DISCLAIMER: These characters are mine mine mine. Well, see how possessive I am. (LOL) Anyway, if you enjoy it then please write to me, so that I am inspired to write more. Thank you for the responses for "A Gasp of Air"
SEQUEL: To A Gasp of Air and Just Friends
Yes, friendship they shared, after all what could Sally do? She didn't want to be ignored again. She wanted to be able to pick up the phone and call Angel whenever her heart desired. Unfortunately her heart desired it a lot. Sally volunteered to help both Jen and Angel for their play, which was a very light hearted romantic comedy. Angel was the worst actress Sally saw, but she got better with each rehearsal. Jen on the other hand was a natural. In the meantime Sally finally had the guts to end anything that was still between Alex and her. She had to do it, because she didn't feel honest about herself when she was with him.
And when she was with Angel it was a different story. Sometimes talking to Angel was like a Chinese torture to her. Slow death. Her heart never understood the distance. Sometime she thought she saw the same pain in Angel's eyes, but she always thought it was just her imagination. After all Angel was such a bad actress if she had any feelings towards her she could not hide it so well. Jen was right, like all great love story hers was the tragedy too.
The grand opening night of the play arrived. It was a hectic Saturday afternoon for everyone. She hadn't seen Angel at all that day. Somehow that always bothered her. She needed to see her everyday, even though they were just friends; a statement that Sally always reminded herself.
The curtains were up and she sat behind one of them to watch the play unfold. As the audience applauded and laughed with the actors, she saw a figure in the dark on the other side of the stage. She knew it was Angel. She smiled and took pleasure in just watching the beautiful woman that made her heart jump. When the curtain came down for a change of scene, she helped the prop people put the new scenery and this time she went to the other side.
"Don't tell me you are getting a stage fright." This time she sneaked up on Angel.
"Wow! How come you are here? I thought you were on the other side." Angel replied startled.
"I was. After the scene I decided to come to this side. How did you know I was on the other side?"
"Because my dear I was watching you."
Angel's such statements always ran deep inside Sally.
Sally desperately begged inside. "Don't flirt with me Angel please, don't flirt with me. It hurts. You don't even know you are hurting me. How can you not know?"
She closed her eyes and ignored it as best as she could, managing to say, "So, are you nervous?"
"Of course, feel my heart, how fast it is beating."
"It's ok, I'll pass."
"No, come on please. Here, feel it."
Angel took Sally's hand and put it next to her heart. Sally could feel that it was beating fast, and her breathing was heavy too. But was it because of the stage fright, she wondered. She watched her hand on Angel's chest. She dared not look up. But, eventually she had to. Just as she lifted her head a little. Her lips were met with Angel's. She had no idea what had transpired the kiss but she made sure she held on to it. She grabbed Angel with both her hands and didn't let go of her lips till she could unleash some amount of all her wanting to her body through her mouth. Her rush of desire was met with almost same intensity from Angel's side. This certainly was not the same girl who had refused to answer her calls. She had so many questions in her head but they could wait. They could wait till she could make the most of the moment.
Their bodies were entangling themselves with such urgency that the curtains of the stage certainly didn't seem to hold the weight. But Angel took charge. She firmly pulled Sally to one of the empty dressing room and closed the door. She smiled as she walked towards Sally. The same smile that Sally had expected a month ago. She slowly removed the hair from Sally's face, cupped her chin within her hand and just as she was about to kiss her again. Sally turned her face. She held Angel's face with both her hands and said, "Tell me this is what you want." Sally needed Angel to voice it out. She could not go through the pain that she had gone through if Angel refused to accept her feelings later on. She needed a verbal confirmation.
Angel moved right next to her ears and said almost under her breath, "I want you."
Sally finally took a long breath and she could feel a hint of tears in her eyes. She had wanted to hear those words for so long that it was almost hurtful when her wish came true. Angel was claiming her while she closed her eyes and just floated with passion she was being devoured with. Angel's hands were slowly tracing between her legs and were making her moan with desire. But, she had to stop. She had to stop Angel.
"Stop! Angel please stop."
"No, please." Her voice was almost inaudible.
"Your scene. You got to go on stage."
Angel stopped. She put her head on Sally's shoulders and took a deep breath.
"I'll still be here after the play. That is if you don't change your mind till then."
Sally hated the tone she had used. But that was her only defense system. She couldn't be hurt twice, especially not in the same manner.
"Sally… I can try and explain…"
"You have to go. After the play."
Long after Angel left, Sally stood still on the wall, thinking what would happen after the play. She didn't know Angel at all. If this was Angel; then who was the girl that she was just friends with? And if that was Angel then who was this girl. She needed some answers. But would Angel give her answers? Or would she just prefer to deny this moment too?
Sally decided not to wait till the play was over. She couldn't take another uncertain "Let's be friends." sentiment. She made herself a drink and stared at nothing in her kitchen. Time certainly must have passed soon as she hadn't taken a second sip and the door bell rang. It was already 9pm.
She answered the door. It was Angel.
"I thought you were going to stay till the play ended."
"I just didn't feel like it. Sorry. I have had a hectic day."
"I know right now you might not even want to talk to me. But, if you give me a chance I could explain."
"Explain what?"
"For starters why I am such a bad actress."
"You came here to explain to me why you can't act?"
"Well, that and was hoping that you would offer me a drink."
"Oh! Come on Angel stop kidding with me. How about telling me about what happened on that dressing room?"
"Well let's see. What happened on that dressing room is very complicated. Now, let me see if I can explain it correctly."
Angel walked close to Sally, and then continued with her explanation.
"You and I were about this close. You, the incredibly beautiful woman who had always made my heart feel pita patter whenever you were in the room. So, when you were so close my heart started acting funny. I thought for once I'll share my funny heart rhythm with you. So, I told you to feel my heart. Like this."
Angel took Sally's hand for the second time that evening and put it on the same spot. Sally complied. How could she deny? After all Angel was charming her way inside her heart once again. Sally smiled as she let this playful woman into her bedroom, into her heart and claim her as her lover. That night was perfect except they both had not eaten anything.
The hunger stroke early that morning, when they both realized that no matter how much they exhausted themselves with lovemaking they could not go to sleep. Angel then made a profound discovery.
"I know exactly what we need."
"What?"
"Food"
"How clever! Did you figure that out all by yourself?" Sally laughed.
"Very funny, now do you have anything to eat?"
"Let me check. Could you just slide on the side and pass me any kind of clothing."
"And you need that because…?"
"So, that I can get up and go and check."
"I have no problem with that."
"I need to wear something. If you failed to notice, I am naked."
"And your point being…"
Sally called out loud with a little bit of irritation, "ANGEL"
Angel matched her tone and replied, "SALLY"
"Ok, now game is over. No matter how much you play I am not walking naked to the kitchen so give me a t-shirt."
"Come on what is wrong with that?"
"You got a dirty mind."
"May be you should join me in the gutter."
"No."
Sally's no didn't last long. By the time they got out of bed it was noon. But, Sally did win on one thing. They were both dressed when they sat down for breakfast/lunch. Sally didn't want to ruin the moment but she had to have few things said verbally.
"So Angel, talk to me."
"Talk to you about what?"
"You know. And no more games."
"I don't play games."
Sally didn't say anything to emphasize her seriousness. So, Angel had to continue.
"You are going to hate me if I told you the truth."
"I am listening."
"Come on at least say, 'No I won't hate you'."
"No, I won't hate you. Now continue."
"What is there to say? I mean you know I was drawn to you at the start. It just wasn't as easy for me to face that I was attracted to you as it was for you. I am not homophobic or anything. It's just that I never thought about those things. When I was faced with it, I just took a little more time than you did. Don't think about things too much and make it complicated, it's a simple thing."
When Angel put it that way Sally felt silly being so worried about it for the last one month. Angel certainly made perfect sense. But still she felt as though her answers were not answered yet. Angel had to say more than that. She needed more than that.
"And now that you have made peace with your conflict. Now…"
"Now?" Angel asked back.
"Come on what do you want now?"
"You, I thought I made that clear?"
"Not just that. We have to have ground rules. Like are we a couple."
"As in am I still seeing my boyfriend? Broke up before you came to the scene. That's why he moved out. Don't ask me why I didn't tell you. It wasn't a very clear cut break up so it took time to say, yes we are done. I know you broke up with Alex. Jen told me. So, I guess we are a couple."
"Ok, why is this all sounding so simple coming from you. Aren't you the same woman who stuttered, I am not a lesbian."
Angel laughed and pulled Sally's chair right next to her. She kissed her softly on her lips.
"I am. But that was just my first reaction. Don't crucify me for that. I have had a month to think about it. And I thank you for having the patience."
She embraced Sally within her arms and squeezed her. Sally felt heaven feeling her heart so close to hers. Then she heard Angel whisper in her ears.
"I love you, Sally Roger."
Angel closed her eyes and repeated the same words over and over, like she had always wanted to.
<<Present>>
"I love you, Sally Roger." were still ringing in her ears when Sally finally shook her head and decided to get up from her couch. Those words spoken so long ago still gave chills to her heart. She needed to stop thinking about Angel, but how could she. Even till today she could not stop smiling whenever she thought about those happy days. And of course all the bright days were followed by the dark nights. Her eyes closed when her heart felt heavy with the remembrance of the night she was packing her bags in such a hurry. Only one thought was in her mind, "I have to leave before Angel comes home."
What had got into her, even Sally couldn't recall. All she remembered from that night was that she packed hurriedly and speeded out of the town and out of Angel's life. She drove for hours refusing to think at all. When she finally reached her destination, she swallowed sleeping pills to rend her body unconscious, scared that if the body stayed awake her mind and heart would start functioning again. Whatever she had done, she had to let some time pass by before she thought about it or else she would loose any sense of sense itself. So she threw herself in the bed and lay there. Almost 48 hours had passed when she realized she had been lying there like a zombie.
Even then it was the phone that had awoken her up. Even then it was Jen's call. Somehow she had managed to locate her. Of course at that time, Jen wasn't as pleasant as she was today. Jen was furious at Sally for leaving town without telling anyone. She also told Sally that Angel was leaving too. Sally panicked. That was certainly not what she had anticipated. She rose up and started her car. Throughout her mind did not give her no rest.
"Angel is not supposed to leave. This is not happening. I leave and she gets angry. I call her and say sorry. And she forgives me and we get back together. She can't leave. She can't' leave me. Of course, technically I left her. But, still she is supposed to wait for me. She can't leave me. She can't leave me. She can't. This is just a ploy. I'll reach there and she'll just scream at me for leaving. It's ok. Jen is helping her out. No big deal. Yell at me, my love. I deserve it."
When she reached her town, it was not a ploy. Angel was gone. Where, she didn't know. She had thought that she had left the place half empty but then it was truly empty. She couldn't believe it. The love of her life had left her. She was gone.
She had cried for hours before she got herself together. She couldn't stay there a minute. So she started to drive. But, the car decided otherwise. On an empty highway, she stood alone with tears in her heart and stared at the stars. This time she wished the stars did give her the answers. When the night didn't answer, she unconsciously dialed a number. Chris answered.
The End