The Devil Goes To Heaven (Published. Out Now!)

Devil

Delilah is on vacation with her family so she won't be in school for the next two weeks. She's been texting me every day, sending me pictures, and keeping me company, but it's not the same as her being by my side.

"Some time apart will be good for us," she had said.

"Yeah," I had agreed, even though I didn't.

I will see Delilah in five days. Is it bad that I'm counting down when I get to see her again? I barely know her, but I want to spend all my time with her. I just hope I haven't come off as clingy. Maybe that's why she wanted to spend some time apart.

I've done it before—clung onto someone once I felt we were getting close. It mostly happened in middle school and a few times during freshman year. I've been a loner until Delilah.

It's going to be a few more days until I can drive, so I'm going to walk to school today. This is fine by me because the rising sun displays a beautiful orangish-red hue in the sky. It bounces off the clouds and skates across the horizon; it's like the world is ending.

I start down the street when I hear someone walking behind me.

"Judas, the betrayer," an alluring woman's voice says.

I turn to see the most unique-looking woman I've ever laid my eyes upon.

Her eyes are a piercing steel blue. Her hair, which is amber with a crimson shine, is in a bun that sits plump behind her head. She has a muscular throat; a tight, fit body. She's wearing a white dress shirt, and her jeans are snug around her supple legs.

"It really is you," she mouths with lush lips, "the betrayer."

Her energy—it's exotic. Alluring. I want to know more.

"Excuse me?" I ask.

"I'm sorry. Where are my manners? I'm Lucy."

There is some distance between us but she wastes no time in clearing it with her long legs. When she's face-to-face with me, I realize we're about the same height.

She extends her hand, and I shake it.

"Can I walk with you?" she asks, not letting go of my hand. "I would love to pick your brain."

"Sure. Can I ask what about?" I rip my hand away from her surprisingly strong grip.

"Well, for starters ..." She begins to walk. I catch up to her, and we walk side by side. I guess she's new to my school. "Why did your parents name you after the betrayer?"

"How did you know my name anyway?"

"It wasn't hard to figure out. Are you gonna answer my question?"

"To be honest, I'm still trying to figure that out. I don't know why I couldn't have been literally anything else. My name constantly brings judgment and ridicule among people in my religion. I've tried using fake names, but they find out somehow."

"You shouldn't hate your name. After all, you were sparing your family from punishment. It was them or God."

"You should always choose God."

There's a pause between us.

"Well, it's better than Lucy," she says, socking me in the shoulder.

"What's wrong with Lucy?"

"C'mon, Judy, think about it."

I think about it to no avail.

"Lucy. Lucifer. The fucking devil!" she says, making horns with her pinkie and index fingers and putting them up to her forehead.

"You're named after the devil?" I ask.