13 : Made up story

**Evelyn :**


He gave us extra clothes - I had a spare from my grandfather's closet where I kept them when I came to visit and giving Raphael his own so we could stay dry, after the rain, we all finally came together in his office.

"So, lovebirds, tell me how you two met, I'm pretty glad that Evelyn found someone for her, she's pretty shy in that area," he smiled proudly, hiding an unspoken thought that I immediately understood but my grandfather looked at us like a small happy child, waiting for an answer and explanation from both of us.

While we were sitting on the couch, in his office, he seated himself on the other side on a soft chair, I felt like I was dying on the spot because I was panicking inside about what was going on and what I would say because I didn't know if I could lie more about everything what I said before. I was in trouble but Raphael didn't seem to be worried. With a slight smile on his face, I barely allowed him to sit close to me, holding his hand on my leg. When our skin came in contact, it felt like it was even more hot in that room. I hated that.

Trying to stay calm, pretending that everything was fine, I forced a smile weakly.
"Well, that's a pretty interesting story as far as I can remember. Maybe Raphael can tell because I don't have a good memory," laughing, I glanced at my seat partner, with the thought that he would help me get out of this mess and I didn't even had the brain to figure it out the story on the spot how we met.

The corners of Phoenix's mouth rose in a small smile as he caught my desperate gaze, comfortably grasping my leg more comfortably. I barely suppressed a surprised sound as I watched him turn towards my grandfather, who was already watching us diligently to finally start telling him the story.

"Well, let's start with that I didn't even had time for a relationship but when I first saw your granddaughter, I fell in love at first glance," his eyes turned towards me and I was already holding my breath, not expecting him to say anything like that, even if definitely they were lies.
"She literally took my breath away when I first saw and met her. She seemed like the nicest angel I've ever met," he continued as I laughed sarcastically and joked about it afterwards.

"And who am I now - the devil? Ha ha," waiting for him to laugh, Raphael just stared at me with a serious and intense look.

"No, you are my Goddess," when he said this, there was an awkward silence in the room when I almost started coughing in shock but had to play along, otherwise my grandfather would think something is amiss, I guess. Blushing like a rose, I gently nudged him.

"Stop, don't be so cheesy," muttering, I turned away so he doesn't see that I had any effect from those words but still felt that he was burning me with his gaze.

Grandfather just smiled even wider.
"Aww, you both are so sweet. Where was the happy place where you met then?"

I immediately remembered the night I climbed over the big gate of his mansion to find out what was hidden in the mysterious house about which the legends were told. Of course, I don't remember anything at the end but his voice could not be forgotten when I fell into a deep sleep, due to the pain I had when I was injured, literally flying off the gate railings. Although I knew that such a situation could not be told at all, I allowed Raphael to continue.

''Oh, yes. She actually tried to steal for me that day we met. Do you remember, Angel, what it was?'' He grinned at me as I just sat there confused. What the hell is he talking about?

Do I need to pretend that I remember? Just play along?

We both heard a gasp from my grandfather and I was met with two disappointed and shocked eyes as he regarded me with a frown.
''You stole from him? Evelyn, I raised you better than that. What did she steal?'' Now focusing on the man besides me, Raphael chuckles deeply in his chest.

''It was my wallet. I guess she was pretty hungry that day.''

''Evelyn! Why didn't you said anything about not having money?'' My Grandpa was surprised and to be honest, I didn't know how to react but somehow his story gave me a strange feeling, like deja vu and I would really know about it if I remember for real. That didn't even made sense because Raphael just made that story up.

''Well….I…I guess I didn't want you to worry so really sorry,'' I felt wetness on my spine as I rubbed my neck uncomfortably. What is wrong with me?

''Please, don't be mad at your granddaughter, she didn't do anything wrong, I just needed to see it before it even happens but I was too late so after that, the story became a little more interesting about what happened,'' Raphael smiled and turned his gaze away from us to look somewhere else. He had a faraway and distant look in his eyes and it seemed he is talking about something what happened in the past, like a memory if I can guess.

Why I had this weird feeling in my soul? It was like I've heard that somewhere before, it was like a feeling deep in my chest.

My grandfather smiled and looked at me but when he found that I had no particular reaction, I smiled for a moment, as if remembering that day very well, although I had no idea what Raphael was talking about and was wondering how he had come up with that lie. It was too real with how much emotion and joy he was telling it.

If not, then he is a very good actor and liar.

''It happened like this, your granddaughter ran up to me when I went for an evening walk in the park, she cried so hard that all the people looked at me. Thinking that something serious had happened to the girl, I didn't wait a moment to address this lovely angel. The girl said that someone tried to attack her and she wanted to hide, the best solution was to run up to me to look like we were together, of course I believed it but I didn't know that it was all an act,'' he told us and my eyes narrowed, as did my grandfather's who seemed very intrigued by the course of the day but was confused by Raphael 's words.

''An act?''

Raphael just shook his head in an unbelievable smile, looking at me a little. There was an emotion in that look that I couldn't explain.

''I saved her by pretending to be her boyfriend so that the attacker sees that the girl is with someone and not alone anymore, as I put my hand on her back, I did not suspected that I will be robbed at that moment.''

My grandfather gasped,'' Robbed?''

Raphael nodded his head,'' Yes, it was pretty quick. One moment we were standing there and the next I know, your granddaughter has taken my wallet from my back pocket and without a word dashed away from me. For a second there, I was confused - Why would she run away like that? Then I realized why,'' chuckling again, I wondered how he could make that story up and so quick. Pretty creative.

“And what happened next?” Grandpa couldn’t wait for the end.

Raphael smirked,'' Run after her, obviously. She was fast but I was faster.''

My grandfather's mouth was wide open from shock when he looked at me with a disappointed gaze, like he couldn't believe that I can stole.

"What happened next, if I may ask?" he managed to say.

I heard a heavy sigh next to me, as if the memories were as fresh as yesterday.
"Of course I chased her. Being taller, I reached her much faster and immediately surprised her unprepared as I caught her," taking my hand, my body trembled from the sparks and my mind went elsewhere, as if watching a movie from the sidelines.