The Secret Engagement

Chapter 10: A phantom

CHAPTER 10

Hope was a funny thing. Angela had an odd relationship with hope. Hope had failed her too many times for her to keep track, and each time it failed, she swore she would not hope again. It seemed like hope hated her. Yet, she found herself clinging onto that hope, like a mother cradling her firstborn. And once again, her hope failed her.

When Kyle walked into the nurse's office, Angela wished the ground would swallow her up. She hoped for the smallest thing; that no one would catch her while she was drying herself up in the room, only to have it squashed.

"What're you doing here?" He was in complete shock. The door behind him was left open and Angela's body moved on its own, fearful of getting caught.

She closed and locked it, pulling Kyle further into the room.

"Hey, answer the damn question! What are you doing in my school?" Kyle demanded, shaking her hand off him. He was dumbfounded. He never expected Angela to be in his school. She was wearing the school uniform, missing the jacket, but still.

Was she going to start attending Brook Academy? All of a sudden in the school year? It didn't make sense to him. And why hadn't she informed him. A little 'hey I'm going to be going to your school now' would have sufficed. They weren't close (yet, he promised) but he expected at least a small text.

Angela's head spun. Her mind was racing with answers, excuses, lies. Just anything. She didn't think she'd have to tell him this soon, and she didn't expect to be caught. She was trembling. Her heart was beating so loud she could practically feel all the blood rushing to her head.

"Kyle," She said softly. She was scared.

Kyle looked at her, eyes softening when he realised something was wrong with her. She looked terrified, trembling ever so slightly.

"Kyle," She repeated, "what I'm going to tell you, is top secret. You cannot tell anyone."

Kyle's mind started working double time. He had so many questions, but kept his mouth shut for his own good.

Angela swallowed. There was a lump in her throat (when did it get there?), steadying her breath. This was it. This was the moment. There's no way she can get out of this. She held his eyes.

"I'm... Angela Santario."

Dead silence.

"What?" Kyle all but spits out. If she thought this was a joke, he didn't think she was funny. "Don't joke with me." There's so much venom in his voice.

".... I am Angela Santario," Angela repeated, deflating significantly, cowering away from his piercing gaze, lowering her head.

The room descended into silence. Pin drop silence. Angela swore Kyle could hear her heart beating at a maniacal speed.

Kyle couldn't believe it. No matter how much he tried to wrap his mind around it, there's just no way. The girl before him, his fiancee, claimed that she was the school's black sheep. This girl literally drowning in riches, was the supposed charity case of the school. Her majestic elegance was gone, all that remained in front him was not Angela Hudgeman, merely a shell of her. He couldn't accept it.

"There's no way. You can't be. You're home-schooled! And that girl, she has blonde hair! She has brown eyes! How are you going to explain that!" Kyle fought back, refusing to believe it.

Angela let out a breath. She can do this. It's okay. It'll be okay. Gathering herself together, she walked to where her jacket was draped on the chair under the hand dryer. She pulled the wig from the chair, bringing it up to her chest.