Past Life

The first time she recalled seeing him was when she had just managed to dodge a rain storm that was passing through her small town as she made her way to work that morning. He was already inside the small cafe and, if she recalled correctly, he had a coffee as he enjoyed a black book that bore no title on the front. She had only happened to notice him because the cafe was nearly empty already except for a couple in their own world off to the side and a lonesome barista who was busy in the back. As she had entered, she also took notice of him because he had been the only one to take notice of her enough to put his book down casually and smirk as he picked up his coffee. His smile seemed to welcome her in. What made her recall now and had made her never forgotten since then, was when their gaze met, it was a feeling that haunted her to the very core and to this day she still couldn’t shake. A feeling that she would consider similar to having an electric current running through your whole body as if to resuscitate one back from near death. Quickly, she hesitantly averted her eyes to the register and motioned for the barista who happily came to grab her simple coffee order. Only to wait out the storm, she slowly enjoyed her coffee and peered out the large window near the entrance. Her back was to the strange man and yet, still she felt as if someone was watching her every move which in turn caused her to feel even more awkward. The storm lasted just long enough for her to finish her cup of joe, thankfully in her own mind she thought. As she had made her exit, from the corner of her eye she noticed his head slowly turned to watch her every move as she continued down the sidewalk to make it to work in a timely manner. This had happened just three days ago. She swore to never forget that face.

Now, here he was again, but this time at her office. Her boss was introducing him to the whole department where she had worked for the last five years. He was to be working with the business for the next foreseeable future. As he greeted the department, he made direct eye contact with her as he smiled warmly. The damned electric currents were back yet again. They ran through her chest making it hard to focus as she tried brushing it off by looking down at her desk and taking a deep breath in. How could she not even meet his gaze as the rest of the office welcomed him so enthusiastically with ease? The rest of her co-workers were smitten (that much she could tell by the dreamy stares and sighs from the other women) and in definite awe of the newbie so she was sure the smile had not been directed directly to her. This was just ridiculous; the feelings in her chest and how he could just make her so “weak at the knees” and not to mention, flustered to not even be able to look him in the eyes. Throughout her life, she had never had this issue. As her father always told her, she must show her true strength by looking everyone straight in the eyes as she or they spoke. This man was making that very difficult already and he just started today. She wasn’t sure why she kept feeling this way deep within her being, nor had she ever experienced anything like this before in her life. A part of her was sure it was just a gut-feeling that one got when they met someone they knew was probably going to be nothing but trouble for them and just for everyone else in general. Maybe fate and her consciousness was trying to warn her to be weary of this particular new man, especially if he DID have the nerve to even try something with a very multi-talented person such as herself. Her father had made sure she knew how to handle herself very well with the numerous self-defense classes. Deep in her gut, she at least knew she had to be very careful of him; no matter what.

It was late when she finally got to pack up her things to go home. With a promotion on the line, she had promised her boss to stay late to finish up the last of some important paperwork. A co-worker of hers was to leave soon, so to her delight, her boss had acknowledged her hard work and had offered it to her as long as she proved herself in the next coming months. It was dark and lonely out in the parking garage as she made her way to her car. As she walked, she felt her hair start to rise slowly as goosebumps rose up on the skin at the back of her neck. She peeped over her shoulder as she continued faster to see the very last person she wanted to see standing next to the elevators. He watched her as she was walking away and pulled a cigarette out. As he lit it, he smirked and leaned against the wall, watching her as she continued. She felt even more flustered and just focused on getting to her car quickly without any confrontation. Feeling her face turn red, she opened her car and got in swiftly. All she wanted was to get out of there from his predatory stare and dark dementor. As she started her car, she scolded herself to not look back at him because he was definitely not the last person she wanted to see tonight, especially with the previous sightings she had experienced with him already. She left the parking garage quickly. As she turned out of view, she peered in the rearview to see the dark figure turned towards her direction as if he knew she had to look just once more. For the rest of the night, she knew she would hate herself for it.

The next morning showed the day to be a gloomy one, but this was not going to stop her from getting the much needed thing that she craved mentally. Her jogging. They had always seemed to help her clear her mind of all the mess she would gather in it from time to time. As she parked, she noticed another car off to the side. For a moment, she thought it to be abandoned because she knew this park well. It was her favorite due to how secluded it was early in the mornings and she never saw anyone else. Maybe it was the grounds keeper or perhaps it had been abandoned. She shrugged the thought of it off and stretched to loosen her limbs. The park was about a mile long with most of the running track going through the woods and by a small pond that had a lovely gazebo next to it. She grabbed her small bag and was off. 

About halfway through, she came to the view of the small pond. She froze abruptly. Across the pond, on the other side, a dark figure walked slowly. Her heart throbbed as she realized who it was. How could this be? Yes, it was understanding of the second time being by pure coincidence, but this is the fourth time in the course of just a week that they were in the same spot at the exact same time. Now she knew he had to be following her. No, worse, stalking her somehow. How else would he have known she comes here out of all places? She sat down to catch her breath and think more clearly before jumping to conclusions she didn’t have evidence of. Wait. That remote car in the lot? He had to have gotten here first, so he couldn’t have followed her, she realized dumbly. Really, she didn’t even have a problem with him. Not that she could think of one. It was just that feeling. The same she was feeling now as he drew closer and closer. It felt as if lightning bolts were coursing through her body, making it hard to even breathe. Part of her felt this thrill from it. It made her feel something she had never felt, but also alien to her as she didn’t know what it could be nor why she was feeling it towards him. Now that she was thinking clearer, she knew she had to find out. 

The stranger was now just a ways from her. He slowed to a stop as he saw her sitting there. He pulled an earbud out from his ear and half smiled. On the other hand, she was fixated on him. Maybe she was scowling or looking a bit too stern, but at this point, she didn’t care. She wanted answers.

Her voice came out much shakier than she thought it would be, “What are you staring at?! Why is it that we keep ending up in the same place as one another? Is it just me to notice or?”

He smiled as he looked down at his feet while taking his earbuds out. His voice came out cool and made her feel like butter as he spoke, “Honestly, I was thinking the same, but to answer your first question, I’ve come to the conclusion that you must be an angel or something to be this beautiful and smart.”

“Excuse me?”, she scowled. “What are you trying to achieve by complimenting me?”

He got closer and smirked at her, causing her heart to thump so loud she felt as if it was going to jump out her chest any moment. “Nothing really, but if it makes you smile then that’s worth something.”

She scooted over to the end of the bench so he could sit on the other end. Her heart was pounding so loud now that she was sure he heard it as he sat down. Taking a deep breath, she replied calmly, “Hmm, yea compliments only get so far with me..especially coming from a complete stranger who happens to be everywhere I go nowadays. Are you sure you’re not following me?“

“Oh I wish I was. I just love to be alone when I jog and this happened to be the first suggested spot to try first. I saw no one so I decided to try it. If anything, you seem to be following me, miss.” He cracked a crooked smile and looked out at the pond.

She shifted and sighed a sigh of relief.

“Well judging by that sigh, you seem to have gotten a load off your back, but that is the least of your worries now.” He looked at her again, but his expression had immediately changed that caused her to her heart to sped up even more than it already was beating. 

“Sorry, what was that you had just said?” She stood up and looked at him gravely.

“Oh I am sure you heard me. I hate to see your pretty face look so scared, but I know who you really are and your real father has been looking for you for a long time. You made it difficult to track you, but I am the best at what I do and your father has paid me quite handsomely to find you and retrieve you to deliver you safely and sound back to him. He wants to raise you to take over his kingdom when he steps down, ya know. That’s quite something to just walk away from.”

Her blood started to boil as she grimaced at him. Her guts had been right all along and now, everything her real father had tried to prevent from happening was now falling into place. “A kingdom full of drugs and blackmail? Yeah, no thanks. I’m not going anywhere with you. I’ve dealt with your kind hunting me my whole life and I’m not going to let someone like you to ruin what good I’ve worked for.”

Instantaneously, she lunged towards him, pinning him to the ground. He struggled under her weight as she promptly stuck him with a syringe filled with a mysterious green liquid. His movements slowed as the drugs took effect instantly. When he will wake, like the rest who came for her, he won’t remember much of anything. His memory of her would be wiped clean, thanks to her father’s beautiful green concoction. Before his disappearance, he had left it to her as a gift along with the formula on how to make more of it. 

Now she had to uproot her life yet again. Her blood father would never stop unless she exposed him or killed him. Neither of which sounded easy or pleasant. She would probably have to go dark again and get in touch with her father’s old friends. Yet she knew one thing as she left the dark stranger’s body in the woods as she made her way to her car, you can never hide from your past.

"Well here we go again."