The school bell rang, a sharp chime signaling the end of the day.

As Rafa started packing his things, his friend Joel stood in front of his desk, waiting for him. "So, this ghost girl, you gonna see her again?" he asked.

"Of course I am, Joel. You should've seen her, man, she had these hauntingly beautiful eyes that could pierce right through your soul, and when she smiled, it was like the world had stopped for a second. Even with the whole demon thing going on. And you know I’m not one to get all mushy, but this girl? She’s something else. She’s…"

"An ugly demon?" Joel interrupted.

Rafa gave him a look.

Amid the whirlwind of students eager to escape class, Mr. Carter's voice sliced through the chaos. "Rafa!" he called, "come over here for a sec, would ya?"

Joel gave Rafa a quick, fluid handshake, their hands connecting in a practiced rhythm before ending with a fist bump. "I'll catch you later, Rafa," he said as he turned to leave.

“For sure,” Rafa replied, grabbing his stuff. He trudged to the front of the class where Mr. Carter sat behind a desk, his eyes boring into Rafa with a seriousness that felt almost too intense.

Mr. Carter was fueled by an unwavering commitment to make a meaningful impact on his students’ lives. He felt an urgent need to connect with each one, ensuring that they knew they were seen and valued.

"Listen, Rafa," Mr. Carter began, his voice dropping to a low, almost conspiratorial tone. "If you keep slacking on your homework and assignments, you ain't gonna make it to graduation. You’ve gotta start putting in the effort."

Rafa nodded, feigning interest, but inside, he was rolling his eyes. School felt like a prison; a place designed to drain the life out of you with endless, pointless tasks. Who cared about acing math when you were destined for bigger things, right? Was he really gonna need math where he was going?

Plastering on a fake smile, Rafa said, "Sure thing, Mr. Carter. I'll get it all sorted out real soon." The words felt like sawdust in his mouth as he turned to leave.

Mr. Carter picked up a stack of papers from his desk and said, “Listen, Rafa,” while tapping them lightly to straighten the stack. “I’m going to need you to stay after class today.”

Rafa‘s expression briefly flickered with surprise before he responded defiantly, "Yeah, sorry Mr. C, but I've got more important things to do right now."

“Okay,” he said, sliding open a drawer and stashing the papers away. “But I've already confirmed with your mother that you'd be staying,” Mr. Carter said, his tone firm yet understanding. “So can you please give her a call then and tell her that you're leaving? I’d like to go home without her calling me later and asking about her lost son and why he’s still failing my class.”

Rafa felt a flush of frustration rise within him. “You told my mom? That’s just... I thought we had an understanding that I’d get all my stuff turned in by the end of the quarter?”

“We did. But you haven’t turned in a single assignment, Rafa,” Mr. Carter said, looking at him over his glasses with a firm, unwavering gaze. Besides, it was your mother who suggested it. I simply agreed to help.”

Rafa sighed, realizing he had no choice. He wouldn't hear the end of it at home, but he still wanted to see Marisol again. “But there’s a girl out there waiting for me, Mr. Carter. You know how it is. I’m sure you’ve been there before, haven’t you?”

Mr. Carter gave a slight nod, his expression softening just a bit. “I have, but I managed to balance my grades too.”

“Yeah, well, I guess I’m not as good at multitasking,” Rafa muttered.

“Look, Rafa, I get it. But you need to focus. You’ve got potential, but it’s not going to mean anything if you don’t put in the work.”

Rafa nodded, the weight of Mr. Carter’s words sinking in. “Alright fine, I’ll stay. But can I go use the bathroom first? I didn't expect to be stuck here.”

“Sure, just be quick,” Mr. Carter replied, a small smile breaking through his stern exterior.

Once out of the classroom, Rafa pulled out his phone, his fingers moving almost automatically as he texted Marisol: Hey, want to hang out?

Rafa's eyes remained fixed on his phone as he walked down the empty hall. Moments later, his phone buzzed: Who’s this?

A playful grin spread across his face, eyebrows raised in mock astonishment as he began to reply. But before he could, another text from Marisol popped up: Jk! Meet me at City Park :).

Rafa's heart raced with excitement as he read Marisol's message. He couldn't wait to see her. He quickly stuffed his phone back into his pocket and sprinted down the hall, eager to leave school.

As he turned around to look, he saw Mr. Carter standing outside his classroom, his brows furrowed in confusion.

"Well, shit,” Rafa muttered with a grin. “Looks like Mr. Carter’s not too happy."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

"Rafa!" Mr. Carter called out, but Rafa just chuckled and kept moving. "Sorry Mr. Carter, but I think I’ll take the scenic route! Next time for sure though!" he shouted as he darted out the door, his excitement propelling him forward.

…

Rafa strolled through City Park, his eyes darting from one empty bench to another, glancing at the vacant swing sets and noticing how the crowd thinned out the further he walked. Even in areas where people usually gathered, there was an eerie emptiness. Eventually, he spotted Marisol. She was seated on a bench with her nose buried in a book.

The bench seemed almost intentionally placed above a stone rectangle, and before her, a walkway stretched out, splitting into two diverging paths. The oak trees around her were half-full with autumn foliage, their bare branches peeking through like the intricate veins of a delicate leaf. The leaves murmured secrets to the gentle breeze, and the rustling sound of squirrels foraging echoed nearby.

Rafa couldn't resist the opportunity that lay before him. He crouched low and made his way around the trees, each step measured and silent. His heart pounded with the exhilarating thrill of the moment, adrenaline surging through his veins as he inched closer.

Finally, he positioned himself directly behind her, sending a chill down her spine and making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Rafa leaned in, his breath a ghostly whisper in the cold air as he murmured, “Boo!” Marisol jumped, her book nearly slipping from her hands in surprise.

She turned around quickly, her initial shock melting into a warm smile as she saw Rafa standing there, grinning mischievously. His eyes sparkled with playful triumph, and she couldn't help but laugh, the tension dissipating as the air grew colder around them.

“Rafa! You scared the hell out of me!” Marisol exclaimed, playfully swatting at him as he took a seat beside her.

“I just thought I'd show you how it feels since you seem to have scared off everyone else at the park,” he said with a smirk. “I've never seen it so empty.”

She rolled her eyes, a laugh escaping her lips. “And you, Rafa? How come you don't run, hmm?”

“Oh, this is nothing. I’m used to these types of things already,” he said, striking a confident pose with his arms crossed behind his head. He glanced around the park, taking in the vibrant colors of the trees and the soft, rhythmic sound of acorns dropping onto the ground. “This place is really nice. I can see why you wanted to meet here.”

“It’s my favorite spot,” she said, looking around. “It’s peaceful, and I can hear myself think.”

“By the looks of it, I'd say you could pretty much clear out any place you go,” he joked, flashing a cocky grin.

“You're stupid,” she said, laughing. “It’s just a great place to escape to for a bit.”

Rafa nodded, feeling the burdens of school and Mr. Carter’s words lift slightly as he sat next to her. “I get that. Sometimes you just have to get away from all the noise,” he said with a casual shrug.

Marisol couldn’t keep the question out of her mind any longer. “Hey, um, what did you mean by you're used to this? It’s just… I don’t know what’s happening to me. And with the science fair coming up, how am I supposed to compete if everyone thinks I’m a monster, you know?”

“You’re into science, huh?”

All of a sudden, the atmosphere shifted. A shadow grew more prominent, and the temperature plummeted. Rafa felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and he instinctively got to his feet.

In an instant, the demon that had been tormenting Marisol appeared, its hideous form twisting in the air between them. It let out a low, threatening growl that sent chills down Marisol’s spine. And for the first time, she could see it all.

Marisol screamed, stumbling over the bench in her frantic attempt to flee the horror before her.

“Don’t worry! I’ve got this,” Rafa reassured her, his voice steady and confident.

Then he felt two hands on his throat, pinning him down to the bench with a brutal force. The back of his head slammed against the wood, making his vision blur.

“Surely I'm no match for the all-mighty son of Asmodeus, am I?” the demon mocked, its voice dripping with malice as it licked Rafa's face with a slimy tongue. “You taste just like him,” it laughed cruelly.

Rafa squirmed, struggling to break free from the iron grip.

“You poor thing. You've no idea what you are, do you?” the demon sneered, tightening its hold.

Rafa's face turned red, panic flooding his eyes as he flailed, reaching desperately for anything that might help. But his efforts were futile. His arms fell limp, and his pupils began to fade.

A look of horror dawned on the demon’s face. “No, no, no. I thought he'd transform! Asmodeus is gonna have my head,” it panicked, loosening its grip.

Suddenly, Rafa's fangs elongated, seamlessly merging from human to demon. His pupils flickered in and out, veins pulsing visibly on his forehead. His body twisted in a mesmerizing dance of change, while the demon grinned sinisterly. “Ah, there he is. Not willing to die, are we?”

Rafa's clothes shredded, revealing skin that turned a deep, demonic red. Two new horns jutted from his forehead, and his hair grew longer and wilder. His physique doubled in size, and steam rose from his transformed body. The air crackled with tension as Rafa's body settled from its fluid contortions.

Then with a swift, serpentine motion, Rafa's arm shot out, his hand clamping onto the demon's face with a vice-like grip. The demon's arrogance melted into shock as Rafa's raw power and determination radiated through the air.

The demon's eyes bulged grotesquely between Rafa's fingers, its claws raking at his arm in a frantic bid for freedom.

Rafa's gaze shifted to his other hand, mesmerized by the transformation. He slowly extended his fingers, revealing his new razor-sharp obsidian claws that seemed to absorb the surrounding darkness. He admired the contours of his altered look, turning his hand slowly and feeling a strange sense of power. "You were trying to kill me," he said, his voice a deadly calm.

"Please," the demon croaked through Rafa's crushing grip. Rafa released him, and the demon gasped, "It's not what you think." Urgency was etched across its face, the imprint of Rafa's hand still visible.

Then, the demon began to be dragged away by an unseen force. Rafa turned to see Marisol fleeing, her shadow stretching out to pull the demon along with her. It dawned on Rafa that Marisol had witnessed everything and was now trying to escape not just from the demon, but from him as well.

"Well, shit," Rafa muttered, swiftly catching the demon by its arm. He pulled it closer, finally securing its torso with both arms. Then with a powerful yank, he tore the demon free from Marisol's shadow, which snapped off as she disappeared into the park.

Rafa released the demon, which began to chuckle. "Look at you, Rafael. You're even more impressive than I expected!" it continued, bursting into laughter.

"Who the hell are you?" Rafa demanded, his voice trembling with fury. "And why are you stalking Marisol?"

"Who I am doesn't matter. It's who you are that counts."

"Why do I look like this?" he asked, his eyes brimming with confusion as he glanced at himself once more.

"This is your demon form, Rafael," the demon replied with a sinister grin.

"My demon form? How do I change back?"

"I have no clue. I just wanted to unleash it. You really have no idea what you are, do you?"

"Please, enlighten me already."

"You're Rafael Flores! The half-demon son of Asmodeus!”

"I already knew that," Rafa snarled.

"Ah, but did you know you're the only demon who can freely travel between hell and the mortal world?"

Rafa‘s face twisted into an even deeper look of bewilderment, his brows furrowing and his eyes wide with disbelief.

"We've all been waiting for you, Rafael."

"Waiting for me? Who? For what?"

"Asmodeus made a deal with your dear mother. He marked you with a special sigil before your birth, granting you the power to open a gate between hell and earth. He has his legions ready to conquer this planet; we're all just waiting for you to let us in," he laughed maniacally.

Rafa's mind swirled with a turbulent mix of confusion and anger. His entire life, he had been waiting for his father's arrival, only to discover that his father had been waiting for him all along. "Tell him I'm not coming," he said, his voice resolute.

"But you must!" the demon insisted, floating around Rafa's space with frantic energy.

Rafa grabbed it out of the air by its ear and snarled, "I said I'm not going. And you will stay away from Marisol."

"Sure, sure," the demon whimpered in agony. "After I claim my payment, of course."

"Who hired you?"

"I can't say. We keep our client's info confid-” Rafa tightened his grip, his fingers digging painfully into the demon’s ear. The creature gasped, eyes wide with fear. "Okay, okay,” it stammered, desperation lacing his voice. “It was her neighbor. He's got his huge crush on her and wanted me to scare off any potential lovers. I swear!”

"What did he offer you?" Rafa demanded, finally releasing the demon.

"Oh, you know, the usual. Tell ya what. I'll stay away if you consider coming with me to hell. How about it, Rafael?"

Rafa was taken aback by the proposal. He desperately wanted Marisol to like him, and after today, there was probably no chance in hell that would happen. He thought he should at least rid her of the demon. Besides, it was his destiny anyway, right? Would his father really unleash hell on Earth, though?

"Fine, I’ll go," Rafa said, his voice heavy with resignation. “Just give me some time to sort things out with Marisol.”

“Mmm… but don't drag your feet,” the demon warned, disappearing into thin air.

Rafa glanced down at himself, puzzled, “Now how the hell do I turn back?” he wondered aloud.