CHAPTER FORTY. ✧ ೃ༄
❝ LATE NIGHT SECRETS. ❞

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"Tell me something about you that many don't know about."

"My real name's Victoria."

Dream gasped and glanced at her, making sure he was staying on the road. "Angelica!"

"What?" Angelica chuckled, eyeing him as he kept looking at her and then looking back at the road. He seemed flabbergasted, shocked, eyes wide while nervously clutching the wheel of the car. "Are you okay? Do you need me to drive?"

"You just told me your real name!" Dream exclaimed, keeping his hands on the wheel. "What the hell, Angelica?"

"What?" She shrugged as if she hadn't just dropped something on him. Dream still couldn't process it. He kept repeating the name all over again in his head. Victoria Angelica. Such a weird combo of names but it... suit her. "Are you sure you don't want me to drive? You're spacing off."

"Your name is beautiful," Dream commented after seconds of silence. "I... Why did you tell me?"

"You seem like someone who can keep secrets," Angelica hummed, staring out the car window to see if the moon will follow them. "Hmm, should I have not told you?"

"No, it's just..." Dream sighed. "Why me?"

"You're trustworthy," Angelica smiled at him as he took a look at her. "I know you're not going to say my name and spread it everywhere. I know I can trust you."

"It really is an honor, Ang," Dream smiled back at her, stopping at a red sign while music played in the background, keeping them comfortable. "You know what we've never talked about?" The hum he received back indicated that the girl was listening. "About why we hated each other."

"What do you mean why we hated each other?" Angelica chuckled. "You should know. You started everything."

"Me?" Dream pointed at himself.

"Yes, you," Angelica turned to face him as best as she could in the car seat. "When we were first introduced to each other, you were a dick. You kept responding in short answers and you were rude to me until you just... left. Later on, my fans were defending me and they started hating on you which you didn't like because then you responded and attacked me and my community. Had to take a mental health break because I got a lot of hate and lost lots of fans that I regained once I ignored the problem and continued my thing. I tried defending you at first but when you started roasting me and saying my name in a negatively manner, I also defended myself."

"I always thought you insinuated the hate your fans gave me," Dream frowned. "I just think our fans started arguing with each other to the point where we made ourselves look bad. Especially me. I always, and sometimes do now, act on what I'm feeling. Like, if I'm mad or annoyed, I will say something about it and sometimes delete it later on. But, I'm sorry for lashing out and saying your name in a negative manner. You didn't deserve any of it."

"At least you're owning up to your mistakes," Angelica looked at him with a raised eyebrow as he drove off. "Your words did hurt especially and your fans. Sone of your fans scare me."

"Some of your fans scare me!" Dream chuckled. "One of them threatened me that I should stop being mean to you or they'll cut my dick off. Thankfully, one of your mods was kind enough to delete the message."

"Hmm, I have my mods special instructions not to delete the hate ones," Angelica teased before yelling when she felt Dream's hand on her thigh. He later trailed his hand to her stomach, poking it. She seemed unfazed by it and he looked at her in confusions stopping at another red light.

"Are you not ticklish?" Angelica shook her head, a smile on her lips. "Is it fine if I, you know, um, try to find your ticklish spot? Or in other words, if I can touch you?" By seeing her scrunched nose, Dream cleared his throat. "That sounded wrong, but can I?"

"Yeah," Angelica nodded, shivering a little at feeling his light touches on her side, traveling up her arms, down to her waist again, to her hip, and then up her neck under her chin until his fingertips traveled to her throat until the back of her head. Wait... Back of her head?

"Got it!" Dream exclaimed, running his fingers up and down the skin of neck, being careful not to tug on the necklaces she wore. Angelica's giggled echoed in the car and Dream didn't stop until the light turned green, signifying that he can go.

"You're so annoying," Angelica puffed, punching his arm softly. Dream laughed and rubbed his skin, shaking his head at her.

"You hit hard," he commented before the two laughed one more time and stayed silent. Dream grabbed her hand and she looked at him with a questionable look. "Sorry..." He immediately apologized at seeing her facial expression. "It's just... You hand is really warm."

Angelica chuckled and clutched his hand tighter, feeling his fingertips trace the outline and designs on her rings, including the one ring from her Quinceañera. She could feel his fingertips tracing the 15 and the crown on top of it. She later felt his own hand gripping her hand tightly against his own, intertwining their fingers together so it could feel more comfortable.

"Are you feeling sleepy yet?" Angelica asked, letting a yawn escape her lips, ignoring the way her heart hammered against her chest at feeling Dream's thumb rubbing against her skin.

Dream shook his head. "No. Are you sleepy?"

"A bit," Angelica nodded. "If you want, we can go home and we can watch a movie until we eventually knock out."

"That sounds better," Dream snorted, doing a U-turn so they can go back to the warmth of their home and their pets. "We can even heat up that hot chocolate Genesis made."

"That would be great."

As they stood under the same moon and stars, breathing the same air, listening to the same tune of the song that started to become theirs, with their fingers linked and laced together, Angelica thought more about her feelings.

Now, she knew she liked Dream. She has thought about it ever since her sister's wedding party. She didn't know this strong feeling because she would usually just harbor a crush on someone, but full on like a boy she hated? That was surreal. Especially liking a boy she talked to and not just someone she would admire from afar.

Now, Angelica wasn't shy. When she would like someone or get a crush, she would automatically tell the person when they wouldn't take a hint or because she just wanted to tell them. It was something she did at a young age after her older brother taught her to stop being scared of opportunities and instead fucking do something. She remembered that he told her to stop being scared, to stop being a pussy because it's just a crush, and if they didn't like her back, it's fine. She has more than enough time to find the right one.

So, with one last look, to get it over with, with her hands connected to Dream's with hope glimmering in her eyes that her thoughts wouldn't spill in her veins and somehow make their way to Dreams own head, she decided to confess to him that she liked him. Maybe not tomorrow, or the day after, maybe on Friday, three days from now during their backyard session. Yeah, she would do it then in order to get it over with.

"You okay there, shortcake?" Dream chuckled, clutching her hand. Angelica looked at him and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm okay."

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

No.

LISTEN TO THE ANGST
PLAYLIST BECAUSE ANGST
IS COMING SOONER THAN
I EXPECTED IT TO BE 😔

Also, I was going to update
sooner but Ranboo is on something
tonight at 3 FUCKING AM
and he made me question his
words