Star-Crossed Lovers: Bound by Fate

The people around kept running away from me. Some of them even stumbled down, out of their own tables, their eyes fused with such fright before they sprint away. I tried looking around but all of them are just gone. I heard screams, and the blurry cries of the children was ringing in my ears.

But why are they looking at me?

I took a step forward just to get a hint of what is going on but my knees trembled, causing it to fall down the ground and my body – my body seemed to splatter down the cold hard ground. There is something buried in my chest and my breathing seemed so heavy--so difficult. Everyone seemed to mind their own lives, that they never cared about other people, they are so scared that it actually disgusts me. No one even came near to help.

How fragile can they be? That they never considered helping those who are in desperate need of a hand, just to save themselves. Cowards. I let out a small chuckle but got choked in my own blood. I-it hurts and it's burning.

Streaming hot tears crawled through the skin of cheeks. I tried to lift my hand to touch the ache in my chest, realizing that it was filled with red liquid. The blood continued flowing out of the hole in my chest--- I felt it scattering on my shirt. It was getting colder. But the pain made me quiver more, it hurts so much that I felt my insides crumbling and pleading for air. All of my organs felt like it's going to explode at any second and the freezing sensation began to envelop my body.

At that moment, the flash of images about how I lived my life reflected on my very eyes.

I had nobody. I never saw my dad and I never met my mom. I was an orphan. I heard that I was found in a box, freezing in the cold night, out on the streets, crying without anything a mother can ever leave away for her child, not a blanket, no anything. It meant only one thing -- I was never wanted in this world, that my own birthmother threw me away in cold blood, to die in the streets even though I was still an infant who never knew anything.

As an orphan, I was raised by the nuns – I lived a healthy life, a gleeful kid until I heard the story about how I was found half-dead in the streets. I just realized how cruel this world really can be that it felt like it is vomiting me out of existence. Now that I have only started gathering my feet up to have a good life, creating progress on my own, proving to the world that I was fated to live for more, I lay here, back in the streets, slowly dying.

I wanted to curse someone, I wanted to blame someone but it all happened so fast that I already forgot how I got in this mess.

Why is it so unfair?

Zach would understand, he was my best friend and he got answers for everything. I wish he experiences something better than this. He's a good person, even better than me.

Fuck.

My eyes started to close. I cannot feel anything anymore, nor hear anything other than the ceasing beats of my heart. My heart continuously seized its beating and I know I had to go, for I am tired of everything-of living in this cruel bloody world.

"Eve."

An anonymous voice whispered in my ears and I knew I had to open my eyes again, but it was so blurred out. I only managed to catch a silhouette standing before me and then everything turned into a vast of nothingness-only the deep dark pitch black.

*****

There were beeping sounds and chatter that filled my ears. But all of it deafened me, there was something whistling, the beeping made my eardrums hurt, and the voices, all blurred up, gonged down to the depths of my ear. I exhaustedly opened my eyes and the bright light blinded me. It was so painful for my eyes, I tried to cover it with my backhand but a sting prevented me from lifting it up.

"Oh my god! Call the doctors! She's awake!"

Kate?

My eyes slowly became aware and adapted to the sight of the room that I was in. I was in the hospital room and the stings are from the needles attached to my body.

"You don't know how frightened we were!"

My best friend is here and he brought along some of my friends from the studio. Zach's sweet eyes set on me, looking all cloudy and sad. They were all smiling and tearing up at the same time. Kate continued to sob as she caressed my head, with our friends standing beside my bed, towering over me.

"What happened?" I managed to ask with my raspy, tired voice.

"You were in a coma for two months! Yesterday, your heart dropped, the doctors tried to revive you, you were dead for 3 seconds straight!" Kate's eyes never stopped clouding.

2 months? Dead? I don't understand a bit of what's going on.

"You are one hell of a fighter Eva." Zach tried to laugh but failed dramatically as his hand laid over mine. He is a sweetheart, he always cared for me ever since I was out, wondering for life. He was always there for me when I needed him and he always manages to have a drink with me when life is dragging me to hell. I tried to let out a smile and I gave him a soft squeeze on his hand. I was too tired; I could even barely speak. The doctor entered the room and she was a woman in her mid-age.

"Hello, Eva Reiss. How are you feeling?" She checked the IV fluid if it's running well.

"Fine." I nodded my head once but a sting in my head made my eyes twitch.

"Does your head hurt?"

"Yes, a little."

"It's because your brain is trying to adjust from everything. It has lost a lot of oxygen when your heart rate dropped down. It is a miracle for you to be alive, we all saw your heart rate go flat."

The doctor looked at me with her seemingly astonished expression. I smiled at her to assure her that I'm fine.

I think I need to be alone for a while. I want to get my brain working together.

The doctor talked with Zach and Kate while Cathlyn just smiled at me as she held my hand. Her brows were furrowed, it's like she is restrained as she stared at me. I'm okay. Her lips curled up into a wobbly smile when I grinned at her. Cathlyn is one of our girls, she doesn't talk too often but she always has time to cook. I actually think she prefers culinary more than literature but I haven't asked her about it since it'll mean invading her private life. I don't ask too much questions about my friends nor do I open up too much of my own. I'm just glad that they are here and I'll be glad to be with them once things go loose.

"Do you want anything to drink or eat?" My silent friend asked.

"Yes, please. I also wanted to think on my own for a while."

"Okay." She let go of my hand and took the people outside of the hospital room. I let out a deep breath, gathering my weak muscles on my arm to prop myself up so I could sit down. It hurts so bad that I can just lay down all day, but I cannot stay here any longer.

Two months is a very long time.

Who is paying my bills!?

I gathered my thoughts, recovering the lost memories before I was brought in the hospital, laying like sleeping beauty. I dug up my memories harder but nothing comes in it. I was shot they said, and the wound is still painful after the surgery.

Who would even do that to me?

Shivers ran up my spine when I thought about my chest being holed through by scalpels. I shook my head, the haziness never went away as if I drank bottles of beer the other day and suffer a painful hangover right after. I closed my eyes and arched my back to stretch but images started to fill my head. I held my chest, remembering the hot blood that rushes in my body after I lay on the cold ground. It was so painful and I don't want to experience it again. Tears started prowling in my eyes but I shut them down and breathe.

I never thought I'd live again. I thought it was all over.

"Eve."

An anonymous voice sunk into my mind.

Who was that?

There was someone right there when I was dying but all I caught was a shadow hovering over me. Then that's it. It was a man's voice but it wasn't Zach, he'll never call me Eve. And the voice was solemn, it was deep but it was tuning to hear.

I wish I could meet him.

I lay down on my bed, like a centenarian lady groaning due to arthritis. I let out a raspy breath and groaned in pain. I am so tired this day and I just want to sleep.

"Eve." I woke up to the voice that calls me from my slumber. My eyes batted the whole room but there was no one, the room was darker than the usual so I closed my eyes and forget about it.

Later that night, there was it again-the voice! I never tried to open my eyes since there's always nothing when I do. But a gentle peck laid on my lips made my eyes sprung open. A man sat down beside me, on my bed and his blue eyes shone, making it even brighter in the dark.

His hair was shiny black and his complexion was fair, his body is fit as well as the shape of his jaws. He wore a pitch V-neck shirt making his chest barely visible, even from my blurry eyes- I know, I know how toned he was. There were chains on his pants, a gothic design that made him look even cooler and hot. He was dazzling-he was gorgeous and I have never met him before.

What is a man like him doing here?

I felt my heart race through my chest when he leaned down, his face closer to mine. His lashes were long, he stares with his beautiful blue eyes, his gaze was damn sexy, giving me a cold but burning look.

"See you at home." His grin was wicked but it left my throat dry.

"Eva!" I blinked several times after I heard Zach saying my name several times as he waved his hand on my eyes. Was I daydreaming? I was sitting and I didn't even know that there's people. I don't know how long I've been sitting but the man who just went away felt so real. I laid my finger on my lips, remembering how soft his lips were.

"Hey, Eva!"

"Oh, I'm sorry Zach. I'm just a little bit-uhm, dazed."

"It's okay babe." He pinched my cheek gently as if he was being playful. "Cathlyn and Kate are working right now, and they have sent me to bring this food to you."

"H-how long have you been here?"

Zach's face crumpled in the middle and he pouts, he held his fist on his chest. "Aw, am I not really someone you could lay your eyes on? I have been here ever since the day we met."

I laughed all of a sudden after seeing his jesting sad face. He is cute, his eyes were green and his dark brown hair was trimmed well, with only some strands hanging on his face. He chortles as well, he smiles, revealing his dimples at the side of his cheek.

"Eat now before you spoil your food," he said.

I nodded. My body felt lighter than it ever was before, and I might have him take me out on a stroll down the hospital. He opened up the wrapped lunch box and the umami scent escaped from it making my mouth water. It was a stir-fried shrimp with java rice at the side, one of my favorite Cathlyn dish. I ate to my fullest-I've never felt so alive! I wiggle my body for every bite since it was so delicious. Zach laughed at me as I did so and I laughed with him.

My tummy felt so full and Zach had already taken away the lunchbox, and washed it on the sink of my hospital room.

"Oh, you still have something left in the side of your mouth," he says with his expressive emerald eyes. I wiped the left side of my cheek with my backhand. He gets closer to me and stood beside my bed.

"No, silly, on the other side."

Before I could wipe it off again, he brushed his thumb on the right side of my mouth, his smiles can actually melt you, maybe if I hadn't looked at him the way I do now-I can fall for him as well. Nah, both of us see each other as siblings anyway. Still, the innocent look in his eyes and his sexy charm made women line up for him, he never had anyone though. Laugh escaped from my lips.

"Is there anything funny?" He sat by the side of my bed.

"Why don't you date someone? You'll be a good boyfriend." I giggled and his eyes rolled at me.

"What?" I gave him a light slap on his arm as I teased him.

His gaze turned grave as he looked at me, making me drop my jokes off.

"I want to tell you something."

What is he going to tell me? I felt nervous but I didn't know why, I lifted my brows up for him to know that I was listening.

He lifted his hand, and wrapped it around one of mine, but I never pulled away.

"I- "

What is he about to say? I don't even know if I want to hear it.

"I'm gay."

I bursted out laughing, I know he was joking but that got me. I don't know if it's because the joke was funny or is it because it's better to hear him say that than the thing I was thinking. I am scared to lose him, like, I don't want this kind of relationship to end.

"Why? It's true."

He shook his head and his shoulders began shaking because of laughter. My body reached its limit again, and I felt tired. I yawned knowing that my eyelids are turning heavier.

"I'm going to take a nap. Can you take me downstairs later? I need to stretch my legs."

"Sure babe." He loved calling me with endearments, but I never hated it. Zach is too sweet and I love that about him. We've been friends for about five years and we never changed, nor did we try to sleep with each other. The first time Zach and I met, he just sat down beside me and started telling me a lot of stories about the book he is writing. I was amazed by him, he is a talented man and he never irritated me the way other men do. He makes me laugh, and he makes me comfortable with him in just the way I am.

The moment I woke up, Zach had a wheelchair ready, we went down the hospital so I could, for once, feel the breeze of the air. He brought me to the garden in the hospital and we stopped by the fountain in its grounds.

"I feel hungry."

"It's only been one hour, Eva." He grinned as he leaned back with his arms supporting him in his resting position. From this angle, his gorgeous tanned skin actually contemplates the color of his eyes and hair. His jaw tensed as he gritted his teeth, feeling the sun's fading rays, and it really looked good, he looks great but somehow I can see that he's under his deep thoughts, I wonder why. I at least want to see him happy with someone than being stuck with me.

"I'm serious Zach. Why don't you try to go out with someone? It's better than you, always bothering me around." I beamed at him.

"It's better to be stuck with your old lady senses than date, nowadays."

"What? I am not an old lady, Zacharias! Damn you."

He snorted, giving the 'you-asked-for-it look' with his tranquil green eyes.

"Seriously, you must enjoy your time with someone rather than being stuck with me. I'm old enough to take care of myself, and I'm not the lost girl from way back before," my eyes were rolling as I explained myself.

He went down from where he was sitting and goes behind me, starting to push my wheelchair, and leaned his head down to whisper something in my ear.

"I am with you because I want to have that free beef roast every day, not because I want to babysit you."

I smirked, I remember how Zach and I will always go to the beef roast stand after work. He will always have that line about not having any money, forcing me to pay for us right after.

"You are so gonna make me poor."

We filled the air with laughter and chatted our way up to the hospital.

"Zach, who do you think did it?"

I uttered at him, as I lay down on the hospital bed. Zach is arranging some of the things he brought with him.

"I don't know." His eyes were uncertain and he is angry. I can see how mad he is even though he is far away. He walks toward me and sits beside the bunk.

His gaze softens immediately when he laid his hand on my head, caressing me, like a newborn child.

"They said that it may be a stray bullet."

"Well, that means I am unlucky enough to have it pierced right into my chest." I snorted.

"Whatever it may be, I won't let anyone hurt you." His eyes were deadly serious.

I won't let anyone hurt you.

My head suddenly felt a sting of pain that made me rattle. It hurts. The last words of Zach echoed in my ear making me want to scream in pain.

"Babe, what's happening?"

I can feel Zach holding me on his arm but my mind was terribly static-like my antenna have been played with. I can see a silhouette-a man, offering his hand to me, mouthing me some words. I won't let anyone hurt you...

Who is that?

I heard Zach whisper something in my ears-what is it? The pain subsided but my eyes felt very heavy.

****

I slowly opened my eyes when I hear continuous knocking by the window glass. What is that? I yawned and squinted my eyes then saw a bird outside the window. It was a crow. I hopped off the bunk gently and headed to open the window pane.

"I need some air too," I mumbled.

I slid the window open and the crow just flew as I did, coming back to stand by the frame. It was the same crow who always stayed outside my house. This crow has always been around ever since I was in the convent.

"It's you again," I giggled and the crow cawed. "You are such a weird animal, don't you think?"

I rubbed my forefinger on its head and it didn't move. It wasn't scared of me. Sometime I thought of it as some sort of a guardian since it has always been around. The figure of the man with the black hair last night entered my mind once again, making me stop to look at the night sky.

"Who do you think is that guy?"

I talked to the crow and he cawed before flying away. I laughed at how crazy I am for talking to a bird and just stared at the sparkling stars hanging by the night.

One week later

"I am effin ready to go!"

I shouted in my hospital room as I stomped my feet from left to right. Kate and Cathlyn laughed at me and we talked about so many things that I have missed in our office. They also talked to me about Zach, and I felt uneasy knowing how he would always fall asleep at our workplace. He's been my caretaker for the past week and I guess he barely gets some sleep because of it. I want to make it up to him. But I don't know what to do. We were having a good time, it felt good to have them with me.

Kate drove me back to my house and all of my miseries slowly dissolved knowing that my precious place hasn't been ransacked by robbers. I sighed, seeing my single-storey* house giving my eyes the proper gleam of colors white and brown.

"Thank you Kate! I owe you." I hugged her from the passenger's seat and opened the car door and stepped outside.

"Are you sure you don't need any help?" She answered from her car window, a ghost of a smile playing on her lips.

"Nah, I got this. I want to have a proper reunion with my house," I replied.

She then waved her goodbye and I ran towards my porch. I opened up the door and I felt peaceful. Nothing has changed, the brown concrete floor, the white walls, my small kitchen, my cream sofa-everything feels nostalgic. I missed this house.

This house was my first accomplishment in life, I bought it for a fair price after I saved a reasonable amount on the bank. I am never going back to renting apartments, I want something to be called mine and this is it. Slowly, I bought all the stuff that I needed to live alone-of course, Zach helped me too by arranging and designing it the way it is now. That's why he also knows this house like the back of his hand.

I filled my cheeks with air while slouching on my sofa. I pinched the soft couch and buried my face on it.

I suddenly felt that something was wrong when the air blew on my head. I haven't opened any window yet. How would the air blow in here? My heart suddenly beats fast like hell. I said that I don't believe in the supernatural but I think I am just really scared that it might be real. I walked lightly, without noises emitting from my every step and opened the door to my room.

Fuck!

My eyes widened and my heart seemed to want to have a heart attack.

A man was sitting on my bed, with his head tilted at the side making his shiny black hair flow with the current of the air that enters from the open window in my room. His gaze was cold but his lips were curled lightly. I never even dared to move since I know who he is-- he was the one who came to visit me the night at the hospital-the one I thought to be a dream. The man with that intense blue eyes.

"Welcome home, Eve."

His deep voice had that British accent. His smug face and mischievous grin made me gulp my throat in.

"W-what are you doing in my house?"

I took a step back, I might have asked who he is or where the hell did his good looks come from but the fact that my killer hasn't been found yet has entered my mind uninvited, making me tremble.

I was about to take one more step backward, away from my room but he was gone in an instant! I felt my back touched someone else's body so I roughly turned around and he was there!

I stumbled back, scared of him, scared of what's happening. I stared at him and dig my nails in my palm to see if I am hallucinating or even dreaming. But I am fucking not! And he is really standing right in front of me! He looked at me like he was having fun watching me frightened. I shook my head, gathering a lot of courage to speak up.

"Are you my killer?" My voice broke in the middle of the sentence.

He then sat down with his bent knee and laughed in a way that feels more of scorn. "I could have killed you back in the hospital if I was your killer." Oh my God! So he is real! The kiss was, too! I swallowed, but the cold ambiance in the room still travels through my entire body.

"Who are you?"

"Your savior."

"What the hell do you mean by that?" I wanted to laugh at his ridiculing subject but I was too damn afraid to be laughing my ass right now. His eyes never break with mine and as my eyes travel down to his lips, I remember the faint kiss that woke me up the last, last night. I know I am damn- stupid to be thinking about that right now.

"You sold your soul to me before you died."

This time, I laughed-hard. What is this comic shit that he is talking about? I watched how Johnny, the ghost rider, sold his soul to the devil, but that is a movie! "You are funny. You think I am going to believe that?"

He shrugged as he licked his lips. "See for yourself." He laid his cheek on his palm and stared at me with his stoic face.

My laugh turned to a silent scream when my heart felt a painful burst, all of a sudden. The pain was something that I can remember. This is how it felt like when I was shot, suffering slowly until blood all come out. My eyes are tearing out and the air that continuously supplies my lungs were gone. There were these burns once again, making me cry. I grasped for help but he was just staring at me, acting like he was watching a dull movie. "S-stop this please..." I managed to get those three words out of my mouth then the pain stopped.

After the traumatizing event, my body fell down completely and everything turned black.

My eyes opened when my chest was touched by something warm. It was giving me a peaceful feeling, I turned to open my eyes.

I was in my bed and the devil, as he thinks of himself, which he really is, after subjecting me to that pain again is sitting beside me.

"You're evil." I frowned, tears began streaming out of my face even though I bit my lip to try and stop it.

"Well, that's what I am, a demon." He spoke seriously. This time, you'll never see the jest in his blue eyes. He just looks at me, waiting for me to stop my crying.

"What's going to happen to me now?" I spoke between my sobs.

"After you died, your soul offered me your body and that's it."

I looked at him, the menace tracing from my teary eyes. I took my pillow and hugged it, hiding my body from him. "So you're gonna-I will be your sex slave?" I have never been so reserved all this time just for someone I don't even know to touch me!

"Dumb girl, I wouldn't even take an interest in that body of yours. There are so many girls out there that I can mess up with, those with bigger--." He stopped as his gaze drop down my boobs. He was scorning me again and damn, that is cruel. I felt a pang of disappointment for some stupid reasons.

"Well, I would never let you touch me too!" Even though your hotness is overqualified! He is really angelic to be a demon. I imagined the demons from the stories to have horns and have burning skins but this one in front of me looks like he came out from a freaking web novel.

My breathing hitched when he leaned so close to my face, with his lips partly opened. "Are you sure about that?" His sexy voice was there again, making me feel an unwanted itch on my body. I nodded, showing him that I can't just take back my words.

As if he was challenging me, the tip of his finger laid in my cheek, slowly sliding it down until he reaches my neck-I gasped. His lips curved into a lop-sided smile and he continues with his finger play, he then put his palm at the back of my nape while his thumb gently stroking the side of my neck, never breaking intense eye contact. I can feel the tingles running back to my spine as he puts on a little more pressure to his touch, his lips now closer, breathing into mine. I can smell his minty breath, and the hotness pulsating in my body is turning me on.

My senses were suddenly heightened, as he pushes me to lay down with his body on top of me, his sexy beautiful eyes never leaving me, and the proximity of our faces never changing. His nail lightly grazes on my nape and neck, it made me moan. I have never felt like this before, nor did I have someone do this to me. His other hand lays on my waist, his fingers sliding up until he reached the side of my breast, my moan turned to come out louder than before. The tension broke when he snorted, shaking his head, he left my pulsating body on the bed as he stood up with a victorious smile on his face.

"Where is the 'I would never let you touch me' act, Ms. Reiss? You nearly opened up your legs for me." He tilted his head, dropping down that fucking hot and cold gaze upon me. I threw the pillow at him in rage. Fuck you! I would never let you play with me again. He laughed as the pillow hit him. It was cute, too damn cute-but it's not funny. He opened up a part of me that is filled with wanting and now I feel uneasy.

"Let's talk about this outside." He leaned his head to point out the dining area and he walked away, closing the door of my room.

"Moron!" I shouted, punched my bed, and threw up some tantrums like a fucking child. It would have been so nice if he wasn't so arrogant. That fucking devil! I would have been scared if he was formal but he acts like a freaking gang leader!

I shouted once again, letting out a high pitch sound until my lungs couldn't take it anymore. I dropped down my bed, breathing heavily, and stayed like that for quite a time. I walked outside after calming myself down, I found him in the chair near the dining bar in my kitchen and he looks at me without saying anything but pointing me to go in the kitchen.

"What do you want from me?" I frowned as I dropped my palm on the tiles of the kitchen. I'm not afraid of him anymore, if he wants to just kill me then go ahead!

"No, you tell me." He looked at me like an alpha, his arms resting on the bar.

"What do you mean tell you? I don't even remember the deal you are talking about." I stared highly at him, I am angry right now, I want to slap his regal face but I can't just do that.

"Tell me what you want right now," he replied softly.

"What the hell is this conversation even about?" I am totally curious as to why the demon which I offered my soul is asking me what I want.

He stood up, his palm still laying on the cold tiles, he was a bit taller than me and leaned closer at me again. I never faltered, I raised my eyebrow. I don't want some games right now.

"What. Do.You.Want?" He spoke with stress and tone in between the words and his eyes darken once again.

"I don't know! Maybe tell me how I am able to repay you for my life?" My tone was higher. Damn- I am furious. I don't care if our faces are close right now, whether do I care that I can feel his hot aura clashing with mine. I need to know what this is all about.

"Then be mine."