Casual Moths // Angel Reyes

8: secrets and labels

The heat is sweltering and Angel has to wipe the sweat off of his eyebrows every few minutes as he mounts yet another shelf on the walls of the flower shop.

He and Coco have been working on getting the shop back up for about 2 and a half weeks now. The windows are back in place, the shelves are almost all set up and most of the walls have received a fresh coat of paint. All that's left to do is the big centre-wall, the one behind the counter that people see first thing as they enter the building.

Back before the incident, that wall was painted a light blue colour, nothing overly exciting or eye-catching. Angel thinks that needs to change. Callie is no ordinary women and this shop should reflect that. A girl who's overcome so many adversities and so many hardships, she deserves a masterpiece. Even if it's just a drawing on a wall. He's already got an idea on what to put there, all he needs now is some paint — and some time.

" We good for today? " Coco grumbles as he places a cigarette between his teeth ad lights it which earns him a smack on the head from Angel. " What? "

" Don't smoke in here. Place is supposed to smell like flowers, not tobacco. "

Angel knows by the look on Coco's face, there's something more he wants to say. It's probably some teasing comment about Angel being whipped or something. Though Coco doesn't say the words in the end. Just shakes his head with a smirk and puts the cigarette back out. " Whatever you say, man. "

Callie probably wouldn't mind him smoking but Angel does. For no other reason than the fact that the place really does smell like flowers. Even though Callie has them all stored in her garage and works from there right now, the store still smells of peonies and lilies and roses. Maybe, Angel thinks, it's a scent so strong it's soaked into the walls and taken over. Or maybe, maybe it's just wishful thinking because the scent of flowers is also the scent that follows Callie around — and he loves that scent.

" I'm gonna get some paint for the wall tomorrow. You free to — "

Though Angel doesn't get to finish the sentence as the ringing of his phone interrupts him. He's almost embarrassed to admit it to himself but when he catches Callie's name on the display, his heart does a silly little jump. He's never felt this way before and it's both absolutely terrifying and incredibly exciting.

" Hey, you. "

" Angel "

She only says his name. She only says one single word but Angel immediately knows that something isn't right. There's no affection in her voice, no joy or warmth. There's fear and he hates that.

" What's wrong? "

Coco's head snaps towards Angel as those words tumble from his lips, eyes sending him a silent question.

" I — I was on the way to drop Daisy off at my mother's place, I was just about 2 blocks away from the house and EZ escorted me almost all the way here so don't be mad at him. "

" Callie I don't give a shit about EZ right now, what's going on? "

" Travis car is following me around and I don't know what to do. "

This guy is really pushing his luck. Just thinking about that ugly silver car slowly creeping along and following his girls, makes Angel's blood boil to a dangerous degree.

" Where are you? "

" Um — on main street, almost by the ice cream shop. "

" Okay. Listen, you're just a few seconds from my dad's shop. Go there, I'll let him know you girls are coming and to meet you outside. Do not leave until I'm there. You hear me? "