THE REAL ILLUSORY

Chapter 14

After a long sleep she woke up to the sound of her phone ringing. She sat up straight, placed her face on her palm and said "Wow how long did I sleep". She picked up her phone from the couch where she sat and quickly answered the phone
"Hello Katie"  she said.
"Yeah I know"
"Sorry I was asleep"
"He didn't say much, he just got upset and walked upstairs and I slept on the couch"
"Don't overthink it's nothing"
"Alright we'll talk later"
"Yeah, Bye".

She ended the call and thought to herself "I really messed up, I should go talk to him". Before she got up from the couch she decided to go through her phone. She saw a lot of messages from her boss Dr. Richard checking to see if she was okay and then she saw two messages from Angel.

"Hey"
"Are you there?" .  She smiled and then replied "Yes I'm here".

"Are you avoiding me?" Angel asked.
"No I'm not, I had guest at home so it was a busy day for me"
"Oh family?" He asked.
"More like friends and coworkers" she replied.
"Oh okay, I missed you". The message was odd coming from someone who she hasn't seen before, she doesn't even know who he is.

" how can you miss someone you just started talking to?" She asked.
"You'll be surprised" he replied.
"It's still funny to me that I'm right here texting a total stranger".

"You'll get to know me soon enough " he said. Nicole stared at her phone trying to figure out who she could be texting "Is this a prank? Is Kate trying to prank me?" She asked herself.
"So I want to know you" Angel said.
"Over text?" Nicole asked.
"Yes" he replied.

"So what do you want to know?" Nicole asked.

"What makes you live?"

Nicole raised her eyebrows because she didn't expect the question and it was a very odd question. She laid down on the couch again as her conversation with Angel was getting deep.
"Aside from the fact that I breathe?" She asked.

"Yeah, what do you live for?" He asked.

"I think the love I have for my boyfriend, my friends, family and my job. My love for these people gives me purpose and a reason to live".

"Wow that's great" Angel said.

"So what do you live for?" She asked him.

"For the pain, the pleasure and the lust for life".

"Wow"

"Everyone wants to be happy and get everything they want but that's not living to me. I love when life throws challenges at me so I live for the pain. I want to enjoy life while I can, I do not shy away from the pleasures of life. I want it, I want it all."

"Wow....." she replied.

"I'm sorry it was too much...."

"No it's okay.....you just remind me of someone that's all" Nicole said.

"Who?" He asked.

Nicole glanced at the time and said "Oh wow it's really late"

"That's a story for another day I have to go to bed now".

"Don't go please stay with me" Angel replied.

"I have to, it's 2am....I need to sleep"

Nicole wanted to go to sleep but a part of her didn't want to leave him. She felt pity for him.

"Babe?".....Mark called her name as he walked down the stairs in his blue shorts and Nike tshirt with a pair of glasses on. "What are you doing?" He asked. "Oh nothing I was about to come to bed" she replied. He stretched out his arms and she walked to him and gave him a big hug. "I'm sorry about dinner" he said. "No I'm sorry" she replied.  Mark kissed her on her forehead and walked with her to bed.