“You alright?” Ed asked, raising an eyebrow in concern.
Angel tried to take a step forward, but ended up tripping over her own feet, stumbling and having to lean on the bar’s small stage for support.
“Yes. No. Yes,” she stammered.
Ed laughed. “Well, which is it? Yes or no?” he quizzed.
“Ye-sssss,” Angel assured him, drawing out the word and glancing to the side. She couldn’t look him in the eyes. She just couldn’t.
He cleared his throat. “Okay then. I’m Ed. What do you call yourself?”
Suddenly, Angel felt incredibly embarrassed of her name. “Angel,” she said quietly, this time eying the floor.
“Angel,” Ed repeated, under his breath. He wasn’t surprised that she’d taken on that identifier. She looked like one. Sure, she also looked like she hadn’t had a decent meal or place to go in a while, but Angel was still absolutely stunning.
“Well, Angel, do you have anywhere to be tonight? I’ve been couch surfing, and I know this probably isn’t the best offer you’ve received, but I’m staying with some friends I met the other week-“
Ed was interrupted by a fuming Angel. How dare he? He was just like the rest of them. He was asking her over. He was a musician, and he probably thought he could have any girl he wanted…for free. Yuck.
Angel instantly was hit by the overwhelming need to get high. Her body started twitching and all she could hear was a shrieking noise inside her head. She couldn’t wait. She’d never gone so long without it before.
“Just-just-fuck off!” she cried before sprinting toward the abandoned bar bathroom and slamming the door behind her.
Ed sighed. “Wow mate, you struck out, huh?” asked Alex, one of the friends Ed was crashing with. Alex had been watching the conversation sneakily from behind the large menu board.
“I guess. I don’t think I was overly forward-I didn’t even get the chance to finish explaining myself. It just looked like she maybe needed a shower and something to eat, so I thought I’d invite her to come with us,” Ed spilled as he snapped his guitar case shut.
Alex shook his head and smiled. “You’re too nice a guy, Ed. She’ll be okay. Let’s find Charlie and get outta here.”
Ed just nodded in response and soon left the bar. He found himself looking back at the beat up wood door the entire time, hoping that Angel would come rushing out.
But she didn’t.
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