I quickened my pace until I heard a thump and him swearing. I turned to see him sitting on the ground near an empty table, grabbing at his left knee. I couldn’t leave him like that. I was trying to be cold-hearted, but I didn’t want to be mean. He’d hurt himself chasing after me. I could stand to be around him for a minute to see if he was alright before my heart completely crumbled.
I rushed over to him and crouched down. “Are you okay?”
He jumped up, face relaxed. “Perfectly fine, Jalisa. Just needed you to come back.”
I stood up, scowling. “You faked injuring yourself? Are you serious?” I turned away, but he grabbed my hand. I tried to yank him free, but he wouldn’t let go. “What are you doing?”
“Jalisa, why are you running from me?”
“Why do you keep saying my name?”
He gently grabbed the sides of my face, and for the first time, I saw him. Saw what felt like love in those green eyes. He was seeing me like he knew me. “Because I want you to know that I remember your name. I remember you, Sunshine.”
I shook my head. Unable to allow myself to believe him. I’d dreamed of this moment for so long that it felt unobtainable. “Is this real?”
He grinned at me, dropping his hands from my face. That smile could melt my heart no matter how many times I saw it. “It’s real, love.”
My heart thundered in my ears, and I hiccupped as I swallowed air to breathe. My emotions were overpowering me. “How?”
“Your parents. They’ve been testing cures on me over the past several months. They didn’t want to tell you because they didn’t want to get your hopes up. After they explained everything each time they tried and I looked at my journals, it was easy to keep trying. I’d just forget if it didn’t work. Until I didn’t.” He picked up my hand and kissed it. “I’m so sorry you had to go through all of this alone, love.”
We were starting to get an audience, but I didn’t care. In that moment, as far as I was concerned, we were in our own world. “When did this happen?”
He looked to the side, squinting in thought. “Whatever the time it took for me to pack a bag and get here. Oh, and to tell Yosef that I was going to need some time off.”
“How’d you know I was here?”
Someone cleared their throat to my left, and I glanced over to see Pilar give me a little wave. Ah, she was the culprit. “I’ll take care of the food and bill. Go.”
I gave her an appreciative thanks before looking back at Ivan, who raised his brows, awaiting my next words. I didn’t need anymore encouragement. I wrapped my arms around Ivan’s neck, and in front of everyone who was too nosey to look away, I kissed him. “I’m not letting you go,” I said between quick kisses.
His wings emerged from his back, and I heard surprised breaths from the other patrons and passersby. I smiled, happy that he felt safe enough now to show others his true self. Little by little, we were making change.
He picked me up his arms and then took off into the air, eliciting a yelp from me. “Good, me either. I’m not letting you go ever again.”
Epilogue
Jalisa
Three weeks later
Ivan’s face popped up on the screen of my communicator when I arrived home from work. His eyes were practically twinkling with mischief. “Want to go somewhere?”
I squinted in suspicion. “Go where?”
“Somewhere beautiful. I’ve already reserved everything. Will you come with me?”
I nodded, and although he still hadn’t answered my question, I decided to play along. “How will I know where to go?”
“I’ll come for you, and then we will go together.”
“How long will that take? You’re hours away.”
He wiggled his brows with a wide grin. “I have portal access, sweetheart. The perks of ending treason.”
I gave a dry laugh and decided to, for once, give someone else control. I packed for my mysterious getaway and called my job to take unplanned leave for two days since the weekend was coming up, which I felt a little guilty about. However, I’d proven my worth over the last several months and I hoped that was good for something.
Less than an hour later, Ivan was at my door and seeing him in person felt just as magical as it had three weeks ago at the café. I kept thinking he was going to forget me, but he didn’t. He called me every day after he left, recanting random memories of us like poetry, as if to prove that he really had been cured. I might have had a little trouble processing it all.
