His Little Devil

{36} Introducing Miss McKlay 2.0

~Angel~

River presses a soft kiss to the corner of my lips before storming out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

I put a hand to my mouth and slide down the wall as silent tears roll down my cheeks.

"Jayden Tyler Paris, do not knock on that door. Leave your sister alone and go get ice cream with your father or something!" I hear mom shouting in the hallway.

"Mom, I'm not five!" Jayden whines.

"You're right. You're not five, you're six!" She shoots at him. "Now step away from that door before I get the chancla!"

I hear Jayden's rushed footsteps as he literally runs away from my door.

"Dad, let's go get some ice cream." He yells. "And maybe 75 tubs of Cookies & Cream ice cream for Angel!"

"Jay, stop pulling my arm before you rip it off!" Dad shouts as I hear the front door open then shut.

Almost immediately, my bedroom door is thrown open and mom is enveloping me in one of her infamous hugs.

"Aw, cariño, are you alright?" She asks, stroking my hair as she hugs me tightly. "Actually, don't answer that. You're not alright, nor are you okay. I don't even know why I asked."

Usually I would have laughed, but right now I just couldn't bring myself to burst into chuckles like I usually would have.

"Angel..." Mom trails off quietly. "You still haven't told him?"

I sniffle as I look up at her. "You heard us?"

"Angel, the whole house heard." She tells make, still stroking my hair. "Why do you think Jayden dragged your father out to buy 75 tubs of Cookies & Cream ice cream for you?"

"Mommy, I don't know what to do!" I cry into her neck.

"Sweetheart, I know you're afraid to get in a relationship after what happened with he-who-shall-not-be-named," mom starts. "But can you please tell me exactly what's holding you back from being with River?"

"I just don't want to get hurt again." I tell her, sniffling.

"Emotionally or physically?"

That question makes me freeze.

"Mom, I-I, BOTH!" I cry as mom holds me tighter.

"River is not Will."

"I know that." I state. "And I know that River would never hurt me. But there's this one part of me that will always be afraid."

"I don't think you're afraid of getting hurt." Mom speaks up, making me look up at her in shock.

"What?"

"I think you're afraid of not being good enough for him."

"Mom,"

"You're afraid because you want him to have that best. You're afraid because you don't want him to have a broken girlfriend. You're afraid because you love him."

"That's not true." I say, shaking my head.

"It's true and you know it."

It is true.

I know.

"Mamá, I do love him!" I exclaim truthfully. "But I just--not after Will."

"Cariño, the boy is head over heels for you. He will love you no matter how broken you are."

"He doesn't love me."

"Yes, he does. He told you he does."

I don't say anything.

"Angel," mom starts. "Will was the past. River is the present. And the future? Well, that depends on whether you go to River or not."

Ladies and gentlemen, introducing Miss McKlay 2.0!

*~*

Despite the fact that there was a thunder storm, I still snuck out of my window barefoot in a pair of Nike pros and River's hoodie.

I climb up the gutter and stand on the balcony before walking over to the sliding door.

I tap on it a few times.

Moments later, that curtain is drawn open and there stands River in his boxers.

His eyes widen a fraction when he sees me standing on his balcony in the middle of the night, soaking wet before he slides the door.

"Angel, wha-"

I cut him off by grabbing his face and connecting my lips to his.