She was my angel.

And boiiii. Was I able to finish this!

Jam packed with research papers, I swear I didn't think I can make this in time >,< I was already preparing myself in getting kicked out.

Phew...

Also, it might not be good... as I only had one free day to work on this. So yeah... Please do continue to enjoy :pray:

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Trigger warning:

Suicide, mention of abuse, mention of rape

Word count:

1,413 words

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She was my angel

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I looked at the portrait in my wardrobe, with longing eyes. I still it vividly. Of that one summer, filled with love and sorrow. Sometimes, I would think of what might have happened if I chose to stay.

It was a scorching summer day. After my job interview, I decided to go to a cafe... where I met her. With eyebrows furrowed, she was focused on her laptop, books scattered around her table at the corner of the cafe. I can only guess that she's working on her thesis.

One might think of me as a typical romance story male protagonist that fell in love at first sight. How can I not? She looks like an angel. Blonde hair, light blue eyes, and a petite figure matching her cute appearance.

Every cell in my body screams at me to go and talk to her. And so I did.

"Excuse me." I slowly approached her, "Do you need help?"

Let's just go straight to the point.

She looked up and sighed. She's so stressed out. "Yes... if you don't mind..."

I was stunned for a few seconds. Quickly blinking my eyes and shaking my head. I snapped myself out of it.

I smiled as I moved the chair beside hers and sat down.

Looking at her monitor screen. I was shocked. It seemed that my guess was wrong. It wasn't a thesis.

"You're writing a novel?" I remarked.

"It's not really mine..." She whispered, "it's my friend's... the deadline for the manuscript is 3 days from now. But my friend is sick... and if she can't submit it... she'll lose her job..."

"But... is it okay for you to take over?" I asked, carefully choosing my words.

She bit her lip. "It is... I only need to write the last chapter."

She's having such a hard time.

She tightly closed her eyes. "I just... I just... I just can't..." Her voice was shaky. Almost as if she was about to cry.

"I'll help you, right? You're not alone anymore so loosen up, okay?" I lightly patted her back.

She looked at me and smiled in relief, "R-right."

That suits her more.

"I'm Aron, by the way. And you are?"

"Angelica. Just call me Angie!"

Angie was a sweet girl. She and I exchanged ideas while drinking coffee, eating cake and pastries.

Honestly, it seemed impossible, but we miraculously managed to finish it with satisfactory results, and saved her friend's career. Though, even after that, we continued to meet.

We would often meet at the same cafe. Talking about our likes, dislikes, and at times... certain events in our lives.

"Angie. Can I ask you something?" I quietly put down my cup of coffee. Looking a bit serious. "It's a bit of a personal question..."

"As ling as it isn't too personal. Ask away." She said with a sweet smile.

"Why were you so desperate in helping your friend keep her career?" I looked at her.

Angie looks at her coffee. "Hmm... Must be because... I was scared."

I was slightly surprised. "Scared? Of what?"

"Well... I also had another friend that was also a novelist like my friend now. He was a man. And like her. He wasn't very keen on deadlines." She stopped to take a sip of her coffee. "On his last chance, he got sick with a flu. He tried to write despite it but just couldn't, so he called his boss about his illness. His boss didn't believe him and accused him of lying... And eventually fired him."

"That's harsh... Though that's to be expected."

She nodded, "Yeah. It really was expected. But my friend just couldn't take it. That job was the only job he can find. It was the only thing keeping his family alive. He couldn't take the disappointed from them anymore, so he just committed suicide. And in his letter, he wrote for his insurance to be given to his family as a way of saying sorry."

I furrowed my eyebrows. So that's why.

She must've been so traumatized...

I opened my mouth to speak but was interrupted by her.

"Ah well! It's all in the past now!" She said as she stretched.

I snickered. "Yeah. It's all in the past now."

Ever since then. I felt like Angie and I became closer. We would talk about our interests, hobbies... future.

If someone were to by our table, they would mistake us as a couple. Something that I wished for...

But it was impossible... Even more so than finishing her friend's novel. It just wasn't meant to be.

"The weather sure is cooling down, huh." Angie remarked as she looks out the window.

I followed suit too, "Summer is finally ending. That's good. I don't know how long I can take that scorching heat."

"Hey, Aron..."

I looked at her, puzzled.

She continues to look out the window, "I'll be leaving the country tomorrow."

Huh?

"Why?"

"I'll be moving overseas, my friend's latest novel was a success so she wanted to give back the favor. I've always wanted to live overseas." She looked down, her eyes was filled with nostalgia, somehow.

I... I see...

I'll come with you then!

Is what I wanted to say... but...

"Take care then. Will we still be in touch with each other?" I tried my best to smile as sincere as possible.

She smiled brightly at me, "Of course!"

I closed my eyes. It still pains me to her cute face, smiling at me so brightly. In fact, it pains me to anything about her. Because...

After that day... I found out that her friend died due to a car accident. And Angie... committed suicide...

One factor was her friend. And the other... was her family.

According to the reports, Angie was a victim of abuse by her parents, and was nearly raped by her own brother.

I felt so dumb. I was so stupid, so so stupid. It was such a painful slap of reality that I could barely take it.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to bang my head on the wall multiple times until I cracked it open.

I just wanted to die as well.

If my family wasn't there to help me. I would've followed Angie.

Why didn't I notice it? Why was I so blind? Why. Why. Why?!

Angie... You were so kind... so sweet... why did your family have to be like that? Why didn't you have a family like mine?

It's unfair... it's just... too unfair!

It took me a long time to get over her death. My family ed me through and through, something that made it even more difficult for me. Especially since I keep ing what Angie's family did to her.

I'm really glad... That my dad was able to get them to jail. As an influential person. But it just wasn't enough for me. I wanted them to suffer the same way that Angie did.

But I controlled myself and just let karma do its job. And it did. I heard from mom that the other inmates would usually abuse or bully them. There was even an incident where another inmate raped her brother.

Of course, as an officer. It's mom's job to reprimand them. And though it was evil of me. I smiled and was really thankful of what the inmates did.

Now though...

"Papa! Mama's home!"

I shouldn't be thinking too much about it.

"I'm coming!" Casting one last glance on the portrait. I closed my wardrobe then headed downstairs.

Where my beloved sweetheart and dear baby is waiting.

"Welcome home." I greeted as I kissed my wife on her cheek.

"It's nice to be home. But I still have enough energy left to go to a certain place." She smiled at me.

"To Aunt Angie?" My daughter asked, she's rather excited.

I smiled with eyebrows furrowed. I'm always like this during her death anniversary. Trying not to cry.

My wife and daughter... they're just so precious.

"Yep!" My wife happily answered.