Chapter Text
It was that time of year again, where everyone and their dog came to celebrate each and every graduating student by taking their photo in their special graduation gowns to commemorate their accomplishments. All the students had their families over for said graduation pictures, even the teachers, and they were all throughout the high school, all introducing themselves to each other, and the town was so small that it ment practically everyone in Stansbury was present.
Angela was sitting alone in the senior classroom by the window, wearing a graduation gown of her own, something she had been highly anticipating wearing ever since the start of her freshman year. Underneath that lovely royal-blue gown, she had on her golden coloured open-back dress that her parents had bought her the week before for this very occasion. She gazed out the window which was overlooking the large garden piece in front of the school entrance and placed her fingertips on the cold glass, looking out with a deep sense of longing… to be loved like all the other kids out there with their families, what was the point of going out there to have her picture taken alone?
Right at that moment Randall walked into the classroom, as if detecting Angela’s self deprecation. He also wore a gown, the same vibrant royal-blue as her.
“Hey Angie’!” Randall spoke with a smile, adjusting the way his collar fit on him. “Are you as excited for the photos still? I know I am! Me and Hen’ were—”
“I’m not going.”
“Huh?-”
“Randall, i’m not going out.” She repeated, no hesitation, no room for argument as she kept her stare locked outside the window, to hide the embarrassing eyeliner running down her face. “Not alone, and not with my face like this.”
“Angiiee,” Randall whined playfully, stepping closer. “not this again… I’ll help you put some cold water on your face to dull the redness, then you can put your make-up back on.”
“No Randall… enough of that, not right now please.” Angela shook her head.
“Come ooon, you’ve been waiting and whining about your photos for so long that—”
“NO!” Angela stood up fast, almost too fast, whipping her head around to Randall, she didn’t dare stumble. “I’m not going! I’m not going!”
“Whoa! Hey!” Randall took a step back backwards, raising his hands up slightly in a gesture of peace, having never seen the normally bubbly girl so distraught and emotional. “Angela I didn’t mean to upset you…”
“Just! … Just— Leave me alone!” Angela said in a shaky voice before she spun around and moved to storm off, now feeling incredibly guilty for yelling at Randall. She knew that he ment well, so why did she yell at him? Why couldn’t she just be the good person for once in her oh-so sad and pathetic life? Why did she have to act like a self-victimizing bitch all the time? You know, this why she couldn’t be loved, and why she couldn't love herself half the time, because all she ever did was cause problems—
Randall’s hand shot out, grabbing her arm in a gentle but steady grip. “Wait a minute Angie.”
“N-No!” Angela cried out, trying to frantically pull her arm back from Randall. “I-I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”
“I'm not leaving you alone to beat yourself up!” Randall held on to her despite her pulling, and moved to put a hand on Angela’s shoulder to turn her around. “Angela, just calm down…”
“I ahm— I-I’m s-sorry—” Angela lost her breath quickly, not really hearing Randall in that moment, covering her eyes with her free hand. What an ugly looking cry, and ugly sound, coming from such an ugly girl… “I’m s-sorry— I didn’t mean to, I didn’t mean to yell at you…” Liar, you’re lying, and you like lying, you lying, hateful piece of sh—
“Angela!” Randall exclaimed in a sharp tone to grab her attention, his hand released her arm to instead to grab her other shoulder. He leaned forward slightly to better be at eye level and looked at her with a friendly but concerned expression. “A-Angie, hey, snap out of it.” He then moved both hands to cup her face, wiping away her tears with his thumbs. “Don’t cry, you’ll get your gown wet… What’s wrong, Angela? This isn’t like you…”
Angela sniffled, looking at Randall as he tried to hold her together himself. "I-It's dumb, i-i-it's really d-dumb and, and stupid..."
"Oh don't give me that! You and I both know that isn't true if it's bothering you this much." He pulled his hands back from her face, not caring that his fingers were now slightly smudged with eyeliner as he gently grabbed her wrist with one hand to guide her out the classroom and down the hall a little, over to one of the two "single stall" gender-neutral bathrooms beside the gym, opening the push-to-open door with his back. "Is this about the photos? Are you nervous?"
"It's... I-It's not just the photos, Randall." Angela clarified, her face a slight pout as she took it more like an accusation of her overreacting. She watched as Randall turned on the faucet, wet a brown paper towel under it, squeezing it to release the extra water, before gently patting her tender red face. "It's... I-It's..."
"You can say it, don't worry, I'm listening."
"It's... It's my mum and dad."
"Hm?" Randall's hand paused for a moment, eyes slightly widening as he now understood the actual gravity of the situation for her. He didn't before...? "I remember you saying something about that before, did you guys finally pick out poses? Is your brother going to come? Maybe your family can take photos with mine?—"
"Nobody is coming." Angela said flatly.
"Huh?" Randall replied for what felt like the second time that interaction, hand fully stopping this time. "What do you...?"
"Randall. Stop playing dumb." Angela had an almost begging tone, gently taking the brown paper towel from him to pat her face herself. "They ditched me."
"You're... You're kidding—" Randall replied, disbelief. He couldn't comprehend the words coming from her mouth for a moment. "I'm sure you're just worrying yourself, maybe they got caught up in traffic, I'm sure they'll be here—"
"Randall!" Angela snapped back, looking to him. You bitch, leave him alone. "My, my mom... The school called her, and, she said herself she wouldn't be coming."
"... A-And your brother?" He seemed afraid to ask.
" ... " She didn't reply, she knew that he knew the answer, but it wouldn't kill you to reply to him though you killjoy cunt.
"... Angela..." Randall's eyes immediately softened, rubbing her arm gently bthrough curtain graduation gown with one hand.
"A-And i'm not going out there alone, Randall." Angela replied, growling out slightly at the thought. Because you're an ugly bitch, no amount of make-up can fix that, in fact it only serves to makes you look worse because you can't even do it right, everyone can see your pimple scars... She glanced at herself in the reflection of the mirror above the sink in front of her. You're an overly skinny, malnourished looking, skeleton, with skeleton arms and an ugly round face, who needs people to hide herself behind because you only ever get confident behind other people backs.
"Angela." Randall said softly, but his tone was now serious, moving his hand to tilt her head over in his direction instead of the bathroom mirror. "Listen to me when i say this, because you need to hear it." He then placed both hands on her shoulders, grounding, but also to keep her attention. "You. Are. Beautiful. Like, probably the most beautiful girl in this whole school- no, the whole town."
"Randall..."
"I'm not lying! I'm not lying. I talk with the 'guys' and we always talk about girls." He claimed, grinning at her slyly. "And you're like the first, if not the only girl we talk about."
Angela knew he was lying out of his bee-hind, and wanted to say something about how the "guys" he hangs out with are Hershel and Henry, and girls are among the last things they'd ever talk about. "... I—"
"Before you say i'm lying or something, and something about how unpopular i am— which is untrue by the way." He gloated jokingly, but quickly got to his point. "Why don't i prove it to you? Hmmmmnn?" He hummed almost challengingly at her. "You, me, Henry and Hershel. Take photos, us together— and with our families!"
"... Randall..." Angela sighed.
"Heyy, Heyy..." Randall quickly said, shaking his head and wagging a finger in her face. "You can't say no, you owe me one anyways..."
"... Untrue," She softened. "but ... fine." She felt a little smile grow on her face at Randall’s attempts, very endearing to watch, how he always tried his hardest to make her laugh, even if it was honestly quite pathetic and honestly quite pathetic.
"Ah-ha! Now you really can't say no..." Randall laughed light-heartedly, gently taking the brown paper towel from her and throwing it to the rubbish bin. Then, gently taking her hands once more, he guided her out of the bathroom and back to the senior classroom. "And we are taking funny ones, non-negotiable."