Thanks so much for the reviews! Really, it's what keeps me writing.

Jonathan Larson owns RENT not me, sadly

Chapter 7: I won't tell if you wont

Collins parks his car in front of an old brick building. "Okay, we're here." he says happily. He looks over at me expecting me to be impressed. "Um, where?" I say. He shakes his head and gets out of the car. Taking my hand he leads me inside.

Once he opens the doors I see five people standing around talking in an auditorium. "What's going on?" I ask Collins slowly.

"You'll see. This helped me live with AIDS when I found out I had it a year ago. And don't pretend to be surprised I know you saw the book."

I don't say anything, but let him lead to a chair. Everyone takes a seat. "Okay, everybody, welcome. I see that we have a new comer this afternoon." A man said looking at me. "So why don't we all go around and say our names. I'm Paul."

"Steve."

"Gordon."

"Ali."

"Sue."

Everyone is looking at me. I smile and say, "Hi, I'm Angel."

"Tom...Collins" Collins looks at me reassuringly.

"Great. Now Angel do you know why you're here?"

"No." I say quickly. Is this an intervention or something?

"Well," Paul continues, "It's a life support meeting. We all have AIDS, like you, and we meet here once a week. to help each other live through it. Are you a friend of Collins'?"

"I'm his stu-"

Collins cuts me off and says, "Yes, he is. I just met him."

After an hour everyone started to leave. I actually had a good time. It felt nice to be around people who knew what I was going through. "Hey, Angel." I turned around and saw Sue looking at me. Her eyes looked sunken in and she was very pale. I felt my stomach turn. She looked really sick.

"Hey." I said politely.

"Did you enjoy yourself?"

"Yeah, it was very helpful. I just found out I have AIDS, well, today."

She smiled softly at me and grabbed my hand. "You poor thing. I found out I had it when I was 13. I got it genetically. I'm 17 now. It really did a toll on me, but I'm still here and happy. This place really helps. I gotta run. See you next week, Angel. It starts at 6."

"Bye, Sue." I say and wave goodbye to her.

"She's a sweet girl." Collins says from behind me. I jump up and let out a high pitched scream.

"You scared me!" I say in a high voice. He chuckles and sits in a chair.

"She doesn't have much time." Collins says sighing. "She always makes an extra effort to make new people feel comfortable. She was my first friend here." He shakes his head and says, " Come on, I'll drive you home. We don't want your parents to know you missed school, now do we?"

I follow him out the door. "Can you get it from having sex only once." I blurt out. The question has been burning holes in my mind all day.

"Yes, unfortunately." Collins says softly. "Is that the case with you?"

I nod. "I've only been with one guy He was liar. He told me sleeping together is the perfect way to prove love for someone. Then I woke up and he was gone. Nothing original about that story, I know. It happens to lots of people."

"That's terrible, Angel. It's unfair for you."

"Thank you, Collins. You have been a big help. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Collins stops in front of the car and looks at me. "No problem."

I lean back against the car and Collins is standing in front of me. "Well, we better go."

I nod and he leans over. His face is coming towards mine. I lean forward and kiss him. Collins freezes. I pull back and see his hand on the handle.

He was just opening the door for me! Not trying to kiss me. Oh I hate myself right now.

"I"m sor-" Collins cuts me off with a deep kiss. I fall back against the car and wrap my arms around his neck. Then I step off the curb and fall to the side bringing Collins down with me. We both sit up and look at each other, laughing. People around us are staring and shaking their heads.

I just keep humiliating myself in front of him. Collins looks at me and sighs. "I have to get you home."

We get into the car drive to my apartment building. He stops in front of it and glares at me. He leans over and kisses me softly on the lips. "This has to stop." He mutters.

I grin at him and get out of the car. "I won't tell if you wont."

"Angel!" Collins yells out the window.

"Yeah?"

"Dress the way you feel comfortable tomorrow, okay? I like it." He nods at me and pulls out of the drive way.