Engeline looked through the racks of dresses smiling to herself. She never had fun like this with Cassandra and Fatima. She actually hated them but she had to tolerate them, or they would try and make her life a living hell. Engeline began to wonder how Angel was doing in the fitting room. Engeline turned to look in the direction of the fitting room and saw two familiar figures.
"Cassandra? Fatima?" Engeline called out. Both girls stooped suddenly when they realized someone called them. Both girls turned to see Engeline.
"Hey Engeline" Cassandra said nervously. Engeline was surprised to see both of them here.
"What's up" Engeline said. She noticed both girls were no longer wearing their uniforms. They were wearing black baggy clothing. "What are you wearing?"
"The new fashion" Fatima said rolling her eyes. Engeline didn't believe that.
"Look Engeline we gotta go" Cassandra said grabbing Fatima hand. Engeline noticed a black stick looking object in Cassandra hand but dismissed it as the girls left.
Engeline decided against trying to find out what they were up to. She no longer needed to be associated with those girls. Engeline proceeded to look at the dresses but she couldn't help but wonder about Cassandra and Fatima. She had a bad feeling. She tried to ignore it, and then Angel popped in her head.
"What is taking her is long?" Engeline said to herself. She began tapping her foot impatiently. She decided to talk to the sale clerk in the store.
"Excuse me miss" Engeline said as she walked to the cash register. "How long were those girls here for?"
"The two girls in black?" the clerk question.
"Yes,"
"Well they came in a little bit after you and your friend came in, I assumed they were with you since they followed you and your friend around the store." Engeline couldn't believe she didn't notice that they were being followed.
"Then they followed your friend into the fitting room and-" Engeline suddenly had a realization. "Oh No Angel!"
Engeline ran into the hall for the fitting rooms and down the hall, she saw a pool of blood and a limp hand.
"ANGEL!" She cried as she ran over to the last fitting room. There Engeline saw Angel unconscious in a pool of her own blood. Engeline bent down and rested Angel's head on her lap.
"Angel, Angel, please wake up" She said lightly shaking her. The sales clerk ran in after her. "What happened here?"
"Please call for help." Engeline pleaded with tears falling down her cheeks.
"Is she okay?" The clerk said pulling out here cell phone and dialing.
"I don't know" Engeline tried to best to find a pulse. She finally found one after checking her palm. "She is alive but I need to get her help.
"The police said that there is major traffic in the city because of construction, so it might take them a while but they said we should try and wake her up."
"Fuck that, she is bleeding a lot, I need to get her somewhere now!" Engeline yelled. The clerk nodded and tried to think.
"There is a clinic a few blocks down from here, but that would mean someone would have to carry-"
The clerk stooped when she saw Engeline effortlessly carry Angel's limp body, bridal style. "Where is the clinic?" Engeline demanded.
"Make a right out of here, it is called Alexis Clinic."
___________________________________________
"This Angel girl sounds amazing" anica said as she and zhul walked the streets of cagayan.
"She is" zhul said finding it hard not to smile. "She is rude, mean, sarcastic but sweet, caring and beautiful at the same time"
"Sounds like you're in love zhul" anica teased.
"No, I doubt I am in love" zhul corrected. "But I do like her a lot"
"So I am guessing angel doesn't know that you like her"
"No, plus she has a boyfriend" zhul said sadly. Anica noticed his sadness. "So what you should just tell her how you feel"
"Have you not learned that cheating isn't exactly the way to" zhul said sternly. anica smiled, he had got her there.
"You're right but you need to be true to your heart, does she really love her boyfriend"
"Yeah, and he is a man whore, because he is sleeping with two other girls behind her back" zhul said clenching his fist. He really did hate bobby.
"Don't worry, she will find out soon enough. Don't tell her though, girls don't wanna hear bad things being said about their boyfriends" anica informed. zhul nodded and thought about the advice he was just given.
"I think I am going to ask her to homecoming, I don't care about her jackass of a boyfriend" anica laughed at zhul's comment. They finally reached anica's home.
"Thank you zhul" anica said. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and smiled. "Thank you for everything"
zhul nodded and smiled. They waved to each other, and zhul made his way home.
He liked Angel. He knew that now. He was able to recognize his feelings easier, since he had let go of his anger for anica. He was actually smiling and whistling to himself. He was finally happy. He didn't care if angel was pregnant by bobby. He just wanted to be by her side. He wanted to be her protector. He just wanted her.
zhul finally made his way to his home.
"I'm home" zhul said as he took off his shoes. He walked into the kitchen and he noticed there was a visitor with his mom. Marisa was serving a young woman with strawberry blonde hair.
"You should drink this sweetheart" marisa said offering the cup to her. She simply shook her head.
Marisa sighed and looked up. "Oh zhul you are home"
"Yeah" zhul said He walked over to his mom to greet her and to see who this woman was. zhul was shocked to see a girl he remembered from his school.
"You go to my school right?" zhul said. Engeline looked up sadly. She saw zhul's uniform and nodded. zhul noticed the blood all over Engeline uniform.
"Her name is Engeline" Marisa said when she noticed Engeline wasn't going to say anything. zhul and his mom walked away from Engeline who had tears rolling down her face.
"What happen to her?" zhul whispered to his mother.
"She is probably traumatized from having to bring in her friend."
"What happen to her friend?"
"She was bleeding and unconscious. It is so sad"
zhul soon felt sorry for Engeline. Soon he heard her mumbling. zhul sighed and walked over to Engeline.
"We should get you cleaned up" zhul said to her.
"No!" Engeline said to him sadly. "Not til I know Angel is okay"
"W-who?" zhul stuttered hoping that he was just hearing things.
"Angel!" Engeline cried out. "I won't leave till I know she is okay." zhul could feel his heart beat going faster and his blood running cold.
"An-Angel" zhul said to himself horrified. marisa noticed this and went to zhul. "Is this the same angel that you are friends with" she asked. zhul didn't answer. He couldn't fathom anything. What could have happen to her?
"Where is she?" zhul said in low voice. "Your dad is trying to help her son"
"I need to see her!" zhul shouted back. "zhul you need to stay calm, your dad is doing his best."
"But mom, she is pregnant" zhul said with his voice breaking a bit. Engeline was surprised that zhul knew. She didn't know angel and zhul were close.
"zhul?" Marisa said worried. "Are you sure"
"Yes mom, I need to see her, WHERE IS SHE"
"Calm down and don't raise your voice at your mother" zhul heard his father say behind him. zhul whipped around and faced his father. "Dad is she okay?" he asked.
"She woke up a little while ago, but she is asleep now. She had a lot of bruising around her abdomen and a bruise on her head. She seems to be in a lot of pain, a few days of rest and some pain killers should do her good" Victor explained as professionally as he could.
"What about the baby?" Engeline asked, just as zhul wanted to ask. zhul was little surprised to know that Engeline knew but his focus was on angel .
"I'm sorry, but it seems that she had a miscarriage" Victor said sadly avoiding everyone's eyes. zhul and engeline looked at Victor wide eyed. "Dammit" zhul said punching the wall, leaving a nasty hole. Marisa quickly went to her son's side. "zhul?" She said looking at him.
"Was that baby-"
"No, I wasn't the father but that doesn't matter" zhul said looking at his father. "angel is going to be devastated."
"She was devastated." Victor corrected.
"You told her?" Engeline questioned.
"Yes, once I realized she was pregnant and had lost the baby, she regained conscious and I decided to tell her. She started crying on the spot" Victor explained. "I stayed with her. She ended up crying herself to sleep within minutes; her body must have been so tired"
zhul couldn't believe it. angel had lost her baby. yes her life would be easier but this isn't what angel wanted.
Engeline let a few tears escape her eyes and then got up.
"I should go" She said. zhul's head shot up and followed her to the door. Engeline tried to run as she left but zhul caught her arm right as she ran out.
"What happened?" He asked with his voice low.
"I..I don't…know" She said. He could tell she was hiding something.
"Please tell me!" he begged.
"I DON'T KNOW!" Engeline said pulling her arm away and running as fast as she could. Engeline couldn't deal with this. She felt like it was her fault that Angel was hurt. She should have paid more attention; she shouldn't have even taken her shopping in the first place. Did Cassandra and Fatima really do this to her? Are they really that desperate? Engeline head filled with these thought as she ran.
Zhul sighed as he walked back in. Marisa was standing next to Victor who was sitting at the kitchen table looking tired. "zhul, maybe you should call her parents."
"She lives with her sister and her brother in law" He replied. "But I'll call them." zhul pulled out his cell and dialed Angel's house number. zhul's mind was going crazy trying to think of what to say to Mhadz when she picks up. What if it was Franz?
"This is the Perez residence, we have left for Manila for a few days, please leave a message and we will reply as soon as we return," Mhadz's voice on the voicemail came on. zhul sighed and hung up.
"They are out of town" zhul informed his parents.
"Well who could we call?" Marisa asked. zhul then thought of the best person to call.
"WHERE IS SHE?!" Gerand and Adrian said when zhul opened the door to the clinic.
"Sleeping upstairs" zhul said quietly. Gerand and Adrian felt relieved.
"I told you idiots to wait up" zhul heard a voice say behind the guys.
"Rhesalyn?" zhul said when he saw his best friend.
"Hey zhul, how's angel?" She asked.
"Sleeping, what are you doing here?" He asked.
"I was at practice when you called. I told Adrian that Angel got hurt and Rhesalyn heard so she tagged along" Gerand explained.
Zhul nodded and lead them to the kitchen. Marisa smiled sweetly at her guest.
"Hello Rhesalyn" She said, then she turned to the two young men she didn't know. "Hello, I am Marisa Alexis."
"I'm Gerand Nunez" I'm Adrian Ramos" They said introducing themselves.
"I'm guessing you are friends with Angel" She said. They nodded. She smiled. "She is lucky to have such good friends who worry about her"
They bowed and thanked Marisa. Zhul decided to take them to where Angel was. He lead them upstairs the down the hallway. They stopped in front of the door.
"Look Angel is asleep, so I think that we should wait" He said standing in front of the door.
"Zhul is right" Rhesalyn agreed.
"I need to see her" Adrian said. Zhul sensing the desperation in his voice got annoyed.
"She needs her rest!" he said raising his voice to him. Shuhei was going to retort but Gerand stopped him.
"Zhul what happened?" Gerand asked.
"I don't know, but she lost the baby" zhul confessed. Gerand couldn't believe it, He clenched his fist in anger. He couldn't help but be angry for his best friend.
"Baby?" Adrian said out loud. Gerand and Zhul completely forgot that they were the only ones who knew. Adrian had a confused and angry look on his face while Rhesalyn had a shocked look.
"Well I guess I should tell you, Angel is…well was pregnant."Gerand confessed. Adrian clenched his fist.
"Why the hell didn't she tell me?!" Adrian yelled. Zhul was annoyed with Adrian possessiveness.
"You're not the father she didn't have to tell you" zhul snapped. Gerand was taken back by Zhul outburst.
"You're not the father either, so why the hell do you know" Adrian snapped back. Zhul was ready to snap back but Rhesalyn stopped him.
"How did she lose the baby?" she asked.
"Not sure" zhul explained. "My dad said most of the bruising was at her stomach and it was probably use of a blunt object on her."
"It kind of sounds like the person was aiming to hurt angel's baby" Rhesalyn said out loud as she thought to herself.
"Who would do that to her?" Adrian said to himself.
"No one saw what happened?"Gerand asked.
"I think Engeline might have since she brought Angel in" zhul suggested
"Engeline the cheerleader?" Gerand questioned. Zhul nodded.
"My dad said Engeline brought Angel in unconscious. Angel has some bruises but my dad said she should be fine in a couple of days"
"Does Angel know?" Gerand asked nervously.
"Yeah my dad told her"
"When can we see her?" Adrian asked now calmer than before.
"When she wakes up" zhul said.
"I'm already awake" a voice said from behind the door. Everyone perked up hearing angel's voice. zhul quickly opened the door and all four of them rushed in to see angel, with bandages on her head wearing a hospital gown.
"Angel!" Gerand and Adrian said happily as they went to her side. Angel smiled as she saw her friends.
"How are you feeling?" Gerand asked.
"Sore" Angel replied. Adrian who was almost too angry to speak just looked at her sadly. He hated that he couldn't protect her.
"Angel," Rhesalyn said. Angel was surprised to see Rhesalyn. "What happen to you?" Angel sighed. She couldn't remember much.
"I remember two black figures coming into my fitting room, then I passed out" Angel explain. Gerand nodded as he took in the information.
"So that means you were attacked" Rhesalyn added.
"Someone who didn't want you to have the baby" Gerand said.
"Gerand! I doubt that, it was probably just some thugs trying to rob me" Angel suggested.
"I doubt that Angel" Zhul said. "All your belongings are downstairs, they didn't take anything"
"Plus most of your injuries are in the stomach area" Adrian stated.
"What are you guys trying to imply"Angel asked impatiently. Gerand looked and Zhul and Zhul nodded. They both knew what needed to be said.
"Maybe Bobby-"
"Don't you dare say that Bobby is the behind this" Angel voice was low and menacing.
"Angel be serious, the man hasn't spoken to you since you told him you were pregnant"
"He would never hurt me!" Angel cried. Her voice was breaking. "Bobby may be an asshole but he would never do this to me."
Rhesalyn noticed Angel's distress and intervened. "Let's not jump to conclusions. Right now, let's be thankful Angel is alive." Angel smiled at Rhesalyn and mouthed "Thank You"
Angel realized four of her friends were here, but what happen to the one she was with before she was attacked.
"Where is Engeline?" Angel asked.
"She left, once she found out you were okay, I think she is really traumatized from this experience. She had to carry you here" zhul said.
"Carry me?" zhul mentally thanked Rangiku. Then she remembered something. "Adrian!" Angel said. Adrian looked to her. "Ask Engeline to homecoming." Angel demanded.
"Engeline? Why me all of a sudden? Plus she is a senior, I doubt she would want a junior"
"Do me a favor and just ask her" Angel said bluntly.
Gerand eventually called Mush and Kent. Both came to see Angel. Mush began crying when she saw Angel, while Kent had a more depressing look then he usually had. Mush yelled at Angel for not waiting with Gerand and Adrian, but then broke down and apologized. Angel just smiled at her best friend. She was happy to know that she had a lot of people who cared. Zhul noticed that Mush was probably Angel's closest girlfriend. She seemed to be close to Gerand, Adrian and Kent too. He wondered if all of them, had feelings for Angel at some point in their friendship. Because all three of them looked like they wanted to kill Bobby as much as he did. They all stayed with Angel until Victor suggested everyone leave so Angel could rest.
"Bye everyone" Angel said as her friends left the room. As soon as the last person left, Kimberly ran into Angel's room crying.
"Angel! Are you okay?" She said as she hugged Angel gently.
"Kimberly it's good to see you again, and yes I am doing better" Angel said smiling at Kimberly. Kimberly tried her best to wipe her tears. "That's good, Me and my mom are making dinner, I hope you enjoy it" Kimberly said happily. Angel nodded . Then a young girl with dark straight hair cropped to hang around her face walked in.
"So you're Angel?" She said. Angel nodded. "You must be Lorry"
"Yeah I'm zhul's sister" She said plainly.
"It's nice to meet you finally." Angel said.
"Lorry lets go, I don't want to bother Angel anymore" Kimberly said trying to push Lorry out.
"Its fine, I don't mind" Angel said. Kimberly shook her head. "No, we need to set up for dinner" Kimberly insisted, Angel nodded and Kimberly left dragging Lorry behind her. zhul came in a minute after with his hands in his pockets.
"Kimberly practically broke down when I told her" zhul said. Angel smiled seeing him. She thought it was crazy that she would end up in the clinic owned by zhul's family.
"She is such a sweet person, and lorry seems nice too"
"lorry is the spawn of the Devil" He joked. He sat down by angel's bed side and looked at her. It pained him to see her like that. She was smiling but she had bandages around her head and mid section. But what really got to him, is how calm she was.
"angel are you okay?" He asked seriously. angel looked at him, and then she forced a smile.
"I'm in pain, but the medicine your dad gave me is helping"
"I don't mean physically" zhul said. angel sighed. "I was sad to hear that I lost the baby, but maybe this wasn't meant to be"
zhul looked at her sadly. Is that really how she felt, or was she hiding her emotions.
"My mom is just about done making dinner; would you like me to bring you up a plate right now?"
"You can eat first, I don't mind waiting" angel said.
"Its fine, I don't mind bringing you dinner first" He insisted. But angel shook her head.
"I'm not really hungry, so I'll wait" angel said. zhul nodded and gave in. He smiled and left the room. Once zhul closed the door, angel sighed sadly to herself. The tears that were waiting to fall had finally rolled down her cheeks. She couldn't contain her disappointment. She had finally come to terms with her pregnancy. She was ready to become a mother in a few months. But now, her baby was gone. It was taken from her in an act of violence and what was worse is that her friends could have been right. What if Bobby had planned this because he didn't want to be a father?
But Angel refused to believe these things. No matter how much of a jerk Bobby was, he would never try to hurt Angel or hurt his own child. She still loved Bobby, she knew that much, but her heart was letting someone else in. zhul had been there for her a lot lately and although she would say they were just friends, the bond they had formed was something deeper than that. angel lied on her pillow allowing her tears to fall freely from her eyes. She put her hand on her stomach. "My baby is gone" she whispered to herself.
"lorry, it's your turn to help me with the dishes" Marisa said.
"Sure mom" lorry said. kimberly was in the kitchen preparing angel dinner while angel and his dad sat at the dining table.
"How is Angel?" Victor asked.
"Better, I guess" zhul said not looking at his dad.
"You and angel are?" victor questioned with a devilish smirk.
"Just friends" zhul said feeling as if he was lying through his teeth.
"You seem to care a lot about her; I have never seen you get so upset that you would yell at your mother."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude to mom, but I was just worried, I do care about her" zhul said. He didn't notice the faint blush that formed on his cheeks but Isshin and even kimberly noticed. kimberly brought the tray of food to zhul.
"Can you take this upstairs to Angel" kimberly said. zhul nodded and took the tray. As zhul walked away kimberly gave her dad a thumb up and he winked. They both tried to follow zhul upstairs but were pulled back by Marisa and Lorry. "Not so fast" they both said.
"Why not, zhul might confess his love" victor begged. "If he does, he doesn't need his father watching" Marisa said.
Zhul knocked lightly on angel's door but no answer. He opened it slowly and walked in. He could see angel lying in bed, breath heavy but slowly. "She's sleeping" He whispered to himself. He brought the tray to the end table next to her bed and observed her sleeping form. He noticed how beautiful and peaceful she looked. It reminded him of the day when she told him she was pregnant. He then noticed the wet spot on her pillow. She had been crying and he wasn't surprised. angel didn't want to seem weak so she waited till no one was around to let out her emotions. He looked down to her lips. They were perfect thin pink lips. He bent down to look at her. She definitely had to be one of the most beautiful girls in the world. He moved his face closer took a deep breath and brushed his lips against hers. He then kissed her lightly. He pulled back to see her expression but she remained still. He smiled to himself then decided to leave. He walked to the door and before leaving took on more glace at her.
"Goodnight Angel" Zhul said before closing the door. Once the door was shut, Angel, with her eyes closed moved her had to her lips and touched where Ichigo had kissed her. "Goodnight Zhul" She said.