As I watched Riku from heaven I started to think about my life. A year ago today I had been hit by a car and died. I was seventeen my life barely lived. So when I met Riku three months ago I was already head over heels for him. But I was an angel and Riku was human. The only way I could visit him was jumping through the Earth Mirror when it was centered on him and I would show up nearby as a human. But I could only visit him every other week without someone becoming suspicious. I knew that I shouldn’t be in love with a human; but for me it was already too late.

“Alyce,” my friend Haruka sang. “What are you doing staring at the Earth mirror again? Haven’t you already visited Earth this week?”

“Yes,” I sighed. “But I can’t help it. Earth is just so fascinating.”

“It’s not fascinating when you are only watching one person,” Haruka pointed out. “Who is he and why has he caught your attention so?”

I stared longingly at Riku as he listened to one of his professor’s lecture in-class.

“His name is Riku,” I whispered to Haruka. Haruka and I were really close, I knew that she wouldn’t tell anyone about Riku.

“Hmm, and how did you meet Riku?”

“Well, on my first journey back to Earth I sort of appeared in front of him….” Haruka raised an eyebrow.

“Appeared in front of him?” She asked.

“Three months ago on my first journey to Earth when I fell through I landed in this park. He was sitting on a bench near where I appeared. Apparently though when you show up it looks like you just appear out of thin air,” I explained.

“You are in love with him,” Haruka stated.

“Is it that obvious?” I asked.

Haruka smiled, “Only to everyone.”
I sighed.
Great, there went my plan of being inconspicuous.

“Why don’t you go see him?” Haruka asked. “He looks like he’s having a really bad day.” I looked down at him and saw that he received his term paper back and received a C.

“But I already visited him,” I replied. Haruka smiled and shoved me through the mirror.

“I won’t tell anyone,” she said and waved. I smiled as I fell towards Earth. Haruka was an amazing friend; I was really glad that we had met.

After what seemed like hours, I landed in a grocery store. What was I doing here? Was Riku nearby? I got up and started to wander around the store looking for him. There was obviously a reason for me to show up here since you didn’t appear just anywhere when you jumped through the mirror. As I was turning to go into the next aisle, I collided into a hard surface.

“Ow,” I muttered, and then looked up. It was Riku, I blushed fiercely. I knew he was nearby; so why hadn’t I looked before I turned down the aisle? Other people around us stared. This was so embarrassing!

“Alyce?” Riku asked, surprised. I smiled sheepishly at him. Of course he was surprised to see me this soon. I told him when we last met, that I couldn’t get away that often because of my schooling, which was a lie since I couldn’t tell him that I was an angel. Even though I should consider doing that soon.

“Hi, Riku,” I greeted him. He smiled back at me.

“I didn’t think I was going to see you again for a couple of weeks,” he replied and hugged me. Poor thing, I knew he had had a really bad morning. “I’m really glad to see you. I had the worst day in the history of existence.”

I laughed, “I doubt that it was that bad, but tell me about it. I’m all ears.” We started walking down the aisles as he randomly threw bags of chips into his basket.

“Are you sure?” He asked. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”

“There isn’t a place I’d rather be than right here with you,” I replied honestly, feeling my face flush again.
Was that too forward? We hadn’t admitted our feelings for each other yet, but I hoped Riku knew how I felt about him.

He smiled, “Well, at least let me make you dinner.”

“Sounds perfect,” I replied. Riku reached for my hand, and we walked throughout the grocery store, picking up things for dinner.

Later, as we were sitting together on his couch in front of the TV with our plates of spaghetti.
He leaned over to me and said, “I know this probably sounds strange, but…I think I’m falling in love with you.”
I stared at him shocked. A part of me was overjoyed that he had finally admitted what I’ve been feeling for weeks. But another part was dismayed. I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with a human.
“Riku…” I trailed off, looking into his eyes as he leaned forward to kiss me. The kiss was soft, simple and sweet; it was everything to me. When we parted, we stared at each other.

“Sorry,” he smiled sheepishly. “You were saying?”

“I’m falling in love with you too.” I knew I shouldn’t have told him that. His heart would only break more if the angels ever found out about this. Humans and angels weren’t allowed to fall in love. None of the angels knew why, even though there were rumors that angels have fallen in love with humans before, but they were no longer angels so I couldn’t ask them. But I should probably tell Riku what I was soon or else if the angels found out about us I would disappear and he would have to know why.

“Riku….” I started to say.

I didn’t tell him, I just couldn’t break his heart nor mine. Haruka wasn’t waiting for me when I came back to heaven though; Michelle the angel that all other angels feared, was waiting for me instead. She enforced the rules.

“Alyce,” Michelle coldly greeted. “Didn’t you already visit Earth earlier this week?”
I sighed. I was in such hot water.
“Yes,” I answered. “But someone pushed me through-”

“Alyce, don’t give me your excuses!” Michelle snapped. “I watched you and that human.”

I stared at her. I couldn’t say anything, how much had she watched? Did she know that I told Riku that I loved him?

“How could you?” Michelle lowered her voice. “You know the rules. We’re not allowed to fall in love with humans! I’m sorry to have to do this to you, Alyce.”

“Do what?” I whispered.

“You have to chose,” Michelle answered. “Your immortality or his soul?”

“I don’t understand. What do you mean my immortality or his soul?”

“Angels can’t love humans. Either you give up your immortality to become human or you chose his soul, in which case he’ll die and become an angel.”

“But, how do I know that he’ll end up an angel and not some plaything for the Devil?” I asked. “And what about me? Will I be reborn as a baby or will I go back to Earth the way I am?”

Michelle smiled. “That is the problem with such decisions. I’ll leave you to make up your mind.” I stared as she flew off. If I could cry I would be a teary mess right now. How could I choose? Would I tempt fate? I stared at Riku through the Earth Mirror. I had to see him before I made my decision. I had to tell him everything.

I stood waiting in front of his door. I was shivering and my eyes were overflowing with tears. Riku opened the door and did a double take.

“Alyce?” He asked. “What are you doing here? Are you okay? Come inside,” he said ushering me through his door.

“I’m sorry to show up like this, but I need to tell you something.” He sat me down on his couch and rushed into the kitchen.

“Don’t worry about it,” he replied. “What’s wrong?” He walked back to me, a cup of hot chocolate in his hands. He gave the cup to me.

“Thank you,” I replied as he sat down next to me. When I swallowed, I looked at him and told him everything starting from the beginning.

“Riku, I haven’t been honest with you. The reason I can’t see you so often isn’t because of my schooling but because…” I sighed. “A year ago today, I was hit by a car. There was a lot of internal bleeding and the surgeons didn’t fix me fast enough. I died of blood loss.

“Yet, I woke up in Heaven with no idea what was going on. My friend now, Haruka was there and explained what had happened. So I went on with my existence, until Haruka told me about the Earth Mirror where angels could watch people on Earth. No one really uses it because they don’t want to see the world they left behind. So I would always watch. I started with my family, but that became too painful.

“I wanted to go back to Earth and that’s when Haruka told me I could. By jumping through the mirror we could visit wherever the mirror was viewing. So I picked the park and that’s when I met this guy who changed everything.” Riku smiled a little at that.

“When I came back today, the angel who we all fear was waiting for me. She was staring at the mirror, she had seen me with you and heard everything we said. Humans and angels aren’t supposed to fall in love. It’s against our rules. So she told me that I had to choose between my immortality or your soul.”
Riku stared at me for what seemed like hours, even though it was only two minutes and said, “Okay.”
It was my turn to do a double take, “Okay? That’s it? Seriously?”

He nodded, “What else can I say? I know you’ll choose what’s best for you and us.” I watched him, not believing what I was hearing. He trusted me with something this huge? Was he crazy?

I hung my head. “You put too much faith in me; I might choose wrong.”

Riku held my hand, “I know you, you won’t choose wrong.” His thumb ran across my jawbone. He leaned forward and kissed me. It was another soft and simple kiss. “I know we’ll meet again, soon.”

Haruka was waiting for me when I came back. She held out her arms and I rushed into them. I cried dry sobs.

“There, there sweetie,” Haruka patted my head. “You can do this.” I closed my eyes and thought. I couldn’t choose his soul. I wouldn’t kill him, but was I willing to put my life in fate’s hands?

I finally opened my eyes and Haruka looked at me, “Alyce?”

“I need to see Michelle,” I said and flew towards her cloud.

Michelle looked up at me and smiled, “You’ve decided?”

I nodded, “I have.”

“What have you chosen?” Michelle asked.
* * *

Riku stared at his front door, not understanding why after a day since he last saw Alyce that his doorbell was ringing. He went to his door slowly and opened it. His eyes couldn’t comprehend what he was seeing in his doorway.

“Hi,” she whispered a smile playing on her lips. “I bet you didn’t expect to see me this soon.” Riku pulled her into his apartment, not really believing what he was seeing. Alyce had chosen to let go of her immortality.

“Why?” He asked.

“Because I love you more than my immortality,” she said vehemently. “Because I couldn’t kill you, because I needed to tempt fate, and because I love you more than life itself.”
Riku smiled, embraced her in a hug, and then kissed her, and as usual it was soft and simple. Enough to rustle any angel’s restless wings.