Angel was having trouble on the walk back to Mimi's- perhaps those heels had been a mistake after all. Noticing her difficulty Collins stopped to give her a piggy back and they hadn't walked far when they heard Mimi shouting "go, go, go!"
They looked round just in time to see Roger carrying Mimi as they rushed past them.
"It's so on!" Collins shouted as he too started to run. He decided to pace himself hoping to catch them up nearer Mimi's house whilst Roger, eager to win, had started out in a sprint. This meant that when they rounded a sharp bend he ran straight into a guy standing there.
"Shit" he muttered noticing it was Benny. He was looking up at Mimi, annoyed to see her having fun with Roger.
"Mimi I'm surprised that a bright and charming girl like you hangs out with this slacker."
"You know him?" Roger asked confused.
"Doesn't your boyfriend know who your last boyfriend was?" Benny asked savouring the feeling of delivering bad news.
"I'm not her boyfriend." Roger countered as realisation dawned. "I don't care who she was with." He put Mimi down and started to walk away on his own.
"Roger!" Mimi called after him.
"People! Is this any way to behave?" Angel exclaimed as they caught up. Getting down she grabbed Mimi and then Roger, pushing them together. "Roger don't be jealous: Mimi's with you now. And Mimi chica, maybe you should be more honest with him."
At a look from Collins Benny left after a slight smirk at the scene he had created. Seeing Mimi and Roger start to make up and talk seriously she whispered to Collins "let's leave them to it." He nodded.
"Chica I'll bring the clothes back tomorrow" she said as she gave Mimi a hug. Then she took Collin's arm and led him to her house.
Collins and Angel had a lazy afternoon together at her house. As they sat in her room she turned her bin upside down and started to drum a beat on it before adding a second and third beat. Collins joined in by singing lyrics he invented making her laugh. They spent an hour composing various songs together and decided that they ought to get Roger to join them some time with his guitar.
"It'll be great." Angel exclaimed as they planned their future. "We can set up a band and go on tour!"
"I'd rather open up a restaurant somewhere, maybe Sante Fe" Collins replied still singing.
Later Angel got a Pizza out of the freezer and they decided to eat it watching a film.
"Which one do you want to see?" Angel asked showing him the range of videos they had.
"This one." Collins said selecting 'Top Hat'. "I need to prepare myself for the dress." Angel was touched that he had remembered which film the dress was from.
Collins had to admit the film was rather fluffy for his tastes, but he loved the way Angel watched it so enraptured. Her eyes were shining and she just radiated happiness. Even though they hadn't known each other long she had had a profound effect on his life. He found himself living for their moments together, enjoying the way her infectious enthusiasm perfectly complemented his more laid back attitude. Her whole outlook on life was so positive and he loved the way it rubbed off on him. Just being around her made him so much happier: as if she were his sun giving his life warmth.
"That dress is so right for you Ang" he commented "you could never wear anything boring."
"That's my motto." Angel agreed laughing "I can't stand boring clothes."
As they finished eating they snuggled closer together with Collins resting against the arm of the sofa her head on his chest. As she shivered he drew the throw over them as a blanket and wrapped his arms around her.
When the film ended they were both reluctant to move. Rubbing his hands in circles on her back he sighed "I've really got to go home, my mom's going to be worried."
"Couldn't you stay a little longer?" She asked as her fingers which had been stroking his chest dipped beneath his shirt to touch his bare skin making his breath hitch.
"One day we'll be able to lie like this forever" Collins said dreamily.
"We'll have to go to work honey" she reminded him.
"Okay you'll be a famous drummer and I'll be a professor, but all the time we have left we can be together." He conceded.
"We could get an apartment in New York City- the centre of the universe."
"Then we could move to Sante Fe" he continued.
"Which would seem like a pleasure cruise after New York" Angel admitted.
The sound of Angel's buzzer stopped them from mapping out their lives. It was a sobering reminder that they should be living for today. After she had taken her tablet she walked him to door where they kissed goodbye.
"And where have you been young man?" was the question that greeted Collins as he walked through the door. As he turned round to answer, his mother's expression changed from one of annoyance to surprise then happiness.
"Thomas you've got some lipstick on your cheek." She said unable to stop a wide smile. He glanced in the mirror and saw that he did indeed have the outline of Angel's lips printed on his cheek in lipstick. He was reluctant to wipe it away.
"So who's been kissing my son then?" His father wanted to know.
"Yes Thomas who is she?" Tamara added. "You know I don't like to say 'I told you so' but didn't I say you were just going through a phase?"
"Not exactly" Collins replied knowing this could get bad. "Angel's a he"
"What?" his mother shrieked making him wince.
"Well only technically. She likes to be a 'she'."
"So you're not content with just being with another boy, but you have to choose one who pretends to be a girl."
"She's not pretending, it's how she was born!" Collins shouted.
"Born as a man." Then not finding the words she pushed her husband forward saying "You tell him William."
"She's right son" he said as instructed. "This boy's obviously confused. It's not healthy for you to be in a relationship with him."
"Don't say it" Collins interrupted, but his words went unheard.
"You need to break up with him." His father finished.
"HER! And there's no fucking way you're separating us!" He shouted.
"Language." Tamara admonished. "Look Thomas this is for your own good. You clearly are realising you want to be in a relationship with a woman, so don't waste your time with this gender bender."
"Don't you ever speak like that about Angel again" Collins said in a dangerously low voice. "Angel's the most generous, loving, optimistic, compassionate person I've ever met. Whatever the word throws at her- and it throws a lot- she's still so kind to everyone. That's why I love her and always will. You know what? I dare you to actually meet Angel, see what an amazing girl she is and then tell me I can't date her. I bet once you see what she's like you won't be able to do it."
"Okay" William said softly. "Invite her round to dinner one day."
"You mean it?" Collins asked more hopeful from the pronoun 'her' than the words.
He looked towards his mother who finding herself in the minority sighed "Alright one dinner, but we're not promising anything."
