𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐋 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃

22

Song:
highschool sweethearts- melanie martinez
slowed + reverb

LEENA

I stare up at Angel from my spot at the door.

His dad is clearly drunk, and honestly, he
doesn't seem much better. Even though I have never spoken to him directly, it's pretty obvious. The distant expression in his eyes makes it clear-he hasn't improved much at all.

"What are you doing here?" Angel's voice brings me back to reality. I open my mouth to say something, but his father speaks before I can.

"Who is this?" His words slur and his eyes focus entirely on me. I shift from one foot to the other as I stand there, unsure of what to do aside from watch as Angel explains to his dad that I'm a friend of his.

Honestly, I was here for one reason. After what happened earlier, I was left feeling confused. My thoughts were all over the place, and I didn't know what to make of it.

I watch as his dad nods and disappears somewhere in the house, out of sight. "Are you going to answer my question?" He asks, and my fingers fidget with the zipper of my jacket, still undone from my rush to get here.

My hands drop to my sides and I gather the courage to speak. "Can we talk in your room? I'd prefer not to have this conversation at the door." What I wanted to say to him probably didn't sound too good out of context, and I couldn't risk his dad overhearing.

His hands tense, and he bites the inside of his cheek. "If this is about earlier, then I-" I raise a hand, interrupting him mid-sentence.

"It is about earlier. So can we take this conversation to your room?" I knew he was trying to avoid this conversation, and I wasn't going to let it happen.

The only reason why I hadn't confronted him about it yet was because our friends were around during the time at my place, and every time I tried to say something to him, he'd hide behind one of his friends like a fucking baby.

He couldn't do that now, though. We're basically all alone.

He sighs and backs up, allowing me to enter the house. Good, he's obliging.

After he shuts the door, my eyes sweep over the dimly lit living room and they land on an empty liquor bottle sitting on the coffee table, further confirming my observations that his father was indeed drunk.

"Is your mom around?" I ask, noting her absence. Even during my last visit, I never ran into her, though I haven't given it much thought at the time since I was more worried about him and his father.

He stills at my question. However, before I can ask if something's wrong, he shakes his head. "She works night shifts."

I wordlessly nod at his response. So she worked night shifts? Apart of me wanted to learn more about her, but I bit my tongue.

I trail behind him as he climbs the stairs, the soft creak of the wooden steps echoing through the house.

He closes the bedroom door behind us and I turn to face him. "Your dad," I state, my curiosity getting the better of me. "He hasn't improved, has he?"

Angel rests his back against the door and crosses his arms, staring down at the floor. "I thought he did, but he didn't," he whispers quietly and I can see the defeated look on his face.

It's enough to drop the question that had been in my mind the entire drive to his place. Instead, worry takes over. "How long has it been since you found out?"

He runs a hand through his hair. "A couple of hours ago, when I came back from your place." So it was recent? Maybe I shouldn't have come here. 

There still is hope, right? Change doesn't happen over a few weeks. It takes time. "Well, you shouldn't give up on him."

He chuckles humorlessly. "I'm tired of putting in effort for someone who doesn't want to change." There's a trace of hurt in his words, and my heart drops.

A few seconds go by and I find myself asking a question that causes the tension in the room to thicken. "Do you know why he tried to...?" I didn't want to finish the sentence, but I wanted to know why his father was like this.

"I don't want to talk about it," he sighs, pushing himself off of the door before moving towards the bed and lowering himself down onto the mattress.

I figured he would say that. "Sorry for asking." Gosh, why am I so nosy?

Leena, read the room. It's not the time to be asking a question like that.

He brings his gaze up to my face, and his eyes flicker between mine. "Don't apologize. Stop apologizing."

"I can't help it, I'm sorry-I mean," my hand reaches behind my neck to scratch the skin there, not knowing what else to say. Why do I keep apologizing?

"About earlier, I-"

"No," I interrupt, shaking my head to stop him from continuing. "You don't have to explain." It'd wouldn't be fair to ask him to delve into anything when he's already juggling so much.

He nods, fiddling with his shirt.

"Do you want me to leave? I can leave if you want." If he didn't want me to stay any longer, I'd have no problem seeing myself out.

Angel quickly stops me. "Stay the night."

I glance at him, my expression a blend of confusion and concern. "Are you sure?" Did he truly want me to stay?

"Do you want to leave?" He asks gently, his voice barely above a whisper. Of course, I didn't want to go. I wanted to tell him how much I wanted to stay, how much I wanted to be here with him, but instead, I settle for a simple, quiet response. "No."

"Then stay," he says, his voice steady, before rising from his spot on the bed and walking over to the dresser. He pulls out a set of clean clothes and hands them to me without hesitation.

I watch as he heads to the door, grabbing onto the handle and pulling it open. "Where are you going?"

He turns his head to stare at me. "I'm gonna check on my dad to make sure he's okay. I'll be back." He exits the room and I look down at the set of clothes in my hands.

I'm staying over, again.

Aww, Angel's so freaking cute

But yeah, I want him to grovel lowkey

I LOVE when ml's grovel, it's so fun

I think I'll let them have a few more cute moments before I make anything happen, though 🫶