Stranger, Help Me

VISITS

Gale was nervous.

The type that made him shake his head to get rid of the nerves crawling around.

He was meeting Evangeline, again, and that made his heart pound. He worried for her. They were visiting her father. In jail. He was also about to meet her step-mother when he dropped by her house. Just remembering that made Gale gulp.

He wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans and realised how disgusting that was. Looking down at himself, he made sure he looked presentable: freshly ironed grey shirt and black jeans seemed good. He ran a hand through his black hair to calm himself down and took a deep breath.

"I'm going now, mum!" He called out, hoping he wouldn't see her. His mother had always been... eccentric.

Lo and behold, his mother walked into the living room, where he also was, arms full with pillow cases and blankets and covers. She huffed a strand of hair away and grinned at him.

"Okay, honey! Take care of yourself!"

"Says you! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine! Nothing I can't handle. I used to carry you, feed you and cook at the same time you know! Even change your nappy while cooking."

"Right, right, I get it." Gale sighed, then paused. "Wait, what?!"

"Just kidding!" His mother grinned and waddled off. "Mostly!"

He groaned and grabbed his keys off the coffee table and headed outside, slipping into his sneakers. He got inside the car and started the engine. Before he reversed onto the road, he pulled out his phone and checked the address Evangeline sent in. He typed that into the GPS and instantly the annoying voice sent him directions.

As he began to drive, he turned on the radio and pumped music blasted through the speakers. He stared straight ahead at the road. Anything to rid of his jumbled thoughts.

Half an hour passed while he was driving, and Gale wondered how Evangeline really felt. To lose everything so suddenly for someone she barely knew. He understood it was scary, but he couldn't be empathetic. It had never happened to him, but he was determined to help her. He stopped at a traffic light and sighed, glancing out the window at the other cars. "I hope she's okay."

Just as he thought that, his phone rang. He quickly connected it to his car and pressed the button, lowering the volume of the music. "Evangeline?" He just knew it was her. Nobody called at a random time than she. The countless times he'd be awake at the dead hours of the night to the cracking dawn to the afternoons he'd least expect due to her scattered calls, the calls he relished. Even though the next day he walked around like a zombie.

"Gale?"

Her voice was soft and beautiful.

"Everything okay?"

But it shook, like it always did when she was scared.

"Y-yeah... I just wanted... To talk before you get here... I'm not disturbing you am I?"

She was always scared to do something. She always needed permission because she was afraid she'd get punished. Just knowing that made Gale tighten his grip on the steering wheel.

"No, you aren't. I'm on my way, actually. I'm stopping by the grocery store near your place to buy chocolate, so bring a bag with you."

The light went green.

"Alright, I will."

"Where are you now?"

"My room. My step-mother told me to just bring my own belongings, but that's only clothes and books and well, a little bit of stuff. I don't really... Belong."

"Oh come on, Evangeline. You belong with me." Wait, did that sound too cheesy? Gale turned a sharp corner accidentally at the thought. A driver honked at him.

"I know."

Heart, it wasn't a race! Gale took deep breaths. "S-so...anyway, my mum'll take you shopping and you can buy whatever you want."

"Are there any job applications? One day I want to pay you all back for being so kind. Your mum barely knows me and she was willing to let me stay with you guys."

Gale smiled to himself. Sweet, considerate Evangeline.

"That's nice. She knows how much you mean to me. She'll love you." Not again! Gale wanted to smack himself. Not the right time, dude.

"You think so?"

"I know so."

"..."

"Want me to order some waffles too?"

"...you're the best."

Gale grinned. "You think so?" He swore he heard her laugh a little.

"I know so."

Gale laughed, delirious in happiness at hearing her laugh. He had never heard it and it was beautiful, mesmerising, just like playing the exact right song in the exact right moment. His song was her laugh and he could drown in it. "You sound just like you are, an angel."

"O-oh..."

Her shyness made him smile. He secretly wanted to see her blush. Well, all kinda of Evangeline, really. It made him all bubbly himself, out of happiness or a bit of fear, he didn't know. Yet Gale knew he wouldn't regret it. He'd just do his best.

He arrived at the highway and placed more pressure on the accelerator, eyeing the road carefully. "Adorable."

"Stop."

"Fine. Still adorable."

"Gale!" She squealed quietly, making him chuckle.

A comfortable silence fell, the loud vroom of his car fading into the background as he sped across the highway.

"Gale?"

Whenever she said his name, he just wanted to take her hand and k-

"Gale?"

"Uh- yes?"

"I have to go."

"Oh..."

"Cooper knocked on my door. He wants to play before you arrive."

"Sounds like a good kid. I'll see you in three hours, then."

He heard her whisper, "Thank you for doing so much for me." And hung up.

Beep, beep...

Gale turned up the volume to his music and hummed quietly to himself. For what she didn't know was that he'd do anything for her and had wanted to the moment he heard her angelic voice.