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The Phone Rings

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A couple of years prior to canon, Angel gets a call from an old friend.

Disclaimer: For all Angel lives in my head, he's so not mine.
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"Hello?"

"Hi, is Andrew there?"

"...That depends. May I ask who's calling?"

"This is Lena Paterson, I went to high school with-"

"Oh! I should've known it was you. Guess it's just because we haven't talked in ages. How the hell are you, honey?"

"Not too bad, really. What about you? Have another argument with your parents or something?"

"Not as such. Why?"

"Just trying to figure out why whether you're there depends, when you've clearly answered the phone."

"Not many people who have this number know that name, is all."

"...You changed it, didn't you."

"And why not? I was answering to Angel more and more often anyway. Figured I might as well make it official."

"I can't believe you, sometimes. I really, really can't."

"You never have, honey. Been saying I'm too good to be true for years now."

"Fair enough. Anyway, how's Juilliard treating you?"

"It... sort of isn't. I dropped out a while back."

"You did /what/?"

"Funny thing, that's what my parents said. But really, it wasn't worth it."

"When is one of the best damn music schools in the country not worth a half-tuition scholarship and your parents footing the rest of the bill?"

"When they want you to be mediocre at everything rather than focusing on one thing and getting really good at it, honey. Anyway, I doubt you called just to reminisce, so to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I'm getting married in June. We would've done sooner, but figured waiting until after graduation was a better bet."

"Really? Congratulations, you. Though I thought you were going to get my approval of the guy first, or has that opinion changed since high school?"

"Only you would remember something like that, you know. Anyway, you might have a chance. I seem to be short one bridesmaid, and you're about the only person I can think of to fill the slot that I haven't already asked."

"Oh, I see how it is, wait until the last minute to even tell your dearest friend from school about the wedding..."

"Angel! It's not like I didn't try to get a hold of you before now."

"Just kidding, Lena. Well, mostly. What day's this wedding, then?"

"Twenty-fourth. We're gonna try for an outdoor ceremony, as long as the weather cooperates. You still in the city despite the dropping out thing, which, by the way, I still can't believe you did?"

"Yeah. The most I can give you on active participation at the moment is a definite maybe, but I'll at least be there for it. Call me back at the end of the week and I should have an actual answer for you."

"I know I've said this before and I'm likely to say it again, but you are an absolute angel."

"Well, obviously."

"More so now than the first time I called you that. I think I'm kind of honored that it stuck, really."

"And well you should be, honey. I gotta go, but I'll talk to you later, all right?"

"Of course. I'll call you Fridayish for that answer."

"All right then. 'Bye."

"'Bye."