Treat You Better

Chapter Forty-nine: The Truth and More.

Chapter Forty-nine: The Truth and More.

Annie and Susan were mad at me.
I understood their anger since I'd basically ignored their calls and effort to check on me for two days which honestly wasn't the best idea I'd ever had.

Sure, I had everyone in school wishing me well, saying they were glad I was back in good health and there were all the stickers and letters pasted on my locker, but that didn't change the fact Angelo didn't show up at all and that I spent lunch break surrounded by people who called me "Vi" because Susan and Annie were busy using their breaks for "other stuff".

It really sucked, but I couldn't spend all night worrying about that when I had a test to study for.

Moo was sprawled across my laptop, while I jotted down notes, humming along to Chicago by MJ, the volume of my headphones just right.

I probably won't have noticed the odd sound if Moo didn't suddenly roll over and face my window at high alert.

"Moo?" I asked, watching her stay still. I immediately became too afraid to move too, but I slowly took off my headphones. Then I heard what she was hearing.

It was a clacking sound from outside and it occurred about every ten seconds, each time making me jump out of my skin. Moo let out a curious sound, leaping off the table to jump onto the window sill.

"Wait!" I whispered, trying not to panic. It was literally midnight and pitch black outside, what could possibly be doing that?

Moo yowled and jumped off the sill when it happened again and I noticed the clacking sound was from something hitting the glass. Pebbles.

"I think someone's outside." I whispered, heart in my mouth as I dared to inch closer to the window and peek out into the night. What if Hale was up to something or...

The light outside my house was on to my relief, which made it easy to see a head full of golden hair all the way downstairs in my yard.

"Angelo." I gasped and immediately opened my window, letting cool air flood my room the same way a plethora of emotions all entangled with relief coursed though my body. "What are you doing here?!" I whispered.
It took me all I had to not burst into profuse tears and apologies to try to make up for basically kicking him out of my life for a while, but I held it together and concentrated on not falling out my window with joy.

He looked up and waved before putting his phone in his pocket and I realized he had probably tried to text me to come out. But I was too scared to open the previous messages he'd sent. Besides, my phone was on do-not-disturb mode because I was studying.

"I got some news to share!" He replied and whatever it was had to be good because there was something rather energetic about him tonight.

"News? It's the middle of the night, you know?" I chuckled lightly, rubbing my bare arms from the chill before realizing he was probably cold too.

"But it's too good to wait." He said.

"I'm coming downstairs." I told him and closed my window before grabbing a sweater jacket and pulling it on. "Come on, Moo."

Together we hurried downstairs as quietly as possible so we wouldn't wake Dad up and I made sure to skip creaky floorboards too.

"Angelo?" I called softly, after opening the front door and stepping out onto the porch in socks and a pair of three-quarter shorts with frilly hems.

Moo called at him too as he walked up the porch stairs and even tripped on the last one.

"Whoa, are you okay?" I asked, going to hold his arms as he gained his balance.