From A to Z - Angel Reyes

Chapter 12

*This was meant to be a Valentine shortie but I passed out after a nasty allergy attack, so you're getting a full Valentine chapter. Enjoy!*

Angel, apparently, had a hard time getting his head straight. Or at least that was what Zara assumed since she hadn't heard from him in five days. Although she was angry, incredibly angry really, she was more hurt than anything.

After the incident at school and the death of Pete McCarthey, the Vice Principal thought it best to cancel a few events and allow everyone time to grieve. That meant the school's traditional Valentine's Day dance was pushed to the last weekend of February. Valentine's Day was never more important to Zara than now when the man she loved had disappeared and their relationship was seemingly decimated. If it wasn't for EZ assuring her Angel was alive and well she'd be convinced he was dead.

That Friday evening Zara arrived at the El Centro Valentine's Day dance as a chaperone with a very special guest.

"I really appreciate this, Campbell," she said with a smile. "The kids are gonna freak and I think we all need it."

Campbell smiled brightly. "I'm glad I can help. My standup is more adult themed but teens love YouTube shit. I promise, nothing racy."

"You're a goddamn mini-celebrity," she laughed. "Seriously, it's kind of weird."

"Still me," he shrugged. "How's the boyfriend feel about this?"

Zara was taken aback by the question. "Oh, he's uh, good with it," she lied terribly.

"Ahh," Campbell said knowingly, "You didn't tell him."

"What?" She looked at him sharply.

"Zara," he squeezed her hand, "I know you. I know you."

She nodded in defeat. "Things are up in the air, I guess you could say."

"Unlucky in love," he mused, "Maybe that's a sign that things with uh," he pretended to forget Angel's name.

"Angel," she reminded him.

"Yeah, that's it," he said with a huff, "Maybe it's a sign things with Angel aren't meant to be."

"I'm not so sure yet," she said briskly.

"Holy shit," Letty exclaimed loudly. "You know Josh Campbell?"

Zara laughed, "Hello to you too. Miss too cool for school isn't too cool for the dance?"

She shrugged and looked around. "I mean what else is there to do around here?"

"Touché," Zara huffed. "Campbell this is Letty, she's one of my students."

Campbell shook her hand and smiled brightly. He was charming, outgoing and pleasant but painfully fake, all of those things were in stark contrast to Angel. He was charming and funny of course but he wasn't boisterous, he was reserved unless with friends and most importantly Angel was genuine. Zara never truly saw the manufactured personality Campbell played nor had she realized the true depth of Angel's sincerity until then.

"Why don't I take a picture of you two?" Campbell suggested. "Favorite teacher and student," he joked.

"Proof I'm here," Letty said. "My Dad kept asking me."

"I'm sure he did," Zara laughed. "I'll send it to EZ to show him."

Campbell snapped the photo with his phone and sent it to Zara who quickly sent it to EZ with a short message. "Tell Coco I'm keeping an eye on her."

At the clubhouse, crowded with more women than usual, EZ laughed and quickly found Coco by the bar.

"Hey," he chuckled, handing Coco the phone, "Got a text for you."