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Roberto answered the knock on the door to find a boy about his son's age standing there.
"Mr Schunard, I'm Collins. Is Angel in?" Collins asked politely.
"Oh so you're Collins. Angel's talked about you a lot. Sounds like you're becoming good friends." It unsettled Collins to think of himself as only Angel's friend, so he could only imagine how hard it was for Angel to be constantly pretending.
"Angel, someone to see you!" Roberto called as he stepped back to let Collins in.
She bounded down the stairs failing to suppress the huge grin that came from seeing Collins there. Rushing over to him she gave him a big hug breathing in his familiar scent; then remembering her father was there she slapped him on the back a few times. Collins had been enjoying the feel of his girlfriend in his arms, savouring the way they fitted together as if they had been designed that way. Angels sudden back slapping reminded him where they were and inspired him to do the same, managing to subdue a chuckle at the absurdity of it.
"I thought we were all meeting at Mimi's?" She asked as she stepped back.
"I was passing and thought we could walk together" he replied even though they both knew his house was in the opposite direction of Mimi's. Angel was pleased he had come as it would give them some time alone together as they walked, before the madness of the shopping trip began.
"As long as you don't get in the way of him and Mimi- they might want some privacy, eh?" Roberto said suggestively, nudging Collins with the guffaw that Angel hated.
"Actually Mimi and I aren't together…anymore" Angel spoke up fed up of having to lie about it.
"What did you do to mess it up?" Roberto asked shocking Collins that he would immediately put the blame on his daughter…son.
"Let's just say we weren't right for each other and would rather be friends." Then turning to Collins asked "shall we go?"
As they got out of sight Collins lit up a joint then put his free arm around Angel as they walked together.
"I can't believe it takes seven of us to get you an outfit" he commented drily.
"To be honest I don't really need a new outfit either" she replied "but once Maureen decides we're all doing something that's it."
"I wonder if we should stand up to her sometimes" Collins mused. "Stop her from becoming arrogant."
"She'd only moon you or something." Angel giggled as Collins groaned aloud.
"So it looks like we're stuck with Maureen's schemes." She concluded.
"Afraid so" he agreed.
When they reached Mimi's house they settled into their now normal routine. Angel would go to Mimi's room to change, then Collins would come in while she fixed her wig and did her make up. It meant a lot to Collins that she was comfortable with him being there during the transformational process of getting dragged up. Usually she liked to present herself to the world as a man or preferably fully transformed into a woman. At first these were the only two ways Collins had seen her, but as they'd become more relaxed with each other he was able to see the in-between stage. He knew he was one of only two people allowed to see her like this reasoning that she felt most vulnerable when she was 'between' two genders as it highlighted the way she was born into the wrong body. He really savoured the closeness of these moments when she let him see her at her most exposed.
"When are the others getting here?" Angel asked as she applied her mascara.
"Anytime soon" Collins replied then seeing her reach for the lipstick uttered a sudden "wait!" making Angel jump. He moved over to her and replacing the lipstick gave her a passionate kiss. Startled at first she soon got into it only breaking off when they heard Mimi answer the door to Mark.
"What was that for?" she asked slightly dazed.
"Aren't I allowed to kiss my girlfriend?" Collins replied, then seeing her still looking confused explained "if I'd waited until after you put lipstick on it would have smudged. Besides I couldn't wait."
When the rest of the group was there they set off. Joanne drove Maureen, Angel and Collins whilst Roger drove Mimi and Mark to the mall. Once inside Mimi dragged Angel to a large discount store that was within their budget whilst the others followed at a slower pace.
"What about this top?" Maureen asked holding up a purple corseted top.
"It's fitted." Angel pointed out. "It's not really for my shape."
"I meant for me." Maureen replied. Although the others tried to make her realise that they were there for Angel, she was determined she needed an outfit for 'presenting Angel in drag day' as she named it. She persuaded Joanne that the same applied to her as well so they went off shopping together.
Finding nothing in the first store the rest of the group moved on to the next shop. The men's section was in the entrance and Roger stopped to examine the denim jackets. The style he wanted was only available in small so he offered it to Mark who gave it a suspicious look. It was abit modern for his taste.
"Men's clothing is so dull" Angel complained looking distastefully around her. She brightened when she saw a display of hats and picked up a beanie.
"You should get this honey" she said passing it to Collins. He looked at it suspiciously, not taking it.
"It won't bite." His girlfriend teased.
"I just don't know if I want a new one." He admitted. "I've become rather attached to my beanie."
"As long as you're not more attached to it than me." She replied.
"Well…" He pretended to consider it which made Angel playfully swat him in the face with the beanie before marching over to the women's section, Mimi in tow.
"Damm" Collins muttered as he hurried after them, just catching up as Angel turned round and hugged him feeling bad for walking away.
"You know I love you more than any beanie Angel baby" Collins murmured little knowing that Roger was doing an impression of him to Mimi behind his back. She couldn't stop a giggle from escaping.
"What?" Angel asked her confused, but without waiting for an answer turned back to Collins saying "I love you even more." Behind her Mimi mouthed the same words whilst fluttering her eyelashes to Roger making him bite his sleeve to hold back a snort.
"No I love you more" Collins returned brushing the backs of his fingers down her cheek. Mark's impression of Collins was perfect.
"I love you more" she countered tapping him on the nose.
Then out of the corner of his eye Collins noticed Roger imitating him.
"Oh you are so dead!" he threatened moving menacingly towards him.
"They were doing it too!" Roger defended himself.
"Hey!" Mimi and Mark exclaimed together.
"Mimi!" Angel tried to give her friend a stern look, but failed and ended up giving her a hug. Together they looked through the women's section whilst Collins chased Mark and Roger round the store.
They found a brilliant white and red t-shirt on sale which perfectly matched a pair of red stripy tights Angel already owned. Suddenly Mimi let out a startled yelp as Roger grabbed onto her from behind as he ducked down hiding from Collins. Sadly Mimi's small height did not make this a sensible idea and Collins soon spotted him. As Collins advanced Roger pressed a quick kiss on the back of his girlfriend's head muttering a hasty "Got to dash" before doing just that. Collins paused long enough to give his girlfriend a short hug and say "nice t-shirt" before giving chase.
"Men" Angel sighed making Mimi raise an eyebrow at her causing them both to giggle. They moved over to some rails of skirts looking for the most brightly coloured ones. Angel picked one up and both girls gave a small shriek when they saw Mark had been hiding behind it.
"What are you doing here?" Mimi asked.
"Wouldn't you hide if Collins was after you?" He countered.
"I'd rather he caught me." Angel replied suggestively and imagined what could happen.
Seeing the dreamy smile on her friend's face Mimi snapped her fingers at Angel to bring her back to the present.
Then they saw the object of Angel's day dreaming coming towards them.
With a squeak of "don't let him find me" Mark hid back behind the skirts and Angel and Mimi tried to pretend they were just looking at the skirts.
"Hey baby, hey Mimi, have you seen the guys?" He asked as he approached.
"No sorry" Mimi answered.
"No worries" he replied looking around him trying to work out where they had gone. The look of confusion on his face was adorable to Angel and tugged on her conscience.
"Mark's behind those skirts" She suddenly blurted out knowing where her loyalties lay.
"Angel!" Mimi exclaimed firmly on Roger's side.
As Mark got up to run, Roger appeared out of nowhere tackling Collins then running away followed my Mark and then Collins once Angel had helped him up.
The two Latinas stayed at the skirts awhile longer struggling to decide between two patterns. They were interrupted by Collins voice.
"Angel! Mimi! We'll meet you outside!" Looking over they saw the three boys being led out of the shop by security guards.
"Bye" Angel responded breezily waving with her pinky finger.
Angel decided she would think about which clothes to get and come back to the store later, so the two friends went outside to find Mark and Roger comforting an upset Joanne.
"Honey what's wrong?" Angel asked putting an arm around her shoulders.
"Maureen cheated!" Joanne said shocked.
"Fucking cheated!" Mark added having experienced Maureen's unfaithfulness for himself.
It turned out that while the two had been shopping Maureen had been flirtatiously complimenting another girl's outfit. More than just in a friendly way Joanne complained.
Meanwhile "I was just being polite" Maureen whined loudly to Collins where he had found her outside the store she'd been in.
"You're idea of being polite is everyone else's idea of flirting" he pointed out. She gave him a look, but being used to Maureen he stared right back until she dropped her eyes.
"You've got to think of Joanne in this" he insisted. "If you're not careful you'll lose that girl."
At the same time Joanne was getting similar advice.
"That's the way Maureen is around people." Mimi said soothingly. "She likes flirting but it's never serious. She loves you."
"If you're not careful you'll lose that girl." Angel added.
Eventually the two were calmed down and Collins brought Maureen to the others where she made up with her girlfriend.
As the mall was very crowded they decided to get lunch at a café across the street where Mimi described the two skirts Angel was choosing between and got the others' opinions. Collins suggestion of no skirt was not deemed very helpful.
On their way back to the mall the friends noticed a homeless man in abandoned shop doorway. They went over and spoke to him, all feeling sympathy for him. He clearly appreciated the company, so they stayed talking to him for a while discovering the unfortunate series of events that had led to him living on the streets.
Before they left Angel handed him the money she had been saving for a new outfit. "You need it more than me honey" she said firmly when he protested at the amount. Some things in life were more important.
I'm afraid I didn't have much time to write that chapter, so i'm sorry if it was abit rushed. Please review!