The Devil's Sweetheart

Leena feels like she cannot avoid a certain someone's shadow wherever she goes because the familiar voice again shouted at her when she arrived at the parking area. 

''Where are you going without informing me?''

''Why do you keep following me?'' She snapped at Nick in an irritating tone. '' Are you a human turned ghost?''

''Not yet.'' He replied sarcastically. ''I am still a human, but if we stay as good friends now, we can become ghost friends when we die.''

''So that we can walk through the walls and scare people?'' Leena threw the car keys, which Nick caught in perfect time.

''Honestly, you don't need to die to scare people. Your human presence can alone scare people '' His reply earned a sharp glare from Leena. Not that he minded. ''So, where are we going?''

''To meet Enger.''

''What?'' Nick screamed in horror. ''Why do you want to meet him again? Did you forget what happened two days back? Do you want to anger Devin_''

''You talk too much. Drive to Plants coffee.'' She put the earpods so that Nick's rallies would not reach her ears.

''She always creates troubles,'' Nick muttered before he started the car. An hour later, the car pulled at the entrance of Plants coffee shop. 

''You stay here. I will be back in a while. I want to talk with Enger alone.''

''Are you sure.'' He hesitantly asked. After knowing Enger's real intention, Nick is a little skeptical about sending Leena alone.

''I will come back soon.'' Before getting down, Leena covered her face and then made her way inside. She went to the private room straight away, and a smile welcomed her, followed by his voice. ''Hi, Leena.''

''Was I late?'' She asked, sitting opposite him, a smile on her face.

''Not at all.'' Replied Enger. Her smile looked so cute that he wanted to go and kiss her. Brushing the thoughts, he called the waiter and ordered him to bring two Almond latte. An unexpected text from Leena has shaken him up. For the first time, Leena volunteered to text him, which is good progress. ''Why did you want to meet me?'' 

''I wanted to apologize for what happened two days back. Devin is a little aggressive sometimes.'' She apologized. She can understand Devin's jealousy, but sometimes he becomes overprotective when it comes to her.

''I don't mind.'' He said, stirring the cold Latte with the straw. ''I feel bad that I was the reason for your fight.''

''That's fine. It's not a big deal.'' The cold Latte remained untouched on the table. ''What else? How are you? I always talk about myself when we have a conversation. For a change, tell me about yourself.''

''Me?'' He chuckled. ''You already know about me.'' He said in a flat tone. But deep down, Leena's closeness has put warmth in him. She is slowly opening up to him, he thought with a smile.

''Not everything,'' Leena added, slowly drawing him into her court. ''You haven't talked about what you do?''

''That's an interesting topic.'' He said. ''I don't have any family. I have a small business, and I am doing quite well.''

''I am sorry for bringing_''

''No, no..No sympathy, Leena,'' Enger cutoff. ''I am happy with my life. Glad to have a friend like you. Happy that I saved you.''

''I have troubled you a lot. How did you alone take me to the hospital on that day? I don't have any recollection of memories that happened on that night. I was knocked down completely.'' She questioned, tightly gripping her dress under the table. This is it! Finally, I have successfully brought the conversation. It's time to collect the answers carefully.

''Well,'' Enger thought for a while before continuing. ''You..You lost consciousness which drove me crazy. I was tending to your wounds with one hand, and with the other, I was controlling the steering. It was tough, but finally, I managed to drive to the hospital carefully.'' He looked at Leena to check if she is suspicious, but there was none. Finally, he breathed in. Why did she have to bring this unprepared topic?

Leena nodded her head with a smile. Wrong Answer! There was another person on that day. ''That was a tough time. So, what about yout girlfriends? Your flings? You know what I mean...'' Leena asked like an exciting friend pulling the act like a pro. She has got a hunch already, and his next reply will decide her answers.

Enger coughed and turned red at her words. He didnot think Leena is so bold in taking the initiative to talk about such things.

''Caught redhanded.'' She smiled. ''I don't mind. But if you don't want to share, I will not compel.''

''Well, I neither had girlfriends, not flings. Honestly, I haven't had my first kiss yet.'' He replied with embarrassment. Caught in his modesty, Enger didnot notice the appalled expression on her face.

''You hadn't had kissed anyone?'' She repeated in a daze. Even she remembered kissing him, but how come he does not know. ''I mean..if not you...someone might have initiated?'' 

''If that had happened, I should have known, isn't it?'' He sought in a teasing voice. He married Winter on impulse four years back, but that was only on papers. His love, his everything, is only for Leena. 

Color drained out of Leena's face. Even she remembers what happened on that day, but how can he not remember? A realization dawned on her. No! It can't be. Enger was not the one who saved me on that day. Who is this man! Why is he pretending to be nice to her? Have I been trusting the wrong person until now? Panic struck Leena's breath from the mouth. She has to get out of this place as soon as possible. ''It was nice meeting with you. I have got urgent work. I will meet you some other time.'' She got up to leave.

''Hey Leena, wait.'' She didnot hear and straight away dashed out of the room. Can't she talk for some more time? Enger shook his head. She has not changed since childhood. 

...

''Who are you?'' Leena questioned.

Why did he lie? What is the reason? Why is he pretending as my friend? How did he know about me so well? There were so many unanswered questions. To get her answers, she has to act acting. Until she gets to the bottom of it, she will not leave this matter. Just in time, Leena got a call from her Francy, distracting her thoughts. ''What is it, Mr. Hayes?'' Leena's voice was sharp and cold.

''How long are you going to rebel against me?'' Francis softly asked. It's been a week he hadn't talked with Leena, and when he calls, she replies in monologues.

''Until you accept.'' She repeated the same old thing.

''You little monster...'' Francis exhaled a deep breath before agreeing. ''Fine, I will agree. But I am a little scared, Leena.'' Heather is speaking with him like a normal friend, and he was scared she would completely stop talking to him if he confesses to her. But on the other side, Leena is giving him a hard time not talking with him. Both mother and daughter know how to play with his emotions.

''Leave that to me, Francy. I will train you.'' There is Something she got to get distracted from the thoughts. She has already written a love proposal in a poetic way which Francis will love it.

''Alright.'' He doesn't have anything except to trust in Leena. ''Come home this weekend.''

''Okay.'' She nodded her head fervently, and after a brief conversation with him, she ended the call.

....

On Friday night, Leena, Cutie, and Carrot went to the Heacis mansion. She invited Aunt Jalapeno as well, but she had priority work, so she declined the offer. After the dinner, Leena dragged Francis into the study room and placed a book on the table. ''Read it thoroughly, and come up with doubts.''

''What is this?'' He asked, flipping the pages. Every line, there was a scratch which is hard to understand. ''Your handwriting is still the worst since school.''

''Because I have a gifted brain.'' She answered, flipping her hair with arrogance. 

He ignored her narcissistic remarks and read the content inside aloud. ''If I am the moon, you are the sun. The moon can't shine without the sun. You are my sun, so I shine. Please accept my love, Heather. The day I decided to go on my knees for you is when I decided to tie shoelaces for baby Leena.''

Francis's head spun for a second. Did she expect me to learn these cheesy lines at this age and propose to Heather? 

Since Francis is very well aware of her poetic skills, he had a hard time believing Leena had written these lines on her own. The last line was so beautiful that he wanted to frame it in his bedroom.