Ablackwing

I stirred to dissolve the sugar in the latte. The devilish dark brown colour of the latte grinned at me like it was daring me to drink it. I didn't dare to. I had made it super strong by accident, which wasn't that rare whenever I was in the kitchen. I still tried to make my own drink sometimes.

Even though I slept like a log whole night, I felt tired in the morning. My mind must have forgotten to function when I added the coffee powder. I couldn't let latte win that easily and have peace with that. So I added more sugar to mask that strong taste.

On your face, latte!

I sipped a small amount after the sugar completely dissolved. It tasted horrible. The sugar didn't mask the bitterness but just added more sweetness. That super sweetness combined with extreme bitterness made the latte undrinkable.

I may not miss my little Lucy for her waking me early in the morning or making me help her complete her projects, but I did miss her for making a perfect latte. I can swear she made the best latte in the world. It was like she was born with this superpower.

Latte must have been dancing a victory dance until I got the ingenious idea of adding more milk. Trial and error will surely work sometime. Perhaps someday I might make do with a bad latte. But not today! I couldn't help but let out an evil laugh while thinking of this famous line.

I quickly added more milk in the latte and heated it for a whole. Soon the rich and sweet aroma spread throughout the kitchen. The scent captured all my senses. It was certainly the best latte I have ever made in my life. My happiness started leaking out of my mouth in the form of 'water'. It took me a while to realize that even though it was my best attempt, it was only drinkable and not that delicious... That angel, perhaps, was my lucky charm. After all, I was able to make a drinkable latte.

I could give half of it to that angel, I thought. That angel hadn't woken up since yesterday. He must have starved through entire day and night but I had no idea how I could feed him. There was no way I could just inject him glucose with the needle like they do in hospitals. Or perhaps unlike humans, this angel did not need to eat?

I walked to his room. That handsome sleeping beauty was still laying, showing no sign of getting tired of laying on the same spot. That faint smile was like fixed permanently as if someone had hammered it on his face with nails. His cheek muscles must be aching horribly. I shook him a little, hoping he would wake up. But that angel did not open his eyes.

I pulled him up and made him sit. He was limp like a tender leaf that bends in the direction of the wind. But he needed a stalk for support. I wrapped my hand around him, clutching him close to me so he doesn't fall back. It was good he was light or I'd have more trouble handling him.

"Open your mouth," I said to him as I brought latte closer to his mouth. He didn't listen to me. On the other note, why was I even expecting him to listen? He didn't wake up when I shook him hard. I brought the mug to his lips. His mouth opened and he started sipping hastily and gulping it down his throat. Damn, he must have starved all this time.

Even after he finished drinking, he kept sipping on the empty mug. That angel was still hungry. I quickly went to the kitchen and brought back my share of latte too. When he was done, not even a single drop was left.

After so many attempts I made the best latte of my life and couldn't even drink it. My mouth was watering when the aroma of latte filled my lungs but my fate was so terrible. It was so frustrating but what other choice did I have. I sighed and finally decided to go out for a drink and bring some fruit juice or milk for that angel on my way back.

I quietly laid him down back on the bed and locked the room before heading out. What if he flew away when I wasn't around? I didn't dare to take the risk. He must pay me back for all the care I provided to him while he was unconscious. I'd accept stories of his world as a payment.

* * * * *

I heard a slight voice when I was washing the dishes after having dinner. It was very low though, I couldn't make what the noise was of but it surely came from the angel's room. Oops. I mean my parents' room. He was just a guest.

I quickly dried up my hands with a towel. I just hoped he was awake. He was unconscious for the last two days and this silence worried me. I wanted to hear him say again that he will be alright like he did when he fell.

I opened the door to his room without making any noise and I saw him sitting on the bed, rubbing his eyes while looking out of the window. He was still half n.a.k.e.d. The curtains danced along with the soft music of the winds. His straight silky hair dr.a.p.ed over his shoulder like they were some waterfall. His face showed no emotion as if it was carved in stone.

I don't know how he realized my presence but he turned his head towards me and lowered his hand.

I saw his eyes coloured in the green of emerald, almost shining like the glassy surface of a gemstone. It looked like lightning was infused in his eyes. Those were the most beautiful pair of eyes I have ever seen in my life.

His face went expressionless for a while as he looked at me. It was like he was trying to figure out what was happening. I didn't care as long as he didn't suffer from amnesia. I wanted my payment!

The next moment, his pupils widened. That expressionless stone-like face changed. Those beautiful eyes of his started trembling. He looked at me so intensely. I wondered what happened all of a sudden.

Did I frighten him?

He gasped a little. His mouth opened as if he wanted to say something but he didn't have words. And finally, he uttered.

"It's really you..." His voice was so soft like the nightingales singing and yet so deep and beautiful. I think that was the magic angels possess. He surely was no devil. I was expecting him to scream and shout when his eyes trembled in fear after looking at me. But he appeared to be excited.

"Angelheart..." he added. I wondered who or what was that angelheart. He said about it when he passed out and now too. It must be very close to his heart. "Where have you been all these years Angelheart?"

I turned around to look if he was speaking to me or someone else. There was surely only me and him inside the house unless he was able to see paranormal stuff like ghosts and other invisible beings.

"You're talking to me?" I asked.

His eyes slowed their shaking trembling and became a little stable. But, those eyes of his started to get watery.

"I see... You don't remember me... I..." his voice was choked up and he couldn't speak anymore. He was really really on the verge of crying.

What was I supposed to remember when it was the first time I've met him or experienced something like falling angels?

His right eye was the first to give in. It couldn't bear the heavy weight of those tears it was trying so hard to resist. It's grip weakened and it let a tear escape. The tear from left eye followed right away. First, then second, then third and so on the tears started escaping. His eyes gave up on holding those tears and set them free.

That angel was cried while looking right in my eyes. I must be a very horrible person to make an angel cry but I had no idea what I did wrong. It hurt. Somewhere deep within my heart, it hurt. Watching him cry like that made me want to cry too.

"Don't cry."

"I'm not crying... I'm not," he spoke a little and his voice choked up again because of his sobs. It hurt. Somewhere deep within my heart, it hurt. Watching him cry like that made me want to cry so badly.

"I'm sorry. I never intended to do this, not in front of you at least," he said while gazing at me, without even bothering to wipe away his tears. As if he feared that I would disappear if he blinked his eyes.

He was such a crybaby.

I walked towards him, his eyes widened a little more. I sat near him on the bed and held his face in both of my hands. He didn't stop me. He didn't say anything in refusal and I proceeded to wipe away those tears with my thumbs.

"You know, you're pretty but you look much prettier without them." I teased. He didn't speak. He just placed his hands over mine.

Did I overstep my line?

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For everything you have done for me," he said softly as he closed his eyes in an attempt to stop his tears.

And he smiled. That wide smile was just indescribable. Sun gives light and warms the earth. The same way his smile was warming my heart. Even though his tears were still flowing out, his smile made me feel alive inside. It touched me the way nothing else ever did. That sweetest smile made me feel like I was dreaming.

Dream...

The image of that kid dressed in black flashed in my mind. The way he looked at me, crying yet smiling. I thought that in a way, both that kid and this angel looked alike. Both of them wore the same black coat, same long silver hair, same emerald eyes burning with green fire and the exact smile.

It was a dream that I had seen countless times. I even daydreamed about it sometimes. I had reasoned this strange dream with my childhood amnesia. But neither did I wonder about the possibility that it could be more than a dream nor did I dare imagine that it might come true someday.

No wonder he was so familiar! In my heart, I knew for sure that the angel in front of me was the same angel from my dreams!