Angel woke up suddenly and sat up in bed. Her head was spinning, and for a moment, she forgot where she was. Her heart beat so fast, and she was breathing heavily, as if she had just run a marathon. Something’s wrong, she kept telling herself.
Without a moment’s notice, she found herself getting out of bed and rushing for the bathroom. She quickly opened the door, turned on the lights, and went straight for the sink. She opened the tap and splashed her face with cold water. That brought her back to her senses. Everything around her was now starting to take shape. After washing her face, Angel closed the tap and stood in silence. She slowly looked at her wet face in the mirror.
She looked disoriented, and now she knew why. She just woke up from a terrible dream. Placing her hands on the sink, she took in deep breaths, telling herself that she was okay and that there was nothing to worry about. Then snippets of her dream came to her mind like quick-moving pictures. She quickly looked up at the mirror with a look of horror.
Angel made her way back to the bedroom, the lights from the bathroom illuminating part of her bed. She went for her phone on the bedside table and checked the time. It was three in the morning. Goodness, she thought to herself as she held her forehead and placed her phone back where it was. It wasn’t rare for Angel to have nightmares, but this one felt different. It had to do with her sister. She couldn’t remember the dream vividly, but there were many people in it. There were Leo, Eric, Amanda, and Mr. McDonell. She couldn’t tell who else was there, but there was one man or men in particular who she didn’t get clear facials of. Something happened in that dream that made it so terrifying. When Angel tried to remember what it was, she couldn’t remember. The fact that she couldn’t remember what it was all about made her terrified even more.
She would’ve called Carly if she wanted to, but it was still too early, and Carly was a heavy sleeper. With her trip to Mexico, she needed all the rest she could get. I’ll call to see how she’s doing tomorrow, Angel told herself. Right now, she also had to go back to sleep.
After turning off the lights in the bathroom, Angel went back to bed, staring up at the ceiling. She couldn’t fall asleep right away wondering what her dream was about. She couldn’t get the meaning if she couldn’t remember what it was all about. That bothered her. There was something about the dream that didn’t sit well in the pit of her stomach. Well, she can be bothered until her alarm goes off trying to figure out what it is, or she could just sleep and worry about it another time.
While she turned in her bed, she felt she needed to sit up and pray. Which she did. She didn’t know what the dream was all about, but there was a dark aura about it, forcing Angel to pray. Her mother had always taught her to pray in good and in bad times. Also when there’s a feeling or sense of evil lurking in the shadows. Heeding her mother’s advice, Angel prayed, especially for her sister.
When she was done, Angel fell back onto her bed, and it didn’t take her more than five minutes to fall right back into sleep.
***
The buzzing alarm on the side of her bed made Carly groan. She turned around in her bed and reached out for her phone to silence the alarm. It was time to get out of bed. She sat up, taking in her bearings. She soon remembered that she wasn’t back home in New York but in Mexico. Traveling can mess with your head sometimes, she told herself. She got out of bed and made her way to the bathroom to take a shower.
Carly was back in the hotel she was in with her fellow college mates attending the seminar. After having a nice romantic dinner with Andre last night, he dropped her off at the hotel Hugo was staying in with the others. Andre had an apartment in Mexico City and wanted her to spend the night there. However, Carly was adamant about staying in the hotel she had booked, saying she needed to rest. She knew if she stayed with Andre, no doubt, it was going to be a busy night. To avoid that, she needed to stay as far away from him as possible. Besides, it was also part of the plan. After checking in, and Andre had left, Veronica and Mateo came to escort her back to the hotel she was spending the night in with her fellow college mates.
After taking a quick shower, Carly quickly dressed up. She was to have breakfast downstairs in the restaurant along with the other students. It wouldn’t be long until the seminar starts, so the earlier she has her breakfast, the better. Before heading out of her room, she received a phone call. It’s from Veronica.
“Good morning,” Carly greeted as she answered the phone.
“Good morning,” Veronica greeted back. “How was your night?”
“Not so great.” Carly rubbed her eyes. “I thought I would get enough sleep. Clearly, I didn’t.”
“Well, you should blame Andre for not leaving you sooner last night. I swear if he was going to stay for another thirty minutes, I was going to drag him out myself.”
“I’m glad you didn’t. He did stay for quite a while. I was afraid he was never going to leave.”
“Anyway, just in case he calls to say he’s coming to see you, I want you to leave the seminar as planned.”
“Sure. I did say I would call him, but he might want to see me and come in without a moment’s notice.”
“Don’t worry; we have eyes on him in case he makes a move. You just worry about being Carly for now. But don’t get too distracted.”
“Yeah, I won’t.” Carly had started to make her way towards the door. “I hope I can have a bit of normalcy this morning.”
“You know that’s highly unlikely. Okay, we’ll talk to you soon.”
Carly cut the call and opened the door to her room to step out. Standing behind it was Robin. Robin smiled at her.
“Morning,” he said.
“Morning, Robin,” she greeted him. “Were you coming to pick me up for breakfast?”
“Yeah. Are you heading there yourself?”
“I was. We can go together. I will need the company.”
Carly stepped out of her room and locked it. She and Robin started to make their way to the elevators. They weren’t the only ones. It seems many people wanted to have their breakfast early to have a little more time to explore around the hotel. After the seminar, many of the foreign students were to take tour buses around the city.
When the elevator reached the ground floor, Robin and Carly followed the crowd of students that were making their way to the restaurant. In the restaurant, there were many high-class men and women on one side, and on the other was a buffet table with serving dishes served with different sets of food for breakfast. There was enough space in the restaurant for the students. Moreover, if there was anyone who would like to enjoy the warm sun, there were tables and chairs set outside.
After Robin and Carly got their breakfast, they went outside to take a table. Carly was having toast, fried eggs with a cupcake on the side, along with strong black coffee. She needed the caffeine to get her hyped up for the day. She needed all the energy she could muster. Robin had himself an Italian sandwich with a glass of orange juice and some chocolate cookies.
“Did you have a good night’s sleep?” Robin asked Carly as he looked at her.
“Not really,” said Carly. “Who knew coming to a new place could leave you a little on edge?”
“Yeah, I understand you.” Robin took a bite of his sandwich, chewed on it, and swallowed. “I came to your room last night. I thought you had rested enough for the two of us to go around exploring the hotel.” Carly’s eyes grew wide with surprise. “But I thought twice about it and figured you were still resting.”
Carly cleared her throat. “Well, you should’ve knocked and asked. Exploring the place wouldn’t have been a big deal. Why don’t we go around after breakfast before the seminar starts?”
“That would be great. A few friends of mine would like to come along too if that’s okay.”
“The more, the merrier,” said Carly with a smile on her face.
After having breakfast, Robin and Carly went into the lobby to wait for Robin’s classmates. They went about exploring the outside grounds of the hotel. The hotel had a lovely flower garden and a swimming pool right after it. Next to the pool was an open bar, and some of Robin’s classmates didn’t mind having a glass or two to kick start the morning. They went over to chill by the beach chairs near the pool. In the middle of a funny storytelling moment by one of Robin’s friends, Carly’s phone rang. She hoped it wasn’t Andre on his way to see her or Veronica telling her to meet outside. Instead, it was Red Lion.
Carly excused herself and walked away from the poolside, making her way to the bar. She answered the phone when she was out of earshot of the others.
“Hey, Carly,” came Red Lion’s voice as soon as she picked the call. “How’s Mexico City?”
“It would’ve been great if I wasn’t on a mission,” Carly answered.
“I don’t see anyone else complaining, so deal with it. How did your night with Andre go?”
“I can say it went pretty well. I did like you instructed me and didn’t sleep with him.”
“So I was told.”
“Then why are you asking?” Carly could not help but feel irritated.
“Just checking in to see how you’re doing and wondering if you ever plan to ditch the mission.”
“With a gun pointed at me and the ones I care about, you haven’t given me much of a choice. So let me do my job while you sit back and enjoy the show. It seems that’s what you’re meant to do these days.”
Red Lion was silent for a minute before he chuckled. “You can be unpredictable, Carly, and though you haven’t done so yet, I have no doubt that you’ll in the future.”
“That’s just your paranoia talking.” Carly heard Robin calling from behind. She turned to look at him, and he gestured to her that it was time to go. “I better go. The seminar will be starting soon, and I don’t want to miss it.”
“Keep in mind that with Andre, he’s a top priority.”
“I know.”
“Before you cut the call,” Red Lion quickly added, “You can go on ahead to do whatever you like with him from now on.”
“Okay.”
Carly quickly cut the call and went back the way she came towards Robin and his friends. They went on their way into the hotel and to their rooms to get their tabs, notebooks, and laptops for the seminar.
The event started at nine on the dot in a wide conference room, and with the introductions in place, it promised to be a very productive event. Carly sat next to Robin on the white chairs set for the students. In front of them stood a podium and a white screen, projecting the topics for the seminar.
An hour had passed, and another speaker had taken center stage when Carly felt her phone in her pocket vibrate. For a moment, she thought it was either Veronica or Andre. It was her other phone ringing, and Angel was calling. Carly quickly excused herself and made her way out of the conference room to take the call.
“Hey, Angel,” said Carly as she answered the call.
“Hey, Carly. How are you?” Angel asked.
“I’m good, thanks. How are you?”
Angel hesitated before answering, “I’m also good. I hope I am not disturbing you. I bet your seminar has already started.”
“Yes, it has. Hey, Angel, are you okay?” Carly went on to lean against the polished wooden wall of the hallway. “You don’t sound too good, and you hesitated when I asked how you were.”
“No, I’m good.”
“Come on, Angel. I know something is bothering you. Tell me.”
Carly heard Angel take a deep breath. “I had a very bad dream last night,” she said. “And it was about you.”
Carly processed what Angel had said. “What was the dream about?”
“That’s the thing; I can’t really remember. Nevertheless, there was you, Leo, Eric, Amanda, Mr. McDonell, and myself. Something had happened to you, and I have a feeling the men I saw in my dreams had something to do with it.”
“The men in your dreams? Did you see their faces?”
“No. I had a terrible feeling, and that’s why I called to check up on you. Has anyone bothered you since you arrived in Mexico?”
Carly shook her head. “No. I’ve been here at the hotel, and we’re yet to go sightseeing afterwards.”
Angel breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay. I guess I’m just worried because you’re in a foreign country and I can’t be there with you.”
“That’s probably it. But don’t worry; I have Robin with me.”
“Make sure to stick with him at all times, especially when you get out of the hotel.”
“Yeah, sure. You don’t have to worry about me. I’m fine.”
“Alright. Let me not disturb you. Say hi to Robin for me.”
“Will do. Bye.”
“Bye.”
Angel cut the call, and Carly couldn’t help but contemplate what Angel had just told her. If anything, she had a funny feeling that the dream wasn’t just Angel being paranoid. It’s more of a message of what’s really going on in Carly’s life. The universe does know how to work in mysterious ways, Carly thought to herself. Now I feel like I’m being paranoid.
Before Carly could make her way back into the conference room, her other phone beeped. When she looked at the caller ID, she changed direction, walking away from the door to the conference room. She answered the call.
“He’s on his way, isn’t he?” Carly asked.
“Yep,” Veronica answered. “You’ll find Mateo outside.”
“On my way.”
Carly’s fast walk soon turned into a sprint. She found herself in the lobby and out of the hotel. A black Lamborghini came speeding down the driveway and stopped right in front of her. Carly got inside the passenger’s seat and closed the door behind her. While in the car, she texted Robin on her other phone, telling him that something came up and that she had to leave.
Mateo didn’t say anything as he drove downtown towards the hotel Loren was supposedly staying in. It didn’t take him long to reach their destination. He used the underground parking lot in case Andre or his men were to see her when they arrived. When Mateo parked the car, he and Carly quickly rushed out and headed straight for the elevator. Carly pressed the door to her floor. When the elevator started to move, her heartbeat started to quicken.
“This is not happening right now,” Carly muttered. She wiped her forehead as beads of sweat started to appear.
“Well, believe it or not, it’s happening,” said Mateo. He pulled out his phone and called a certain number. “How far out?”
Carly could hear Veronica’s voice loud and clear from his phone. “He’ll be there in five minutes. You were fast, Mateo. No wonder Red Lion chose you for transportation.”
Mateo scoffed. “As long as we’re here on time, it doesn’t matter.”
“Yeah, we still have to get Carly ready. We’ll see you soon.”
Mateo cut the call and put the phone back in his pocket. The door to the elevators flew open, finding themselves on the desired floor. Mateo led the way to Loren’s room. He didn’t think of knocking as he grabbed the door handle and went straight in. Carly flowed and closed the door behind her. Inside were Veronica and Jane.
“That was fast,” said Jane as she held out light pink pajamas and brought them over to Carly. “Dress up quickly, and I want you to give all of your clothes to Veronica.”
Mateo excused himself from the room, making it easier for Carly to change from the red dress she was wearing into the pink pajamas. Veronica took the clothes she wore on the floor. Jane came closer to Carly and made her hair shaggy by running her hands through it. She told Carly to lock the door behind her and Veronica as they walked out of the room. Carly did exactly that, and she knew it was only a matter of time before Andre arrived. She went over to the bed and unmade it to make it look like she had been sleeping in it. Her phone at the end of her bed started to ring, and she checked the person calling. It was Mateo. She answered it.
“Andre is in the elevator,” said Mateo. “Make sure to play your part.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice,” said Carly, and she cut the call.
Carly threw her phone on the bed when she realized her personal phone was also at the foot of the bed. She forgot to give it to Veronica. There was simply no time to call her to come and get it. Moreover, if Andre saw that she had another phone, he would be suspicious. She took the phone and made sure to turn it off. She thought of putting the phone in the bedside drawers, but it sat well with her. She went on to the closet and hid it in her blue suitcase. Andre wouldn’t think of looking in her clothes. After she closed the door to the closet, a knock came at the door, making Carly pause.
She waited until another knock came. This time, she made herself sound sleepy.
“Who is it?” she asked.
“It’s Andre,” came his voice at the door.
Carly rubbed her eyes, trying to look as sleepy as possible before she started to make her way to the door in slow, heavy steps. When she got to the door, she let out a loud yawn before turning the lock on the door and opening it.
Andre stood there in a white shirt and black trousers. He looked quite formal, and Carly couldn’t help but wonder what the occasion was. He had one arm leaning up against the door frame and the other behind him. He had a bright smile on his face, making Carly blush.
“Morning, sleepyhead,” he greeted. He soon brought the hand he hid behind his back, bringing forth lovely roses.
“Oh, how sweet,” said Carly as she took them from him. “You shouldn’t have. Please, come in.”
Andre stepped into the room and Carly closed the door. When she turned around, Andre quickly grabbed her waist, drawing her closer to him. All that startled her, and if it hadn’t been for roses in between them, Andre would’ve kissed her. Carly’s cheeks started to grow hot as the feel of Andre’s hands made her tingle. Her pajamas were of light material, and it felt like his hands were actually touching her bare skin.
“I didn’t bring you anything when you landed, so I thought of bringing you roses,” said Andre as he lowered his gaze on her lips.
“Oh, it’s okay,” said Carly. “Thank you. They are really lovely. I better call room service to put them in a jug.”
“You can call them later.” With one hand, he took the roses from her and placed them on the white couch in the sitting area. This time, he drew Carly ever closer. “I want to spend the entire morning with you.”
“Really?” Carly giggled. “But I’m such a mess. Can’t you wait for me to take a shower, and we can go down to have breakfast together?”
“What if I have a better idea?” Andre asked as he drew his face closer towards Carly’s neck and breathed on her skin. That sent Carly’s heart racing as she almost let out a moan, but she laughed.
“And what could that be?” she asked.
“You stay in your pajamas,” he said, planting a soft kiss on her neck. “Because I think you look sexy in them.” He planted another on the other side of her neck. Carly silently moaned. “And we can have breakfast here. But I’m dying to have my starter right now.”
Before Carly knew it, Andre carried her off the floor, lifting her over his shoulder. The gesture sent Carly giggling. He carried her to her bed and dropped her there. She landed on her back with a bounce, laughing as she enjoyed the feeling. Before she could sit up, Andre straddled her waist and drew her back onto her bed, his hand pinning her wrists onto the bed, above her head.
Carly smiled at him. “You must be really hungry for that starter,” she said in a mocking tone.
“Could you blame me?” Andre asked as he drew his face closer to hers. “I couldn’t sleep last night thinking of this moment.”
Carly bit her lower lip. As much as having Andre on top of her right now was wrong, she really wanted to see what he was like in bed. There was something about the thrills Andre gave her that she found quite different from other men. Then, the sudden thought of Leo came to mind. Was she willing to cheat on Leo for Andre? If she refused to make love to Andre, he will know something is wrong. Besides, Red Lion now gave her the green light to do whatever she had to make Andre fall deeply in love with her. Messing up now would mean death.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” Carly asked in a whisper. “We haven’t got all day.”
Andre brought out a crooked smile on his face, and he slowly brought his lip close to Carly’s neck, biting her. Carly let out a soft moan, dying to run his hands all over Andre, but he still had her wrists above her head. She felt her toes curl in excitement, and she was just dying to have him kiss her all over.
Andre soon kissed her lips, and he suddenly let go of her wrists, running his hands down her body. His hands reached her waist, and he soon found himself unbuttoning her pajamas. Carly’s hands also found their way to Andre’s shirt, unbuttoning it. They were both hungry for each other. They stopped to look at each other, taking in the moment.
“I can’t wait to make you all mine, Loren,” said Andre, as his hands slowly went up her waist, tracing his fingers on her bare skin. His finger travelled all the way to her breast and cupped it. He started to fondle and squeeze gently.
That sent out a soft moan out of Carly’s lips. She simply couldn’t take it anymore as she felt her panties start to get wet. She wanted him now, and he was taking too long to make the first move. She kissed his lips, savoring the taste of his mouth. He tasted of whiskey. She made sure to bite his lower lip, teasing him.
“Then do it,” she said, enticing him. Her body rose up against his, indicating that she wanted him so badly to take her.
Which he did.
***
Leo sat in the lunchroom alone, eating a tuna sandwich that Mrs. Lance happened to distribute to everyone in the office. It wasn’t lunchtime yet, but a little snack won’t hurt, he had told himself. As he sat at the table, he looked through his phone to see if Carly had read any of his messages. She hadn’t. He had tried to call earlier, but it was either her phone was off, or it was just bad reception. Angel did say earlier that she had talked to Carly, and she was attending the seminar. She told Leo to be patient and that she would reply before the day ended. Leo didn’t have the patience to wait. Even though Angel assured him that Carly was fine, he wanted to hear Carly’s voice for himself. In the end, it seems he really does have to wait.
The door to the lunchroom flew open, and Eric walked in. He was holding the sandwich wrapped in tinfoil. Leo had a good guess why he was here.
“Leo, it’s you,” said Eric as he closed the door and came to sit beside Leo. “Just the person I wanted to see.”
Leo gave him a side-eye. “I know you’re here because of your sandwich, Eric,” he said.
“Yeah, but after eating this, I planned to go and see you in your office.” Eric unwrapped his sandwich and took a bite.
“What is it?” Leo was not ready to hear Eric’s stories for some reason.
“It’s Angel. Haven’t you noticed that she’s not looking like herself today?”
Leo raised an eyebrow. Now that Eric has mentioned it, she looked awfully off this morning. She didn’t join the family for breakfast back home, saying she wasn’t hungry. Moreover, she barely spoke a word in the car when Leo drove him, Eric, Angel, and his father to work. When Leo bypassed the work area, Angel looked a little absent-minded. Anyone passing by would think she was busy with the way she stared at her computer monitor, but for some reason Leo could tell that that wasn’t the case. When he stopped by to ask if she had talked to Carly, he could tell there was a certain tone to her voice that was so unlike her.
“You’re right,” said Leo. “Maybe she’s feeling a little under the weather. On the other hand, she might be missing Carly. You know how she gets over her sister.”
“Yeah, but I feel there’s more to this, you know?”
“Why don’t you cheer her up, then?” Leo asked. “You’re good at putting smiles on people’s faces.”
“If only it were that easy. What if I upset her?”
Leo chuckled. “I doubt it. If you did, she would understand. But if it had to be someone like me, I would definitely receive a slap on my cheek.”
“That would’ve happened if the two of you hadn’t gotten over your feud. And boy, that would be a golly good watch.”
Leo rolled his eyes. “Well, if I were you, I would better start thinking of cheering her up soon. Something tells me if you could notice the dark cloud over her head, then Derrick will too. And you know what that means.”
Eric’s eyes grew large as he realized what Leo was getting at. “He may think of cheering her up too. In the end, she may end up having a soft spot for him.”
Leo smiled to his amusement. Watching Eric go crazy over Angel liking another man fascinated him in some way. There was nothing more pleasing than seeing Eric’s look of jealousy. Even if he presented the idea, Leo couldn’t help but feel he shouldn’t have done that. But it came to him all of a sudden, and he didn’t know why.
“You got that right,” said Leo. “You better hurry.”
Eric started to eat his sandwich quickly. Leo had to tell him to slow down or he would end up choking. The two of them finished their sandwiches and made their way out of the lunchroom.
“So, what are you going to do now?” Leo asked as the two of them stepped out into the hall.
“I better think of something to cheer her up,” said Eric. “I simply can’t walk up to her cubicle without a plan.”
Leo smiled, still finding Eric’s reaction amusing. He patted Eric’s shoulder. “You’ve got that right. Should we go out for lunch later, or do you plan to take Angel out instead?”
“We can go together. Let me just figure out how to cheer Angel up. I’ll let you know.”
Eric went on his way back to his office. As Leo watched Eric go, he couldn’t help but smile even more. Eric really did care about Angel, and he wished he hadn’t played on his emotions like that. Besides, Eric had no idea that Derrick had a meeting with a client today and wasn’t around, so he was fretting over nothing.
Leo pulled out his phone and checked it. Still no message from Carly. He wanted to call, but he shook his head, telling himself that it wasn’t worth it. Her phone was probably off at this point. He put it back in his pocket and was just about to walk back to his office when he saw Angel down the hall, turning to enter another. She hadn’t noticed him, and Leo couldn’t help but wonder where she could be heading to. Feeling a little curious, he decided to follow her.
Leo entered the hall Angel had taken. It led to the Architect Department, and at the far end of the hall was the break room. Leo walked at a distance to see where Angel was heading. She went straight to the breakroom, opened the door, and went in. Maybe she needs some time alone in there, Leo thought to himself. He turned around to start heading back the way he came, but he found himself stopping short. He turned around to look at the white door of the breakroom, wondering why he felt drawn to it. Or is he being drawn by the person inside?
No, Leo told himself, turning his head back to look forward. He was simply imagining things. Before he took a step forward, a little voice in his head told him to go and check on her. What if she’s feeling distressed about something? You wouldn’t like anything bad to happen to her, would you?
No, Leo found himself answering. Where did that voice come from, he found himself asking. Whatever. He automatically turned around and went straight for the boardroom. It took a few seconds to realize what had happened. There was no turning back now, because his hand had already knocked itself upon the door. What are you doing? Turn back now, his brain warned him, almost going into panic mode.
The door suddenly flew open, and Angel stood there. She was shocked to see him. Leo was just as surprised to find himself there in the first place.
“Hey, Leo,” said Angel. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Oh, uh…” Leo didn’t know what to say next. Think of something, you dummy, he told himself. “I saw you coming here, so I was wondering if you’re okay.”
Angel gave him a smile. “I’m good, thanks. I just came here to rest a little bit.”
“Are you sure? Eric is worried about you. He thinks something’s bothering you, and I can’t help but agree.”
“It’s nothing serious,” said Angel. She tried to laugh, but Leo could tell that something was troubling her.
“Angel, you aren’t fooling anyone. Do you want to talk about it?”
The smile on Angel’s face soon disappeared as she sighed. She simply couldn’t hide how she was feeling any longer. Leo continued to look at her, his blue eyes gently probing her to let him in. Angel felt herself melting at that gaze. It took her a while to shake off the feeling.
“Okay, we can talk in here,” she said as she stood aside.
Leo walked into the break room. It wasn’t a very big room with coffee-brown chairs lined up along the walls. At the far end was a long table with wooden stools. Some people would snack in here when they felt like it. Now that it wasn’t close to lunchtime, Leo found it strange that it was this empty. He has never really used the break room before, but whenever he was looking for someone and they were in the break room, he would find two or three people in here chatting. Finding it this empty with only Angel surprised him. Well, she wasn’t alone, now that he was there.
Angel closed the door. What have I done, she asked herself as Leo stood in the middle of the room, looking around. Should I really tell him?
Leo turned to look at her, hands in his pockets. “What’s going on, Angel?” he asked. “Are you not feeling too well?”
“No,” she said as she hid her hands behind her back. “You’re going to call me crazy if I tell you.”
Leo raised an eyebrow. “I don’t mind.” He went over to the couch to take a seat and gestured with his eyes that Angel should sit too. “For something to bother you this much, then you aren’t crazy.”
Angel walked over to the couch slowly and sat, leaving a bit of distance between herself and Leo. They sat facing each other. Angel couldn’t help but feel a little awkward, and she couldn’t point at what made her feel that way. If it was Leo looking curiously at her or the fact that she was about to tell him something so far-fetched. She closed her eyes.
“I had this weird dream last night about Carly,” said Angel with her eyes closed. She didn’t hear any reaction from Leo. When she slowly opened her eyes, she only found him looking at her.
“And?” he asked, somewhat curious.
“Uh…” Angel didn’t expect him to be this interested. “It was more of a nightmare, and I woke up in such a panic. It felt so real.”
“What was it about?”
Angel shrugged her shoulders. “That’s the issue. I can’t really remember. All I know is Carly was in some kind of trouble.”
Leo continued to look at Angel. He would usually laugh it off in these kinds of situations and say she was just being paranoid. But for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to do so. Which felt a little awkward for him. Did he really believe her?
When Leo continued to remain silent, Angel felt it was a mistake telling him. “Gosh,” she said as she covered her mouth. “I shouldn’t have told you. You must think I’m crazy.”
Leo shook his head. “No, I don’t think you are,” he said. “People have dreams about their loved ones being in trouble sometimes. And for you to be this worried means it’s a big deal.”
Angel nodded, uncovering her mouth. “Yeah, it is. What’s bugging me is that I can’t remember the details. I remember you, Eric, your father, and Amanda were there. There were some strange men too, but I couldn’t see their faces clearly.”
“Maybe they were there to bring Carly harm. Has she told you anything lately that might have triggered your dream?”
“Nothing that I know of. She was fine except for the time when she didn’t tell us about the trip to Mexico.” Angel was lost in thought, trying to remember anything out of the ordinary. “And what about you? Has she told you about anyone who might be bothering her?”
“No, she hasn’t. Maybe it’s some kind of premonition, warning you about what lies ahead.”
“Maybe. I’m just so worried about her. If it is what you said, then why do I feel I can’t protect her from what’s to come?” Angel shook her head in distress. “I promised my mum that I would protect Carly at all costs. What if I can’t this time?”
Angel’s eyes were about to fill up with tears as she remembered the dream she had while she was in a coma a day after her mother died. The thought of breaking her mother’s promise broke her heart. Then, a sudden warmth on her hand resting on her hand paused her senses. When she looked, she found Leo’s hand covering hers. When Angel stared at his deep blue eyes, a sense of calm fell over her.
“Don’t forget that you’ve got me around,” he said. “I’ll do whatever it takes to protect Carly. You don’t have to bear that responsibility all on your own, Angel.”
Angel was lost for words. Leo’s hand comforted her, and so did his words. Angel sniffed, trying to fight back the tears. She started to blush; the thought of Leo watching her cry made her feel embarrassed. I was going to look like a big baby in front of him, she thought.
As for Leo, his body seemed to have moved on its own when he saw Angel’s eyes well up with tears. He couldn’t understand why, but the sight of her tears made Leo react in a way that was surprising to him. At first, he had the sudden urge to wrap his arm around her, but he didn’t. He placed his hand on hers instead. While he continued to look at Angel wipe the tears away from her eyes, he felt the sudden urge to do that himself. However, his other hand rested on his lap, curled up into a fist, stopping himself.
“This is embarrassing,” said Angel as she wiped her eyes. “I shouldn’t be crying in front of you like this.”
“No, it’s not,” said Leo. “I understand that you’re worried. Just know that you aren’t alone.”
“Thank you, Leo. This means a lot. I’m glad Carly has you in her life.”
“It’s nothing, really.”
Angel smiled at Leo, and Leo smiled back. They continued to look at each other, and before they knew it, a silence fell between them. Leo grew transfixed on Angel’s brown eyes. Soon, his eyes fell on her glossy lips. Angel followed Leo’s eyes, and she could tell that he was looking at her lips. There was something in the way that he looked at her that gave her a warm, fuzzy feeling. Not to mention that his warm hand was still on hers, sending a jolt of electricity as she felt his fingers firmly squeeze it. She started to lose sight of everything around her, and all she could focus her eyes on was Leo. Thoughts started to come over her, wondering why she felt herself wanting to draw closer to him. When she continued to look at him, she felt as if there was something about Leo that she was only starting to notice now. His blue eyes, and his dark blonde hair, his perfectly set lips…
Wait a minute… Am I attracted to Leo? Angel thought to herself, her eyes bulging at the realization.
Angel suddenly drew her hand away, ruining the moment. Leo felt like he had just been jolted from a dream. For a second, he didn’t know what was happening, and what Angel did confused him a little. He looked at Angel, who quickly looked away. It took Leo some time to realize what had happened and that he was such an idiot for looking at her like that.
“Uh… I think it’s almost close to lunch,” said Leo as he cleared his throat. He drew his hand that was holding Angel’s away. “Do you care to join Eric and me?”
Angel was too shocked to answer. Her face still faced the other direction, blazing hot in embarrassment. In her mind, all she couldn’t stop thinking about is how attractive Leo is. No, no, no, she kept telling herself. This is wrong. I can’t be admiring Leo. He’s my sister’s boyfriend for goodness sake! Angel held both sides of her face and squealed.
Leo couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. What has gotten into her, he wondered.
“Angel, are you okay?” he asked
“Yeah, yeah,” said Angel as she quickly looked at him. She tried to hide how embarrassed she felt by laughing. “I’m totally fine.”
“Are you sure?” Even the way she’s laughing sounds weird, he thought.
“Yeah, I am fine.” Angel stopped laughing as she quickly stood. “As for lunch, you and Eric can go on without me.”
“Well, if you say so.” Leo also stood up. “But I suggest that you also talk about this dream of yours with Eric. He’s worried about you, and he’s been trying to find a way to cheer you up.”
“Oh.” Angel looked down at the floor. “I’ll make sure to do that.”
Leo gave a nod of his head. “I’ll take my leave, then.”
Angel looked up at him, and she found him looking back at her. They stared at each other until they both looked away, not wanting what had taken place earlier to happen again.
“I’ll see you later,” said Leo as he walked past Angel and headed for the door.
Angel stood there until Leo opened the door to walk out. He stood there, wondering why he felt the sudden urge not to leave the room. He shook his head, telling himself that he had to leave. He took a bold step forward and left the room, closing the door behind him.
Angel breathed a sigh of relief. Her cheeks still feeling red hot. For a moment there, she didn’t want Leo to leave. Strange. Why did she feel that way? What was she expecting out of him staying? Angel felt even more confused as she thought of what had happened. This isn’t right, she told herself. She didn’t understand how after all this time, she hadn’t noticed how handsome Leo is. The thought of his handsome face made Angel blush even more. How can this be happening right now? She shouldn’t be thinking about someone who happened to be her sister’s boyfriend. It felt wrong on all levels.
Before Angel could leave the breakroom, she remained there for quite some time, trying her best to get rid of Leo’s face now etched in her mind.
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