you and i

22

Everything seemed like it was coming together and falling apart at the same time. Just the possibility of Mike as an Ace member caused so much tension and created billions of questions to scatter inside of Angelo's mind.

If you are a part of Ace, how did you get out? Who is Cameron? Did someone die? Were they killed? How come you never told me? How does any of this make any sense? Why did you bail me out that night? Why....why would you try to lie and cover this up? Just who are you, Mike?

Angelo's dark brown eyes remained in the same position. He appeared to be hypnotized, leaving his body in a deep trance. "Angelo, look at me"

"I-I don't even know anything about anything. For some reason, I feel like I've been betrayed by the same person who I know saved me. None of this makes any sense to me. If he is a part of Ace how the hell did, he get out and who the hell is Cameron and why the hell would he call me-"

While he was still speaking Elliot closed the gap between them and embraced him. His heart was telling him to be close and he ignored his anxiety about his past for that moment. "Angelo, look at me. I know that this must be extremely confusing for you as it would be for anyone else in your position. But you have to understand that people, humans, in general, do crazy things. And those crazy things always have some kind of explanation. Mike has an explanation; we just have to wait for it and listen when it comes"

His tone was gentle, forgiving and kind. It reminded Angelo of how his parents would talk to him whenever he was worried about something.

And although he wanted to nod in agreement, Angelo knows who he is.

"Ellie, I'm impatient and I don't think I can do that"

"Then I will" Angelo pulled away to look at those ocean blue eyes. Without even thinking about it he pressed his fingertips against Elliot's cheeks and traced circles around his skin. "I can't let you do that for me, Ellie. I can't and I won't allow you to do something you don't want to do just for me"

"Angelo, I hate seeing you like this. And I will do anything just to settle your mind, even if it means that I step out of my comfort zone" The way they talked, looked, and held one another, made it seem as if they have been together for centuries when in reality it has only been a few weeks.

"Why would you go that far, Ellie? I am a mess. I'm an Ace member, the cruelest gang of all time, I smoke, drink, do drugs, dropped out of school, and ran away from home. I don't deserve anything good at all; most of the time, I question my own existence and purpose since I am NOTHING-"

"YOU ARE SOMETHING TO ME" For a moment Angelo was at a loss of words. All of this time, he has been waiting to hear something and Elliot shouted everything in one sentence.

"The first time I saw you, you were high. And I assumed that you were troubled, taking the wrong path in life because no one told you to do otherwise. But then I saw Angelo, standing at the cemetery in tears. And at that moment, I knew that you were different. I'm that rich kid that gets everything but receives nothing. But you gave me something. Remember that one week deal we had?"

Angelo nodded as he cracked a small smile looking back on those precious days. "That one week, was the best week of my life. In one week, you showed me how to have fun. We made sundaes together, we watched a movie, and we threw towels and sprayed water at each other. For you, it may seem ordinary, even boring, but I never was able to do those simple things. And even after I told you how I was raped, you didn't treat me any different. No pity, no shame. And I will forever be in your debt for showing me something, in a world of nothing. So, anything that you need, I will do everything to get you there"