Threats-
The next night Angelina invited me out and told me to dress up. “Wear the royal blue dress,” she said. “Ooh, and you’re aunt’s brooch would go perfectly with it!”
I decided to go with her suggestion. I took extra time to curl my hair and perfect my makeup.
Angelina told me that we’d stop for dinner before heading to a play that night.
Since it wasn’t too far, we decided to walk. The night sky was already turning its sunset purple. We were talking and laughing until we passed by an alleyway. Suddenly, Angelina stopped and turned towards the alley.
“Did you hear that?” she asked.
“Hear what?”
“It sounded like– like a crash. Very faint.”
Angelina went in to investigate. I followed close behind her, suddenly very aware of our lack of a defensive weapon. The alley was so dark I could barely make out Angelina’s outline.
Suddenly I could see another shadow move and Angelina was thrown to the side. She let out a muffled scream.
“Angelina!” I shouted, wishing that I didn’t, because I just let someone know that I was there.
“You can have your friend back,” came a deep raspy voice from what I guessed was behind Angelina’s head. “When you hand over that pretty brooch of yours.”
I quickly unclipped the jewel and held my hand out. “Let her go,” I demanded. “Take it and leave her alone.”
The stranger behind Angelina gave her a shove and snatched the brooch out of my hand.
I caught Angelina before she hit the building wall. I looked around the dark alley, but I couldn’t see the stranger’s shadow anymore.
I led Angelina out of the alley. She was rubbing her neck and staring at me in disbelief. “You’d give up your great-aunt’s heirloom for me?” she asked.
“Of course, I’d give it up,” I replied. “No thing matters to me as much as you do.”
We walked to Cafe Rose in silence, the shock of the attack looming over us. William was at a table already, food sitting there waiting for us.
His eyes lit up and we walked over. Then his smile faltered. “You certainly look exhausted,” he said.
“We are,” Angelina said, letting out a shaky breath. I sat down and started to pick at my food. William looked back and forth between us worriedly. “Are you alright?”
Angelina launched into the tale, retelling it in a hushed tone, almost as if it didn’t bother her. I was on the verge of crying. The panic that took over in the alley frightened me. I almost lost Angelina. I couldn’t bear the thought.
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