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I sat on the edge of my bed, elbows on my knees, phone in my hand. That damn message still sat in my inbox, haunting me like a ghost that knew exactly where to dig.
You ever think about us?
I hadn't touched it. Couldn't bring myself to. But not because I didn't want to. The sick part of it was, I did. Not in the I miss her kind of way, but in that warped curiosity like picking at an old scab, knowing it's gonna bleed again.
Jela knew how to get under my skin. That was her gift. And curse. She could light me up with one sentence, make me second guess shit I had already buried. And the worst part? She still had access. Not because I let her in, but because of history. We had stories, shared secrets, late night fights that turned into messier mornings. That kind of toxic love that burns you slow but keeps you warm enough to stay.
But that was before.
I looked over at the couch, the one Angel had laid on a week ago after the party. I could still see the way his lips curled into a smile when he teased me about the anime, or the way he play fought me, not knowing he had me soft the whole damn time. Angel was peace. Real. No games. Just vibes, good energy, and a heart that didn't need to manipulate me to feel powerful.
Polo's words echoed in my head.
"Don't let her come in and stir shit up."
He was right. I couldn't let that happen. I wouldn't.
Especially not to Angel.
Jela didn't just want a conversation. She wanted to re enter my world, stake some old claim she lost the right to when she tried to trap me with that fake ass pregnancy. I still remembered the look in her eyes when I called her bluff. That moment I realized the girl I loved wasn't there anymore, if she ever really was.
I sighed, tossing my phone to the other side of the bed like it burned my fingers. I wasn't answering. Not now. Maybe not ever. She had enough pieces of me and I wasn't giving her more.
Leaning back, I stared up at the ceiling, trying to clear my head. And for whatever reason, it drifted to dinner at Angel's place.
That was unexpected. Heavy. Nerve wracking as hell, if I was being honest. But when I walked in, saw his mom cracking that cautious smile, his dad analyzing me with those hard eyes, I knew this wasn't just any dinner. This was real to Angel. This was the kind of thing I didn't get growing up.
And then there were his siblings. Zarina and Genesis were sharp, warm, full of personality. And Felix? Man, I wasn't expecting to click with him like that. He didn't say much at first, but when he did, it felt real. I saw something in him that I recognized. That quiet intensity. That sense of protection. We shared a nod of understanding, and I knew he cared about Angel.
There was something about that dinner and the way they all moved around each other. Comfortable. Connected. Like even when shit got messy, and I knew it had, they still showed up for each other. I never had that. But I wanted it. And Angel? He was giving me a taste of it.
