What You Do To Me
He can't really remember the first time he met her. After all, he was more of a toddler, and God knows he can't remember it well.
But he remembers that he had always thought she was pretty, even though she was bossy, spoilt, mean, overbearing and downright awful.
She never really came around often once she began preschool, because she was more into her own school and classwork. Tommy often complained that she was still as mean as ever. If she came over while he and the others were there, she'd say something derogatory and leave, causing his self-esteem to plummet. Even then she had an effect.
And it didn't get better when he entered school. Damn, being one grade behind her sucked.
It continues to suck when he's ten. She's eleven, and still mean, and for some reason she's talking to them more often.
Tommy says it's because his Uncle Drew was becoming more involved with his business, and his Aunt Charlotte was aiming for an ambitious promotion. Neither of them could be bothered by an eleven-year old, demanding child, so she's spending more time with them.
She's bossing him around, and being the pushover he is, he allows her to. Outspoken and brutal, she cuts him with her snarky comments.
He doesn't say a word back. It's awful of her, and he sometimes vents to Tommy and Dil, but he eventually gets used to it, and sometimes surprises her with a cutting comeback himself. It is so unlike him, but he relishes that part of him, the wittier side of him.
And he particularly relishes her surprised look when he does so. Her eyes opened wide, her mouth in a tiny 'o' shape...
It vindicates him.
Somehow she changes. She was pretty before, but now she's downright gorgeous. Or is that puberty talking?
She holds herself aloof from everyone. She doesn't make mean comments anymore, and he suspects it's because she feels herself too above interacting with them mere mortals. He wonders whether he should feel happy she doesn't torment him anymore, or feel slightly insulted that she thinks she's way above his league that he's not worth speaking to.
He decides on the former, since it's true; she is way above his league.
He doesn't see her one day at school, and then another, and then by the third day he is quite surprised.
When he asks Tommy, quietly and hesitantly, Tommy gives him a look.
"You're the last person I thought would ask." Nevertheless, he continues, "Uncle Drew's sent her to a fancy schmancy boarding school in Europe. Good riddance."
To what? Bad rubbish? Somehow, the incongruous idea that Angelica could be compared to rubbish strikes a cord with him, and he smiles. Tommy narrows his eyes suspiciously, but soon forgets Chuckie's strange reaction and continues talking to Phil and Lil.
She doesn't come home for Christmas. Or during her term holidays.
He figures she's been having too much fun in Europe.
Especially when Stu asks Drew where Angelica is, and Drew says that Angelica decided to go to Paris instead of coming home.
At seventeen, he has his first real, official date with a girl. It's the beginning of the school term, and he's a little nervous. Phil and Tommy declare it's about time, and Lil, Kimi and even Susie decide to tutor him on the ways of the fairer sex on their first official date at Tommy and Dil's house. He actually doubts it would be helpful (he still remembers Nicole Boscarelli). Unsurprisingly, the guys made themselves scarce (after, of course, they lounged around making fun of Chuckie until Lil threatened them with body mutilation).
"Don't you dare look like you're trying to escape..."
"Never go to the bathroom too often, it's plain rude..."
"Always listen to what she's saying and never zone out..."
"First date, Finster?"
Everyone turns around to see a slim, modelesque blonde leaning against the doorway. At first he stares at her, not recognizing her. The only thing he can think of is how beautiful the girl is. Then, as recognition dawns upon him, she shakes his head furiously, trying to will that thought away. Belatedly, he has realized that the girl (woman?) is actually Angelica. Angelica Charlotte Pickles.
She's dressed in high-end brands, he can tell. Her blonde hair shimmers and is perfectly in place, her face flawless. If she's put on make-up, she's put it on well, because it looks so natural. Her nails are perfectly French manicured.
And now he is singing her praises in her mind. He feels pathetic.
"Finster?"
"Yeah?"
"I asked you whether this was your first date."
"Oh. Umm... Yeah?"
It comes out as a question. He feels even more pathetic.
It's just awful how she so easily robs him of his self-esteem.
She smirks. "Gosh, you guys are going all the wrong way." She approaches him, and he backs away. "Oh chill, Finster," she says, annoyed. Grabbing him by the collar, she yanks it forward.
Unfortunately, he's a little disoriented. Her yanking his collar to straighten it was a perfectly normal thing (as a matter of fact, Kimi did it earlier as well), yet for some reason, it causes him to lose his balance, and he falls forward onto her. Angelica attempts bravely to stand her ground (like she always has done), but fails. Chuckie is, after all, 6', and much heavier than her.
They fall onto the floor in a compromising position, much to his horror, in front of Kimi, Lil and Susie. Angelica is soft and feminine beneath him, and he finds himself strangely comfortable...
"What the hell, Finster? Are you some kind of idiot? Get off!"
Her voice is shrill, and as his face turns red (so red he's sure there's no difference between his face and hair), she shoves him off her. "Damn it, Finster. If that's how you act around your date, I'm telling you, it won't go well." She runs off, with Susie saying in the background, "Wow, Chuckie, you've managed to unhinge the ice queen. I think a medal is due."
And though the date seems to go off without a hitch, for him it doesn't go well. There's this niggling thought in his head that he just has to see Angelica again, if only to apologize.
He thinks he's becoming quite obsessive. Scratch that. He is becoming quite obsessive.
And to add fuel to his obsession, he hasn't seen her since two days ago when he fell on top of her.
He's pretty sure she's avoiding him. By now, all of the gang knows about it. Phil quite absent mindedly joked about him sweeping Angelica off her feet as a joke when he saw Chuckie the next day, and his sister scolded him quite soundly. It seemed to him as if no one wanted to talk about it, even though everyone was dying to.
He's thinking about her as he walks up to Tommy's house. She's coming out of the house, still decked out in her fancy high-street brands, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Salvatore Ferragamo...
"Oh. Finster." She's dismissive, but he's too anxious to apologize to care.
"I didn't mean to..." He's flushing by now, but she's brushes it aside.
"No, it's OK. How was your date?"
"It was OK."
Awkward silence ensues.
"You're really sure about...?" He tries to bring it up again, but she dismisses it with a flick of her long, blonde hair.
"Forget it."
She leaves him in the dust yet again, but she looks back at him, and he thinks that maybe, he still has a chance with her.
Has a chance with her? Whatever made him think of that?
(But as he thinks about it more, he can't help but smile.)
-Fin-