Chapter Twenty-one
Angela finally felt better after three days. Her college would start in two days and she didn't want to miss the first day for anything in the world.
She hadn't seen Damian after that day and she had no wish to. His phone calls had stopped too. The last two days Steffi had come to visit her but she was too delirious to even talk to her.
Steffi didn't come after that and Angela wasn't allowed to go out till she completely regained her strength.
Damian was released the next day from the hospital. He stayed at Xavion's house till he was well. Harry came over many times to check him. He informed them that Steffi hadn't been able to talk to Angela. Her father had lost his job after he had been framed in a case of mishandling some very confidential hospital information.
"That's not right. Uncle Phil's been framed. I know who's behind this," said Damian.
"But why should he be framed?" Asked Harry in confusion.
"First tell me what happened after I left Steffi's house that day?" Asked Damian. He was feeling much better and with college after two days, he knew he had to regain his strength.
"When we realised that you guys had left, we discussed what could have gone wrong. Caitlyn Lockhart threw a tantrum blaming us for letting you go before she could have had a talk with you. Steffi was furious with her and she spoke rudely to Caitlyn. Caitlyn slapped her and Steffi slapped her back. Caitlyn and her cousin left in a fury," informed Harry, perplexed at Damian's horrified expression.
"Caitlyn's the reason why uncle Phil has been framed. She might have reported to her dad who always granted everything that she asked for. She wanted to teach Steffi a lesson, so she made her dad sack uncle Phil," informed Damian and everyone stared at him, their jaws hanging open.
"Oh. When you were at the hospital, Caitlyn had called on your mobile asking for you. She was furious that you didn't go to her house as she had asked you to," informed Xavion and Damian's face fell. He turned pale with shock.
"What exactly did she say, Xav? Tell me, this is very important for dad," he asked in a frantically worried voice.
"She said that she'd finish you for not keeping your promise," said Xavion as he slowly realised the meaning of the call.
Damian sat with his head in his hands. "I knew she'd finish my dad some day or the other. What do I do, guys?" He asked in panic. What he had dreaded most was about to come true and he had no idea how to rectify it.
"Should I talk to the bitch or murder her?" Yelled a frustrated Damian.
"No use talking to her. She just needs you to fuck her Damian. Don't fall into her clutches. She doesn't care about your feelings. So even if you talk nothing's gonna change. You'll be neck deep into her trap," advised Harry. Xavion agreed to him.
"Yes just wait. She might not do anything to uncle Ronald," said Xavion.
"But what if she does?" Asked Damian with dread settling on his chest.
"We will deal with it then?" Said Harry and they all sighed. There wasn't much they could do. They left Xavion's house and went to Damian's house. Harry went to see Steffi while Xavion and Damian sat in his room and stared at Angela's house.
"I've got to meet Angel and tell her everything, Xav," he said, staring at her closed balcony door longingly.
"But how? With her dad and three brothers around, you'll be dead if you walk in through the main door. If you climb onto her balcony you'll fall down and break your bones 'coz she wouldn't let you in. She's angry with you," said Xavion with a sigh.
Damian clutched at his head in frustration. "Then what bro?" He asked, his brain not functioning anymore.
"Then let's wait. I'm sure her flu's better. The moment she comes out of her house, you stalk her and talk to her. Provided she's alone, of course, " said Xavion with a grin.
Damian's face broke into a smile. "Genius, bro. I'll do that," he agreed. So they waited and waited, watching over their prey like hawks.
After an hour, their eyes popped out seeing Freddie's car stop in front of Angela's gate. Freddie came out with a bouquet of red roses and went up to her main door and went inside with a smile on his face.
"I'm going to murder him. He's got red roses for my Angel, " growled Damian punching the bed with frustration.
A perplexed Xavion scratched his head with discomfort. Damian paced the floor of his room. He picked up his binoculars and tried to see what Freddie was up to with Angela.
"I can't see them. What do you think the asshole is doing inside?" He asked furiously.
"I have no idea but in the presence of her family, there's not much he can do ," said Xavion.
After an excruciating twenty minutes, a grinning Freddie came out of her house and climbed onto his car. "I want to wipe that smile off his face forever," growled Damian, punching the door of his room. Freddie sped off with a happy smile on his face.
After five minutes, Xavion shouted out to Damian, "Hey bro, be ready. I think Angela's coming out. She seems to be going somewhere. It's time to follow her. Go get her man."
Damian rushed down the stairs and out the front door. He saw Angela walking ahead of him. As she turned around the block towards the bus stop, he caught up with her.
"Angel wait. I need to talk to you," he said, holding onto her arm to stop her.
She turned towards him and just extricated herself. "Get lost Damian. I don't have anything to say to you. So did you enjoy your twosome?" She retorted sarcastically before walking off.
"It's not what you think Angel. I hate them with all my heart. Listen to me," Before he could say a word further, Angela slapped him hard, taking him by surprise.
"I hate you Damian and I don't want anything to do with the likes of you. If you bother me again, believe me, I shall marry Freddie and get out of this place forever," she threatened with a ferocity that Damian had never seen in her. She ran to the bus stop where there was a bus waiting. She climbed onto it and the bus sped away. Damian stood transfixed to the spot. He couldn't believe that she had slapped him. What had happened to his Angel? She never even gave him a single chance to talk? Disappointed, he walked back home. Xavion was there on his bed when he returned.
"What happened to you? Did you not talk to her?" He asked puzzled by his long unhappy face and drooping shoulders.
He sat with his head in his hands. "Bro, tell me please, " pleaded Xavion. He was too worried about Damian.
Damian told him everything that happened. "I've lost her, dude. She hates me. I can't believe that she's ready to marry Freddie," said Damian, shaking his head with dismay.
"She'd never marry Freddie. Give her time, bro. She'll come around. All's not lost. You'll see her daily after two days. We'll be in the same class. So gather all determination dude and pursue her like there's no tomorrow," said Xavion and Damian grinned. His hopes were restored and they cheered up.
Both went to Steffi's house to provide moral support to her dad.
Angela's heart broke after she slapped Damian on the spur of the moment. She was close to tears and felt very guilty. She didn't know how to react to him if she met him again. She could avoid him. With her college starting after two days, she wouldn't have time to even think of him. Maybe he would go to some college to study agriculture. They would hardly meet.
The thought brought more pain than happiness and she sighed. It was useless trying to forget Damian. He was embedded in every cell of her being. She knew she would never ever marry Freddie. It was an idle threat to keep Damian away. But he needn't know. Sighing, she went to the hospital to collect the test reports that were due.
Arnold had insisted that she have a thorough test of her whole body before her college started so she had just obliged. He was there at the hospital and they came home together.
They returned home and checked the reports. Everything was normal except her haemoglobin level. She was anaemic and Arnold prescribed her iron capsules.
Her dad decided to buy her a car since her college would start soon. "Be ready tomorrow morning Angie. We're going to buy you a car. Your birthday's next month. I will give you your gift in advance," said her dad.
Angela smiled at him and thanked him. She went up to her room but her glance kept going towards Damian's closed window. Her mind was angry but her heart needed him.