Chapter 2

In his 2,000 years of being a demon, Charlie had never seen such a beautiful woman. He couldn't stop staring at her. She had the most enchanting blue eyes and long red hair that sat well on her shoulders, not to talk of her nice rounded figure. She looked stressed from working so much, but that did nothing to hide all he'd seen in her today.

At first, he thought there was something special about her face when he'd walked into the store to grab some items, maybe he'd seen her somewhere before, but no. He later realized his surprise from seeing her came as a result of her jaw dropping beauty.

He wanted to walk up to her and say something, but he just couldn't think of anything to say. He had never felt this way for anyone before. What could be so special about her? he thought to himself.

Just then, he received a text message from his younger brother, Devine.

Makkue ritual tonight,

The elder says to let you know.

Devine.

He ignored the text; he hadn't attended a ritual since the last argument he had with his father which led to him moving out of the house over 500 years ago. He wasn't about to attend one now.

He focused his attention back on the pretty lady. She had gone back to the counter now. He admired her. The way she worked, the way she attended to the angry customer who was clearly at fault and still kept her calm composure in explaining things. The way she was arranged those boxes on the shelves. She looked really tired and overworked, but still, she was amazing, and…

"What am I doing?" he asked himself.

He just came to get some supplies and here he was, drooling over someone he hardly knows. He has better things to do for Lucifer's sake!

He couldn't even remember what he came here for. This was his first time visiting the store in this area, but no. He couldn't shop here. He'll just have to visit the other one down by the road. The distractions here are way too much.

And so he left.

***

Kale checked his watch; he had been at the restaurant waiting for Stacy for almost an hour. What is with her and wasting his precious time these days?

"Where is she?" he asked himself as he was already getting impatient. No way would he sit here and wait for her until night like the last time. He would rather go home and be with Emma. He was about to stand up to leave when his mind recalled the last conversation he had with his girlfriend before he left.

"If you and Stacy do not break up tonight, don't bother coming home for any goody-goodies."

Shit!

Why do things have to be so complicated? He'd better sit back down and wait for Stacy. Emma might not like this, but if she doesn't come soon, he'll have to drive himself over to Stacy's place to deliver the sad news once and for all.

He was about to call her when he spotted her across the street in the most flashing red dress he had ever seen. The dress hugged her body so tightly that he could see all her curves from where he sat. She wore a huge black jacket over it, clutching her purse in her hand, but the jacket did nothing much to shield the glow and glam of the dress.

She entered the restaurant looking all sparkly and beautiful, and God… that ass.

Snap out of it man, he cautioned himself, we're here on business.

"Wow, Stacy, you look beautiful, I've never seen you look this good in a long time," he told her, and sincerely, he meant it this time. Maybe if she'd made more efforts to tidy up her appearance any time they met like this, he wouldn't have been running after Emma in the first place. Well, it's too late for that now.

He then stood up and went over to the opposite side to let out the chair so she could sit down. The fact that he would be breaking up with her tonight shouldn't stop him from being any less of a gentleman, so he reasoned.

"Thank you," she smiled, "It's been a long time since we went out like this so I just thought to look my best today, even though it cost me a lot. Do you like it?"

"I love it, you look amazing."

"Thank you," she said again.

Putting aside the greetings, Kale beckoned on the waiter who came with a note and a pen, ready to take their orders. After the waiter left, he continued the conversation, wanting to head straight to the point. He didn't intend to be here for long.

"Stacy, there's something I've been meaning to tell you."

Here it comes, she thought to herself excitedly, the moment she'd been waiting for years for. Betty and Sophia would be so happy to hear the good news. They both didn't like Kale, and Stacy thought that the proposal might be a way for her friends to start seeing her boyfriend as someone who was more intentional with her, they might like him then, or they might not, whatever. That wasn't going to change the way she felt about him.

But wait, where's the ring? He doesn't seem as excited as she is. Why is he frowning? A lot of things were running through her mind that very moment until she finally asked him,

"Is there something wrong?"

"Umm, no…" Kale started, shivering. "I really don't know how to say this…"

Stacy didn't need anyone to tell her that this wasn't a proposal. Kale was still finding the words to say. After a moment of prolonged silence, she finally spoke.

"Are you breaking up with me?" she asked, hoping that he would say no. Maybe she'd thought too far ahead by thinking it was a break-up, but what else could be the reason for so much sadness written on his face?

Kale bent in shame and nodded his head. He didn't expect that bringing out the words to say to her would be this difficult. And worse, he hadn't even told her about Emma yet.

His response brought a sudden wave of pain and regret flashing before her. She found it hard to breathe… So many… So many years, wasted. She could have moved on, maybe she would have had a better life if she didn't wish to remain so close to him. So many offers she'd turned down. So many years… Wasted on waiting.

Stacy didn't know what came over her. She got up from the table, and dragged the cloth off it, throwing the glasses and bottles of champagne the waiter had served them along with the food, the whole heap fell with a loud crash on the floor, messing up the ground beneath them. She didn't know why she did it, maybe she felt that taking out her anger on something would make the pain go away, but now, she only felt much worse.

She looked up then, everyone was staring at her with astonished faces, including Kale.

There were murmurs and whispers coming from the people in the restaurant, some of them loud enough so she could hear.

"What's going on with her?"

"I think the restaurant staff should call the police before she tries to do something to us."

"She looks okay, but it doesn't seem so in her head."

"Stacy, are you OK?" Kale asked her among the murmurs. Her actions had already stirred up a lot of attention, and she was sure that the restaurant staff were already on it to try to get her escorted out of here in handcuffs or a straitjacket, whichever they chose. No one came close to their table were she stood, as they all looked towards her direction in fear. If she wished to leave this place on her own, she needed to do it now.

"Stacy?" He called her again.

She didn't answer. Instead, she took off her shoes, grabbed her purse and ran out of the restaurant as fast as she could with tears flooding her eyes.

She ran and ran for as long as her legs could take. As she reached a sidewalk about a few turns away from the restaurant, she stopped a taxi.

"Where are you headed to ma'am?" the driver asked after Stacy got in the back seat of the vehicle.

"Take me to the farthest place you can go," she answered.

"Ummm…." the driver turned to look at her, puzzled.

"Just go!!!" she yelled.

The man shrugged. He noticed she wasn't drunk. So, she might be crazy, he thought. Luckily the nearest psychiatric hospital was miles away. He would be doing her a favor by getting her help while also doing as she said.

So, he started the engine and drove her away.

It was a 2-hour plus drive. She had slept off in the car, and by the time she woke up, it was already midnight. He stopped her at a small bus stop just outside of the town. She thanked the driver, paid him, and continued wandering down the quiet road.

The taxi driver drove off, forgetting his plans to take her to the madhouse when they arrived.

After a few minutes of walking, she came across some old abandoned buildings lined up across a deserted street. She figured no one would be inside and since she wanted to be alone, she walked down the road, spotted a very big house, and walked towards it.

She climbed the porch. The house was crooked and almost everything she stepped on creaked at her feet. She didn't care, as she had just lost the only thing she had found after her parents died a decade ago. She didn't even know if she was in her right state of mind, but she just kept on going.

As she went into the house, she noticed a bright light coming from upstairs. Was someone inside? Who could be living in an abandoned building in such a deserted area? She climbed up and noticed that no one was in the house except for her. She also noticed that the bright light was coming from something that looked like a doorway a kind of entrance, or a portal. It looked so strange What could it be?

Her curiosity got the best of her, she stared at it for a while and she didn't know when she walked right through it.