Angel Full of Flowers

❁ 35 ❁

Everything that had happened so far had been too good to be true. Sometimes I wondered, why me? I don't deserve this. But then I realize, I'm being selfish.

Poppy stood still as she looked at me with eyes full of concern. I immediately launched myself from my chair and ran up to her.

"Camellia..." she said in a haggard breath, "...it's Angel."

All the blood drained from my face. My eyes went wild as I searched for answers and without realizing it, my legs bolted out of the library and straight through the garden where we once all sat together. As I approached the front entrance of the school, I saw a plethora of girls creating a wall as they all faced the gate.

I pushed them aside, unable to stop myself from crashing onto the gate itself. My hands met the cold black steel of the gate's bars and I pressed my face through one of the openings. There was a black car that began to slowly drive away and in the passenger window, I saw what I had feared the most.

Angel's head hung low and wigless. I couldn't quite see who was driving, but I hoped it wasn't who I thought it was. Then I heard the whispers.

"Angel's a boy?!"

"You're telling me Angel was a boy this entire time?!"

"I'm telling my parents about this."

My mouth went completely dry. No, this can't be happening. What...what's going on? I don't understand...

I felt like at any moment, I would faint. As I stepped away from the gate, my mind went into a whirlwind frenzy. Everything around me blurred. The beating of my heart thrummed against my ears and my head felt heavy. It was difficult to breathe.

I felt like I was dying.

Suddenly a firm hand gripped my shoulder and I stopped spiraling just long enough to realize who was in front of me.

Tulip's eyes were a raging storm. She frowned as she spoke, "You knew this whole time, didn't you?"

It felt like there was cotton in my mouth–words escaped me. Iris came up from behind Tulip and grabbed her arm. "Tulip stop it!" She yelled.

Tulip yanked her arm away from her grip and her eyes flitted towards the ground as she backed away from me. Without saying another word, Tulip stormed off towards the garden. Iris ran after her as she called out, "Tulip, wait!" Leaving me all alone to process everything that had just happened.

My legs eventually gave way and I fell to the ground. Some of the girls had already dispersed, ignoring me and instantly forgetting what had just occurred. However, I did not know what had just occurred. There were too many missing fragments. Why did Angel leave? Why did he not have his wig on? Who did he leave with? Is he okay?

...do I no longer have any friends?

I stayed on the ground for what seemed like an eternity, staring at nothing at all. Then I felt someone softly brush their finger on my cheek, bringing me back to reality. It was Poppy. She was crouched in front of me with a solemn expression on her face.

I let out a weak exhale and tears suddenly started to fall down from my face. I bent my head down because I could no longer look her in the eyes. She must be angry with me too. I would be furious.

Attempting to say something, I opened my mouth but all that came out was a yelp. Then I bit my lower lip hard, so hard that I accidentally made myself bleed. The iron taste mixed with the saltiness of my tears and I felt myself become small.

Poppy shifted as she sat down in front of me–I assumed she got tired of crouching. Then I finally spoke, "I have no words to describe how sorry I am, Poppy. You trusted me and I let you down. There's nothing I can do or say that will ever make what I did okay and I do not expect you to forgive me, but please, know that I value you and your friendship. But I understand if you no longer want anything to do with me then I'll-" I choked.

She remained quiet. I looked down at my hands and then at my knees, and realized I was bleeding. As soon as I saw it, the pain coursed through my body. I made myself even smaller. "There was a reason why Angel did what he did. He never meant to hurt you or anyone else. He didn't do this on purpose," my voice cracked and turned into a whisper, "it wasn't his fault."

I didn't know what else to say. I wanted to tell her the reason but I wasn't sure if I could. It wasn't my place. After a long while of silent sobbing and the rustling of leaves, Poppy finally said, "I know. I always knew."

My head shot up. She was looking away from me, she stared at a bed of small white flowers beside us with a small smile.

"You knew?" I questioned.

"Well, I found out just recently actually. When we went on the charity trip. I went looking for him and headed down the beach when I suddenly heard some voices in the distance. I heard Magnolia so I assumed that if she was there then so was Angel. But it wasn't the Angel I knew. It was strange. At first, I simply thought that Angel had a twin brother but quickly dismissed that thought when Magnolia called him by his name."

It all made sense now–why Poppy had been acting so distant towards Angel since then, why she didn't seem to want to talk about her feelings anymore. Then my heart twisted inside out. "I'm so sorry..." I said again almost in a whisper.

She shook her head and finally looked at me. "I knew that there had to be a reason why he was doing this in the first place. But I'm not angry. I'm not angry at him and I'm not angry at you, Camellia."

More tears streamed down my face. She should be mad, she shouldn't be talking to me, she should be-

"I'm assuming this had something to do with his family, right?"

My ears suddenly started ringing once she said that. "How did you know?" I asked, confused.

Poppy turned and pointed towards the direction of the girl's dormitory. "Angel's mom came in screaming at him about who knows what. I was walking towards my room when it all happened."

In an instant, I felt my soul leave my body. Did his mother take him?! That was what I wanted to yell but it got caught in my throat. I was too afraid to ask. No, I was afraid of the answer.

She continued, "She grabbed him by the shoulders and gripped him hard. He winced in pain as he struggled to peel her hands off of him. All the girls in the dorm started to surround them, yelling at her to let him go but she just wouldn't listen. Then a woman with long pink hair came running towards them and pulled them apart."

Oleander.

"Angel's mother staggered back as the lady with pink hair pushed him behind her. She yelled at her, 'Don't you dare put your hands on him! You cannot be more than one hundred yards from him! Remember that!' Everyone was confused as to why she referred to Angel as 'him.' But then his mother retaliated, 'You cannot take a child away from their mother!' They went on like that for a while but I tuned them out and stared at Angel. He was contemplating something, I could tell. Then he suddenly stepped in front of his mother-"

A group of girls passing by giggled loudly, cutting Poppy off from her intense story. They stared at me as they did and whispered something to each other. I knew rumors were going to start but I didn't expect them to start so soon.

Poppy and I tried our best to ignore them. Then she continued, "He stepped in front of his mother and pulled off his wig. He told her he wasn't afraid of her anymore. His mother raged at this sentiment and was about to hurt him until the lady with pink hair took his hand and pulled him away. They both left the dorms as his mother called out to him."

Something in my heart lightened as I realized that it was Oleander who drove away with him. At least he's safe.

Poppy then pulled her legs close to her chest and placed her chin on top of her knees. "We made eye contact as he was being pulled away towards the gate. There were so many girls swarming around them but his eyes met mine. Like he was saying, 'I'm sorry.' Then everything else happened so suddenly. Someone was accidentally pushed into him and he let go of his wig. At that moment, I knew what I had to do."

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