out with him. But with Sydney it was totally different. He’d have to understand.