One Shot Stories

Perverse Angel

I always put up a front. A decoy setup for the chosen people around me.

It's ironic, really. To witness them believing into what they see, hear, and know of me. Well, too bad. Discovering the truth, would be like a boulder of lies rolling towards them. Crushing them with full force of disappointment.

In our conservative family, I maintained the "Good Girl" image. It was entitled to me the day I see fit that acting such would mean I will benefit from it. I was never accused. Never suspected. My kind of a win-win situation.

I'll be visiting home tomorrow for a family dinner that my mom wished me to attend. I could sense her eagerness to put me through the torture of our family dinners. Well, not intentionally. I've always felt uncomfortable and obligated without her knowing, to be involved in chit chatting that I deemed pointless and more on gossiping.

I told her that I'll take the first flight in the morning tomorrow and seems to be peskier than I thought.

My phone pinged. Someone sent me a message.

"Should I expect to see you tomorrow?"

Oh, Christ. It would be one of the worst dinners in my life.

---

I slid the window up after hearing the pilot's announcement of the arrival. I guess it's been a year since I left home and moved to New York for College.

When we were permitted to exit the plane, I grabbed my duffle bag from the overhead luggage shelf. Getting out the aisle, I suddenly collided into someone. He was tall and muscular from the feel of our bump. I murmured an apology before exiting. Not bothering to turn for a glimpse since it doesn't seem necessary. It's also a hassle. I'm not in for a conversation right now.

Nearing the arrival exit, I already caught my mother's figure. Waving at me.

'Now's the time for a smile, Eve.'

I thought. Putting up a smile and waved back to my mother. Seeing my other family members waiting with her.

"Eve is here!" A little girl wearing a Pink jumpsuit pointed at me while looking back at our uncles and aunties. My sweet little sister, Emma.

She ran up to me and gave me one of her tightest hugs at my waist. When it became loose, I knelt down and hugged her back.

"I missed you, Emma. How's primary school?" I asked. She let go from the hug and it was evident from her face that she's eager to tell me her stories.

"I missed you, my big girl." A gruff voice was heard. Dad.

He came up to me and Emma and gave me one of his warmest smiles.

"I missed you too, Dad."

After almost half an hour of exchanging greetings, my mom concluded that we should all continue this at home. Agreeing to her, I was tired and also I don't think I can last long with all the smile I needed to plaster.

Before getting inside the cab, from my peripheral vision I saw someone familiar from a distance. Watching me. The hairs around my nape stood up with chills. I squinted my eyes to get a clearer picture however, my mother called me from inside. I shake the feeling and got in the car.

When we arrived at the house, I told them I need time to rest from the flight and went inside my old room. Directly laying flat on the bed, this was my sanctuary before.

---

I would not notice that it was already nighttime if it wasn't for mom who knocked at the door.

"Sweetie? Are you awake?" She asked.

"Yes, mom. I'm sorry I fell asleep the whole evening." I answered, getting up from the bed, I opened the door. She smiled at me.

"It's okay, sweetie. I figured you needed more time to rest. I came here to tell you that dinner's almost ready. Our relatives are also here." I nod at her.

"I'll just dress up and go down later. Thanks, mom." She cups my face and went downstairs.

Closing the door, I went through my bag to find one of my decent dresses. I took out a simple silky white sleeveless dress. One that mother gifted me.

In the middle of fixing my hair. I heard a knock, I thought it was mom and let her in. Going for a simple ponytail, I froze.

"It's been a year, Angel."

A man clearly in his late 20s stood behind my back and stares at the mirror in front of me. Immensely looking at me.

"You came back." He added. I finished tying my hair and turned to face him. I crossed my arms in my chest.

"Can't I? The question is, why are you here?" I bite back.

"I came back when I heard you were coming. I needed to get something back." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"You have an agenda? You want something back from me? I thought we ended things where there were a year before, Soren!" I exclaimed. Anger bubbling above my head, I stood.

He steps forward, cornering me. I bumped my bottom at the vanity I was sitting before because of the space he took from us.

"You took it from me. You took the chance for me to have you."

"YES! I know you wanted me back then but let me give you a clearer answer. You will never have me. You will never have the angel you once lost before because you were stupid enough to lose my trust to you. I'm done, I don't want to go back there." I said. Going for an escape, he held me by both of my arms. Grabbing them with one hand and his other holds my chin.

"No one else knew who you were when you're with me, Angel. No one else knew who you truly are. Nor the people outside this very room. I was with you, I want you when I clearly saw the void beneath your every being. You are fearless, a woman with impure and sinful thoughts. And rode the tide with you, I always will. You are my perverse angel and I came back to once again clip your wings with me."

"My corrupted Eve. Show me who you truly are once again. I know you're tired of all these pretenses. You're like an animal, who strikes from its instincts. You're proud to be one. You were made just for me."

He slides his forefinger which his eyes follows, from my neck to the strap of my dress, lifting it. "Dressed as an angel," He looks back staring directly to my eyes. "Meant to be a devil."

He was the devil who saw hell in me. He was the only one who made me feel what it was like to feel the ground and far beneath.