The Bad Boy's Angel

Chapter One - Whom Do You Love The Most?

Finally, Ms. Knightley’s torture ended, but there was more to come. Throughout the day, there was a bitter war between him and Freddie while Angela looked displeased.

It was their much-needed break, and Angela walked over to him. “Damian, I won’t teach you anything if you fight with Freddie again,” she threatened.

“Don’t worry, I won’t,” assured Damian. He and Xavion sat discussing something serious and Angela left them alone. Seeing Damian’s behavior, she was actually curious about what Freddie might have said to him to make him so worked up. She would have to ask him later when they were alone. Classes resumed, but she noticed Damian was distracted throughout the day. She had caught him staring at her many times but didn’t give it much thought. Maybe he was worried about something!

Helena kept on pleading with her to accompany her to see Brian, who wanted to tell her something important. “No, Helen, you go ahead. I want nothing to do with them,” she said, knowing fully well how Damian would react if she spoke to anyone belonging to Freddie’s gang.

“Please, Angela. He threatened to complain to Mom about my bunking school yesterday if I didn’t meet him today after school,” begged Helena.

Angela scowled at her. “Then you shouldn’t have bunked school, “ she said, crossly.

“Please, Angela. You don’t need to talk to them. You just need to be with me,” pleaded Helena with puppy dog eyes. Angela groaned but finally gave in.

“Fine, but make it quick. I don’t want Damian to see me talking to them,” she said with an eye roll.

“It’ll take a minute! Thank you, thank you,” said Helena. School was at last over and she pulled Angela along with her. Angela looked around for Damian. Had he left? She didn’t want him to see her now knowing how possessive he was about her.

The school was already over, and Damian gladly wanted to leave for home. He didn't get to interact with Angela much during the lunch break as Xavion started bombarding him with questions regarding his injuries. Angela was always with Helena, much to his dislike, and he had to stay away because of his best friend. Xavion avoided Helena since she nurtured a crush on him and he didn't like her at all.

Damian hurried out to his bike. He wouldn't let this opportunity go. He wanted Angela to come over to his house and teach him. His heart started racing at the thought! Why? He had no idea. He had always liked Angela, and recently his heart started doing strange flips at the sight of her.

However, before he could grab his bike, he stopped short and stared at the scene before him. Freddie and his gang were surrounding Angela and Helena. They seemed to be busy discussing something. In fact, Angela looked so interested in what was going on that she was oblivious to his presence. Blood boiled in his veins reaching a furious intensity, and he strode towards them with purpose. He wanted to punch Freddie and wipe the victorious smirk off his face as he stared back at him.

"Angel, come here," he growled as he strode furiously towards her. How could she talk to Freddie after he had warned her against it just this morning? Freddie liked Angela and had just challenged him in the morning. What ensued was a big fight between the two of them. His friends had joined in to give him support and Damian had to fight four boys single-handedly. Damian's eyes held Freddie's challenging gaze without flinching even for a second.

Angela turned around and saw Damian's clenched fists and furious gaze, and she rushed over to him. She held his arm and started pulling him to the other side, away from Freddie. Freddie's face fell, and he rolled his eyes and looked away. Damian turned and followed her without a word. At the parking lot, he caught her arm and whirled her around to face him.

"What were you doing with Freddie, Angel?" he gritted out, losing his temper.

"You're hurting me, Damian," said Angela, looking down to inspect her arm. "I didn't talk to any of them. Brian wanted to talk to Helena, so she pulled me along," said Angela. Damian's grip loosened, and he released her abruptly.

Angela inspected her arm again. There was a bruise forming. She rolled her eyes and stomped off to her bike while Damian followed her.

"You're coming home with me now, " he stated as he mounted his bike to go home.

"Don't order me about. I'm not your girlfriend," she said, displeased with his growing possessiveness. He was overdoing it lately, and it bothered her a lot.

"Oh yes, you are," said Damian, pleased that he could confess his wish.

"No, I'm not. We're only friends. Get it? We are F.r.i.e.n.d.s," she spelled it out for him. She felt annoyed with him these days. He seemed as stubborn as a mule and kept harping on the same thing nearly every day, but he was her childhood friend and she valued his friendship a lot.

"You are a girl and you're my friend. So you're my girlfriend. Simple," he said cheekily, saving the situation. Damian purposely didn't press any further. He didn't want to upset her when he wished to spend time with him at his house.

"Cheer up, Angel. Won't you teach me proverbs?" he pleaded, riding his bike alongside.

"I'm going home. Come over in the evening, " she said, riding all the way to her own home. Damian felt frustrated. Why couldn't she teach him now when no one's at home? In the evening, he would have to face her whole family and he didn't want to.

"Please teach me now. It won't take much time. In the evening, Xavion will come over to stay the night," he informed. He and Xavion were attached to the hip. Angela felt uncomfortable with their jokes and topics of discussion and therefore avoided staying when Xavion came over.

Angela sighed. "Alright, let's go," she agreed, and Damian suppressed the happiness that was bubbling inside him. They went up to his house and parked their bikes in his garage. Damian unlocked his door and led her inside.

"You can go up to my room. I'll get us something to eat," he said with a smile. Angela nodded and went up to his room. She'd been here since the day she was born. Damian was three months older than her and they had grown up together. She went to his room, freshened up in his en-suite, and sat down on the loveseat in his room, waiting for him. It was the most comfortable thing in the world, and she had fallen asleep upon it many times in the past.

He came up with two bowls of delicious-looking pasta carbonara that his cook, Cindy, had made.

"This looks delicious. Thanks," she said, tucking into the delightful food. Damian sat down beside her to eat, his arm and thighs brushing with hers. It was as if he was glued to her.

"Damian, shift. You're crushing me, you mammoth, " mumbled Angela, but Damian just grinned and kept eating. He loved to be near her, tease her, touch her, and watch her. In fact, he loved everything to do with her. He didn't understand this crazy feeling, but it gave him happiness, so why not?

Angela rolled her eyes and kept on eating. He was impossible. He would never listen. "Angel, who do you love the most in the entire world?" he asked, just like every day he did whenever he met her.

Angela smiled. "You," she said truthfully. She didn't get bored with this question, although he asked her every day. The answer came straight from her heart. She knew Damian was lonely, and he didn't receive the love he deserved from his parents. She loved him unconditionally since the day she was born.

Damian smiled with satisfaction. This answer reminded him that there was one person in the world who loved him. He wanted to hear it every day. It had become a necessity for him. Xavion was his best friend, and they loved each other immensely, but it was Angela who made him face every day with a smile and hope for a better tomorrow. Her love was precious to him and he needed it just like the parched earth needed rain, just like his body needed oxygen.

He knew he would die the day Angela didn't love him!

They finished their food and Angela taught him a little grammar so that he didn't face Ms. Knightley's wrath the next day. Damian didn't want her to leave. He would be lonely after she left, but he couldn't stop her and have her to himself 24/7. Maybe one day he would, but not today. They were just thirteen.

Angela rushed home before her dad returned from his university. Her brothers would also return home soon. She changed and completed her homework. She did the day's laundry and checked the refrigerator for ingredients to cook dinner. They usually took turns with the cooking, although mostly she helped everyone. Her dad was a clumsy cook, and so was Arnold. Alex was very good, although not as good as her. And Adam was a hopeless cook. Her mom always came late from hospital duty and hated cooking.

Angela found that there was nothing in the refrigerator. She had completely forgotten they had to get the groceries from the local department store.

Her dad walked into the house, looking exhausted. "Hey, princess, what are you doing in front of the refrigerator?" he asked, taking out a tetra pack of orange juice for himself.

"Checking dad. I need to get groceries. There's nothing at home to cook," she sighed.

"Alright, give me a minute, we'll go together," offered her dad, going to the washroom to freshen up. After five minutes, they drove over to the store.

They started loading the stuff that they needed onto their trolley. Angela loved shopping with her dad. He never bickered about the bills. He let her splurge to her heart's content. They were almost done when she bumped into Damian. He had a pack of ready-to-eat meal boxes in his hand.

"Hello, son. What are you doing here?" asked Angela's dad. He liked Damian a lot and always took an interest in him.

"Buying dinner, Uncle Gerry," answered Damian with a bright smile.

"Why do you need to? Hasn't Cindy made dinner for you guys today?" asked Angela's dad.

"She called to say that she wouldn't be able to come over to make dinner," answered Damian. "Dad's staying the night at his hospital. He has an emergency operation and mom has a charity ball. She would return late too. Xavion canceled our sleepover at the last minute," he informed them with a shrug.

"Why can't you come home for dinner, son? Princess and I are cooking tonight, " he informed Damian. Angela smiled at their interaction. It was she who would have to cook while her dad would just hover around, tasting the food.

Damian grinned. "Uncle Gerry, let Angel cook, please. Only then will I accept your invitation to dinner," he said and Angela's dad laughed.

"You really love your sister, don't you?" said Angela's dad. Angela rolled her eyes. There he went again. She couldn't understand why he always insisted on calling Damian her brother.

"She's my friend, not sister, Uncle Gerry, " answered a bored Damian. He was tired of informing Angela's dad every time they met.

"Yes, Dad. I already have three brothers. I don't need another. I just need a friend," stated Angela.