Free When Angels Fall (Fallen Angels) by Jo Cattell

his head in his hands. What the hell did I just do? How could he let her walk out like that? Seeing his aggravation, Mark and Kevin joined him and sat on either side.
    “When someone tells you to shut up and not to answer something, do you listen?” Mark asked him.
    Nick just looked at him. Had Mark told him to shut up? All he noticed was the red he saw that the girl who was his friend was dating another guy.
    “I know why you’re so upset,” Kevin suggested.
    “It is pretty clear why he is,” Mark added with a knowing nod.
    “You two have no clue about what you’re talking about,” Nick’s replied, his words muffled. He hated that they might be right. And that made it worse.
    “Someone is a little jealous,” Mark continued.
    “I’m not jealous. I just think that by saying yes to him, she’s making a big mistake. I don’t trust that guy,” Nick answered. Not sure why he didn’t, just that there was something about Josh he didn’t like.
    “Why, Nick?” Kevin had to keep it going.
    “It is not what you think,” he said, defending himself.
    “Then why? You’re not fooling anyone. I stood here and listened to the whole thing. The only one you think you’re fooling is yourself. You like her. More than friends,” Kevin pressed, putting it out there.
    “I hate to say he’s right, but, little Bro? He is. And if you don’t stop fighting with yourself about it, you may lose her to him,” Mark nodded.
    They were wrong. She was just his friend and he was looking out for her. “I’m not going there. I am not going through this again.” Nick got up from the table and headed upstairs to think.

     
    *     *     *     *
     

     
    Friday night came, and with it was Nick lying on his bed, staring at the wall and wondering how she was. He hadn’t talk to her for the rest of the week and it was killing him.
    Kevin and Mark came in and sat on his bed.
    “So, instead of lying here and feeling sorry for yourself, we’re taking you out,” Mark suggested.
    “Where?” Nick didn’t really want to leave in case she called him.
    “Who cares where? We‘re doing ‘bro time’. Well, without Max, but with us like we used to do in Michigan,” Kevin explained, trying to get him moving.
    “Do you think she’s okay?” Nick asked them. “I mean, she gets really quiet around him.” It was all he could think about. He’d seen the way Chloe was with him and it scared him to think what could go wrong.
    “Yeah, I noticed that. She isn’t like that with you, though. She’s always laughing and smiling,” Kevin mused, waiting for him to take the bait.
    “Exactly my point,” Nick agreed. “Why would she even say yes to him if he makes her miserable? I mean, she is a totally different person when she’s with me.” He was relieved that they were starting to understand why he was so upset.
    “Yeah, that makes perfect sense. She should really be with you right now,” Mark stated, seeming to play along.
    They had him now, and he didn’t even realize it. “I know, right? Wait. Come on you guys, stop doing that. She’s just a friend. I like her, but not like that.”
    Mark and Kevin looked at each other and smiled their victorious expressions obvious.
    Nick had just admitted his true feelings for her.
    A short while later, they sat in the restaurant, talking about old times when Nick saw her.
    Chloe was sitting at a table near the window, playing with her straw and faking a smile. She looked so pretty; her hair was lose and a little curly. She wore a red baby doll shirt and a light-blue denim skirt. She kept playing with her earring and pretending to listen to what Josh was saying.
    “Earth to Nicholas, did you hear what I just said?” Mark asked him as he waved his hand in front of his face.
    “Order whatever you want on the pizza,” he answered. He was in a daze, wondering what she was thinking about as Josh talked.
    “So, you’re paying for tonight, right? The movie, too?” Kevin