The Bad Boy's Angel

Chapter Six - Separated

At 5 a.m., Harry nudged him. “What?” he whispered.

“Steffi just went for her morning jogging. I’m following her. I think I’ll try to tell her I like her. Why don’t you go and talk to Angela?” he suggested and Damian grinned.

“Thanks, bro,” he said as he ran to the bathhouse to freshen up, brush his teeth, and rush to Angela’s camp.

He unzipped the camp and went inside. Angela was sleeping in her sleeping bag, and he lay beside her in the double sleeping bag. She looked so angelic in her sleep that he couldn’t control the urge to stroke her cheek lightly in a feather-soft touch.

She stirred but didn’t wake up, thankfully. He watched the steady rise and fall of her chest in her nightdress. It stirred him, and he wanted to kiss her. Unable to control himself, he leaned close to her.

Angela opened her eyes when she felt a hot breath on her face. Damian’s face came into her view and she rubbed her eyes. When she looked back, she was lost in Damian’s eyes.

She immediately sat up and clutched her blanket to her chest. “What are you doing here, Damian?” she asked in panic.

“I missed you, Angel,” he said, still staring at her face and her lips.

“Damian, you shouldn’t be here. Ed Simmons will give you a blasting if he sees you,” warned Angela.

“Then tell me, who do you love the most in the world?” he asked.

“You Damian, and you know it,” she confessed.

“Then why are you always with Steffi? It seems you have forgotten me,” he sulked.

“No, it’s not that. I can’t be with you 24/7, Damian. I like Steffi and we connect well,” she said and Damian angrily fisted his hands.

“So, do you love her more than me?” he growled.

“Damian, you’re becoming impossible now. I’m just your best friend. Please don’t spoil our friendship. If you continue this way, then I won’t be able to love you the most. I want to be free. We’re just fourteen, for God’s sake,” Angela said, and Damian grew red with fury.

“Fine, I’ll leave you alone from now on. Be free," he yelled and just unzipped the camp and walked out.

They returned home by evening. Xavion and Damian walked into Damian's house but froze hearing loud yelling coming from upstairs. They saw that there was utter chaos. Things were strewn all over, the crockery was all smashed around everywhere. Damian and Xavion shared a look of dread. Who could have trashed his home? Damian hurried up the stairs and Xavion followed him too. They heard his parents yelling at one another. His mom had packed her stuff and was leaving while his dad yelled obscenities at her. It wasn't something new for him. However much they fought, his mom never took the last step. She never left home. So seeing her leaving made his heart clench with grief.

Tears crept into his eyes. Was his mom leaving forever? He stood with a pale face as his mom picked up her stuff and walked towards him. Realization struck, and he caught her hand to stop her from leaving.

"Mom, where are you going? Are you leaving me?" Damian asked with tears rolling down his cheek. Although she was never at home, still her presence was there in his life. Now he didn't know what uncertainty lay ahead of him.

His mom hugged him tightly. "Yes, Damian. I've waited for sixteen years for your dad to love me, but all I ever received was his wrath and hatred. Now, I've found true love and I want to spend the rest of my life with him in peace," confessed her mom with tears in her eyes.

"What about me, mom?" asked Damian, more tears rushing down his eyes.

"I wanted to take you along, sweetie, but your dad won't let me," sighed his mom. Damian's heart broke when he realized he was seeing his mom for the last time.

"I want to go with you, please Mom," yelled Damian helplessly as his mom started walking down the stairs with her luggage. He ran after his mom, but his dad caught up with him and grabbed hold of his shoulders to stop him.

"No one's going after that sl*t. You'll stay here with me. Do you hear that? You're my heir and I won't let you go," growled his dad. It was a stern command, which left no scope for any argument. His dad turned on his heel to leave when suddenly he stopped mid-strike.

Damian was too scared and heartbroken to retaliate. He stood like a statue, watching his mom leave forever. Xavion held him close as Damian broke down completely. Damian wanted to ask his mom for a forwarding address, but no word came out of his mouth. Before he could ask her the address of her new home, his father's booming voice echoed in the quiet house like thunder.

"You will have to sever all ties with Gerard's daughter, Angela. If I ever see you talking to her, I will throw you out of the house and leave you to die on the streets. You won't receive the inheritance your grandfather has left you. Is that clear?" he growled out at a confused Damian. Damian had no idea suddenly out of the blue where that came from. He blinked twice with disbelief while gripping Xavion's hand for support. He just couldn't believe what his dad was asking him to do. How could he sever all ties with Angela? She was his life, his soul, the only one he could call his own!

"Why Dad? She's my friend. I can't live without her dad. Please, Dad, don't do this. I will die," he fell on his knees and begged. Xavion too knelt down beside him and cried bitterly for his best friend. He knew how much Angela meant to Damian. The bitterness and heartbreak that Damian felt just at the mention of breaking all contact with Angela was more painful than death itself.

He shook his head vigorously to show that he would never give her up. Whatever his dad said, he wouldn't be able to bow down to this.

"Die then, but if you don't break off, I'll punish you. I don't give out idle threats, Damian. I'll be watching you," he growled and strode down the stairs and out of the house.

Damian sobbed brokenly, and Xavion too, had tears in his eyes. He was too upset to comfort his friend. They had no clue what was going on. Damian cried helplessly and bitterly. He was just fourteen and he couldn't leave the house. The police would seize him and hand him back to his dad or place him in foster homes. He had no choice but to listen to his dad.

He didn't know why Angela was involved in their fights. "Mom, why didn't you fight for me and take me with you?" he sobbed.

Xavion stayed with his friend the entire time, helping him cope with the emotional upheavals that he was going through. "Don't lose hope, bro. Lie low until you turn eighteen and when you get hold of your inheritance, you can reconnect with Angela again, " he comforted, but Davion was inconsolable. He had never stayed away from Angela for even a single day since the day she was born.

"How can I stay away from Angela for the next four years, Xav?" he complained. "Mom didn't once think of me when she walked away to live a good life. She could have fought for me," said Damian, feeling unwanted and unloved.

"Maybe she did and failed," said Xavion and Damian nodded. Maybe he was right. After all, his father was the most difficult person to deal with. He knew it. He feared his dad and barely spoke over 2 sentences in a week with him. In fact, they hardly met as he was always away at his hospital.