Over the course of the next week, Angelo spent a lot of time thinking about Jason and how he was being treated by him.
Angelo was still having a hard time wrapping his head around Jason's acceptance. He had so convinced himself that there was no way Jason would be able to not have some kind of bad feelings for him. What guy wouldn't, finding out that the girl he had feelings for was really a guy tricking him?
Since that first meeting on Monday, every time Angelo saw Jason, Jason was the perfect gentleman. He was very sweet and understanding towards Angelo and treated him like nothing less than a girl. Not once did Jason ever give any indication that he was upset at finding out the truth.
So far, everything was going well for Angelo.
At this point, no one at school had figured out his secret. The only people that knew, were the school administrators and the group of friends that he had told. Not even his teachers knew that Angelo and Angelica were the same person.
On Thursday afternoon of that first week, Angelo got off the bus and began walking toward his house.
The cold winter wind burned his ears and cheeks as it whipped past his head. He shivered to feel the cold swirl around his legs and up his skirt.
These tights aren't thick enough, why, oh why didn't I wear jeans this morning, he thought to himself.
Angelo reached up, and pulled the hood of his coat over his head, as a car approached from in front of him. The car slowed as it neared Angelo and he noticed the passenger window was being rolled down.
Angelo didn't think too much about it, but as the car pulled alongside him, the driver stopped, and called out, "Hey baby, where ya goin'? It's too cold to be walkin'. Does miss sexy thang need a ride? I kin take ya. Kno' what I'm sayin'?"
Angelo stopped and looked in through the window. The young male driver, who appeared to be eighteen or nineteen, had long, greasy hair, bloodshot eyes, dry, cracked lips and a goofy grin on his face.
Angelo didn't like the smell coming out of this car. It was the unmistakable odor of weed. He knew this because it was the same smell he had smelt on his cousin, who smoked just about every day.
"No thank you," Angelo responded.
"Well sexy, can I least get yo num'er?"
What was this guy doing? He was starting to make Angelo nervous.
Instead of answering the guy, Angelo picked up the pace, trying to get to the safety of his house, as quickly as possible.
The boy put his car in reverse and slowly began backing up, staying next to Angelo.
Continuing to look towards his house, Angelo loudly called out, "Leave me alone!"
"No needs to get hostile, baby. Kno' what I'm sayin'" the guy responded. "I'm not tryna kidnap you. I just want to ax you out, ya know. I thinks you's pretty cute."
"Sorry," Angela called out to the boy, "but I'm not interested. Besides, I'm only thirteen."
"Thirteen,sh*t? Is you sure, hun? Youse not lyin' to me is you, kno' what I'm sayin'?"
"No, I'm not lying," Angelo yelled. "I am thirteen and you are creeping me out."
Realizing Angelo was serious, the guy's attitude changed and he responded, "Whoa, hold up lil filly. . . I's sorry. I was sure you had to be at least sixteen. Man, I don't needs ta go back to no jail."
And with that, he put the car in drive and sped away.
Angelo had been more than a little nervous about the situation as it was happening, but now, he was able to take a deep breath, exhale, and think about what had just happened.
Quickly, a big grin crossed his face. He realized the guy really hadn't had any clue about the girl he was hitting on. He really didn't know she was a boy and it gave Angelo a little boost of confidence.
It felt good to Angelo, knowing people were not seeing a boy pretending to be a girl, but they were instead seeing the pretty girl that he wanted them to see.
As Angelo opened the front door of his house, his cell phone began to ring. It was the number he had put in his phone, from Jason, that day at the mall.
Angelo stared at his phone for a moment, confused, as he realized he didn't give his number to Jason. He was just about to hit ignore when curiosity got the better of him. He just had to know what Jason wanted and how the heck he had gotten this number.
"H-Hello," he answered apprehensively.
Angelica? Hi, it's Jason. Can we talk?"
"Um, sure. I guess so. But why now? We could have talked at school today. And how did you get my phone number? I never gave it to you."
"Oh, I'm sorry if that bothers you, me having your phone number. I-I didn't think it would be an issue. I talked to Cecile and she gave it to me."
"No, that's okay. I don't mind you having it, I was just wondering how you got it. So, what are you wanting to talk about?"
Well, do you have time to talk I don't want to bother you if you're busy? I mean, I can call back another time if it's more convenient."
"No, actually now is perfect. I'm home alone. Mom won't be home for another hour. And you've got me curious now, so go ahead. What's up?"
Angelo sat his book bag on the kitchen counter, kicked off the warm, fur-lined, suede boots he'd been wearing, then lifted his skirt and began to remove the shimmering pair of tan-colored tights he had on.
He balled them up and stuck them in one of the boots and then took a seat on a bar stool as he listened to Jason.
"Angelica, I believe that you are well aware of what I think about you. From that first moment I laid eyes on you in the mall, I knew I wanted to get to know you better. I had seen you when you and your mom first walked in, but I was afraid to approach you. Gary and I were in the video game store across from the food court and I couldn't take my eyes off of you. Gary told me I should go talk to you, but you were with other people and I was afraid. Later, when you and Tanya got in line behind us at Pizza Pete and Gary turned around and spoke to you guys, I didn't have much choice but to say something. Now im glad I did. You're an amazing girl, Angelica and I'm glad I've gotten to know you."
Angelo listened intently to what Jason was saying and wondered where the conversation was ultimately headed. He feared that a big 'but' was coming.
"I think you're pretty cool too, Jason. I can't believe how accepting you have been of me since I told you the truth. Not what I expected at all. You're a great friend, almost like a protective older brother. I couldn't ask for better."
Wait! . . . Brother? Jason thought. That wasn't what he wanted to hear, at all. This conversation wasn't going like he had hoped.
Being seen 'like a brother' is as bad as being friend-zoned, worse even, so he knew he'd better get to the point, quick.
"Here's the thing Angelica, I called you because, I - uh, I want to be . . . more than just a friend to you. I want you to be my best friend, as in . . . my girlfriend . . ." He swallowed hard, "Angelica, will you be my girlfriend?"
Angelo sat there and held the phone to his ear, not saying anything. His mouth fell open, he was in shock. Did he just hear what he thought he heard? Was Jason asking really him to be his girlfriend?
The thoughts in Angelo's head returned to the dream that had disturbed his sleep last Monday morning. In that dream, Jason had done the same thing. The only difference being that he had done it in person instead of over the phone.
Now, Jason was waiting for Angelo to do what he had done in the dream, respond with an enthusiastic 'YES!'.
Angelo remained silent as he continued to weigh his options.
I love the closeness and acceptance that I feel when I'm with Jason, Angelo thought, and if I say yes, it'll get even more intense, but a romantic relationship brings other expectations and possibilities with it. Are those things that I'm ready to deal with. Do I even want to deal with them? If I say yes and it doesn't work out, I'll lose what we have now, but if I tell him no I could also lose his wonderful acceptance and friendship.
"Hello," Jason asked, breaking the silence and interrupting Angelo's thoughts. "Angelica? Are you still there?"
"Yeah, I'm here. Jason, can I ask you a question?"
"Yeah, sure, anything."
"If I told you I liked you but didn't feel like I was ready for a romantic relationship yet, would that change the relationship we have now? What I mean is, would you become distant and less supportive?"
Had Angelo and Jason been talking in person, he would have seen the change in expression on Jason's face but being that they weren't, he wasn't able to see the outward manifestation of Jason's heartbreaking. At that moment, Jason realized he really was being friend-zoned.
"You mean would I be so hurt that I couldn't continue to be your friend? No, I guess not."
"Jason, I think you are a great guy. You're becoming an amazing friend and I cherish that. Hurting you is the last thing I'd ever want to do, but I can't commit to being your girlfriend right now. I mean, a lot has happened to me in the past few months and I'm just not ready to make that step yet. Heck, I don't even know if I want to date boys or not. I think I do, eventually, but for now, I think dating would just be too much. I'm not even completely comfortable, presenting as a girl yet. Can we just try to build our friendship and be friends, best friends even, for now, and then see what happens later?"
Jason knew he felt the same way about their friendship and he responded, his voice cracking as he spoke, "Yeah . . . Okay, just friends for now. It's like this Angelica, regardless of what you decide, you are stuck with me. I wanna be your boyfriend, I wanna protect you and take care of you, shower you with love and affection, but . . . if you aren't ready for that, then I'll wait until you are. Either way, I'll still be your closest friend and biggest supporter. I'll be right here waiting, and I'll never pressure you to do something you're not ready to do. Deal?"
"Awww, you really are amazing. Yeah, I tell you what, I'll continue to think about your offer to be my boyfriend. Now it may be several years, but when I decide, you'll be the first to know."
"Okay, that's fair. Just don't wait till I'm twenty-five to make a decision."
Angelo let out a nervous laugh. He paused for a moment, a plan forming in his mind.
"Jason, I have an idea. I know it's still over three months away, but how about this. As a consolation prize and a reward for being so amazing and supportive, how about I agree right now, to try it out for one night and be your date to the end of the school year ball in May?"
"Angelica, if you'll let me buy you a dozen roses and a box of chocolates on Valentine's Day, you got a deal."
"But you promised, no pressure."
"Yeah, and I mean it. I won't. No strings attached."
"I do love chocolate and roses are pretty. . . Will you also carry my school books for me, if I ever ask you to, bestie?"
"I wouldn't have it any other way, Bae."
****
Oh, the feels. I can hear the awww's right now. And is that a tear trying to form in the corner of your eye right now?
So honestly, what do you think? How do you feel about Jason and Angelica's friendship? Do you think it'll remain 'just friends' until the ball in May? Or do you think it'll progress before then? Or do you think it's already more than just friends and Angelo just doesn't want to admit it to himself yet?
I want to hear all about what you think and how you'd like to see the story go from here.
Thanks, all of you, for sticking with me and continuing to read my stories. Also for all the supportive comments and messages. That is what encourages me and keeps me going.
A special thanks to Laindzy for your fanatical support and all your story suggestions, as you can see, I've incorporated many of them.