Page 18 of Eyes Like Angel (Eyes Like Angel #1)

My chest rumbled from chuckling. “Well, they never get to be kids, so this entertaining to watch. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are two women had knives cutting at each other.”

Aaron laughed for a moment, before three guys spotted us and handed over a red rose to Marceline. Aaron’s teeth clenched.

“I got this rose for you,” the guy with a red beanie cap said with a lopsided grin, his two friends sniggered at the side.

The red rose lifted up towards Marceline’s face.

She hated red roses. She preferred black roses in a coffin-shaped bouquet, according to Aaron. The first time he met Marceline, he spoke to me about her non-stop.

“Um, do I know you?” she said, grimaced.

The rose still lifted in the air. “I gather them all today, and give them to the most beautiful ladies to ever exist in Fort Heaven, especially a very tall lady before me.”

Kind gesture, but wrong girl to approach; Aaron was livid.

She scoffed, crossing her arms, ambling at the red-beanie guy with a darkened form.

“Sorry, red roses aren’t my thing,” she said in a flat tone. “So take that roses and shove it up at your—”

“Oh, look at the time, I’m so hungry,” I intruded with a loud voice, clearing my throat and stretching my arms widely in the air. “Come on, we might not be able to get good food somewhere!”

We went past them and explored the grounds, but I knew this town like the back of my hand.

Everywhere I go, there were posters of religious and biblical pasted on the walls and poles, sometimes I see a poster of the priest I saw on Thanksgiving Day, wondering if he’s ruling this town.

‘ Come join us’ ‘Praise the Lord’ ‘ Pray at Divine Miracles Church’ ‘Father Divine will grant you salvation’ , it said everywhere, plastered with the priest’s picture and a golden cross with a glowing effect on the posters.

I’ve never seen a town or a city that advertised the religious agenda as dedicatedly as this ominous town.

“Jesus, that was harsh, Marcy,” I said, half-joking.

“Guys like that pissed me off,” she huffed. “If I see one more guy with sleepy eyes and veneers, they can shove their teeth up in their own ass.”

Holding back my laughter in, I asked her, “I wonder what happens if you take the rose.”

“I shove it in his mouth like a Mama’s boy he is. I bet he’s crying from a rejection.”

“Oh, look, there’s a burger stand,” Aaron changed the subject, gleaming at the sight.

Aaron mentioned this to me days ago that the owner from a Three Angels Diner might bring more customers in if strategizing it in a different approach since sitting at a diner was being stagnant.

Didn’t think it would work; the line was hectic and long, anticipating for a juicy tender burgers and fries steaming in the air.

“Hey,” Marceline began, walking backwards a bit, “Aaron and I are going to grab some food. Want some?”

“How much was it? Same price as the diner?”

“Ten dollars,” she confirmed.

I handed her the cold cash. “No shit,” I said, surprised.

“Come on, Mars,” Aaron yelled with his hands each side on his face.

“Yeah way,” she said to me in glee, reaching the money I distributed.

“Mars!” Aaron’s shouts grew louder.

She groaned at Aaron’s impatience.

“Be right back!” she told me and ran at the line, smacking Aaron’s head.

Rushed into the line where Aaron was at, the phone vibrated in my back pocket in my jeans. Before my hand could reach the device, two nuns strolled across the town square with wooden baskets in their hands, distributing flyers.

One of the nuns lifted her head, and her verdant eyes swept across the crowd.

It’s her!

Some people refused to keep the flyers she handed out.

As soon as headed towards me, she handed the flyer, it was the same ones I saw by the walls I encountered earlier.

“Come to the church,” she uttered faintly, her verdant eyes angled to mine.

I took the flyer in my hands, heart fluttered at her sight.

Choking, I was unable to say a few words. Should I say ‘hi’ to her? Should I tell her to have a good day? Should I provide her a hug after that encounter I have with her sleeping form in the dark attic? Oh, God, what should I do? I’m a total mess!

Come on, think!

Think!

Instead thanking her or saying a word to her, I watched her go by the time Marceline and Aaron returned with juicy hot burgers and fries in their hands.

“Here’s your burger and fries,” Marceline said, settling the small paper bag onto my empty hand as I had the flyer on the other.

“Who’s that, by the way?” I stated.

“Who?” Marceline inquired, confused.

“Her,” I said, pointing at the nuns in an ivory clothing and veils.

“Those are the nuns,” Aaron said casually, munching on the crispy garlic fries ravenously.

“Obviously,” Marceline said in annoyance to Aaron, smacking him on the head, to mind his own manners.

“Do you know that girl?” I asked her.

“Which one?”

“The girl with a white veil on her head, not the one with a dark veil,” I explained, pointing at her.

“Oh, her,” Marceline said, eating the burger. “I’ve seen her plenty times before, even at the Bible study.”

“When was your bible study?”

Her eyes squinted. “Why?”

“No reason. I didn’t think you’d go there. I thought you’re an atheist.”

“I am, but I’m just there for work, remember. I had to clean and cook at their kitchen. Honestly, their church looks pretty ordinary, sometimes disgusting.”

“Because of their gaudy building?” I guessed, jerking my head.

“Because there’s a weird vibe about it,” she said, frowning. “Anyway, I only go there just so I could avoid my mom, but their chairs are really nice.”

“Do you know her name?” I asked hopefully.

“Who, the nun?”

I nodded, almost eagerly.

“I met her, like, couple of days ago. Hold on, I’m trying to think.” Her finger tapped on her chin.

“Why does she have a golden “W” on her chest?” Aaron chimed in with his mouth full.

My mom would’ve lectured me by saying, “ Don’t talk while your mouth is full .” Even as a grown man, I hated getting lectures from her.

“What “W” ,” Marceline said.

Aaron pointed. Marceline and I examined an elaborated golden embroidered “W” decorated across her chest.

“Oh yeah, that! I kept seeing that, too!” Marceline’s shoulders shrugged. “Who knows? The other nuns I’ve seen don’t have that on their chest except for her.”

“Her? You don’t know her name?”

“I’ve seen her a few times, I even complimented on her necklace before I walk off,” she said apologetically.

My shoulders sank at her response, hoping I could greet the young nun in a proper fashion.

“Ah, you suck,” I grunted, back slouching.

“How long do the nuns have to explore the town just to pass out flyers and a spread of word?” Aaron got curious at their daily lives.

Marceline hummed. “Sometimes it takes up until the evening, like around six or seven,” Marceline answered him, finishing his garlic fries.

“Hey! You told me earlier that you don’t want fries,” Aaron whined, trying to slap her hand, but she hauled it aside from his touch.

“I want them now,” she snapped, warning him off from her glare.

Since their information has sunken in, it has been given me the opportunity to meet the young nun and get her name, once and for all, without second guessing.

***

Chilled by the motorcycle, bringing my to-go lunch in my mouth, munching on a crusted bun, munching other parts of a soaked and tender and oily burger in hand, other held a chilled soda I bought separately from a convenient store, drinking on a striped straw, eyeing the scenery of a glowing afternoon.

Checking the time, it’s already 5 P.M.

Children already headed back inside their homes, probably having delicious snacks and cool, sweet drink to slurp or ice cream to melt in their hands and watch cool TV shows, or how Mothers tend to them, sanitized their scratched knees and sealed the wound with first-aid kit, bandaging wounds with Band-Aids and a loving kiss on the elbow.

As agreeable and genuine as it was, having a burger and soda to fill me up since the town’s diner, I wasn’t in a mood to stay indoors to eat, not hopping into my friend’s conversations, their gossips and secrets to share out in the open, or their open banter, nor do I wish to see others.

Suffocating as it is as it was last night—I killed several people.

Normally, I’d join, but these days were tiresome and primitive, but the Fort Heaven locals were rushing like maniacs, I loved every minute each time I took steps, for a languid and chilled posture, and tucked hands in my jean pockets, a sound of giggle was close to sound out coming on my lips.

Lifting the cold burger in my mouth, in the corner of my eye, a white veil fluttered and up in the air, silky and smooth as the girl from earlier passed me, distributing the flyers.

Giving a spared look at her direction, her form deteriorated in exhaustion. She has been wandering in Fort Heaven for hours without rest.

Forgetting the juicy burger in my hand, I tucked the leftovers in.

I decided to stalk her.

Stalking wouldn’t hurt anyone as long as I’m far, remaining unseen, without raising questions and suspicions. I’ve stalked before, numerous times, actually but only to a certain extent where I need to find out their weakness or the gossip where I find useful.

In her listless walk, she found no people to give out the flyers to, and spotted the blue flowers blooming at the park in the Solomon Street.

Crouching down to a lower level, she sniffed the blue orchids by the sidewalk.

Standing far, I’ve debated whether I should go for it.

If I go, she’ll run; she’ll be scared. If I stayed here, she won’t know me, won’t know my name.

I’ll just be another random boy with an unknown name, and our lives will diverge.

So I stepped in, walking to the direction she headed and stood behind from her, and crouched down beside at her level. Under the glowing afternoon, it softened her features, her eyes closed as she smelled the flowery aroma, under the glowing afternoon, the flowers made her happy, in content.

My lips quirked to a soft tug, admiring her listless and idle form, admiring and taking it all in, appreciating the small things in life.

By the time she’s done, she stood up and bumped into me by accident and gasped at my heightened form.

She gave another flyer to me, but I already have the original copy.

“I hope you’re having a good day today,” I started.

She nodded meekly. Then she went over to the neighborhood, finding another people to give out flyers, but I kept following her.

“Do you need help, sir?” she asked, a bit louder in comparison to the church in Thanksgiving.

“I’ve wanted to talk to you for some time now,” I said finally, clutching the paper bag to appease my anxiety climbing all the way to my throat for it dry and my mind to be empty.

She said nothing, but eyeing me with her eyes—her sinful eyes!

“I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do to help with that, sir,” she answered, clutching the wooden basket she carried.

I released a soft chuckle. “Not even at least for a moment?”

Her face contorted.

“I’m busy,” she answered.

She strode and stuffed the flyers by the door and the mailboxes. I followed her still, and by the time she went over to the seventh house, she turned around and said, “How long are you going to keep following me?”

“Not until I know your name,” I said willingly, as the burger and fries gone soggy, but glad that the paper bag didn’t thin itself out.

“Maybe you should try to be respectful for once, and stop acting like you’re God,” she snapped, but her voice remained gentle.

I almost laughed at her pout.

Cute.

“I wouldn’t go until I know your name,” I explained nicely. “Please. Who knows, in case you needed help, I’m always here to assist you and your God.”

She scanned me from head to my combat shoes.

“I hate to see a divinely nun such as yourself being exhausted from doing God’s work,” I added, with my eyelashes fluttering.

She muttered something about a ‘ devil’s spawn’ , as I eyed on a gold “W” embroidered across her chest.

Her pout and her hisses were adorable to witness.

Nevertheless, I was amused at her attempt to avoid me or having me avoiding her. But I wouldn’t go anytime soon.

“I’ll share my name if you share yours,” I insisted nicely again, somewhat teasingly, already drowning into her emerald eyes, sinfully divine and tempted enough to lure me in, and I’m drowning in elation.

When her chapped lips parted open, a voice broke the anticipation.

“Sister Eva,” another nun called. “We will be having a short break. After that, Father Divine needed us shortly!”

My heart leapt.

“Oh. Okay, Sister Lucia,” she said in an innocent tone as the older nun walked away for another distribution. Without her knowing, I slipped my leftover food into her basket behind the stacked flyers and fled.

As she turned back around, I was nowhere to be seen, and I had a genuine smile across my lips, watching afar as she gathered herself to reunited back with a nun, to take a break, hoping she would like burger and fries.

Minutes later, while hiding in the bushes with bees swarming over the red roses; she discovered the white paper bag in her basket and opened it, revealing the food content inside.

Peeking through, I watched her consumed everything in a fast chew and swallows to fill in the content. And with that, she threw the paper bag in the trash bin and reunited with the nun and strode back to the gaudy church.

I was miserable hiding myself in.

But…

Most of all, I have come to learn her name like a prayer. A secret prayer that meant to keep forever and forever buried into my grave, tasting this pure and sinless word on my tongue.

Eva.