The extra-ordinary life

Chapter 18

Angelina was humming a song while walking towards her office. It was time to get off work. She was feeling bubbly thinking about all the delicious dinner waiting for her at Pete's apartment. "Wait, did I just say Pete's apartment, and not Sam's?" Angelina thought.

"Seems like your new boyfriend is not that bad after all!" Angelina heard Aaron say as clear displeasure emitted from his very face.

"No discussion on personal life while in office." She replied smirking. Did you really think I would let you cut fresh wounds on my heart over and over again? She had decided to make him pay for any and every wrong deed he does in future. Enough of this giving chance business!

Angelina tried stepping out of the building but was stopped by an asshole. Aaron held her hand and pulled her towards him with an abrupt force. She stumbled backwards and was held by him in place against the wall.

Angelina felt her vision getting blurred. No, I can't get defeated this time! She struggled to get out of his hold. But he was much stronger in built, he easily grabbed both her wrists with his one hand and placed it above her head. "Do you think you can escape me like this?" Aaron chewed out his words.

"Take your dirty hands off me!" Angelina spoke each word clearly, clenching her jaws.

" Bitch! Don't forget who you belong to!! You are mine." Aaron said with his face dangerously close to her.

Angelina could feel her body shaking. She lifted her knee aiming at his crotch area, but he seemed to sense her intentions. He blocked her attack but at the same time failed to notice the actual danger hovering over his back.

Aaron choked as Pete grabbed him by his throat and pushed him away from Angelina.

"Don't you dare touch my girl!" Pete's face boiled with anger. Aaron's eyes threatened to bulge out, his face went red from lack of oxygen. No matter how much he tried, the hand on his throat continued to choke him.

Pete of course had no intention to commit a murder right now. So, he  released his hold with a final push hoping this lesson would be enough to keep Aaron away from her.

"Seems like you don't know your girl yet. She is a slu-" he couldn't complete his sentence when he a sharp stinging pain overwhelmed his senses.

"Aaaooouuu!!" He grabbed his nose and sat down. It seemed like Pete's punch was very effective. His nose was bleeding.

" Don't ever try to talk shit about the people I care about infront of me." Pete warned.

"Dob'd tingk I will let you go so easily" he spoke still holding his nose while walking out.

Angelina slowly plopped down to sitting position. Her feet could no longer support her. Pete came hurriedly and squatted infront of her. "Are you alright?" he asked, almost like a whisper. A nerve in his temple popped when he saw bruise marks on her delicate wrists.

Angelina lifted her tear-filled eyes and spoke "Take me home."

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Pete took Angelina to her home. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, she didn't talk for the entire car ride. He carefully made her sit on the bed with her torso leaning against the headboard. He then took off her shoes, went to the washroom and came out with a wet face towel.

Angelina was getting too used to his gentleness, his presence, his everything. She knew her life is about to get more fucked up . She wanted to push him away and yell "Don't mess with my heart" but she couldn't. Instead, she hugged him like there was no tomorrow.

Pete was taken aback by this sudden hug. He was not sure where to place his hands. So, he started to pat her head in an attempt to calm her down.
"I am here. I got your back." He had absolutely no idea how to calm her down but this method seemed to work pretty well with Sam. He just hoped it works with her as well.

Angelina spoke in a trembling voice pulling slightly away, "Why are you being like this?" He looked quite pitiful, my method failed with her. Unable to say anything reasonable he just pulled her back into a hug.

"How can I stop liking you if you are always this good towards me? It's bad for my heart.." She rested her forehead on his shoulders and began wailing.

Was this a confession? Did I hear wrong? Am I imagining things? Am I dreaming? - Pete's thoughts were running from USA to North Korea.

"Why are you not like those other men? Why do you have to be so gentle?" Angelina continued wailing.

She again pulled back and cupped his face with her trembling hands. "Stop being like this. I - ne-ed to stop my heart from entering an- another tragedy." She was gasping for breath.

"Why do you have to stop liking me?" Her cries were breaking his heart into pieces. He didn't know what was going on in her mind. He couldn't understand why she suddenly confessed and why she was crying her eyes out.

"Be... Because... I am not pretty enough for you. And.. you don't deserve to be with such a screwed up person like me..." She kept her forehead back on his shoulder and sniffed.

"Who said you are screwed up?"

"Pete I am mentally sick. I am not a normal person. I can't give you all those happiness that a normal man needs or deserves in life. I can't get intimate with anyone.  I am suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder..."

" Stop being so nice to me. I must forget you. Or else I don't know what will happen to me." She added after a long pause.

"Angelina." Pete held her arms and brought her face infront of him "You might forget me, but how would I forget the girl I love? Do you really think only you have feelings for me and it is false the other way around?"

Angelina couldn't believe what she was listening. She never thought in her wildest dreams that Pete would fall for her someday. She always thought he was someone who was unattainable. He was someone who she was contented just to see from afar, she would be content just from watching him smile. She always thought she didn't deserve him. She was staring at his eyes in search of mockery. She could only see honesty in those. "But you deserve complete happiness.." Angelina whispered.

"No one can bring me more happiness than you, Angelina. You are the only person infront of whom I can be vulnerable, silly, idiot, whatever I want to be without any worry. " Pete pulled her back to a hug and said with a slightly hoarse voice,
" Don't push me away. We will definitely find a solution to this problem together, trust me. I will save enough money and consult with the best psychiatrist in the world. We will pull through this. I promise, I will never let you face any problem alone. Even if your illness is incurable, I would still choose you over anyone else. Just don't push me away... please... I don't want to loose you."