Chapter Seven: Don't Go, I'll Shoot You Down
Sitting in the passenger's seat of Brian Krakow's car had become Angela's unintentional hide-out, the place she went whenever Jordan had rejected her, which seemed to happening more and more often. As her thoughts delved into what she had not done right, Brian was busy contemplating his next move.
Angela. The windows were half down, picking up just enough breeze to draw more attention to Angela, who was already piquant in Brian's mind anyway. Even though he knew that their times together were so fleeting, evanescent, and often interrupted by Jordan Catalano, Brian was fully captured by her.
He turned to look at her ever so slightly, noticing the corners of her mouth pointing down almost unnoticeably, but Brian always noticed the little things. He thought about a way to make her feel better, to lighten the mood.
"So, are you like… still in love?"
"That's a really cruel question Brian." Angela answered back.
"I'm sorry but … whatever Jordan said to you it was--"
"Everything between us is fine. People in love need their space sometimes and Jordan needed to be away from me." Angela explained, playing with her mood ring. For some reason it got her thinking about soccer boy.
She briefly wondered if he would've acted like Jordan did tonight. Angela imagined what he would've said to her and everything until she felt light fingertips on her hand. If he were in Jordan's shoes, he'd never want to leave her alone again.
"Brian. What are you doing?"
"Sorry. I was like ch-checking to see if--"
"It's fine. Just don't touch me again." Angela demanded, becoming even more refulgent, radiant and irresistible to Brian even through her hostility.
She reached for the radio station, to get her mind off of Brian's weirdness, contemplating between a Goo-Goo Dolls song and "Always Forever." Tough choice. Once Angela decided that "Name" was more befitting to her mood than another love song, the car had already come to a halt.
"Why'd you like stop? Is something wrong with the car?" She panicked. Angela knew nothing about cars and Brian Krakow wasn't exactly the type of guy who knew how to do anything except read books and write papers.
"Umm … yeah…" Brian turned to face Angela. Now was his chance. He would catch her off guard. With no distractions, Angela Chase would finally let him tell her how he felt about her, how his feelings had grown astronomically since he wrote the poem.
All he could smell was apples, fresh untouched apples that called to him every time Angela was near.
"Well?"
"Yeah, right…" He shifted until Brian's mouth was met with Angela's red, succulent lips. He clutched onto her body awkwardly to stop her from immediately pulling away and curtailing their embrace.
When Brian pulled away, Angela looked at him with disgust in her eyes.
"Are you like totally crazy Brian Krakow?" She yelled, vehemently and overtly upset. Angela jumped out of the car instantly.
"No. I'm not." Brian slammed his car door afterwards fiddling with the keys and making sure that the doors were locked. "A-Angela. Please."
"Don't you get that I'm in love with Jordan Catalano? And he like totally loves me and … we just don't have anything in common Brian. I thought you were okay with like being a friend." Angela rambled on. "God, now that you're being all weird I don't have anybody …like … not Rayanne or Ricky or Sharon--"
"I-I just wanted to like know what it would feel like … I've never seen people who are like in love and act like you and Jordan."
"What would you know about relationships? Have you like ever had a real one?" She challenged as Brian looked down, ashamed. He was happy to have his curly blonde locks to hide behind. "P-Please let me take you home and I promise not to cross the line." He studied the grass as the words were said.
"Just know if I had any other option … I'd tell you to go away." Angela argued, walking paces ahead of him back to the car. Brian touched the bottom of his lips, heat still permeating through his body from that kiss.
Angela Chase called Jordan Catalano as soon as she got home that night, but it was in vain. He didn't answer, not the first time second or third. By the fourth, Angela was just looking desperate.
"Would you just answer it already?" The woman from earlier asked, annoyed.
"No." Jordan turned away from the phone and pulled on his pants. "I'm leaving…"
"No you're not." The woman argued back, tossing a wad of cash at him. "I'll pay you double that to stay the whole night." She offered.
Jordan brushed his long, unkempt hair out of his face thinking about his options. There was nothing to think about. This money would get him closer to getting out of his parent's house. Then he could get in his car, travel with the band going wherever the music took him.
"Well?" The woman sat up, the sheet falling off her in all the wrong places.
Jordan took in a deep breath, asked for a hit and shook any feelings of guilt off. He didn't even let himself think about Angela or what this would do to her. He had to think about what he was doing this for. Freedom … freedom from violence, restraint and being told he was too stupid to ever become anything.
"I'll do whatever you want." He breathed in the low, monotone voice that seemed to drive all of the women crazy. In a hazy slumber, he climbed back into bed with the middle-aged woman, determined to make it through the night.
"Angela … can you let me in?" Danielle asked, barging into Angela's room before she could complain. It wasn't like she was doing anything. She was just staring at the ceiling, trying to figure out why Jordan had bailed on her when last night was supposed to be the night.
That's what all guys wanted, even her kid sister knew it … but Jordan was just so … enigmatic. Angela felt like she understood him, but he always did something to surprise her. His mood changed in an instant and she was usually left to wonder if it was her fault.
"Earth to Angela."
"I didn't say you could come in."
"Well, for one, that Sharon girl is waiting downstairs, but I want to ask you something first." Danielle began, thrilled to have someone pay attention to her for more than two minutes.
"Ask and be like quick about it."
"Okay… do you think Brian likes me? If so, what should I do next? What if he doesn't like me? Should I just like--"
"Whatever." Angela shrugged. Thinking about Brian Krakow at this moment made her skin crawl. She hadn't even thought about the kiss until just now, but it was a fleeting thought. What was Sharon doing here?
"So, maybe I should dress like really sexy and then make out with him and--"
"Yeah. All of the above. Go like … as far as you have to." Angela muttered, running down the stairs to Sharon to see that her chestnut brown hair was a mess. That was not like Sharon at all.
"What are you doing here?"
"Angela. It's great to see you." She hugged her once best friend as Angela stiffened. They hadn't seen each other since that chance meeting after Jordan's performance a few months ago.
"Why are you here?"
"I wanted to invite you over to my house. I'm totally having a sleepover and--"
"Don't you like have other friends?"
"Angela…" Sharon searched for a way to seem sincere. "I really like want you to be there. It's going to be on Thursday and my mom's going to be out of town so--"
"There'll be boys. You want me to invite Jordan."
"Sure." Sharon smiled, but Angela could see that she wasn't telling the entire truth.
"Okay … why don't you stay over for dinner tonight?"
"Can't. Bobby's expecting me and … he totally loves me. He said it and everything." Rather than seeing happiness in Sharon's eyes, Angela saw terror, pure fear. It made her want to reach out and make Sharon stay, but she let her go.
By Tuesday morning Angela was dragging her feet down the hallway. Jordan had ditched school completely yesterday and so far today, she hadn't seen him at all. The only good thing about today was that she would get to see soccer boy, but even that felt underwhelming.
Angela thought about the promise she made to Jordan. That was the only thing that had really changed between them and it made her wonder … did she push him away by seeming to eager? Too compliant?
She deemed it useless and opened her locker. Even if she was going to ditch Mr. Dummier's class again today, she still had to get her book out of the locker. When she did, an avalanche of books followed.
Apparently, she had stuffed everything imaginable in the small cubby. As Angela bent down to gather up her things and stuff them back where they were, she could hear the other kids pointing and laughing at her expense.
She just tried to hurry up, but wasn't quick enough to avoid Sharon Cherjeski. She crouched down beside Angela, piling as much stuff as she could into her hands before putting them back into the locker.
"You don't have to help."
"Angela you don't have to be so hostile." Sharon smiled. "I was thinking that we could go to the store today, together. My mom let me borrow the car and Bobby's football practice lasts until six tonight."
"What about cheerleading?"
"I quit."
"Since when?" Angela wondered, skeptically.
"Today. And I like really need someone to not judge me about it." Sharon responded, smiling once again when she noticed a small, neatly folded piece of paper hanging out of her locker.
"Looks like you have a secret admirer." Angela rolled her eyes and dumped the other things back into the cubby before slamming it.
"Let me see that."
"No." Sharon grinned, rushing down the hallway while opening the note.
"Dear Angela…" She began. "I've been noticing you noticing me lately and I think that you are really … cool."
"Blah blah blah … he thinks you're beautiful. Loves your red hair and…" She read out loud until Angela caught up with her and the two of them went tumbling down in the hallway.
"Ouch Angela!" Sharon screamed, tossing the letter back at her. Angela skimmed over it quickly … "I didn't know you were into soccer …."
"Oh my God." She whispered. It was soccer boy. He knew.
"Do you know him?"
"No." Angela scanned the hallway for blonde locks, but the only ones she saw belonged to a very intrusive Brian Krakow who was offering to help her off the floor. "Thanks."
Brian smiled looking up at Angela and wondering if she would notice that he was different. He was. That kiss had done something to him. It made his fantasy seem feasible and Angela completely attainable.
He stood staring at Angela who was staring back as Sharon interrupted their intense gaze. "Am I interrupting something?" She stood in between the duo, staring at Angela.
"See you later Brian. Angela waved him off as Sharon followed her down the hallway.
"Seriously Sharon, what's like going on?" She stopped to look at her. "You haven't talked to me in months and now you're following me around."
"Have you thought about that party yet?"
"No, but … if I go will you tell me what's really going on?" Angela asked as Sharon nodded. She had been waiting for that, to tell someone, to get rid of it.
Brian held the original copy of the poem he had written to Angela. He had to figure out a way to reach her. He had to …
"Hey Rayanne!" He yelled once he saw her walking down the school hallway, a rare occurrence for her.
"Oh. Brian." She smiled, seeming to elongate each word as though there was some hidden meaning that only she seemed to know. "What's shakin'?" She tugged on her shirt to reveal and exposed shoulder.
Brian fought to stay focused and to not stare too long. But Rayanne always had a way of making any and every guy interested in her by very small almost non-existent maneuvers.
"Umm … like … I need girl advice." He cleared his throat.
"I'm busy Krakow." She started to turn away, losing interest.
"I'll pay you!" He yelled, pulling out his wallet and handing her a twenty.
"Thanks." Rayanne grinned, tucking the bill into her bra. "So … go ahead."
"Okay … um … I like this girl and I want her to like me back but … I like … she's in love with someone else--"
"Is it Angela? You're finally going to tell her that you love her."
"How do you know?"
"I did hear about the letter Brian." Rayanne smiled. "Someone's gotten gutsy. And I like … think I know how I can help you … but you have to trust me and like … tell her."
"Okay. I trust you."
(A/N: I have the next chapter almost completely done! I'm writing both this and I Shouldn't Still Love You at the same time and I hope to be done with them within 3 chapters [or so] each. I love feedback, so tell me what you think. Luv. --NL)