Menacingly

Chapter Seven

Angela woke up when she heard a loud thud outside her room. She was scared and panicked and the first thing she thought was: was it him? It can't be, please don't be him. When she crept outside and stuck her head around the corner to see who was in the living room, she was surprised to find it empty. The front door was shut and she made her way very carefully over to it to look outside.

Just then, she heard a loud groan and she jumped at the sight of Adrianno lying flat on the floor, his face in the carpet, just between the sofa and the front door. She knew he couldn't be dead, but she was afraid in case something else had happened to him.

She cautiously huddled down on the floor beside him and tipped his shoulder.

"Adrianno are you alright?" she was worried, what would she do if he was hurt or something? She didn't know anyone's number to look for help from and she was sure he wouldn't appreciate it if she called emergency services.

"Mmm." She saw his head nod slightly into the carpet.

"Can I turn you over?" she didn't want to touch him unless he gave permission, he might freak out if she did otherwise.

"Angela." His words were slurred. She took that as a yes and with great force, turned him so he was looking up at the ceiling.

"Are you okay?" she hit his chest gently to try and keep him awake.

"Out with Mike. Too much to drink." He slurred and that was all she could make out of what he said. He didn't attempt to get up. He was drunk. And there she had thought there was something seriously wrong with him. She sighed in relief and then leaned over him again.

"You have to stay awake, c'mon. Let's get you to bed." He shook his head quickly and didn't move from his spot, like a child getting told to do something he hated.

"I wana stay right here." He looked at her with his almost black eyes; she took this time to really look at his face. His long eyelashes and thick, dark brows stood out. His usually clean shaven face was sprinkled with dark stubble now and her eyes were then drawn to the long scar going down his cheek. He just watched her carefully with his eyes, not saying a word. The apartment was quiet for some time, with the two looking intently at each other.

"You can't stay out here all night, you'll hurt your back." she said thoughtfully and stood up, holding out her hand to him. He mumbled drunkenly as he tried to get up but fell. She jumped to hold steady him and he stood up again. "Okay?" she asked, once his hand was around her shoulder to help him walk. He was crouched because of the height difference. They had made it to the hall, which usually took less than five seconds but took them almost five minutes.

He was a very heavy weight to take, she was afraid if he fell, his tall and built frame would crush her but he had tried his best not to. He leaned against the wall nearest her quickly and breathed deep breaths, she was awkwardly underneath him and tried to get out before he squished her to the wall.

"Hey, let's go to bed Adrianno."

"Feel sick." He muttered.

"You'll feel better in the morning. Let's go, it's only a few more steps." She tugged at his hand, he held one on the wall for support now.

"Angela." He wouldn't move.

"Adrianno, you need to go to bed." She almost whined, the sooner she got him to his bedroom the better.

"No, Angela. You listen." He replied. She turned to him and tugged his hand she was holding again. She looked down at the close contact but figured he was drunk, he wouldn't remember. Her tiny hand was holding onto his.

"We can walk and talk?" she tried to persuade him and was surprised to see it worked. He began carefully walked along down the hallway. She was slightly ahead of him, not really listening to his drunken slurs.

"Listen." He was demanding like a child as she opened the door to his room. She had never seen it before. He tugged gently at her shoulder to turn her around.

"We can talk in the morning Adrianno, please. I'm tired and you're too drunk to string a proper sentence together." She begged him. He shook his head slowly. She had thought it would be okay to leave him at his room in the beginning but he would barely stand up straight so she took him to the side of his bed. He plopped down on the bed before she could pull the covers down.

She thought it would be too cold, it was coming up to Christmas, to sleep without nothing over you so she quickly scanned the room as Adrianno groaned in bed. She found a blanket in the cupboard near the bed and shook it out to unfold it. Adrianno had his hands over his face, mumbling god knows what to himself but she paid no attention, when she placed the blanket over him. She leaned over him and he took her arm before she got back up.

"I said I'm sorry." He slurred his words. He was sorry? She thought. "I'm sorry about all of this gela." He didn't know what he was saying; he couldn't even say her name right for god's sake. He was really wasted. She nodded and he released her hand.

"Now go asleep, you need to sleep." She said, switching off the lamp beside his huge bed. She saw that he closed his eyes and then turned for the door. She took in as much of the room as she could, before she had left.

It was decorated in a really dark grey color and white. The room was spacious but so was every room in this apartment. It was really clean and neat too. She was surprised at that. She walked out of the room to find some tablets and get him a glass of water for when he woke up the next morning with a huge hangover. After she came back in, she noticed Adrianno was sound asleep. She placed the things on his bedside table and shut the door quietly behind her before finally going back to sleep.

Adrianno woke the next morning with a thumping headache and a heavy head. He checked the time, it was the first time he had slept the whole night in a long while, but he supposed the alcohol had helped to knock him out. He turned over and looked at the glass of water and aspirin placed on his bedside table and then looked down at the blanket that was wrapped around him. He groaned, why was she being so nice about everything? He remembered snippets of last night now. He remembered falling on the ground as soon as he closed the door to his apartment and then Angela coming to help him up. Oh god, he thought, what the hell did I say to her?

Adrianno got himself showered and dressed, realizing he had slept it out. He heard voices and laughter outside and went to see who it was. He was surprised -and a little annoyed- to find Mike and Franco both laughing and talking to Angela, who was sitting between them on the sofa. When he thought about it, it kind of made him jealous to see how great Mike got along with her, he couldn't even talk to her properly.

"Oh look who decided to get up." Franco said sarcastically.

"What are you two doing here?" Adrianno asked them. Angela's expression blanched slightly when she saw him.

"Well, we noticed you were missing so we thought it would be a good idea to come and get you." Mike spoke for both of them now, Angela still said nothing.

"But you didn't come and get me did you? You're sitting there with her." He narrowed his eyes at them.

"Her has a name." Franco said before turning to Angela, "Don't mind him, he's usually very grumpy when he's hungover." He smiled charmingly at her and she tried to smile back but looked uncomfortable.

"He's like that even when he's not hungover." Mike shot back, causing the two men to burst out laughing. Franco, who was Adrianno's cousin, was the man Angela had thought looked familiar from the diner. He looked to be about the same age as Adrianno but with Mike, he seemed younger, laughing and joking along with him. It was clear to Angela that Adrianno was the more serious one out of the three men. Adrianno glared at his brother and cousin, both laughing between Angela, who sat there looking at him, kind of scared.

"Okay, okay. Let's go Mike, we wouldn't want Adrianno pmsing on us." Mike slapped his knee and let out a chuckle.

"We better get going, see you Angela." Franco held her hand out and kissed it, causing her to blush. Adrianno's eye twitched and he crossed his arms.

"Are you two going to hurry up?" he questioned as Mike done the same. The two of them knew exactly what they were doing- getting on Adrianno's nerves.

"Goodbye Angela." They both chorused as they neared the door and left Adrianno and Angela in the living room alone.

"Bye." She croaked as they closed the door behind them. He looked at her, his brows furrowed. She felt like she was in school again, awaiting a telling off from the teacher but was surprised when he finally spoke.

"Thank you, you know, for last night." He still had his arms crossed and stood in front of her craning his neck to look down at her.

"It's fine really." She said shyly, avoiding eye contact now. She was used to him coming home in a worse sate than Adrianno had. He liked to get drunk a lot and so she took care of him when he showed up at their doorstep.

Adrianno tried to smile at her, he tried to seem as genuine as he could but he didn't smile a lot, he hoped she didn't think he looked weird. She smiled back at him, it was a small smile but it was bright and it made him want to not leave her here alone now. But he didn't follow what he wanted to do, only nodded his head and left before saying a short goodbye to her and closing the apartment door. She wondered what had gotten into him, why was he acting so weird?