DEVIL FROM HEAVEN

"Remember, even the devil was once an angel."

A book club? A freaking book club? Are you out of your mind Perce? No wonder why you still haven't got a girlfriend. Seriously dude, few people hook up on their first date itself, and here you are, thinking to take her to a book club." Leo said incuriously.

"Why not a book club?" Percy asked. "The other day I saw her reading the same book which I had read. Who knows? We both might have the same taste in books. And for the record, she isn't the type of girl who would hook up on her first date." He blew away the froth on his cappuccino and took a sip of it.

"How do you know that she ain't that type of girl? Don't you know, a nerd like you once said, 'Don't judge a book by a cover'" Leo said, leaning on the table.

"How would you know she is that kind of girl? You haven't even seen her." Percy said.

"You should be optimistic bro. Just think about it, if she turns out to be the wildcat like I say, you would hit a massive jackpot."

Percy rolled his eyes. "People don't date others just to hook up with them Leo, you need to understand this thing."

"Seriously we are in our teens, Percy. At this phase, the hormones in our body are in their 'Chuck Norris' mode. If you are not horny, then what are you?" Leo asked.

"Sane, I guess."

"You are no fun at all," Leo said. "Anyways, back to what I was saying. When you see her, just go and ask her out before it's too late. And yeah, I ain't allowing you to take her to a book club,"

"How can you just say to 'go and ask her out'? That is easier said than done. If you really think that asking someone out is that easy, why haven't you asked anyone out yet?" Percy said.

"Because I haven't found my girl. You know they say that you get some sort of vibes and shit when you see her, I haven't got that till now. You don't just ask anyone out, you ask out the person whom you like. And I haven't met her yet." Leo said.

"You think I am gonna buy that, don't you?" Percy said.

"Come on Percy, I am not a scardey-cat like you," Leo said.

"Then prove it to me. Ask someone out in this café and only then will I make the first move on her." Percy challenged him.

Leo smirked confidently. "You're on it."

He looked around the dimly lit café which oddly had fewer people than it usually does. Out of the few, there were hardly any females with the exception of an old woman who was sitting alone in the corner and another woman who was already with a guy, probably his boyfriend. No matter how hard like liked challenges; Leo surely wasn't going to ask an old woman out. And the girl, who was left, already had a partner. Leo was out of options.

"You knew it. You knew from the start that there wasn't anyone in here to ask."

Percy shrugged sarcastically. "You could've just looked around before accepting the challenge, couldn't you?"

Leo's expression turned into a cunning smirk. "Looks like someone is going to ask his crush out today."

Percy turned around only to see a caramel haired girl, around his age, who came from the coffee bar carrying a tray of steaming Styrofoam cups with her to serve the table behind them.

"You are not going to ask the Barista out!"

"Last I heard the challenge didn't have any terms and conditions with it," Leo said.

"Leo you-"

"Excuse me," Leo called her out.

After placing the last cup on the table, she came to them, holding the tray against her chest. Percy got to have a better look at her when she stood in front of them. She, just like others who worked in the café, was wearing a black vest and crisp white shirt underneath it. Her almond brown eyes complimented her perfectly tanned skin and caramel hair which was tied in a messy ponytail. "Umm… How may I help you?"

"Do you mind telling me your name?" Leo asked, picking up a rose from the vase and twirling it between his fingers.

Calypso gave him a weird look. "My name's Calypso. So how may I help you?" She repeated her question, making it clear that she wasn't interested.

"Calypso, such a nice name." He said dreamily. "My name's Valdez, Leo Valdez."

"I work here to take orders and serve the café's customers. That's where my job ends. There is nothing in my work about knowing my customers' name. And if you are really that eager to share your name with baristas, you can go to Starbucks down the street." She said.

Percy snickered at Leo's dumbstruck face. It wasn't every day did he meet people who would leave him speechless with their comebacks. Leo ran his hand through his curly hair. "Touché," Leo said. "I did not expect that."

"Yeah, I am filled with surprises." She said dully, inspecting her nails.

"And guess what? I love interesting people. So, would you go out on a date with me?" He asked.

"Tell me one thing, what was your name again, Leo, did you ask me out because you just realized now that I am interesting or did you intend to do it so from the beginning when you called me?" She asked.

"Now that is a difficult question. Would my answer decide whether you are going out with me or not?" He asked.

"No, I would reject you either way. Just curious." She said.

"Then my answer is few things are better left unsaid." He said.

Calypso shrugged and turned to Percy. "Do you need anything Percy?"

"Umm… No, I'm fine. Thanks." He said.

Leo waited till Calypso was out of earshot. "How does she know you?"

"We used to be friends in like, eighth grade. But then I don't know why, but we stopped talking. I am surprised that she even remembers my name."

"High school changes everything," Leo said.

"Yeah, you're right," Percy said.

"But look at the bright side. I asked her out and won the challenge. Now it's your turn to ask the girl of your dreams out."

"She isn't the girl of my dreams. And I am not going to her. She would probably reject me so there isn't really any use-"

Leo slammed his hands on the table. "Aw come on. Don't be so-"

"There she is," Percy whispered.

Leo turned around to see the girl. She entered through the automatic doors which opened themselves, making a mild sweeping noise. She was holding the same book in her hand which she was talking about. She stopped in her tracks to look at the menu board above the coffee bar.

"Come on Perce. It's now or never." Leo said.

"That sounds too dramatic. She comes here every weekend." Percy said. He made a sideward glance at her. She had collected her coffee from the counter and was now sitting at the table just beside them.

Leo groaned, "Just go and ask her already. Staring at the girl would do nothing. It's very simple. All you have to do is maintain a straight posture, look into her eyes, introduce yourself and ask her out without beating the bush. But don't be too straightforward or else you would look like an overconfident jerk. You can even stammer a little as it would match your personality. Wait: cut that. You can't look confident and nervous at the same time. Are you even listening to me?"

"What the hell did you just say?" Percy asked.

"Do one thing. Just be yourself and ask her out." Leo said.

Percy sighed. "You think I should?"

"What do you think I have been saying to you since past fifteen minutes?"

"What if-"

"I swear I will slap you if you won't go now. Just remember one thing. No book club or nerdy shit. Understand?"

"I can't just jump at her table and ask her out. That would be weird, even worse, it can scare her off. She usually goes straight to the bust stop after finishing her drink. I'll wait with her for the bus at the bus stop. And-"

"And you will pop the proposal while waiting. That sounds clean." Leo said. "So you really are stalking her."

"No!" Percy exclaimed. "I am not."

"Then how do you know she goes to the bus stop after her drink?"

"'Cause the Bust stop is just outside the café dimwit."

The girl stood up, dropped her cup in the bin and left the café after thanking Calypso who was at the counter. Percy was about to stand up when Leo kicked his shin from under the table. "Don't be a creep. At least wait for a minute before going or you would really look like a stalker."

Percy sighed. "Yea,h you're right."

Tapping his legs continuously, he impatiently waited for a minute to pass. That was the longest one minute in his life.

"Do not let desperate situation make you do desperate things, my child," Leo said.

"Words are wisdom can sound good but they never help, at least for me, Yoda," Percy said. "I think I should go now." He rose from his seat and strode across the café towards the exit.

"Adios, my friend." He heard Leo say before the doors closed behind him. He slowly walked to the girl with frizzy red haired girl who was leaning against the pole having the stop's sign. Percy reconsidered asking when Leo words echoed in his mind. It's now or never.

He noticed that she was wearing a wooden necklace around her neck. "That's a very interesting necklace you have on. It reminds me of a carved figurine back at the markets in Marrakesh." Percy said.

The girl touched the wooden beads of the necklace. "Oh, this? I bought it from one of the street shops back at Connecticut. I have never been to Marrakesh."

The bus made a hissing sound, declaring its presence as it stopped in front of them. Its door opened and a wave of cool air blew on their faces. The girl hopped inside and turned to glance back at him. "Aren't you coming?"

"Umm… yeah, I am." He said and climbed behind her, meeting eyes with the disgruntled driver who was too impatient to wait for him.

"Don't mind him. He's always like that." She said and sat on one of the seats on the second row. The bus still had many seats that were yet to be occupied, but when the girl looked at him expectantly, he sat on the vacant seat beside her.

"My name's Rachel Dare, by the way. What's yours?" She asked,

"I'm Percy Jackson." He said, "So, are you from Connecticut?"

"Yes, I am. But we shifted here four years ago. Father's Business matters, you know."

Percy nodded. There was a pregnant pause in their conversation. He was finding it hard to think about something to continue the conversation. His eyes lay on the book that was on her lap. Rachel saw him staring at it. "Have you read this book?"

"It's my third book from the author." He said.

"You have read it? You are the first in here I have met who reads literature novels. All others are interested in is some shitty fantasy and sci-fi books that make no sense." She said.

"I know, right? People don't like to embrace reality. All they want is inexplicable stuff." Percy said.

He usually was awkward talking with someone for the first time, but it was different while talking to her. He felt comfortable with her. They both even shared similar interests. A sudden unexplainable feeling sprung in his mind that she was the right match for him.

"So Rachel, are you seeing anyone?" He asked. A momentary silence ensued again and all he could hear was the faint voices of the passengers in the bus and the whirring sounds made by the air conditioning system.

"No, I am not. I am single." She said, playing on her lips.

Percy swallowed the lump in his throat. "Rachel, I am really enjoying the conversation with you. I would love to see you again and know more about you. So, w-would you go out on a date with me?"

Her face told that she was fairly surprised to hear it. She waited for few seconds before answering which seemed like an eternity to Percy. All he could hear was the faint voices of the passengers in the bus and the whirring sounds made by the air conditioning system.

"When and where?" She asked.

His heart skipped a beat. "Was that a yes?"

"Of course it was." She said.

"Then I will leave the time and place to you." He said.

"Let's see. What about tomorrow, Hestia's Hearth at six?"

"That would do." Percy said. "It's a date then."

"It's a date." She said.

. . . . .

Percy paddled down the 34th street of Hell's kitchen in a hurry, snaking between the vehicles that had clustered in the road. Traffic jams were common in New York City, but it became more severe in evening. He had never bothered to notice this, until now. He had spent far too much of his time In front of the mirror, changing his clothes now and then when he wouldn't be satisfied with his looks. He was so engrossed in spending his time with the pile of clothes in his bedroom that he didn't notice the time at all.

And now here he was, in the middle putrid fumes released by the vehicles surrounding him. He knew he was late, but resisted the urge to check his watch. Tired of waiting, he jumped of the seat, lifted his bike and shifted it to the sidewalk and continued pedaling again, much to the dismay of the pedestrians. After cycling through the pavement for few more minutes, he was met with the board of the restaurant with illuminated letters that read, 'Hestia's Hearth'

He carelessly dropped his bicycle at the corner and bolted to the entrance, pausing in between to check himself at the vague reflection of him on the glass door. Inside the small restaurant, it wasn't hard to find her. Moreover, her red hair made her stand out from others. She, evidently bored, was fiddling with the cloth napkin on the table.

"Hey, Rachel." He said.

"Look at you, drastic change in attire, huh?" She said, scanning in from head to toe.

"Behind every neatly dressed man, there is a woman," Percy said, sitting on the chair. "Sorry for being late. There was a hell lot of traffic on the road."

"I don't know shit about Chinese dishes so I didn't know what to order." Rachel said.

Percy went through the menu. "I heard that the Salmon and wild rice that they serve in here is amazing. But if you want to eat something light then we can have the sushi. They stuff vegetables and seafood inside rolls of vinegared rice or…" Percy paused when he saw that she wasn't even listening to him. Instead, she was much interested in the news rolling on the television mounted on the wall.

"-several unidentified bodies were discovered in the commercial facility of Hell's kitchen. The saliva retrieved from these corpses confirmed that a Ghoul was behind this act. According to the Commission of counter Ghoul, a single ghoul is responsible for the string of predatory attacks that took place in Hell's Kitchen, including this incident," said the news reporter of the selected channel.

Not ghouls, He thought. Why does it always have to be them?

Rachel noticed that he was waiting for her and her eyes widened in realization as she blushed pink. "I'm really sorry. I just got distracted."

"Why shouldn't she be?" The girl holding a pen and notepad, staring seriously at Rachel, said. She had short spiky hair, dark eyeliner around her electric blue eyes and wore several chains on her wrist. She had on a black T-shirt and tattered jeans with a leather jacket that had a bunch of buttons of bands he had never heard of. "I mean, one should be careful. New York isn't much reliable these days with ghouls freely roaming in the streets with ordinary people." She said. "Anyways, what would you like have?"

"We would like to have a plate of salmon and wild rice. Thank You." Percy said.

"You'll get your food in a minute." She said and went to another table to get the orders as if nothing happened.

"That was weird. Do you know her?" He asked.

"I? N-No. I don't know her. Just forget it." She chugged in the complete glass of water resting on the table. "So yesterday you were asking me about my necklace. You don't look like a guy who is interested in handmade crafts." She said.

"You got that right. But I know a lot about them because of my mother. She had an obsession with handmade figurines. I still have loads of them in my house. She was so interested in it that she even learned to make them." Percy said.

"I would like to meet your mother someday." She said.

Percy stared at his plate. "She is no more. She died when I was in five."

"I am so sorry for your loss." She whispered and gently squeezed his hand. He pulled it back. He hated those comforting words. To him, it felt like they were just said for the sake of it. Percy had accepted the truth and moved on. Now there was no need of bringing back those sad memories.

"Here's your rice." The Goth girl carefully dropped the dish of steaming salmon and wild rice at the center of the table, eyeing Rachel in a mean way. "Feel free to call me back if you need anything. Thank you."

"Let's dig in." He said.

Rachel served herself just a small portion of the rice from the dish and ate it calmly. Percy noticed that she wasn't chewing it inside her mouth; instead, she was swallowing it up whole. As they ate their food, Rachel didn't even speak and their whole date from then on was filled with pretty much awkward silence.

"Excuse me; I need to go to the restroom." She said once she finished her food. She spent a long time in the restroom and till she came back, Percy too had finished eating.

"Ready to go?" She asked.

"Whenever you are." He said.

After paying the bill, they both walked out of the restaurant still with the silence that had ensued since they started eating. His first date didn't go according to his expectation, as he had imagined something much 'better' but it could've been worse. Although she was being adamant at insisting that she didn't know the waiter, he suspected the sudden change in Rachel's behavior to be due to her.

The shadows cast on the pavement under the streetlights as they walked on it were now twice as long as themselves. The lamps of the street shops lit up as the sky turned into darker shades of blue. Though the sun had dipped into the horizon by now, the moon was nowhere to be seen in the night sky.

"I had a nice time with you Percy. I think we should go out once again. " She said.

"Yes, we certainly should." He said. Away from Hestia' Hearth, away from that Goth girl, he thought. "Where do you live?"

"Where do you live?" He asked.

"I stay in one of the bungalows opposite to the Grace estate's construction site." She said.

Percy recalled the waiter's words. I mean, one should be careful. New York isn't much reliable these days with ghouls freely roaming in the streets with ordinary people. "Do you want me to walk you to your home?"

"What?" She asked but he felt as if could hear a hint of acceptance in her voice.

"I mean, the street is deserted at night. You know what I am talking about, right? Its good if we stick together." He said.

"Yeah." Rachel said. She led him along the path to his house through thin lanes that ended in the construction site and not her house. All of a sudden, she hugged him tightly and snuggled her head into the crook of his neck. He felt an intense burning sensation in the place where her mouth rested. He tilted his head and saw her nibbling his flesh. He impulsively pushed her back.

She smiled evilly, his blood smeared all over her mouth and trickling down. "You taste so much better than I expected." The sclera of her eyes turned black and her iris flared red. Dark cracks developed on the skin around her eyes. Abruptly, four reddish black tentacle-like scaled structures grew from her back and wrapped themselves around Percy. He tried to wriggle out of her grasp but the tentacles had tightly gripped him.

She licked her lips. "Oh my god! Your blood… It's better than I expected. I-I can't control myself." In a flash, she raised her fist and punched his chest and her hand went through his body, splashing more blood on her face. She slowly removed it back, inflicting as much damage as possible.

Despite the intense torment he was now suffering, he tried to think of a solution. He saw a huge stack of concrete poles tied together with a steel wire to his right. If he could cut the rope that tied the bottom-most stack, the poles on top of them would topple down on them, both of them. There was no way he could escape. He had two options. Let him kill her and walk away to feed on more innocent people, or kill them both by pulling out the wire and bringing an end to the creature. He preferred the second option.

Rachel threw him on the ground and stepped on his neck, pressing his esophagus. His vision became dizzy and he gasped for breath. He dug his claws into the ground and flung on the sand in his palm hand onto her face. She shook her head and moved behind. Till the time she gained composure, he grabbed one of her tentacles and forced it through the steel wire. To his relief, its sharp tips sliced the wire into two. The next thing he knew, the massive poles of concrete above the first stack tripped over and crushed both of them. He felt like dying was the worst and the best thing anyone could feel.