Chapter 32: The Presence of Angel
Angel had always been around, but now, Erica started noticing her more.
At first, it was subtle—the way Angel always seemed to check on her, how she never pushed too hard, how she stayed even when Erica didn't have the words to thank her.
"You're different," Erica said one evening as they walked home together.
Angel chuckled. "How so?"
"I don't know… you just don't give up on me."
Angel shrugged. "I've known you since we were kids, Erica. I know when you need someone, even when you won't admit it."
And that stuck with her.
There were days when the memories still hit hard—when Nicole's voice in the hallway made Erica's heart ache, when she saw Cloud still by her side, laughing.
But instead of breaking, Erica breathed through it.
"You don't have to erase her," Risha reminded her. "You just have to stop letting her control you."
And slowly, Erica was learning how.
One day, after practice, Angel showed up with a bottle of water, tossing it toward Erica.
"You looked like you were dying out there," Angel teased.
"Thanks," Erica said, taking a sip.
Their hands brushed when Angel handed her a towel, and for the first time, Erica felt a strange warmth that had nothing to do with the heat of practice.
She shook it off.
But the feeling lingered.
Happiness felt foreign at first, but it was coming back.
Kim made them laugh during study sessions, Audrey dragged her to random movie nights, and Risha never let her sulk too long.
"You're smiling more," Steph pointed out.
Erica blinked. "I am?"
"Yeah," Audrey said. "And it actually looks real this time."
She hadn't realized until now how much she had missed feeling this way.
"Maybe I was happy these past few weeks,"Erica answerd with a smile on her face.