LUCIFERO

CHAPTER 16

Office the next day surprisingly felt so bright and cheerful for beautiful Amara as she made her way to her office with an uncontrollable grin on her face and a coffee in hand. She found herself greeting all the workers instead of the other way round and they all looked at her with amazement.
    
"Is she going nuts?" They wondered.
    
She got into the main publishing and writing sector of the company where her office was located and dropped her warm half drained coffee on Ella's desk.
    
"Good morning Ella." She said before Ella could even look up from her work. Ella blinked rapidly and shook her head before glancing at Amara as she walked past her. She looked at the cup of coffee before her.
    
"Uhhh.... ma'am, did you forget this?"
    
Amara turned to her with a smile. " No. It's yours now." She said and walked into her office.
    
Ella watched her walk in with wide eyes and blinked rapidly. Is she okay?
    
All the other workers in their seat where not left out of the shocking drama that just ensued.
    
"Is that Miss Amara?" Someone asked.
    
Amara shut the door to her office and leaned against it with her back.
    
"What in the spirits is wrong with me?" She muttered and tossed her bag against her table. She placed her hands on her waist and took a deep breath.
    
"Okay. Be normal. Be normal. Don't do anything absurd anymore." She muttered softly to herself but she could barely contend the butterflies dancing around in her belly. SHIT!!
    
She walked up to her seat and sat down staring at the ceiling. Now, to the issue at hand. How to recruit Lucifero without  much hassle. She leaned against her table with her elbow and placed her chin against her palms. She's just about to make the most  dangerous step ever just to help out someone and she wasn't sure. This situation made her wish her mom was somewhere nearby. That woman is the greatest advisor she has grown to know.
    
Oh yeah. Why didn't i think about it? She thought.
    
She picked up her phone and dialed her mom's number.
    
"Hello, my sweet fairy strawberry shortcake." Amanda said at the other end of the line and Amara smiled.
   
"Hello Mom."
    
"Hello baby. How is it going over there? How does it feel to live the adult life?"
    
Amara rolled her eyes and chuckled. " It feels so good and annoying."
    
Amanda laughed. " Oh yeah. I know it is. So what's up? What's the reason for this short call?"
    
Amara smiled. " I need an advice on an important issue mom."
    
Amanda smiled. "You know you are already gradually becoming a fully grown woman Amara. One day, you should really learn to take advices from yourself."
    
Amara smiled. " Yeah. I know Mom. But this......it's bigger than you think."
    
"Hmmmm......okay spill."
    
" Okay. It goes like this. There is a guy over here at Crystal town who is immensely known around as the top ranking criminal in town. He has a large criminal record saying he's been in and out of jail about ten times."
    
" Oh wow. That's a lot."
    
" Yeah. It is and it seems that record is following him everywhere he goes.  No one ever sees him for good. So he approached me......"
    
" He what???!!! You should keep away from him!!!!"
    
" Jeez. Easy mom. I'm not done yet."
    
" Okay. Go on ahead."
    
" Well. He approached me and......"
    
" You know you have to keep away from him, right?"
    
Amara snorted. " I know Mom. But hear me out first will you?"
    
" Okay. I get it. I'm listening."
    
Amara sighed. " Okay. He approached me saying he needs to get something doing to clear his name....."
    
" But why you? You are not the town's corporal are you?"
    
Amara slapped her face with her palm. " No. He came to meet me because I run the VALERIAN PUBLISHING INDUSTRY. And he wants to partner with me. He's a good writer."
     " Yeah. How did you know that?"
     " I went through his manuscript. I doubted him and sent him away at first but now I'm regretting it. He's good and I think this is a good chance for him to really clear his name if he really wants to. But......"
    
" You are scared for the stability of your industry? You think he might one day stir up another uproar that I'll affect the company?" Amanda asked and Amara bit her lip.
   
" Yep."
    
Amanda chuckled. "Look Amara. What I will tell you is simple and straight. I won't assure you that nothing bad won't happen in the future but even if it does, you know deep down in your heart that at least you tried to help someone's future. I don't know how this young man is but if he's serious about this, and his book is as good as you claim, there is a huge chance of him getting his name cleared within the twinkle of an eye if his book can at least become a best seller. But what I'm scared about is him going against the plan. I'm not saying you shouldn't help him but be careful. For someone with a criminal record like his, damn, he's supposed to be in the island of jails how the hell is he still striving in that city?"
    
Amara sighed. " I don't know."
    
" Look. Just be careful around him Amara, that's all I will say. Don't get too close to him but be on alert always so he won't take you off guard and turn your good deed against you. Most criminals use this as a way to plot their next operation. Using innocent people to take the fault for them."
    
Amara's heart raced. Oh yeah. That's right. She thought.
    
" Do you hear me?"
    
She nodded slightly. "Yes. Mom. I get it. Thanks so much."
    
Amanda smiled. "Of course. It's why I am your mother isn't it? By the way, we are making plans, I and your dad to come visit you over there once we set things good up here. We have a lot of lousy tenants trying to get into our heads."
    
Amara smiled. " I'll be expecting you guys."
    
" Sure. Uhhh...I have to buzz off. Call you later."
    
"Sure." She replied and Amanda hung up.
    
Amara took a deep breath. "Okay. This is a very big step Amara. To trust Lucifero or not to trust him?" She muttered.
    
The warmth of his soft lips flooded her mind and she gasped. Is it possible that it's all a trick? She felt an enticing tingling sensation on her lips and touched it. She bit her lip. Why the hell am I feeling this?
She shook her head and picked up her phone. She took a deep breath and dialed his number.
    
He picked it up Immediately as though he had been waiting for it. "Hello my stubborn cupcake?"
    
Her heart raced at his words and she found herself blushing foolishly. SHIT!!! She patted her cheeks and took a deep breath once again.
    
"Don't call me that again." She muttered and he chuckled.
    
"Oh you know I will. It suits your beautiful frame. I feel like I should eat you sometimes."
    
She laughed. " You are crazy. Anyways, I don't have all the time in the world. Come to my office right now. You have fifteen minutes." She said and hung up with a big smile etched on her face. How she loved playing games with him.

★★★★★

Exactly fifteen minutes later, a loud uproar right at the other side of her door startled Amara in her office and she furrowed her eyebrows wondering what was stirring up the workers. She checked the time to see that it was exactly fifteen minutes since the time she called him.
    
Her heart once again began it's incessant pounding. SHIT!!! Won't it stop this? She swallowed the huge lump gathering in her throat and took a deep breath. "Okay Amara. As usual. He's a human. Not a ghost. Take in a deep breath..." She breathed in. " Out." She breathed out. "In..." She breathed in. "Out." She breathed out. "Not a ghost. Not a ghost."
    
She stood up and walked up to her door placing her hand on the doorknob. She couldn't understand why she felt so nervous. She has never felt so nervous and eager at the same time in her life. The two feelings bobbled within her, creating a raging havoc inside of her. Her palms suddenly felt so sweaty. God!!! What is your problem, Amara?  It's not like you are going to meet the governor.
    
She took a deep breath once again and opened the door sharply before she would change her mind.
    
She saw Lucifero at Ella's desk and all the  rest of the workers around him laughing and shaking hands with him. But that wasn't what caught her sight. What caught her sight was the view of Ella hugging Lucifero tightly and kissing him continuously on the cheek.
    
She couldn't explain  the strong feeling of jealousy that eroded through her system. She felt like she should walk up to Ella and render her a dirty slap for touching him that way. She couldn't understand herself anymore. She suddenly felt so furious. As furious as she has never been..
    
No one seemed to recognize her presence as they were all entangled with the joyous arrival of beloved Lucifero.

Oh well. Let them keep rejoicing. We will discuss this later.

She glared at the entangled bodies of Lucifero and Ella in a deep hug before she gritted her teeth and walked back her office slamming the door after her.