I woke up feeling more rested than I had been in years, wondering how that was possible. Didn't I have a horrible nightmare that woke me up in the middle of the night?

Hazy images dashed around my mind like broken pieces of a beautiful mosaic I had to put back together. I knew there was something in it that would help me understand the situation I was in, maybe even bring me one step closer to understanding HIM. However, I couldn't piece it all together.

My mind was dazed. I could only catch strangely disconnected sentences.

Boyfriend.

Mere human.

Broken bones.

Even though I knew I had to figure it out, I decided to stop thinking about it, to put it at the back of my mind, let it simmer, and focus on the day ahead. Usually, when I stopped trying hard to figure something out was the time when I managed to do so. Besides, if Andromalius wasn't lying, he would return with some answers. I needed to be ready for that.

Interestingly enough, I believed Andromalius's story at that moment even though I had no idea what was the turning point for me. I felt the certainty in my heart and chose not to question it.

As I splashed water on my face, I couldn't help but be thankful that it was Saturday and that I didn't have to worry about work on top of all the supernatural and weird stuff that was going on in my life.

A few of my colleagues know my mental health history. It would have made everything so much more awkward if I behaved strangely, which was bound to happen with my state of mind.

Even as I got ready for the day, my brain didn't stop working a mile a minute, thinking through all the possibilities as strange images flickered before my eyes at random intervals feeling very important.

Under those circumstances, it was no wonder I almost shrieked when, after checking my attire in the mirror, I saw a strange swirl from which Andromalius stepped out like a model stepping onto the catwalk.

"Oh, my God!" I exclaimed, putting my hand to my chest.

"Nah, it's more like the opposite," Andromalius said, smiling the strange little smile I both loved and hated.

"Andromalius, you can't just barge into someone's bedroom, especially not a girl's room!" I yelled at him, trying to hide how flustered I was by his sudden appearance.

"Need I remind you that my abode is in hell," Andromalius said emotionlessly. "There are no rules in hell."

I could see what he was trying to do, and I was annoyed that he actually did distract me, annoyed me so much that all my questions and worries were momentarily forgotten. Why he kept doing that was beyond me, but it worried me. What was so terrible that he felt he needed to constantly divert my attention from it?

"Would you please stop stalling and tell me. Am I going to die?" I asked as fear took permanent residence in my heart.

It occurred to me that he might be acting the way people with terminally ill family members do, trying to distract them from death by some trivial matters that are supposed to occupy their attention so they could enjoy the rest of the time they had.

"I told you it's not as simple as that," he said, back to his serious self that I was more used to and strangely more comfortable with than his sarcastic smiles and insincere laughter. "Shall we go somewhere more...appropriate, or shall we stay in your bedroom?"

The suggestive note in his voice was a strange addition. However, I ignored it, assuming it was just another way for him to make me angry and lose track of my thoughts and all the questions I needed answers to. Who knew supernatural beings could be so shifty?

"Fine, let's go to the living room," I snapped, my mood being worse than it ever was before.

Then again, it was no wonder I was so angry that I was ready to bite his head off if he didn't answer my questions; it was a matter of my life and death, and he seemed to be playing tricks.

Once we were seated on the couch, I started tapping my fingers, impatiently waiting for him to start. However, he just stared at me so intently that I wondered if he was about to read all the secrets written in my eyes. It was annoying, but also, I felt something odd stirring in the depths of my heart. Surprisingly, it wasn't the strange attraction I had toward him. I mean, it was that, but there was also something else. There was an odd sense of familiarity.

"So?" I exclaimed angrily, a strand of hair escaping my ponytail to further annoy me.

"You still look adorable when you are angry," Andromalius said, gently putting the stray strand behind my ear, his fingers lingering more than necessary. "I wondered if you still had the bright fire burning in you after...everything."

"What do you mean 'still'? What do you mean 'adorable'?" I exclaimed, not sure even what I was saying. "Will you for once stop being so cryptic and tell me what I need to know? It's not like we are talking about a new job! We are talking about my death!"

"I am sorry," he said, sounding genuinely remorseful. "I know this must be hard for you. However, I don't know how much I am allowed to tell you because all the answers are connected. I don't want to share too much too soon. I don't want to break you."

"Allowed by whom?" I asked, frustration at the unfamiliar person so high that I felt like if they were in front of me, I could smash them to bits without feeling guilty.

"By you," Andromalius said after a short pause.

To say I was shocked would be an understatement. Also, the pain in his voice surprised me. That was the first crack in his armor that I noticed. Yet I couldn't understand his hurt, nor the logic of me being the one not allowing him to tell me the truth when I was clearly requesting it.

"What are you talking about?" I said, rubbing my temple as last night's dream kept playing random, hazy images. "I am clearly asking you to tell me."

"The past you," he said, but seeing my annoyance went on to explain. "You once knew everything. Most of the questions you are demanding the answers to were once part of your knowledge, your memory. You chose to forget. You forbade me from telling you anything and left me behind. Alone."

My head spun so much that I wasn't even sure I was awake. How was that even possible? And why would anyone want to forget everything?

The image of the burning car with my parents' scorched bodies flashed through my mind like a painful reminder that there were things one would want to forget. Maybe I was weaker in the past and chose to use some supernatural mumbo-jumbo to forget everything.

"Then why are you even talking with me when you are not going to give me any answers," I asked. "Why not just ignore me?"

"Because I could never ignore you," he said, clenching his jaw. "I wish I could. And because the fact that you could see me indicates that your memory might be coming back or that you might at least be ready to remember again. Still, I can't say for sure, and I don't want my ignorance to hurt you."

Boyfriend.

"Fine, then just answer one question," I said determinedly.

"Yes?" he said, eager to obey.

Lovey-dovey.

"Am I going to die? Is that why I saw you?" I asked.

"It's a myth that you see an Angel of Death when your name is the next one on their list. People only see us when they are already dead," he said, carefully choosing his words. "You are not going to die, at least not in the true sense of the word."

Mere human.

"What does that even mean?" I shouted, grabbing him by his shirt. "Can you for once, give me a clear answer?"

The look in his eyes, the passion, and the pain gave me a start, so I let go of him quickly, utterly confused by what I saw.

Boyfriend.

"Although I finally got all the answers, I am not sure if you will blame me for giving them to you once your memory is back," he said cautiously. "So, I think you should talk to your grandma first. Ask her to tell you the truth about your birth. She'll know what you mean. You wanted her to decide what to do if something unusual happened."

As he said that, he got up to go seeming regretful and hesitant, two things I never thought I would see in him.

"Be careful. The others aren't too happy that I am interacting with you. Take this with you," Andromalius said, giving me a ring similar to his own. "If you get into trouble, just press the ring, and I'll come running."

I accepted the ring awkwardly, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu, and before I could even thank him, he was gone. I was left alone with my worry. However, I chose not to stew in it but decided to be proactive instead.

Off to granny's house I went.