Chapter 11. I've calculated that I need up through chapter 15 before I leave. :P Okey dokey, here ya go and please enjoy it. Sorry if the chapters get shorter… -attempts excuses-

Miranda (Rabid Renthead): Katy will be back Friday, I think, so there will be a chapter up every other day until then, if I've done my math right :P

Disclaimer: Same as always, I don't own RENT.
--Stop Getting Sick/Beat Up--

-Angel's POV-

I sit on the wall in front of the school where I had been talking to April, doodling in my sketchbook at lunchtime. That was just… a week ago, wasn't it? Well today Collins wasn't here. I guess he was sick today. I'll have to go visit him after school, and take him the homework. I look proudly at my work- a little cartoon of me and Collins. The first picture is us walking, the second holding hands, and the third kissing. I hear someone walk up behind me, and think nothing of it until they start laughing at my drawings.

"So the fag's an artist too!" The next few seconds are a blur… a shove, and I'm on the ground. There must be more than just one person- I can hear them laughing as he kicks me in the stomach. They're yelling, and I try to block it out…

"What the hell- Leave him alone!" A voice I recognize suddenly shouts, the body attached to the voice punches my assailants and chases them away. Who… I have to smile. Roger.

"Rog… thanks. You saved me." I cough and hold my side- that really hurt! Roger helps me up, picking up my stuff and brushing the dirt off of my recently-finished doodles.

"Shit, Angel. What were you thinking, being out here alone- half the school would beat you up like that, given the chance. Here, let's take you to the nurse." We walk to the nurse's office and she groans when I walk in.

"I suppose it was inevitable, right? If you weren't so different…" She starts muttering under her breath about how dangerous it is for kids these days. She puts some antiseptic on my cuts and scrapes, and fixes me up with bandages. I smile at her thankfully. "Try not to get beat up again, sweetie."

"Thank you." I say, and walk to chemistry. I'm just a little late, but I have a pass from the nurse. Our teacher looks at me and there's an awkward moment. Several people in the class smirk at me, conveying the thought 'yeah, you deserved it.'

When my day is finally over, I sigh with relief. I walk to Collins' locker, with Roger and Mark for bodyguards. We get his books and homework, and I thank them for helping me. Once we're a few blocks away from school they go their own ways and I turn to go to Collins' house. Seeing him will make my day all better.

-Collins' POV-

Today was a stupid day. My mom came in to wake me up, and I started coughing the second I tried to get out of bed. She took my temperature and said I had a fever. So I've spent the whole day in bed doing nothing but eat chicken soup and read Plato. He's not my favorite, but he's okay for killing boredom.

Suddenly it strikes me- how am I going to get my homework? As if to answer my question, the doorbell rings. I listen carefully and can hear my mom talking to someone, saying "come in," and then soon footsteps on the stairs.

"Collins I swear if you don't stop getting sick- I'm going to… Fuck, my threats always sound better in my head. Now I can't go through with what I was going to say." Angel sits on my bed and gives me a quick kiss on the forehead. "Hey honey. I mean it- stop getting sick."

"Sorry Ang. I have no control over whether I get sick or not. And you know you could never threaten me." I smile up at him… then notice a bandage on his forehead. "What happened to you?"

"Someone attacked me at lunch. I was stupid enough to be sitting outside, alone." He sighs. "But Roger came to the rescue and took me to the nurse. He and Mark insisted on escorting me everywhere after that."

"Are you okay? Did you see who it was?"

"A few people, and I didn't see who it was. The bastard snuck up on me. I did draw this adorable picture though!" He shows me the sketchpad, and I laugh. It's a wonderful cartoon.

"Ang, that's amazing!" I squeeze his hand, and he laughs too.

"Well apparently someone didn't like it, because they commented before beating me up. Well, I brought your homework too." He dumps a stack of books and papers onto the bed, and I groan. How do we get that much work in one day?

"I don't want to do it!" I whine. Angel sighs again.

"Fine. I'll stay and help you with it. Help. Not do it for you." He gets out his own homework, sitting on the floor. We both work in silence for a few minutes (silence because I'm working on math).

"Hey Ang? Remember at Roger's party… how you were all dressed up and stuff… I really liked it."

"Really?" He looks at me incredulously.

"Yeah. You in a skirt… such a turn-on!" I laugh, and he jumps up on top of me in mock-annoyance.

"Is that it? All you teenage boys can think about is sex, isn't it?"

"Aren't you a teenage boy too?" I raise an eyebrow. "Either that or you aren't telling me something." We both laugh.

"Not when I'm in a skirt, I'm not!" He looks at me defiantly. "Besides, I'm more girly than you'll ever be."

"Yeah. You're right. I give up! You win." I raise my hands in defeat. "You can be a girl from now on. So does that mean we aren't gay anymore?" I try my best to sound absolutely crushed.

"Hmmm… I really don't know. I guess we still are, technically." He smiles suddenly. "Ooh does that mean I can wear my sparkly-pants to school now?"

"Angel, I think you can do anything you want as long as you don't get beat up."

"Okay- here's our deal. You stop getting sick, and I'll stop getting beat up, okey dokey?"

"Wonderful. What if I get sick again?"

"Hmm… then I'll do this." He kisses the back of my hand, and I laugh.

"Why would you do that because I'm sick?"

"Because I want to! Why else would I be kissing you, if I didn't want to? That's just silly."

After a while Angel stands up, saying he promised to have "family dinner" tonight. So we say goodbye, and he leaves. I can't help but think today wasn't so bad after all.

:D SQUEE enjoy this as much as I did? I hope so! Please review, because your reviews are my life! Even though I won't be here to read them for like 2 weeks… Oh well who cares! REVIEW ANYWAY or I won't love you anymore. -pouts-