The Devil's Angel

“How did it go?” Claire asked once Mia got in and laughed as she saw the grin on her face. “By the look on your face, I take it went well,” she remarked, pointing her finger at Mia. “Yep, it was good,” she paused, “I feel so great,” she sighed to herself.

“Of course, you do. I felt ecstatic every time I and Shawn made up after a fight,” she gave a sad smile. “I’m sorry, Claire,” Mia said. “Nah, it’s ok. It wasn’t your fault,” she chuckled.

“Where’s Enrique?” she cleared her throat. “Huh, upstairs. In Jake’s room,” she replied, not so happy at the fact. “Ok, I’m gonna go talk to him,” she announced as she ran up the stairs.

“Call me if you need anything,” Claire called out. Mia laughed at the absurdity of the scene that ran to her mind. “I’ll be fine,” she replied dramatically with wide eyes. “Don’t laugh. I’m just looking out for you.” Mia nodded, “Thanks,” she replied sincerely.

Mia knocked at the door of Jake’s room, “Yes,” he said from inside as Mia opened the door and he quickly got up from the bed and stood at its corner. “Mia?” he said surprised, clearly showing he was expecting Claire.

“Hey,” she replied with a small smile and wave of her hand. “You’re back. Uh, how are you?” he asked, scrutinizing her face. “I’m fine, Enrique.” He stepped forward to take her hand but retracted it with a shake of his head, “I’m sorry. It still feels like we’re both back together with what we used to be and I forget every time that you’ve lost your memories and it’s just…awkward,” he sighed, sadly.

“It’s ok, Enrique. I understand,” Mia said. “Yes, that’s what I’m saying, Mia. That I do, I do understand and I’m sorry for my behavior last night,” he paused, thinking for the right words, “It’s just...difficult, you know.”

He looked at her with pleading eyes, trying to make her understand. Mia nodded, “It’s ok, really,” she reassured him, not knowing how to react. “I’m here, now. To answer whatever you have in mind. I promise, Mia to do whatever it takes to make you feel better,” he looked straight in her eyes as he spoke.

She gave him a nod accompanied with a sweet, understanding smile that had his heart flying. She went to sit on the couch and he followed. Sitting beside her, he folded his leg under him as he turned to face her. He shook his head as if in contemplation, “It’s just that I never told you this even before,” he muttered.

Mia furrowed her eye brows and pursed her lips together, looking at him in confusion, “What do you…” she started but he cut her off, “It was just because I wanted you to be free of worries and live your life the way you were living it. You were so happy, Mia. I didn’t wanted to ruin it,” he explained in a business like tone.

“I want to know,” she gave him a single nod, holding his gaze steadily to let him know she was serious. “Ok,” he said as he took a deep breath and averted his eyes away from her, “I’ve known you…since forever. You were my best friend. My only friend,” Mia smiled softly and he looked at her with a smile of his own.

“it was all wonderful, the time with you. I remember how reluctant you were to leave. I…uh, promised you that I’ll come to see you once I deal with you know,” he shrugged, “Grown up thing and money thing.” Mia chuckled, “Did you keep it?” she asked.

“Yes,” he sighed, “I called too but then your number changed and all. Then, when I had enough money, I traveled all the way to you.” “What did I do, when you came again?” Mia asked, excited and curious.

“You were nothing like I remembered. You were rude to your parents, mean to the people around you. You were plain…selfish.”
“Ouch, that’s harsh,” Mia said. Enrique raised his brows as he regarded her with a smile, “The truth. It’s always harsh, isn’t it?” Mia laughed breathily, of course, she knew that. The truth was always painful.

“But she was beautiful. Physically, I couldn’t differentiate but in personality she was polar opposite of what she used to be,” Enrique explained seriously but Mia laughed out loud, covering her mouth with her hand.

“What?” Enrique asked perplexed. “You know,” she paused to take a breath, “You can kill the suspense.” “Huh?” he was still confused of what caused her to laugh like this though he was enjoying it. “Ah, I mean, Enrique. I get it. She wasn’t me. The rude, selfish one was Mia, not Maya, your best, sweet friend who was reluctant to leave,” Mia cleared her throat to clear the crispiness from her voice, “was gone. Someone else was living with her name.”

Enrique gave her a small smile but then resumed his serious expression as he tilted his head to a side and raised his eye brows, “You’re judging her, you know?” he said. Mia amusement stopped suddenly as she looked at him, confused.

“What?” she asked, shaking her head slightly, trying to understand him. “I’m judg…I’m judging her?” she questioned, “You used the term. I just…you know,” she waved her hand to make a point, “borrowed it.”

“Right, sure,” he said as if trying to ignore her fault. Mia scrutinized his face, trying to read him when she saw a small smile playing on his lips. She laughed again, “Seriously, Enrique? God,” she punched him lightly on the shoulder.

The small little gesture had his hopes high. He felt more confident and at ease. He was happy that she was getting comfortable with him again and will eventually let him in.

“What then?” she asked, forcing him to pull the brakes on his train of thoughts. “Oh, I gave her a lot of chances but she remained the same. So, I left and came to Lakewood, a small town to keep me busy and stuff.”

“And there, you met me?” she asked but it wasn’t a question. It was a statement from last night. “Yes, there I met the sweet you,” he replied, quoting the word she used to describe herself.

“Ha-ha. So, I was like the Maya you knew?” she rolled her eyes at his remark. “Even better. You were just amazing. Kind, caring, at times sarcastic and funny. You were very ambitious and hardworking and beautifully mysterious,” he smiled and looked at the ground.

“I’m flattered,” Mia commented. “Yeah, that was the point,” he replied, smiling widely at her and Mia rolled her eyes at him. “So, you never questioned how our places got switched?” she asked once her laugh subsided.

He shook his head, “No, I did question it but never did anything about it.” Mia raised her eye brows at him in confusion. “Why…uh,” she shook her head, “You were so happy and satisfied, Mia. That’s the only reason I didn’t do anything about it,” he took her hand in his own, “If I thought, for a second that you wonder about it, I would’ve done whatever it took to help you.”

“But you should have said something,” she stated and then a terrifying question entered her mind, “What about my parents?” she looked at him in horror, “they were living with an imposter all that time,” she raised her voice, “you should’ve taken me to them,” she looked at him accusingly.

“I know,” he said. “Then, why didn’t you?” Enrique took her hand as he edged closer to her, “Because, Mia. I cared about them just as much as I cared about you and taking you to them would’ve been wrong when they had convinced themselves that they had lost their daughter, seeing Maya’s behavior and taking you to them would’ve achieved nothing except opening up their wounds and frustrating you because you couldn’t remember them,” he used a high tone with his jaws clenched but his eyes still held that soft and warm look.

“I would have handled it,” she said in a whisper, looking away from him. Enrique shook his head and gently took her chin as he made her look at him, “Tell me, Mia. How many peaceful nights have you spent since you woke without memories?”

Mia understood his question perfectly. Every night had been frustrating. Sometimes a dream would scare her or she would sleep thinking about things she didn’t understood. Mia lowered her gaze and Enrique nodded and removed his hand from her face, having made his point. “I thought so too,” he murmured.

“Do you know about them now?” she asked suddenly. “Yes, why?” he couldn’t understand why she was asking this all now when she never questioned her family before. “I just…can I…can you,” she was at loss for how to put her words.

Enrique straightened up, “Let me ask you this? If I tell them about you and vice versa, would you leave this life of yours to return to them?”
Mia thought hard about the question but she already knew the answer. If she was normal, then yes, she would’ve done it without a second’s thought but she wasn’t normal. She knew she couldn’t ignore being an angel or whatever that crap was. She also knew that meeting he family would be the greatest gift but she couldn’t meet them, only to leave them again by dying. She wouldn’t be that selfish.

She shook her head slowly, “No. No, I couldn’t. I wouldn’t do that,” she said, her throat tightening around her words. “It’s ok,” he slowly leaned in to gather her in and she obliged, resting her head on his shoulder. “Why is it so difficult?” she sniffled.

“It makes us strong,” he replied solemnly as he relished the moment with her. It felt heavenly to touch her. After last night, he thought he had lost that right but here she was, openly accepting him with her soft and forgiving heart.

He felt helpless. He didn’t know how to make her feel better but of one thing he was absolutely positive, the only way to win her back was to be honest with her but he didn’t know how much honesty could he could afford. He was afraid that before time, it may break her and he would never let that happen.

“What do you say a good diner sounds like, tonight?” he asked and she raised her head to look at him, confused. “It’ll make you feel better, an outing to, you know…after, all this.”

She gave him a small smile with misty eyes and nodded, “Ok. Ok, that’ll be good, I guess.” “I’m sure it’ll be,” he assured her.
He looked at the beautiful way her hair framed her face. Her cheeks were still wet with tears as he hesitantly moved to rest his hand on her cheek, removing the wetness with his thumb caressing her soft skin.

Mia’s heart took a wild turn at his touch which sent electrifying pulse to her stomach and her body tingled all over. She looked at how his hazel eyes were solely fixed on her and it intensified her feelings which were now like open nerve endings. Her heart came to a sudden still as he leaned in towards her to press a gentle kiss on her forehead.

She could hear her own heart drumming in her chest. She had never witnessed that kind of thing before and it felt exciting just as much as it felt terrifying.

Enrique got up from the couch to leave the room. He had achieved what he wanted, her trust, to take away her worries and he hit the jackpot with that innocent kiss, stirring her feelings which he wanted to resurface. He didn’t wanted to leave her alone but he didn’t wanted to make things between them awkward either. He just left her now with her unsettled feelings.