The Devil's Angel

Walking up the driveway at Claire’s place, Mia felt the soft wind knocking at her, urging her to look behind. She waited a beat before turning around and then she saw him, his shaggy dark brown hair, ruffled by the wind and deep set of hazel eyes looking at her intensely. The lines on his beautiful face showing grief and tiredness.

“Mia,” he croaked out almost breathlessly. He could never get over the beauty she presented. She looked as ravishing as ever with deep chocolate brown eyes that showed her every emotion in a crystal clear view. Her soft, wavy silk like cascade of brown hair that framed her delicate face looked alluring, dancing in the wind.

“Enrique! Hi,” she said, unsure of what to do though by now, she had practiced her speech a million times in less than a day, yet she gave the lamest ever reply but he didn't care. All he could see was he girl standing in front of him.

He closed the distance in two long strides and swept her off her feet, engulfing her into an embrace so intense, it felt like they had never been apart. Mia sighed against him, feeling all the things she used to feel in her dreams with him. For a moment, nothing mattered, no lost memories, no prophecy to fulfill. It was just her and him and it was wonderful.

Setting her back on ground, he tilted her face and looked at her as warm tears flowed down his cheeks, “It’s fine, It’s gonna be fine. I got you,” he hushed her and gave her a sad smile. Mia smiled back. She didn't know how she cried every time she talked about him or to him or saw him. She just could never control herself.

“God! How much I missed you,” he said in a low voice and took her by the hand and started towards the door. “Let me fix you a drink and then we’ll talk, ok?” he assured her in a gentle voice. Mia nodded. It should be her hosting him not the other way around but she didn't had it in herself.

Once she was calm and he felt that she would be fine, he took her to the couch and sat beside her, pulling her up against himself. It felt so right to be with her again but this time she resisted. Mia sat up straighter and looked at him, seeing the hurt flash in his eyes, the confusion that masked his face, she quickly started to explain herself, “No,” she leaned forward, carefully keeping the distance, “It’s not like that. It’s just…that I-I…ummm, it’s kinda,” she stammered, struggling with her words.

“Hey,” he almost cooed, “it’s ok. You can trust me with everything. It’s just me, Mia,” he looked straight in her eyes. Mia closed her eyes as she licked her dry lips, taking a deep breath, she continued, “I-I don’t remember,” she paused and Enrique knitted his eye brows together in confusion. “Anything,” she finished with a sigh.

He looked at her in disbelief, feeling the most strangest kind of pain. “My past and memories are all hazy,” she admitted and searched his face for emotions. He blinked a few times, trying to digest the news. “Anything?” he asked, his voice sad and pleading.

“No, just some glimpses. I remembered you,” she said with a small sad smile, pointing in his direction. She averted his eyes from him, trying not to see the sadness in those eyes. Enrique stared at her openly. He couldn't believe the words he was hearing. She couldn't remember anything. His Mia didn't remember. She knew him but she didn't know of the past they shared, the things, the jokes, the fights, the love they shared and it tore open his heart, making it hard for him to breathe.

“Where were you?” her sudden question halted all the thoughts in his mind. “What?’ he asked, looking at her but she kept her eyes glued on the front door. After a moment of silence, Mia turned to face Enrique and took a deep breath, “Did you even look for me?” she asked.

“I…uh, of course I did but umm, it didn’t work,” he said. Mia nodded skeptically. “That is why I kept my address and number same, hoping you would…uh, come back again,” he nodded to make her believe but mostly it was for himself.

“How much do you remember?” he asked. Mia shook her head as she raised her eyes to meet his hazel ones, “Were we engaged?” she bit her lip and lowered her eyes to keep a steady gaze on her fidgeting fingers.

Enrique looked at her for a moment and then smiled, “Yes and it was a wonderful day,” he sighed, remembering the night. Mia’s heart sank. She didn't know if it was because she couldn't remember or some other reason. She stood up, “Claire’s going to be home soon, now. I…uh,” she closed her eyes tightly and smoothed the wrinkles on her foreheads with her fingers, “I’m gonna have to explain things.”

“What are you going to tell her?” he asked. “I-I don’t know,” she started but he stood up to take her hand, “It’s ok. We’ll figure it out.” Mia nodded and as if on cue, the door opened, revealing Claire who stood fixed on her spot, seeing a man standing in her living room.

She looked quizzically at Mia. “Mia?” she asked, her eye brows raised. Mia took a deep breath and a step forward, “Claire…umm, this is Enrique,” she pointed at him. “Hey,” Enrique greeted her with a warm smile but a stern nod was all he received from Claire.

“I met him in Mystic Grills today. He…umm, kinda recognized me.” Mia explained. “Oh,” Claire exclaimed as her eyes lost the steely edge in them. “That’s wonderful,” she beamed at Mia and turned to Enrique, "How do you know her?” Enrique smiled and looked at Mia, “I’m her fia…” “Friend,” Mia cut him off with a smile, “A friend from past.”

Enrique looked at her in utter confusion and hurt. “Yeah,” he breathed and gave a small smile to Claire who stood there nodding at every comment. “Ok, why don’t you take a seat while I fix you both a diner?” she moved towards the kitchen. “Help me out, Mia. Will you?” Mia nodded and followed her without looking back.

She knew what she’ll there and she wasn't ready for that yet. It was unfair to him but he would understand. Damon did, he understood her perfectly and there she was, running comparison between them.

After a really awkward time in the kitchen and Enrique sitting in the living room, Claire called everyone for dinner. Claire sat beside Mia, making Enrique take the seat in front of her with Jake beside him.

“Are you Mee’s boyfriend?” Jake asked with an innocent smile. Enrique’s eyes flashed to Mia’s before resting on Jake, “No, we’re just friends.” “What kind of friends, exactly?” Claire interjected rather harshly.

“Uh, good actually. It was hard to not enjoy her company,” he answered with a small smile playing on his lips. “Hmm. Where did you meet her first?” the question tensed Mia, who was constantly playing with the spoon in her hands.

“Uh, in the hospital,” he looked at Mia who was still staring at the plate with a baffled expression on her face, “she was working there on some research project,” he paused, “which she never told me about and it was the…umm, reason she left,” he clarified.

Mia didn't get it. It was all so wrong. He was her best friend from the very start. She saw it in her dreams. He was friends with Maya and here he was saying he met her in the hospital. Oh my God! It meant he knew about her look alike. He knew about it and apparently he didn't have a memory problem. So, he must know both her and Maya.

She wondered if he stayed all this while with her or if he knew about her whereabouts. The thoughts had her reeling. “So, what were you doing there?” Claire’s voice snapped Mia to present. “I had a small accident and it was her off timing from the hospital. We met in the parking lot though. She couldn't reverse her car properly,” he smiled at the memory.

“Was she boring before?” Jake asked with scrunched nose but his eyes were twinkling with excitement. Enrique looked from Jake to Mia and back to Jake, confused with his question. “I mean,” Jake started exasperatedly, “She don’t play video games with me. She did only one or two times.” Enrique chuckled, “She wasn't boring but no she never played video games either,” Jake gave him a single nod, “Right. Boring.”

“Did she had a family?” Claire questioned. “No, she didn't,” he replied, a little too quickly. “Did you look for her?” she asked quickly as if playing a rapid fire round with him. “Yes, I did but didn't get any leads,” he answered. Claire clasped her hands and rested her chin on the clenched fists, “Did you report it to the police?” she narrowed her eyes at him.

“Uh, not exactly,” he said uncomfortable from the direction the conversation was taking. “Why not?” she asked. “I…uh,” Enrique didn't know how to answer that question but he had to satisfy Claire’s curiosity. He needed her to approve of him, to view him as a friend and not a threat but her questions were fast paced and he couldn't quite handle them well.

It was then, when his cell phone rang and he excused himself. “I don’t quite like him,” Claire said, “or trust him.”

“Hmm,” was the only reply. The truth was Mia didn't trust him very much either. His answers should have satisfied her but they didn't and she felt in more turmoil. She didn't felt very good about that.

She felt the connection, the attraction but she didn't felt safe and comfortable. She wasn't happy like she should have been. He did invoke those warm feelings but now, it had a slight edge to them. In short, with his story, she felt he wasn't being honest with her and that was the reason she didn't tell him anything except she got his number from a friend.

Enrique too, didn't tell anything specific to her. He himself felt more comfortable talking about how she was instead of where she come from or what her life was like.

Their meeting left them both incomplete but Enrique realized his mistake. He knew he had to be honest with her though she didn't had her memories with her yet, he knew she had not lost it all, like she told him before.

He just had to proceed with caution with her. He couldn't risk losing her again, not when time was so close. Her aura was shining brighter than ever before from which he knew and the second indicator was how perfectly Ariel’s necklace rested on her smooth skin. The time will be here soon and he wanted to make sure that she loved him just the way she did before. He had to make it work this time and he would.

Mia laid in her bed with her eyes closed as a tear escaped it and fell on the pillow. She snuggled against it and breathed deep. “Where are you, Damon?” she whispered in the dark.