Friends

Sam's POV*******

Today is a school day, and I'm going to apologize to Angel. It's the first step towards a better, healthier relationship.

I had to remove all the toxins in the air namely, my spiteful attitude and greed.

Yes, I was greedy, but only for her! I can't help it when she purses her cute lips like that. It's so wrong!

I wanted her to join us for breakfast because I'm sure she can't have breakfast this early in the morning.

Has she always been sacrificing herself for me?

... I hope she agrees to stay. I just want to be nice.

~~~

Angel's POV*******

I woke up feeling lightheaded. What was the cause of this? I had a good sleep last night, right? I don't even know.

Oh yeah. I was crying... Again. Seems to be a normal routine now.

Wake up. Eat... or don't. Do stuff. If you're going to school, that's your stuff to do. Do more stuff when you get home. Think about why you're alive. Think about everything going wrong... Just think... Think about it... Think about it all. Then let it out.

My pillows suffer for it, and unfortunately so does my sleep.

No. I'm not telling you about my problem.

I don't think I'll tell anyone... There's this...

Nooooooo!

I'm not telling you of all people.

Yes, YOU!

Who do you think I'm talking to? Santa?!

I mean YOU. The 'oh so precious reader'.

'Oh wowie. I'm the reader and I know everything about you! Haha!'

I'm not telling you and the author can't make me!

How can I know that you don't go spilling other people's secrets huh?

...

Just kidding.

No hard feelings, though.

I yawned and patted Sparky on the head before getting up to get ready for today. It was crazy waking up this early.

What time is it?

5am!

I sighed and walked downstairs to the kitchen. My mom was never awake by this time. She left for work by 9 and had no stress. But I was here, not even working yet, and waking up by 5 because I have a guy to pick up like I'm his babysitter.

I tried to think of what to eat and I realized that I wasn't hungry today. Weird. I didn't eat last night either.

I can't say I'm glad I'm not pregnant because I needed to eat even if I didn't want to.

I later gave up and sighed. Time was running out.

I just grabbed myself a cracker and rode off.

I parked my bike outside his place and rang the doorbell.

I rang it many more times... Because why not? Heehee.

"Angel"

My heart stopped at the sound of his voice. When did he open the door?

I looked at him and smiled.

"Are you ready to go?"

He suddenly looked flustered, almost like the old Depressed Sam I used to know that got flustered whenever I did or said something crazy.

"I was... I was wondering..."

He awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

"Have you..."

He let out a deep sigh and turned to look at me with a straight face "Did you eat?"

I was surprised. I wasn't expecting that question. Nope. Not on my life!

No one asks me if I've eaten except when I'm sick.

"Yeah" I replied with a half truth. Well, I did eat a cracker...

His eyes widened "Oh... What did you eat?"

Okay, I knew that question was coming. I didn't have the heart to lie to him.

"I just had a cracker. It wasn't bad" I blurted stupidly.

He suddenly stared at me like I was some kind of alien.

He shook his head and dragged me inside.

I saw his parents smiling warmly at me as they sat around the table.

"Umm... What's going on?" I asked.

Was he doing some sort of official introduction? Was he going to ask his parents for their blessings for me to marry him?

Isn't he being too forward. This is going too fast. I'm not even so sure of my feelings yet! And I'm in a mental crisis for crying out loud!

"We're having Thanksgiving Turkey" he snorted.

I rolled my eyes at his sarcastic words.

He sat me down on a chair and sat next to me.

"You're having breakfast... If you care to join us"

I blinked. I was speechless. Woah! When did this happen? Our usual business was just pick and drop. I never complained and he didn't waste time. Did he want to be later than usual today?

"Sam... You're going to be late" I told him

He just shrugged "It's too early to go to school"

I was surprised. I knew that, I just didn't know that he knew that.

"Who are you? What have you done to Sam?" I asked in a playful tone.

Sam rolled his eyes "I'm just concerned about your health. I don't want you dieing on me"

He laughed, then I laughed and turned to the food before me.

Before, I wasn't hungry, but now, all my lost appetite seemed to come running back.

To make things better, Mrs. Lenard's cooking was amazing.

10 out of 10.

I was so full with my food and Mr. And Mrs. Lenard were acting strangely normal.

"Bye, Sam. Bye, Angel dear" Mrs. Lenard said and waved us off.

I smiled and waved back.

"Angel... I'm sorry"

I flinched. What was he sorry for? What was he doing? Did he not want to be friends anymore? Was I too annoying?

"I'm sorry for being to forward and rushing you into things" he added.

I immediately relaxed. That was what he was sorry for.

"I just... It was my first time liking someone and you made me feel like my old self again... I really like you... So much... I love you and... I... I didn't even care about your feelings once. I even kissed you without permission... I never asked you how you felt or if you were okay... I am a horrible friend... Please... Can you forgive me... And start things over? I promise to take things slow... Even if it means my feelings will never be returned"

I choked. Did he just say that? He was... Considering my feelings? He realized he was going to fast? He wanted to be my friend no matter...?

"Sam... I know how much I mean to you and I have to admit... You kissed without asking which hurt me a little..."

I could feel him slouch from behind me.

"But... I'm still happy it was you... I never expected you... Or anyone for that matter to be interested in me..."

"Why not? You're amazing!" He cut me off.

I smiled at his words "People don't see me that way, Sam... They don't see me like you do"

Sam hugged me from behind "They should... They're really dumb"

I chuckled "I'm happy that you realized that you were going too fast for me... I... I am not sure of my feelings yet... And I don't know if I can return your feelings... But I'll try..."

"Don't try" he snarled.

"You don't have to like me back just because I want you too. If you don't, it's fine. Don't try so hard to please people. It's wrong."

My heart swelled with warmth "I forgive you, Sam. Let's just stay friends for now..."

He hugged me tighter and whispered "If I do anything you don't like, please tell me... And if you need me, I'll be here... If anyone is bugging you, just call me. I want to be a real good friend to you, Angel..."

I laughed at his words "You just asked to steal the role of my bestie"

He smiled "Can I take it?"

"No way!" I laughed "Richie is irreplaceable!" I added.

We reached school and I was surprised to see people there. We were usually the first to arrive. Then, I checked the time.

7:45am.

Hmm.

Cool. 15 minutes to take a nap.

"You're still going to take a nap?" He asked me.

"Yeah, I didn't sleep well" I replied.

He frowned at me "You never sleep well. Why?"

I just shrugged "Nothing. Bye"

Sam looked a bit uncomfortable at my answer. I could tell he was worried.

I spread my arms and wrapped them around him.

"I don't want to talk about it" I whispered.

I smiled and walked away.

~~~

Sam's POV*******

After fixing things with Angel, I had to admit, I was even better than before.

She's such a sweet, kind-hearted, good-natured girl. I was still in love with her for sure, but being her friend helped me know her way more than before.

She was way too good for anyone. Even me.

One thing I'm still scared of is the way she holds on to relationships, even when it's over. She's too loyal to people, she'd do anything for them even if all she got back was dog food.

It was wretching watching her do things for her friend, but some of them just blew her off like what she did for them was meaningless.

Did she not see it?!

The way they'd copy her assignments and never help her submit hers. The way she bought food for people that forgot their lunch money, and yet they'd never let her sit on their table.

They saw her as a freak no matter what she did. It was disgusting.

I noticed that she'd stopped talking more now... And she'd get really moody. What's up with her?

"Hey, Sam... I can't meet up at the park today... I don't feel like it" she told me with a straight face.

What?!

We always met up at the park after school. Sometimes we'd talk, or play... Or even study.

Now, she didn't want to show up because she didn't feel like it?!

"Umm... Okay. Are you oka..."

"I'm fine" she snapped and I flinched at the rise in her voice.

She blinked and stared at me.

"I-I'm sorry" she mumbled and left.

No. Something was definitely up.

I thought that I'd go to her place to check up on her, but when I got there, her mom said she wasn't home and thought she was with me.

"She said she wasn't coming to the park... So I thought I'd check up on her to see what's wrong. She was kinda moody today"

Her mom rolled her eyes and smirked "Oh, don't mind her. She might just be on heat again. She practically sleeps with a dog"

I just stood there, gaping at her, at loss for words.

"She should be somewhere out there. Take care of her for me. And bring her home" she smiled warmly.

I returned the smile and walked away.

Where could she be?

She wasn't at the park when I checked... Where...

I walked around her neighborhood, looking far and wide for a missing cat.

I sat on one of the benches in the park, feeling exhausted, when I heard sniffling noises next to me.

I jumped in fright. I didn't notice anyone when I sat on this bench. Actually, I didn't notice anyone here before. When did they get here?

I narrowed my eyes to get a closer look and my jaw dropped.

"Angel?!" I almost screamed.

She turned to me, looking paler than a ghost. She stood up and tried to run, but I held her back.

"Stop it! I've been looking everywhere for you! What's going on?!"

"Nothing" she grumbled.

"It's not nothing if you're crying!" I snapped

She looked up at me with those dark empty eyes and I saw pain in them. My Cat girl was in pain.

"I don't want to tell you..."

I bit my lip "Why?"

"Because... I just can't... I want to deal with it alone"

I shook my head "You are strong, Angel, but you can't deal with this all alone. You're clearly not doing a good job"

She hung her head low and I raised my hand to caress her head. I found out that she liked being petted. Well, her mom was right. She was sleeping with a dog after all.

"It's... I'm not happy with my life..." She sighed.

I stared at her confused. She's always happy. Nothing was wrong with her life.

"I've been suffering from depression for a very long time... About 10 years..."

"Ten years! Why?! What happened?!"

"How come no one knew?!"

"Unlike you, I try to hide it. No one likes being friends with a depressed person"

She'd do anything to please people! She even hid her true self from the world just for acceptance, sacrificing her happiness, but it was never enough.

"Why haven't you told anyone?" I asked her.

She turned to me and I saw her watery eyes "I just wanted to be loved and accepted... I was lonely... With all the people around me, I feel lonely. I'm sick of trying to please people when all they do is turn their back on me. I'm sick of trying to hide myself from people and forcing myself to breathe in toxic air"

Tears fell down her beautiful face, and trickled down to the ground.

"I just want someone to understand me... No matter how different I seem... To see me and stay with me... I-I need a hug"

She wailed as she buried her face in my chest. Oh, my poor cat girl. The people have hurt you...

"Thank you for staying, Sam. You don't know how much your friendship means to me" she cried.

I felt my heart jump.

Of course, Cat girl. Our friendship means the world to me right now, and you are my number one priority.

"I'm sorry for being rude when we first met, Angel. I thought you were... A little crazy" I blurted.

What kind of apology was that?! I just admitted that I saw her as crazy.

To my surprise, she laughed. "I guess, I have that impression sometimes... I was just trying to make you happy"

"Why do you want to make people happy so much?"

"I feel a sense of satisfaction when I make a smile on people's faces, or when I brighten their day, or when I change their lives. It makes me glad to know that people will not suffer in the same fate as I" she replied.

I blinked and stared at her. Was she kidding me? Wow. Believe me when I say she doesn't deserve me... Or anyone one else on the planet. She deserves only an Angel from heaven.

I smiled softly "I know people don't appreciate you for what you do for them, but I don't think you should change yourself just to gain their acceptance. I love you. Every part of you. Whether you're crazy, or weird, or happy, or sad. If it's what makes you, you, then I'll accept it no matter what. You do so much for people that is worth more than their lives. If they can't see your worth, they're not worth it"

Angel sniffled "Thanks Sam"

At that moment, I wanted to kiss her. She was right here, in my arms, at my mercy.

But she was so weak right now, I didn't want to make use of her vulnerable state all for the reasons to satisfy my need for her love. I wanted her to discover on her own whether she loved me or saw me as a friend. And I'll wait. No matter how long it takes.

"No worries. It's what friends do. Anyway, your mom is getting worried. I'll walk you home"

She nodded her head slowly and we walked all the way back.

"Hey. Umm... I was thinking... Do you want to watch a cartoon with me this weekend? I got one from Oliver and...", I was suddenly cut off by her gasp and she wrapped her hands around my neck, almost choking me.

"Really! For me?! Thank you! Thank you! Which one?" She asked eagerly.

I smiled "Souls. It's a little outdated but..."

"Are you serious?! Of course! I haven't watched that! I never had the chance to... But I've always been looking forward to it." She suddenly squealed "Thank you so much, Sam! I'll be there at 7!"

We suddenly turned to house and we stopped. This was goodbye.

It suddenly turned awkward and she started drawing imaginary lines on the ground with her foot.

"Hey"

She looked up and stared into my eyes.

I was lost for a second in those empty dark brown eyes.

"Everything is going to be fine" I assured her.

There was suddenly the tiniest twinkle in her eye. It made her eyes flicker with light for a nanosecond. It made my heart beat faster than normal and I felt my cheeks heat up.

I had done it. I'd finally found the light I was looking for... No. I finally found the Cat girl has been looking for. It was amazing seeing that little flicker of light in her eyes.

"Thank you, Sam"

She tiptoed to kiss my cheek and rushed in, closing the door behind her.

My hand rose up to my cheek and I felt the blood rush straight up to the spot where the kiss had lingered.

That's what friends are for...