The coming days were hectic for the McDonell Construction Company employees. After their contract with Mr. Cho was official, they were to show him and his delegates around the company. Additionally, they would provide a tour of the recent construction projects that were already underway in New York. It was particularly busy for Leo, Eric, and Angel because they had to accompany their new partners. It is good for Angel, especially, in order for her to witness what actually goes on in the company.
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Angel didn’t like the fact that she had to put up with Marco at the beginning, but she noticed that he kept to his best behavior around her, especially when they were around the employees at work. She still had to keep her eye on him, but he never did anything to make her uncomfortable, and the two of them got along very well.
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Eric didn’t like the fact that Marco was hanging around Angel everywhere they went, especially on certain days when they had to take him out for fieldwork at certain construction sites. The two of them, on certain occasions, got along just fine, like friends. Eric still had to keep an eye out in case Marco did make a move on Angel. It was obvious that Marco was interested in her, and Eric would do anything to intervene.
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As long as Marco remained uninterested in Carly, Leo had no problem with him. He was also well aware that Marco was interested in Angel, even if he hadn’t made a move on her just yet. Leo didn't let it bother him and kept himself occupied as much as possible.
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Mr. Cho was to leave New York at the end of the week, but Marco was to remain behind to make sure their final preparations with the McDonell Company partnership went on smoothly. Marco was pleased with the decision, as that meant he got to be around Angel more. He was still at his best behavior, which made Eric and Leo wonder whether he was like that because his father was around. Marco did tell them stories of how strict his father was. Who knows, when Mr. Cho leaves, maybe Marco could revert to the annoying person they first met back at the hotel dinner. Anyway, Eric and Angel were the ones to keep their guard up around him. Leo couldn’t care less.
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For Angel, joining the McDonell Company and the turn of events happening at such short notice was overwhelming for her. She still had to settle, but her colleagues couldn’t help but admire how cool and calm she was when handling the tasks assigned to her, especially when it came to their newly found partners. Almost any newbie would make a couple of big mistakes, if not costly ones. But it wasn’t like that with Angel as she went on about her tasks like she had worked at the company for years. Even Mrs. Lance couldn’t help but compliment her for the splendid job she has had to do so far. Angel always felt a little embarrassed when given such compliments, but she would soon brush it off and get back to work. Angel has always had a good working culture, even where she previously worked. Every now and then, Mark Dean would text her, sometimes telling her how much of an influence she was. She would thank him for the compliment, even if she knew he said these things just to talk to her and get her attention.
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Not only did her colleagues praise Angel for her work ethic, but also they couldn’t help but compliment how beautiful she looked. She had many admirers, including Derrick in the architecture department, who is believed not to be one who doesn’t get too close to his female colleagues. Whenever he met Angel in the hall or passed by her cubicle, he would stop to have a quick chat with her. Everyone could tell that he really enjoyed being in Angel’s company. Many of the female colleagues always wondered how Angel was able to capture his attention when so many had tried and failed. They didn’t hate her for it, for whoever came to know Angel had no reason to. Even Derrick’s close friends who work in the same department wonder what Angel has done to attract his attention. As far as they knew, he doesn’t have a girlfriend either. Even Eric was well aware of Derrick.
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Whoever her admirers were didn’t bother Angel that much, even when she was well aware. Her colleagues, especially those she worked with close to her cubicle, couldn’t help but talk about them. Angel let them talk, as she didn’t see the importance of it. They were lost in their own fantasies, while she had a job to do.
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As far as Angel and Leo’s relationship in the office was concerned, it was pretty much normal. They didn’t have those little arguments they usually find themselves in. They were colleagues, but they didn’t treat each other like strangers either. It was a wonder to many why Leo, unlike most of the male folk around the office, didn’t hover around Angel like flies attracted to honey. It was really a simple answer. He was already in love with someone else, and no one knew about it.
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Before anyone knew it, it was Friday. There was an excited mood in the office as the day was ending. Friday night meant many things for many people. You can go chill with your friends at the bar, sit and relax at home and watch a movie, or do whatever you feel like doing. Everyone kept on talking about what plans they had for the weekend, while as for Angel, she didn’t seem bothered by it. Fridays were for her to go home and relax.
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She was making her way from Mrs. Lance's office and heading to her cubicle when she saw Sabrina, clearing her desk and packing up. An hour remained before closing time, and many people had already left the office.
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“Any plans for the weekend?” Sabrina asked as soon as Angel reached her desk.
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“I’m probably just going to sit at home and do nothing,” Angel answered. “I’ve had a busy week.”
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“Same here,” said Sabrina. “Oh, wait. I have to pay my grandma a visit. She’s been longing to see me for a while.”
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“That’s nice.”
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Angel was walking towards her desk when she noticed a folded piece of paper beside her open laptop. She took it and noticed it was a note. She unfolded the paper and read the message. The contents of it made her eyes grow a little wider.
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Sabrina was saying something to her, but she noticed that Angel was a little distracted. When she turned to look at Angel, she noticed the note she was reading.
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“What is it, Angel?” Sabrina asked.
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“Oh, someone left me a note,” said Angel, turning to Sabrina. “What’s shocking is that I don't know who it is.”
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“Let me see.”
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Angel gave Sabrina the note, which read: “Meet me at The Gold Bar at 8 p.m. You’ll know who I am when you see me.”
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“Wow,” said Sabrina. “This person really wanted to be anonymous. If I had received such a note, I would be blushing right now, trying to figure out who it is.”
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“Can you have any ideas? I mean, did you see who might have come here?”
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Sabrina looked at Angel with a raised eyebrow. “No, I wasn’t here the entire time. Must be one of your admirers. And do I have to list out all of them in this office?”
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Angel knew the answer to that question. Sabrina handed her the note back with a smile.
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“Do you plan on going?” Sabrina asked.
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“Well,” Angel hesitated, her cheeks already starting to flush. “I have to, won’t I? It wouldn’t look right if I didn’t.”
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“That’s the way to go. At whatever chance you have at love, you take it. Who knows where it will lead you?”
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“Love isn’t particularly on my mind right now,” said Angel, her cheeks flushing.
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Sabrina smiled as she wrapped her arm around Angel’s shoulders. “You’ll never know until you go, right? Tell me the details on Monday. I want to know everything. Have a lovely weekend.”
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Sabrina went over to her desk to get her bag and left. Angel stood there with her note. She started to think about who could have sent it. She wanted to go through her supposedly long list of admirers, but that would make her head spin. So far, she has Marco, Eric, and Derrick. Marco had left the office early since his father was departing for China tomorrow and needed to make some travel arrangements. Eric was supposedly going to have a guys’ night out with Leo and a close cousin of theirs to go watch a football game. Derrick always went out with his friends on Friday nights, and she heard him talk with one of them about going to a certain music lounge when she happened to be passing by the architecture department. Therefore, it couldn’t be him either.
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So who could it be?
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This frustrated Angel a lot, and she quickly started to pack her things in such a hasty manner that she didn’t notice someone standing right outside her cubicle.
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“What has gotten into you?”
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Angel jumped, and when she looked up to see who it was, Leo stood there, looking at her with an eyebrow raised.
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“Oh.” Angel couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed. She looked down at her bag as she finished packing. “Nothing.”
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“You look anxious,” said Leo. “I’ll admit I’ve never seen you like this before. You seem flustered with something.”
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“It’s not important.”
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Leo continued to watch her, and then something beside her bag caught his eye. He leaned in close and stretched out his hand to take the yellow piece of paper off the table. Angel wasn’t quick enough to stop him, and she stood still as she watched him read the note.
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Leo read it and then looked at Angel, who quickly looked away, feeling rather embarrassed. He found himself chuckling as he stretched out his hand to give it back to her.
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“An admirer, I presume?” he asked.
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“Don’t mock me, Leo,” Angel said, turning to face him. She took the note quickly.
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“You can’t deny that you have one, if not many. I've heard a lot of people talk about you this week about how pretty you look and how they'd like to get to know you. To be honest, it’s been making my ears bleed.”
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“Explains why you’ve been stuck in your office most of the time unless you've got to go out for fieldwork.”
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Leo looked at Angel. “Are you mocking me?”
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“You started it. And it’s not my fault that people talk.”
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“Whatever. Do you’ve any idea who it could be?”
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“No. You’ve read the note. Do you have a guess?”
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“Well, I would’ve guessed it was Marco, but he will be busy with his father leaving tomorrow. Eric wouldn’t leave a note since he’s very straight-forward with you. Besides, we’re also busy for the night with the football game. Mm. I hear Derrick likes you, but knowing him, he’s a little packed up today because he and his friends take Fridays out seriously, like it’s tradition. I never liked that. Maybe it’s Albert.”
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“Huh? No way.” Angel shook her head.
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“Please, this past week, he’s been looking smart for the first time in a long time just to impress you. He did tell me the first time you came here that he'd do anything to do so. Maybe this is one of his many gestures.”
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Angel didn’t have any problems with Albert. Actually, she thought he was one of the funniest people around. She had been told stories of how unkempt he can be sometimes, but that didn’t bother her either. For Albert to ask her out, he must have worked out a lot of courage to do so. Maybe the only way he thought it was possible was through a note. Angel shook her head. It can’t be Albert. If not, then who?
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“What are you two talking about over there?” Eric asked as he appeared behind Leo.
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“Someone left Angel a note,” said Leo, before Angel could open her mouth to say anything. “An admirer.”
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“What?” Eric couldn’t believe his ears as he came closer. Angel told him what the note said.
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“I bet it’s just a prank,” said Eric.
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“Sounds like an admirer to me,” said Leo as he gave Eric a smirk.
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“Don’t tell me you decided to go there.” Eric asked, looking at Angel.
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“Well, I have to,” Angel answered. “As much as it’s a mystery, I don’t have much of a choice but to see who it is for myself. It will look rude not to go.”
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Eric frowned, and that look made Leo laugh. It was clear to see that whoever sent Angel the note was someone who liked her, and Eric didn’t like that one bit. For Leo, seeing Eric annoyed was enough entertainment for him.
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“We better go,” said Eric. “We also have to prepare ourselves for the game.”
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“It looks like everyone has something to do this Friday night,” said Angel as she got her bag and made her way out of the cubicle to join Leo and Eric.
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“Next time, I’ll invite you over for the football game,” said Eric. “So that you and I can go together.”
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Angel smiled, knowing very well how all this had affected him. “I’ll be waiting,” she said.
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The three headed back home, and as the evening sky grew darker, they were getting themselves ready to head out for the night. Carly, who had arrived a little later, was surprised to find her sister in her room, coming out of the shower.
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“Are you heading off somewhere?” Carly asked after she greeted Angel.
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“Yeah, I am,” Angel answered. She was in her bathrobe and drying her hair with a towel.
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“I thought Leo and Eric were going for the game with their cousin.”
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“It’s a different agenda. Someone from work invited me.”
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“Oh, for real?” Carly made herself comfortable on her sister’s bed. “Who is it?”
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“That’s the thing; I don’t know. I've got to go and see for myself.”
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“Nice. Eric has been complaining about how people have been admiring you at the office. I’m not surprised that someone already asked you out. But to be anonymous, oh, how exciting!”
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Angel gave Carly a look. “Can you please stop talking like Sabrina and leave me be?”
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“Let me help you get ready, then, while you tell me who it could be.”
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Angel rolled her eyes, but she made Carly help her anyway, especially with her hair and makeup. She didn’t want to put too much of it in, but Carly insisted that Angel needed to look beautiful for the night. Since she was over at a bar, she didn’t overdress, as she wore a white tank top with a black jacket, black jeans, and black knee-high boots. Carly couldn’t help but squeal at how beautiful her sister looked. Angel brushed her off.
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It was almost time to leave, and Angel was glad that she managed to finish up on time, for Eric offered to drop Angel off at the bar before heading to pick up his cousin for the football game. Leo didn’t mind, as he knew he was only doing that so that Eric could see whoever asked Angel out.
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Leo and Eric were already in the foyer, dressed in their blue New York Giant jerseys. Amanda and Diana were with them. When Angel appeared with Carly behind her, Diana noticed her first and tapped Amanda on the shoulder. Amanda asked her daughter what the matter was, but she soon saw Angel, and her jaw dropped. Leo and Eric followed the gaze of their grandmother. When they saw Angel, they stood there speechless.
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“You look wonderful, Angel,” said Diana.
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Angel thanked her for the compliment when she felt she didn’t look all that special herself. She wasn’t dressed in any special way. When she noticed the way Eric looked at her, she tried to hide her shyness with a smile.
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“You know, you can always cancel this date of yours and come to the game with us,” said Eric.
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Leo looked at Eric and asked, “And where are we going to find her an extra ticket?”
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“There are people who are always willing to sell their tickets for a higher price. And you can easily find them on social media.”
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“I’m good, thanks,” said Angel. “I’ve already decided to go on this mystery date.”
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“We better get going,” said Leo. He turned to Angel. “If you’ll need a ride back home, you can always call us, or we’ll call you.”
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“Uh, thanks,” said Angel, surprised that Leo offered to pick her up.
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Leo noticed the sudden change in Angel’s face and realized what he had said. He wished he could take it back, but Diana and Amanda were in agreement with him, saying that it was dangerous for Angel to get back home on her own, especially on a Friday night.
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Angel, Eric, and Leo soon left the house, with Leo in the driver’s seat. They had to hurry if they didn’t want to get stuck in traffic. When they found themselves downtown, Leo pulled over at a stop for Angel. He was parked a block away from where Angel was supposed to meet her date. Eric complained, asking why he didn’t park right in front of the bar.
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“Because I don’t want whoever it is to feel intimidated if they’re already there waiting for her,” Leo answered.
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“Angel is five minutes early,” said Eric. “I bet the person isn’t even there yet.”
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“No, I agree with Leo,” said Angel. “Eric, the look on your face will definitely intimidate whoever it is. And I thought Leo here looked worse.”
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“Hey!” both men exclaimed, not happy with the comment.
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Angel smiled as she opened the door and got out. After closing the door, she came to the driver’s side.
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“I was only kidding,” she said. “But it’s best I go there alone. I’ll let you know if I’ll need a ride home. Enjoy yourselves.”
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“If anything happens or your date turns out to be creepy, you call me right away,” said Eric.
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Leo shook his head, irritated that Eric was being too overprotective. “Eric, you’re overreacting, and we better go.”
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He turned to look at Angel, and he paused upon looking at her. He didn’t know what came over him all of a sudden. Now that he had a good chance to look at her, she did look gorgeous tonight. He tried to say something, but his mouth couldn’t move or produce a single sound.
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Angel looked at him and noticed his stare. She started to wonder if there was anything wrong with the way she looked. Her hand flew to her hair to pat it down in case any strand of it was out of place.
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“What is it?” she asked, as she now started to look at herself. “Don’t I look okay?”
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“Uh…” Leo snapped out of his trance. “No, you look fine. You take care.”
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Angel stopped looking at herself as she smiled. “Thanks. You two take care of yourselves too.”
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Leo gave her a polite smile and put the car in gear. Eric said his goodbye, and Leo drove the car away from the curb. Angel watched as the car joined the road and drove away. She looked ahead and took a deep breath. It was a little chilly tonight, but thank goodness she carried a jacket. She started to make her way to the bar.
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“We should’ve stayed a little longer to make sure she reached the bar,” said Eric, after Leo made the car join the road.
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Leo shook his head. “You were only going to make things worse,” he said. “This is what you get for not making your mark when you had all the time in the world.”
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“It’s just a friendly meet,” said Eric as he folded his arms and looked out of the window on his side. “Besides, I don’t think she will fall for whoever it is who invited her.”
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“I’m just saying that you should've made your mark already. Someone else will sweep her off her feet, and she will end up falling for them instead.”
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Eric remained quiet for a bit, then said, “Well, you might be right. But I want that when we become a couple, we will be really good friends. I don’t want to pressurize her into liking me.”
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They reached the traffic lights, and Leo pulled the car to a stop. He took this chance to look at Eric.
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“Wow, you’ve really matured, haven’t you?” Leo asked. “Once upon a time, you wouldn’t hesitate to make a girl yours. I’m surprised that you’ve already taken this long.”
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“I guess it’s because of Angel,” Eric said with a smile. “I feel all circumstances and people are different. I know Angel knows that I’m interested in her, but I can tell she’s not willing to jump into it just yet. I’ll wait for the right time.”
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“And what if things don’t go as planned?” Leo looked at the traffic light that still shone red.
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“It will hurt,” said Eric. “But then, I guess it will be the universe’s way of telling me that we weren’t meant to be.”
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The lights turned green, and Leo didn’t pay much attention to it until he found himself automatically pressing on the accelerator. He couldn’t get what Eric said out of his mind, as it started to remind him of his own relationship with Carly. Things might have happened fast between them, but he couldn’t deny that he has been happier with Carly than he ever was with Kim. But a terrible thought soon came over him. If the universe had its own way with him, would he still be with Carly or with someone else?
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Angel slowly approached the vicinity of the bar after crossing the road. With each step she took, she felt nervous, and her tummy started to rumble. She didn't like surprises, and the thought of whoever was waiting for her made her brain rattle.
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What if it's really Albert, she thought. Leo’s earlier suggestion really scared her. She started to wish she hadn't come. What can she do? If only she could take back time and change her mind then, but it was too late now because she reached the entrance of the bar.
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The huge glass windows showed her the inside of the bar, and she couldn't help but see it was a nice and friendly atmosphere. The bar wasn't full yet, as she saw a few empty tables, but there were many groups of friends all huddled up at the tables, laughing and chatting. There were a few people who came as couples, and further across the room, Angel spotted a small stage. It looked like a small band or individuals performed there when the time came.
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As Angel continued watching on at the bar from the outside, she didn't notice someone approaching her from behind.
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"I didn't expect you to be here so early."
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Angel turned around, and standing there was Derrick. He wore a white shirt with a green and blue checked long sleeve shirt left unbuttoned with matching back jeans and boots. She didn't expect to see him here.
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"You're the one who sent the note?" Angel asked, as she couldn't believe her eyes.
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Derrick smiled. "Yeah, I took a gamble on that one," he said. "I actually thought you weren't going to come."
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"I'll be honest, I didn't expect it to be you." Angel laughed. "You really had me wondering on the way here who sent me the note."
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"Who were you expecting?" Derrick asked as he took a few steps closer.
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"I don't know," Angel answered, shrugging her shoulders. "It was nerve-wracking, honestly, because all the people I knew to have plans this Friday night checked off my list. I actually thought I would find Albert."
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"Albert?" Derrick laughed hard at that one. "What made you think of him?"
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"Leo’s fault, really. I really never expected to find you here. I thought you were supposed to be out with your friends tonight. What happened?"
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"I backed out." Derrick raised his eyebrows with a smile.
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It was now Angel’s turn to raise an eyebrow. "You had this planned out, didn't you? That conversation you were having in your department was just to throw me off."
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Derrick’s lips rose to one side. "Has anyone ever told you you were too smart for your own good?"
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Angel blushed upon the comment, not to mention that the smile Derrick gave her sent shivers down her spine.
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"We better go in, don't you think?" Angel asked, turning to look at the door of the bar.
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"Yeah," said Derrick as he also turned to look at the door before turning to look at Angel. "Thanks for showing up."
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Angel turned to give him a smirk. "Don't thank me just yet," she said. "The night hasn't yet begun. In the end, you might not enjoy my company."
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Derrick laughed. "Nonsense." He approached the door of the bar and drew it open for her. "With someone like you, I know I'm going to have a good time."
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Angel suppressed her laughter by biting her lower lip as she made her way inside the bar. Derrick noticed her expression, and as he closed the door behind him, he couldn't help but thank his lucky stars that he was going to have a wonderful night.
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***
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Carly sat in the living room with Diana and Oliver, about to watch an animation movie. They had just had supper, and Oliver suggested that they watch something. Diana thought it was better to watch in the cinema room, but Oliver refused to. Mrs. McDonell wasn't in the mood to watch anything and went up to her room. Amanda was exhausted and said she would rather spend her last few hours reading a book before dozing off to bed. Mr. McDonell also said he needed to rest up because he had had a busy week, so Diana agreed to stay up with Oliver. Carly joined them after a while, as she had gone up to her room to get her phone.
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"I admire the others who are out and about this Friday night," said Diana, who sat with her feet up on the couch and held a bowl of popcorn. "And here are the three of us watching a movie."
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"Tell me about it," said Carly, sitting on the other couch, also with a fresh bowl of popcorn. "I'm more interested in how Angel’s date is going so far."
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"I know," said Diana excitedly as she looked at Carly. "I can't wait for her to get back and tell us."
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"Sssh," said Oliver, who sat on the floor in front of the screen. "The movie is about to start."
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Carly and Diana giggled, and they settled when the movie began. After watching for what felt like an hour, Carly felt her phone vibrate beside her. She ignored it, for she knew it was a message. A few minutes after the phone beeped, Carly’s phone started to ring. Diana and Oliver turned to look at her. Carly put her popcorn bowl aside, took the phone beside her, and went into the hall. When she looked at the phone to see who was calling, she couldn’t help but growl. It's Alex.
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“What is it?” she asked as she answered the call.
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“Am I not going to get a greeting from you?” Alex asked coolly.
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“Whenever you call, I always have a feeling that it’s not for a good reason.”
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“Well, this time it is. It’s Red Lion. He wants to meet you.”
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Carly groaned. “Tell him I already did my part, and if he wants me, he will call me himself.”
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“He has been trying to reach you, but it looks like you blocked him, so he sent me instead. I’m waiting outside the premises. We need to go now.”
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“I’m not going anywhere, for heaven’s sake. Tell him I’m busy or something.”
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“That isn’t an option. He says if you won’t meet him, he’ll come where you are and drag you out, even if it means he’ll have to put a gun to your head.”
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Carly’s blood ran cold upon hearing those words. Alex didn’t sound like he was joking, because she knew for a fact that Red Lion would keep his promise. If she did refuse and he came here, he would cause havoc, no doubt. Then everyone will know what she’s been up to and might as well get hurt for it. No one should know about this, she thought. Not even Angel.
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“Fine,” she submitted. “I’ll be right there. Give me a couple of minutes.”
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“Okay,” said Alex, and he cut the call.
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Carly ran up the stairs and went to her room to get a coat and a small white handbag. She wore her white and black sneakers that she had worn earlier when going to college. Afterwards, she ran down the stairs and went to the living room, where Diana and Oliver were.
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“I’m going out,” she told Diana. Diana turned to look at her, surprised.
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“How come?” Diana asked.
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“A friend of mine called me and wanted to hang out,” said Carly.
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“Well, okay,” said Diana. “Take care of yourself.”
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“I will. See you, Oliver.” Oliver turned to give Carly a wave, and she quickly rushed for the front door.
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As Alex had said, Carly found him parked right outside the McDonell premises, using the tall grass hedges for cover along the dark street. Only one street lamp lit up a small area of the pavement. Carly entered the passenger side and closed the door. She turned to look at Alex, who was sitting in the driver’s seat in the dark.
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“It seems like it’s been a long time since we last met,” said Alex.
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“It has,” said Carly, as she folded her arms. “Why does Red Lion want to meet? I already did him a favor. What does he want now?”
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“The way I see things, he’s not done with you yet.”
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“What do you mean by that? I did what I had to do with André.”
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“You’ll know once you meet him.”
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Carly could imagine Alex looking at her stoically in the dark. She didn’t like where all this was going. How could she still be involved with Red Lion? Could it be because of André?
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“Where are we going?” Carly asked.
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“Downtown,” Alex answered as he started the car.
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“Do you know where exactly?”
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“I’m guessing that he’ll want to meet at Mr. Walters’ club. But he’ll text me to let me know.”
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“Dang it. That’s the last place I want to be right now.”
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“I know. But we don’t have a choice, do we?”
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Carly looked out at the neighboring streets as they passed. “No, we don’t,” she answered.
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