A Tale of Wild Roses [ROUGH DRAFT]

Chapter 30

Oliver Adams had no idea what to think of Angel coming back to school after days of being absent, and beating up Adrienne all in the same day. That surely wasn't on his bingo card for the year.

Angel wouldn't have beaten him up if Angel was okay with Adrienne kissing him, right? Oliver had jumped to conclusions so fast, and he felt immensely guilty. Angel never said anything after his initial confession. Oliver didn't give him any time to explain, and the look on his face was ingrained in their brain. He looked so upset.

Oliver wanted to call Teddy so badly to talk to him about it, but they weren't talking. He rolled around in bed, trying to fall asleep. It was technically the weekend, but they didn't want to mess up their school schedule immensely. He reluctantly thought about texting Teddy. He would be up by now. It was pretty late, but maybe he'd be up. If he couldn't fix things with Angel, then maybe he could start by making amends with his best friend.

Oliver

Can we talk?

Teddy

Yeah

Oliver

I'm sorry I never texted y'all

Teddy

I'm sorry I lied

Oliver

Well...that was easier than I

thought it would be-

Teddy

Guess we're not that good

at being mad with each other

Oliver

Guess not 😭

Teddy

I really thought you didn't like

us anymore or smth

Oliver

I'm sorry

I just thought you guys didn't care

Teddy

Welp-

Oliver

Let's call later today if all of us are free

We can have a much needed updates session

Teddy

Sounds good

I'll let them know

***

Angel felt like his entire future was crumbling before his very own eyes when the principal suspended him for two weeks. Luckily, Adrienne got the same treatment. After they both got a long lecture about school fights, they waited in the office for their parents to show up. All Angel could think about was his tainted college applications. When he punched Adrienne, he wasn't thinking long term.

He just wanted to beat Adrienne at his own game for once, and take him down. All the pent up anger and sadness he had fueled his every move. He just felt deflated while he was in the office. Was it really worth it? Angel's parents would be so pissed, he was definitely getting grounded. To his surprise, Adrienne spoke up. "I'm going to get better." Angel wasn't sure if he was saying that to himself or what, but he doubted he'd keep that promise regardless. "Angel, I'll do better." He shrugged in response. "Is that supposed to be an apology for the irreparable damage you've caused?"

Adrienne looked at him, wide eyed. A bruise was already forming on the bridge of his nose, probably from the tumble he took when Angel punched him. Angel avoided eye contact, and focussed on a poster across the wall. Their school motto in big bold letters. "Give your kindness to others, expect the same back." That truly felt ironic at the time.

When his parents showed up and dragged him to the car, they were surprisingly quiet the whole ride. They wouldn't say a word, which was actually more scary. It had to mean that they were extremely disappointed, like they had never been before. Angel slouched in the back seat, hating every painful silent second.

He rushed out of the car, hoping to get to his room before they said anything. To his surprise, he was successful. His parents didn't even come after him. They had both left work early so they could pick him up, but not reprimand him? There was no way they wouldn't say anything.

Now, it was late into the night and he couldn't sleep. Everything was so extremely wrong. Angel was worried about anything and everything. Falling further behind in classes. Missing keystone practices. Wondering what all his friends thought of him. Worried about having to see Adrienne in school when he got back. What his parents would say. Although he didn't have to worry much longer about that last one.

His mom opened his door ever so slightly that at first he didn't notice. Then she whispered his name and asked if he was awake. "Yeah," he said apprehensively. "Come to the living room, please." It was time to talk about his suspension, and he knew it. "Okay."

He got out of bed slowly, wanting to put it off for as long as possible. Then he shuffled towards the living room and sat on the couch with his mom, his dad sitting in his own seat. He looked at his parents, and their solemn faces. Mrs. Romero looked extremely tired, and Mr. Romero was unreadable like usual. Angel's mom spoke first. "Angel, we're just trying to understand why you would hurt...your friend."

"He's not my friend," he snapped. Angel immediately regretted it as his dad gave him a piercing look. "He's not a good person, mom. He was saying things...to Oliver. Lo siento."

"Sentirlo no es suficiente. Has avergonzado a la familia," his dad replied quietly. "Luchar no es la solución," his mom added. "Why are you guys so calm about this? I don't understand."

"Do you want us to yell?!" Mr. Romero's voice was louder than last time. Angel didn't mean to make things worse. "No."

"You're grounded. For a month. No phone. I expect you to make up your schoolwork. If you're going to be sitting around the house for two weeks then you need to clean up after yourself. No more dirty room, you hear?"

"Yes." His dad exhaled. "Get out of my sight." Angel stood up, slightly dizzy, and found his way back to his room. He expected things to go way worse, but he knew that his dad was disappointed in him. It was so easy to make him feel that way, yet so difficult to make him proud. Angel felt like he failed himself and everyone around him. He could never get anything right, and he always had to fuck things up. Angel hated himself for it.