ã€ŠA Girl in My Lifeã€‹


 1

    Hot¡­ It¡¯s very hot here!

    I open my eyes and I see something shiny, a very beautiful glow, I feel like touching it. I am going to touch it!

    I stretch out my hand and ce it on a point of the glow and I notice that heat is emanating from it. It¡¯s hot, but it doesn¡¯t burn; it seems to be something possible to hold, however I can¡¯t, my hand goes straight through the red glow. A bad feeling is present, I think I¡¯m frustrated, I don¡¯t understand how I can define it, however I know exactly what I¡¯m feeling. Now why can¡¯t I hold him? Why is it hot but not burning? And, what is this glow? Why don¡¯t I know?

    ¨C Anael, my son. ¨C I hear a very loud voice, but with such a sweet soranity.

    I look in the direction thates the sound and I cannot see at first, the shine there is stronger than this shine here, and different of the one here that is red, the one there is white¡­ I blink several times my eyes, and I rub them with the palms of my hands until I can see:

    A tall, very tall, shiny body that is all in white, and around him there are several other bodies, just a little lower than the tall, shiny, white body.

    ¨C Get up Anael ¨C this soundes from the taller body.

    Anael?

    Who is Anael?

    Is this being speaking to me?

    ¨C Yes! It is to you Anael.

    The main body speaks as if it knows exactly what I¡¯m thinking.

    I don¡¯t say anything, my mouth seems to be glued and parched, so, I just lean on my arms while I steady my legs on the floor; when I feel that I¡¯m steady, I remove my hands from the floor and lean only on my legs that as soon as I steady them they give a slight tremble.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.

    After making sure that I am not shaking anymore I try to move them and I unbnce almost falling on the ground, I don¡¯t fall because one of the bodies that was next to the outstanding body supports me with his hands.

    -One at a time ¨C says the body and helps me to get out of the red hot ce.

    In the first steps I feel my legs trembling and wanting to weaken, but the body (a little bigger than me) helps me and together we approach the big body of prominence.

    ¨C Wee to life Anael, the one who has my grace ¨C I try to look at him, but the brightness of his face is so strong that I immediately close my eyes, blink a few times and after a few seconds I finally manage to look at him.

    ¨C Thank you ¨C even stammering I manage to speak for the first time; my voicees out low and hoarse.

    ¨C This Anael, is Suriel, he will be responsible for you until you are ready for your mission my son ¨C his voice gives me a feeling of peace¡­ It feels so good!

    Having said that the prominent being vanishes out of nowhere, and I open my eyes wide. How did he do that?

    -Come on Anael -speaks Suriel and helps me to walk again.

 2

    While Suriel and I walked somewhere I watched everything attentively, it was so beautiful, so full of colours¡­

    ¨C Look Anael, this is where you will spend the night ¨C says Suriel pointing forward, I follow the direction her finger points with my eyes.

    ¨C What is this? ¨C I ask, even not knowing what it was, I was amazed at the beauty of the ce.

    ¨C Here is the neers¡¯ dormitory, you will have a cot to rest during the night and during the day you will prepare yourself to fulfill your mission ¨C he says as we walk towards the ¡°dormitory¡±.

    ¨C Listen, this is called a door ¨C he says, showing me the door ¨C it is used to guard the entrance and exit of the dormitory.

    I nod my head positively to confirm that I understand, and we go through the door.

    ¨C In the dormitory there is only this corridor with four rooms. One for me, who is yourmander and trainer, one for my helper and two that are divided with ten catres in each room ¨C he exins before we stop in front of another ¡°door¡± ¨C This is room two, where you will stay with nine more apprentices, they will be your veterans¡­ And exining, they are four days older than you, that is why they are called veterans.

    Suriel opens the door, now I can stand alone with my legs, I enter inside the room and observe carefully the room, the walls are salmon coloured, beside each catre there is a small bedside table, they are things I have never seen before, but somehow I know what they are.

    ¨C Our lord is slowly releasing the basic knowledge in his mind, young man ¨C as if listening to my thoughts he gives me this answer ¨C It is your catre Anael ¨C he points me a catre next to a wall on the left side of the room.

    My legs still tremble a little, but I already feel more confident to walk alone, with my arms opened to try to keep my body bnced, I take short steps until I arrive at the cot destined to me. I sit on it and now I observe Suriel:

    He is big, he is wearing a ( I think) silver outfit, it covers his arms and chest, his waist and legs.

    ¨C That is an Anael armor, the warrior angels use them ¨C he says when he realizes that I was watching him.

    I do not say anything, I continue watching him and I see that in his back there is something big, they seem to be soft, and white.

    ¨C That is called wings Anael ¨C he answers me even without my asking, I think I am not the only one observing here.

    I look at my back and I don¡¯t see these ¡°wings¡±.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t I have wings?¡± ¨C I mentally ask myself with a frown.

    ¨C You will still get them ¨C I look at Suriel again ¨C An angel is not born with wings, they get them after four weeks of their birth.

    ¨C Why is that? ¨C I ask confused.

    -You designated this time for us to get used to our bodies, having total control over them before we learned to use our wings.

    I shake my head positively when I feel my stomach twitch and a strange sound echoes from within it.

    -Wait for me here, I¡¯ll bring some things for you- Suriel says walking out the bedroom door.

    I hug my stomach as I feel the pain increase. What is it?

    Still hugging my belly, I lie down on the cot and bend my knees, I close my eyes hoping this pain will pass and I feel this pain diminishing to the point that I see everything getting darker and darker.

    ¨C Anael! Anael! Wake up! ¨C ¡°Boo¡± I feel my head hurts. I open my eyes quickly and I see that I¡¯m on the floor and I hit my head on the floor.

    I stand up from the floor rubbing with the palm of my hand the ce that had direct contact with the floor. I look at Suriel and he hands me something, white.

    ¨C This is a bag, I brought robes for you to cover your nakedness.

    I look at my body and realize that there¡¯s nothing covering it, I hadn¡¯t noticed that, even if seeing Suriel dressed, I don¡¯t miss anything on me. I take the bag from Suriel¡¯s hand and look inside, I take out from inside the bag: something ck with fat and long legs.

    I look curiously at the garment in my hands.

    ¨C This in your hands is called trousers ¨C says Suriel watching me while she approaches me ¨C Do you see these two holes inside this bigger one in your hands? ¨C I confirm with my head ¨C You will pass one of your feathers in each one of the holes and the big hole you will put in your hip.

    I do as Suriel told me, I pass my right leg through one of the holes and the left leg through the other and raise the trousers to my hip.

    ¨C Good! Very well, you learn fast, Anael ¨C Suriel gives two pats on my back ¨C In this other bag there is food ¨C he extends in his hand another raft.

    I take it and open it, I go taking the things and Suriel goes telling me the names. Inside the bag there were: apples, pears, strawberries, tangerines, grapes and cashew nuts.

    I didn¡¯t have time to taste the fruits, because as soon as I smelled them my stomach made those strange sounds again and I think it was by instinct, I put one fruit after another in my mouth.

    ¡°Chew it slowly so you don¡¯t choke my son¡± ¨C I hear the gentleman¡¯s voice, I look around but I don¡¯t see him, am I hearing things?

    When I finished I saw the smiling look that Suriel had on his face, but he didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¨C Now rest Anael, tomorrow you will have a long day -says taking the bags.

    -But I was just born! ¨C I protest even though I feel my eyes heavy, I don¡¯t want to sleep, I know there are still many things that my eyes have not seen yet.

    ¨C Rest ¨C he speaks more firmly and leaves the room closing the door.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.

    Without options Iy down again on the cot; soon I feel my eyes heavier and heavier¡­ I close them until I can¡¯t see anything anymore.

 3

    TIRINTINTIM

    And so begins another day, the trumpets blowing and the apprentices waking up. My first day was a bit difficult, after all, I had never done that before, and being the newbie is not easy.

    My first day was pretty¡­ Um¡­ Funny, let¡¯s say; all the apprentices were four days older than me, and all of them, without exception of any, mocked me, and the worst, was that I didn¡¯t even know what they were doing, until coach Suriel scolded them and said that you can¡¯t mock a brother or anyone, that is not the attitude of a son of the Lord.

    On my first day of training (second day of life) I fell so many times that the healing angels had to bandage my knees and the palms of my hands. I also discovered that the ¡°lord¡± Suriel was referring to was the samerge body standing out amongst the other bodies I had seen on the day of my birth, and that it was also his that was the voice I heard when I first ate, it was him speaking in his holy spirit form.

    I had no further contact with him, but he knew ( at that time I did not know how) what was happening and as punishment for mocking me, he determined that the other apprentices would only receive their wings on the same day I received mine. Everyone was outraged. The right thing was for them to receive their wings four weeks after their birth; now, they will be the first generation of angels who received their wings four weeks and four days after your birth.

    Well, today Iplete four weeks of life, I¡¯m nervous; my hands tremble and shake, I feel my stomach turning and a slight cold at the foot of my belly spreading.

    ¨C Calm down Anael, ¨C says Suriel approaching me ¨C This way you will faint before the hour.

    I widen my eyes, this cannot happen, I was always so anxious for this day, I cannot ruin it this way! And besides¡­

    ¨C Is there a right time to faint? ¨C I asked perplexed with this supposed information.

    During this week, I learned everything that is needed, and I already know exactly how my body works, I have total control over every little piece of it. I also discovered that the wings of angels are different. They are not all white, they have different colours and each colour reveals their mission, they are:

    One: They have white wings with golden tips, these are the angels who look after the library, the archives, they help the Lord in the administration of heaven.

    Two: White wings with a light green tip, these are of the angels who look after the heavenly gardens. Those who take care and watch over the beauty of heaven.

    Three: The white wings with the silver tips belong to the warrior angels, to the toonmanded directly by the lord, they are the ones who wage war defending the lord¡¯s kingdom from other gods.

    Four: The white wings with grey tips belong to the angels in charge of some division of heaven. There are only 7 angels with these wings and they are the most ancient among us.

    Five: The white wings with the lc tips are those of the healing angels, they are responsible for taking care of all the other angels, so all the sses depend on the angels with the lc tips.

    Six: The wings that have their extensionpletely white, are of themanders and trainers. They are responsible for the novices, taking care of their learning both in practical fights and in theoretical matters. And they are themanders of the toons of guardian angels.

    Seven:  The white wings with the sky blue tips, are for the guardian angels. The protectors of humans.

    The guardian angels are divided into two sses:

    ss one: Those who follow the whole day just apanying their prot¨¦g¨¦ and writing in a book everything he did, and freeing them from some dangers caused by themselves;

    ss two: They are the warrior protectors, they war with the ck winged angels to protect the humans.

    This ss does not have a specific prot¨¦g¨¦, they stay on alert and will defend any human that is threatened by the fallen angels. I¡¯m still not sure what humans are, I haven¡¯t been able to observe any yet, I only know that they are the lord¡¯s greatest creation, and that they are in his image and likeness. They must be so beautiful since they possess the image of my lord.

    I also heard about something like free will, I don¡¯t know exactly what it is, but from the conversations I heard in the corridors of other angels it is the power of choice, I don¡¯t understand what it means, but I let it go, as Suriel told me, little by little I will know everything.

    I didn¡¯t mention the angels with ck wings, right?

    Well, no angel receives these wings, they are a reason for shame, because the wings turn ck when the angel is expelled from heaven. This is a way of showing that he is unworthy, that he has erred and betrayed the Lord; that he has disobeyed themandments, that he has done something against the Lord¡¯s creation.

    Okay, I was kind of surprised by those wings, I never imagined that there could be angels who would do such affronts to someone so good. I hope I never have to take my ck wings and get kicked out of here. Although the other apprentices ignore me, I love paradise, here I have everything I need, here my life is perfect, I have nothing to worry about, and the other older angels like me, and that is enough for me to be happy here.

    ¨C It depends only on you,¡± he says, cing his right hand on my shoulder and patting it twice.

    ¨C What do you mean? ¨C I ask with a frown.

    ¨C If you¡¯re a strong angel, you won¡¯t faint ¨C he winks his right eye at me and leaves the dorm.

    Strange, isn¡¯t it?  I¡¯m the only one in the dorm. The other apprentices are still disgusted with me; they me me for the dy in getting their wings and the humiliation of being the only ones in history to start off on the wrong foot in their lives as angels. They are all packing up at Seraphim¡¯s waterfall, and I am left here, alone; but as my best friend and coach always tells me:

    ¡®Better alone, than in badpany ¡® ¨C I still don¡¯t understand what badpany means, but soon I will have wisdom about all this, for as soon as we gain our wings the curtain in our eyes opens.

    He also tells me that I should not feel anger, hatred or hold grudges in my heart from my brothers, for we are angels! And angels should only be bearers of good feelings, for example: Love; hope;passion; gratitude and so on.

    He warned me that if I feel bad feelings, let myself be carried away by anger, envy, gluttony, sloth, lust, greed and pride, if I am dominated by any of these feelings my wings will also turn ck, and after the wings turn ck, there is no forgiveness for the bearer of these wings, once ck, always ck.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ording to what was exined to me they don¡¯t just turn ck out of the blue without any process to this fact, rather these angels will feel their wings hurt a lot and the lord in his holy spirit form will in thought as a voice in the back of their mind alert them. And he will give them three chances to realize where they are going wrong, to repent and go to the pce to the lord to confess and ask for forgiveness.

    Today¡¯s garments are different, today all apprentices wear white trousers, however, after we receive our wings, the trousers will be the same colour as the tips of the wings of their respective owners.

    I am already ready, just waiting for Suriel who wille to call me when it is time to go to the lord¡¯s pce, where the wings ceremony will take ce. This will be the second time in all my life that I will have the pleasure of contemting the Lord, my creator, with my own eyes.

    I walk from side to side, rubbing my hands together, I feel my heart pulsing hard in my chest causing me to have rapid upensated breathing, anxiety is something I need to work hard to stop feeling.

    ¡°Ahhhh! What¡¯s taking so long!?¡± ¨C I think out loud in my thoughts.

    ¨C Come on Anael, it¡¯s time ¨C shouts Suriel at the door of the room.

    Hearing Suriel¡¯s call, my blood freezes, it¡¯s time! I take a deep breath, I pass my hands on my trousers to remove some of the sweat umted on them. After taking two more deep breaths, I follow Suriel out of the dormitory, a carriage is in front of it and in it I can already see all the other nine apprentice aspirants. I get into it, and the coachman heads for the pce.

 4

    Huge doors coated in fine gold, studded with various precious stones such as rubies, sapphires, diamonds, emeralds¡­ There are so many that I can¡¯t even list the names of all of them ¨C It¡¯s because I still don¡¯t know the names of all of them, but I know that it won¡¯t take me long to get to know them all.

    At this moment all the aspiring angels apprentice, we are in the corridor waiting the time to enter inside the great ceremony hall, Suriel is facing the big doors and back to us; I feel my hands and legs give, step the back of my hand in the intention of removing them, my heart beats so strong that I am able to hear it as if it was inside my ears. Ie out of my self-analysis as I hear the footsteps of the apprentices moving. ¡°I wonder if Suriel already gave the order, but I was so lost that I ended up not listening.¡± ¨C I wonder in thought.

    ¨C Are you sleeping Anael? Didn¡¯t you hear me tell you to go to the front of the line? ¨C Suriel says next to me, almost a scream of fright escapes me, I was really too focused on myself that I didn¡¯t pay attention to anything around me.

    ¨C Why is he going to be the first to enter? ¨C Zuriel asks looking me up and down, I do not like the way he looks at me.

    ¨C Simple my dear Zuriel, Anael was the only one not to have received punishment from the Lord, the only one who has no shame since his birth ¨C answers Suriel with his deep voice, full of authority to Zuriel that in an instant stops looking at me and returns to his ce in line.

    I mentally thank Suriel for defending me of the others, already they had tried to make funny pranks with me and Suriel always got rid of me and gave a scolding to them, and this made them to look at me even more ugly. Once, I was in my third week of life, they called me to participate of a race, they told me that it was just for fun and to distract a little bit, this race was from the end of a division until the entrance of the other, I epted to go, I imagined that finally they were epting me and leaving any indifference for there. I was wrong, when I arrived at the appointed ce I almost did my needs in my trousers, I had never seen such an ugly shade of red to look at:

    The warrior angels were fighting against the fallen angels, the scene was one of great violence, arms being severed, bellies being split open, wings being torn off, the ground all bathed in blood, I was petrified watching such a scene, I couldn¡¯t move any of my muscles, the sounds of screams from both parties echoed loudly in my ears.

    A fallen angel notices my presence and wielding his swordes flying quickly towards me, the hatred in his eyes was totally visible, suddenly everything around me bes silent, things seem to have gone in slow motion, the only thing I can see is the fallening towards me getting closer and closer, raising his sword more and more to kill me.

    ¡°Is this how my life will end? I couldn¡¯t even know anything¡­¡± ¨C I think sadly as the fallen angel is only inches away from me.

    Blood melts my face, the fallen angel¡¯s head falls rolling across the blood soaked floor, I hold my breath as I see his headless body falling to his knees and further increasing the pool of blood.

    ¨C Come on Anael! ¨C Suriel pulled my hand and we went back to the dorm.

    I couldn¡¯t stand to see anything red, and if I did I would vomit immediately. Suriel went to the master and asked him to remove this trauma from my body. I heard the sound of his voice soothing me, I have not forgotten what happened, but now I have no more trauma, I was healed directly by him.

    Tirintim

    And so begins the loud sound of the various trumpets behind the great doors.

    ¨C Attention! ¨C says Suriel and all the apprentices stand at attention. Themander and trainer Suriel stands facing us and continues ¨C Today is a special day ¨C he walks to the end of the line with his hands crossed over his lower back ¨C Today you will stop being mere apprentice aspirants ¨C he returns to the front of the line and stands in front of me -Today you became apprentice angels, you will be part of the great celestial family.

    As soon as Suriel finishes his little speech, he looks at me and nods in positive with a slight shake of his head, I return the act and then the big doors open. Quickly I try to disguise my eyes that opened more than normal, my mouth also opened but soon I tried to close it so that nobody noticed my surprise. The hall where the wings ceremony is taking ce is rich¡­ A beauty so great that the brightness makes one¡¯s eyes water. Its walls, its pirs are all covered with gold, the designs that embellish them are all covered with small crystals.

    ¨C March! ¨Cmands Suriel.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    With my head held high I move my legs and start marching into the hall and the other aspirants follow me. We are all lined up, all in one step.

    ¨C Halt! ¨C anothermand is given by Suriel and we stop marching.

    All the angels, from all the divisions of heaven, are present in the hall which is in the lord¡¯s pce which is located in the centre of all the divisions; they are here to congratte and wee the new members of the family.

    ¡°Silence.¡± thismand is given by the lord in his spirit form to all present.

    And everyone soon obeys and everything is inplete silence, the only thing I can hear is the sound of my heartbeat and my breathing which I try at all costs to keep regr. I close my eyes, fill my lungs with all the air that my nostrils allow me to suck in without making noise, after I have exchanged the gases in my lungs I release it through my mouth, also in the most silent way possible.

    In the same hour the enormous curtains as white as the clouds open, the drums begin to y, soon after the harps, the fouls, the violins also begin and the lord makes his entrance in the hall.

    All the angels (including the aspirants) kneel to the Lord in respect and adoration.

    ¨C May my peace be with you always ¨C says the Lord and we return to our previous positions, then once again his voice is present:

 5

    ¨C Today paradise is celebrating ¨C he says looking at everyone inside the salon ¨C Today we are receiving ten new members in our celestial family ¨C he pauses a little, looks at all the apprentices and then continues ¨C Stand shoulder to shoulder.

    I don¡¯t leave the ce, there¡¯s no need, the apprentices who were behind me move around and stand next to each other, and I who was the first now am the eighth in line.

    ¨C Zaniel, the one who has me as judge ¨C calls the lord referring to the first on the right side ¨C It is with great pleasure that I hand you over, so honda are your wings, turn around.

    Zaniel does as they are told and the lord ces his right hand on Zaniel¡¯s back. A white glowes into view, but not to the point that I need to close my eyes, it is such a beautiful light to be, but the beautiful scene gives way to an agonizing scream. My eyes widen, why is he screaming?

    ¨C Aaaah ¨C he screams out loud in pain, his knees bend and fall to the ground along with his hands, the sound of the thud on the ground makes me shudder ¨C Aaaah ¨C I can see his tears wet the ground and on his back the white glow fades away and in its ce you can see a small white feather ¨C Aaaah ¨C he supports himself with his elbows on the ground and with his hands he hugs his head, and what before was only a simple small feather gives ce to a huge pair of totally white wings.

    Zaniel¡¯s chest rises and falls rapidly, he is breathing so heavily that he looks as if he has juste out of a marathon. He still stays like this: kneeling on the ground for a few more minutes, when his breathingpletely returns to normal, he stands up, turns his face to look and with his right hand smoothes his wings, a smile adorns his face, and I end up smiling too, I¡¯m happy for him.

    ¨C You Zaniel, you are destined to be amander or a coach, but because you are still very young you will be an assistant of the angel Roguel, of the fifth division of the heaven. Good luck in your mission, my son.

    The lord when finishing speaking hugs Zaniel and all the others present apud the newest member of the celestial family, Roguel gets up from his ce and receives Zaniel with open hugs wishing him wee.

    Uriel and Haniel, were stronger than Zaniel, they didn¡¯t fall to the ground, just cried a lot, they were contemted being their

    They were contemted with their green tips and were sent to the seventh division, Luciel did as Roguel and received them with open arms.

    Haniel, Jael and Camael, all went to the ground, they stayed on their sides with their hands covering their faces in order to hide their crying, but in the end they were contemted with beautiful white wings with golden tips, they were designated to the first division, and the representative that received them with open arms was Haffael.

    Zuiel and Lafiel just kneeled on the ground as the pain and white light was present, but soon after they got their white wings with the lc tips and were sent to the fourth division, Hafityel received them.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    ¨C Come, Zuniel, he who guards me, step forward ¨C he promptly obeyed the lord.

    He stepped forward, I can see his legs trembling, it seems I am not the only one nervous about all this; and just as he had done with the others, the lord ced his right hand on his back and the white light was once again present within that hall, bringing with it the cries of pain.

    The pain in Zuniel was so intense that he could not stand it and fainted, and even being fainted on his back the process was the same as the others, first a small white feather that secondster gave way to huge white wings with sky blue tips and the lord assigned him to the third division, in the third division, and the representative of it is Suriel, who did not need to receive him because Zuniel soon followed with the healing angels.

    ¨C Anael, the one who possesses my grace, the one who has in himself my greatest gift: love. Step forward, my son ¨C I do as the Lordmanded me, I step forward, he ces his right hand on my back and I feel the warmth of his hand on mine anyway, it is such a good warmth, the warmth of the father who loves you.

    ¨C Aaaaahhhh! ¨C I fall to my knees on the floor and feel my back burn, it¡¯s like he¡¯s putting burning embers on it ¨C Aaaahhhh! ¨C the pain is much greater than I imagined, I have the sensation that the burnt skin of my back is opening, this is agonizing me, I feel something big and heavy passing through this crack making me contort myself even more on the floor, I feel the tears flood my eyes.

    I close my eyes and start mentally counting:

    One¡­ Two¡­ Three¡­ Four¡­ Five¡­ Ten¡­ Twelve¡­ Fifteen.

    In exactly fifteen seconds that hallucinating pain which was consuming me simply ceased. I open my eyes, I feel my legs and arms trembling, but I draw strength from nowhere and I stand up from the ground, spinning around trying to see my wings which are huge. I take my right hand to touch one of them, but before I can touch them the lord speaks:

    ¨C You Anael, you are destined to be a guardian angel, you are destined to be the protector of my creation, the son who defends the goods of his father ¨C at the end he embraces me and all present apud ¨C Wee Anael, you will remain in the third division.

    I am very happy to know that I will be able to continue here in the third division together with my captain, coach and my best friend.

    ¨C I am very proud of you Anael ¨C says Suriel squeezing my shoulders tightly ¨C We will soon start your apprenticeship to be a protector and learn how to use your wings ¨C dering smiling to me.

    Seeing the pride stamped on the dearest faces of my life, fills me with happiness and confidence.

    Then I smile to my trainer, he turns his back and follows me out of the pce, I hurry up too and start walking right after him, but I stop and turn my head to see him onest time before I start my preparation, but to my astonishment he is not among us anymore.

 6

    **Three hundred and sixty-five thousand dayster, or one year in the time of the angels**

    408¡­ 409¡­ 410¡­- ANAEL? ¨C I stop counting my abs as I hear Suriel¡¯s voice calling me.

    ¨C Here coach! ¨C I call his attention to indicate my location and then return to my activity.

    ¨C Why are you still here Anael? ¨C by the rude tone he used with me, I already know that Suriel is annoyed with me. Again. I sigh loudly, tiredness is present on my countenance.

    I wasn¡¯t supposed to be here at CAAG (Academic Center of the Guardian Angels), I was supposed to be at the portal of paradise, together with the other guardian angels, going to aplish a primordial task for my ss.

    ¨C I don¡¯t think that observing humans is more important than training to defend them ¨C I say the usual excuse, it had a good effect.

    But, unlike the other times, the only response I get from Suriel is his silence and his disapproving look towards my attitude. I know he knows that I am avoiding to the maximum to see the most precious work of the Lord again, and this is annoying him a lot, but he cannot use me without proofs.

    ¨C Come, Anael ¨C he calls me, already turning his back and stretching his wings to fly.

    Watching humans is part of the guardian angels¡¯ training, but the first time I went to do that, for me, was traumatizing!

    So much violence¡­ So much abandonment¡­ So much hunger¡­ So much disregard of a fellow human being for another¡­ How could that be the most precious work of the Lord? But they looked like the ck-winged angels, they only want to get along, and they go over anyone¡¯s head to get it.

    My first observation in the world of men, made me lose total curiosity or interest in knowing more about this creation, they seemed to me more like a mistake than a masterpiece¡­. Sigh of disgust¡­

    I saw something that hurt my soul, to feel such a mix of bad feelings¡­ As soon as I came back I had to go to the lord¡¯s pce to confess and ask for his help so that these feelings would not take possession of my heart, the traumatic scene I saw was: a human beating a human because she was pregnant, I wanted to stop it, the knowledge that was passed to me was that man had been created to defend and take care of his wife, and his wife to take care and assist the man, giving him also a family, so that they would grow their species even more, but the kicks and kicks that this human gave her was so brutal that caused so the poor baby to die, a soul without evil, watching this made my bile rise causing burning in my throat, after vomiting I asked myself ¨C ¡± Why are humans so evil? ¡±

    After that, for a year now, I avoid at all cost the part of the training that involves observing humans. I tried to talk to Suriel about it and his words were:

    ¨C Unfortunately many millennia ago, the human world plummeted intoplete disgrace, the wickedness of disobedience fell into their hearts, and what was once good and perfect, became evil and suffering.

    ¨C Then, for what reason do we have to protect these humans? ¨C I asked with disdain in my voice.

    ¨C The love of our Lord is infinite, and although most do not attain salvation, there are still good human beings who are worth risking our lives to protect them from the fallen angels.

    ¨C But what I saw yesterday

    ¨C Anael, in the sinful world of men, that was normal, and you will still see many unjust things that will break their hearts, but you must not stop feeling love for them, after all, you created us with this purpose, to protect the human race! ¨C after this conversation he returned to his duties as a trainer.

    I, on the other hand, as soon as I heard those words ¡°you will still see many things¡± I felt repulsed by human beings, I never want to see any of them again!

    Here it is so different¡­ Paradise is a ce so calm and good to live¡­ Here we do not need to fight for a fruit as food, here we do not need to attack ourselves for something that did not turn out as we wanted, here we do not need to feel all the pain that just looking at the earth makes my wings hurt and want to fly as far as possible from there.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    Here we don¡¯t need to treat the other for being different, after all, here we are all equal, here there is no difference between angel and angel, for the Lord we are all equal, without privileges of children, he loves us.

    Once Suriel exined to me how human reproduction worked, and said that this is possible because the Lord gave men an organ known by humans as ¡°penis¡±, and that below the penis there are two testicles, a kind of pouch where humans store spermatozoa. And for humans, it gave a set of organs which begin with the ¡°vagina¡±, a channel through which the male sperm passes to meet the ovary, which is waiting for the spermatozoid in the human¡¯s fallopian tubes. Through the pration of the human¡¯s ¡°penis¡± organ into the human¡¯s ¡°vagina¡± organ and the release of the sperm inside the human¡¯s organ one can make another human being, thus further multiplying their species.

    Angels also have these organs, but there has never been a union of two angels to generate another angel, I asked Suriel why and he said that we were not made to procreate, and that each angel is created solely by the Lord and only him, the feeling of mating is not part of the life of angels. That answer was enough, attraction is not something created for angels and that¡¯s it. I ept that.

    ¨C Where are we going? ¨C I ask, flying beside Suriel.

    ¨C You will soon find out ¨C she says atst without further exnation.

    We fly in silence to the portal of entry and exit of paradise. This portal is guarded by four angels:

    Luiel, Ariel, Gaiel and Zaiel. They have white wings with golden tips. They take turns in twos. No one leaves paradise or enters without passing through them.

    I said,¡± I said, looking up at him, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a good idea, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a good idea if it¡¯s a good idea,¡± I said, ¡°but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a good idea if it¡¯s a good idea, because it¡¯s a good idea if it¡¯s a good idea, because it¡¯s a good idea,¡± I said.

    I frown, after all why are we here?

    Will Suriel force me to observe all the disgrace of being part of the world of men again?

 7

    ¨C Ahhhhhhhh! ¨C I look with a frown at the human who is on a hospital gurney, everything indicates that she is giving birth ¨C Ahhhhhh! ¨C with each cry of pain she gives tears run from her eyes mixing with the sweat that runs from her forehead, her blond hair is sticking on her face because of the sweat.

    At her side a human, with curly dark brown hair, and pale skin is holding the human¡¯s hand, I assume to be herpanion, and father of the baby that ising to be part of this horrible world, I feel sorry for this child, the human¡¯s legs are shaking, his eyes are closed tightly, I do not understand why so much fear.

    We simply appear here, in this small ce filled by the cries of pain of this human. To pass through the portal, is not so simple, angels without authorization, or without a high position in paradise, cannot pass. Suriel is part of the angels with authority to cross the portal, he ismander of the protectors ss, so he has permission to cross whenever he needs to, already the angels in charge of protecting need to have in writing an authorization to deliver to the guards of the portal every day, these authorizations are stamped and then theye back to Suriel¡¯s hand.

    ¡°For what reason Suriel brought me here?-¡± I ask myself in thought.

    I look at Suriel and he is with his arms crossed staring at the human¡¯s delivery, which doesn¡¯t stop screaming even for a single instant. I wonder why childbirth hurts so much. Could this be why angels are not allowed to procreate with another angel?

    I don¡¯t want to stay here, I don¡¯t like it here, this is not a good ce! The birth of a human is not a pretty sight either! The woman¡¯s vagina has a lot of blood in it, and although I have been treated by you, I still don¡¯t feelfortable seeing blood, even if it is human blood.

    ¨C B! Boo! ¨C a loud and shrill cry of a new born baby makes itself present.

    Ie out of my thoughts when I hear the cry of the baby that has just been born. The human doctor responsible for the birth pulls the child from the woman¡¯s womb and hands it to another woman, dressed in white, she wraps the baby in a white nket, the human who was holding the human¡¯s hand left her and went to get the small package from the nurse¡¯sp.

    Even though I don¡¯t like it here, the way the human looks at the baby makes me look at him closely, unlike the first human father I saw, this one has nothing but love in his eyes, while the other was hatred and contempt, this one is love and affection.

    Tumm¡­ tumm¡­ tumm¡­

    I stop admiring the unusual scene when I hear this noiseing from the little machine, the doctors start running to the human on the stretcher, a chill forms at the foot of my stomach, a bad feeling hits me making me tremble a little, I feel my wings shiver.

    The human looks at the scene with wide eyes, I see his body shaking and his heart beating very strong, you can see the fear transpiring in each tremor of his body.

    The doctors managed to stabilize the human, but she is unconscious, I look again at the human, he is in shock, his eyes wide open, he does not understand why the silenceing from the human, his arms cken.

    And then everything goes by in slow motion through my eyes, I feel all my hair and even my wing feathers start to shiver, and a protective instinct dominates me, it takes possession of my whole being and every muscle of mine moves as fast as possible to the baby, I stretch my arm as much as I can in order to reduce the impact of the baby¡¯s little head on the ground with the palm of my hand.

    Soon one of the humans dressed in blue clothes, known as the room attendant,es as fast as he can too, he picks up the baby from the floor who starts crying more than anything for the pain he is feeling.

    My heart squeezes, such a helpless being¡­.

    ¡°How did that human have the courage to do that to such a pure and innocent being!?¡± ¨C I feel an anger growing inside me, my countenance closes, I know I can¡¯t, but I am feeling anger towards this human, I don¡¯t understand why, but the anger seems to be worse than when I felt for that rubbish human being I first saw.

    I will have to go to confession one more time with you¡­ ¨C I sigh defeated.

    But¡­ How can he do that!?

    With that I am reminded again why I despise so much this creation, which doesn¡¯t know how to distinguish right from wrong, and when it does, it prefers to stay with the wrong for fear of fighting for the right.

    ¨C Let¡¯s go! ¨C determines Suriel holding with his right hand my left shoulder.

    I look at him, howe he simply says let¡¯s go?

    ¨C But¡­ But what about the baby? Why did you bring me to see this! ¨C I ask already feeling my eyes wet with rage for having had to witness this pitiful scene of the baby hurting himself.

    ¨C This baby is your mission, Anael¡±, says simple.

    ¨C How so! ¨C I ask perplexed with such information.

    ¨C You will be the guardian angel responsible for this little girl.

    Now everything makes sense in my mind.

    Why me?C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    Why not Zuniel?

    He is also a guardian angel and likes to observe the human world! Why can¡¯t I be part of the warrior guardian angel ss?

    Nervous, I run my hands through my hair and walk back and forth inside the small room.

    ¨C Let¡¯s go Anael ¨C says Suriel once again.

    ¨C And the baby? ¨C I remember her, the only innocent being here.

    ¨C Tomorrow you will start your mission to keep this baby.

    ¨C But already? ¨C Without any warning, just tomorrow?

 8

    ¨C Come on, Anael!

    I hear Zaniel¡¯s voice calling me for the third time. I¡¯ve been lying on my cot since I came back from the human world with the information that I¡¯m going to be a guardian angel, I¡¯ve been ignoring everyone since then, I just wanted to be part of the fighting guardian angels, so I wouldn¡¯t have to watch the terrible world of men, but you made me be a guardian human being, who is innocent now, but when he grows up he¡¯ll be as detestable as any other.

    ¨C Get up! Stop acting! ¨C I hear his slightly altered voice.

    ¡°Puff¡±

    I fall sideways on the floor, Zaniel, as always, full of patience and kindness, turned my catre and knocked me down on the floor mercilessly, sometimes I still wonder if he still has differences with me, or if it¡¯s just his personality anyway.

    ¨C Don¡¯t be a soft angel, Anael! ¨C he scolds me, that way it seems like he even cares about me.

    ¨C Ta! ¨C I grumble as I get up from the floor and put my cot in its ce.

    I hate that things get out of ce, not a cleaning addict, but it annoys me to be in a dirty and noisy ce, exactly every part of the earth is like that, so, I hate itpletely.

    ¨C If I were you ¨C thank the Lord you¡¯re not ¨C I¡¯d fly right away.

    ¨C And why are you in such a hurry? ¨C I ask, but soon my mind turns to the baby who was born a few hours ago.

    ¨C Suriel is waiting for you in the date garden ¨C Zaniel finishes speaking and then leaves the room.

    I sit down on the cot again, lean my elbows on my knees and rest my chin between my palms.

    Why?

    Among so many angels, why me?

    All I wanted was just to be a guardian angel of the warrior ss.

    Grrr! You know what? I¡¯m not going to meet Suriel. I don¡¯t want to be a protector of any human! Let someone who loves this corrupted farnd go!Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    With my mind simmering in a thousand thoughts, none pleasant, I get up from my cot and walk out of the dormitory, as I leave I stretch my wings and then take flight.

    Feeling the pure and fresh wind on my face is almost like a therapy, my wings beat strong making me fly fast, after a few minutes I decide to pause on a rock in the middle of the Serafim waterfall, here is a calm ce, there are many trees surrounding the waterfall and the wind is soft and pleasant to feel. I lie on my side on the rock and watch the beautiful leaves dancing with the wind, even the sound they make I like to hear, it gives me a sense of calm, a feeling of peace, a sense of ¡­

    ¨C Why didn¡¯t you answer the call Anael?

    ¡°Sit ssh¡±

    I was so distracted in my observation, that when I heard themander¡¯s voice, I got startled and ended up slipping off the rock and falling into the water. I¡¯m not going to show myself shaken, so to show Suriel that I¡¯m without any weight in my conscience started to float, I cross my arms behind my head and lightly tap my heels on the water to stay in motion.

    ¨C I asked you a question, Anael! ¨C Suriel gets stressed and to show this he ps his wings causing me to temporarily sink in the water, but soon I return to the surface, I take several deep breaths, this was unexpected so I could not prepare myself and ended up getting water in my mouth and nose.

    ¨C I don¡¯t want to be a protective guardian angel! ¨C ready, I¡¯m direct and harsh in my words.

    ¨C Anael ¨C he begins to speak calmer now ¨C You know that we were born to fulfill our mission, that our life purpose is to fulfill the purposes of our Lord, you know that you have no choice ¨C I rolled my eyes.

    I know that! I know that my duty is only to obey you, but even so¡­ I simply don¡¯t want to, I don¡¯t want to have to go back there, I don¡¯t want to have to see more sadness, I don¡¯t want to¡­ To see fellow men killing fellow men only for pleasure, for ambition, for selfishness¡­ I don¡¯t want to go back there and have to witness this all day!

    -I¡­

    ¨C Anael, my purposes are bigger than your wills, my son ¨C says the gentleman that appeared from nowhere surprising both Suriel and me.

    Without dy I leave the waterfall andnd on the rock next to Suriel and together we bow to the lord.

    ¨C But sir I¡­ ¨C I want to say no, I want to go against an order¡­ I know. But just imagining myself there again, seeing the blood spilled almost every hour, just the thought makes me shiver to the feathers of my wings.

    ¨C I know everything that goes on in your mind, Anael, your of your feelings towards my creation, I too have been quite sad, especially when I look at the other kingdoms and see that only mine has fallen into the shameful sin -it is remarkable the sadness in every word of yours- However, there are still some humans that can be saved¡­

    ¨C Why don¡¯t you destroy them and create new humans without sin¡­ ¨C ¡°back¡± Surriel gives a p on the back of my head.

    ¨C Don¡¯t be so selfish Anael! ¨C scolds me looking serious in my direction.

    I¡¯m not being selfish! But what¡¯s the point of maintaining a world that has fallen intoplete disrepair? The green of that is almost inexistent, the waters are only polluted, there are regions that just by breathing the air I fall in bed because it is so polluted.

    ¨C I know that there is no longer paradise there, that humans hurt my feelings every day, however, I love them too much, they are all my creatures! And you have the mission to protect Elisa! ¨C I have never heard your voice sound as firm as it does now.

    ¨C Who? ¨C now that I¡¯ve got it good, besides taking care of a baby I¡¯ll have to take care of this person too? I thought protectors only protect one! Why do I have to protect two!?

    ¨C Calm your thoughts son, Elisa is the name of the baby you will have to protect.

    ¨C Got it¡­ ¨C I speak in a very depressed tone of voice.

    My mind wanders in the past, I remember the time when I was told that human beings had the privilege of choice¡­ I live in a good ce¡­ I never missed being able to choose to deny or ept anything¡­

    ¨C Don¡¯t think that I don¡¯t love you, Anael, you are important to me too!

    ¨C I know that¡­ ¨C but the attitudes are contradictory¡­ I sigh with this, I feel my eyes burn, tears threaten toe out, but I try my best to control myself.

    ¨C Let¡¯s do this Anael, Zaniel was created to be an angel of the warriors protectors ss, I didn¡¯t change the essence of any of them, but I will change the sses and the two of them and then you will tell me if you want to continue in this ss and leave it in the hands of other angels ¨C I cheer up at the same time.

    ¨C Thank you sir!

    I am so happy, I will not have to see the misery, I will only have to focus on the angels with ck wings, you are no longer here, I look at Suriel and he looks at me sad.

    I don¡¯t say anything, I just stretch my wings and go back to the dorm, I look for Zaniel and tell him the decision of our lord, he told me that he had already been warned. He gave me the sword that used to be his and together we went to the portal, he already had the authorization.

 9

    And there we go, once more to the so beloved human world, I feel something strange in my chest, my heart pumps strongly, I feel my fingertips give a slight tremor¡­ How will ite out? This time I¡¯m not going to observe, but to fight in protection of the human.

    I look at Zaniel beside me, if he is anxious, only observing his face it is not possible to know, he is calmly serious, in his hands there is a notebook to write down everything that the human does right and wrong, attached to him there is a special sky blue feather, it is special because it is not necessary the use of ink to write.

    ¨C Are you anxious for the first mission? ¨C I have a lot of talking, this silence is driving me crazy.

    ¨C I might even be if I were to perform what I was really created to do ¨C  he says coldly.

    I understand, I mean¡­ I think I understand, it can¡¯t be easy to prepare yourself for a whole year and in the end end end up doing another angel¡¯s mission. I can¡¯t say that I know which feeling it is, because I always knew that my duty was to stay with this notebook, but I always prepared my body to fight, always hoping to have a different destiny.

    ¨C I am sorry that it is you who has to exchange ces with me ¨C I speak with my head down, not wanting to cause even more difference between us.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    ¨C No problem, everyone knows that for you all human beings would have had their existence extinguished and new human beings created.

    ¨C Do you think you will have to write down a lot of things today? ¨C I try to change the direction of that conversation.

    ¨C I¡¯m just taking it for the sake of taking it, I don¡¯t need to make notes until she is three years old ¨C I didn¡¯t know that information.

    ¨C Why? ¨C I can¡¯t hide the curiosity in my voice.

    ¨C She still has no conscience of what is right and wrong, she has no notion of anything at all, she is a pure and innocent being.

    With this information I even feel guilty, but if humans are not born bad, what made them fall so low?

    In the midst of these thoughts Zaniel and Ind in front of the portal. Zaniel hands one of the guardians the authorization, he takes it, stamps it and puts it in the mail to return to Suriel¡¯s office.

    ¨C Good luck, and may the lord bless you and that you return safely ¨C they speak and push us inside the portal.

    Here inside nothing makes sense, the colours are mixed, in my ears buzzing is present, I have already crossed this portal twice, but I still can¡¯t get used to it.

    ¡°I wonder what he meant by e back safely¡¯ ? ¨C I think before beingunched into the earth¡¯s atmosphere, here gravity is heavier, it takes me a few seconds until my wings get used to it again.

    ¨C Follow me ¨C Zaniel says and so I do.

    I notice that we are going outside the city, and we are flying very high, so high that the human beings look like little ants. Zaniel goes down in a nook outside the city, here it is empty, without any human being around. I frown, why are we here?

    ¨C You missed a lot of practical sses, so I imagine you don¡¯t know that humans can see us.

    ¨C I was here yesterday, and none of them saw me,¡± I say, not understanding what Zaniel is talking about.

    ¨C Probably coach Suriel used something to hide his presence ¨C he says rolling his eyes ¨C Pay attention, humans can¡¯t see us at all!

    ¨C But if Suriel used something to hide my presence, what do I do now? ¨C I feel my fingertips freeze again.

    ¨C Concentrate, when you manage to be translucent, your eyes will change colour, they are blue right now, but when you hide your presence they will be ck ¨C Zaniel is clear in his exnation.

    I take a deep breath, I shake my hands in an attempt to stop the cold sweat, I close my eyes and try to concentrate as much as possible, I close my hands into fists, I see a thin thread in a bright blue colour, its colour is getting weaker and weaker, I calm my breathing even more and this thread is totally in the mostplete darkness. Then I open my eyes.

    ¨C My most sincere congrattions, it is the first time that I witness an angel manage to be translucent in his first attempt ¨C he says and I smile proud of myself ¨C Well, now let us go to meet ¡°our¡± protected one.

    As soon as he finishes speaking he picks up momentum and flies again, the difference is that now he flies lower, a little above the humans¡¯ heads. I put my sword on my waist and follow him.

    It doesn¡¯t take long and we reach our destination, different from the first time, we didn¡¯t go to the hospital, wended in front of a small house, its walls are cream coloured. We go through the door, and in the living room the first thing we see is a child sitting ying with a doll, I look curious, who is this child? Her hair is dark brown with loose curls, she seems to be more or less one year old, but how? Yesterday I saw her being born!

    ¨C Is this ytime!? ¨C I see the blonde haired woman appear, her appearance is tired and bad It¡¯s not enough to be defective! ¨C she ignorantly takes the doll from the girl¡¯s hand and throws it on the floor, holds the child¡¯s arm and leaves dragging her along the corridor.

    I stare at that scene.

    ¨C Who is this child Zaniel? ¨C I ask without understanding anything of what I just saw.

    ¨C That¡¯s Elisa, don¡¯t you recognize her? ¨C he asks me with a raised eyebrow.

    ¨C But I saw her being born yesterday! Howe she¡¯s already that big! ¨C I ask incredulously.

    ¨C The time here is not like in paradise, Anael, one day for us there, is one year here ¨C my jaw drops to the floor with this information.

    ¨C And how are we going to go back and forth every day to paradise? ¨C I hope things don¡¯t get even worse.

 10

    ¨C When the day herees to an end at sunset, we recite correct words and the notes go directly to the lord¡¯s office ¨C Zaniel exins.

    Just positive gestures with my head, I should have attended the sses, it¡¯s horrible to be the tardy one and need the exnations of colleagues.

    Even though it¡¯s no longer my duty, I walk in the same direction Elisa¡¯s mother went. And upon arriving my eyes widen, is that a loving mother?

    An anger tries to settle in my being, but I control myself as much as possible, I don¡¯t want to be an angel bearer of shame in any way! I look with disgust at this scene:

    Elisa sitting under the table, with a container written her name, inside it contains leftovers of food, which seem to be from a couple of days ago, she is eating very fast, and her mother sitting on the table eating a nice piece of steak, with colored rice and sd, this woman is with her legs crossed, and with the leg that is on top is giving light kicks in the shoulder of the girl.

    I feel my legs and hands move by themselves, I want to take my sword and cut the feet of this miserable mortal, but if I want to bag the sword because Zuiel appears holding my shoulder.

    ¨C We cannot interfere, Anael ¨C how can he say that so calmly? Now I feel like using my sword on him too!

    I take a deep breath, even against my will, I know that reason is with him, all he can do is interfere in small acts generated by the human herself that end up putting her life at risk before the time, and note everything she does. Mine, on the other hand, is to only fight against the angels with ck wings. I feel my fingers trembling, I still can¡¯tpletely forget the scene I was subjected to by my brothers a year ago.

    ¨C Baby, I¡¯m home! ¨C a male voice fills the space inside this house.

    The woman at the same moment takes the girl from under the table and puts her sitting on herp, cuts small cubes of her steak, and with the tip of the fork takes one of the pieces and brings it to the girl¡¯s mouth, and at that exact moment the man enters the dining room and kisses his wife¡¯s mouth, then kisses Elisa¡¯s forehead that grabs him by the neck and leaves the mother¡¯sp going to her father¡¯s.

    ¡°At least one of them knows the true love for his son¡± ¨C I think and again I look with disgust at the owner of that blond wig.

    ¨C How was your day my little one? ¨C she asks, taking a te and putting the food that is inside the pans on the cooker.

    ¨C Tatarun tatatuntibu ¨C Elisa doesn¡¯t say a word that makes sense, and the human justughs with these strange sounds she makes, frowning at them that entered in a conversation in which only one makes sense.

    ¨C She can¡¯t talk yet, she¡¯s too little ¨C Zaniel once again enlightens me on how things work here.

    Now that everything makes more sense, I watch the scene with grace. Elisa¡¯s father sits at the table, and still with the child in hisp he begins to eat, I notice that Elisa¡¯s mouth fills with water, ¡°she must be so hungry¡± ¨C I am sad with my conclusion.

    ¨C Do you want some, child? ¨C a spark of hope ignites.

    But it doesn¡¯t take long for it to go out, the woman gets up from her seat and raises her arms for Elisa to return to herp.

    ¨C She¡¯s already had dinner darling, so she¡¯ll end up turning into a ball ¨C she says smiling.

    Elisa hugs her father tight, some tearse out of her eyes and these gestures make it clear that she does not want to go to her mother, I see the smile disappearing from her face at the same time.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¨C You can go to sleep my love, let me and her kill a little bit of nostalgia, when I finish I¡¯ll put her to sleep, okay? ¨C the man speaks gently to his wife.

    ¨C Okay, but make sure it doesn¡¯t take long, I also miss my husband ¨C he says smiling again and leaves them alone.

    ¨C Here my child, call your mother no, you always look beautiful my girl ¨C he kisses once more Elisa¡¯s forehead.

    By the way, this human of small stature is the owner of a big heart, pity that he doesn¡¯t see the cruelties that his wife makes with the child, and that stresses me a lot!

    It¡¯s one bite in Elisa¡¯s mouth and another one in her father¡¯s, and it stays like this until they finish eating, the man goes to the fridge and picks up a jar of juice, then he goes to the cupboard and picks up two sses (a stic one for Elisa and another of ss), fills the sses and then he puts the jar inside the fridge again, and he does all this without taking Elisa out of hisp.

    ¨C Now let¡¯s brush our teeth.

    That said, they both leave the room and stop at the second door of the corridor, they make their mouth hygiene, and Elisaughs a lot, see herughing makes me with a feeling that I don¡¯t know how to exin, but it¡¯s a very good feeling.

    They finish and go to the first door in the corridor, I keep following them together with Zaniel, this room is very pretty, its walls are of pink colours, the cradle and the dressing-stand are white with several colored drawings.

    My¡­ Elisa¡¯s father, that¡¯s what I wanted to say, the human puts her lying in the cradle, she yawns and he wishes her good night, he leaves the room leaving the door leaning.

    I get closer to the cradle, she¡¯s such a beautiful child¡­ Her hair is ck and curly like her father¡¯s, her eyes are a honey brown so clear that¡­ I¡¯m surprised to notice her little eyes wide open looking in my direction, is she seeing me? Impossible! Surely she must be delirious, that is the only answer!

 11

    I move around, and his eyes follow me around the room, I can¡¯t believe it¡­. Hoe¡­ how¡­ I stop walking as I feel Zaniel¡¯s hand on my shoulder.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¨C She is a very sensitive baby, she must be feeling lonely, somehow she must have realized that you are her real guardian ¨C he says and I frown ¨C Realize that she can¡¯t see me, even though at the moment the role of guardian angel is mine, she didn¡¯t recognize me as such.

    I feel my brain boiling, she wasn¡¯t supposed to do that, now what? I don¡¯t want to be her guardian angel. But her eyes look at me in such a gentle way¡­ What beautiful eyes this child has, I feel calm looking at them¡­ I decide to leave her room, I can¡¯t go on otherwise I end up losing my position of warrior protector.

    I stand outside the corridor and the voices of Elisa¡¯s parents resounding through the door ahead, I cross it and observe the scene: Elisa¡¯s mother standing walking from one side to the other and her husband sitting on the bed with a tired face.

    ¨C Our daughter is like this because of you! You knocked her to the ground! If today she is a defective child¡­.

    ¨C She is perfect Marina! Don¡¯t ever say that about my daughter again! I know I made a mistake, an unforgivable mistake, but don¡¯t ever say that she is defective again! ¨C for the first time I hear this human raise the calm tone of his voice, his eyes fill with tears as he finishes his speech.

    ¨C Whether you ept it or not, our daughter can¡¯t even walk by herself! She constantly needs to lean on things even to stand up! Even though she is small you can already see the defect in her leg! ¨C I feel sad to hear about the consequences of her bad fall¡­

    ¨C She will get better! I saw the money and as soon as she turns two years old I will pay for all the necessary treatments¡­

    ¨C And how will you manage? Get another job? Get a loan at the bank? Will you sully your name even more? ¨C she says looking him up and down, I know I shouldn¡¯t, but I can¡¯t feel any good feeling for this human.

    ¨C It doesn¡¯t matter, I will manage, and from next month on we will have cuts in spending! ¨C she says firm in her decision.

    I watch the woman¡¯s eyes widen in disbelief, her face turns red and her nostrils grow wider, pulling the air into her lungs.

    ¨C We¡¯ve already spent almost nothing and you want to cut back? Are you going to leave me with nothing to wear and nothing to eat? Is that right George?

    ¨C Don¡¯t be dramatic, your wardrobe is packed with clothes, I hardly have room to put my four suits, two shorts and two shirts. And you only buy clothes from the most expensive brands¡­

    ¨C Quality brands, you mean ¨C I corrected him without the least bit of shame. Well, it¡¯s her daughter¡¯s treatment!

    ¨C No, I meant really expensive ones, with the money you spend on three dresses it¡¯s even more than you spend on shopping, and you don¡¯t let up when ites to choosing either.

    ¨C I just take what¡¯s best for us¡­

    ¨C From next month on, I won¡¯t have to choose the best, but the cheapest! No more buying more clothes, even more expensive ones, all the money left over from these cuts I will put in the bank and save it for Elisa¡¯s treatments and this conversation ends here! Have a good night ¨C the human lies down and turns his back to his wife.

    I see her snort andy down on her back too, I get closer to the man and see him crying, he must be very sorry¡­ I shake my head and stand outside the couple¡¯s room. Zaniel is beside Elisa¡¯s door, like a guard and not beside her as he should be.

    ¨C Why isn¡¯t he inside with the younger one? ¨C I asked, stopping beside him.

    ¨C Is it to tell the truth or to be convenient? ¨C I see his eye twitching.

    ¨C You know we are only allowed to tell the truth ¨C I say the obvious and again he rolls his eyes showing impatience.

    ¨C I wasn¡¯t created to be in there taking care of her, Anael, how do you think I¡¯m feeling? I really wanted to be fulfilling my purpose, holding a sword and protecting the human race, that is my duty ¨C he says and I see his eyes fall to the ground.

    Looking by this side, I shouldn¡¯t be here, angelic warrior protectors don¡¯t protect the only human, if they notice danger they go in defense of any one, however, we descend from the paradise as a pair, that is, each human has two angels for his protection, however if an angel warrior protector is in disadvantage the other of the same ss leaves the other human and goes in aid of the more necessary.

    I came to the human world, but I didn¡¯t bring anymunication equipment to know if any other angel needs my help, so nothing is left for me but to stay here with Zaniel.

    ¨C I have one more doubt¡­ ¨C I speak thoughtfully.

    ¨C And what would that be, Anael? ¨C I notice the impatience in your voice.

    ¨C If we do not return to paradise, then do we stay on earth until the human¡¯s life span is over? ¨C I ask, wrinkling my nose.

    ¨C We take time off, two recement angelse and stay for a while so we can rest, we go back to paradise and just stay there for a few hours so we can rx and replenish our food supply, at that, it¡¯s been two weeks here in this world.

    ¨C What a break mix¡­. ¨C I can¡¯tplete the sentence because the sound of something hard hitting the floor and a loud cry fills the whole enclosure, a shiver goes up my spine, I hold my breath.

    Without thinking twice I cross the bedroom door and look with open eyes to the scene in front of me: Elisa is lying face down on the floor, with her hands she covers her eyes, a puddle of blood is on her head and it increases with each drop that drips from her forehead. I shudder, this red colour makes my mind go back to the past, but I shake my head to keep such bad memories away, that blood was not important, this one is and very important!

    I notice Suriel behind me, I clench my hands into fists and control myself as much as I can not to draw my sword against a brother of honour.

    ¨C You should be by her side to avoid this! ¨C I speak between teeth, I don¡¯t want the feeling of anger to dominate my body.

    He says nothing, his gaze is cold to Elisa, and this is annoying me, he is her guardian? He should be the most worried inside this room.

    ¨C Children get hurt all the time here in this world ¡­. ¨C the door of the room is opened and the girl¡¯s father appears interrupting Zaniel¡¯s speech.

    ¨C My daughter, what happened? ¨C he kneels down next to her and lifts her from the floor, holding her in his arms.

    ¨C What happened to Elisa, George? ¨C the human appears at the door yawning.

    ¨C I think she fell out of the cradle and hit her head, she¡¯s bleeding a lot, we have to take her to the doctor! ¨C says taking herself with Elisa in herp.

    ¨C Take her bag here ¨C she goes to the baby¡¯s closet and takes the bag ¨C I will clean this blood and her cot for when youe back ¨C she says and leaves inside the room.

    ¨C As you wish¡­ ¨C he speaks very softly, puts the bag on his shoulder and leaves inside the house.

    Zaniel and I follow him out, he get in the car and put Elisa in the car seat, get back to the driver seat and start the car to the hospital, I open my wings and start to fly following the car.

 12

    ¨C Look, it was nothing serious, we bandaged her head, but we did some tests and she iscking many vitamins, that¡¯s why she fainted after having her head bandaged ¨C together with the human I attentively listen to each word said by the doctor.

    ¨C Thank you doctor, I was desperate, seeing her in that pool of blood made my heart freeze ¨C ¡°it was not only your human¡± ¨C Iment in thought.

    Elisa is lying in the stretcher, we are in a public hospital, but it was a great service, and thanks to you she doesn¡¯t run any risk of life and that makes me relieved. I let my shoulders slump tiredly, being worried is very tiring.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¨C I advise you to buy some vitamins and more fruit for the little one¡¯s diet ¨C the doctor says as he writes down the name of the vitamins on a piece of paper.

    ¨C I will provide them ¨C he says finally, taking the prescription from the doctor¡¯s hand.

    The human picks Elisa and goes out of the hospital, Zaniel and I follow him. I¡¯m still upset with his disregard, but better to let it go, she doesn¡¯t run any risk of life anymore. George arranges the girl in her car seat, kisses her forehead and smoothes her little face, his gaze transmits so much love, I¡¯m happy that she has such a loving father. Soon he goes to the driver¡¯s seat, this time I got in the car too, I sat on one side of Elisa and Zaniel sat on the other.  Elisa¡¯s father¡¯s guardian angel is sitting in the front seat. I cannot see him, he hides his presence, but I know he is there, I can only see Zaniel because we are partners.

    ¨C Forgive me my child, forgive me ¨C his voice quavers with the tears that fall in his eyes ¨C Y.. you are only in this situation because of me, if I had not made the mistake of putting someone else¡¯s health ahead of you today you would not be suffering like this. ¨C I feelpassion for this man¡¯s regret, his words are sincere ¨C I¡¯m such an idiot! How could I knock my own daughter to the ground? ¨C he takes one of his hands off the wheel and gives her a strong p on the head ¨C But I promise you, I¡¯ll do everything so you can have a normal life, I¡¯ll find a way to pay for your treatment¡­.

    ¡°Boompppp¡± A cares in the wrong way, its headlights are too high, George didn¡¯t have time to react and the two cars collide, and this collision makes his car overturn and only stop when it hits porte, however my only concern is Elisa, I look to the side and I don¡¯t see Zaniel, where is he? Elisa is now awake and crying a lot, I did everything I could for her not to get hurt, but the carriage almost went through her body, it stopped glued on her arm leaving it well bruised and bleeding. ¡°At least she¡¯s not risking her life¡±- I sigh relieved.

    I look to the front part and see that everything is broken, the human body was thrown out of the car, I look in his direction he is unconscious, his arms and legs are broken and you can see the bone. I feel my stomach turn, the puddle of blood underneath him only grows, I feel my heart miss a beat, tears want toe out, but I don¡¯t allow, I look onest time to Elisa, I can¡¯t leave her feeling so much pain, I concentrate on the palm of my hand and I pass on her arm stopping the bleeding, then I get out of the car, I want to see where Zaniel is, the job of protecting her is his, and once again he is not here for her, and this is really pissing me off.

    I get out of the car and feel my eyes widen and shiver in front of the scene: Zaniel is with the sword that only now I missed my waist, he is fighting against three fallen, and he is not losing, he seems to dance in the battle, the fallen are desperate going up to him but he calmly pulls the wings of the enemies and blood sprays everywhere. I feel my bones tremble, even though I have trained hard I could never do what Zaniel does in battle. My mouth goes dry, my fingertips freeze, the feeling of Dejavu is present, and to see it all again makes my stomach churn.

    ¨C Anael, watch out! ¨C Zaniel shouts towards me after eliminating the enemies.

    I feel again the slow motion sensation, I look back and a fallen angel is on top of me with his sword almost hitting me, I try to run but I can¡¯t be fast enough, feel the sharp de of the enemy severing my right wing, it was surreal, see it fall on the ground made everything around me freeze, I feel my knees weaken and they fall on the ground, I can¡¯t hold my tears, the pain on my back is too much, I feel every muscle miss andin about the lost wing.

    AHHHHHHHHH ¨C I scream as loud and strong as possible.

    Again the fallen angeles towards me, this time he tries to rip my head off, but Zaniel¡¯s sword defends me, I turn my face to the ground and again I squirm in pain, my tears fall incessantly.

    ¡°wiii ¨C wooo ¨C wiii ¨C wooo¡± This loud and shrill sound catches my attention, I look and see policemen and paramedicsing out of some brightly coloured cars. The paramedics are divided in two groups, one goes to Elisa¡¯s father and the other goes to see what¡¯s inside the car. the cops are taking care of the other young people that were on the wrong side of the road and caused the ident, none of them is seriously hurt, and that makes me even more angry, my poor girl is there all hurt while they are drunk and fine!

    I try to get up, but the hallucinating pain makes me weak again, Zaniel takes my arm and passes it through his neck.

    ¨C You need to get back to paradise now!  ¨C he says as he flies with me away from Elisa.

    ¨C No¡­ Elisa¡­ Elisa el¡­ a can¡¯t¡­ ¨C the darkness is weighing on my eyes, not allowing me to finish the sentence.

    ¨C She¡¯ll be fine, I need you now to just get back, before the humans notice you!

    That¡¯s all I hear before I close my eyespletely.

 13

    [ vision of lord Jairfin]

    Creating the humans, apetition dream realized, I created them in my image and likeness, at first I made them just to not be behind the other gods, it felt bad me seeing everyone having their creatures and being worshipped and me having only my angels. My humans are my work of art, with them I was ahead of all the other gods. I made them fragile but charming and gentle, this made them gain the attention of the whole universe.

    Everything was going well, every day I talked to them, taught them, walked with them. Even I, being their creator, found them thought-provoking, they adored me but questioned me; unlike the angels, who follow my instructions without saying the ¡°a¡± of questioning. I loved talking to them, they were such pleasantpany.

    However, things went awry, what was perfect, loving, sensitive, fell intoplete disrepair. My creation turned away from me, I set only a few simple rules, never put another god in my ce, and never cohabit with another being other than the same of their kind. They broke those rules, my precious humans were ruined. A god from universe eight disguised himself as a human and without my angels noticing came through the portal and invaded earth. He cohabited with two of my daughters and this spawned four demigods. I am constantly watching my children, but this time I was in a meeting, they wanted to buy my humans, and I clearly did not ept, this generated much discussion, and while I brandished against other gods, this bastard took advantage and ruined my masterpiece.

    A will never felt by me before passed from my heart, unfortunately I only noticed what had happened when they went to give birth and died in childbirth. Death was a thing that didn¡¯t exist, I didn¡¯t create any of them to die, the souls of my daughters went straight to universe ten (they take care of the dead), the children were born too big and shined too muchpared to humans, these babies were twenty times bigger than the newborns.

    When I found out who it belonged to I dered war against universe eight, and my angels supported me as expected of them, they always obey without even contesting anything.

    ¨C It¡¯s no use Jairfin! Give me my children! This war will never end! Can¡¯t you see that!? Are you that stale already, you old god? ¨C He mocked me while demanding his children.

    ¨C The old fool, you poorly developed god project, will teach you how good it is to y with the lives of others! ¨C I dered, driven by pure rage.

    This fightsted for years on end, but unfortunately as I created he also created and this war did not have a winner, the council of the gods forced us to enter into an agreement, which I could not do, so my condition was only that wherever I was I did not want to see his face, what he did was very disrespectful and I am not obliged to have to put up with such an affront.

    ¨C You will not give any punishment to Jairfin!? He burnt my children alive! He killed the children of a god from another universe! ¨C the blueprint of god shouted.

    ¨C You killed two living beings from universe seven, you deceived and took advantage of innocent beings, you deserve punishment and it was the execution of these two aberrations ¨C the council leader firmly decreed.

    The war hase to an end, I couldn¡¯t kill this god, but I managed to avenge myself, today he knows that he shouldn¡¯t mess with me anymore, my appearance may be that of an old man, but there¡¯s nothing old about me, I like to keep this appearance, however, I can acquire the appearance that I most desire.

    To the humans, thanks to the error of two, they all pay until today, death has settled where should be paradise on earth, I expelled them from my garden and made them have to make their own sweat, they would have to manufacture their own food, their own clothing with their hands, once delicate and now full of calluses.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.

    However, I did not count on everything that happened as the story unfolded, I imagined that they woulde back begging me for forgiveness, pleading for clemency, but no, their hearts were filled with pride and arrogance, they moved further and further away from me, some did not even believe in my existence anymore. This makes me sad, but I love them too much. It hurts me to see one son killing another, andmenting on various crimes against his own brother.

    Some days ago, an angel started to instigate me almost as much as the humans, Anael, he unlike the others, didn¡¯t want to go against my will, but refused to simply ept and questioned me. Talking to him was quite interesting.

    Did I make a mistake when I created him? ¨C I ask myself while observing the whole ident that has just happened.

    Fallen angels influenced a very serious ident to the protection of Anael, I give me see the oue of this story, but would not interfere, choices have consequences, these young people chose to get drunk and go driving. And unfortunately in this world of sin, the innocent ends up paying the duck. ¨C I think that¡¯s how the expression used by humans is.

    Seeing the fallen one cut Anael¡¯s wing my heart ached to hear his cry of pain, I know he has traumas with blood, I always knew he would never be able to protect himself and the humans using a sword, the best for him is that he was only protector of one. But he didn¡¯t want to ept it, he despised my masterpiece, he even suggested that I should eliminate them and create others. Cheeky angel, but I liked his interaction with me, despite thinking so, in no moment hecked respect.

    Observing him on this first day, made me question if he really should be an angel, but I will wait to see how this story unfolds. Zaniel utters the enchanted words, and then I call:

    ¨C Suriel ¨C I call him and in less than three minutes he knocks on my office door.

    ¨C What can I do for you, sir? ¨C he asks while bowing.

    ¨C Prepare the wings recovery room, Anael had his wing cut off, I will go now to get him at the portal and establish another angel to pair with Zaniel and protect Elisa ¨C I order and so he does.

    I throw the cloth over my dimensional window and snap my fingers going straight to the portal waiting for Anael.

    I feel that the story of this angel with this human will still have a lot to talk about.

 14

    (Elisa¡¯s vision)

    < Seven years after the ident ( seven days in paradise) >

    The sun is shining brightly today, I keep watching the children running and having fun in the park, theyugh and jump all the time¡­.

    ¨C What are you doing out here girl? ¨C my mother pulls me by the arm and drags me inside the house.

    I feel the tears wanting toe out heavy from my eyes, I was just watching the other children ying in the yground that is in front of our house¡­ I never went there, nor have I ever tried to ask my mum, she always yells at me even when I don¡¯t do anything.

    ¡°Biff¡± I can no longer control the tears as I feel the right side of my face burn, a sharp p was pped across my face.

    ¨C Who gave you permission to leave the room!? ¨C She says very angry ¨C Besides forcing me to see you every day, now she also wants to disturb and scare the other children who are normal? ¨C She questions me while throwing me inside the room ¨C If you disobey me again, this will not remain only in the pping, you defective girl!

    ¡°Back¡± She closes the door with a lot of violence and that scares me, I curl up on the floor and start to cry, I am sure that today I will stay without dinner¡­. Just like yesterday¡­.

    What did I do that my mother hates me so much? Is it because of my imperfection? No matter what I do¡­ I always end up getting beaten and crying.

    < five yearster (thirteen days Anael in paradise) >

    I look at myself one more time in the mirror, smiled with what I see, two days ago ady owner of a bazaar gave me a beautiful dress, it is white, its details are in blue flowers, she also gave me blue colored trainers to match, and to close the look, she gave me a hair broxe. She heard about the social at school, I have nothing but trousers and blouses, old and torn dresses to wear; unlike my mother, all her clothes are beautiful, new and very expensive.

    On my tenth birthday, my mother for the first time gave me a birthday present, and it was well¡­ A present I use every day¡­ That¡¯s right, a crutch. This facilitated my lotion, but I still feel all the looks on me, and this every day lowers even more my already low self esteem.

    I stop admiring myself when I hear the sound of my bedroom door opening and my mother appears smoking her cigarette.

    ¨C Where did you get these clothes and trainers girl? ¨C she asks looking me up and down.

    ¨C Mrs. Jonanes gave it to me as a present? ¨C I speak low, I don¡¯t want to continue this conversation.

    ¨C How funny thisdy, trying to put some beauty into this disgrace of yours ¨C I feel her words hurting my heart ¨C You should see yourself, you are ugly, defective¡­

    ¨C That¡¯s enough, please ¨C I ask with my voice embarrassed by crying.

    I feel the air missing in my lungs. She has just pped me hard on my back, the soundes muffled in my tyanos, I can¡¯t hold back the tears¡­

    ¨C Don¡¯t you ever interrupt me again, you bitch! Don¡¯t forget who¡¯s in charge here! ¨C gives me another p on the back, but not as strong as the first one ¨C I¡¯ll be nice and let it go this time, now don¡¯t get in the way of your normal colleagues¡¯ eyes!

    She finally leaves the room mming the door as usual. I can¡¯t hold back the tears, I lean against the wall and slide to the floor, hugging my knees and putting all my pain in tears, they are my best bells, no matter how many I shed they always had more and more.

    After a few minutes I take a deep breath and calm down, I lean on my crutch and go to the bathroom, I wash my face, I have never worn any kind of makeup, I am in my natural state, my eyes are puffy and red. After wiping my face I go back to my room, get my backpack on the bed, and go to school.

    The school is beautiful, the decoration is as impable as possible, the theme chosen by the teacher is ssics, or seventies.

    ¨C Do you want to dance? ¨C one of the boys from my ss calls me.

    Nobody ever wanted to talk to me, why does he want to dance with me? And my crutch, it will get in the way, here it is full of beautiful and normal girls¡­

    ¨C I don¡¯t know how to dance, and my crutch would get in the way ¨C I speak and try to move away.

    ¨C Don¡¯t worry, you can lean on mine and leave your crutch there leaning against the wall,¡± he says smiling.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    I look at him carefully, he is quite handsome, curly blond hair, ck eyes and dark skin, is much taller than me, and just by his appearance I know there must be several girls behind him. I take a deep breath, maybe he just wants to make a charity, I never refused any help, it will not be now that I will refuse.

    ¨C All right ¨C I ept the invitation and leave my crutch where he suggests.

    I walk with a limp supported by his arm, we go to the centre of the hall, he passes his free arm around my waist.

    ¨C Two steps at a time ¨C he says as he guides me around the room.

    Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t learn at first, and to add to my misfortune, when I identally stepped on his foot, he shouted and threw me to the ground, I fell on my ass.

    ¨C Your mother said you were aplete disgrace! An imperfect woman without the slightest ss! ¨C he says and everyone aroundughs at me.

    I try to get up, but it is very difficult without my crutch and it is even moreplicated because now they have started to throw sprays at me.

    Tears once again keep mepany. I get home from school and see my mother smoking on the bench in front of the school. I pretend that I didn¡¯t see it, and in tears I go home.

 15

    Who would have thought it, and there I was, begging you to let me at least pay a visit to ¡°my¡± prot¨¦g¨¦.

    ¨C Anael, you¡¯re notpletely recovered yet ¨C says the man leaning his chin on his hands. I take a deep breath.

    I know I am not recovered yet, as soon as I arrived back in paradise, the lord himself came to my rescue, with his power he stopped the bleeding and with just a snap of his fingers we went to the recovery room. Suriel was already there, I saw the concern in her eyes.

    The lord took me inside, the room waspletely white, but the mes were blue, I remembered my birthce, there the mes were red¡­. I worried¡­ ¡°Will I have to go through the wings ceremony again? Or worse¡­ Will I go capenary of a wing?¡± ¨C I¡¯m almost out of my mind in thought.

    ¨C Calm down my son, neither and neither is the other ¨C the lord speaks into my subconscious.

    I feel my breathing and my heartbeat slowly return to normal.

    ¨C In this room your wounds will be healed, and it will take some time for your wings to grow back, this room will also help your body to forget the trauma experienced there on earth ¨C he exined andid me down on the warm floor.

    My wrist and my thorax don¡¯t even have scars anymore, the traumas that I suffered that day are not part of my body anymore, the only thing that is really leaving me disabled is my wing, it still needs some more days, it is very small, so I am with a normal wing and a miniature wing (it even reminds me of Elisa¡­ Unfortunately she also has something bigger than the other)

    ¡°I wonder how she looks now?¡± ¨C I wonder as I walk back and forth in the lord¡¯s office, I know that a day here is equivalent to a year there¡­. I¡¯ve been in recovery for seventeen days now¡­. That is to say¡­ It¡¯s been seventeen years since Ist saw her¡­. ¡°She must be so big¡± ¨C she smiled and I try to imagine her in this new phase of her life.

    I never thought, that I would want so much to go back to earth, I still don¡¯t like it there, humans don¡¯t see anything beyond their own navel. But Elisa¡¯s father¡­ He had a huge heart¡­ I heard that he didn¡¯t resist the ident, his soul was collected and taken to the universe 6, where the good creatures that died from all the universes go. There it¡¯s like a paradise for humans who deserve it.

    In these fifteen days that I spent locked in that room, I thought a lot, although not all of them really deserve there are still some that are worth protecting, and Elisa is worth, she is worth a lot, I want to protect her, I feel that for her I am capable of giving my life!

    ¡°I wonder what her life is like now without her father¡¯s love? Has her mother fulfilled herte husband¡¯s wish? Has she put the girl up for treatment?¡± ¨C there are so many questions and so many worries that I cannot hide my features.

    ¨C Look Anael, I will allow you to see her today¡­. ¨C I cannot hide the huge smile that forms on my face ¨C But it will have to be fast, you cannot stop her recovery, do you understand?Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¨C Yes sir, I can¡¯t thank you enough for all that you do for me ¨C I am really grateful, without you I probably would have been the first angel tomit suicide? After what my colleagues did, it was difficult for me to get out of the sadness, but I got out thanks to you.

    ¨C Here, here is your authorization ¨C he hands me the paper and I take it ¨C Be careful Anael, things may not be pleasant ¨C and then you disappeared from your chair.

    I wonder what he meant by that? I don¡¯t care, the important thing is that I will see her and check the work of the substitute angel.

    Unfortunately I can¡¯t fly with my wings like that, and the way to the portal is so long¡­

    ¨C Do you want help, Anael? ¨C I look in the direction of the voice and Suriel smiles at me.

    ¨C If you don¡¯t mind carrying this wingless angel ¨C I speak in an amused tone, I am happy, I will be able to see my girl, the girl who changed my point of view. The girl who came into my life.

    ¨C Finally you epted your mission, I am very proud of you! ¨C he says as he passes his two arms under mine and so begins to fly taking me along.

    ¨C I had to see with my own eyes that there really are still human beings worth protecting ¨C I speak sincerely, but for me, the only human being worth protecting is Elisa, no one else.

    We fly for about three minutes, Suriel pauses in front of the portal.

    ¨C Do you want me to go with you? ¨C he asks, I know he is worried because of my current asal condition.

    I think a little, really, I have never walked on earth, probably walking alone it will take me a long time to find her house.

    ¨C Yes I want to, coach ¨C I give him a grateful look.

    I hand the guardians the permission and together (me and Suriel). Sometimes I forget that Suriel has powers, I thought it would be the same when I came with Zaniel, but no, we already appear inside her room.

    She is sleeping, I observe her room. Surely it¡¯s the same as seventeen years ago, but the colours are worn out and the paint ising loose from the walls. Her wardrobe, which used to be pretty, is now all pretty and decorated, but now there is only an old blue dresser.

    I approach her bed and watch her sleep, her face is so serene, she is so different, her nose is thinner and her mouth is in the shape of a heart, her hair is tied, but by the size of the bun I imagine that they are huge. She breathes and I turn away.

    I approach her dresser and see a notebook on top of it, my curiosity is enormous, I can¡¯t resist and open it. The desire to cry is enormous¡­ This notebook is a diary, it contains everything that other people have done to her during her life and how she feels, here she calls herself ugly, defective, a freak¡­ Everything her father didn¡¯t want her to feel she is feeling¡­. My chest tightens¡­ I hold myself not to go after and not to hate each one of these people. I came out of my reveries hearing Elisa stretch out on the bed.

    ¨C Finally the fiona woke up ¨C the woman progenitor of Elisa appears opening abruptly the door.

    I watch Elisa sit up in bed and says nothing to defend herself, discreet tears fall from her eyes and my heart cries along with her.

    ¨C You are perfect! ¨C I speak and without wanting to let my presence escape, she hears me and looks in my direction, I freeze, I feel my blood freeze. Suriel quickly says the enchanted words and we return to paradise.

    ¨C I am sorry¡­ pa ¨C I speak low¡­ I broke a rule¡­

    I observe Suriel sighing.

    ¨C Let us talk to the lord.

    And so we go on to the pce.

 16

    During the way to the lord¡¯s pce, I kept thinking all the time about Elisa, she has be a beautiful woman, her mother¡¯s Persian being that piece of trash, the features inherited in Elisa are delicate and beautiful.

    ¡°I wonder what her smile is like these days? I wonder if it is still as beautiful as it was when she was a baby?¡± ¨C she smiled at that thought.

    ¨C The girl has grown up ¨C I hear the gentleman¡¯s voice in my subconscious, he already knows what happened.

    I am in a way, a bit scared. I have never in my life broken rules¡­. Right¡­ I¡¯ve gone against your wishes¡­ But I¡¯ve never actually broken any rules.

    ¡°I hope I¡¯m not chipped!¡± ¨C I think and sigh.

    Despite not being allowed to use the portal like Coach Suriel does, I have some advantages, I can read things just by touching, well¡­ All angels can do that, but I¡¯m d I can too, thanks to that I could know everything that was happening from her point of view¡­ She had such a cruel childhood¡­ Her mother is much worse than trash! She received pension and gave nothing to the girl, just used the money for herself and now without her husband always did whatever she wanted with the poor girl. Although Elisa¡¯s mother could afford it, she preferred to leave the girl living like a beggar needing thepassion of other people.

    My heart hurt to see all the suffering that she went through, surely her father must suffer so much in the other universe, despite being in paradise, her most precious asset is on earth and was being mistreated. I hold myself not to feel anger also from my substitute, he could have avoided some situations¡­ But he did nothing! He just watched! I take a deep breath again, I need to control myself¡­ I don¡¯t want to get my wings ck.

    I could not see his growth¡­ I could not be at your side¡­. I failed as her angel¡­ And now she¡¯s a woman, a beautiful woman, I¡¯ve never seen beauty more radiant than this girl, even paradise is on the slippery slope whenpared to her, so perfect.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    When I least expect it I am in front of the pce of the Lord, the official guardian angels open the big golden gate and we enter. We follow the white stairs and corridors in gold and silver details, the precious stones also adorned.

    I feel my heart beating faster, I press one hand to the other and hold my breath as I reach the front of his office.

    ¨C You maye in! ¨C he says softly.

    Suriel opens the gold-ted wooden doors and gives me space. I enter and the gentleman is looking at me, I lower my head and hear the door close behind me. I feel my fingers freezing, my body is tense, I hope that my mistake doesn¡¯t le¡­

    ¨C Anael couldn¡¯t control himself to see his prot¨¦g¨¦ being verbally attacked by his mother and ended up showing his presence and Elisa saw him ¨C amazing how Suriel speaks exactly what happened, without favoring any of the sides.

    Even ashamed, I raise my head and see the lord smiling, ¡°why is he smiling? I broke his rule!¡± ¨C I ask myself and hope I am not frowning.

    ¨C Today it will be her graduation, Anael, she despite all that she has lived she managed to graduate from high school and with the coboration of the people who sympathized with her, she will be able to go to the graduation like all the others ¨C as soon as he finishes speaking I cannot hide my smile of joy and satisfaction, how proud of my girl!

    I wish I could go and see her¡­ At least at this moment I wanted to be by her side, celebrating her conquest.

    ¨C You have permission to go Anael, don¡¯t worry, I know exactly how you feel, my son ¨C she speaks and my heart jumps for joy, I feel kind of anxious to go back there and see her in her moment.

    ¨C Thank you sir¡­. Thank you very much ¨C even if I said a thousand thanks it wouldn¡¯t be enough to show my gratitude.

    ¨C You better hurry up, otherwise you will miss the time ¨C he says smiling ¨C Take him Suriel, if you don¡¯t want to watch you cane back.

    That said he turns his attention to the papers on his desk.

    I look at Suriel and he also smiles at me, the gentleman snaps his fingers and both Suriel and I are already in front of the portal. We cross over and stop at the graduation ceremony.

    I look at everything around me, the walls are of grey colours, there are blue curtains all over the walls, in front there is a stage, several chairs. I look to the side where the graduates are and I realize that everyone has a date (either the mother or the father on the side) but my poor Elisa has no one. That makes me sad.

    A music starts to y, the parallel conversations stop, all the trainees start walking in a unanimous way. I observe Elisa walking on her stretcher, she looks so beautiful, she is dressed in a blue dress with thin straps, its length is long and goes down to her feet. Her hair is loose and cascades down her back, her wavy brown strands are so perfect. I can¡¯t take my eyes off her. I go to the front of the audience and watch the whole thing.

    [Elisa¡¯s Vision]

    shes of the countless cameras make me blink my eyes, after much struggle I finally manage to graduate from high school, and thanks to heaven I already have my ce in college guaranteed.

    It makes me sad to see all my colleagues hugging their families,ughing and celebrating together their achievements, I wish I had my father here with me, I know I live only one year with him, and even though it seems impossible, I have memories with him, and in all of them he smiles at me, I feel his love I also have very vague memories of another man, I don¡¯t know who he is, I only saw him once, but I remember that his hair is ck and his eyes were the colour brown, but I feel somehow that this was not the real colour. I wonder if he was wearing a lens. ¨C I sigh and let my shoulders slump defeated, I always wondered who he was but I never saw him again unfortunately.

    I sigh defeated once again, my mother didn¡¯t want toe¡­. I feel lonely, she never showed any love for me¡­. It wouldn¡¯t be any different now.

    I am thest in line, but that doesn¡¯t matter, at the time of the call it will be made in alphabetical order and I am the fifth in the order.

    I sit on my chair and wait my name to be called patiently, I watch the father or mother give the diploma to the graduate and I feel my heart sad? My turn arrives, I take my diploma, unfortunately I don¡¯t have anyone special to give me and wish me congrattions, two teachers hug me, but I know that this is only a way to console me, smiled anyway.  I walk off the stage, when it is time to go down the stairs I have a little difficulty because of the crutch, but I manage to go down without rolling down the stairs.

    In elementary school as well as in high school I always suffered bullying. ¡°Ah, the defective one¡± ¨C the children used to say when I entered the ssroom with my crutch. ¡°I don¡¯t want to make a team with that missing leg, she¡¯s sure to want to lean on it and make excuses not to do anything and get free points¡± ¨C I always heard jokes like that in high school.

    This morning, unfortunately, my mother treated me no differently, she was rude and hostile, she didn¡¯t congratte me or anything, her lines this morning were exactly:

    ¨C As soon as you turn eighteen I want you out of this house! ¨C I could feel the hatred in every word.

    Next year when I¡¯ll be of age, the pension will be deposited directly into my ount, because I¡¯ve started college, otherwise I would have finished this year. Your words hurt me, but I stopped giving so much importance, I know that I will never have your love and I¡¯m tired of trying to conquer it. With this money I won¡¯t have to look for a job while I go to college, then I can do my treatment and walk without the help of this crutch.

    I take a deep breath, I wish I could celebrate and go somewhere to eat, but besides not having anyone, I have no money. Very slowly I walk to a square, it is exactly ten o¡¯clock at night, it is very empty, I don¡¯t feel afraid, nobody wants to get close to a defective person like me. I sit on one of the benches, I look at my diploma in my hands and my bestpanions again appear and overflow in my eyes.

    The wind blows cold, I didn¡¯t bring any coat, I hug myself in my own arms and copse some more in tears.

    ¨C It hurts me so much to be just scorned I have no one to look at me with love, all I see in the eyes of good people is just pity¡­. And I hate that¡­ It¡¯s so bad not being able to help anyone and always depend on the help of strangers, not having anyone even to talk¡­ To get it off my chest¡­ I feel so tired, the weight on my back is so big¡­ ¨C I tighten even more feeling so helpless, the tears fall so painful ¨C I wanted so much to know how is to be embraced¡­ To receive affection, I wanted so much to see him again¡­

    I feel strong arms surround me, I feel tears that are not mine fall warm on my shoulder, I hold my breath and slowly look away.

 17

    [ Elisa¡¯s Vision ]

    The feeling of being embraced is something unknown to me, all my life I received only contempt from the one who should love me the most, she never even smiled at me. The only times she touched me was to hurt my body¡­ Defective. But atst, I feel my muscles tense, slowly I turn my head to see whose are those strong arms and those warm tears, my eyes widen and shudder¡­ There¡¯s no one there¡­. I¡¯m going crazy¡­. There¡¯s absolutely no one by my side¡­. But still I feel strong arms embrace me in a warm hug.

    ¨C If you close your eyes tightly and concentrate only on me, when you open them, you will be able to see me ¨C what a husky and good-sounding voice entrances my tipanos.

    I hold my breath and so I do, I close my eyes tightly, in my mindes the image of that man I saw only once many years ago. My heart races, anxiety is present and my fingertips freeze. I repeat that sentence several times and concentrate well, little by little I open my eyes and I find the most beautiful man in the world.

    It¡¯s him! I¡¯m sure of it! I knew his eyes weren¡¯t brown, they were so intense blue. My eyes water again, I can¡¯t control myself and my arm tightly tighten, how good it feels to hug and be hugged. I know I don¡¯t know him, but I like his presence and I know I can trust him. I feel something poking my arm, I look to see what it is and at that I see the wings on his back, one is bigger than the other. ¡°Could it be that he just like me is imperfect?¡± ¨C I ask myself mentally while slowly undoing our hug.

    ¨C Y¡­ you are my angel ¨C I affirm without taking my eyes away from him, your indigo blue is so perfect, I can even imagine myself under a tree enjoying the beautiful sky ¨C I knew that you were not just a figment of my imagination, I always knew, I never doubted! What¡¯s your name?C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    Suddenly everything around me goes dark and thest thing I see are your beautiful and gentle eyes.

    [Anael¡¯s vision]

    During the ceremony I could see her joy mixed with the sadness in her eyes, I know she¡¯s feeling lonely, and seeing everyone having someone to celebrate and her is not horrible. I just can¡¯t say I know exactly what she¡¯s feeling because I¡¯ve always had Suriel and you. They have never left me alone and have always saved me.

    Seeing her crying like that¡­ For the first time I feel my heart breaking, the pain she carries is so much. The night is cold, the wind blows cold, she lets it out in the wind and her tears cut my chest, and moved more by impulse I can¡¯t resist and hug her.

    This time it is different, when she was little she could see me, however, she felt my embrace and also the tears that I shed together with her, feeling her whole body tense. So I don¡¯t resist and tell her what she needs to do to see me.

    And I was surprised by her reaction, she hugged me so tight, it was so true this affection. How I wish I could have spent all those years by her side. She fires off her lines and before she could interact even more with me I put her to sleep. She falls asleep on my chest. I smell her hair, it smells so good. Once again I hug her.

    ¨C Sorry coach¡­ ¨C I¡¯m not sorry, but I know I made another mistake ¨C Could you make her invisible too? I need to take her to your house, so she won¡¯t run any risk.

    ¨C Okay, Anael, I¡¯ll do it.

    I thank him with my look, when he leaves Elisa invisible for the other humans, I can see Zaniel and Luciel (my substitute). Zaniel¡¯s eyes widen when he sees me running my arms through the bend of Elisa¡¯s knees. I rest her head on my chest and start walking down the path that will lead us to her house.

    To feel her warm breath on my chest is good, to hold her in my arms is even better, I don¡¯t know how to describe exactly what it is that I¡¯m feeling, but it¡¯s like a feeling of possession. I wanted to stay by her side forever. This girl came into my life and made me like a human being, something that was impossible before I met her, because for me they were all despicable and futile, the further away I was, the better! But I don¡¯t want to get away from her.

    ¨C Why is Anael here, coach? He is still under treatment! ¨C I hear Zaniel questioning coach Suriel.

    ¨C Our Lord said that he coulde to see her in one of his conquests ¨C he speaks and sighs ¨C I didn¡¯t imagine that the feeling of protection in him could be so strong. I¡¯ve never seen a guardian angel stop his treatment just to witness a conquest of his prot¨¦g¨¦.

    ¨C I¡¯m d he opened his eyes and finally epted his purpose! ¨C now Luciel speaks. He knows everything that happened to me, he was also one of the punished because of me.

    Remembering this I feel like saying some truths to his face, today I am no longer that na?ve guy from before. And I¡¯m sure that he didn¡¯t avoid some of the sad situations that she had to live because she didn¡¯t like me. I¡¯m sure that his happiness is pure falsehood. I don¡¯t understand how his wings are no good!

    We walk for a few more minutes. I cross the front door and take her to her room, Iy her down on the bed and then cover her. I know that everyone is inside the room, but I don¡¯t care. I lean over Elisa and ce a kiss on her forehead. I look at her onest time and feel my heart beat faster. I sit down beside her on the bed and begin to speak softly:

    ¨C I need to go back to paradise now my girl, but I promise I will recover as soon as possible ande back to you! ¨C I say and again kiss her forehead.

    Taking from her bed and I look to where the others are and they all look at me with wide eyes. I don¡¯t understand why.

    ¨C We better go back now Anael ¨C Suriel says.

    ¨C It was very good to see you again Anael, I was worried, the other day was very hard ¨C Zaniel says and I smile to him. He saved me that day, if it wasn¡¯t for him, I would be dead.

    ¨C It¡¯s also very good to see you again Zaniel, thank you so much for defending me, I¡¯ll never forget what you did for me ¨C I said hugging him tightly. I feel his tears on my shoulder and tighten the hug more.

    ¨C I¡¯m sorry for all the wrong things I did to you back in heaven. I¡¯m really sorry Anael ¨C he speaks softly in my ear.

    I don¡¯t feel any more hurt for him, I know that today after having received his wings he is another angel and now does justice to his name.

    I undo and hug him and don¡¯t say anything to Luciel. Suriel speaks the words and I take onest look at Elisa before returning to paradise.

 18

    ¨C We have to go and talk to you, don¡¯t we? ¨C I ask Suriel with a low voice.

    I feel guilty, since my birth it appears that I live only to give work to you and Suriel¡­ I am the first angel to have traumas with blood, to dislike the masterpiece, to go against my purpose¡­ I feel bad.

    Elisa, I thought she would be just another human that when she grew up would be another despicable being, but no, she grew up and is still beautiful, inside too. In my diary I didn¡¯t see anything rted to hate, rancour or revenge feelings. I only read the facts that happened, the deep sadness and her dreams for the future.

    This girl came into my life and left me without a trace, all these days that I spent here were an eternity for me, unfortunately I could not be by her side these days (but for her, they were years), I did not follow her growth, but she did not leave my mind even for a second. If I were stronger, none of this would have happened, however I am weak and at this moment I am despising myself.

    I wish I could do more for her, I wish I could make her smile every day, I wish I could tear all that sadness out of her chest.

    ¨C No, you already know what happened and he is not angry. You can return to your treatment calmly Anael ¨C I breathe more relieved with your words ¨C Now I need to go back to my duties, see that you don¡¯t keep running away from the room.

    He warns me once more, it was easy to stay there in the first days, the trauma of losing a wing and almost being killed were huge, but after seven days inside, my body and mind were relieved of this suffering. Then came: worry. During three days I was walking from one side to the other, biting my nails, I really wanted to know how Elisa was¡­ The memories of her crying and bleeding made me anxious, so I always tried to run away to go see her, but Suriel always caught me and made me go back, so my fulgas were always failures.

    I walk slowly, I feel the smile on my face, even though I know Elisa is alone again, I am relieved to at least have been by her side in her moment of letting off steam. In spite of the situation, it was very good to have her in my arms, the feeling of protection seems to have increased.

    I have to be honest¡­ I wish I could have kissed your lips instead of your forehead. I know I shouldn¡¯t even think about it, but it was what I wanted. I don¡¯t know why, angels weren¡¯t created to feel that way¡­ much less with the most precious work of the Lord¡­

    ¡°I wonder if this was an act of betrayal!?¡± ¨C I ask myself mentally amazed.

    I don¡¯t want to betray you¡­ I don¡¯t want to have ck wings¡­ Yet I cannot control my thoughts as they turn to my little girl.

    I take a deep breath and shake my head, I go to some fruit trees, pick some apples and then go to the vines, pick two bunches of grapes and head to the recovery room. I won¡¯t leave there until I¡¯mpletely healed.

    [Elisa¡¯s vision]

    The sun enters through the window frame directly into my eyes making me wake up. I look around and find myself in my room.

    ¡°How did I end up here?¡± ¨C I ask myself with a frown and rub my eyes with the back of my hands.

    I search my mind, but the only thing I can remember are these words: ¡°If you close your eyes tightly, and concentrate only on me, when you open them you will be able to see me. I cannot remember where I heard them nor who said them to me. I only remember walking to the square and crying into the icy night wind.

    There are five days left of this year, and two weeks until Ie of age. I need to start looking for a house to rent, or else I need to apply for a housing allowance at college. But I can¡¯t put it off any longer, otherwise I¡¯ll be thrown out on the street without a trace of pity.

    I take a deep breath, get out of bed and with the help of my crutch go to the bathroom, do my personal hygiene and take a shower. I wish so much that my leg was not paralysed¡­ Having one leg thicker than the other is so bad, not being able to walk or sweep a house is so frustrating¡­

    ¡°How will it be from now on? Until I finish college I won¡¯t have anyone to take care of the room or the other things that my disability prevents me from doing¡± ¨C I shake my head to scare away those thoughts, now is not the time to think about negative things. I need to focus on the hope that the future will be better.

    I wrap myself in the towel and go back to the bedroom, I open theada drawer and get the best looking trousers, it is worn out, but among the other two, it is the best one, I lie down on the bed and get dressed, then I put on my bra that although it is broken, it hides the beaks of my breasts, I get a retada a little weak, but it is the best one I have, I put it on and tie my hair in a ponytail.

    I put on my cream-coloured trainers and slowly walk out of the house, I will try to see what is the best option: housing assistance or a rented room. But I also need to think about mymute, so if it¡¯s a room, I need it to be close to the campus.

    ********

    ¨C That¡¯s it, you are getting better every day! ¨C my physiotherapist says smiling.

    One year ago today I started college and my treatment. I did a lot of research and concluded that it would be better to live in a small room near the campus. With the pension I received from my father, I was able to hire a diarist to help me with the cleaning, and I have no problem paying for my treatments.

    In the beginning it was very difficult, I had to do a battery of tests, I had topletely change my diet and buy food supplements, vitamins and medicines.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Today is the day to celebrate, I finally managed to walk without the crutch, I¡¯m using a special shoe, it bnces my leg. And with all the exercises I did, little by little, I¡¯ve been recovering the movements of my legs, I¡¯m still not perfect, but I¡¯ve advanced a lot.

    ¨C Thank you Lyli. You were very important, your patience and kindness motivating me not to give up made all the difference.

    ¨C I want to see you happy with yourself! ¨C she says smiling gently.

    She smiles too; despite being at the university for a year now, I don¡¯t have any friends. I am excluded from groups just as I was at school and at college. I didn¡¯t suffer, I was already used to it, so the impact had no effect.

    I leave the hospital where I am being treated and walk slowly back to my room. I change clothes and lie down on the bed, closing my eyes.

    ¨C If you close your eyes tightly and concentrate only on me, when you open them you will be able to see me. What does it mean?

    My head is throbbing, I am trying at all costs to understand what this simple sentence means, and how do I know this sentence? Did someone say it to me? And if yes, who?

    I feel my eyes heavy, my body and mind are exhausted, today the exercises made me very tired. My eyes are slowly closing, I feel sleep taking me into the dark, but before I canpletely switch off my mind, this phrase is repeated once again in my subconscious.

 19

    I stretch my wings and fly out of the recovery room. Finally, I was confined inside for two whole days, without any break.

    I feel anxiety running through my whole body, I know that it¡¯s been two years for Elisa, a long time. But still I am dying of anxiety to see her.

    Flying to Suriel¡¯s room, I knock on the door of her office.

    ¨C You may enter ¨C he shouts from inside.

    I enter and greet him with a smile.

    ¨C Good morning my dear coach, how is your day? ¨C I ask as I sit in the chair in front of him.

    ¨C Good morning, Anael. Very good to see you excited like this, something tells me that this has to do with the earth, doesn¡¯t it?

    ¡°It has to do with Elisa!¡± ¨C I correct him in thought. I say nothing to him, I know he knows the realm of my joy, I just open my smile even wider.

    ¨C Who would say, the angel that used to run away from the sses now came personally to ask me the authorization toe back to earth ¨C he says leaving the papers on the table and looking at me ¨C I am happy, I knew that sooner orter the judgment would fall on your head and you would see that you do not fail.

    I agree with the coach, if it was about twenty-five days ago I would be averse to any idea where I was going down there on earth. But now, after this girl hase into my life, things have changed, I can¡¯t wait to see her again. I still don¡¯t like the earth, but for her, I feel able to even my life give.

    ¨C Do your best Anael, I am counting on you for Elisa¡¯s safety! ¨C she speaks and gives me the authorization.

    ¨C I will protect her with my life if it is necessary! ¨C I say convinced and I leave his room.

    I fly as fast as I can, how good it is to feel the wind beating strongly on my wings, literally flying freely is so good.

    I arrive at the portal and hand over the authorization, one of the guards looking at me tells me.

    ¨C You have to be careful,¡± I said, ¡°you have to be careful, you have to be careful, you have to be careful. And good luck Anael ¨C says Gaiel smiling at me.

    I smiled back and closing my eyes I go through the portal. I sniff the air and smell food. I open my eyes, Elisa¡¯s new house is very small, it seems that I¡¯m in her room, I pass through the open door and find the kitchen, she¡¯s standing on the cooker frying eggs I think. And she¡¯s not using her crutch, I¡¯m so happy to see her standing up and supporting herself on both legs.

    ¨C d you¡¯re back, now I¡¯ll be going ¨C the understudy says.

    ¨C Thank you ¨C I speak out of politeness, I have my doubts if he really did a good job.

    I watch a little more, she starts to hum a song that I don¡¯t know, but paying attention to the lyrics:

    ¡°Know that you were made for me

    So can you stop trying to hide?

    I wanna get it right this time

    Wasn¡¯t out looking fo¡¯ love

    But you came into my life

    So unexpectedly

    I thought I was in a dream

    Baby, is this real?

    The feelings that I feel?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s in love¡­ ¨C I feel my heart tighten in my chest ¨C My girl¡­. Why? And by whom? Wasn¡¯t to know that I was looking forward toe here¡­¡±

    Her voice sings so soft, the music is quite beautiful It came out of my resting ce when she stops singing and starts talking:

    ¨C Reynard Silva, what a beautiful song you made, you described me well now ¨C she gives a pause and turns off the cooker, I walk closer to her and see her close her eyes, and just moving her lips I see her repeat my words ¨C If you close your eyes well, and concentrate only on me, when you open them you will be able to see me.

    I can¡¯t show myself to her, I¡¯ve already broken too many rules.

    After about five seconds she opens her eyes and the disappointment in her gaze saddens me.

    ¨C I don¡¯t know why I still do it, it¡¯s been two years and nothing happens¡­ ¨C she puts her fried eggs inside the bread with sd.

    So¡­ Is she in love with me? It¡¯s not possible, she shouldn¡¯t even remember me¡­ But as soon as she sang the song she tried to see me¡­

    I feel my heart race and without wanting to, I feel a euphoria go up my spine, I¡¯m being loved, the foot of my belly freezes¡­ But what is this feeling, I do not know how to define, thinking about her makes me happy, I want to stay all the time by her side, feel her smell and be embraced. I want to have her only for me, but I don¡¯t know what is that¡­ And maybe I shouldn¡¯t even¡­

    ¡°Why is this happening to me?¡± ¨C I ask myself in distress, I don¡¯t know what to think, let alone what to do.

    ¨C Iai gat¡­ Why are you still wearing those clothes? ¨C a human enters the t and looks at my Elisa from head to toe.

    ¨C I won¡¯t feelfortable there, you know Joyce¡­ I¡¯m not very sociable ¨C Elisa says while biting her egg bread.

    ¨C But let¡¯s get our resumes today! It¡¯ll just be a celebration on the beach, it¡¯ll be a lot of fun, it¡¯ll be thest event we¡¯ll have with our college ssmates,¡± Joyce says, sitting down on her chair.

    ¨C Okay, I¡¯ll go, staying there for half an hour or so won¡¯t take a bite out of me ¨C she says tired.

    ¨C That¡¯s the spirit girl! ¨C blinks at her ¨C I brought it for you, it¡¯s my present, after graduation I¡¯ll leave and I want you to have something to remember me by.

    Joyce gives Elisa a bag, she takes it and inside it she takes out a blue dress, it doesn¡¯t have any ausas and it¡¯s very long. It will certainly look beautiful on my girl.

    ¨C Thank you Joyce, I will keep it with all affection, I¡¯m sorry, I did not buy anything for you, but I also want to give it to you! ¨C she says and gives her friend a hug.

    ¨C Go with her to the graduation, and don¡¯t forget the bikini. I¡¯ll wait for you there.

    She gets up and leaves Elisa¡¯s house. She hugs the package and goes back inside her room.

    ¨C The graduation will start at fourteen o¡¯clock in the afternoon, and it¡¯s still ten o¡¯clock in the morning, I¡¯ll spread some resumes to pass the time ¨C she says while she picks up her equipment and goes to the bed.

    ******

    ¨C I need to hurry ¨C Elisa says walking from one side to the other, getting ready.

    I¡¯m d, I can be by your side in one more conquest.

    She finally stops with the hurry and looks at herself in the mirror, her look is very strict and sad.

    ¨C I wonder if I¡¯m dressed up so I won¡¯t be embarrassed. ¨C she turns around in front of the mirror ¨C I wish I was pretty.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    ¨C You are beautiful! ¨C I can¡¯t resist and end up talking and she listens.

    She looks around astonished, but I hide my presence before she sees me.

    ¨C Well¡­ It¡¯s about time.

    She says and leaves her room, flying and I follow her. She gets in a taxi and goes to the ce where her ceremony will take ce.

    And once again she looks beautiful, now her look is no longer the same as two years ago. She must have got over her mother¡¯s absence.

    Everyone throws their hats up and soon they¡¯re off to the beach. Loud music and humans with few clothes. Elisa also has only a few small cloths that hide only her intimacy and her nipples. I don¡¯t feelfortable seeing all the stares she gets.

    She walks on the sand and I, like a good guardian angel, follow her. We get to a rock isted from the other trainees and there she sits down, I sit beside her.

    ¨C You know ¡­ For many nights I¡¯ve dreamed of you¡­ ¨C Who is she talking to? Is it just another one of her ramblings? ¨C I miss your kind eyes, all these years I knew you weren¡¯t here¡­ I kept waiting for you¡­ I don¡¯t know your name¡­ But I want you to know I love you!

    My heart skips a beat upon hearing her deration, I think nothing but reveal my presence and tears flood my girl¡¯s eyes.

    ¨C I knew it was you! ¨C she says andes closer to me.

    Her eyes are closing, and I end up doing the same, all the sounds around us simply stay in silence, it¡¯s as if there was only me and her, nothing else, I feel as if time is being frozen, my heart hammers hard in my ears, I feel the palms of my hands freeze, my mind thinks of nothing else. I feel our breaths mingling, and when we almost collide our lips I feel myself being pulled away from there. I open my eyes and I see her looking for me, my presence for her is gone¡­

 20

    ¨C Why was I brought back, Suriel? ¨C I ask as soon as I see him in front of the portal.

    He sighs, and after a few seconds of suspense answers me:

    ¨C The lord had you removed from the post of Elisa¡¯s protector, Anael ¨C I hold my breath.

    What have I done wrong¡­ Wait¡­ Could it be because of what happened on the beach¡­ Elisa¡¯s statement, the strange feelings that invaded me and took me out of my senses? Am I going to get ck wings? I feel my body freeze and my eyes flutter at this possibility.

    ¨C Unfortunately an emergency happened in the council of the gods and he had to leave, then he will talk to you.

    That¡¯s all he says before turning and flying away from me. I look at the angels guarding the portal and see a look of pitying from them.

    ¨¦¡­ Sure enough¡­

    I¡¯ll turn into a falling angel! What the hell!

    I feel my eyes burning, I don¡¯t want to be that angel, I didn¡¯t want to go against the Lord¡¯s orders, but, besides¡­ I don¡¯t want to stay without seeing Elisa, I have already lost so many years of her life and now knowing that I will never see her again saddens my heart. The tearse out without my permission, if I be an angel with fallen wings I will be able to return to earth, but I will only be able to see her from afar, the protective angels would kill me if I approached being the holder of those wings.

    I feel such a strong tiredness in my mind, never felt before, physically I¡¯m fine, but mentally, I¡¯m in pieces. With my vision blurred by the tears, I fly towards the dormitory, it¡¯s been so many days that I haven¡¯t been here that it is strange. Today I don¡¯t stay in the newborn¡¯s room anymore (in this case, the angels aspirants), now I share the room only with Zaniel, but as he is there on earth the room at this moment is only mine.

    Iy face down on my cot and let the tearse freely from my eyes, although I don¡¯t want to see a ck winged angel, knowing that I¡¯ll never see the only human I don¡¯t feel contempt for again makes my heart cry, I feel as if I needed her to live, all these days I stayed here, what I really wanted is that she was with me, I wanted to see her smiling and telling me that everything was going to be alright. Just as I also wanted to have been there on earth and told her how beautiful and perfect she is and that everything in the future would be fine, I wanted to hug her and protect her, especially from the HUMANS! Still crying I fall asleep.

    [ Mr. Jairfin¡¯s vision]

    Unfortunately now I have to assume, I really did wrong, Anael should not be one of my angels. He almost falls to ruin and would still take Elisa, neither of them should feel this feeling, well, not couple love, especially him. But who knew, the one angel who always despised my creation, almost falls into shame for having forbidden feelings for a mere human.

    Before he consummates the kiss I pull him back to the paradise, I don¡¯t want him to carry ck wings, I won¡¯t give him this cruel destiny for a mistake that I will assume as mine only.

    ¨C Suriel ¨C I call him in my spirit form.

    ¨C No sir.

    ¨C Come here, we need to talk! ¨C I speak atst and in less than a minute he knocks at my door.

    ¨C Do you need something?

    ¨C Please sit down ¨C I say pointing to the chair in front of me.

    ¨C A few seconds ago, Anael almost falls in shame.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¨C How? ¨C he asks looking at me not wanting to believe.

    ¨C He is in love with Elisa, he feels in his heart the feeling that I reserved only for humans.

    I see Suriel getting sad, he really likes Anael.

    ¨C He at this moment is frozen in time inside the portal, go there to receive him, and bring him here, I need to have a serious talk with him.

    ¨C What are you going to do¡­

    ¡°Tuntuntuntuntun¡± my dimensional window starts to ring, I look at it and see that it is a message from the council of gods, it seems that the god in universe fivemitted a crime against universe six and is alone fighting against three other universes. Since he is at a disadvantage he has turned to the council, I don¡¯t know what he has done, but if he is alone against so many others I am going there just to be against him.

    ¨C Tell Anael that he will no longer be the angel protector of Elisa, tell him to rest that when I return I will talk properly with him.

    I say atst and Suriel nods, I snap my fingers and head for the council of the gods.

    [ Anael¡¯s Vision]

    I wake up only the next day, I don¡¯t cry anymore, I know that there for Elisa it¡¯s been a year. But I hope she¡¯s ok, I really wish I could see her, but I can¡¯t. I¡¯m feeling these strange things, and this may end up making mee an angel with ck wings. I¡¯d better wait for the lord toe back and confess to him, and hope he gives me his forgiveness.

    I take a deep breath and leave the dormitory, this time I am simply walking through paradise, memories of when I was still just an aspirante to mind, in a way I miss it, in those days I didn¡¯t feel any of those things I feel now.

    I walk until I reach the waterfall of the seraphim, I take some apples and fly to a rock that is in its centre, I sit there. I start to eat the apples and admire the beautifulndscape, here I feel calmer, for a moment I forget why I came back here. I continue admiring the calming beauty here until:

    -Anael¡­- I hear the powerful voice of themander and trainer Suriel.

    I stop admiring the beauty of the paradise where I live, and get up from the rock in the middle of the waterfall where I am sitting. I give a brief greeting to Suriel and he says:

    ¨C Sir to you Anael ¨C he says with his usual serious countenance.

    ¨C Do you know why, coach? ¨C I try to get some information from him even knowing that it is impossible.

    -The lord will tell you ¨C he says and turns his back getting impulse for the flight.

    I give a little smile and shake my head in denial, this coach of mine always so direct and enigmatic. I prepare myself to pick up momentum as well.

    After bending my knees, stretching my wings, I grab the momentum and together, Suriel and I fly to the pce where the Lord lives; our creator.

    It is very good to be in your presence, you are amazing, I never want to leave your side!

    As we leave the region where Serafim¡¯s waterfall is located, the memoriese with everything in my mind, I remember why I came back, I remember Elisa and again my heart saddens and the fear is part of me again, I will keep the ck wings and I will only be able to see her from far away. Here it is already half day, and for her there has been a year and a half.

    ¡°Has she forgotten me?¡± ¨C I ask myself, already looking at the great pce.

    We pause in front of the gate, but this time no one opens it, I only hear the voice of the gentleman in my consciousness and out of nowhere I appear in his office.

    ¨C Sit down please ¨C he speaks calmly while drinking his grape juice ¨C We need to talk seriously about your future Anael.

    ¨C I beg your pardon sir, I do not know how to exin, but in my heart I began to feel strange things, something strong that took my reason¡­ I know that the things I was feeling are wrong but¡­

    ¨C It¡¯s alright, I know exactly what you¡¯re feeling, I won¡¯t make your wings turn ck, don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t be the bearer of any shame. What I want to hear from you is that you exin me how you feel about Elisa, because until a few days ago you suggested me to eliminate all humans.

    I take a deep breath, he just said he knows exactly how I am feeling and yet he wants me to say it with my words. I take a few seconds trying to find the best way to express myself.

    ¨C I assume that I did not feel anything but contempt and disgust for humans, I will not say that I like them, I still think it is a horrible ce and that it should be reformed ¨C I give a pause in my speech and I see the man looking at me attentively ¨C My opinion about humans has not changed, they are despicable, cruel and even though they can do good they choose to do evil and even more if this evil serves to favor them then they do not even consider the possibility to help a brother.

    I stop talking and remember Elisa¡¯s smile, the smile that leaves the beauty of this paradise in a state of confusion:

    ¨C When that girl came into my life, I realized that at least she was worth it, I feel that for her I could kill or even die, all I want is for her to be very happy¡­ E.. I wanted to be the cause of her happiness.

    I say finally and start looking at the ground waiting for the scolding that doesn¡¯te.

    ¨C I have two options for you!

 21

    I lift my gaze and meet the gentleman¡¯s gaze.

    ¨C What are your options? ¨C I feel something strange, is there some other means of punishment? I hope so, any punishment is better than the shame of having ck wings.

    ¨C When I created you, I may have made some mistake ¨C the frown eye making, what does that mean? ¨C All angels, never challenged me in anything, always supported me without ever saying an air. But you, you looked like the humans, you didn¡¯t want to go against me, but you kept questioning me and even suggested the elimination of an entire race, you were the only angel who felt disgusted by the human acts, the only one who did everything not to have to go back there.

    I bow my head again, I am a defective angel¡­. The others must have noticed this from the beginning and that¡¯s why they treated me differently. And on top of that¡­ There is no angel besides me that has blood trauma.

    ¨C Don¡¯t think those things Anael, you are not defective, it was me who made the mistake in your creation. I want to fix this mistake ¨C he speaks with his voice always calm.

    ¨C You are perfect, you are a wonderful creator, there is no way you could have made a mistake, I am the one who is defective, I am a shame¡­

    ¨C I have already said that the mistake was mine ¨C his voice rises a little and I remain silent, I have never heard him speak like this before ¨C You are loving Elisa as a man loves a woman, angels should not feel this, this feeling I reserved only for humans. With that, I give you today the power of free will, you will be able to choose what you think is best for your life ¨C he pauses and looks at me, his gaze is a loving gaze ¨C You my son, can choose to continue here, I will change the colour of your wings and erase Elisa from your mind, or you can choose to lose your wings and live on earth, be a mortal and live this love with her. Which do you choose?

    I feel my blood freeze, how to choose between having a perfect life and a human full of sins living in a ce that dies more every day?

    I shouldn¡¯t even think, I should say I¡¯d rather keep living here and forget she exists, but¡­ I want to see her smile again, I want to hug her and feel her sweet smell, I want her to be happy, she already suffered so much in her life and I couldn¡¯t do anything for her¡­ I want to be with her!

    ¨C I choose to stop being an angel and go to live on earth, Sir! ¨C I speak with conviction in my decision. I cannot neglect my heart, it is hers!

    ¨C Very well, it will be done, you will not remember the things you lived here in paradise, do you understand?

    ¨C Yes sir! ¨C It is better this way, forgetting here will save me from a possible future regret.

    ¨C You are my beloved son Anael, I will let you remember this name, because it is yours! ¨C he speaks and without giving me time to answer he snaps his fingers.

    Everything around me bes ck, it¡¯s as if I was in a vacuum, my eyes seem to be glued, everything is inplete silence, I feel cold. When I finally open my eyes I realize that I¡¯m in the middle of nowhere, I can see the celestial bodies, but their lights are fading more and more. I turn my face and see the earth, the speed in which I¡¯m pulled gets bigger and bigger, a blue me makes me look back, I see the fire consuming my wings and they¡¯re disappearing from my back, tears flood my eyes, I¡¯ll never be able to fly again. These mes are like the ones I saw when I was born, they are hot but they don¡¯t burn.

    Now a red me covers my whole body, I am entering the atmosphere of the earth. My trousers burned but the Lord put a film on my skin so that I would not burn. I close my eyes! I entered the earth. ¡°Ssh¡± I feel my whole body aching and the water is so cold, my consciousness is fading.

    I feel my chest being pressed hard, my mouth is opened and hot air is forced against me. This makes me tocier and spit out all the water. I open my eyes. I see a man looking at me, who is he?

    Where am I?

    I look all tormented, I try to get away from these strangers.

    ¨C Calm down, I won¡¯t hurt you! ¨C she shows me both hands.

    ¨C W-where am I? ¨C I ask as I look around me.

    ¨C You¡¯re in Brooklyn.

    Well, I don¡¯t know how but I know this ce, I don¡¯t remember ever being here, but it¡¯s like I know it.

    ¨C What¡¯s your name boy? ¨C he asks and hands me a bottle of water.

    ¨C My name is Anael ¨C I say and ept the bottle of water.

    ¨C What a different name, what happened? How did you end up on the beach?

    ¨C I don¡¯t remember, all I know is that Anael is my name.

    ¨C I understand, take these clothes, it¡¯s all I can do for you boy ¨C he hands me a pair of sweatpants and a tank top with the US g on it.

    Why can¡¯t I remember anything about myself, but I know everything around me?

    I put on the clothes and he hands me a packed lunch, I sit down right there on the sand and start to eat, the man who saved me leaves. I finish my meal and now¡­ What am I going to do? I don¡¯t know where to go.

    ***Two monthster***

    Well, the sky is cloudy, the wind is strong and cold, I¡¯m under the bridge alone, ady gave me this sheet, but it¡¯s very thin, you can¡¯t escape the cold, I folded it in three parts, so it¡¯s better. I try to amodate myself better on the sheet¡­

    ¡°Paft¡± I hear the sound of a bottle being hurled from the top of the bridge and it crashes to the ground less than a meter and a half away from me. I step out from under the point and look up to see what is happening.

    A gentleman in a very nice suit is sitting there, he is crying a lot. I wonder what happened.

    I walk as fast as I can, I hope he is not trying tomit suicide, I have to try to help him somehow. When I get close to him, he doesn¡¯t notice my presence, to get his attention I touch his shoulder. He is already very advanced in age, but his eyes are a beautiful blue.

    ¨C Do you need help? ¨C I ask as calmly as possible.

    ¨C Sit here with me ¨C he says, patting his side.

    I do as he asks, I sit with him on the bridge, I look down and he is very tall. The sses from his bottle are well spread out.

    ¨C Life is a breath, man¡¯s greed cannot ovee time. One hour it ends, and all that was conquered in life, in death nothing is taken, everything remains there. And when that momentes, you realize that all you did was waste time, not having anyone by your side is very lonely, it saddens you so much ¡­. ¨C he speaks with his voice broken by crying, but somehow I can understand him.

    ¨C I understand how you feel, I also have no one and no memories, I woke up one day on the beach and since then I am alone in the world, I die here under this bridge ¨C I speak trying to show that I really know how he feels, I also have a lonely life.

    ¨C What is your name boy?

    ¨C My name is Anael and you? ¨C I ask looking at the sky.

    ¨C John Stewart ¨C he speaks and extends his hand to me, I stop ¨C You have no family?

    ¨C I don¡¯t think so, no one has ever looked for me, and I don¡¯t remember anything, only being saved on the beach.

    ¨C I don¡¯t have a family either, I got married for appearances sake but she betrayed me and for appearances sake I didn¡¯t ask for a divorce, but she left me and married another man. I never had children, and now I am about to die, my brain has a tumour, it is malignant and there is no way to remove it, even though I have umted a lot of money, there is nothing the doctors can do¡­.

    I don¡¯t really know how to console a person, but I put my hand on his shoulder and hold it tight.

    ¨C There are things that no money can buy,¡± I say quietly, but he can hear me.

    He smiles and picks up a briefcase that I didn¡¯t even see was beside him.

    ¨C Do you know how to write, boy?

    ¨C Well, I don¡¯t remember if I ever wrote, but I think I can, why?

    He opens his bag and takes out a few sheets of paper.

    ¨C I want you to sign these papers for me,¡± he hands me the bag for support and a pen.

    ¨C What¡¯s on these papers? ¨C I ask looking at him.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    ¨C It¡¯s my will, I want you to be my son. You helped me, listened to me and took pity on me. I want you to keep these things that I achieved in life, and that you don¡¯t make the same mistakes as me, don¡¯t let greed get to your head. Sign please, I want to leave knowing that at least once I did something good in my life.

    His eyes are watering¡­. He really is going to die¡­ But is it right for me to ept this? I never had anything¡­

    ¨C Look¡­ I know this is sudden, but you¡¯re my chance to do something good for someone. And I know you¡¯re a good man. I insist. Please sign. Once you sign these papers your name will be, Anael Stewart. You will be regarded as my son.

    I take a deep breath, I feel like crying, I make my decision.  I hold firmly the pen and sign my name, Anael Stewart.

    I hand him the briefcase with the papers. He tidies up everything and takes out a mobile phone.

    ¨C Jones! Come to the Brooklyn Bridge, my son is here, I want you to take care of him, do you understand? This will be thest time I call you, now everything is with Anael Stewart!

    He finishes the call and again hands me the suitcase, but now closed and tidy. He smiles at me, I smile at him too, but my smile dies. He jumps from the bridge and falls on the ss, I see his blood dripping, he hit his head so hard that he defaced.

    ¨C NOOOOOOOOOO! ¨C I shout as I run to where he fell.

 22

    I am paralysed, my body is trembling, this red colour makes my body freeze, I feel as if my mouth were glued¡­ Is he dead? He doesn¡¯t move, the sound that his body made when smashing on the ground was horrible, it keeps echoing in my mind.

    Even with trembling legs I approach Mr. John¡¯s body, his eyes are closed, with trembling hands I ce two fingers on his neck and notice that he has no pulse.

    Tears fall freely from my eyes, I was thest person that this man saw and I couldn¡¯t prevent his suicide¡­ I didn¡¯t even get a chance to know him better¡­ He said he was going to make me be his son, but he killed himself and now I¡¯m alone again¡­

    ¨C Are you Anael Stewart? ¨C I hear a male voice behind me, I look towards him and see a man with white hair, he seems to be older than Mr. John.

    ¨C I think so¡­ ¨C I speak drying my eyes with the back of my hands ¨C And you?

    ¨C I am Jones, I am Mr. John¡¯swyer.

    ¨C Did you know he was going to y on that bridge? ¨C I ask with my eyes closed.

    ¨C I have already called the ambnce,¡± he ignores me, ¡°I need you toe with me, unfortunately there is nothing we can do for you, but we have to go and get your documents, when you called me you had already issued him with the creation of your documents, now we just have to go and get them.

    I look at him incredulously, his body is not even frozen and he wants to leave you here alone until the ambnce arrives!Content held by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¨C I am not going anywhere! I will stay with Mr. Jo?o! He did not want to die alone, I will not leave him alone now! ¨C I speak firmly and thewyer smiles at me.

    ¨C Very good boy, I like it.

    At the end of his speech the siren sounds are present, and it¡¯s like a djavu¡­ I feel like I have heard them before but I can¡¯t remember where¡­

    ¨C The policemen are also here and they will ask you to say exactly what happened, pay attention ¨C he faces me ¨C Don¡¯t tell that you signed the documents bing Mr. Stewart¡¯s heir, say that you are his son who tried to stop him from killing himself, but he couldn¡¯t, there are no security cameras here. Do you understand?

    ¨C But it¡¯s wrong to lie,¡± I say quietly.

    ¨C Yes, but you¡¯re not lying, you became his son, just don¡¯t say you never lived with him, understand? Don¡¯t lie, just don¡¯t say you were adopted at the time he decided to kill himself.

    ¨C Got it, okay.

    After this brief conversation exactly that happened, the police took me to the police station and took my statement, the next day it was confirmed that it was really a suicide and the body was released for burial. He was buried in a beautiful ce, full of flowers. I will go tomorrow with Mr. Janes to get my new (in this case only) documents, and he will exin to me what exactly I am heir. These two days I stayed in a hotel, very luxurious andfortable.

    In those days that I was alone inside the hotel, I dreamt of a woman, she was beautiful, and I miss her, I don¡¯t know who she is, but my heart wants to see her.

    ¨C Mr Stewart, this will be yourst night in the hotel, tomorrow we will take the issue of your documents and then I will exin to you exactly how everything works. Janes tells me as we leave the cemetery.

    ¨C Thank you for everything you are doing for me.

    The taxi driver starts and takes me to the hotel.

    *** One weekter

    I look at myself in the mirror and fix my tie, then I take the clock on the table and I set it on my wrist, I check the time, it¡¯s exactly: six thirty in the morning.

    Today I will be introduced as the newest owner of Stewart¡¯s empire, it is a (or even the best)pany in the architecture and construction business, it works with the most diverse sectors that need professionals of this area. From small houses to the construction ofrgepanies. The headquarters is in New York, but we have branches in other cities and even countries.

    Ib my hair once more, grab my car keys and leave the mansion.

    Who would say, from beggar to millionaire. Thanks to the money I managed to get my driver¡¯s license in only three days, I went to several doctors to see if there was any problem with my head, because no matter how hard I try I can never remember anything. The tests didn¡¯t work, so I prefer to leave it at that, I just hope I don¡¯t disappoint Mr. Jo?o.

    I start my BMW and drive calmly through the streets. A music starts to y on the stereo, a romantic country song, the blurred face of the woman in my dreamses back, but clearly I can only see her beautiful honey coloured eyes.

    In a few minutes I park the car and see Jones waiting for me in front of thepany. I approach him.

    ¨C Good morning, Mr. Jones! ¨C I shake his hand and smile.

    ¨C Good morning, Mr. Stewart! ¨C smiling too ¨C Ansiso? ¨C asks me while we walk inside thepany.

    ¨C Quite, I wonder how they will react when they meet me? ¨C I ask as I put my hands in my pockets to disguise my nevorsis.

    ¨C I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll like you, you¡¯re handsome, kind, intelligent. You¡¯ll get along with everyone,¡± he reassures me.

    ¨C There was no one at the reception desk ¨C Iment as we go to the lift.

    ¨C Everyone is waiting for you in the meeting room. Thepany will only start today after you enter the president¡¯s office.

    ¨C Yes, I understand ¨C I feel my fingers freezing inside my pockets.

    The lift stops on the fourteenth floor. We get out of the metal box and follow it to a dark ss door, the walls of the corridors are of light grey tones, I feel my heart pulsating strongly, anxiety sinning through every part of my body. I have never felt so nervous as I do now.

    Jones opens the door and enters, I enter right behind him. I notice that there must be more than three hundred people inside that room, everyone is squeezed in.

    ¨C Good morning guys, how are you? This here is our new boss, son of thete Mr. John Stewart, Anael Stewart ¨C he finishes his speech and I feel the curious looks on me.

    I take a step in front of Jones and then start to speak:

    ¨C Hi guys ¨C I speak smiling, I want to be as friendly as possible ¨C It¡¯s a pleasure to be here with you, I hope we can get along¡­

    I feel speech escaping my mouth at the same time that the eyes of my dreamse across mine, honey colored eyes, they are looking at me. It¡¯s her! She is the woman who appears in my dreams! I feel my heart skip a beat.

 23

    My throat dries up and I can no longer stammer out any words, my eyes are zed over at that beautiful woman who inhabits my dreams and who is now right in front of me. She is short, very clear skin, looks like porcin, golden hair, honey brown eyes, a snub nose and a mouth in the shape of a heart, made for my kisses. Thest thought makes me blush.

    I feel Mr. Jones poking me lightly, and I try to get back to normal. With a lot of difficulty I finish my wee speech and dismiss everyone shaking sympathetically their hands, I¡¯m intrigued with that girl and walk towards her before she mix with the crowd.

    ¨C Hello ¨C I speak stopping in front of her and she stares at me with frightened and shy eyes.

    ¨C Hello, Mr. Stewart ¨C a girl who was next to her greets me and I nod my head, now realizing her presence.

    I turn my eyes to the girl of my dreams, so beautiful; she deserves apliment that draws a beautiful smile from her little heart, my heart beats fast and I feel an unknown feeling for this girl, I cannot identify it, I only know that I need to have her near, that I need to protect her and make her happy? Where does thise from? ¨C I ask myself without taking my eyes off her.

    ¨C So this is where you were? And I¡¯ve been looking for you all my life ¨C I say, hoping to draw a smile from her.

    The girl doesn¡¯t react with a smile on the contrary, she is surprised and stares at me with her eyes full of tears:

    ¨C I didn¡¯t know that a star worked in mypany ¨C I give a small smile, I hope it works now.

    ¨C You must be confusing me Mr Stewart, I¡¯m not famous ¨C her eyes on me with sadness and disappointment.

    ¨C We¡¯d better introduce ourselves before night falls and I have to run to light up the sky.

    But it doesn¡¯t have the effect that I expected, quite the contrary, it seems that I have offended her in some way, I have hurt her. She no longer looks at me, she just says goodbye to her friend and hurries past me walking away leaving me sad and intrigued, I notice that she walks a little different from the others, why? I look at the girl beside me in search of answers and she shrugged without knowing what to do.

    ¨C Elisa is shy, we work in the same department for about a year and she has not made any friends, I try to approach sometimes but it is difficult. I am going after her ¨C the girl I don¡¯t know the name of tries to pass by me but she holds my arm gently.

    ¨C Let me go, I¡¯ll apologize ¨C I hurry towards the girl before I lose sight of her.

    I practically run after her, how can such a small woman walk so fast, I reach her and hold her arm, I stop in front of her after one quick movement and my smile disappears when I see her tears.

    ¨C I¡¯m sorry ¨C I¡¯m not sure for what, but I¡¯m sorry nheless. I put my hands in my pockets for fear of touching her face and scaring her. I feel my heart beating hard in my chest, she lowers her head and with the back of her hand wipes her tear stained eyes, I can¡¯t resist, I take my hand to her chin and raise it so that our eyes meet. Her eyes show doussure, they are so delicate and so forets at the same time, even humid at that moment, I take a deep breath and then start to speak:

    ¨C May I introduce myself? ¨C I ask as calmly as possible.

    ¨C You are not the owner of my tears ¨C he warns, wiping his face with the back of his hands ¨C But I already know who you are.

    ¨C Good ¨C I sigh relieved ¨C I want to be the owner of your smiles, never of your tears,¡± I see his eyes widen in surprise at my words.

    ¨C Don¡¯t you stop? ¨C he asks, his eyes filling up again with tears.

    ¨C Why does she cry so much? ¨C I think, seeing her moist eyes once again.

    ¨C Not until she gives me a smile ¨C I need a smile from her like I need air to live.

    ¨C You¡¯re my boss, it¡¯s hical what you¡¯re doing ¨C she sniffles ¨C It¡¯s not nice to joke with people like that, I may be your employee but I¡¯m not just anyone, you have no right to joke with me just because I¡¯m not normal like the others ¨C my heart breaks at the uncontroble tears she sheds and the way she.

    ¨C What does she mean by not being normal like the others? She¡¯s perfect! ¨C I think, not liking her words one bit.

    It gives me a little pity, she doesn¡¯t think she¡¯s capable of attracting someone, this beautiful girl in front of me, thinks that for someone to be interested in her there must be some obscure reason.

    ¨C Anael Stewart ¨C I say smiling and hold out my hand to her that gets indecisive and scared.

    ¨C I know who you are sir ¨C she rolls her eyes ¨C My name is Elisa ¨C she just says, nost name and I like it, for some reason I just like it. She has no smile, no more than a weak handshake that gives me an electric discharge, shivering every hair on my body, I realize that the same happened to her that soon tries to find something to focus her gaze,pletely embarrassed in mypany.

    ¨C Elisa ¨C I pronounce her name to see how it sounds, I still block her passage and get curious to know if she will simply run away, I can¡¯t lose this opportunity, I need to know more about this woman that before only inhabited my dreams.

    ¨C Did you forgive me? ¨C I ask looking into her eyes.

    ¨C For what? ¨C It¡¯s a challenge, not a question.

    ¨C That¡¯s the point, I don¡¯t know why.

    ¨C I have to go ¨C she sighs trying to get past me.

    ¨C Go where?

    ¨C Home sir, today is my day off, I only came because of the presentation of the new CEO ¨C she exins.

    ¨C Have an ice cream with me? ¨C I invite her.

    ¨C That¡¯s not wise sir ¨C she tries to get past me.

    ¨C First stop calling me sir and second it¡¯s just an ice cream I won¡¯t bite ¨C ¡°only if you ask¡±, I turn red at this thought.

    ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing is not right, today is my first day at thepany, however I can¡¯t hold this impulse that leads me to her¡± ¨C I think looking at her golden andted strands.

    ¨C It will be dark soon, you¡¯ll have to leave me to light up the sky, star ¨C I y one more line in the hope that she finally gives me a smile, which once again doesn¡¯t happen.

    With a grimace she eventually gives in and we leave thepany over several curious looks and I don¡¯t care, the only thing that matters to me is to know this girl and take her for myself, I feel an enormous need to take care of her. Beside me she looks so tense.

    We enter an ice-cream parlor in front of thepany building and sit down at a table for two near the huge ss windows. I pull out a chair for Elisa and she looks at me astonished and surprised, I find it funny in her wide eyes, she sits down half-aggressively, she looks like she is going to run away at any moment. I sit down beside her, her long golden hair has a soft and sweet perfume, she runs her fingers through her hair in order to tidy it and the perfume spreads.

    ¨C I just want a scoop in chocte vour ¨C Elisa says shifty ¨C I can¡¯t stay long.

    I ask for a strawberry ice cream and her chocte one, it doesn¡¯t take long and our orders arrive, she is mute, but I feel her presence the whole time.

    ¨C What are you doing? ¨C I decide to break that silence.

    ¨C I draw furniture ¨C she almost smiles.

    ¨C I hope to be there the day she smiles, it must be a historical event ¨C I can¡¯t resist talking ¨C So you are one of the responsible for all the sess of thepany, what kind of furniture do you like to design the most?

    ¨C I have a passion for period furniture, I am thinking of designing forties style furniture to present as a project for my superio.

    ¨C Old furniture, go to the house, the mansion has the oldest furniture in New York ¨C I speak and remember Mr. John and how much he seemed to like that house, she wants to say yes but I feel her anguish ¨C It¡¯s no big deal Elisa, you are beautiful but I am strong, I promise to resist your charm.

    ¨C I would like to ¨C she ignores mypliment and epts the invitation with much effort, I touch her hair, use the tip of my finger to move a lock of hair away from her face ¨C They are not very pretty ¨C she says moving the strands away from my reach.

    ¨C Scented and beautiful just like their owner ¨C we are so close that her heart-shaped mouth invites me closer but I fight bravely to resist.

    ¨C I need to leave ¨C she says wanting to get away.

    ¨C Do you want a ride? ¨C I offer.

    ¨C I call a taxi, thanks for the water mister. ¨C I make a face ¨C Anael ¨C I approve and smile, I liked my name being pronounced by her voice so soft and sweet.

    ¨C Not that sweet Elisa ¨C I touch her hand ¨C I really liked to meet you, I hope we have another opportunity to have moments like this ¨C I speak looking into her eyes ¨C I wait for your visit ¨C I take a pen from my jacket pocket and write my personal number on the napkin and give it to her.

    Then she takes it and leaves. After paying the bill, I go back to thepany with a smile from ear to ear and follow the schedule. I get a kick from Mr. Jones for leaving work behind, I keep quiet because nothing takes my smile away today.

    I am inside of all the functioning of thepany and strangely I understand everything very fast, maybe I have already worked with this and I don¡¯t know because of the memory loss.

    I attend several meetings with the board, analyze the charts and the entire operation of the sectors, I know some employees who will work directly with me and when night falls I leave my room and say goodbye to everyone. I look at the wristwatch and it marks seven o¡¯clock on the dot, I walk quickly to the parking lot and unlock the car, I get in and start, going straight to my house.

    The goddess of my dreams now has a name, I will fight to conquer her and have that woman for me, I feel a strong connection with her, as if we already knew each other from other lives. ¡°Ah sweet Elisa, you will still be mine.¡± ¨C I pray that she epts me and that my interest is reciprocated.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

 24

    (Elisa¡¯s vision)

    Tonight I couldn¡¯t sleep, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about my boss. I¡¯m sure, he¡¯s the owner of the blue eyes that invades my dreams! I never thought I¡¯d meet him, and that he¡¯d be my boss on top of that!

    ¨C If you close your eyes tightly and concentrate only on me, when you open them you will be able to see me ¨C I repeat the sentence the owner of the blue eyes told me a long time ago.

    But how? I could swear that the owner of those eyes was an angel¡­ And not my boss!

    When I saw him enter the room I felt my heart skip a beat, I¡¯ve waited so long. But he is too beautiful. His straight ck hair, his fleshy pink lips, his well-groomed beard, he is certainly no less than ny-one inches tall. His muscles are well-defined, you could tell from underneath his suit.

    Sigh, maybe it¡¯s just a crazy thing in my head, he can¡¯t be the same. And I¡¯m not normal, even though I did the hard treatment, now I can walk without the crutches, I use a special shoe, it¡¯s easier to move my leg. But still, I am the butt of jokes, when I started working there I already heard them, but I didn¡¯t give them any importance. I hope he didn¡¯te to talk to me just to make fun of me¡­ Just like the boy in my school days. He yed nice just to make me look like an idiot and embarrass me in front of everyone.

    I stretch on the bed, count to ten and jump out of it, get the towel and follow to the bathroom. I need to get back to work, the whole week passed without me seeing him again.

    (Anael¡¯s vision)

    The week flew by, too much to do at work, tireless meetings that left me tired, whenever I get home it¡¯s just bath and bed. I didn¡¯t meet my sweet angel Elisa anymore, I know she goes to work every day punctually and she is an excellent professional. These days were so busy that I had no time to go meet her, I can only wait for her call to arrange toe to my house, who knows I do not talk about my feelings, I have not stopped thinking about her for a second even when I sleep her imagees out of my mind.

    When I am turning off myputer and putting away some folders I hear a soft knock at the door of my room, I look at my wristwatch and see that the workday is already over half an hour ago, my secretary has already left so I have no idea who it is.

    ¨C You maye in ¨C I say putting on the top of my jacket.

    ¨C Good evening sir ¨C the sweet voice reaches my ears leaving my heart racing, I nod my head and watch my blond angel enter my office all shy.

    ¨C I thank the heavens for having given you a few moments to light up my life ¨C I can¡¯t resist.

    ¨C You¡¯re already starting with the lies so I¡¯m leaving ¨C she says upset, turning around, I run and hold her arm.

    ¨C Don¡¯t go ¨C I ask ¨C Tell me what brought you here, I¡¯ve been waiting for your call all week.

    ¨C I ended up losing the paper with your number ¨C she justifies embarrassed ¨C So I took courage and came personally to schedule my visit ¨C I see the great effort she made toe here and face me.

    ¨C It can be tomorrow ¨C she looks at me amazed ¨C It¡¯s Saturday, you can stay as long as you need and we¡¯ll have lunch together.

    ¨C I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s right sir ¨C she shuts up ¨C I say Anael.

    ¨C To me it seems the most certain thing in this world ¨C I say and control myself not to touch her face, I take a paper and write down my number again along with my address and give it to her.

    ¨C See you tomorrow then ¨C like a bolt of lightning she leaves my room after taking the paper from my hand.

    I stand there like a fool looking at the closed door thinking that tomorrow is going to be a great day. I finish what I was doing and go to the lift, I get in and press the garage button, before the metal box can reach my destination it stops at a floor and a woman gets in, I don¡¯t notice her much because I only have eyes for my sweet Elisa.

    ¨C Good evening Mr. Stewart ¨C the girl greets me and I just nod my head, by the peripheral vision I see that she moves her hair a lot and tries to fix her clothes as a way to get my attention.

    As soon as the lift doors open, I walk outside towards my car, I don¡¯t say goodbye to the girl and in minutes I¡¯m out of the building heading to my house.

    I park my range rover in the garage of the mansion and get out, lock the doors and enter the house going straight to the kitchen.

    ¨C Good night, Ana ¨C I kiss the white hair of thedy who takes care of everything in my house, I sit down on the chair and pick an apple from the basket, taking a bite

    ¨C Good night my boy ¨C she smiles.

    Ana has been verypanion, she treats me like a son and takes care of everything in the house, I have already asked her to hire more employees to help her, she is already old and cannot make many efforts but her hard head does not listen to me.

    I am very grateful, she used to take care of Mr. Jo?o, and she as well as Mr. Janes epted me and weed me very well.

    ¨C Tomorrow a girl ising to the house and I would like you to make her a special lunch,¡± I say while I eat the apple.

    ¨C A girlfriend? ¨C he asks, suddenly happy.

    ¨C A special girl ¨C I say, smiling.

    ¨C I saw that smile ¨C she tastes the sauce she is making.

    I end up smiling, I really want to hook that girl, but I have to take it slow, she is very special and deserves a lot of love and affection that I am more than willing to give. I finish my dinner quickly and go to my room, I want to sleep soon so that the day dawns fast, I¡¯m anxious.

    I wake up before the rm clock, I get out of bed and do my morning hygiene and go to the gym of the mansion to run a few hours on the treadmill. I stay at the gym for about two hours and when my muscles start toin I decide to stop. I walk to the water bottle and before I can take the first sip of water I see my mobile phone beep warning that a message has arrived, I look and see that it is an unknown number.

    ¡°Good morning, Anael.

    This is Elisa, I would like to know if you are free now in the morning?¡± ¨C I smile sideways.

    ¡°For you I will always be free sweet Elisa, you cane that I will leave your entrance free.¡± ¨C I send the message smiling.

    She visualizes but doesn¡¯t answer, so I go straight to the shower, I take a long shower in order to get well smelled to receive my golden angel. As I leave the bathroom I go straight to the wardrobe and choose a pair of ck jeans shorts and a white polo cor shirt, the day is a little cold but the house has the heater on.

    I go down to the living room and keep walking from side to side anxious for her arrival, an hourter I hear the sound of a car being turned off and before she gets to the door I open it to the point of seeing her lower her hand that would ring the doorbell surprise.

    ¨C Hi pretty girl ¨C I greet her smiling ¨C You look beautiful ¨C I say evaluating her clothes, a long pink dress that embraces all her curves, the air of surprise is gone giving ce to a hurt face.

    ¨C I don¡¯t like this, all this lying, I¡¯m just a freak girl, I¡¯m asking you please to stop this fakeness ¨C she says sulkily.

    ¨C I still prove you wrong ¨C I say defeated for the moment ¨C Come in ¨C I get out of her way, giving her passage to enter my home, which I hope will be ours in the very near future.

    She walks around the room looking at everything around, this girl intrigues me too much, she seems to be always holding back her emotions, hiding herself with fear, doubt even of my sincerepliments at the same time that makes me upset she enchants me, she enchants me in a way that I don¡¯t remember any girl ever did, literally, the heart shaped mouth, the honey colored eyes, the simple and confused natural way make her a special and amazing girl woman.

    She seems to be the girl destined toe into my life! That¡¯s what my heart says, this girlish woman is hallucinating me.

    I approach her and put my mouth on hers, without warning, request or chance, I didn¡¯t expect, I¡¯m caught by surprise as much as she is, it takes a few seconds to understand what I¡¯m doing, they are soft lips that take a few seconds to react, but then they open slightly receiving my seal and before I can be sure about the frantic beats of my heart and why her mouth against mine makes my life pulse, she pushes me.

    Not in crisis, anger or denial it¡¯s a reaction of surprise, her eyes now staring at me in shame, it was just a touch of lips and still it took mepletely.

    ¨C I can¡¯t tell you how it happened ¨C she tries to justify it as if it¡¯s her fault.

    ¨C I know, your mouth invited my mouth that epted because it was hypnotized ¨C I touch her face softly.

    I was the one who kissed her, but she was the one who felt guilty. I sigh, feeling her skin on my fingertips. I decide to take her to see the furniture in Mr. Jo?o¡¯s office, which is now mine. As soon as we cross the door I¡¯m forgotten for a moment, I admire her venerated look at the furniture, I can almost see her smile, her eyes sweep the whole environment in a long way in each piece, lost in the beauty of the details.

    ¨C You are so beautiful ¨C she looks at me wanting to believe ¨C The way you look at these pieces, I felt jealous of them. ¨C she stares at me desperately wanting to believe my words ¨C Why don¡¯t you believe me?

    ¨C Because I know you¡¯re lying, I have a mirror at home ¨C she shrugged and reached into her purse taking out a camera in the clear desire to change the subject ¨C Can I take some pictures? ¨C I affirm in a nod of the head.

    She starts to photograph the pieces, runs her hand through the smooth wood, feeling its texture, inhaling the perfume of polished wood.

    I notice that she gets lost in thoughts for a few moments and leaves the camera aside for a moment, then I take a picture of her, with the sound the camera makes when I take the picture she turns scared.

    ¨C No, Anael, I don¡¯t like pictures.

    ¨C I like ¨C I take several pictures of her ¨C she approaches me to take the camera from my hands, the pictures are printed on the spot and I put them in my shorts pocket.

    ¨C Give me this ¨C she moves away.

    ¨C Let me take a decent photo.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    ¨C No way, I¡¯m not posing for you ¨C she warns.

    ¨C Then I¡¯ll take it until I finish the paper, an exhibition of Elisa ¨C I speak and she stands back ¨C I also like it.

    ¨C Anael! ¨C she turns around embarrassed.

    Then I leave the camera aside and walk towards her with determined steps making her nervous and I wrap her waist, she doesn¡¯t run away.

    ¨C You better start believing in me, you¡¯re beautiful and I¡¯m going to kiss you ¨C I warn and then I simply kiss her lips giving myself to the moment receiving her kiss with all my soul.

    The kiss happens with emotion, it¡¯s intense, her body against mine. My hands run down her back and our kiss follows slowly and passionately, I begin to hope that maybe she is not so immune to me.

    ¨C Then you can give me the photos and I¡¯ll destroy them all ¨C she says when our kiss ends and I draw my eyebrows together without understanding.

    ¨C They¡¯re mine, you looked beautiful and of course you won¡¯t destroy them, much less get close to them.

    She sighs defeated and goes back to taking the pictures she needs, leaving me forgotten for a few moments again, then I take her hand and guide her to the living room, the table is already set with a romantic arrangement for two.

 25

    Lunch goes normally, Elisa only answers my questions and doesn¡¯t bring up any subjects, I¡¯m a bit confused between exposing my feelings to her or taking it easy.

    At the end of our lunch we go to the living room, my hands start to sweat, I¡¯m nervous.

    ¨C Thanks, the food was delicious ¨C she says looking into my eyes ¨C And thanks also for the opportunity toe here and see the furniture, it inspired me a lot.

    ¨C No need to thank you ¨C ¡°my girl¡±, Iplete in thought ¨C I know you will make beautiful drawings ¨C she blushes.

    ¨C Now I have to go ¨C she speaks nervously, running away from my eyes.

    ¨C It¡¯s early, stay a little longer ¨C I ask without any shame ¨C I¡¯m always alone here and I wanted to talk a little with you, Elisa ¨C I say the end of the sentence seriously, I decide to tell in parts my feelings before she runs away.

    She epts, I invite her to apany me to the garden, I feel so peaceful when I sit there in the middle of all that green just feeling the soft breeze on my face and the perfume of the beautiful flowers.  We sit on a bench under a tree and I look for the best words.

    ¨C Do you believe in love at first sight? ¨C I ask, staring into her beautiful honey-coloured eyes.

    ¨C Actually not much ¨C my heart withered a little ¨C Until¡­ ¨C she shuts up embarrassed.

    ¨C Until what? ¨C I ask between curious and nervous, in my heart something rises.

    ¨C I don¡¯t know to what extent this is something in my head, but I feel that I¡¯ve seen you before, but you were in a different way, you were almost like me¡­ ¨C she speaks at once covering her face ¨C I¡¯ve been dreaming about a man, in my dreams it¡¯s someone who holds me and protects me, who even though the world is against me, he smiles and wees me. I keep repeating hisst words in my head, I know this sounds crazy, I just have the impression that I saw him twice, and one of them I was only one year old, even then I always waited for him, but then I saw you, I remembered him. You have exactly the same colour eyes as him. I know that a love like that I won¡¯t be the one to live. I¡¯m just a simple girl without any beauty, my mother was always very clear about these things, how could someone like him be interested in me? ¨C she ends her story with a question, I can¡¯t see her eyes, she is looking down, but my heart tightens.

    ¨C are you sure that this man who appears in your dreams is me? ¨C I ask happily and she takes a deep breath before facing my eyes.

    ¨C Everything indicates that it is,¡± a stubborn tear runs down her eyes and I touch her face to wipe it away. ¨C she asks, wiping her eyes with the back of her hands.

    ¨C I¡¯ll never send you away ¨C I caress her pale face ¨C I¡¯ve also been dreaming about a girl with beautiful honey-coloured eyes, I feel I¡¯ve already known her, a lifetime, but I can never remember, it was then that I saw you, Elisa ¨C she opens her eyes.

    Then I start telling her everything, from the day I was simply saved from drowning and after that my memory loss to the moment I was registered as Mr. John Stewart¡¯s son and only heir.

    ¨C The one thing I haven¡¯t forgotten is your eyes ¨C I touch your cheek ¨C It¡¯s strange how I feel I¡¯ve always known you, when I saw you on the day of my presentation to thepany it was as if I¡¯d finally found my home, my purpose. I feel like my duty is to make you happy!

    I let out everything that is stuck in my throat, I don¡¯t understand and I don¡¯t know if she will either, I don¡¯t remember anything but I don¡¯t forget her eyes. She sighs.

    ¨C Your duty is to make me happy¡­  This is even stranger than my part of the story, better to let this madness go ¨C she tries to dodge it.

    ¨C Let¡¯s give ourselves this chance, Elisa? ¨C I ask hopefully, I can¡¯t let this go.

    ¨C I don¡¯t know what to think Anael ¨C she confesses ¨C I¡¯m alone ¨C she stops staring and then looks at me ¨C I¡¯m not beautiful or rich. What would I have to offer you?

    ¨C You¡¯re beautiful ¨C I hold her chin so that she fixes her runaway eyes on mine ¨C And what you can give me, is what I want most ¨C ¡°your love¡±, Iplete in thought but decide not to speak so I sigh before continuing ¨C I want a chance that we can try, dreaming about each other must mean something, let¡¯s find out?

    ¨C It¡¯s hard for me.

    ¨C A chance? ¨C I beg.

    ¨C All right, Anael,¡± she sighs, ¡°but I know that when you realize I¡¯m not what you expected, you¡¯ll be disappointed.

    We stay a few more moments in the garden to get to know each other better, Elisa is an amazing woman, beautiful, intelligent, sweet and very shy, withdrawn and depreciative, she is a girl inside a woman¡¯s body. I have to make her see how special she is and especially to conquer her as she conquered me, fast. I feel that I belong to this woman and I want her for myself.

    ¨C Now I really need to leave.

    ¨C I¡¯ll drive you ¨C I warn her, already taking the car keys so as not to give her any chance to refuse.

    She hands me the address and we continue in afortable silence. I didn¡¯t want to say goodbye, but I understand that I need to give you space to think, it¡¯s all very confusing. I don¡¯t even understand everything myself. As I park in front of her house I see a thin blonde woman very simr to Elisa sitting on the pavement. My little girl gets down startled and walks over to the woman, I get down and go after her.

    ¨C Mum? What are you doing here? ¨C my girl asks the woman who now I know is her mother, I feel a bad chill looking at that woman from up close, I don¡¯t know, it seems I know her from somewhere and anyway I don¡¯t sympathize with her, actually it seems to be something beyond not sympathizing, I feel that somehow I can¡¯t stand her.

    ¨C You ingrate! ¨C the woman is already attacking my sweet girl ¨C I need money, I texted you and you didn¡¯t answer. I¡¯m going through a hard time and you can¡¯t even help me with some twenty thousand reais, I raised you, put you in the world, took care of you, even though you are this abnormal¡­Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    ¨C I changed my mother¡¯s number ¨C Elisa interrupts her and justifies with her head down ¨C And I don¡¯t have that much money.

    ¨C How could you not? ¨C You work, earn well and apparently you¡¯re still a dull and simple girl, just because now you don¡¯t need crutches you think you¡¯re better than me? ¨C You¡¯re too simple, too shy, too ugly, I don¡¯t even know father¡­

    ¨C You came here to attack me again? ¨C I can tell by the tone of her voice that she is holding back from crying.

    ¨C I came for help, but as a worthless girl you can¡¯t ¨C she speaks venomously and then realizes my presence ¨C Hello young man ¨C she approaches me and faces my ck range rover ¨C Are you a friend of my daughter?

    ¨C I don¡¯t think we have anything to talk about, ma¡¯am ¨C I hold her hand before it reaches my chest ¨C I ask you to leave ¨C I just met her but I can¡¯t stand this woman.

    Directing ast angry look to her daughter she walks away from our presence leaving me relieved, I approach my sweet girl and realize that she is crying.

    ¨C Don¡¯t cry ¨C I touch her face ¨C You¡¯re perfect just the way you are ¨C her eyes stare at me, desperately wanting to believe my words ¨C I¡¯m going to kiss you,¡± her eyes widen for a moment, but I don¡¯t give her a chance to refuse, I take her lips with mine and again I feel everything in me light up. It has an intoxicating effect on me, it has an effect on her, and I know why she can¡¯t hide it a hundred percent.

    When we kiss the certainties be clear to me, because my heart speeds up and is sure that she is very special.

    ¨C Until another day my girl ¨C I kiss her forehead and hug her tight ¨C I¡¯ll call you to arrange something, and please take care.

    I ask as I walk away, she shakes her head in an affirmation and then I get in my car and take the streets to go back to my house. She still stares at me motionless until the car pulls away, I can still see her in the rearview mirror.

    When she disappears from my vision she still lingers in my thoughts, I am absolutely certain that that shrew of a mother of hers has something to do with her insecurity. Low self-esteem can be a tricky problem, I know it won¡¯t be very easy to make her understand that she is special.

    I fell in love and the strange thing is that it happened so fast that I didn¡¯t even see what hit me, I think I¡¯ve loved this woman since before I met her, since when I used to dream about that pair of honey-colored eyes that hypnotize and intoxicate me. She¡¯s the one my heart beats for and she¡¯s the only one I want with me.

 26

    My days in thest months have been reduced to work and small walks with my sweet girl, Elisa; little by little I have managed to increase her self-esteem, her mother¡¯s shrew never showed up again what gives me a certain relief she does not do well for my girl.

    Today I¡¯m anxious because finally I¡¯m going to ask Elisa to marry me, I didn¡¯t ask before because I wanted to give us more space to get to know each other better, now I feel safe to take another step andter ask her to marry me, I¡¯m not asking right away because my girl deserves to go through all the stages of a rtionship. She has loosened up a little more with me, she is still very shy but nothing that prevents us from exchanging some chaste kisses, we will only move forward after the wedding, I have that well established in my head.

    Another thing that has changed, Elisa now has a friend that I notice that does a lot of good to her, the girl that I met on the day of my tenure at thepany and kept Elisapany finally managed to approach my shy girl. They do a lot of girl shows sometimes and I feel that this friendship is true, I trust Melissa. Today is my girl¡¯s birthday, she thinks I don¡¯t know, but I got her a beautiful present.

    At the appointed time I park in front of Elisa¡¯s house, we are going to have a pic in Central Park, Ana made a basket full of delicious goodies. She is a real mother, she takes care of me with much love and affection. I see Lisa leave her house and lock the door, I look at her beauty that is highlighted in a long, tight dress with a sunflower print that steals my breath.

    ¨C Good morning Anael ¨C I am awakened when she sits in the car seat and greets me.

    ¨C Good morning my girl ¨C I take her left hand and deposit a simple kiss.

    I park the car and we get out of it, I take the basket in one arm and with the other hand I hold Elisa¡¯s while we walk through the limits of Central Park looking for an ideal ce.

    ¨C There, a shade, it¡¯s going to be a hot day ¨C she says pointing to a tree.

    When we get closer I take a blue nket from inside the basket and stretch it over the green grass, I put the basket on top of it and we sit down.

    ¨C Did I mention you look beautiful today? ¨C I ask to see the red cheeks that delight me.

    ¨C Thank you, although I don¡¯t believe it very much ¨C she shifts her eyes from mine.

    ¨C Hey ¨C I touch his chin and bring his eyes to mine ¨C We talked about that, you¡¯re beautiful and you charm me.

    ¨C What did you bring? ¨C she asks, wanting to get off the subject.

    ¨C I brought you mango juice, I know you love it ¨C her eyes sparkle.

    ¨C Thank you for noticing, I guess ¨C she says, a little ungraciously.

    I open the bottle of juice and pour two sses, I offer one to her, Elisa takes a sip. We stare at the view, the sky is blue, it¡¯s very difficult to have such a clear sky like this in New York, someone up there must be rooting for me to give us such a beautiful and clear sky on the day I¡¯m going to order.

    ¨C I¡¯ve been thinking about us Elisa ¨C she looks at me at the same moment and they are beautiful eyes, full of wonder, anxiety and delicacy. The breeze shakes her hair and I touch a lock of hair behind her ear ¨C I want more than stolen kisses, I want the right to them.

    She opens her mouth in surprise, I don¡¯t see repulsion, denial, only surprise and somehow her eyes tell me that this is the way. That she wants it, if not with her conscience, at least with her spirit. I open the basket again and take out a gift-wrapped box.

    ¨C Did you think you wouldn¡¯t get a present? I know that today is your birthday ¨C she is so nervous, but her eyes shine and her face is flushed ¨C I spent nights thinking about what to give you, no jewellery because with your shine they wouldn¡¯t fit. I came to the conclusion that the best present would be something simple but symbolic ¨C I hold out the box in her direction, she opens it revealing a crystal angel that when you press a button behind the wings it begins to sh in various colours ¨C For me, you are a sweet angel Elisa, made exclusively to brighten and give colour to my life.

    ¨C Thank you, it¡¯s beautiful ¨C thick tears run down her face ¨C I¡¯ve never won a more beautiful present, and for me, who¡¯s being the angel here is you.

    ¨C You are a girl who came in and changed everything in my life, from the bottom of my heart. Will you ept to be my girlfriend, Elisa? ¨C I ask nervously, feeling my heart beating hard inside my chest.

    A beautiful smile appears on her lips amidst the tears, while she shakes her head in an eternal yes, carefully I approach her, I touch her face delicately and I take her lips and we begin a kiss full of affection and care. As we part she puts her arms around me and leans on my shoulders while we look at all the peopleing and going around the park. Children run from one side to the other and I can imagine me and Elisa in a few years sitting in this same tree watching our children run.

    I can¡¯t remember ever being lighter, more whole and more confident. We spend almost the whole afternoon in the park and when I finally stop the car at her door to drop her home we kiss, a long kiss, long, already full of longing; I say goodbye to her with ast kiss of the day, when I see her crossing the door I drive home floating, nothing can erase the shine in my eyes, she said yes!

    At home I take advantage of the good mood to stay a few hours at the office to advance some projects and approve the budget for the end of year party, which will happen in five months.

    After finishing everything, having dinner and doing my hygiene I go to bed, sleep was never so easy, the lightness of the hours in the park fill me with sleep and I fall asleep as soon as I send and receive her good night.

    I love Elisa, how did this feeling catch me so without warning? It¡¯s as if it¡¯s been in me for many years of affinity. I was distracted and then she appears in my dreams and ravishes my heart. I love that girl lost in herself, owner of all her fears and uncertainties. I love the beautiful girl who little by little starts to break the shell that hides her, like a caterpir turning into a butterfly, to then colour life, especially my life.

    I want to tell her that everything in me, loves everything in this, but I want to keep this secret a little while longer, so as not to scare her and mainly to firm it even more in my heart to then share in words with her.

    The days are only paradise, working has new colours, dating Elisa makes me stronger and livelier. I like to be hers, I like waking up thinking of her, to work and meet her at the end of the day and take her home, to enjoy the rest of the light to exchange a few kisses at her door, I like spending the rest of the time with her until the day is over and then flirt in the garden, in the car, in the restaurant at a romantic dinner, in the pack while children y around us, I like Sundays when we have lunch together and spend the whole day in each other¡¯spany in a routine that gives us more and more intimacy.

    I start my day sending a message to Elisa, she is always the first and thest person I talk to every day, since that afternoon I asked her to marry me.

    I enter thepany and greet all the employees that I meet on the way, I go to my office for another exhausting day of work.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    ¨C Come in ¨C I say as soon as I hear someone knock on the door.

    ¨C Hi Anael ¨C I raise my eyes to face the girl in front of me, I remember having seen her several times in the corridors or in the lift. Strange that my secretary didn¡¯t warn me and that she called me in such an intimate way.

    ¨C What can I do for you, miss? ¨C I decide to ignore this fact, her presence bothers me a little, every time we bump into each other she throws some suggestive phrases in my direction making me embarrassed but I ignore it in order not to get to the extreme of firing her.

    ¨C I¡¯d like to know what that no-good girl has that I don¡¯t have ¨C she speaks and approaches my table.

    ¨C Sorry, I don¡¯t understand ¨C I arch an eyebrow.

    ¨C I thought that the rumors about you dating that no-good Elisa were lies, I did not like to hear that you chose her, sir ¨C I do not like the direction of this conversation.

    ¨C First of all I would like you to respect me and my girlfriend, I am your boss and I don¡¯t tolerate this kind of insubordination ¨C I speak firmly.

    ¨C What does that saltless girl have that I don¡¯t have? ¨C she continues and I start to get angry.

    ¨C Nobody talks bad about my girl in front of me,¡± I get up from the chair and stand beside her, holding her arm tightly in the heat of anger.

    Taking me by surprise she sticks her lips to mine forcing passage for her tongue, I try at all costs to push her away but she squeezes my neck sticking her body to mine suddenly the door opens and finally the woman releases me.

    When I face the door and see Elisa crying staring at me with disappointed eyes my heart misses a few beats.

    ¨C The missing person has arrived ¨C the woman speaks venomously and I keep staring at my girl¡¯s crying eyes ¨C The freak has arrived to finally know that me and Anael are together, and always have been, ridiculous limp.

    ¨C Elisa, my girl doesn¡¯t believe her ¨C I ask ¨C I can exin.

    Before I can say anything else she runs off without saying anything leaving me behind full of remorse.

    ¨C You are fired! ¨C I say to that poisonous woman, she opens her eyes and so much to tare at me, but I don¡¯t allow it and start running after my love.

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