# Raphael's Angel #
Chapter 3: Never Gonna Be Alone

Mystery Girl's POV

I turned on my IPod and looked for my favorite song in my music gallery. I had just finished my end of the year exam by the time lunch started, and I needed to relax. I looked around at my table. Of course, what person in their right mind would want to sit with 'Goth Girl' (my nickname that was given by other students)? I put on my headphones and put on Monster by Meg & Dia.
"Okay, don't worry, dude. Just wait until Saturday and all your worries will go away with Raph by your side." I whispered to myself as I ate my lunch. It was a good thing I brought my IPod today because, if I didn't, I would go crazy because of how nervous I was during the exam. "I can't wait until I'm outta high school and off into the world with my Romeo." I chuckled at my comment.
"Hey, how's my best friend's girlfriend doin'?" Said a male voice.
I looked up to see Mr. Casey Jones and Mrs. April O'Neal standing on the other side of the table. I noticed April was holding a pizza box, but why? I ignored my curiosity and stood up from my seat.
"Hi, guys. It's great to see you again." I said while fist bumping with Casey and hugging April. "What's up? And, how did you guys know I went to Eleanor Roosevelt High School?"
They both exchanged glances and snickered.
"Raph." They said in unison. "He was pretty much a stalker this whole morning because he wanted you to eat something other than lunch food for a change. He needed to know where you went to school because of what he bought you." Continued Casey. April set down the pizza box on the table and placed a black rose and folded note on the top. "Open the note, honey." April said.
I opened up the note with one hand and held the rose with the other. I took a deep breath and read the note aloud. "'A little somethin' for my Gothic Angel. From, Your Punk Rocker.'?" I giggled at the nickname he gave himself. I folded the note back up and stuffed it in my ripped jean pocket. I sat down on my seat and beckoned April and Casey to take a seat. Casey opened the pizza box and grabbed a slice, followed by April and I. As I ate, I could see some of the other students were looking at me. It wasn't like me to have visitors at school. I ignored their stares and glares and bonded with the couple.
"Wait. So, let me get this straight. Raph paid this with his own money?"
They both nodded.
"Are you sure he didn't take the money from your wallets?" I asked through laughs.
April giggle. "Of course he didn't take it from us. If he did then we would've found out before he even said that he was buying pizza for you. I know he doesn't usually do this so, I can see why this kinda confused you." She said.
"Yeah, it's pretty unlikely for him to do something like this." I said, twirling the rose with my fingertips. "Something must be up."
"Oh, well, d-don't worry. Of course nothin's up." Casey chuckled nervously.
I raised an eyebrow. "Okay?" I said, taking another bite out of my pizza.

~~Later~~

Lunch had ended already and I had just finished saying goodbye to April and Casey. For some reason, they seemed kind of nervous when I stated that Raph was up to something earlier. What are they hiding from me?
"Is it just me or are my friends getting stranger and stranger by the minute?" I giggled. "Nope, it's just them." I took out my phone, searched for Raph's contact number, and texted him.
'Thanks for the pizza. I really appreciate it.' I wrote in the text.
A minute had passed when I got a text from him. It said, 'No problem. Anything to keep my Gothic Angel happy. I gotta go. I'll see ya on Saturday.'
I was about to lock my phone when I was getting a call from my stepmother. "This better be worth it." I said before I answered the phone. "What is it, Angela?"
"Listen, there isn't any easier way to say this but, your father has leukemia." She said through sobs. "He phoned me today from the doctor's office and gave me the news not even ten minutes ago."
"L-leukemia?" I held back my tears as best as I could, swallowing the lump I felt in my throat. My heart sank and I feel my world turn completely upside down. Why? Why must it be leukemia? I took a deep breath and said softy, "Okay, I'll go straight home after school so I can see him." I hung up the phone and went to my next class. The rest of the day ended up being slow and depressing for me. I could barely go on during the whole day without breaking down into tears. It was just too much to handle.
At the end of the day, I walked as fast as I could to my apartment. On the way, I had memories of my past coming back to me.

~~Flashback~~

"Mother!" A fifteen-year-old me cried as she saw her mother, chained up on a wooden chair.
Her mother looked up as she heard her daughter's voice. "No, you can't be here! Go home before you get-"
An evil laugh was heard from the shadows. The young girl took out her katana when a thud was heard on the opposite side of the room. "Let the girl's mom go, Shredder." Said a man.
"And how can you stop me? You are all alone, Raphael. If you wish to battle then it is granted, but nothing will stop me in my plans."
"Not if I have anythin' to do with it." The man stepped out of the shadows, revealing that the man was actually a mutant turtle. He wore a red eye mask and had elbow and knee pads with a matching belt. The Shredder stepped into the open as well. He walked towards the girl's mother, pointing the blades on his suit from his wrist exactly at her throat. Raphael drew out his weapon and charged at The Shredder.
The girl was in complete shock. 'First, a mutant appears and now he is helping me. Why?' She thought.
Her thoughts were soon interrupted when I saw The Shredder slash Raphael's plastron with his blades then punching him under the jaw, making the mutant fly far back into the wall. The girl ran towards him, kneeling by his wounded and half conscious body. "Mr. Raphael, you must get up! Please, get up!" She begged. He struggled to keep his eyes open but got up anyways. The mutant took one step and collapsed on the ground. "I can't go on. You gotta get outta here... before ya get hurt.." He got up again and took her hand, holding his shoulder to stop the bleeding with his other hand. He stumbled towards the exit.
'No, I can't leave my mother!' The girl got out of his grasp and began to run towards her mother. "No!" She heard a voice say as she felt two arms tie around her waist tightly. At that moment, The Shredder lifted the arm with the blades in the air and slit the girl's mother's throat. "No!" She wailed, being pulled away by the person holding her.

~~Present Time~~

My heart ached at the thought that I couldn't save my mother. "Why did he have to pull me back?" I asked myself. Seconds later, I said, "No, I can't blame Raph for her death. He said I wouldn't stand a chance against The Shredder. If it weren't for him, I would be dead right now."
I ran into the house and searched for my stepmother and father. I found them in their room. Angela was crying as my father held her in a hug. I stepped into the room and sat on my knees on the floor, close enough for my father to caress my face with one of his hands.
Without saying anything at all, I hugged him without warning and released all the tears I had been holding back ever since I had heard about the news. He hugged the both of myself and Angela and said, "No matter what happens to me, I will never leave the both of you."