Hearts We Mend To Break (Book I)

.2.

**WARNING** This chapter contains drug use, violence, and mature language

💫ANGEL💫

"I'M SO CONFUSED, ANGEL." Lee spoke over the phone as she multitasked around her house. I could hear shuffling and banging of pots in the background.

"Confused about what?"

"I thought you left to become a new version of yourself."

"Did." I sighed, pausing my game.

"Seems like the only good that's coming out of it is that you're sober. Why haven't you started meeting new people, exploring the city, making new friends? You know, the normal things a twenty-year-old college student does?"

"I don't know. Just not feeling up to it. And I'm not sober. I still smoke. I just let go of alcohol and that other crap."

"I say you go knock on the purple-headed neighbor's door and ask her to show you around." Of course I made the mistake of oversharing about my day to day with her. And, of course, she was going to remind me why I regretted it.

"I say you mind your business and worry about yourself. What are you getting into this weekend?"

"Nope! Don't change the subject. Go talk to her."

"Lee, why don't you go talk to her? I'm good on that. I'm focusing on school right now."

"Please! A dude like you doesn't even need college. I mean unless you're going to be a doctor or something."

"I need school. I need this."

"You need to get laid."

"Lee." I laughed.

In the middle of our conversation, there was a gentle knock at my door. I hesitated a bit, unsure who could be on the other side. I didn't order any food and surely wasn't expecting anyone. Rummaging through my memory of the day, I tried to recall any moment that would bring someone to my door at this time of night. Before I could finish my thought, the same gentle knock sounded off like a muffled alarm whose purpose was to awaken me from my useless daydream.

"Shit. Someone's at my door. Call you back." I quickly hung up on Lee as I rushed to the door. Opening the door without asking who was there, I was bum rushed by the lavender-haired monster of a neighbor. "What the fuck?"

"Shhh." She slammed the door behind herself, pushing her back up against the door as if someone was going to come in behind her. Looking at her, she was frantic, afraid even. She breathed in so deeply, sucking in all of the fresh air in my apartment. Tears were rolling down her cheeks, and she smelled of gin, smoke, and bad decisions. I wanted to kick her out the moment she slammed the door, but she needed help. Even an ignorant jerk like myself could see that.

"What?" I finally asked.

"He's following me. I knew I shouldn't have talked to this freaking loser. He followed me home. Oh my gosh! That means now he'll always know where I live? He's going to kill me." Frantically panting, she melted to the floor, hair messy, makeup running, clothes ripped. She was in serious trouble.

"Slow down on the dramatics. What happened?"

"I was fooling around at these parties. They were like exclusive, invite-only type of parties. There were these guys that were kind of big time. I knew they were trouble, and I avoided them. But tonight, I talked to one. Everything was going fine until he started asking weird questions. So, I bailed. I stayed and partied with my friends for a bit. It wasn't until I decided to walk the two blocks home that I realized I wasn't on my path alone. He followed me home."