Chapter 5

 

  I don’t think the grin on my face could get any bigger. I can’t believe that she actually did this for me. I sit for what seems to be a long time, with the lighter in my hand. No one has ever given me anything before. Someone knocks on the door. I set the lighter back in the box before heading to the door. I didn’t expect her to show up. I didn’t expect to have to think of something to say on the spot.

“Angel.” Her name leaves my lips like it’s a natural occurrence.

“Brought you something,” She says and when I look down, my heart stops. Angel’s holding a small cake in her hands, with one single candle.

“Why are you doin’ this?” Dragging my eyes back up to meet hers, her smile falls.

“I was just trying to be nice. I’m sorry.” Angel takes a step back as my eyes fall back to the candle.

“I wouldn’t know what to do with that.” I nod toward the sparkling candle while Angel regains her composure. She steps back up to me, with a smile.

“You make a wish, Devil,” She says while my eyes search hers. I don’t know what to say to her. I step aside to let her come in. She hesitates only for a second, before moving past me. The smell of her perfume slams into my nose. I close the door before turning to face her. She’s so damn beautiful and doesn’t even realize it.

“You are one of the few people that would do this for someone.” I don’t smile. I don’t blink. I don’t know what to say to her.

“There are few people I care about enough to do it for.” Is she saying she cares about me? She couldn’t possibly.

“I’m no good, Angel.” Her hands lower slightly with the cake still in them.

“I was just trying to be nice,” She says. Angel sets the cake on the table next to my beers before walking toward the door again. I put my hand out to stop her, coming to rest on her stomach.

“I didn’t say I wanted you to leave.” Pushing her back slowly, she looks at me with tears in her eyes.

“I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know how to have a friend, or take this shit. I’ve never done it.” I tell her honestly. A small smile crosses her face before she grabs my hand.

“I’ll show you.” 

With her hand on mine it’s sending shock waves through me. Having her this close, is even worse. Angel leads me to the table before she lets me go.

“All you have to do is make a wish, and blow out the candle,” She grins.  I narrow my eyes at her. This makes no sense to me.

“Why? What’s the point?” I ask.  Angel giggles lightly before picking the cake up.

“I don’t know! You just wish for something you really want.” I don’t know about all of this.  I shrug my shoulders before leaning down, blowing the candle out. It means nothing to me but it seems to make Angel happy. She beams with a smile that I’ve never seen before.

“What are you smilin’ about?” I ask, her eyes come back to mine.

“I just hope you get what you wished for.” She has no idea what I wished. Hell, I don’t even know if I know what it was.

“So, now what?”  I ask looking around. I’m new to all this birthday stuff.

“You eat cake. You party, you pass out. Whatever you want to do. It’s your day.” It’s my day? The thought doesn’t settle well with me. I don’t want a day. I don’t want anything.

“Whatever I want–just for today?” I ask making sure I heard her right.  Angel grins. Looking at her with so much lust, why can’t I have her right now.

“Anything you want,” She responds. God, her smile is perfect. I move toward her slowly. Her eyes never leave mine as confusion shakes her. My hands come up to cup her face before I kiss her. She doesn’t move, or kiss me back. That’s the only thing that has me pulling away from her. If she doesn’t want to do this, I won’t make her.

“Say no, Angel. Tell me no,” I practically beg. She’s having a war within herself. I can see it in her eyes.

“No.” I’m almost shocked when the words leave her mouth. I never thought she’d say no to me, but she’s smart. She’s smart to stay away from me. I lower my hands, backing away from her.

“Thank you for the lighter, and the cake.” Her eyes fill with tears. She nods her head, not speaking.

“You’re welcome.” Her voice shakes, ripping me apart. I knew I should have known better than to think something more. Angel turns to walk away but as shockingly as it comes to me, I don’t want her to.

“Stay with me. Just for tonight.”  

***

Her head hangs low. I move to her slowly, resting my hand on her shoulder.

“Please.” I damn near beg again. I don’t fucking say please. I don’t ever fucking act like this, so what the hell am I doing? I want to curse myself. I want to rip my own throat out, but I can’t deny how much I want her here. Angel slowly turns, her teary eyes burning through me.

“Ok. I’ll stay.” She reaches for her shirt before I stop her.

“No, Angel. Not like that,” I say firmly. She has it in her head that every man just wants to fuck her. While I do want to fuck her, I want her to realize that she is more than what people make her out to be.

“Come on,” I say before grabbing her hand and leading her to the bed. She sits down as I follow. I run my hand through my hair not knowing where to go with all of this.

“I’ve never had a woman in my bed and not fucked her senseless.” This is strange for me. I don’t know how to react to any of this.

“It’s ok. I’ve never actually stayed the night with a guy either. Not like this,” She admits. I don’t know how that makes me feel.

“Well, fuck.” Grabbing a beer, I sit on the bed, uncomfortably next to her.

“What do normal people do?” I ask. Angel’s laugh fills my heart. A cold dead heart.

“You’re normal, Devil. You were just dealt a shitty hand.” She tries to sound sure of herself. I wish that were true. I wish I was normal, but nothing about me is.

“I don’t know about all that. Really though, what do they do?” I ask again. Angel reaches past me grabbing the controller.

“Watch movies. Binge eat. Whatever you want.” She flicks through the channels before stopping on a movie. I watch the screen uneasily before she shoves off the bed.

“Eat your cake. I made it. You won’t die, since I didn’t let Amber get her hands near it.” Her laughter settles something inside of me. I love hearing her laugh. I watch her move around, getting plates and forks. It’s like she belongs here. Shaking my head, I need to get that out of my mind, and quickly. I can’t have her. I can’t have anything.

“Here, try it,” She says, passing me a plate before she climbs up next to me.

“I don’t know about this.”  I look at the cake like it might attack. I’ve never ate cake before. Sounds crazy, I know.

“Just try it.” Angel picks up a small piece from her plate, holding it in her fingers.  Opening my mouth, I let her put it in. I suck her fingers into my mouth as soon as they touch my lips. Tasting the cake, as well as Angel, sends shocks through my body. Her eyes widen as she watches me.

“Do you like it?” Her voice catches. I don’t miss it.

“I more than like it.”