Page 109 of Eyes Like Angel

For my stomach was coiling in an unyielding pain…I must do it.

Would I be able to forgive myself if I chose selfishness, for the sake for my stomach pain to wither away, only to fill a temporary reward?

But the thing is, I’ve never gotten a reward.

And so…an unhinged decision came to a close, and the opportunity has offered itself in.

Briskly, I snatched two water bottles and drink to my heart’s content. Then carbonated soda and drained it in my stomach quick, a bubbling liquid layered my thirst, quenching and gulping at its fizzled taste. As for the food, I gathered the sliced piece of raspberry and lime cobbler—after gathering the small bowl and silverware—and forced the dessert swallowed down in my throat in swift motion.

Tangy and sweet, as expected. I consumed the portions of honey-baked ham and hard boiled eggs, even cold soup, never bothered to warm it up in an advanced microwave Mrs. Rivers donated to amplify the church’s contribution to aid others in pacify. I didn’t want to get in trouble if someone heard me using the microwave—Micah taught me how to use the kitchen devices—and yell at me.

Trouble was the last thing I need. The soul of my hunger required more. It’s not enough. I ate pieces of one pretzel-shaped doughnut with sprinkled in sugar and frosted vanilla whip cream and shoved it harder in my wide mouth, stuffing and stuffing until my heart is in content.

After minutes of consuming without hiding in the dark, I swallowed the last pieces and let it melt into me, leaving the place cleaned up and throw it at the dumpster with my usage of carbonated soda cans and wraps, and plastics, then rearranged the food and bottled drinks in the fridge, hoping no one would notice the difference, hoping Micah would understand. Hoping Mrs. Rivers will still be as jolly as an angel when being distracted by her taste of men. Wiping my lips and face with a wet napkin,I cleaned myself up well before heading out with a placid look contorted, as if I never went and stole the food content.

I rushed back, then cleaned my last remaining on my last hour chores from the charity event before heading upstairs. The girls by then were gone, being shooed by Sister Lucia.

When heading back to the stairs after entering the door at the far right corner, I headed back to the dark attic, only to find more sweets and salty meat and crisped fries placed on a white plate, and atop of the quilted blanket I had, the one item that brings me joy and solitude.

“Eat,” it said on a tiny paper.

Up until now, every night before I go to sleep or waking up in sunrise, discovering the food on a plate and a drink, a mysterious stranger has brought in.

The food I had gotten in most days were in the mornings, and not at a dark hour. And at night, I would often get a piece of gift laid atop of my quilted blanket, a rare gift where this mysterious stranger has given without hesitation—it cost a fortune, a sight to behold, with such a small gift swelled a big lump in my heart.

At this nightly hour, inside a small velvet box, it was a bracelet, a crystallized bracelet with colorful gemstones in swirls of cobalt, crimson, green and amethyst with golden chain and a small cross at the center.

Consuming the food, I picked the gift up and stared at it in awe.

Up until now, I still couldn’t figure out who it was.

30

Eva

The next day, as I made distributions, I did my best to avoid everyone’s interactions and get the job finished. Mrs. Rivers said the earlier the better, so I had to make my role worth a while. I haven’t seen Adrian for a few minutes? Hours? A day?

Where was he?

“Want me to help you, Sister Eden,” a voice said, recognizing who it was.

Inwardly groaned to my psyche, Romano squeezed in, standing beside me with a twinkle in his dark eyes and an unsettling smile smeared on his worn out features.

I ignored him, ever since he laid his hand on Marceline and laid his hand on Adrian’s neck. Since that day, I thought of him differently, pretending his voice was a random commotion to me.

In the corner of my eye, Romano had his gaze darted below on my gloved hands, spotted the jewelry.

“Are you still happy to see me?” he inquired with his cheeky smile. “I’ve been thinking about the way I acted towards you, and I would just like to be friends again.”

I didn’t bother myself to speak or entertain the notions on speaking to the person who I used to admire.

“Say, where did you get that bracelet?” Romano barged in as I worked my way on feeding the homeless with foamed plates readied, standing closer beside me.

I ignored him, handing the filled plate, since the trays were no good; it was filled with cockroaches roaming inside the cabinet this morning, so Mrs. Rivers decided to switch things up.

After being humiliated by Adrian’s strong gasp, it’s no surprise Romano pretended like nothing was going on with him, as if he had walked into a rainstorm in one piece.

His finger tapped on the bracelet, which I pulled my hand away by grabbing another set of filled plates—some homeless folks had allergies. Therefore, we contributed to handing various meals over.