Chapter 18

Miguel stood outside the theatre hall doors and looked at his watch again. Angela had said that she would meet him outside for rehearsals, but she was already 10 minutes late. Knowing her, it had to have been for something important.

"Did your date stand you up?" Plagg teased poking his head out of his jacket.

"For last time, Angela's just a friend, and no she hasn't stood me up, she's just late." Miguel said pulling out his phone. "Maybe the bus got held up or something." He said dialing her number.

It rang for a minute, but finally, she picked up but she didn't sound like she was in any mood for bad news.

"I'm so sorry, I'm at the hospital I just, oh I forgot about rehearsals. I'm so sorry Miguel." Angela confessed.

"Are you okay?" Miguel asked concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's my mom's friend, Ms. Roland. She fell down the stairs in her house and I went with her to the hospital when paramedics came to get her." Angela explained. "I swear I did not mean to stand you up. I'm so sorry."

"Angela, stop apologizing, it's okay. I understand. Look, I still have rehearsals going on now, but I'll be over there as soon as I can." Miguel answered her.

"No, it's okay. I just want to spend time with her for now. The doctors don't think she'll make it through the night." Angela turned down.

"Okay, well if you ever need me, I'm right here." Miguel answered before hanging up.

"Thanks." Angela answered hanging up.

"Well?" Plagg pushed.

"She's visiting a friend in the hospital" Miguel answered. "I don't think she's going to make it this time, we'll just have to go on without her. I'm sure she'll be here next time."

After rehearsals, Miguel grabbed the next bus home and was about to set to making dinner when his phone went off again. This time it was Abbey.

"Hola, you got Miguel." He answered.

"Miguel, it's Angela." Abbey said sounding like she was in tears.

"Is she okay?" Miguel asked.

"Yes, and no. Well, actually more no than yes." She answered sounding like she was having trouble getting her words out.

"What?"

"Well, you see, not long after you talked to Angela, Ms. Roland passed away at the hospital. Angela's pretty messed up." Abbey answered finally getting her sentence straight.

"Dios mío, I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?" Miguel asked feeling a pang of guilt that he had not been there for Angela.

"Angela's going to need a lot of help getting through this and she won't let us help her. You're the only one she won't push away. So please, can you just talk to her and help her find some peace of mind?" Abbey asked.

"Of course." Miguel answered. "Thanks for telling me." He said hanging up.

"What's going on?" Plagg asked floating out of his jacket.

"Angela's friend died today in the hospital, and she's taking it really, really hard." Miguel answered handing Plagg his camembert cheese. "Abbey has asked me to talk to her because apparently she won't let Abbey or Derek help her."

"It seems like you care an awful lot for this girl, for someone who's just a friend." Plagg teased.

"Plagg, knock it off." Miguel said turning off the stove. "Angela's sweet, but I don't think she's really into me. Besides, I already have my eyes on someone."

"I still don't understand how you can be in love with Ladybug when you don't even know who she really is."

"Love doesn't need to know Plagg." Miguel answered.

"Ugh, you keep it up with all these lovey dovey anecdotes and you're gonna make me sick."

Miguel lightly laughed as he continued to stir the rice for dinner. By the time he had everything ready, his dad had just pulled up to the house. As they ate, they talked about how they're day went on and Miguel told his dad about Angela losing her friend in the hospital.

"I think I got the call on that one. Terrible loss, Ms. Roland really was a friend to anyone who knew her." Sheriff Willis said spooning more spicy rice into his mouth. "When you see her tomorrow, give Ms. Martinez my condolences."

"I will." Miguel said finishing his plate.

After helping with the cleanup, Miguel went up to his room and practiced the final song for a while before getting ready for bed. Despite how tired he was, he was finding it hard to sleep thinking about what Angela must be going through losing someone close to her like that. But he finally dozed off and slept through the night. The next morning, as he was walking up to the main building, he saw Angela get off the bus looking tired and exhausted. Her face still stained with tears.

"Hey, you doing alright?" he asked with his voice heavy with concern.

"Not really." Angela answered. "Why?"

"Well, Derek and Abbey told about what happened last night and I thought you could really use a friend." Miguel said hugging her.

Angela returned the gesture and he could hear her start to cry again. She cried into his shoulder as he rubbed his hand on hers.

"Why? Why did she have to go like this?" she sobbed. "She was a very healthy woman for her age, so why? Why did it have to happen like this?"

"Life can be cruel to us that way. But hey, look, she's in a better place now and think about all the family that has been waiting for her in heaven that she can be with now." Miguel answered looking her in the eye.

"Yeah, you're right." Angela said wiping a tear from her cheek.

Miguel handed her his hankie and led her to their Calculous class. Miguel had just barely sat himself down when he heard Jezebel yelling at Angela.

"Just what are you playing at?" Jezebel demanded.

"What are talking about?" Angela demanded.

"I think you know good and well what I'm talking about. You acting all sad and upset just so you can have Miguel act as your shoulder to cry on." Jezebel jabbed.

"I'm not acting and it's none of your business." Angela retorted.

"I think it is, Miguel is mine and I won't let you steal him from me with your pathetic little antics."

"Jezebel, that's enough!" Mr. Crone demanded.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll stay away from him got it?" Jezebel warned her. "Unless you'd prefer that I tell everyone what it is that your daddy does for his job." Jezbel threatened.

"Jezebel!" Mr. Crone warned.

"Jezebel, I think you and I need to talk outside." Angela said taking Jezebel by the arm and marching them out the door.

When they were gone, Miguel could just feel a rush of irritation hearing Jezebel go after Angela like that out of something as unattractive as jealousy. But what also caught his attention was what Jezebel said about telling everyone about her dad. Miguel did notice that Angela didn't really talk about her dad much, and when some people did ask her about him she would just say that there wasn't much for her to talk about when it came to him.

"What was Jezebel talking about what Angela's dad does for work?" He asked leaning over to Martin.

"Well, no one really knows for sure, but there's a rumor that Angela's old man is one of the biggest drug dealers in New York." Martin whispered.

"If that's true, then why doesn't Angela just go to the police about it?" Miguel asked.

"Well if she did, she really wouldn't have anywhere else to go if her dad and her brother went to prison. And I doubt she would have the easiest time finding a job if everyone knew who her dad was. Family sometimes does give us a reputation whether or not we want it." Martin answered.

"That's true, I would know all too well about that." Miguel answered thinking about what his own father would do if it was true about Angela's dad.

Angela and Jezebel finally came back and the two of them didn't say another word the rest of class. When it was over, Miguel met Angela outside.

"Hey, I'm sorry about Jezebel. She's just…"

"Completely nuts and self-absorbed?" Angela finished.

"Yeah. I know people think that she and I are a thing but…"

"It's okay, no one thinks that. Anyone around here knows that a guy would have to be extremely desperate to be dating Jezebel." Angela joked. "Look, I'm sorry I missed rehearsals yesterday, I promise I'll be there today after school"

"It's okay, I know things must be really hard for you right now. But you're not alone, you've got some good friends here for you."

"Thanks." Angela said with her usual bright smile. "Guess I'll meet you at the theatre hall after school?"

"See you there Gabriella." Miguel joked waving good-bye as he turned to leave.

"Bye." Angela laughed.

After classes were over, Miguel headed straight for the theatre hall. When he got here, he quickly changed into his costume and met Angela on the stage.

"You'll do great." He whispered to her as the music started.

"Thanks Miguel." Angela giggled lightly.

The dress rehearsals went by so fast and Miguel thought he and Angela were doing so good as Troy and Gabriella. After rehearsals were done, Angela was just about to leave when Miguel asked if he could walk out with her. Angela accepted and they walked out the school building together.

"I still can't believe that you can sing so good and you have never been on stage before. How do you do it?" Miguel asked as they waited at the bus stop.

"Well, if you want to know, I have a secret." Angela said pulling out the string of beads. "This is why I can sing."

"Are messing with me?" Miguel teased.

"No, this is my good luck charm. I carry it with me all the time, it's how I'm able to sing without getting so nervous."

"Where did you get it? Did you make it when you were a kid?"

"No, my little sister did." Angela answered.

"I didn't know you had a sister."

"I don't anymore. I lost her the same day I lost my mom." Angela answered.

"I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. You know for the longest time I blamed myself because I wasn't with them when they died, but Ms. Roland was the one who helped me get through it." Angela answered staring at the beads in her hand. "She said that every child that dies goes straight to heaven to be with Jesus Christ. For the longest time, she taught me about being a Christian and sometimes I would even go to church with her if I could get past my dad. She was the one who helped me find peace through God. And now she's in heaven with that God who gave her so much peace and comfort through all her pains and trials."

"She sounds like she was wonderful friend." Miguel said putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah she was." Angela answered.

"So, when did your little sister give you that bead chain?" Miguel asked looking at the beads again.

"Well you see my sister, her name was Valentina, she had gotten into my jewelry case when I was seven and had broken one of my favorite necklaces. I put up a big fuss at her about it and a few minutes later she came back to me carrying this string of beads she had put together for me. She said she was so sorry for breaking my necklace. I felt so bad about how I treated her, it wasn't like the necklace she had broken but I liked this one even more than that because she had made it from the heart as a way to make up for what she did.

"But sadly, it was the last thing she ever gave me. Three days later, my mom was bringing her to come pick me up from school but they never made it. On their way to the school, another driver wasn't paying attention and sped out of an adjacent street just a block from my school and t-boned them on the driver's side. My mom died instantly and Valentina had to be air lifted to the hospital. Doctors did everything they could and she held on but after three days, she just couldn't hold on any more and she died in the hospital.

"I've held on to this ever since because it's the last thing I have of her. Every time I have to go and do something new or something that I know is going to freak me out, I have it with me to keep her close and it helps me think of what she would want me to do if she were there with me right now." Angela said as she rubbed the beads between her fingers.

"I'm so sorry, how old was she?" Miguel asked.

"She was four, and my older brother Josh had just turned ten." Angela answered. "Sometimes I want to forget how broken my family has been since then, but I'm afraid that if I do, then I'll forget my mom and Valentina too."

"You know, where I'm from, we mourn our departed by celebrating them on a day for the dead." Miguel said smiling at her.

"Yeah, I know, my Dad is from Mexico too and we celebrate the day of the dead every year. It's the one time of the year I can actually talk about Mom and my sister to him without him shutting me down." Angela answered as the bus pulled up.

"I wish there was something I could do to help." Miguel said as she climbed on.

"You already have, thanks for listening." Angela said as she got on and the bus drove off.

Miguel hailed a cab home and spent a good deal of time on his calculous homework. Not because it was hard, but because he couldn't stop thinking about all the stuff that he had learned about Angela that he was sure that not even Derek or Abbey knew about. From what he heard, it sounded like Angela's life was basically constantly throwing her a rock in a hard place. Like it was just always going from bad to worse. But he had to admit she was pretty strong to keep going the way she was. Not many in her position would be able to keep going like her with their backs straight and their eyes forward. That was definitely something to admire about her. As he thought about it, she was kind of like Ladybug in the regard. He suddenly found himself wishing that she was Ladybug. But then he thought it couldn't be her, but then again, how could know for sure?

Out of an impulse he wasn't sure where it came from, he texted Angela asking to meet him back stage before the performance the next day. Maybe he would ask her, but even if she was, would she really tell him.

After finally finishing his homework, he got ready for tomorrow and crawled in bed. As he drifted off, he once again found himself wondering what if Angela was Ladybug. But as quickly as he thought about it, he pushed it away.

The next day, Miguel nervously drummed his pen against his books all through his classes wondering how he was going to approach Angela about what was bugging him. But he also wondered if it would be a good idea considering all that she was going through with the death of Ms. Roland and their performance after school. Surely she was nervous enough, so maybe it wasn't the best time for him to confront her about something when she probably would have no idea what he was talking about. Yeah, he was going to have to rethink his meeting. As he was heading for the theatre hall, he noticed the 70's crafts club were selling dream-catcher necklaces. He bought one and prepared his new approach for his meeting with Angela. As she promised, she met him just before curtain call.

"Hey, glad you could make it." He said shaking her hand.

"Yeah, so what can I do for you?" she asked.

"I just wanted to tell you good luck and give you this." He said handing her the small metal dream-catcher on a long chain necklace.

"Wow, thanks." She said putting it around her neck.

"Yeah, dream-catchers for me have been pretty lucky and I thought maybe this would help you have good luck too."

Angela smiled as they went on stage and got into position for the first scene. The first few scenes of act one went along fine, but just as the final scene was about to start, everyone was called by the loud screaming coming from outside the auditorium. Suddenly, the doors flew open and someone yelled that there was a monster in the building. Immediately everyone started to panic and try to get out.

Angela managed to slip away back stage in the prop closet. Miguel chased her to get her out of the building. If this monster was another akuma, then she needed to get out, not hide. But just as he was about to open the door, he heard her talking to someone.

"Time to transform." She said. "Tikki, Spots On!" she said as flash of light enveloped her and Miguel watched in shock as she transformed into Ladybug.

Miguel hid behind the curtains on the stage and watched Ladybug then make her way into the hall.

"I can't believe it." Miguel said almost forgetting to breathe. "Angela's Ladybug."

"Well, now you know who your mask sweet heart is." Plagg said flying out of his breast pocket.

"In any case, she's gonna need our help." Miguel said holding up his ring. "Plagg! Claws Out!" he said transforming into Cat Negro and joining Ladybug up in the rafters.

"Good to see you already here mi senora." He grinned.

"Good to see you too." She answered. "What do you think they're running from?"

"Where is she!" they heard a loud shriek cry out through the halls as people started running faster.

Ladybug and Cat Negro turned around and saw what looked like a woman in modernized Shakspearian theatre clothes in a checkerboard pattern with a black and white mask on her face.

"Something tells me her." Cat Negro answered.

"Where is Angela Martinez!" the apparent new akuma shrieked again.

Cat Negro felt his heart skip a beat, this new akuma was after her. Now they really needed to stop this new villain.

"What do you say we help her exit stage left?" Cat Negro joked.

"Couldn't have said it better myself." Ladybug answered.

As the last of the people made it out, just as the akuma was about to make it out, Ladybug caught her with her yo-yo.

"Leaving so soon? But you haven't even given us your autograph yet." Ladybug laughed pulling her back.

"You will not stop me, none can stop Theatrica." She declared. "And I will find the one who stole the role that was always meant to be mine. She wasn't fit to even be an understudy."

"We'll see about that." Cat Negro declared coming from behind.

"Cat Negro, her theatre mask, that's got to be where the akuma is." Ladybug said eyeing the happy and sad faced mask on her hair dressing.

"Lo tengo mi senora." Cat Negro answered.

"Nice try." Theatrica said twisting Ladybug into Cat Negro.

Ladybug landed against Cat Negro and the two of them ended up in a tangled heap on the floor. Cat Negro managed to untangle himself from her but then he just got that flirtatious grin on his face again and Ladybug gave him a gentle shove off her.

"Look at you two, the perfect theatre couple." Theatrica said heading for the door. "Wish I could stay to see how this scene ends, but I have a wanna-be that needs to be taught her place." She said as her masks suddenly began to float around her. In a flash of light, her appearance changed to look just like Abbey.

Long black hair in two ponytail with the black glasses and her gothic outfit. The only thing that made it obvious that it was her was the masks that came to rest on her hand bag.

"Exit, Stage left." She said disappearing in the crowd.

"Well we know what she can do now." Cat Negro said helping Ladybug up.

"Yeah, but we also know that we can still her apart from anyone she may change into." She said grabbing her yo-yo. "No matter who she changes into, those masks will have to be somewhere on her disguise."

"So if we find the masks, we'll find her. Buen pensamiento mi senora." Cat Negro said following her out the door.

Ladybug and Cat Negro made their way onto the roof and scanned the crowd for anyone who was carrying the Theatrica's masks.

"Over there!" Ladybug said pointing to a man in a black suit with the masks hiding on his brief case.

Ladybug and Cat Negro landed in front of him as he tried to run away. Theatrica changed to herself and her masks did their dance again. When the flash dissipated, he saw one Ladybug had a hold on another.

"Cat Negro help me." The Ladybug being held said acting like she was trying to get free.

"No Cat Negro, it's me, Ladybug." The other Ladybug pleaded.

"No, I'm the real Ladybug."

Cat Negro was confused, how could he know for sure which was the real one. But then he got an idea and he had a plan. He used his staff to push the Ladybug who was holding the other back and then pulled other one closer to him.

"I've got you mi senora." He purred at her.

"Thank you." She said moving to kiss him, but then Cat Negro got a hold of the masks behind her back and threw them to Ladybug, who was heaving a sigh of relief.

"How did you,"

"Ladybug would never have tried to make the first move like that." Cat Negro said with his triumphant grin. "That's my job."

Ladybug rolled her eyes and then smashed the masks on the ground, releasing the akuma. After the akuma was purified, she was able to repair all the damage Theatrica caused with her yo-yo. And Theatrica was changed back to her true self, Teresa who had pitched a royal fit when Angela was given the role of Gabriella instead of her.

"Olé!" they cheered together.

Cat Negro watched as Ladybug disappeared inside the school again. He ducked behind one of the buildings across the street and de-transformed.

"So, going to tell Angela that you know she's Ladybug?" Plagg pushed as he plopped into Miguel's hands.

"No, she trusts me to keep our identities a secret, so it's best that I not tell her I know." Miguel said resting Plagg in his shirt pocket. "Besides, she has enough on her mind right now with everything else that she's going through. I don't need to freak her out even more letting her know that I know she's Ladybug."

"So you're just going to act like nothing has changed?" Plagg pushed again.

"I didn't say that. Now that I know who she is, I know who I can really ask to be mi senora." Miguel answered.

"So you're going to ask her out?"

"Si. As Cat Negro, I'm sure she won't be interested, but at least I know that she really does like me, at least part of me. So even if she pushes me away when we're Ladybug and Cat Negro, I know she'll still want to be with me as Miguel."

"Love is so weird." Plagg said disappearing into Miguel's pocket.

Later at home, after receiving the message how the play was being pushed back to the next week, Miguel spent some time rehearsing his songs and his lines. But he was still pretty shocked that he now knew who Ladybug really was. But now that he thought about it, it did make perfect sense that Angela was Ladybug. Now that he really compared the two, he could see how Angela was kind of everything that Ladybug was. She was honest, brave, sincere, smart, and she wasn't afraid to say what she was thinking. All those things he loved about Ladybug, he had loved about Angela.

The whole thing continued to rattle his mind even when he went to bed. Miguel had the hardest time falling asleep that night.