Chapter 2: Secret Lovers

Angelica Johnson’s nickname most certainly was not a reflection on her personality. In
fact she was the most mischievous kid ever to be born. At this very moment she was
suppose to be in school. She always slipped out for lunch, not really caring much for the
school rules. She was still thinking about heading back there when her eye caught
something in the distance.

She drove a black BMW convertible. She took a left turn and headed for what she had seen. It was about two miles down the road and as she approached it, she shuddered at the sight. The family she lived with – her family – had a son as well. He was seven years old. He had fair hair and blue-sea-green eyes. His name
was Justin Johnson.

What she had seen in the distance was her little brother in the park being bullied by a couple older and much digger kids. She drove up to them and got out of the car although she didn’t go to help him. This was his fight and he had to deal with it alone. She knew helping him would just make it worse, but she wasn’t without any ideas.
She was going to help him in her own way.

She had taught him everything she knew about fighting in secrecy. Their parents didn’t want Justin to learn to fight till he was a lot older and the only reason Angel was aloud to study marshal arts since the age of five was because their father wanted to make sure that she would be a victim.

“Justin!” she yelled and he looked up. “Remember what I thought you.” At that moment
it was as if new life was being breathed into him. He got up from the ground and with all
his might unleashed a heavy blow that collided with the nose of the smaller bully and
then turned and did a back swing kick hitting the bigger bully on the chest who then fell
to ground just as his friend did, not a moment ago.

Angel had thought him only to fight
when his life was in danger, never lose control and if the danger was under control to
walk away. So seeing that he has ‘won’ he walked away to his sister.

“Thanks sis.” he said a little out of breathe.
“What on earth are you doing out here! Why aren’t you in school, where you’re supposed
to be?!” she yelled at him as if she was his mother.
“You wouldn’t understand besides, I could ask you the same question.” he answered
sounding depressed.

“Try me.” She said, this time with a little more compassion.
“They tricked me… Said they wanted to show me something. Said we’d be back before
break was over. It was only when we got here that I realized what they were planning. I’m
really, really sorry. I know I should have been more careful but I thought why not. It’s not
as if we would get caught if we were back in time. So I went with them. You won’t tell
mom, will you.” his eyes now pleading.

“Course not. After all, we have an agreement. As long as you don’t tell, I won’t tell” they
just smiled at each other then continued back to the car. “Just one question: Why didn’t
you fight back?”
“My life wasn’t in danger.” he answered and she just smiled and shook her head.
“Get in.” she checked her watch. It was two thirteen. “Oh shit. I’m going to be late. Listen
it’s a little too late too get you back to school so what do you say to coming with me.”
“Yeah, why not; it’d be fun to finally see you in action.” Justin accepted the offer.

He
knew that the only reason that she was still actually in school was to cause trouble for the
teachers. She was a genius and was supposed to have graduated four years ago.
“Buckle up” Angel said and put the car in overdrive.

Two thirteen meant that she had seven minutes to get back to school, which was a twenty
minute drive from where they were at this very moment. If it was any other subject she
wouldn’t have given a damn but it was math. The one class she never missed – for
various untold reasons which no one knew.

They arrived in the nick time, with only seconds to spare. They got out of the car and
rushed into the huge – seven-story-high – school building, down the hallway, up the stairs.
Took a left turn and run down the corridor that lead to the math class at the very end of
the top floor. Underneath the black leather coat she was wearing the whole time, she was
also wearing black leather pants and a halter neck top.

This was what she liked to call her
‘bad girl’ outfit. As she entered the class she took of the coat and handed it to Tiger.
“Wait here. And make sure that no one sees you, ‘k” she said. She noticed that the
professor wasn’t there yet. This came as a little of a shock, he was always there. It was
then that she got a brilliant beyond brilliant idea. She loved to torment the souls of all her
teachers, but this one she loved most of all and this was something she haven’t done
before.

“Good afternoon class. I am sorry to inform you of this but professor Aroco has suddenly
taken ill. Luckily I will be filling in for him today” Angel said trying to sound serious.
Everyone in the class knew her. She was famous for the stunts she so often pulled. They
sat there trying to figure out what she was up to this time. “All right class, please open
your books and turn to page two hundred and fifty four.” she said and they obeyed as if
she was a real teacher.

“Ah, ma’am?” a boy in the back had raised his hand for a chance to speak.
“Yes?” she replied impatiently.

“I’m sorry to interrupt but the book only has two hundred pages” the boy said. He was a
very handsome young man with dark hair and brown eyes. He was Angel’s partner in
crime. His name was Simon. She winked at him smiling and said as blunt as she could:
“Well my dear boy, I know that. I was testing you.”

“Well, well, well. What have we here?” A drooling voice spoke and Angel instinctively
knew that Aroco was standing right behind her. She smiled to herself and kept her cool as
she slowly turned around to face him. “Angelica, what do you think you are doing, taking
over my class? “
She was as quick as always to hit back with an answer. “Well sir, what does it look like
I’m doing? I’m trying to teach this class something about…” she knows the handbook like
the palm of hand. “… Third degree trig…”

But unlike usual Aroco was not impressed but her little prank and he wasted no time to
make it obvious. “I do believe that this, my dear Angel, is strike three for you. I think it’s
about time I called your parents and told them all about your little escapades during
school hours. Don’t you?” Aroco said and Angel swallowed hard. She knew her mom and
dad would never forgive her if they ever found out what she was really doing everyday
during school hours.

But she was trapped and there was nothing she could say or do that
was going to get her out of this one. “Not so cocky now, are we? What, cat got your
tong? I can’t help to wonder what your parents would say it they found out that their
precious little Angel is anything but an angel.” Aroco said and give her the way out. That
was it, ‘angel’; the word that reminded her of her little but most powerful secret weapon.
Angel eyes; it was something she had used since childhood to get what ever she wanted.
She dropped her head as if ashamed.

“I’m really sorry sir. Please don’t make the call. I won’t do it again…” she said and looked
up. Aroco never even saw it coming. She looked at him with eyes that was a little over
bright – but not too much for it to seem her close to crying – just enough for them to
sparkle as if they were diamonds in the sun, her face showing nothing but pure
innocence. “…Promise” she finished the sentence looking like a true angel as she stood
there awaiting his decision.

Just like every other teacher in the school Aroco too has been
a sucker for this little trick of hers from the start, but today he was trying to resist it.
“Oh, don’t give me that look. It’s pathetic, the way you lower yourself to such childish
measures in order to get yourself out of trouble. I’m calling your parents and that’s final.
Got it?” he sounded fierce and in charge.

“Yes, sir…” Angel had a very interesting gift. She was but a child when she discovered
it. She had the power to sense what others were feeling, a six sense that allowed her to
see people in a way that no one else did/could. This sense also made it possible for her to
sense the effects that her tricks had on people. Thus she knew that if Aroco was to look at
her again he would budge and would be like putty in her hands, but unfortunately so did
he. He went over to his desk and without looking up, dialed her house number (reading it
out of a little red address book.)

Angel dropped the face and looked around the room and then to Simon. If Aroco was to
look at her again he would also be facing the door. That’s when it hit her. Tiger was just
outside, watching the show.
“Of course” she whispered to herself. She caught Simon’s eye and pointing to the door
she mouthed to him: “Tiger” he immediately caught on to her plan and nodded.
“Excuse me sir.” he said and Aroco looked up still holding the phone to his ear. “Before
you make the call I just thought you ought to know that we have a little unwelcome
visitor outside the door.”

Angel’s face was ready. All he had to do was catch her eyes for one moment and then he
was hers. Tiger of course knew that the second Aroco saw him; it would be his queue to
run for his life.
Aroco looked to where Simon was pointing and saw Tiger in the doorway. He dropped
the ear peace as Tiger made a run for it and set of after him. The plan had worked. As
Aroco passed Angel he caught her eye and she felt him break. All she had to do now was
to wait for his return to get herself of the hook. She looked at the class, patiently awaiting
Aroco’s return.

“That was close” she thought to herself. It was then that she remembered the phone: he
had already dialed the number when he was interrupted. She walked over to the desk and
picked up the ear peace, her mother had already answered.
“Hallo, hallo? Is anyone there.” she was saying. Angel decided it best to reply.
“Yeah, I’m sorry bout that, mom. I just thought I’d call and tell you that I’m going to run
a little late today. I have some business to attend to. So don’t worry, ‘k” she said in a
sincere and considerate tone.

“Sure, but where are you calling from? School’s not out yet.” her mother sounded
suspicious.
“I know. Aroco said it was okay if I called using his phone. I left my sell at home this
morning.” Angel was laying though her teeth, as usual.
“What about your brother?”
“He’s with me.” Angel heard Aroco coming back down the hall. “Ah, gotta go. See you
later mom.” she said and hung up.

“Did you get him, sir?” Angel asked. She had dropped the angel acted. She didn’t need it
anymore. Aroco was hers and there was nothing he could do about it.
“No. The little ignorant rascal got away.” Aroco sounded a little disappointed at his
failure.

“So Sir, what about me…?”
Aroco shook his head and sighed. “I’ll give you one more chance, one final chance. Don’t
screw it up. Understand?” He was serious.
“Yes, sir, thank you, sir” she said and satisfied with her close victory took her seat in the
back next to Simon where she sat quietly for the rest of the period.

“But my generosity is coming to you at a price. I will see both of you in detention
everyday for the next two weeks.” Aroco looked from Angel to Simon.
“Both of us? This is an outrage; what did I do.” Simon moaned indignant.
“It’s quite simple really; you, my friend helped her escape from me.” Aroco said calmly.
He waited a moment and then when every one had settled down again, he continued with
the lesson.

Thirty minutes later the bell rang. Angel and Simon walked to her car together.
“Need a ride.” Angel offered.
“Thanks.” Simon got into the front passenger seat. He looked around noticing something
wrong. “Ah, Angel, where’s your brother.”
Angel put her thumb and middle finger of her left hand in her mouth and blew, releasing
a loud, sharp, high pitched whistle. Seconds later Tiger appeared from around the corner
where he had been hiding from Aroco for the last thirty minutes.

“You owe me big time. Do you have any idea how fast that guy can run? If it weren’t for
the grease cream you gave me for my birthday, I would have been dead meat for sure.”
“You still have that? “ Angel sounded surprised. She had given him the cream over seven
months ago.
“Course I do. How else do you think the girls’ bathroom in my school became such a
death trap that one time?”

“That was you? I’m impressed.” Angel said with pride. Over the years she had not only
taught him how to defend himself in desperate times but also how to make a teacher’s life
a living hell without getting caught doing it.

Tiger got in the car and they took off in silence.
They were driving for about two minutes when the silence was broken once more.
“Angel? … ” Simon said sounding curious. “What are you up to?”
“Me? Nothing.” she sounded innocently enough but Simon could always tell when she
was lying.

They had been closer than friends since they met the very first day of school
ten years ago and he could always tell when she was up to something; he could see it in
her eyes. It was like this: Angel would cook up the scheme, then she would tell Simon,
who then would check and correct every small detailed flaw.

Then together they would
execute it. She hadn’t told him about her plan to break into Winchester mansion yet. She
knew he would never agree to it and try to talk her out of it. She knew very well that it
would only lead to their biggest fight ever and wasn’t in the mood for it.
“Angel, I know you better than that. I can sense something going on. Besides your eyes
have kind of been giving away the fact that you’re planning something.” Simon too was a
sensor. He learned it from Angel who more or less knew he had the gift hidden deep
within.

“Simon, listen to me very carefully. There is nothing, and even if there was, it would
have nothing to do with you this time. So stay out of it. You hear me.” Angel’s voice was
fierce and threatening, the look that terrified so many, in her eyes. Simon got the message
and changed the subject.
Simon Whitman and his family lived only a few miles from Angel’s. She dropped him of,
rejecting his offer to come in for a drink.

As usual Angel took the longest way home. She only did this so that she and Tiger could
have a chance to talk about their secret ops. The things only the two of them knew of, like
Tiger’s training, her stunts at school and like every other day for the passed three months,
the Winchester mansion op.

“So why didn’t you tell ‘him?” Tiger asked casually.
“Tell who, what? “ Angel replied off handed, her mind was else where for a moment and
it took her more that a few seconds the get her thoughts back to reality.

“You know very well. Why didn’t you tell Simon about the Winchester op?”
“You and I are the only ones who know why I want to do it and if I told him I’d also have
to explain it.”

“So what’s wrong with that? You trust him with your life, right. Why not trust him with
this.”
“It’s quite simple little bro. He just wouldn’t understand. Don’t ask why I’d say that. It’s
just something I know. I can sense it.”

They drove home, talking about the small things in life. Since they lived in the forest,
Angel always had to park the car in a nearby cave. The forest was always a sort of half
semi dark with the sun shining lazily through the leaves of the umbrella trees. The forest
was inhabited by various trees; wild plants; and many deferent wild animals.

They had been talking about what mom and dad would say if they should ever found out about
Angel’s doings during school and the fact that she got detention because had picked the
wrong prank for the wrong day on the wrong professor and were half way through the
woods when Angel came to a sudden halt.

“Quiet.” She whispered.
“What is it?” Tiger replied in worried whisper.
“I heard something moving in the distance.”
Tiger was usually fearless but whenever Angel got a distinct look of danger in her eyes
he knew that it was no time to be a though guy. They just stood there for what felt like
ten minutes. It was then that Angel knew what they were up against. She gave a sigh, a
mixture of relief and I-give-up. She had told him a thousand times not to try to sneak up
on her.

“Daddy, we’ve been through this a thousand times. You try, I hear. You’re too loud. Oh
and if you try to deny it’s you, I’ll tell mom your little secret.” Angel said calmly but
unfortunately she was mistaking. It was not their father that they’d heard. It crept closer
and closer toward them. Tiger took cover behind Angel.
“Tiger run!” Angel said in terrified whisper. Tiger turned and took of like a bat out of
hell, heading strait for home.

Angel just stood there smiling to herself. Then in a flash she vanished from where she
was standing and reappeared behind a figure crouching in the underbrush (she had the
gift of great speed on her side and it was how she was able to disappear so fast that it
looked as if she had vanished into thin air). He was wearing black jeans and a black and
white T-shirt.

“Usually when you want to sneak up on someone you’re suppose to keep quiet.” Angel
whispered into the man’s ear. The man jerked round. He had pearl blue eyes and pitch
black hair. He got up and embraced her with a big kiss.

“I missed you so much today, Leo.” Angel said.
“Tell me about it.” Leo replied.

Leo and Angel had met each other in the park on one of Angel’s prank scams more or less
three years before. They had been in love from the first moment they laid eyes on one
another. Yet no one, not even Tiger approved of their relationship or of him for that
matter. That is why they were forced into having a secret love affair.

Simon, Blade, and Kyle were the only ones who approved and that was only because they had put him
through the pirates test. He had past with nothing less than flying colors. That is also how
he became Angel’s second in command pirates captain.

Of course Tiger too was a pirate and that was the only reason he even considered excepting him as one of them but he still didn’t approve an intimate relationship between Leo and Angel other than running the pirates’ elite force together. That is what the pirates were. An elite force that used the
world as their playground.

They were always up to something new and exiting. Having
adventures by exploring everywhere their horses, cars or feet could get them. The clan
was founded by Angel when she was ten years old. She had left it up them to decide on a
captain and they chose her not only because it had been her idea but also because of her
wisdom and whit.

“You should tell him. He has the right to come along, you know.” Leo said in a
comforting tone of voice.
“Excuse me? “ Angel sounded confused even though she knew exactly what he was
talking about.

“Simon, honey, you should let him come tonight. He’s the only other person in the world
that will understand and you know it just as well as I do. He is after all the only one that
approves of us being together. If it weren’t for him we’d never even have ways to meet
sometimes. Take my phone. Call him.

Don’t say too much. Just say that if he wants in he
should meet us in the pirates cave at eight.” Leo was right. Of all the people in her live
Simon was one of the few who were bound to understand what the op was about and
suddenly she wandered how she could ever have doubted him. Angel took the phone and
dialed the number, telling Simon what Leo had told her to.

“He said he can’t wait to see what I’m up to this time.” Angel said as she hung up and
gave the phone back to Leo who slipped it back into his pocket. Leo reached out his
hand. Angel took it and he twirled her as if they were dancing. He twirled her three times
then into his arms and threw her backwards by resting her back on his arm. He looked
into her eyes, from one to the other, admiring then.

He leaned forward and presented her
with yet another kiss. He lifted her to her feet.
“You are the most beautiful girl I have ever laid my eyes on.” Leo complemented her.
Angel could only smile.
“Thank you.” she said shortly and childlike, flattered.

Leo kissed her one last time before taking of again. They both knew he couldn’t stay too
long. They knew that Tiger would’ve run strait home for help.
“Bye, Baby. See you tonight.” Angel said.

“Until then; my love…” Leo replied smiling at her before disappearing between the trees.
As for Angel, she made for home as fast as she could.
Mean while… Tiger had run as fast as his legs could carry him to a small house in the center of the
forest. It was a magnificent two story house with a breathtakingly beautiful garden that
their mother had created.

The house had four bedrooms – one for the parents; one for
Angel; one for Tiger and one for the guests – two fully equipped bathrooms on the top
floor. On the ground floor were the living room; the kitchen and the dining room. He
burst through the door, yelling.

“Daddy, Daddy! You got to come quick. There was something in the bushes. Angel
stayed behind to fight it, I think. She just told me to run so I did. You got to go help her.
She might be in danger.” Tiger was out of breath. His mother, Gina and father, Jerrod,
immediately alarmed, hurried toward him.

“What do you mean? What happened? Are you all right? ” they asked in unity.
“Yeah, mom, I’m fine. It’s Angel…” Tiger said in a rush.
“Me? What about me? “Angel interrupted him as she came through the front door. She
got home just in time to prevent any unnecessary worry, and made it seem as if nothing
was wrong.
“What happened to the thing? What was it?” Tiger asked in a hurry.
“Nothing I took care of it.” Angel said in a very strange sense of calm that had the whole
family immediately suspicious, but knowing Angel only to well they just waved it of as
nothing important.

The rest of the afternoon was quiet. Angel and Tiger had taken the liberty to sneak of as
usual to work on Tiger’s fighting skills and Angel’s latest defensive maneuver while
Jarrod and Gina took there afternoon nap.