Page 134 of Eyes Like Angel
Her nose crinkled, her eye twitched. “Okay, that response is annoying as fuck.”
“I’m fine with that, too.”
“If you were a flying turkey, and I had a shotgun, I’d fucking shoot you.”
My shoulders bopped casually. “That’s completely fine, too. Geez, talk about being in heat, you had no problems using profanity at a quiet setting.”
She exhaled a shaken breath, given up. “No way Aaron likes me. No fucking way. Maybe you’re drunk right now. That’s it. You could be drunk before you came here.”
Shrugging, I sat down beside her, hands behind my neck, stretching my back out as my bones crackled. “Marcy, if I was drunk, I would’ve been in jail and have someone to bail me out by now.”
“Don’t ask me to bail you out, I’m not going to do it,” she vexed at my mischief.
“Hey, I’m just saying,” I said, hands up in the air. “No need to get upset.” I drew a long pause, as Marceline remedied her swift aggression. “So, what now? Any idea what your next move is going to be?”
Marceline’s brows knitted. “What?”
“How are you going to handle your dear Romeo?” I teased further, gently bumping her with my elbow. “I can’t make promises, but I can transfer you and him for a romantic trip to Italy—get paid by me, your enchanted cupid.”
She frustratingly tucked a pink strand behind her ear. “I don’t fucking know. I’m not good with meaningful conversations with a guy who likes me.” Another pause entered. “Well,” Marceline said, slapping her thighs as she was standing up, “I have to go see Eva now. See how she’s been doing. I haven’t spoken to her since the Rivers Foundation.”
Before she reaches for the door handle, I gripped her forearm. Marceline faced me.
“Do you know her last name by any chance?” I inquired, the tension burdened on my shoulders settled in, it has gotten heavier than a fucking boulder weighing on my backbone.
A neutral expression contorted on her girlish features. “No.”
“Has she said anything to you before?” I insisted on grasping straws at this moment.
Then she smiled sadly. “Unfortunately, I don’t. But I wish I could.”
“Watch over her. Please,” I said, regretting the ominous words I mentioned earlier regarding to Eva—I’m trembling in fear.
My hand loosened the grip, watching Marceline opened the door to greet Eva, having some girl talk, but I didn’t mind. Eva needs a new companion to be fond over.
Through a closed door, Eva and Marceline cackled, laughing over some dumb joke or gossip. Whichever it is, I was relieved that we’re no longer in a dark forest.
As for I, wandered, for that I’ll never uncover, leading more questions than the truth. This truth is hidden well. Saul couldn’t uncover or traced the old records back. As for I, wondered what will I do next to uncover this truth, and it all began from trying to learn Eva’s surname. Fort Heaven must’ve hid it somewhere in the piles, but it’ll take forever to reach the progress I had high hopes for.
For now, I must relax and inhaled a breath. For now, Eva regaining her health back is my central objective, to appease my little universe.
With a closed door, my hand itched to unlock and bravely join the conversation between them. Though not entirely followed through, my hand twisted the door handle and pushed a little gasp, engrossed with their girl talk.
“Once you’re healed, I’ll treat you to new desserts. You don’t have to pay,” Marceline insisted. “I assume you’re hungry?”
I heard a teasing voice within Marceline’s words, a rare occurrence from her usual tough act she’d follow.
“Not now,” Eva replied.
“We can talk about anything. I’ll even teach you how to do roller blades or skateboard. I haven’t used my skateboard in a while, but I can teach you how. And we can talk about what clothes to wear and what makeup to use.”
“Makeup?” Eva’s head tilted innocently.
Marceline nodded. “I can teach you how to be a…girl. Well, you are a girl. I meant a normal girl. I could also teach you how to cuss. I always do this to new people at our age.”
Oh, for fuck’s sake. As usual, Marceline’s being so persistent. But I can’t picture Eva cursing at someone, livingin an environment where she’s been sheltered and depraved, as her modern vocabulary was limited it drove me to concern, and pictured the worst case scenarios, future jumping ahead, picturing what life would be like if Marceline hadn’t spoken to her, or Eva’s being introduced to a cuisine she hasn’t tasted and tested, or what would transpire if I hadn’t met her on Thanksgiving day on a Sunday Mass, if I chose not to attend and went to ditch for a dear dead Samantha?
The lines of various paths, I’d like to think there’s an alternative universe of Eva, having the life she craved for and be bubbly. But with this universe, it can be challenging at times, but it was worth the shot. To mend and remedied, that’s how life works if something was missing, a missing key to unlock the door, and cross the new pathway, a light to invite her in.
