ANGEL

Kelvin had landed on his feelings when I talked about us going apart, or rather, breaking up. I knew that that was the greatest decision I would ever have made about us two. It was not something of a bargain, but something even anyone in my position would do just to save everything, including themselves. Kelvin had started being toxic, and he kept on saying words that made me feel guilty about something or another, and I would rather state in words that I was not sure what else he would ever do. After a lot of talks, I became tired talking to him and Leniey, so without their knowledge, I called Ana to pick me up. Leniey had not spoken to me in any way, but he still watched me from afar, maybe just nodding or just following up on my conversation with Kelvin.

"Am leaving." I said it out of nowhere. It was about four past midday; yeah, it was that late.

"What do you mean?" Leniey interjected my words for the first time on this day. He had not spoken to me at any time on this day, but as I had said earlier, side glances were better with him and me.

"Ana is here; I requested that she come for me. So please, let me take my things and have my way back to my town." I stated this, standing up and walking towards Leniey's room to take my porch and anything I needed. I had not yet even showered from the previous night, but the truth is, I just wanted to go home. I really did.

As I was searching for my purse, I heard the door click open, and some footsteps could be heard nearing me. Whoever it was could not convince me to wait or stay with them, for already Ana was here in London; she just decided not to come to Leniey's house, even after much of the convincing I had given her.

"When do you come back?" Leniey asked behind my back, which made me turn to face him. His physique was centimeters away from mine, and in one front step, we would be closer to each other than we ever have been since I came back from my motherland.

"I don't know." I stated, seeing a look of disappointment in his face as he crunched and rubbed his hair as a sign of discomfort, as if looking for words to tell me or as if fighting the onset of the many words that ran across his brain.

"I'm sorry about earlier." He started, but I wish he knew I was not in the mood to talk about what happened, how it happened, or why it happened unless Ana asked me, with which I would explain with ease. Again, I knew I had to prepare for the radio station, and for the first time, I felt creating my distance between Leniey and Kelvin and focusing on what I was doing to at least survive would be a very great decision, for even in a real sense, some couples have divorced faster than the relationship they had with their jobs. It was found that their relationship with their jobs lasted longer than the people with whom they formed bonds or had married. Maybe my silence made him realize I was in no mood to communicate, for he continued, "Can I take you to meet Ana?"

"No." I replied as fast as possible. I did not want Kelvin to have any ideas of Leniey, especially now when things were going lefty. It was hard for me to concentrate when these two were in the house. I dread the time that Kelvin realizes all this. I am not sure he will be alive anymore. Even if he acts like an animal, I will accept it. Accept everything. I wonder how he will act. I am still looking forward to this day, especially given the fact that Leniey was standing between us today, acting like some sort of therapist.

"I can't let you walk alone in this city. You need company." He added.

"I won't be alone; I'll be with Ana."

"I'll take you to her; that's what I mean."

"Don't be stubborn with me, Leniey."

One thing I knew about myself when it came to Leniey was that it was more than hard for me to tell him no. Any time he would request something, I was eager to say yes, for my mind clicked that maybe that meeting would be our last, maybe we would never see each other again, or maybe one, two, or three things just crossed my mind, making me just have to accept. But if I had Kelvin, what would he think of himself if his modeling agent is taking the right step of taking me to Ana, and yet he, whom I want to leave, is just sitting there? I sure knew Kelvin adored Leniey; he respected him in all possible ways, and I am sure he would do anything that Leniey would ask him to.

"If it's Kelvin, I'll deal with him." Leniey stated this after the long pause. I just nodded to that, and of course I knew I would nod to it. I had never rejected anything Leniey said in my life.

After taking all my things, I went towards the door. As I heard Leniey speak to Kelvin, as if they had agreed, Leniey opened the door for me, and we left.

"Is she far?" He asked.

"No. Just near the fast food inn across the rails." I stated.

"Does she have her own car, or are y'all leaving by bus?"

"Own car." I stated, wanting as much as possible for Leniey to stop talking.

"What's your plan for next week's weekend?" Leniey asked, as if trying to keep the conversation going.

"I don't know; I guess I will stay at home, maybe watching my favorite movie or listening to podcasts." I stated, trying to think of what outing I would have for the day, and realized maybe none.

"Eeeh…would you…" Leniey started and then suddenly stopped, as if what he was wanting to say was something serious, and now he got my attention.

"What?" I asked. We had walked quite some distance, and I could see people eyeing us, with some taking pictures, which made me wonder how famous Leniey had become within the shortest period I had with him, but of course, he had not told me much of his life, and I had never asked, of course, for the question was, how would I even start asking such a question? Questions like, How have you become this famous? Or how did you manage modeling? He had told Kelvin, but I wanted him to rightfully tell me one-on-one, face-to-face.

"Nothing,…never mind." Leniey replied after the long time he had taken, maybe contemplating what he was about to say. Maybe he wanted to ask me if I would give Kelvin a chance, if I would move out of town, maybe take myself on some date, or maybe have some girl's night of sorts. I even did not have a lot of girl close friends; honestly, I felt it was all a bargain of winning and losing. Girls could end up hustling you in ways even a man would never do. I was not ready for any betrayal, being snitched, or being looked down on just because I was trying to make friends with people. I prefer my friendship outdoors, and in the case of closed doors, don't stand too much. Ana was just the one, that I would say we were quite close. She knew as much about me as I knew about her, but we never did the sleepover things with her; it was all texting, with her coming into my house and leaving later on in the day. She was never the type of girl who did not know when to leave, actually, since my campus life even back at home. I never liked such kinds of girls.. those who stayed in one's place as if it were their home, for at some point it would lead to some shoulder rubbing and then some hate, and then boom, your story is all over everyone in school; it was nothing personal; it was just something I took my time deciding on. I preferred my own personal space never to interfere with, but of course there are some who really want to interfere, and I would choose some other reasons for them not to interfere.

As we both walked in silence, I saw Ana's gray BMW merceded car packed next to some vanguard cars. It seems Leniey had seen it too, and we both walked towards it as Ana came out of the car. I saw her eye, Leniey, from top to bottom. Leniey had changed into some sweats and some tight t-shirts; of course I liked it when he wore them like that, but I was not in the mood to start liking his body when my head was already in chaos.

"Hey,.. girl." Ana stated, nearing me to give me a hug and extending her hand for Leniey as she made a face, looking at me as if saying, 'I see this, girl.' Or something of the sort.

"Okay, let me come in; here is a lot to say." I stated, and Ana started showing me towards the door when Leniey lightly caught my hand. I knew how much I missed him, like literally doing a little with my body, and I faced him, and I knew Ana was literally watching us. I was scared, scared of what Leniey would do; he was of course full of mysteries, but whatever he would do was one thing, well, kind of scary, for one would never know his next move. He so then, led ,e into a tight hug and suddenly I felt his hands really tighten their grip on me. After the little moment, he straight looked in my eyes and just left at once without saying a word, a behavior he had not yet forgotten, or maybe that behavior was what kept him moving. I thought of it as I headed in the car, eyeing Ana, who was difficultly stopping herself from smiling out of what had happened.