Chapter 53: Company

Salutations, readers. If you enjoy playing drinking games while reading this, then I hereby suggest the following:

every time you see ellipses: take a drink
every time either Angel or Scott says the other one's name for no apparant reason: take a drink
every time Scott says "Dammit" : take a drink
every time Angel refers to Chris as "my Chris": take a drink
egregious crying: take a drink
tandem egregious crying: finish the bottle

You might not want to play this game with anything stronger than club soda. Otherwise you'll probably end up in the hospital.

Enjoy!


Chapter 53 – Company

“Dammit, Angel. Dammit, Dammit!”

“Scott, calm down, okay?” There was little she could do. Scott was, after all, a professional wrestler [and she just a helpless woman]. She put her small hands on his massive back [oh wow].

“Destroying your apartment won’t help.”

He ignored her and toppled a potted plant. [I’ve heard that Mario Batali does the same thing when he’s drunk. My brother-in-law works at a hotel where Mario stayed. No potted plant was safe.]

“Sit down, Scott.”

He complied for a second, then stood again. Angel folded her hands over his and pleaded with him to return to the couch.

“Scott, Scott. Tell me. Sit down and tell me.”

“Dammit, Angel.” His voice was much softer this time. He sank into the couch, head in hands. [could it be? Could it really be? The return of egregious crying?!?]

“What is it?”

“She cheated on me. She slept with her ex-boyfriend.”

“Justina? How did you find out?”

“She told me, Angel. Dammit, Angel. I thought … I mean I really thought she was … God.” [you thought she was God?]

Angel rested her cheek on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, honey. I’m so sorry. When did she tell you?”

“This morning.” His face was still buried in his hands. “She said she just ran into her old college sweetheart in the hotel and then one thing led to the other … Angel, how does that happen?”

“I don’t know.”

“They slept together! You don’t just run into somebody and … Dammit.”

“Maybe they just caught up in …”

“There are no excuses Angel. It happened. That Canadian whore.”

Angel giggled. “Sorry. Amusing epithet. I’ve got my own problems with Canadians these days.” She squoze Scott’s shoulder and smiled. Suddenly, an idean fringed her insides with ice. “Scott?”

“Yeah.”

“What, um, what did you say Justina’s last name was?”

“Foster. Justina Foster. Why?”

“And … what college did she go to, if you know?” Angel’s fingers shook.

“Edmonton. Freaking Canadians.”

“Oh no.”

“What?”

Angel’s chest fell into itself. She froze.

“Angel?” Scott forgot his rage as he watched his friend’s face bleed dry of color. Her lips were parted but no sounds escaped them. He shook her gently. “Angel?” Less gently.

“Chris,” she whispered.

“What?”

“She slept with my Chris.”

“No. No. What would make you think something like that?”

“That’s where I heard that name before. Justina Foster,” she spat the words. “She and Chris.” [way to jump to conclusions there, Angel. You assume that she only had ONE boyfriend throughout all four years of college??]

“Angel …” Scott clasped her hand.

“My Chris.”

“Angel …”

“God. Scott.” She broke down into sobs. [about freaking time!] Scott pressed her to his shoulder. He had no words. [finally]

“Shh.”

“My Chris. Scott … Scott …” [there’s some compelling dialogue if I ever read any.]

“Just cry, Angel. Can’t do much else.” [except knock over potted plants, apparently.]

He held her until he began to cry too. [woooo!!!] Then they held each other. [how is this physically different?] The night fell around them.

“What do we do, Scott?”

“I don’t know.”

“My Chris …” [uhm, you guys were technically broken up].

“When’s the last time you spoke with him?”

“Couple days. My Chris. Scott … I was saving myself for him. Just him.” [except you didn’t want to marry him?]

“Angel …”

“Scott, I was ready. I was going to tell him that I was ready … for him.” [WOAH. When did you arrive at this decision? You sure are good at keeping secrets. Especially from the readers].

`Shh …”

“I thought he understood. I thought he could wait … What’s wrong with me?” [oh, where does one begin?]

“Angel,” he pushed her hair behind her ears. “Angel look at me. There is nothing wrong with either you or me. We are wonderful, intelligent [snerk], attractive people.”

“Sure. Why don’t …”

“Shh. Just listen. You are one of the most beautiful girls I’ve ever met in my life.”

“Scott …”

“No, Angel. I mean it. You are gorgeous. I’ve always thought so. From the first time we met at Sting’s party. Angel …” He cupped her chin in his hands and looked into her eyes. “Angel,”

“Scott, don’t do this.”

“Do what?”

“Tell me I’m beautiful now.”

“Why?”

“It’s too easy for us.”

“What do you mean?”

“Too easy for us to try to make ourselves better by … giving in.”

“Giving in to what?”

“Jealously, hurt, and …”

“And …?”

“An undeniable mutual attraction.” [where did THAT come from?]

“Angel. I’m not trying to take advantage of you.” He stroked her hair.

“I know that Scott. I’m not accusing you of that. But I know how broken we both are. And I know how badly we … at least I … am fighting the urge to …”

“To?”

“To … do what … we …” She looked away. Her hands trembled

Scott cupped her chin in his hands again.

“No,” Angel said, pulling away. “This is wrong. It’s all wrong. We can’t.”

“You’re right. You’re right.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Dammit, Angel. Why us? Why do we have the worst relationship luck on the whole planet?” [maybe it’s not luck so much as the fact that you’re both seriously screwed up]

“I dunno, Scott. Just lucky I guess.”

“Lucky,” Scott said sourly. “Lucky. Justina and Chris should be so lucky. Angel, when I see him, I’m going to bash his pointy face in .”

“Scott …”

“Yeah, yeah. I won’t. I’m going home, Angel. [uhm … aren’t you in your apartment already?] Take care of yourself.”

“You too, Scott. I’ll be in touch.”


NOTES:

1) Scangel? Gross. But maybe they deserve each other? Still. Gross.

2) Hey, everyone … just in case you didn’t know: Angel is the most beautifullest girl on the planet. EVER. No man can resist her charms.

3) WTF was up with all of shocking left-field revelations in this chapter? And the sudden violent streak emerging in Scott? Oh, whatever.


COMING UP NEXT

Angel confronts Chris. Sort of. Well ... it’s slightly more confrontational than her confrontation with Marcus. It's pretty dang nonconfrontational as far as confrontations go.

See you then for ...

Chapter 54 - Again