Demon's Kiss

Chapter One

Chapter One

“Faster!” Claire hissed as she tried to push me towards the lockers while staying vigilant to our surroundings. “You’re overreacting too much and I don’t want to get caught and be labelled as someone weird.”

“Claire, why do I have to do this?” I argued back while trying to free myself from her grasp, which was a lost case by the way. She’s too strong and athletic for my nerdy body.

Claire Rosemarie Santos is one of the friends I made throughout my school journey. We were the exact opposite. She was tall and I was shorter than her a few inches. She’s athletic while I’m a bookworm. I’m a coward and she’s too fearless. And while I love to grow out my hair, she loves it short. In short, she’s boyish and I’m the exact opposite of it.

But our difference just helped our friendship to blossom since our high school days. It was something I’m grateful for. She helped me with what I’m lacking and I compliment hers.

Claire and I we’re both scholars in St. Paul University, a co-ed university which was mostly filled to the brim with middle class to rich people. Not that we’re really too poor. And because we were scholars, we often receive jobs from the school like helping out on the library and such. And today, we’re supposed to check all rooms for students still loitering around even though classes have already ended a few hours ago. You know, students who do some stupid things. Well, I guess, we should have been the one checked first.

“Juliet Celine Lagdameyo!” she shouted as she pushed me harder, her patience clearly flying out of the window. “Just put your goddamn letter in his locker!”

I shushed her as I nervously looked around for anyone signs of other people. Her voice was too loud that it echoed throughout the floor wherein. Scared that a janitor, a guard, a teacher, or worst another student heard our bickering. “It’s not that easy to place a letter inside someone else locker. And a love letter if I may add. A love letter to the ‘Azrael Montreal’ everyone likes.”

“You have two hands, two feet and two eyes. Hold that piece of garbage. Look for his locker. And put it in there,” she stated sarcastically. “It’s that simple. It’s not like he’ll knew whoever wrote it. Your name wasn’t even written in there, coward.”

“You’re too rude. Are you in your period?” I teased, trying to lighten up the mood. Well, mostly just distracting her from the reason we’re currently in.

But instead of laughing at my words, she just rolled her eyes. And the next thing I knew, she snatched the letter out of my hands and just walked past me. And with regret, I just stared at her with horror when she slipped the letter in the small hole of Azrael’s locker. She even had the audacity to smirked triumphantly at me.

“What did you do?!” I shouted frantically as I tried to open the locker. I even foolishly attempted to insert my fingers in that little hole as if it’s going to even fit.

“You’re too irrational. I want to go home,” she said as if she didn’t do anything that could jeopardize my life. “And besides, I’m getting tired of just looking at you.”

I know I couldn’t do anything but I couldn’t help but hope that maybe the locker will spit out my letter as she dragged me away.

~*~

“You’re exaggerating too much, my dear,” she points out as we walked out of the gates of the school.

Both of our homes we’re just a few blocks away from SPU, which is convenient for us as we we’re able to just walk without worry. Although my house is a little farther than hers but we’re both sure that the roads were safe.

“I’m just getting agitated. I mean, what if he announced it to everyone? What if he went out of his way just to look for the person who’s stupid enough to wrote that? What if-“

“Shouldn’t that be your goal ever since you started liking him?” she questioned, cutting off my useless whining. “Then your useless feelings will not be useless anymore, right? Well, that’s just saying IF he knew that you’re the one who wrote it. Because the last time I checked, you’re too much of a coward to write your name.”

I just pouted at her criticism which I’m very much used to. I couldn’t blame Claire though. I’ve been hiding my feelings for Azrael Montreal for 10 freaking years. I was just in my sixth grade when he snatched my childish heart. And up until now that we’re both in our last year of college, my feelings just grew in secrecy.

“This is my stop. Take care!” she smiled as she patted my back. “And don’t worry about it. It’s about time Juliet. We’re not getting any younger. I just don’t want you to graduate with regrets.”

I just smiled at Claire and continued to walk towards my way home. I’m all alone again. And being by myself makes me think of everything that happened.

Maybe, just maybe, Claire was right. I should start to move and not dilly-dally for too long. Ten years was a long time of cowardice. Now that we’re both in the same class, shouldn’t I take this chance to make my feelings known so that I wouldn’t regret anything?

The only worst thing that could happen is him rejecting me. Which would help me move on from these ten years of yearning, right? And what if he reciprocated my feelings? Isn’t that too my advantage?

I was even foolish enough to begged Eros to matched me with Azrael, although he still didn’t give me any answer until now. Eros Christopher Santiago was another story in school. All I know is that he’s SPU’s weirdest matchmaker and a successful one too as per the rumors.

“AHH!!” I shouted; my train of thoughts immediately forgotten. I was too shocked from his sudden appearance out of the corner that I smacked him with my handbag. And being a bookworm, I know that it might have hurt a bit. Well, it was partly his fault anyways. Who would suddenly just come out of the dark streets?

“f**k! I was just punched and now someone stupid smacked me,” he cursed as he glares at my way. But that glare morphed into something else. Something that kept me from turning my gaze away from him. And I know that his looks are not the reason for this. But I couldn’t point out what’s the meaning of his looks.

Who are you and what have you done to me? I wanted to ask but my mouth seems to have been stuck. It felt like everything will vanish if I say something.

I just couldn’t help myself as I get lost in his hazel eyes that held mischief. His nose’ a little crooked, probably from all the fights he had been into. His lips were red and swollen… and a little bloody but it didn’t diminish how good looking he is. His stature was not lanky and not so buffy, that it complimented his ragged feature. He’s just too – Hold up! Why am I even describing him like I’m actually attracted to him?!

“… miss,” he stated as he held both of my hands. And just like me, he seems like he couldn’t even utter a comprehensible sentence. He just stared at me from head to toe as if memorizing everything about me.

I suddenly felt self-conscious and that’s enough to break me out of this nonsense. What did he just say? Did he drug me? Is that the reason why I’m feeling like this? Panic soon engulfed me. “R-r**e!” I shouted unconsciously, the words stumbling out of my mouth as I think of one person that I want to be here right this moment. “Az!”

His warm eyes suddenly darken as it turned back to its icy glare causing my whole body to shiver with fear.

“Shut up!” he shouted back. But I couldn’t stop myself from whimpering from his loud voice. He placed his hands in front of my mouth and out of reflex I just bit it. “Damn it!”

I just kept on shouting hoping someone will noticed. I was too scared to run as he held my wrist tightly with his grip. Too scared that he has weapons with him. I don’t want to die. Not when I just convinced myself to tell Az how I feel.

My eyes widen out of my socket when he pulled me towards him, scared that he’ll stabbed me with something. But he didn’t. His actions were different from what I imagined it to be… He hugged me.

I almost stopped from panicking because somehow it felt warm… and right? But the image of Az kept on popping out of my mind. This isn’t right. I tried to push him away but before I could prepare myself, his lips landed on mine. It was soft despite of the dried blood.

Everything caught me off guard and I couldn’t help but gasped out of shock. And he took that as an advantage to plunge his tongue inside my mouth. I felt my system going haywire with the way he kissed me. Instead of feeling pain and forced, it felt like he’s scared to break me as he pulled my body much closer to him to deepen the kiss. And I couldn’t help but answering back, copying the way he caressed my lips.

I absentmindedly grabbed his shoulder for support, one of my hands making its way through his hair, ruffling it. All common sense disappearing just to feel him more. It was like he was a drug I couldn’t stop wanting. And my feet were slowly losing strength but he was ready to support my back. As if he knows very well how everything he’s doing affects my body.

Then I felt his smirked through our lips, and just like that, the magic vanished. I immediately pushed him away with all my might. And thank God he let me. But his smirk remained plastered on his face. I wanted to wipe it out of his face. I feel like breaking with my foolishness. What the heck have I done?

“f*****g way to shut you up,” he commented and just left me without any explanation and dignity.

My knees automatically gave away while my hands went towards my quivering swollen lips. That was my first kiss. I was saving it for Azrael but what did I do? I just gave it up to some stranger. I was too stupid. And the worst part is that some stupid piece of me like it.