My Fallen Angel

Chapter Ten: The Best Friends

Fatima cleared her throat and stood up. As if on cue, Patrick walked in with a maid who cleaned the mess. Then he grinned at Fatima. "Hi, Fatima," he said. "Beverly is upstairs."

"I know," Fatima said shortly and left the living room.

Patrick looked at her like, What's your problem? Then he shrugged and looked at me. His smile reached his eyes. "You've met Fatima already?" he asked. I nodded. "She's a good person. But I am not really close with them. Well... except Beverly. We talk a little and it's all about her parents."

"Fatima told me she loves you" I said. Patrick sighed deeply and nodded. "I thought you can't find someone who cares for you? Here is Beverly, loving you and caring for you. Why don't you make her your girlfriend? Maybe you're gonna be much more happy with her."

"I don't love her," Patrick said dismissively. Then he cleared his throat. "Anyways, I want you to meet some special guys. They're my best friends. But they're not from here." He grabbed my hand and we started walking to the dining room. Inside were two tall and really handsome guys. "Hi, guys! I'm so glad you're here!"

"Yeah, well, it's not everyday when we can sneak off our parents house," the blonde said. All three of them laughed. 

"No, seriously, how did you sneak off?" Patrick asked.

The dark-haired smiled. "Just a little vacation," he said. "School is done a little earlier. I think it's because of our graduation."

"But it's still May," Patrick pointed out. "School is out at June, remember?"

"Tell that to our school," the blonde said. "And why would you complain? It's good to have vacation earlier! And, anyways, there's only three more weeks before June." Then his eyes rested on me. His jaws dropped and his eyes began to twinkle. Then his mouth slowly formed an admiring smile. It reminds me of Beverly looking at Patrick. "And who is this beautiful lady with you?"

"BJ, this is Kate Roberts," Patrick said. "Kate, this is BJ Ramirez and Carl Jackson."

"Nice to meet you," I said and gave them a smile. That turned BJ's smile into a grin. Then he walked to me, took my hand and kissed it. Patrick stared at him then to me while Carl was looking at me with disbelief. "I... Thank you, BJ..."

BJ just looked at me in the eyes. "You are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen, Kate," he said. 

"Thank you for that performance, BJ," Patrick said, laughing a little bit nervously. BJ took a step backward from me. "Anyways, why don't you eat your snacks? I'll just show Kate the house."

"You call this a house?" Carl joked. Patrick and I laughed. BJ was still staring at me as if I was the most beautiful thing in the world he had ever seen. "You go on, you two. I'll take care of this love-struck BJ."

Patrick and I left the dining room and went outside. They have a beautiful garden with every colorful flower blooming. I picked up a sunflower and beamed at it. "Sunflowers," I said. "They're my favorites. I never seen these so close before."

"Really?" Patrick asked. "Sunflowers are almost everywhere, I think."

I bit my lip. Another slip again. "I... There's not much sunflowers in Canada, I think," I said. "Anyway, you told me you don't have any friends because they are using you to be popular. You do have a friend. BJ and Carl."

Patrick sighed. "They're from Connecticut," he said. "I was from there, too. But when Mom married Alphonse when I was ten years old, we moved here to have a new life. That means leaving my old life and friends at Connecticut. I visit BJ and Carl sometimes. They visit me when they have time. They're my best friends since I was three years old. They're a year older than me, too. They are like my brothers who are my best friends, too."