Excerpt from the Short Story

Excerpt from

Foiled Plans

By the time he was walking her home, his palms were sweating.

He itched to reach out and grasp her hand. But he wasn’t sure if she would welcome it. Even though he thought he had been clear about tonight, he couldn’t tell if she thought it had been a date. Or if she even wanted it to be a date. He was getting some serious mixed signals.

“Ishta-deva?” she repeated. “That’s what you call your guardian angel?”

He nodded. “It’s the official term. My old sensei used to just call it a deva. It’s a spirit that gives you guidance and teaches you how to meditate.”

“Fascinating. I’m going to look that up when I get home.”

He smiled as she bit her thumbnail in thought. He was sure she would stay up all night researching the topic. He thought it was amazing how she was always so cheerful and eager to learn even when she saw into the dark world of the asuras everyday.

“So what do they look like to you,” he asked. “The demons?”

“They go in and out of strange forms,” she answered. “Each one different from the last, but most of the time, they look like these dark, spiky balls of cloud.” She used her hands to indicate their average size, roughly that of a basketball.

He chuckled at her description. He was sure that the asuras would not enjoy being called “spiky balls of cloud”.

“And you try to mess with their plans, huh?” he asked, studying her with admiration.

“Whenever I can,” she said.

“So what did you say to Sydney that made her change?”

“Oh. That was different,” Chiara said with a laugh. “I tried all the regular kind and encouraging tricks, but it didn’t work. So in the end, I threatened to dance with Slick, since she would be too busy moping to stop me.”

“That’s what worked?” he asked incredulously.

“I’m just glad she didn’t call my bluff,” Chiara joked.

“Sure you didn’t want to dance with him?” Peter nudged her shoulder, attempting a casual air, but secretly testing the waters.

“Definitely not after dancing with you,” she declared easily. Then her cheeks reddened. “I mean, not like I’m saying you’re the only person I ever want to dance with,” she clarified. “But you flipped me around like… Oh, but that’s not the only reason I had fun! Even if you were a terrible dancer I’d still like you.” She gasped. “I mean, not like you, like you! I…”

He held back his laughter and waited patiently, immensely enjoying the show.

She rubbed a hand over her face. “Feel free to stop me at any time,” she begged.

“No, it’d be rude,” he told her. “And where else would I get such entertainment?”

To his delight, she laughed with him. He took a moment to appreciate how right it felt: laughing with her, talking with her, and just being with her. It all felt right.

They came to a stop a few houses from Chiara’s. He didn’t understand why she kept doing that. But he wasn’t thinking of that right now. His thoughts were on how to say goodnight.

A handshake? No, too weird. A kiss? Way too soon for that. A hug? It would be good to test her reaction, but the risk of making the friendship awkward is too high.

He didn’t know the right choice. So he stalled.

“What was it like when you first started seeing them?” he asked.

“Horrifying,” she confessed. “I was about seven. I had no one to help me. I tried to tell my mom and dad, but they flipped out on me. And, well, I’m not very good with yelling. So I just gave up and kept it all to myself. Anyway, I started researching them—”

He chuckled. “Of course you did.”

“And it all got kind of normal after that.”

“You never told anyone in the group?” he asked.

“I didn’t know if I’d put them in danger by telling them. I couldn’t forgive myself if I ever caused them to suffer.”

“Ah. I completely understand that,” he said, thinking of his own desire to keep everyone safe. “But hey, you’ve got me now, right?”

She blushed and smiled. “You, too.”

There, he thought. That’s the look.

Peter had noticed that she had a particular smile that she only seemed to share with him. It was like her cheeks stretched on their own, like she couldn’t have stopped it if she tried. Her eyes twinkled, the joy inside her spilling out in almost visible rays of light.

That has to mean something, he thought.

“Thanks for walking me home,” she said with an air of reluctant finality. “Good night.”

“Yeah, it was,” he said in a soft voice. He couldn’t take his eyes from her. Her smile was so warm and bright. And the moment felt ripe.

Just kiss her! he thought. Okay, maybe not a kiss, but you could ask her out at least.

“Um,” she looked at her hands a moment. “Can I see you tomorrow?”

His heart stuttered. “Are you asking me out?” he asked playfully. He didn’t think she had it in her to be so bold.

She erupted into a fierce blush and stammered, “No, no! No, no, no! I just… you’re easily the nicest and coolest person I’ve ever met, but I mean, I’m sure you don’t… It would be weird, right? Maybe? I mean, not weird-weird. Just…” She shook her head as if to restart her thoughts, then spoke quickly, “I have more questions I’d like to ask.”

He laughed at her reaction. He had no idea how to interpret her words – whether to be flattered or insulted – but he really enjoyed how nervous she got around him. Although he did hope to cure her of that someday. He wanted to be the one who calmed her and made her feel safe.

“Tomorrow it is,” he agreed.

Peter decided that would be a good opportunity. He would take the night to consider it all, weighing the pros and cons and assessing all the risks. Then he could figure out whether he should ask her out. Maybe he would even talk to Anuvata about it.

“Oh. And Peter?” she said, interrupting his thoughts. “Thanks. On behalf of everyone you help who will never even know it, thank you.”

His heart had stopped at her simple, but thoughtful words. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had thanked him. After all, only a couple people had even known his full story. He wasn’t looking for thanks – that wasn’t why he was an exorcist – but it still felt good to hear.

And it only endeared her to him all the more. Her heart was so pure and kind. He didn’t know many people who would thank him for something that didn’t even affect them.

Suddenly, he realized that he didn’t have to think about whether he would ask her out, but instead how.

Read excerpts from the other stories here:

An Enlightening Evening

Mac's Character Arc

Peter's Bad Day

Zahid's Library Card

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