《Hate Of The Unknown》


 Prologue

    Julian¡¯s little hands felt like ice, and his body shivered from the cold. He was huddled up in the corner of the room, trying to keep himself and his younger brother, Jaron, warm. He wished he had a blanket to wrap them in, but all he had was his thin t-shirt, which provided little protection against the freezing temperature.


    Outside, he could hear shouting and screaming coming from his mother¡¯s room, and he knew it was only a matter of time before her wrath was unleashed on them as well. He¡¯d seen her do it before, in her drunken stupor, and he and Jaron could not escape the terror.


    He closed his eyes, wanting to block out the memories of the violence, and instead focused on how his brother¡¯s tiny body felt in his arms. Julian started rocking him gently, murmuring calming words in his ear, though he himself was as afraid as Jaron.


    The shouting and screaming stopped abruptly, and Julian felt relieved. He waited for what felt like hours, his heart pounding in the silence. Julian hardly dared to believe that his mother had actually fainted. Deep down, he knew it was only a matter of time before she would scream again or, worse, enter the room and hit them.


    After an indefinite amount of time sitting glued to the floor, Julian¡¯s mother didn¡¯t wake up. Or screamed, or did anything else. Instead, the silence continued to stretch out. Then, finally, after what felt like hours of sitting in silence, he heard the sound of a car outside and someone¡¯s steps walking up the stairs. Julian¡¯s heart raced as he heard a knock on the door. He knew it was the police. The lights and the sounds were unmistakable.


    A female police officer kicked open the door and scanned the cramped, icy room with a hardened expression. Julian felt a chill run through his body as she stared at him, her face shifting from a cold glare to a look of empathy. He could almost feel her judgment against his mother as she struggled to maintain her composure and offer a gentle facade.


    The police officer peered down at Julian, her eyes filled with kindness. ¡°Hey there, my name is Officer Bethany. What is your name?¡± Julian looked at her face; he couldn¡¯t see much because of the darkness. ¡°J-Julian¡­¡± he mumbled. Officer Bethany nodded. ¡°Could you tell me if you heard anything unusual just now?¡±


    Julian trembled as he searched for the right words. ¡°I-I heard my mom scream, but then nothing. I don¡¯t know why she was screaming, I swear,¡± he said, casting his gaze downwards and avoiding her stare. Officer Bethany watched Julian thoughtfully for a moment before asking him softly, ¡°Are you sure there isn¡¯t anything else you can tell me?¡± Julian was quiet for a moment, but eventually, he shook his head and gave a slight shrug, clearly intimidated by the situation.


    After a while, Officer Bethany managed to make him tell her more. His lip quivered as he spoke about how his mother had been mean to him and his brother. Officer Bethany remained composed as she listened intently, her face radiating sympathy and compassion. His fear slowly faded as her warmth embraced him. She showed him kindness and understanding that allowed him some comfort, even if it only lasted for a moment.


    Officer Bethany asked Julian, ¡°Is there anyone else in this house or town who can take care of you two?¡± Julian furrowed his brow, trying to think of someone. Finally, after a moment, he spoke up, ¡°My grandmother lives across town. I¡¯ve only met her once, and it wasn¡¯t pleasant. Lots of shouting.¡± Officer Bethany nodded and carefully scooped up Jaron in her arms. ¡°We¡¯ll take you both to safety,¡± she said before leaving the room.


    Julian followed them silently, feeling unnerved without his brother in his arms. A wave of panic washed over him as he stepped out of the house. His mind was racing, questioning what could be going on. He felt a chill run down his spine as the cold night air brushed against his skin. Fear for his mother¡¯s safety weighed heavily on his chest.


    Officer Bethany spoke in a soft tone, trying to appear compassionate. ¡°It¡¯s all going to be alright,¡± she said. Julian knew that was a lie, but he still managed a weak nod, saying nothing. He had always been able to sense when people were lying, and this was no exception.


    The next thing he remembered was that everything seemed to rush by him in a blur. Jaron had been taken away for some reason he couldn¡¯t understand, and Julian had stayed seated on the edge of an ambulance, getting checked out.


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    After they finished checking up on him, he was led toward one of the police cars. Julian just went with the motions, not understanding what was happening.


    They started driving and drove for about twenty minutes. They arrived at an extensive facility and got inside. Julian was taken to a large room filled with other children, some of whom were in tears; some just had empty looks on their faces.


    He felt confused and overwhelmed listening to all the adults¡¯ conversations around him.


    Julian stared in disbelief at the stern face of the officer, his gruff voice intoning his name and age to the woman sitting across from him. He resisted the urge to ask what was happening, feeling a knot in his stomach as he realized that neither his mother nor Jaron were present.


    He had done something wrong. Tears began to stream down Julian¡¯s face, and he hadn¡¯t even realized he was crying at first. He wore the thin clothes that were his only possession right now. The night¡¯s events and his confusion combined to become an overwhelming burden. Julian curled up on his bed, desperate for sleep. Eventually, sleep claimed him, but it was a fitful sleep.


    The sun had just peeped above the horizon when Julian awoke to the sound of muffled voices outside his room. Startled, he remembered what had happened last night. His heart raced as he tried to decipher what was being said as he peeped outside the main room.


    He saw a tall guy wearing a police uniform talking to a woman that introduced herself as Karen. ¡°I found a placement for the two brothers brought in last night. Their grandmother has agreed to take them.¡± Julian¡¯s mind reeled with confusion. Was she talking about him and Jaron?


    He stayed still, afraid to make a sound. Then, he heard a soft knocking at the door. ¡°Come in,¡± he said reluctantly. The door creaked open, and in walked the very same woman with a warm, gentle smile painted on her face.


    ¡°Hi there,¡± she said in a kind voice. ¡°My name is Karen. I¡¯m a social worker. Do you know what a social worker is?¡± Julian nodded and said nothing. He knew what she was here for. He began to tremble as Karen explained that his mother had passed away last night.


    Julian was silent after Karen informed him of his mother¡¯s passing. He was unfamiliar with what death meant. Even though his mother wasn¡¯t always kind to him, she was the only person he and Jaron had. Was he never going to see her again? His stomach churned with sorrow as tears and snot cascaded down his cheeks.


    He knew his mother had died. He¡¯d heard the words, but he couldn¡¯t quite comprehend them. It seemed so impossible, so surreal. She was his mother. She was the only thing he had ever known.


    He couldn¡¯t pick up on any of the things Karen was telling him. He climbed into the back of her car and noticed a child¡¯s car seat to his left. To his joy, Karen appeared with Jaron and carefully buckled him into the seat.


    Julian was overjoyed to have his baby brother next to him. Jaron obviously had no idea what was happening; he was only two years old. Julian was five and didn¡¯t fully understand what was happening either.


    Julian stared out the window, watching the scenery pass by in a blur of green and brown. He could feel the tension in the car, thick and heavy like a fog, and he wanted to break the silence but couldn¡¯t.


    Karen¡¯s knuckles were white on the steering wheel; the only sound was the occasional tap of her fingers against the plastic. He tried to find the words to express his feelings but was lost. His mind was a mess of emotions, his throat tight.


    Karen¡¯s words tumbled around in his head like an avalanche, their meaning slowly sinking in. He stole a glance at his brother, Jaron¡¯s eyes were closed, and a peaceful expression crossed his face. He wished he could do something to make it all better, but he had nothing to offer.


    The car glided through the nicer sections of town, Jaron dozing off beside him, but Julian still gripped onto his hand. He wanted to make sure he was okay. After a lengthy drive, they eventually arrived next to a small house outside of the district they were in previously. Julian couldn¡¯t see other houses for miles ahead.


    Karen finally spoke, her voice breaking the silence. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± she said softly, pulling the car up to the curb.


    Julian stepped out of the car. He walked towards the white house with its bright red door and windows framed with ivy. The lawn was lush green, full of cheery-looking flowers, and edged by a white picket fence. A tall chimney topped the roof tiles, giving the house a cozy feel. A wooden porch stood off to one side, with two rocking chairs tucked into the corner.


    Karen rang the bell, and Amma, their grandmother, appeared in the open doorway. She was a petite woman, and her brown hair was streaked with gray. Her face was lined with wrinkles, and she regarded Julian and Jaron with a stern expression.


    Amma and Karen were talking as they stepped inside, voices raised with anger and sadness. Julian stayed with Jaron in the small living room. He started to hear someone cry.


    He was sure it was Amma. A few moments later, Amma and Karen emerged from the doorway. Amma¡¯s eyes were red and swollen, her face wet with tears. She cleared her throat and smiled at the two boys.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she said softly. ¡°Things will be okay from now on. I¡¯ll take care of you both.¡± The words were comforting, but Julian could feel a small vibration in the back of his mind alerting him it was a lie.

 Chapter 1- After The Storm

    11 years later.


    I was focused on the lengthy equation I¡¯d been trying to solve for ages. I was so wrapped up in it that the bell ringing caught me off-guard. As I tore my gaze away from the paper, I saw a multitude of students hastily gathering their belongings, scurrying away from the classroom.


    ¡°Julian, are you ready to leave?¡± I heard Rita¡¯s voice, and when I turned, there she stood with her bag already in hand. ¡°Gimme a sec,¡± I mumbled, ¡°cause if I don¡¯t get this equation done soon, it¡¯s a total write-off.¡± Rita shook her head but remained silent, standing patiently as I continued my pursuit.


    I was immensely appreciative of Rita¡¯s considerate attitude. Finally, I cracked the equation and sprung upright, collecting my things. I beamed at Rita. ¡°Time to eat!¡± I announced cheerfully.


    At last, it was time for lunch, and I was beyond starving. I eagerly anticipated the relaxation it would provide. We met up with our usual group of friends in the open area of the school.


    I greeted everyone, and we continued to our favorite spot. Although Crescent Valley High, or as we called it, CV High, was a relatively small school, with only about seven hundred students, it was easy to get lost inside its walls. I plopped down next to Jake and asked, ¡°So, how¡¯d your day go?¡±


    He laughed heartily, ¡°Eh, I was in dreamland through most of my classes. Gonna come back to haunt me soon enough.¡± I joined in on his laughter and replied, ¡°Tell me about it! Math has been murdering me lately.¡± reading and understanding the words in textbooks was something I much preferred.


    Rita and Sara were chatting excitedly next to me about some guy they had both taken a liking to. Rid and Hunter hungrily wolfed down their meals with little regard for the mess they were making. Lyanna was sitting next to them, seemingly oblivious to her surroundings as she read her book, her food forgotten.


    I opened up the container holding my lunch, a plain sandwich with some vegetables as a side. It¡¯s no secret that my family¡ªme, my grandma, and my brother¡ªhave always had difficulty with our finances. There is no denying that money has been a source of tension for us for years.


    The last few months have been challenging for my grandmother, as her old injury hindered her from working for extended periods. However, it was all right. We always came through. Jake peeped at my plate and, without a word, passed me one-half of his pizza slice.


    ¡°Really, you don¡¯t have to do that,¡± I said, but Jake just rolled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not that hungry, honestly,¡± I tried again. He chuckled, ¡°Oh please, I wouldn¡¯t want to be the only one here getting fat!¡±. Knowing it was a lost cause, I reluctantly gave in and took the piece.


    I tacked a white strand of hair behind my ear, it was getting longer, and soon I¡¯ll be able to put it in a low ponytail. I was just enjoying playing with it and trying different styles at the moment. ¡°Thanks,¡± I murmured before starting to eat.


    We chatted lightly as we ate, filling one another in on the latest dating rumors as well as on which teachers weren¡¯t cutting it. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as I enjoyed my lunch break. I cherished those moments more than anything else. They were the only moments in which I could forget the struggles of reality and just be present.


    Jake gave me a nudge, his voice low. ¡°If you¡¯re still looking for a job, I¡¯ve got something for you,¡± he suggested. He flashed me a mischievous grin and added, ¡°But it might be a little illegal.¡± My mouth quirked up as I cocked one eyebrow. ¡°Are we talking about something that could get me in jail for murder or just something minor like tax evasion?¡± I asked, trying to sound casual but with an undeniable hint of suspicion.


    Jake laughed at that. ¡°It¡¯s more like tax evasion illegal, but don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not that serious,¡± he said, messing around with his phone, likely to look for the specifics.


    ¡°Basically, it¡¯s a pal of my uncle¡¯s, and he needs someone else for their cleaning team,¡± he said as he kept scrolling through his phone. ¡°The catch is that they¡¯re willing to hire teenagers on full wage. They¡¯re just asking for someone who is sixteen and up¡±. Jake was now displaying his phone to me.


    ¡°The salary is off the books and lower than what you usually make,¡± he said, ¡°but it¡¯s still a good amount, especially for someone our age.¡± I inspected the offer with surprise. ¡°That sounds like a pretty good deal,¡± I said. An extra paycheck in the house would surely help our situation. Jake passed me his phone, and I scanned the information on the screen.


    As I finished reading the job description, I hesitated. ¡°Kitchen maintenance, night shift at the Fallen Star Club...?¡± My voice dropped to a whisper at the end. Jake glanced at the advertisement and murmured, ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t see it before. Yeah, it¡¯s a little shady place¡± He appeared deep in thought.


    He looked up from the phone. ¡°Well, think about it. I could hook you up if you want it,¡± he chirped. I was torn about the job; on the one hand, I needed it desperately, and on the other hand, there were a lot of rumors surrounding that place.


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    ¡°Thanks, Jack,¡± I replied. ¡°It might be a great option. I¡¯ll consider it.¡± Unfortunately, my thoughts lacked the enthusiasm of my words. Jake smirked, then said, ¡°Sure thing. I¡¯ll send you the advertisement, and you can look at it. If you want, you can ask my uncle any questions about it.¡±


    The end of lunchtime drew near, so I hurriedly gathered my belongings, wanting to arrive on time for the next class. Rid was getting up, heading my way. We had the next class together. We said goodbye to the group and started walking toward our class.


    Rid was in high spirits, chattering about his newest art endeavor. I attempted to pay attention, but my brain seemed to be running circles around itself. A sixteen-year-old being hired for a full wage? It had to be off the books; I knew that.


    Even though my heart raced with anticipation. That could be a significant step forward for my family. Having more money to spare. We could get Jaron some new clothing he¡¯s been wanting. Buy additional food, like more fruit and proteins.


    Especially now with Jaron begin fully hit with his bitchy tween years. His attitude is so sour, and I no longer know how to talk with him. ¡°...so I should be able to finish it by the start of next week,¡± Rid continued beside me. Shaking my head, I came out of my thoughts and tried to pay attention to what he was saying.


    ¡°I have total faith that you can do it faster than you think,¡± I said with a smile. Rid was undeniably gifted, and he worked hard on his latest masterpiece. ¡°Are you going to donate that one too?¡± I asked him curiously.


    ¡°If they¡¯ll have me, hope it¡¯s good enough,¡± he said, sounding slightly uncertain. Rid handed out the pieces that he considered ¡®respectable¡¯, though, from my perspective, all of his artwork was stunning. ¡°I¡¯m certain it will be great,¡± I replied warmly, trying to bolster his spirits.


    An amused smile tugged at his lips, bright and wide. ¡°You say the sweetest things,¡± he quipped jokingly. We entered the class, and soon Mrs. Ellen started her lecture. My mind was still spinning, thinking about the job offer; should I tell Grandma? Or should I just tell her I got a job with late-night deliveries or something along those lines?


    I don¡¯t want to worry her; I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll worry. Years had passed since she took us in, and things were already rocky by that time. It took us a long time to re-establish trust after the difficult times we¡¯d been through. I don¡¯t want to put all of that in jeopardy for the sake of a job.


    The day flew by, and soon I was heading home. Our tiny house remained as it ever was, as unassumingly isolated as could be, yet conveniently close to my high school and Jaron¡¯s middle school. All things considered, our little house was in a rather ideal spot.


    I arrived home and called out a greeting, but no one replied, not even though the television was blaring. When I walked into the living room, I saw Jaron sprawled on the couch, eyes trained on the screen. ¡°How was school today? Are you hungry?¡± I attempted to make some small talk.


    ¡°As if you care...¡± Jaron mumbled back. That little buzz of vibration went through the back of my head, and I knew he was lying. I didn¡¯t know whether to be happy about that or not.


    ¡°About your school day or what you would like for dinner?¡± I asked, still attempting to keep a cheery atmosphere. Jaron just kept his attention on the TV, not really acknowledging me. I get it. I almost don¡¯t have time for him nowadays.


    But still, I try my best to keep him happy. I started on dinner, keeping it minimal, with some pasta and a salad. We don¡¯t have any protein right now at the house, so it¡¯ll have to do. I hope to score some discounted cuts of meat before the end of the weekend.


    Since I was a child, I¡¯ve been able to tell when someone is lying. It came as a little vibration at the back of my head and was scarily accurate. I tried to ignore it as much as possible; feeling your friends and family lie to you could be devastating.


    I never understood how I could do it. It was simply a thing I did. It wasn¡¯t some intuition, either. Even if the person didn¡¯t know they were lying, I could tell when something was true or not. It seemed to only be effective in interpersonal matters. Discovering truth between people.


    Lately, Jaron seemed to be lying about even the most insignificant things, and it was becoming difficult to pretend like I didn¡¯t know. Sometimes I felt like I had to confront him about it and call him out on his bullshit.


    Finished with dinner, I set up three plates of food. I began to portion out the food into equal shares for everyone. Jaron wandered into the kitchen, sniffing the air appreciatively. ¡°Smells good,¡± he said quietly. Surprisingly telling the truth.


    ¡°Thanks, want to eat together? Grandma is working a night shift tonight. It¡¯ll be just the two of us,¡± I said, hoping not to anger him. ¡°No thanks, I¡¯ll eat in my room,¡± Jaron took his plate and went upstairs.


    I looked at the sad plate before me and started eating. After I was finished, I wrapped Grandma¡¯s portion and placed it inside the fridge with a note wishing her a good morning, judging by the time she¡¯ll get back home.


    I chatted a bit with Sara on FaceTime. She had a date this Friday and wanted to psych herself up. I thought her date was a walking red flag, but we¡¯ll see. I always give people the benefit of the doubt. One can never know. Once that was done, I busied myself with some school assignments and prepared to turn them in for the night.


    Making my way up, I walked across Grandma¡¯s room. I noticed a big pile of letters on her bed that wasn¡¯t there this morning. It was unusual for her to keep any documents out in the open. She was the most organized person I knew. I couldn¡¯t help but investigate and entered her room.


    When I saw the first letter, my heart twisted inside my chest. The envelope had a large ¡®Urgent¡¯ label printed in red. With a heavy heart, I grabbed it and extracted the letter inside. My hands were shaking as I read it. Were we late in our mortgage payment? I thought Grandma paid for the entire house with the insurance money from when my Grandpa died. Could it be she had taken out a second mortgage on the house?


    I felt sick to my stomach, realizing just how desperate our situation had been. It was a reality check for me. Trembling slightly, I tiptoed over to the bedroom where I was staying with Jaron. He had already dozed off. I pulled myself up onto the top bunk and unlocked my phone.


    I kept returning to the ad that Jake had sent me, rereading it over and over again. We couldn¡¯t keep going on like that. Grandma was having medical issues but working twice as hard as she should have been. I had no choice but to take this course of action, and I knew that looking for a regular job wouldn¡¯t help my situation right now.


    I had faith in Jake and his family. We had been friends since middle school, after all. So, with a heavy heart, I made a simple decision. I¡¯ll talk to Jake tomorrow and tell him I¡¯m taking the job.

 Chapter 2- The Beginning Of The End

    When I opened my eyes, the darkness of the night still lingered. A glance at my phone showed me it was about five o¡¯clock in the morning, far too early for the day to have begun. No matter how many times I tried to flip the pillow to its cool side, I could not will myself back to sleep. So, eventually, I gave up. I carefully rose from our bunk bed, trying not to disturb Jaron as I descended the bed stairs. I trudged over to the bathroom we shared. Washing my face and teeth made me feel a little better. I glanced up at the mirror and saw my reflection.


    The same face I was all too familiar with stared back at me. My complexion, as usual, was deathly pale. My tousled hair was a sign of the long night I¡¯d been unable to sleep through, and my swollen eyes spoke to the hours I had spent trying to doze off. I didn¡¯t know how to feel about myself. Too pretty for a guy but not manly enough for sure. My eyes seemed too big for my face- the blue overwhelmed them.


    Looking away, I tried to comb through my hair and make it look presentable. Finally, I managed to pin it back, making a low ponytail. Once I was satisfied with my accomplishment, I returned to our room and put on my clothing. The clothes were simple and casual enough. I wore a cozy jumper with clean pants that didn¡¯t look too wrinkled. Gathering everything I would need for the rest of the day, I strolled towards the kitchen, taking in my surroundings.


    I could tell Grandma had been here; her plate was in the sink, still with remnants of food on it. My gaze fell upon the counter, and I noticed the note I had written her the evening before. Beside my scrawled handwriting was a response from Grandma that said, ¡®Thank you sweetie, have a nice day at school.¡¯ The simple comment put a smile on my face.


    I opened the refrigerator and was pleased to find several loaves of bread and a variety of ingredients still inside. I prepared two lunch packages for the day, making sure to include snacks and a few extra vegetables in Jaron¡¯s box. After that, it was breakfast time. I made a simple bowl of cereal, sat down, and started eating. Time passed, and Jaron was soon out of his room, still in his pajamas.


    ¡°Good morning. Slept okay?¡± I greeted him. Jaron just gave me one of his signature glares. ¡°Could have been better. Someone was shaking the bed all night long,¡± he grumbled angrily. Of course he felt that, even if I tried to be quiet, he was always a light sleeper.


    ¡°Sorry, I woke up and couldn¡¯t go back to sleep. I guess I wasn¡¯t as quiet as I thought,¡± I answered apologetically. ¡°Lucky me...¡± he muttered to himself. He grabbed a bowl of his own and scooted over to the sofa, putting as much distance between us as possible. The silence next to him sometimes drove me crazy. I knew we needed to say so many things, but he wouldn¡¯t talk to me anymore.


    Not since I started high school, not since he turned eleven. I missed the brother I used to have, the one who would follow me around everywhere and practically worship the ground I walked on.


    I know we grow and change, but I never expected Jaron to... what? Hate me? I hope he didn¡¯t hate me. Ultimately, he was my only family left, just him and Grandma. Sometimes I felt resentful of him.


    He wasn¡¯t there when Mom was losing her mind and taking it out on me. I mean, he was, but he was so small. I hope he doesn¡¯t remember, not like I do. And I always protected him. Always. Mom never lifted a finger at him. God, why was I angry? Angry about him not suffering like me? I¡¯m glad he didn¡¯t. Just... I wish he were happier. He should be happier.


    Coming out of my thoughts, I noticed Jaron putting his plate in the sink and heading up to his room to get ready. I grabbed my cell phone and typed a message to Hunter. He lived nearby, often giving us rides to school. Luckily, there was already a message from him saying he¡¯ll arrive at our home in around fifteen minutes. With a smirk creeping across my face, I double-checked to ensure that l had everything I needed with me.


    This time, Jaron descended the staircase with his own bag slung over his shoulder and wearing a full set of clothes. ¡°Hunter is driving us today. He¡¯ll be here in ten,¡± I informed Jaron. He nodded slightly and immersed himself in a book, desperate to avoid talking to me.


    Ten minutes felt like an hour, awkwardly waiting for Hunter in our living room. Jaron ignored me, and I pretended it didn¡¯t hurt as much as it did. Finally, the blare of a car horn outside the drive-through made it evident that Hunter had arrived.


    Walking up to his car, I sat on the passenger side, calling shotgun. Jaron didn¡¯t even try to fight me about it anymore. ¡°Hey, you look good today,¡± Hunter greeted me. He was lying. ¡°Liar,¡± I shot at him playfully. He laughed at that. ¡°Hey! I don¡¯t think you should blame me for your lack of sleep. You look like you were up all night,¡± he said between chuckles. ¡°Too busy thinking of me?¡± he wiggled his eyebrows at me.


    I made a gagging sound, horrified by the thought. ¡°In your dreams,¡± I half screamed at him. ¡°Well, I certainly was at yours,¡± Hunter replayed without missing a bit. ¡°Yeah, as a nightmare, must be why I woke up.¡± At the back-sit, Jaron rolled his eyes at us. ¡°You two are so gross.¡± Hunter looked back at Jaron through the rearview mirror. ¡°Don¡¯t be jealous. I¡¯m sure someone out there is dreaming about you,¡± he said to him. Jaron looked hurt by that statement, ¡°I¡¯m not worth dreaming about,¡± he said.


    The car got quiet as we reached the middle school. ¡°Jaron, don¡¯t say-¡± I couldn¡¯t finish that sentence. Jaron took his stuff and bolted out of the car, slamming the door behind him. ¡°Hey! Easy on the car. It did nothing wrong,¡± Hunter called after him while rolling his window down.


    We started driving once again, this time toward CV High. ¡°I guess you both didn¡¯t sleep tonight,¡± Hunter said. ¡°You guessed right, I couldn¡¯t sleep and woke him up in the process. It¡¯s safe to say he didn¡¯t appreciate it. And once again, he was mad at me in the morning¡±. Hunter glanced my way, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. The kid adores you.¡± I looked at him dumbfounded. ¡°Have you met him? That was the case, like two years ago. Now he just growls and demands food like some feral beast¡±. Hunter let out a hearty chuckle. ¡°He¡¯ll come around, I¡¯m still acting this way, and I just turned seventeen.¡±


    After that, the conversation came back to a lighter subject. As always, Hunter was late with his assignments and was getting surprised when the deadline came up. So he was left with no time to write a history paper. ¡°Well, how are you supposed to do all that research in a week?¡± l arched a brow at him. ¡°You don¡¯t. We had a whole ass month¡±. The shock on his face was hilarious. ¡°Really? Well shit¡±. Laughing at that, I said, ¡°Shit indeed.¡±


    The school day was progressing as expected, without any significant events. I was counting down the minutes until lunch hour so I could have a chat with Jake. I¡¯ll tell him I wanted to accept the job and see if it was still available. Today, I felt more confident in my choice. I tried to reassure myself that this job was nothing more than a typical cleaning gig. Very normal. Nothing shady going on.


    I should at least take a look. Go for an interview. After some thought, I decided not to tell Grandma. She would absolutely lose it. I think my original plan was good. I¡¯ll just tell her I work as a delivery guy for some unheard-of fast-food chain restaurant. I can¡¯t tell her I¡¯m planning on working at a club. That¡¯s where Mom... well, lost herself for the first time. Unfortunately, she never found herself after that. Of course, it¡¯s not the same club, but Grandma would look at me like a traitor nonetheless.


    The closer it got to lunchtime, the more anxious I felt. I wasn¡¯t second-guessing myself, more like feeling guilty about the entire ordeal. As I walked through the hallway, I spotted Jake and made my way over to him. The moment our eyes connected, a warm smile spread across his face, and he began to approach me.


    ¡°Hey there, long time no see. I was starting to feel abandoned,¡± Jake jokingly said. I laughed at that, ¡°Don¡¯t be dramatic. You saw me yesterday.¡± We set off together, strolling in the direction of the outdoors. ¡°Well, it¡¯s too much time apart for me¡± He gave me that adorable puppy-dog look, and it was impossible to say no when he looked at me like that. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll make sure it won¡¯t happen again¡± I nudged my shoulder into his.


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    As soon as I did that, he nudged my shoulder back, and we stayed like this for the rest of the walk. Pressed together just a little bit too close.


    We got out and saw the rest of our friends already sitting at our usual spot. I stopped Jake before he could go over there. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked, looking worried. ¡°So, about this job you were telling me about,¡± I nervously gnawed at my inner lip, unsure what to say next. Jake seemed to relax next to me. ¡°Oh, you want to take it? If so, sure, it¡¯s still on the table. I told my uncle to see if he could hold it up.¡±


    That was typical of Jake, always considering others before himself. ¡°Yeah, I would really appreciate it. The situation at home isn¡¯t the best right now...¡± I said the last part quieter than the rest. ¡°Shit, sorry, if I can do anything to help, just tell me. You know I¡¯m here for whatever you need.¡± His hand gently held mine, radiating a sense of comfort and warmth.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing like that, just plain old money, can¡¯t ever have too much.¡± At that, Jake¡¯s demeanor changed, and he grinned at me. ¡°You can say that again. I get it. Here, I¡¯ll text my uncle and get you connected with his friend.¡±


    Jake was already writing something on his phone. ¡°Thanks Jake, you¡¯re the best¡± I squeezed his hand, which was still on top of my own. ¡°Anytime, don¡¯t even mention it.¡± As we continued walking, I noticed his cheeks looking slightly redder, which was hard to accomplish with his dark complexion.


    ¡°Hey, you two lovebirds finally finished making out and decided to grace us with your presence?¡± Rid said to us as soon as we came next to a hearing distance. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t see you bowing down. The disrespect is crazy,¡± I joked back. Jake sat down next to Rid and Hunter. ¡°Rid, shut up please,¡± Jake said, a little too harsh for his normal self.


    ¡°Oh, someone¡¯s grumpy, but don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t mind if you and Jules will actually start making out. We¡¯re cool like that,¡± Hunter said as he nudged Jake on the side. ¡°Though I might get a little jealous, I thought Jules and I would get together. It turns out he was just using me for free drives around town¡± Hunter sounded fake hurt. I rolled my eyes at their banter.


    ¡°No one is getting with me thank you very much, you two are impossible. And anyway, what would Lyanna say?¡± I could tell I¡¯d struck a nerve with Hunter. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t bother. She¡¯s not interested,¡± he said, his voice laced with sadness.


    Rid slapped his side, ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that. You¡¯ll be good together. Just ask her out. She¡¯s into you.¡± Hunter pushed Rid away. ¡°She¡¯s into Jules. I¡¯m totally in the friend zone.¡± As soon as they spoke, the sandwich I had just opened went tumbling down into the box.


    ¡°No, she¡¯s not. Lyanna never said anything.¡± Everybody just stared at me. ¡°God, you¡¯re oblivious to anything remotely romantic,¡± Hunter said. ¡°Well, I¡¯m really not looking for anything right now. God knows I have enough on my plate as it is,¡± I spat out as quickly as possible. Not wanting to hurt Hunter. Hunter let out a huge laugh. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it is what it is, I can¡¯t make her like me, and if she likes you, I can¡¯t exactly blame her. I mean, look at you,¡± He pointed toward me.


    The worst thing was that every single word he said was entirely true. I felt myself blush, blood rushing against my cheeks at record speed. ¡°Okay, enough with the love talk. I¡¯m going to die of embarrassment¡± I couldn¡¯t help but hide my face behind my hands as our small group burst into laughter. Not long after, the girls joined us.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Sara asked. ¡°Oh, nothing, we were just making Jules blush,¡± Rid explained. ¡°Well, now I regret not getting here sooner,¡± Rita said. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s move on from boring subjects like, how to torture Julian Lewis and talk about something nicer. Like that history paper we have to finish¡±. As the words left my mouth, a chorus of grumbles filled the air.


    ¡°You are no fun today,¡± Rita said. Lyanna hasn¡¯t said anything. She just sat quietly as always, and read her book. This time, she was close to finishing the book. She was pretty and very sweet. We bonded over old cartoons and inappropriate jokes. I know you wouldn¡¯t say it about her at first glance, but she was fun when she opened up to you.


    Her ginger curls were put together in a loose ponytail that looked very good on her. Brown eyes among a sea of freckles looked up to catch me staring. She smiled at me, and I smiled back. Jake was watching us from the other side of the table, an unreadable look on his face.


    We scattered around, and everybody started to go in different directions toward their next class. ¡°Hey, my uncle just replayed. His friend said you could come tonight at nine to get all the details. If everything goes well, you could start this week.¡± He handed me a phone number and directions to the club. ¡°Thanks Jake, I really appreciate it¡± I smiled at him, feeling grateful.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± He smiled back. I was just about to start walking when Jake stopped me once again. ¡°And Jules? I can¡¯t blame Lyanna as well. Anyone would love to be with you¡±. With that said, he rushed off to the next class, leaving me with a dumb look on my face. Feeling the truth of his words made me blush once again.


    After school was over, Hunter drove Jaron and me back home. I wasn¡¯t paying attention to anything, still a little dazed from my conversation with Jake. Even Jaron asked me at one point if I was feeling all right. And Jaron never asked. I cooked dinner and ensured I was done with schoolwork before heading out to the club.


    At around seven, Grandma came back home. Due to her work hours, I hadn¡¯t had a chance to see her in nearly two days. ¡°Well, look who¡¯s finally home,¡± She entered and declared. ¡°I was home. It¡¯s you who were sneaking out to parties,¡± I said back to her. Grandma just rolled her eyes. ¡°I haven¡¯t been to a party in ten years, don¡¯t get smart with me.¡± I hugged her then and helped her with her coat.


    Having grandma home was nice. She made Jaron sit and eat with us while she tried to squeeze information about our lives from us. It was honestly good to sit together as a family like that. Grandma had a job at a pharmacy half an hour from where we lived. She¡¯d travel there by bus and sometimes would stay for the night shifts.


    She always did her best since we came to live with her. Even though, at first, she was cold towards Jaron and me. I¡¯m pretty sure it had something to do with our mom.


    ¡°Grandma, I have a job interview tonight. The pizza place at the city center is looking for a delivery guy¡±. As I expected, Grandma didn¡¯t like that. After I went through a full investigation, she gave up and asked me to text her every two hours. She was worried about school and me not getting enough sleep, and honestly, she was right to worry.


    As nine crept around, I dressed in my more respectful clothes and tried to get my hair right. I grabbed my keys and cell phone and made my way toward the Fallen Star Club. That name will always be a mouthful. The journey didn¡¯t take long; it was only a fifteen-minute ride on the bus.


    When I got there, the lights and beaming music were already playing. My heart was pounding as I approached the entrance. Fortunately, there were not many people around at this time. After all, it was only the middle of the week, and still relatively early in the evening.


    I approached the bouncer, his dark skin and shaved head giving him a formidable appearance, as befitting a typical bouncer. He looked me over, probably ready to send me away, seeing a teenager trying to sneak in.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I started. ¡°I have a job interview here today, um... with someone named Sam¡±. I pulled out my phone to show him the text message and details I had received earlier from Sam. The bouncer looked a little taken aback but let me in with a few pointers on finding Sam¡¯s location. I followed his instruction and made my way to the back of the club.


    Looking around, I noticed the club had a modern and elegant feel- plush couches, cushioned chairs, and glass tables filled the space. The light was muted with amber-tinted lamps above each table. The walls were painted in warm earthy tones, and large, lush plants added a comfortable atmosphere. The bar was sleekly designed with a black and white marble countertop and wooden shelves behind it, stocked with various drinks. Soft music floated through the air, completing the relaxing vibe of the place.


    I entered the backspace and walked inside the kitchen. On the very back end, I saw a man who looked somewhat like Sam. Judging from the picture I saw on the message thread. I walked up to him.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m Julian Lewis. I came here for the job?¡± The man looked me up and down. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get it. The boss likes the pretty boys. He¡¯s upstairs. You can go up to him.¡± I felt my face warm up. ¡°Um... I came here for the cleaning job. We talked earlier on the phone,¡± I tried again. The man¡¯s gaze snapped at me again. ¡°Oh, sorry, I wasn¡¯t accepting someone like you. Let¡¯s go to my office and take a seat.¡±


    Towering and lanky, Sam had an air of intimidation around him. He had a crop of brown hair, and his eyes were so dark that I couldn¡¯t make out his pupils, come to think of it, the bouncer had the exact same eyes.


    ¡°Typically, I don¡¯t hire anyone younger than eighteen, but Michael is quite adamant that you¡¯re the one for the job,¡± Michael was Jake¡¯s uncle. Sam went on to list the details of the position, including how many shifts a week and what was expected of me. I had no idea that Michael had been so insistent about hiring me.


    I thanked Sam and said I¡¯ll be ready to start work immediately. We agreed upon shifts for the rest of the week and the nearing weekend. It was quick and officiate. Moments later, I found myself leaving the club. It was still relatively early, just ten o¡¯clock, as I started my departure.


    On my way out, the bouncer stopped me. ¡°Hey, how¡¯d it go? I¡¯m sure you got it. The boss likes... well, you know.¡± Why was everyone saying that? ¡°I don¡¯t know who you¡¯re hiring right now, but I¡¯m just here to wash dishes.¡±


    The bouncer looked surprised at that. ¡°Oh, sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to assume. Either way, we¡¯ll see each other a lot. If you need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to ask. Good luck,¡± he smiled at me. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m Vincent, by the way,¡± the bouncer, Vincent, added.¡± ¡±Julian,¡± I introduced myself in return. I said my goodbyes and continued home. Hoping I wasn¡¯t making a mistake. Surprisingly, I managed to drift off relatively quickly that night.

 Chapter 3- Secrets You Cannot Keep From Me

    The chilly air seemed to be seeping through my clothes as I trudged towards my home. I couldn¡¯t pinpoint the emotions that had taken a hold of me. It seemed like a constant state of living recently for me, not knowing what I was doing or thinking. The entire encounter at the club was strange.


    I kept hearing people mention some boss they were certain would be enamored with me. And well, my mind came to the worst conclusion, Sex workers being one of my first ideas, which terrified me. Then again, I could be mistaken; perhaps they are simply in search of dancers or attractive bartenders.


    I arrived back home shortly before midnight. It was still relatively early in the night. The house was quiet. Grandma must have been exhausted after a long day of work. And Jaron... well, at least he behaves when it comes to his sleep schedule and doing his homework.


    I decided to call Jake and let him know how it went. I was confident he was still awake. After two rings, Jake picked up the phone, his voice heavy with exhaustion but still welcoming.


    ¡°Hey! I was beginning to worry about you. Was it alright? Did you get it?¡± he asked eagerly. My lips tagged in a smile, ¡°It was alright, a little bit strange. I don¡¯t like the party scene too much. And everybody thought I was some kind of a stripper or a dancer. Correcting their assumptions was an uncomfortable experience. I¡¯m only here for the cleaning tasks.¡±


    There was some silence at Jake¡¯s end. ¡°Well, you know, stripping is a serious line of job. Please let me know if you ever decide to go down that path.¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°Jake, please be serious about this. You know it¡¯s a bad place of employment when everybody keeps saying, ¡®the boss loves boys like you¡¯ and ogles you to no end.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they do that for every new hire, just the pretty ones.¡± was his reply. ¡°Jake, you¡¯re an awesome human being, but sometimes I just can¡¯t with you,¡± I said. ¡°Well, that¡¯s because I¡¯m not human. Therefore the argument does not apply to me. And also, the boss likes ¡®boys¡¯? A little bit pedo if you ask me.¡±


    Yeah, Jake wasn¡¯t helping much. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m pretty sure they meant guys,¡± Jake chuckled at his end of the call. I suddenly realized there wasn¡¯t a buzz at the back of my head.


    People never really realized just how much they were lying. It was ingrained in our culture, becoming a type of slang and a way of talking like sarcasm. Most of the time, it had no sinister meaning behind it, just a way of speaking.


    I was getting the little vibrations all day long. When I was younger, it always put me off balance. As I grew older, I was getting better at ignoring the unimportant lies, the white lies. I was used to it by now but still looked out for anything major. Just a walking lie detector.


    At that moment, upon hearing Jake¡¯s words, I felt nothing. The latter half of his statement was simply an opinion with no truth or lie in it. But he said he wasn¡¯t human, and I felt no buzz. What did that mean? I understand it is a figure of speech. But like all the other similar lies, I would expect to feel it.


    I would always feel the lie as it regards the absolute truth. I trusted myself and knew the statement was true. My ability was working for facts, not for the symbolic meaning behind words. It can¡¯t mean he feels like a monster or something along those lines.


    Not human means not human for my little buzzes. But what else could there be? Maybe Jake is someone like me? Am I even human with this ability I got? Too bad I cannot feel my own lies. Left with the ability to lie to myself. Jake¡¯s words brought me back from my thoughts.


    ¡°So, did you get it?¡± I could picture him on his bed, keenly awaiting my response. ¡°Yeah, I got it, thanks to your uncle, who bagged Sam to take me. Thanks for that, by the way.¡± Jake sounded surprised at that. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know he did that. That¡¯s Michael for you. He takes care of family. And you practically family as well.¡±


    The comment caused a lump to form in my throat. I fought back tears, touched by the kindness of his family. We carried on with our chit-chat for another hour or so, yapping about ridiculous nonsense.


    ¡°Hey, what about going ice skating this weekend? They¡¯re having an ¡¯80s music theme, and we could head there at noon so it won¡¯t clash with your job,¡± Jake finally asked. ¡°Sure, who else is coming?¡± Jake got quiet again but only for a second. ¡°Well, I thought we could hang out just the two of us. We need some alone time.¡±


    The corners of my mouth tugged upward in a grin as I responded to him. ¡°You asking me out?¡± I questioned, my voice laced with amusement. ¡°No, I¡¯m not trying to ask you on a date,¡± Jake said, sounding slightly serious. But soon enough, he started laughing.


    The buzz went through my head. I knew he was lying instantly. Was he hoping for a date? With me? Would that be something I¡¯d want? I mean, I wasn¡¯t even sure if I liked guys. Did I? Did Jake? Ugh, my head was pounding. To avoid making the situation uncomfortable, I joined in with his laughter.


    I¡¯m not going to bring up the topics of humans or dates right now. I¡¯ll do it in person if I have something to ask him. Plus, it will be less awkward for me to ask about a date than his humanity.


    I tried to sneak into the house so I wouldn¡¯t wake anyone up, tiptoeing around until I could climb into bed after being outside for almost an hour. It seemed as if I was at odds with the universe, unable to enjoy a good night¡¯s sleep. No matter what, something always seemed to be preventing me from falling asleep. I was an overthinker, that¡¯s for sure.


    Did I have feelings for Jake? I mean, romantically? Everyone said I was oblivious to it all, but I noticed things. Maybe I was in denial? My heart raced with conflicting emotions as I tried to unravel my true feelings.


    Lyanna came as a surprise; we never talked about her and me. But Hunter was telling the truth. So it is true. I just never saw her that way.


    Guess going on a date with Jake could be nice. I¡¯ll ask him about it on the weekend. Probably, If I could master my courage. It seems like I have two shifts at work before the weekend. I would have to survive that first.


    The following day at school, I emerged from my classroom while my eyes were glued to my cell phone, not really taking in the sights around me. I bumped into someone and apologized immediately. Looking up, Suzie stared back at me. Of course it had to be her. ¡°Watch it, white trash. You could at least look where you¡¯re going.¡±


    I really got mad at those thoughtless comments. She was simply being rude. I mean, yeah, I bumped into her, but I said sorry. ¡°Come on Suzie, can¡¯t you come up with something better than that? You sound so dull.¡± Her face was getting red. ¡°You are such an asshole. People like you should drop dead. The world would be better.¡± She was lying. I could feel the buzz. She didn¡¯t really believe it.


    Dramatic much? I just bumped into her. ¡°Once you actually believe your words, come find me.¡± Her jaw dropped in shock as if she had never imagined anyone responding in such a way. It was an unexpected response, and she seemed utterly taken aback. I left her standing there, her boyfriend giving me a menacing look from across the way, not daring to approach. While I wasn¡¯t intimidating, nobody wanted to mess with Jake or Hunter. I was safe by association, and honestly kind of liked it.


    Lyanna was standing at the entrance to the school when I arrived, her expression telling me she had seen it all. ¡°Hey Jules, are you alright? I saw what just happened with Suzie...¡± she started to say. ¡°Nah, don¡¯t sweat it. Honestly, it was my fault, I bumped into her, and she acted like her usual drama queen self.¡±


    Despite my efforts, Lyanna seemed unconvinced. ¡°Promise you¡¯ll tell us if things get out of hand,¡± she said. ¡°Yeah, of course, but don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s nothing serious.¡± As always, we walked to our table and ate lunch.


    As classes finished for the day, Hunter and I were on our way to pick up Jaron. My head was full of questions I wanted to ask Jake, and they all seemed to be competing for attention in my mind. I knew I had to talk to him soon, but I was scared of his reaction.


    Yet the thought of delaying it made me anxious and guilty. So I promised myself that I would talk to him by this weekend. But until then, I was determined not to let my worries consume me. It wouldn¡¯t be that difficult. Between Jaron, school, and my new job, I had plenty of activities to keep me busy.


    ¡°Jules, can I ask you something?¡± Hunter pulled me from my thoughts. ¡°Yeah, sure. What¡¯s up?¡± I said. Hunter looked a little bit uncomfortable. ¡°I know we joke a lot, but... I do like Lyanna, and if you like her, I don¡¯t want to come between you two or-¡± I stopped him in the middle of the sentence.


    ¡°Hunter, I just don¡¯t feel that way about Lyanna,¡± I said. ¡°She¡¯s a great friend, but I don¡¯t see her as anything more than that. Ask her out, and who knows, you might click with her on your date. I¡¯m rooting for you two.¡± Hunter seemed to relax at that. ¡°I was so afraid of your reaction. I didn¡¯t want you to be angry at me.¡± It was an odd thing to say, considering Hunter was twice my size.


    ¡°I won¡¯t ever be mad at you for telling me the truth and looking out for my best interests, even if I wanted to date Lyanna. I¡¯m sure we could come up with a solution¡±. I smiled at him. Hunter grinned back at me. ¡°Yeah, we could have an open relationship, or even better, be a throuple!¡± I stared at him dumbfounded. ¡°Wasn¡¯t exactly what I thought about, but sure.¡±


    I knew he was joking, I even felt the little buzz going through my head, and yet I got curious. ¡°Hunter, would you be open to it? Like... dating a guy?¡± I asked carefully. Hunter seemed surprised by that. ¡°Umm, I know I joke a lot, but I¡¯m straight,¡± he said. Hunter glanced my way and quickly added, ¡°It¡¯s cool if you¡¯re not straight, like better even, less competition to the average population.¡±


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Hunter Thomson, you are anything but average.¡± A bright blush spread across Hunter¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Thank you,¡± he muttered softly. After another minute of driving, Hunter looked at me and asked almost inaudibly, ¡°So, are you straight?¡± He seemed really uncomfortable.


    I answered him honestly. ¡°I don¡¯t really know. I guess I¡¯m trying to figure it out. And I think Jake kind of asked me on a date?¡± Hunter raised his eyebrow at that, and I continued. ¡°I mean, he didn¡¯t say it was a date. But he wants to hang out alone, and I think maybe we¡¯ve been flirting for a while. And I¡¯m pretty sure not in the bromance way.¡±


    Why did I feel such a powerful desire to tell Hunter everything? Even though I was confident I could depend on him, it was still hard for me to open up. ¡°It might be a date. I think Jake might like you. And don¡¯t tell him I told you, but he¡¯s bi.¡± Despite everything, it really did surprise me. And hurt a little that he didn¡¯t tell me. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t he told me?¡± I whispered.


    ¡°No! It¡¯s nothing like that. I just kind of saw him scrolling through social media and liking some photos. He realized I saw it and just came clean. He made me swear not to tell anyone. I think he¡¯s scared we¡¯ll look at him differently,¡± He explained. ¡°I would never-¡± I started to say, ¡°I know¡± Hunter stopped me.


    ¡°I know you won¡¯t care, but it¡¯s still his secret to tell. And if you think you might like Jake, you should give him a chance.¡± I thought about it. ¡°Maybe, we¡¯ll see. I¡¯m hanging out with him this weekend. I¡¯ll talk to him.¡± Hunter smiled. ¡°Tell me all the juicy details later. If you start going out, I¡¯m rooting for you.¡± A smile crept on my face at that. ¡°Thanks Hunter,¡± He looked at me once again. ¡°Anytime,¡± he said.


    We drove to the middle school, picked up Jaron, and then Hunter dropped us off at the house. We said farewells before he drove away. Today, Jaron was unusually quiet. He walked into the kitchen and grabbed a snack while starting his homework. I settled into the seat next to him and began my own work. For once, Jaron didn¡¯t attempt to keep me away, and we remained in a peaceful silence together. ¡°Are you working tonight?¡± he asked.


    I looked up in surprise. ¡°Yeah, I start at nine. But I have time to make dinner. Anything you would like?¡± I asked. He paused for a moment as if considering his options. Then he said, ¡°I think I¡¯d like pasta and meatballs.¡± I was fortunate to have the necessary items for the meal. I had purchased some more groceries earlier that day. ¡°Absolutely,¡± I replied with a smile. He simply nodded in response and continued his schoolwork.


    As dinner time crept around, I made the pasta and meatballs, which turned out pretty nice. As always, I set the food up and divided it into three portions, as I always did when Grandma was working the night shift. I wasn¡¯t really that hungry, so I decided to put off eating for now. I can grab something at the club later if the worst comes to pass.


    I had nearly finished my homework, so I decided to bring it with me. Perhaps I could get some of it done at the club. I carried a plate of food up the steps to our room. When I opened the door, I saw Jaron in front of our little desk, engrossed in a screen of streaming videos. ¡°I got you dinner. I¡¯m about to leave for the club,¡± I said. Jaron looked up at me, his face full of questions.


    ¡°Do you have everything you need?¡± I asked. Jaron¡¯s gaze drifted to me, and he responded with a laconic, ¡°Yeah, nothing to need really.¡±


    ¡°Oh, good, well I¡¯ll see you in the morning.¡± I gave him his food and was ready to grab my bag and go. ¡°Thanks for the pasta. See you tomorrow,¡± Jaron said before I could leave.


    I was shocked at this. It was the first time in a while he acknowledged me at all. ¡°Anytime¡± was my lame response. Then, not wanting to ruin anything, I bolted out of our room and into the living room.


    It was already eight, and I didn¡¯t want to stay in the house any longer. The first day at work made me nervous, so I left a little earlier than necessary. Grabbing my bag and keys, I headed to the bus station after double-checking that the door was securely closed. The bus showed up surprisingly fast, so I hopped on and enjoyed some music during the ride.


    When I arrived at the club, I had to go through the main entrance since I still didn¡¯t have my employee pass for the back door. I was really hoping Vincent would be there. He seemed like a nice person. When I arrived at the entrance, I spotted Vincent and couldn¡¯t help but smile. Guess I was lucky. ¡°Hey, you got here pretty early,¡± he greeted me immediately. ¡°Yeah, I wanted to make a good impression on my first day.¡±


    Vincent smiled and offered me the chair next to him. ¡°Well, we have some time before your shift starts. Want to keep me company until the annoying customers of the night arrive?¡± He asked. ¡°Sure,¡± I said and sat in the chair he offered me. Vincent may have come off as hard on the outside, yet our last conversation left me believing he was a gentle giant in his core.


    His eyes were scarily black, just like Sam¡¯s. You could barely see the iris. ¡°Getting lost inside my eyes, Lewis?¡± he asked jokingly. ¡°No, sorry, it¡¯s nothing,¡± I answered apologetically. Asiad from his eyes, he had dark and smooth skin. His head was shaved in a buzz cut, making you want to run your hands through it. His sharp jawline did nothing to humble his face.


    Vincent mentioned that he had worked for Ari for quite a while before becoming the bouncer. It seems Ari was the boss of the club. Vincent spoke highly of him and seemed to have genuine admiration for his boss. I found out that Vince also enjoyed playing the piano during his free time, which was a surprise. I opened up about myself and why I started working at this age. Fortunately, he was very sympathetic.


    It was fun talking to him. My nerves seemed to fade away. He was a nice person, I finally decided. Looking at the time I told Vincent I had to go and start the day, well... more like night.


    I made it to the club quickly and found the kitchen in no time. A young woman with blond hair, who seemed like she might be in college, said hello when I arrived. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m Vera. You must be Julian¡±. I nodded and said hey. Vera was quite firm, and I realized that she was going to be my supervisor instead of Sam. She oversaw the team of cleaners in the kitchen and the entire club.


    ¡°So you have your gloves. Make sure you¡¯re always wearing them. Chemical exposure is nasty in the long run. Always have your hair tied back away from your face. No fooling around. You come here, you clean, get paid, and go home. Sam told me about your situation. So you¡¯ll be getting your payment each night in cash. any question?¡± I had none. I let the information sink inside my head before daring to ask anything.


    She walked me through the kitchen, making it clear that washing dishes was my job. The other staff members seemed to hate dish duty and were relieved to have someone new take on this task.


    Following that, the task was relatively straightforward. I would grab a ton of dishes, put them in the dishwasher, or scrub them clean by hand. Then, I¡¯d unload the dishwasher. I managed to keep up with the demanding pace, but I started to feel tired around midnight. Nevertheless, I kept at my task until one in the morning, when I was allowed a break of thirty minutes.


    ¡°Hey Vera, where can I go to catch up with some studies? Maybe a quieter place?¡± I asked her. ¡°You can head up the stairs. It¡¯s pretty quiet there.¡± I thanked her and took my stuff upstairs. Looking for the perfect spot, I settled down and opened my notebook to start writing. Soon enough, I saw Vincent climb up the steps.


    ¡°Hey, on your break? And... doing homework?¡± he arched a brow in my direction. ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t want to be behind on schoolwork. So how¡¯s it going down there? It seems like a lot of people came out tonight¡± Vincent nodded. ¡°Tell me about it. I already kicked out a few drunk fools.¡± I laughed at that.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m heading to see Ari, good luck with your homework.¡± He turned around and left toward the big fancy door. I was lost in concentration, trying to solve something for algebra, when suddenly I heard a scream.


    The ear-splitting scream held me in place. It came from the other side of the hallway, away from the route Vincent had just taken. I heard a sloshing sound then the screams cut off.


    I shook myself out of the trance I was in and ran toward the source of the sound. My feet pounded against the ground as I shouted Vincent¡¯s name, hoping he would hear me. When I got to the door, it was wide open. Inside, deep scarlet liquid stained the walls and floor. It seemed to be everywhere.


    I was horrified by what was in front of me. A woman¡¯s body was mangled and distorted, with chunks of flesh missing from her arms, legs, and torso. Her eyes were distorted and wide open with terror, and her right arm was completely gone. Tears in her skin exposed raw muscle tissue and bone as if a savage force had ripped her body apart. The coppery smell of the blood made my stomach churn. God, what could do such a thing?


    I couldn¡¯t move. I was stuck on the entrance floor, unable to take another step. Any thoughts of performing some kind of CPR left my head right away. There wasn¡¯t a single chance the woman in front of me was alive.


    Vincent pushed past me and went straight toward the disfigured woman. After him entered three more people to the room. A man so large he could barely squeeze past me. He was followed by a tall, stunning woman with dark locks and no other than Sam.


    ¡°What happened here?¡± the large man demanded. Surprisingly enough, his question was directed at Vincent and not me. Nobody seemed to acknowledge my presence in the room.


    Vincent shook his head, a terrified look on his face. ¡°It¡¯s a wendigo¡¯s doing, but there isn¡¯t a way for one to enter the club. It¡¯s impossible¡±. It wasn¡¯t the answer the large man was looking for. ¡°We have wards against those vile creatures. The wolves would have destroyed any one of them the second they would set foot in the city. So how did this thing manage to pass the wolves and our protection!?¡± he screamed by the end of the sentence. Vincent seemed lost, and the large man seemed ready to kill.


    ¡°I want you to notify the wolves immediately. They won¡¯t stop bragging about killing every last wild wendigo out there. Now they have something to do. Call Jahha immediately and tell her to reinstall the wards. I don¡¯t care how much it will cost. Just make her do it.¡±


    Vincent gave a slight nod and got to work on his phone. The woman and Sam watched the body in disdain, yet they did not react beyond maintaining their current stance.


    What were they talking about? Shouldn¡¯t they call the police? We heard the scream a minute ago. The one who did it could still be here. What was all this talk about wolves? And wendigoes? Shit, were they part of some cult?


    My mouth was still shut, and my body was frozen, but the large man turned his head to face me. His dark eyes were identical to Sam¡¯s and Vincent¡¯s. ¡°Who is this boy?¡± he asked. Vincent looked up and caught my eyes, frightened. ¡°This is Julian, new to the cleaning crew. He¡¯s a good guy. Let me make him forget. He won¡¯t cause any problems,¡± Vincent finished.


    The man considered the proposition before giving his orders. ¡°Alright, do it fast and send him back home with a fitting excuse for Vare. We have much to do tonight.¡±


    Vincent walked towards me, and finally, I managed to move. I took a step back, wanting to run. I was terrified. Vincent tried to calm me. ¡°Relax, it¡¯s all going to be all right, just listen to my voice, and you¡¯ll be home in no time.¡±


    Vincent took hold of my chin and made me look into his eyes. ¡°You were coming down the stairs and had a little accident. You fell and hit your arm. I saw you and helped you out. You weren¡¯t feeling well, so I ordered a taxi to take you home.¡±


    I said nothing, too scared to utter a word. For the first time in my life, the little buzz at the back of my head made me hear words. ¡®Lie, play along¡¯ it said, Sending a vibration through my skull. Was Vincent trying to make me forget what I had seen? I learned to trust that buzz and decided to play along just as it said. ¡°Sit, Julian, the taxi will be right here, try not to put pressure on your arm,¡± Vincent said. I nodded and took a sit.


    Soon enough, a taxi came to take me home. Vincent ensured I was okay and said goodbye while entering the car. He handed me an envelope, Payment for today. I said goodbye, trying to act as normal as I could.


    I kept myself from showing any emotion for the duration of the entire drive. Not knowing if the driver is working for the club as well. When I entered the house, I didn¡¯t go immediately to my room. Instead, I sat on the sofa and just stared at the wall. Were they trying to make me forget? Did Vincent hold the power to alter memories? Was he someone like me?


    I was on the break of a full panic attack. Screaming wasn¡¯t optional. Everybody was sleeping. I couldn¡¯t let the people of the club find out. I remembered everything. Maybe it was because of my own ability. But, God, what did I get myself into?

 Chapter 4- A Place The Human Eye cant see

    I watched the clock as the hours dragged by. With each tick, my anxiety grew until I thought I would scream. I felt like something was lurking behind me, but when I checked, nothing was there. Three a.m. became four and then five. Six o''clock crept ever closer, and I still couldn''t sleep. My nerves were shot after stumbling across that gruesome scene and seeing the ones who ran the club trying to cover it. It all had taken a toll on me.


    At first, I attempted to reason my way out of the situation. I needed an explanation, unwilling to accept the notion of insanity. My mental state seems stable. I have never experienced an episode that made me doubt the validity of my reality.


    Well, not until now, anyway. But it would be better. I mean me going through a mental breakdown instead of a woman being murdered. Unfortunately, the mental breakdown came afterward for me. And it was a quiet one. I didn''t want to wake anyone and have to answer their questions, so I steeled myself. Trying to calm down.


    My heart pounded fiercely, beating the life out of me and shaking my rib cage as if it wanted to escape. I was desperate for an outlet, yet all I could do was sit silently and feel the pain building inside me. The woman''s death was vicious, violent, and cruel. It seared into my mind like an unforgettable scar.


    I don''t think her family will find out what happened. It looked like the big man wouldn''t go to the police. Still, seeing how angry he was with her death was reassuring. If my guess was right and he was in charge, he didn''t want her to die.


    Vincent was truthful in everything he said too. He didn''t say much, but anything he did say was true. When he said it would be better to make me forget he wasn''t lying. This strengthened my belief that he held this weird power to do just that.


    I didn''t know what was going on. The only thing that was clear is that the people who run this club are different. It got me curious, but at the same time, I didn''t want to go near the place ever again. Another thing that really bothered me was how they treated the woman''s death. It wasn''t the fact that she''s been murdered that scared them, but who did it, which is fair enough. Yet, it seems like they weren''t even interested in the fact a woman just died inside their club.


    "When did you get home? I haven''t heard you coming to bed". To say I jumped out of my skin would be an understatement. Thank god I managed to keep my voice down and not scream. Jaron was looking at me with his big blue eyes, so much like my own eyes.


    I met his gaze, trying to come up with something to say. "Earlier, I was so exhausted that I passed out on the couch," I finally uttered. Hoping my voice didn''t give me away. "are you... ok?" Jaron asked. "yeah, of course, just tired. And well, I know what I was getting myself into, so it''s fine," I answered. Jaron just nodded and went toward the kitchen.


    A loud grumble echoed from my stomach, reminding me I hadn''t eaten since yesterday''s lunchtime. Had it only been one day? Seemed like forever ago. I quickly prepared a cereal bowl and sat next to Jaron.


    "Do you have any big tests or anything today at school?" I queried. Jaron gave me a sidelong look that seemed to say, ''I wasn''t asking for small talk.'' I understood but still wanted to make conversation, so I jumped on the chance.


    "Nope, just the same old school routine," he said. I took a few spoonfuls of cereal while thinking of something more interesting. "I''ll probably be smelling like dish soap if I keep up with this job," I joked and laughed. Jaron merely nodded his head in agreement as he finished his breakfast.


    It was worth a shot. It''s amusing that I almost forgot about the awful picture I saw earlier today in less than sixty seconds. He distracted me from my worries by giving me more problems to think about. But still managed to distract me.


    I got ready for the school day. Hunter wasn''t picking us up today. He had an early start. Jaron was no longer in the house as I stepped out of my room and onto the stairs. As usual, he doesn''t say a word before leaving. Grandma is still sound asleep. So now I''m alone again. Just my swirling thoughts and me. I had another shift at the club today. Every rational thought discouraged me from going to that shift. I really didn''t want to go back there. But if I didn''t go, they''ll suspect something. They weren''t stupid.


    I don''t want them to start asking questions. They have my address. What if they decide to come here and... no. I need to stop thinking about it. I glanced down at the envelope Vincent gave me last night. I haven''t even counted the money yet. Didn''t touch it. It felt so wrong all of a sudden to accept money from them.


    My hands trembled as I opened the envelope and peered inside. There were crisp, new bills stacked neatly, much more than we had agreed upon. Was it a bribe? To something they think I''m not going to remember? Well, maybe Vincent felt bad for me. I took some of the money to buy groceries after school. The rest I left for Grandma to use however she saw fit.


    I left her a note and a text for when she''ll wake up. Then, ensuring I didn''t forget anything, I started walking to my school. I didn''t want to think of anything. If I do, I''ll go mad. So I put on some headphones and tried to focus on the songs. Putting only happy pop songs to numb anything else inside my brain.


    At least the walk to school was quiet. When I made it to school, I wasted no time heading straight to my first-period class, history. By the time I had taken a seat next to Rid, the lack of sleep from the night had finally started to catch up with me. I smiled at him. "Good morning," I said. "Hey," Rid replied and smiled back at me.


    "Did you finish the paper?" he asked. I did, last night, just before a woman was murdered in front of me. Or close to me, at least. "Yeah, it wasn''t easy, but I''m free of it now." Rid nodded. "You''re right. I still have some work left on mine. I was too busy with some painting again. Sometimes I just get lost in those," he mumbled at the end.


    "Don''t worry. I''m sure you''ll finish it in no time." The teacher threw us a glance, so we stayed quiet for the rest of the class. I was very focused on the somewhat dull lecture. I refused to let my mind wander for even a second. I felt like I was acting in a movie. Trying to look and sound normal as if nothing happened.


    But it had happened, and I couldn''t simply ignore it. Could I confront Vincent, explain all that transpired, and hope to get some answers? What if what he was hiding was of such magnitude they''d go to any lengths to keep the truth hidden?


    I couldn''t afford to think about it. What if it would put my family or myself in danger? No, I needed to focus on something else. I''ll have to stay calm and act as if nothing happened for now. After a few weeks on the job, I''ll leave for unrelated reasons.


    When lunchtime came around, Jake and I sat on the grass, leaning on a tree. For once, I decided I needed some alone with him, not trying to put on a brave face in front of everyone. They were great friends, but I didn''t want to trouble them. And with Jake, I feel as if I can just be myself.


    He was the only one who knew everything that happened with my mother. He didn''t care I was the son of a junkie. He just cared about me. "Did something happen?" he asked. I knew he would notice that something was wrong. He always did. "The club was a bit tougher than I anticipated, and it''s taking its toll. But the paycheck is worth it".


    Sitting quietly beside Jake, I started eating the sandwich I had packed for myself. "You''re not eating?" I asked as I noticed his lack of chewing. "Nah, we had a big breakfast today. I''m going to be stuffed until the evening," Jake said. I nodded, not thinking about it, and put my food down.


    Suddenly I wasn''t really hungry. I just wanted to close my eyes for a bit. I was running thin on things to keep me distracted. "Mind if I nap for a bit? I think I won''t be able to finish the school day otherwise," I said as a big yawn came out of my mouth. "Sure," Jake said. "You can use my lap as a pillow," he joked.


    It was obviously a joke, and yet I didn''t feel the buzz in the back of my head. He was okay with me using his lap as a pillow, something I didn''t want to call him out on. But it didn''t feel like such a bad idea right now. I could use the comfort, And Jake was offering, after all.


    "Sure," I said, putting my head on his leg. The rest of my body lay down on the soft grass. It wasn''t really comfortable, Jake had a lot of mussels, and it felt more like putting your head on the floor instead of a pillow, But Jake feels warm and real and here. I melted.


    Our eyes met, and Jake''s face suddenly drained of color. His hands trembled as he tentatively brought them to my head, his fingers lightly grazing my scalp. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, releasing the tension in my shoulders as I reached behind me and pulled out my elastic band. I felt my locks tumble freely around my neckline.


    That gave Jake better access, and he kept running his finger through my hair. "Is that okay?" He asked, watching my reaction. My cheeks began to warm, but I only nodded in response. His gentle touch melted away all my worries and awakened something inside me. The curiosity was too great for me to resist. I really seemed to like it.


    "Not too weird?" Jake asked a glimmer of amusement in his voice. I glanced at him, the corners of my lips turning up. He was smiling now, pleased knowing he had such an effect on me. "It is weird, but good weird. Right?" I asked, nervously searching his eyes for reassurance. Finally, with a devilish smirk, he responded, "Right," and proceeded to run his hands through my hair.


    Stolen story; please report.


    I was taking the whole finding distractions thing to a new level. But fuck it. If the club is going to be the end of me, I don''t want to miss out on what could be with Jake and me. Seeing someone begin killed in front of you can put things in perspective. And it gave me the answer I was searching for regardless of Jake.


    Jake''s fingers threaded through my hair, the heat of his palm igniting a flame inside me. His scent made my heart race, and everything I thought I knew seemed to disappear instantly. Then, summoning all of my courage, I grabbed his free hand, drew it to my lips, and pressed a tender kiss against his skin. I wouldn''t let either of us deny this moment later.


    Jake''s breathing stopped for a second, and he let out a strangled sound. "So, it is a date on Saturday we''re going to, okay?" I declared it more than I asked. Jake quickly nodded. "Yeah, we can make it a date." I chuckled at his response. "You wanted a date from the start, don''t lie," I said. Jake laughed. "Maybe, but I didn''t know if you''ll want it to be a date," he said shyly. It was really adorable.


    "I mean, I''m... like... well, I just would love to go on a date with you," Jake rumbled. Same here, I thought. "We can talk about everything later, don''t worry. I don''t really get it myself, but I would like that. So we can figure everything out later. Right now, I''m going to take that nap, so don''t stop doing what you do with your fingers." I mumbled. Feeling embarrassed when I realized what I''d implied.


    Jake laughed. "I can do a lot with my fingers-." God, why did I have to say that? "No, can''t hear you right now. Julian is out for a nap. Give him cuddles to recharge," Jake was smiling.


    The gentle rhythm of his fingers in my hair lulled me into a deep state of relaxation, and soon I was asleep. I awoke to find that, somehow, I had nestled closer to Jake in my sleep, and my head was now resting on his shoulder. His arms were around me, cradling me against his chest.


    "What... how did we end up like this?" I asked, confused. Looking around, I saw the schoolyard was completely empty. "Shit, what time is that? How long did I sleep?" It seemed like I overdid it. "Your last period got canceled. The teacher is out sick. Sara came up here to tell you. You were sleeping, so I told her I''ll relay the information to you". Hunter informed me.


    "Fuck, we were in this position? What did she say?" Jake grinned. "She had a very mischiefs look on her face. She even took a picture. I''m pretty sure it''s for future blackmail. Other than that, she didn''t seem to care. And we weren''t exactly in the position we are now. I just told her you needed some sleep," Jake clarified.


    I felt awful all of a sudden. "Jake, it''s not like I''m ashamed or anything, you know that, right? It''s just all so new and-"


    "I know, don''t worry about it. I get it. It''s new for me too, and way too soon to have this talk with the rest of the group."


    "Good, because I don''t want to fuck it up," I finally said. Jake just laughed. "you won''t. If anything, I should be afraid. After all, you''re way out of my league," Jake said. If I''d been drinking water right now, I would have spat them out.


    "You need to get your eyes checked," I told him. "My eyes work just fine." We were still entwined, my hands moving up his neck and caressing his nape. I could feel the short buzz of his hair beneath my fingertips, and I felt a thrill shoot through me. My hands moved further upwards and tangled in the softness of the long curls atop his head. His breathing was coming fast now as I moved my fingers through his mane. Making a complete mess of it.


    "Jules, you''re killing me," Jake whispered into my ear. A shiver went through my body. "It wasn''t my intent, but I''m not sorry."


    "Of course you''re not." Jake chuckled. Our eyes met in a smoldering gaze. I watched as his tongue darted across his lips and felt an undeniable urge to do the same.


    I lowered my head, and my lips met his. It was soft, different from what I pictured. I only kissed one person except for him. And it was a girl. I thought it was gross and wet at the time, but we were thirteen. Right now, with Jake, it didn''t feel gross. Not exactly good, but nice. Comforting.


    We parted, and I looked at him. He had a dazed look in his eyes. We stayed like that for a while. Hugging each other. "Wait, my class got canceled, but don''t you have any classes?" I finally realized. "I do, but I wanted to stay with you, don''t worry. A little bit of ditching won''t kill me," he smiled. "Okay, if you say so, I''m glad you stayed with me."


    "Me too," Jake replied.


    My mood was lifted entirely. I felt so happy on my walk back home. Not needing the music this time. My head was filled with Jake. I let the euphoria wash me. It made me forget the club, the murder, Vincent, Ari, Money. Everything seemed all right. I knew my bubble would soon burst. I had another shift tonight.


    And, of course, there was the matter of Jake''s own humanity. An issue I meant to talk about on our date. Date. Funny how this thing turned up.


    Jaron was home, doing his homework. He looked up from his book. "You look happy. Seems like you''re feeling better right now. You weren''t doing so good this morning."


    "Yeah, I feel better right now. The school was fun today. I''m going to make dinner." I smiled at Jaron.


    As time passed, my good spirits waned. The thought of going to the club weighed heavily on my heart. I didn''t know how I would feel when I saw everything again today.


    The ride to the club was unbearable. Anxiety had built up in my chest, and I was on the edge of breaking down. It was one of the most nerve-racking rides of my life. Should I tell Vincent what was going on? Or should I keep quiet?


    I was worried about the woman. Worried that her family would never know what had truly happened to her. I wanted to do something, help in some way. And yet I couldn''t help but feel that Vincent, despite his friendly demeanor, would be less than pleased to know that I remember everything.


    I stumbled off the bus, my mind a jumbled mess. Vincent could alter memories. I knew it was true because my buzz didn''t go off when he asked the big man to make me forget.


    The higher-ups that ran the club were in on it. But not the rest of the stuff. Vincent mentioned coming up with an excuse for Vera. If I could really trust my ability, it means there are also wolves, wendigos, and someone who could put on wards. I was hanging off each word they said in the room, and none of it was untruthful.


    I reached the front entrance once again, and as expected, Vincent was there. As soon as he saw me, he smiled in my direction. "Hey there, how''s your arm?" My arm? Oh, right, it was the cover story he tried to feed me. "It''s better. Honestly, it doesn''t even hurt anymore. Thanks for your help yesterday."


    "No problem. I''m glad you''re feeling better."


    Was my voice normal? Did I sound normal? I was shaking on the inside. "We had a rough night after you left. It got a little crazy. It''s good that you went home a little bit early." I tried to smile at Vincent''s words. Still feeling as if I''m going to throw up. "Vincent, I saw the payment from yesterday. It''s way too much. Way more than what I agreed upon with Sam-" Vincent cut me off. "Don''t mention it, a little bit of a first-day bonus and a feel-better fee," he grinned at me.


    I relaxed to some extent. Vincent was really nice. I''ll think about telling him. There was so much I wanted to know. Could those black-eyed people help me? I entered the kitchen and was met with Vera''s stern look. She probably didn''t like the fact I left early yesterday. Not wasting any time, I started cleaning and washing a variety of dishes.


    No one paid attention to me. Vincent seemed indifferent, and Sam hadn''t looked at me even once. He just sat in his office making calls. They really were sure I knew nothing. Sam stepped out of his office and walked towards me. I tensed and tried to stay focused on the task in front of me. But he walked past me to the back entrance talking on the phone.


    I was close to the entrance from where I stood and could hear everything he said on the phone. I tried to pay attention. Trying to hear anything significant. "Yeah, it was intense, really put the boss under stress. We haven''t seen anything like that since we opened the club." I was now sure he was talking about what happened yesterday.


    "You can''t seriously believe I had anything to do with what happened to that whore. It was obviously a wendigo." Sam shouted into the receiver, and the sound of his voice reverberated through my skull. The buzz went through my head like a siren. It never was so loud. I forced myself to stand still and maintain an emotionless face even though I knew he was lying. He had something to do with yesterday''s events. He more than likely contributed to her death in some way.


    My blood froze, Sam had a part in what happened, and he was lying through his teeth. I had to tell Vincent. I can''t keep quiet about that. My hands shook slightly as I hastily put the dishes away and informed Vera that I needed a minute in the restroom. Without waiting for her answer, I sprinted towards the entrance where Vincent was checking IDs before allowing customers into the club.


    I approached Vincent and the large man standing next to him. "Can I talk with you for a second? It''s urgent," I said nervously. Vincent seemed caught off guard, but he gave an apologetic look to the man next to him before turning to me. "Of course. What do you need?" I glanced at the other person again, unsure if they should stay present while discussing this matter. "Could we speak in private? I wouldn''t have asked if it wasn''t important." Vincent looked apprehensive but still guided us to a small room at the front of the club. Nobody will hear it if I scream my heart out from here. Now it would be simple for him to end my life if he wanted to. I hope I''m not wrong about Vincent.


    "What''s wrong? You seem scared," he said. I fumbled with my shirt. Looking for the right words. "I''m going to talk, and when I finish, you can say whatever you want. Just let me tell you everything before you judge me." I started, looking into his eyes with determination. Vincent nodded.


    "I remember everything that happened yesterday. The woman that was murdered, Ari talking about different beings, you wanting to make me forget. I don''t know what''s going on. I don''t know what you are or what anyone else at the club is. The thing is, since birth, I''ve been able to tell when someone is lying. I know what you said yesterday was true. I know that when you said you could make me forget, you really meant it. Everything that Ari talked about was true as well. Maybe that''s why you couldn''t make me forget, because of my ability. I''m not going to tell anyone. It''s clear to me you didn''t want her to be dead. I wasn''t going to say anything. I wanted everything to be normal. But then I heard Sam saying he had nothing to do with what happened to someone on the phone. And I immediately knew he was lying, he knows something, he was involved, and now this poor woman is dead," I finely finished.


    I was berthing heavily. Vincent was quiet, his eyes going big. "It''s impossible. You cannot remember. I-" he looked at me. "What are you?" he asked suspiciously. "I don''t know. I just can sense when people are lying, I swear."


    "And Sam was lying? He had something to do with that?" I nodded. Vincent seemed to be lost in thought. "I don''t trust you or believe you just yet. You were able to avoid my compulsion, so something must be going on with you. That woman was murdered just after you started working here. Seems suspicious. Maybe someone made you do that and frame Sam."


    "No, I swear, I just needed a job. Why would I talk to you otherwise?" I said. Full panic in my voice. Vincent seemed cold all of a sudden, not the friendly man I had met. "As I said, maybe to frame Sam, we''ll get to the bottom of that. Ari will make a decision."


    Vincent''s grip on my hand was bone-crushing as he dragged me up the stairs. I felt like a ragdoll in his grasp, and my heart raced as we neared Ari''s office. What if they didn''t believe me? Panic flooded through me.


    "Should have known someone as otherworldly as you can''t possibly be human. What are you? A witch?"


    "Vincent, I swear I don''t know. I don''t even know what you are. But, please, you have to at least hear me out."


    "Don''t worry, we will, even if it was you who did that; Witches are too valuable to kill. Maybe you know that. Maybe that''s why you felt safe telling me about everything. And maybe you''re innocent, and this was an unfortunate coincidence for you. We''ll see."


    My eyes were wide with fear aswe approached Ari''s office. I didn''t want to discover what would happen if theywouldn''t believe me. We stopped in front of Ari''s door, and I took a deepbreath before opening it, dreading what might come next.

 Chapter 5- Alice, Her Wonders, And The Mad Hatter

    I walked inside the room, Vincent going behind me like an ever-looming presence, preventing me from escaping. My knees felt weak and unsteady, and my heart thumped in my chest like a jackhammer. A nauseating sensation churned inside me as I tried to keep calm.


    Ari''s office was a sight to behold. The walls were adorned with richly-colored art pieces, and the ceiling had intricate designs carved into it. An impressive table of wood sat in the center of the room, and a long row of bookshelves along the wall held a wide selection of books. Everything seemed to exude a sense of history and age like the office had been taken straight out of a European museum.


    If I wasn''t scared out of my skin, I would be glad to get the chance to see Ari''s office. "For what purpose have you brought the boy here, and why is he steeped in terror?" Ari asked, snapping my attention back to him. "Sit here, don''t think about escaping. We will be onto you in less than a second." Vincent said coldly.


    I did as I was told. Feeling the truth in his words. They would catch me in less than a second. Running wasn''t optional. Vincent walked toward Ari, and they started to talk in low voices. I couldn''t make out what they were saying. The conversation was long and seemed to get heated. Ari getting angrier by the minute. I hoped his anger won''t be directed at me.


    Ari snapped his gaze and caught my eyes. "Approach, halt at the table-top, attempt any action, and I shall not be withheld in your destruction." I nodded and walked toward the table. Trying to make myself look as cooperative as I could. "Put your hands behind your back, try casting any spell, and it will be over," Vincent added once I reached the table.


    With a small voice, I said, "I can''t do any spells. I just-"


    "Silence!" Ari roared. I nodded and held my tongue. The situation seemed dire for me. "Vincent, call Jahha. We''ll need her expertise." Vincent nodded and stepped out to make the call. Leaving me alone with Ari.


    "A cunning serpent lurks within the confines of my home, looking so innocent no one could imagine he was able to wreak any damage. Who is the wendigo you''re working with? The council would have no mercy upon you for being a witch. It''s a great offense to aid one of them. And killing a vampire belonging to my court on top of that." Ari''s eyes bore into mine.


    With a shaky voice, I tried to speak. "May... may I talk, sir?" Ari seemed a little taken aback by my question. As if he didn''t believe I was truly afraid. In reality, terror filled my veins to the point of overflowing. And my mind raced, desperately searching for an escape plan. Ari nodded.


    "I don''t know what''s happening. Anything I said to Vincent was the entire truth. I''m just here because I needed a job. Has Vincent told you everything?" I wanted to make sure we were on the same page.


    "Yes, he told me about the conversation you had. It arouses suspicion that the murder occurred immediately after you started working here. You were also the first to find the body. Your ability is unheard of. Thinking of you as an innocent witch unaware of his powers is just... unimaginable."


    I ran through the details in my mind, searching for the right way to explain. "I don''t know how to make you believe me. I always had this ability. I didn''t think I was a witch. I didn''t know anyone like me existed. I just thought I had a weird power. My entire family is human. I never met my father, so maybe I got it from him. I don''t know. All that matters is that an innocent woman lost her life, and the one who took it isn''t being held accountable. That''s something I can''t accept."


    Ari seemed to ponder at that. No longer looking angry. "I''ll ask you a few questions. Tell me if I''m lying or telling the truth."


    "Okay, I can do that," I said quickly. Willing to do anything for him to believe me. "Vincent is a half-vampire." No buzz. "True," I immediately said. Wait, vampire? Not giving me any time to recover, Ari asked me another Question.


    "The club is overseen by the council." Again, there was no buzz. "True," I replied. Vincent seemed startled by my answers. I had no idea most of the time what he was asking about. "I was born in 1872." The buzz went through my head this time. "False." Ari spat out different years of his birth, all of which have been lies. Until finally, one of them was true. "1592," Ari said. "True," I replied with some shock. How could he be that... old? Could it be-


    "Incredible, you seem to at least tell the truth about your ability. I have never met anyone with your gift. It''s a valuable one. What if I think something is true while in reality, it''s not?" Ari asked. "I''ll still feel it as a lie," I said, fear still laced inside my voice. "You have a powerful gift. Tell me, is Sam betraying me?"


    "You have to say it as a statement. Maybe try saying, ''Sam is loyal to me.''" I replied, scared that he''ll get angry at my correction. Ari just nodded. "Sam is loyal to me." He said. The buzz went through my head. Stronger than before, Sam seemed to bring a strong reaction out of me. "False," I said. Ari just nodded. "What is your name, boy?" Ari caught himself for a second, his eyes wandering along my body. "Correct me if my terminology is incorrect. Do you consider yourself to be a boy?"


    My checks heated. The five-hundred-year-old vampire threatening to end me wanted to respect my pronouns. Really? "My name is Julian, and yes, I''m a guy," I told him. "Forgive me. I just wanted to make sure. Just know that you shouldn''t hide or be embarrassed. Everybody here will respect you. Unless they want to feel my wrath."


    What was going on? Ari seems to be looking at me with... respect? His whole demeanor seemed to change. Maybe he finally believes me? "Ari, do you believe me? Why are you suddenly nice to me?" Ari''s eyes looked softer right now. "If what you''re telling me is true, I have a valuable witch in my office. An innocent one that doesn''t even know what he is. If everything you told Vincent is true, our behavior is inexcusable. No one dares to speak to a witch with such insolence. I want us to be on good terms." I nodded. Anything that would help me in this situation.


    Vincent stepped back inside the office, and Ari''s eyes landed on him. "Vincent, go down and bring Sam here. Has Jahha arrived already?" Vincent looked at me before answering. "Yes, she just arrived."


    "Good, bring them both up. I want her to observe Julian while Sam and I are going to have a little chat." Vincent''s eyes got big as he caught a glimpse of me again. "Was he telling the truth?" Vincent asked.


    "That is yet to be determined, but he''s honest regarding to his ability. So I''ll give him the benefit of the doubt until our conversation with Sam has concluded." Vincent nodded and stepped out of the room.


    "Here," Ari offered me a handkerchief. I stared at the object in my hands, only now realizing I was crying. Tears streamed down my cheeks, and I hastily wiped them away with shaking hands. I could feel a blush spreading across my face from embarrassment. I hadn''t intended for him to see me like this. Taking a deep breath, I thanked him quietly and made an effort to compose myself.


    It took Vincent a few minutes to bring Sam and Jahha here. I suddenly found the floor to be very interesting. Counting the lines of the elegant hardwood, refusing to make eye contact with Ari. To scared for him to find something he might not like inside my eyes. Even though I wasn''t hiding anything.


    The door opened, Vincent and Sam stepped inside, accompanied by a woman. She looked to be in her forties. She had Asian features and looked stunning. With a slender frame, almond-shaped eyes, and long, silky black hair. Her eyes were dark and piercing, giving off an intelligence aura. She had a dignified yet graceful demeanor about her. Her eyes immediately snapped to me, calculating. I presumed this was Jahha.


    "Thank you for coming here on such short notice, Jahha. I''m going to explain shortly why you are here. Trust me, It''ll be worth your time." Ari said, his voice laced with respect while talking to Jahha. Was she a witch? It seemed to be true if so. The respect witches receive from those people. Jahha nodded, her eyes still focusing on me. I felt uncomfortable by her attention. Something about her made me want to stay away from her shit list.


    "But before we discuss anything further, one pressing matter needs attending. Sam, what can you tell me about yesterday''s events?" Ari''s voice was laced with venom. I would probably crumble into the floor if he talked to me like that. Sam snapped his gaze to Ari. His eyes narrowed. "We''re still looking into the matter-" Ari stopped Sam. "Let me be more specific in my questions. Did you let that wendigo enter the club?"


    Sam looked shocked. "Of course not. How could you even ask me that? I''ve been loyal to you for years." Ari looked in my direction, a question on his face. "He''s lying," I said in a quiet but determined voice. Sam looked at me. Anger was written over his face. "Who do you even think you are? What is that to you-" Ari snapped his fingers. In a second, Sam''s mouth was shut.


    Sam looked around, his eyes going wild with fear now. "Jahha, can you sense anything about Julian? We may have stumbled upon a young witch unknowingly walking through our shadows. Is he a fixture of the witches'' lineage or a stranger to our world?" Jahha shook her head no. "I do not know him or of him. But the level of power he exhibited just now is concerning. I haven''t seen anyone with that much power in over a decade."


    Power? I just felt the buzz and told Ari about it. What can she see? Ari nodded. He walked toward Sam and was standing in front of him. "You may speak now," He said. But Sam didn''t make a sound. Ari moved faster than I could track, his hand snaking forward as if in slow motion. There was a crack and then a scream that filled the air, followed by Sam doubling over in pain, clutching his wrist where Ari had struck.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    I felt sick. I realized that Ari had broken Sam''s fingers just now. "Let us attempt this again. And this time, you better tell only the truth. Julian will inform me otherwise. Let me spell it out for you. I''ll shatter every bone in your body, and if that doesn''t suffice, I''ll rip off each limb one by one until there''s nothing left of you. My imagination conjures up plenty of excruciating ways to break you down. Do you understand me?" Sam looked terrified now. He didn''t nod, just stared.


    "How did the wendigo enter the club?"


    "I told you, I had nothing to do with that. I don''t know how that creature got past our wards." Ari looked my way. "He''s lying," I said in a quiet voice. Snap. Scream. Ari just broke another finger. I realized it was my fault. Every time I told Ari Sam was lying, he got hurt.


    Everything suddenly felt like it was spinning out of control. I collapsed to my knees and vomited all over the pristine hardwood floor I had been admiring mere moments ago. Hot tears stung my face as a wave of guilt crashed over me. Sam was getting hurt because of me. In an instant, Vincent was crutching down my side. Holding my hair and offering me a towel. I don''t know how he got the towel, but I was grateful nonetheless.


    Jahha suddenly spook. "Ari, that''s enough. You''re causing Julian distress. He doesn''t owe you anything. He''s not pledged to you. The abuse of a witch is a serious crime. And one who doesn''t know what he is on top of that. Get your men in line and check the people who are supposed to be loyal to you without using him." She was defending me, I realized. But why? She doesn''t even know me.


    Ari looked at me. "My apologies. I allowed my rage to consume me. I meant no harm. We still can''t be sure Julian is as innocent as he seems. Therefore, I will require his help at this point. Julian, I shall reward you greatly if you can prove your words to be true. After that, we may discuss what comes next. Do you agree to continue?"


    Vincent was petting my back, trying to comfort me. He meant no harm? He just broke Sam''s fingers. Still, I understand what Ari was saying. They can''t be sure I had nothing to do with the murder. And to clean my name, I''ll have to prove that Sam is in the wrong. "I agree," I finally told Ari.


    The questions continued. Did Sam let the wendigo inside? Was he helping other wendigos? To all of those, Sam said no. He was lying each time. Bone after bone snapped. Scream after scream came out of his mouth. If I had anything left inside my stomach, I would have thrown it up. "Why did you do it? Why have you betrayed me?" Ari asked. Sam stayed quiet. He probably realized it wasn''t good for him to speak.


    Ari grabbed his right hand. He twisted and yanked it, tearing it off with a sickening crack. For a moment, there was nothing, and then Sam screamed so loud I thought my ears would bleed. "I can''t tell you. He''ll kill my girl. He took my little girl. He promised me that he would release her if I gave him access to the club. He said if I wouldn''t do it, he''ll eat her piece by piece. Not letting her die until there was nothing left of her." Sam was sobbing now.


    "I didn''t know he was going to eat Heather. They never eat other supernaturals, only humans." Ari looked my way once again. "He''s telling the truth," I told him. Ari nodded. "I didn''t know you had a daughter. Is she a hybrid?" Ari asked. Sam looked at him. He looked like a man who had nothing to lose. The pain probably being too much for him. "She''s not my daughter. She''s a hybrid I bought as a baby to..." He was unable to finish the sentence.


    "To do what Sam?" Ari roared, his eyes filled with fury. "She was born from a rough vampire. She would die by the time she''ll be twelve. It doesn''t matter. She''ll be dead anyway. I used her to satisfy my urges. It''s better than doing it with real children."


    The room got quiet. Was he implying that he abused her... sexually? Fuck, that''s sick. I didn''t feel so bad for him anymore. Maybe Ari could rip another limb from him. "You sick fuck, what do you mean real children? Is she fucking Pinocchio? How dare you? A lot of hybrids from rough vampires survive to adulthood. It doesn''t give you a right to kidnap and rape a child." Vincent screamed at him.


    "I bought her from her mother. I didn''t kidnap her." Sam said. Ari slapped him so hard that a few of his teeth fell out. "What a disgusting excuse for a vampire under my court. How I haven''t seen that before about you is beyond me. Leave us. All of you. Vincent, take care of Julian. Jahha, you''re welcome to stay and explain to Julian what you can. But, both of you, be careful. He looks overwhelmed."


    I did feel dizzy. The world around me still spinning. I didn''t want to pass out. I didn''t want to put myself at the mercy of those creatures. Vincent helped me to my feet. He kept a steady arm around me as he walked me out of the room. We entered a smaller room, and Vincent put me down on the sofa. Bringing me a glass of water. Jahha followed us and now sat in front of me.


    Vincent looked very miserable seeing me like that. "I''m sorry about how I acted, Julian. I was sure you had something to do with what happened to Heather. I would have never believed Sam is such a depraved person." I looked into his eyes. Seeing only sincerity inside them. "That''s okay. You didn''t know. Is Heather the woman that was killed yesterday?" I asked.


    Vincent nodded. "She was a vampire under Ari''s court. Heather was young and joined recently. She hadn''t the best human life. She used to sell her body for money as a human. She thought the worst was behind her when she became a vampire. But, unfortunately, her second chance at life also was ripped away from her." I nodded at his explanation.


    "So you''re vampires? I have so many questions." I said. Vincent nodded. "Ask whatever you want. Jahha and I will answer to the best of our ability. You''re one of us. You deserve to know."


    Jahha and Vincent went into detail, their words tripping over each other in a race to explain the supernatural world. Every word sent shockwaves through my body as I pieced together how enormous this world was. A bustling network of creatures running alongside the humans, just as alive and vibrant. I felt overwhelmed, suddenly aware that there were more like me out there than I ever imagined.


    Four main kinds of creatures categorize the world. Vampires, werewolves, witches, and wendigos. In between them, there are hybrids of different species, plus folks with magical abilities who don''t quite fit in the witch category. By the end of the hour, I had a head full of more unanswered questions than I had when we began.


    "So, am I one of the humans with a magical ability?" I asked Jahha. She shook her head no. "It seems to me that you''re a witch. When you were feeling the words and determining their truth, you exhibited a lot of power. It makes me believe you are a witch unaware of his powers."


    I thought about that. I didn''t really feel magical most days. Aside from my lie detector, I never did anything else. "I never could do anything besides what you saw. Are you sure?" I asked Jahha. "We can never be sure until you try and do some minor spells. I''m willing to teach you. And only on your twenty-third birthday can you pledge yourself to a vampire court or a wolf pack. Just to be clear, you don''t have to pledge to anyone." She looked significantly in Vincent''s direction.


    "How old are you right now? I don''t know if we''ll have enough time to train you if you decide to pledge yourself." I wasn''t really getting half of the things Jahha said. "I''m sixteen. I''ll be seventeen in May." I told her. Her eyes snapped with anger at Vincent. "Sixteen? You''re hiring human minors now? Should I worry about any more vampires under Ari''s court to have Sam''s sickness?"


    "No, it''s nothing like that. I just really needed a job. The club was willing to take me. It''s my fault as much as it''s theirs." I quickly said. Jahha rolled her eyes. "I could care less about human laws, but to put you through what Ari just did at your age is terrible. Vincent, how could you let this stand?" She asked him.


    "I didn''t know you were only sixteen. I thought you were young, but not this young." Vincent said quietly. God, he sounded so sad. I didn''t want him to feel that way. I decided to change the subject. "Jahha, why do courts and packs need a witch? Why would you want to be pledged to one? And what does being pledged exactly mean?" Jahha looked at me intensively.


    "You really are young and clueless. I don''t know how it happened. Witch''s bloodlines are usually so meticulous and well thought out. To answer your questions, we don''t need them, but they really need us. A pack or a court can barely function without a witch. Protection, wards, and positions are only a fraction of what we can provide. So everybody came to depend on our skills in order to survive." It was Vincent''s turn to roll his eyes. Lucky for him, Jahha didn''t see that.


    Jahha continued. "Being pledged to someone involves forming a special connection with them. You provide only them with the magical assistance they require. You don''t have to be completely loyal to them like other members do. It''s mostly for financial benefits, and the person you are pledged to will protect you most of the time. Some witches prefer not to make any pledges at all. In short, pledging is not mandatory but has some advantages." Jahha concluded her explanation.


    It seemed to me she held a lot of power over the club. I presumed she was pledged to them. To Ari''s court. The entire time she spoke, an aura of arrogance surrounded her. Vincent held his head down most of the time, not making eye contact with Jahha. As if he wasn''t good enough to be a part of the conversation regarding witches. It made me angry. Seeing Vincent like that.


    "I''ll pay you to study under Jahha." I spun around and saw Ari standing at the entrance to the room. His clothes were completely covered in blood. I didn''t want to know what he did to Sam. Not right now. Maybe I''ll ask Vincent later. "I don''t understand," I told Ari.


    "You''ll keep coming here at night. Four times a week. You''ll study magic with Jahha and better understand our world. You''ll also sit with Vincent and me to understand everything better." Jahha looked at him suspiciously. "Trying to replace me, Aristotle?"


    Was I using the nickname of a five-hundred-year-old vampire this entire time? "Of course not. I want to help Julian. He came here for a job. If you''re going to teach him, you can do that from here. And he will be paid. Much more than a cleaning crew member." Ari explained himself.


    To be honest, I was thrilled at the thought of being able to do more with my powers. It felt nice to have someone actually want me for once. Addictive even. But it was like making a deal with the devil. I wasn''t sure how much I could trust any of them besides Vincent. Then again, I could just walk away from everything. I felt a pang of sadness at the thought of not seeing Vincent again, though I couldn''t explain why. After all, we hadn''t known each other for very long.


    "Of course, you want to help him now you know his a witch. You know the wolves would want to meet him as well, right? The local pack was looking for a witch for a long time." Jahha said. A tick went through Ari''s eyes. He didn''t like she said that. "And they will in time. But, as you said, it will ultimately be Julian''s choice. So what do you say? Will you accept my offer?" Ari asked me.


    I looked at Vincent. He was still holding his head down while all of us spoke. I wondered why. "Vincent, would you like me to learn magic here? It won''t bother you?" His gaze snapped to me. Surprise clearly showed in his eyes. "Yes, of course. It would be our honor." He answered almost immediately.


    I wasn''t ready to let go of all the information I gathered today. Finally, after spending my whole life looking for people like me, I was faced with those who had the answers I sought. But I didn''t feel safe with everything that happened to Heather and what Sam did. And still, I didn''t want to leave. I won''t lie. The money also played a factor in my decision.


    I had so many questions. Foronce, I wanted to be selfish and learn what I could do. Once again, I washoping I was making the right decision. "Okay, I would like to learn with Jahhahere. If it''s okay with you." I said and looked at Jahha. "If that''s yourdecision, I''ll respect it. I''ll teach you here." I nodded and saw Vincent smileat me. His smile managed to warm me up despite everything that transpired tonight.

 Chapter 6- First Fears

    The moment I lay in my bed, I felt relief flood me. I had feared the night would take a dangerous turn, and it was more than I had bargained for. Somewhere at the back of my head, I was sure there were more people like me. And yet, discovering an entire world of supernatural creatures was still overwhelming. Vincent gave me some words of advice as he dropped me off. He wanted to be the one to take me home.


    ¡°Try and get some rest, Julian. I know you have many questions, but there will be time for that.¡± We just parked outside my house. The hour was late. Or early, depends on how you see that. ¡°I¡¯m going to drive you crazy. Aren¡¯t I?¡± I smirked at him. ¡°Do you¡¯re worst. I have a lot of time for you. And besides, I like listening to you talk.¡± Oh. Here I go blushing again. Get it together Julian. He didn¡¯t mean it like that.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said with a smile. A yawn escaped my mouth. ¡°Okay, time for you to get some rest. I¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow at seven, alright?¡± Seven was a little early. Tomorrow was my date with Jake, and I didn¡¯t want to have to cut it short. ¡°Can we make it nine? I just have some plans.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, of course. Whatever you want. She must be a very lucky girl.¡± Vincent said, and I felt a little sting in my chest. There wasn¡¯t any girl. ¡°It¡¯s actually a lucky guy.¡± I glanced over to Vincent.


    ¡°Oh. Sorry for assuming. I didn¡¯t want to assume you were gay and say guy, so I just went with the default. Not default! Forget I said that. The more common thing. God, you can stop my rumbling now, please.¡± I laughed at Vincent¡¯s response. This was the teddy bear I met on my first day in the club. Not the cold person who dragged me to Ari¡¯s office. ¡°No worries. And I¡¯m not really gay. I think I¡¯m half gay? I mean bi. Well, I¡¯m still trying to figure it out. Tomorrow is my first-ever date with a guy. Actually, it¡¯s my first date with anyone. So yeah, I¡¯m kind of excited.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy for you. And don¡¯t worry, we don¡¯t judge. I for sure don¡¯t care. But if he breaks your heart, I¡¯ll break his legs.¡± Vincent said, sounding very serious. ¡°Please don¡¯t break his legs. I really like those legs.¡± Shit, did I just say that? ¡°I was just kidding. Or was I? Well, anyway, enjoy tomorrow. You need some normalcy in your life. I¡¯ll pick you up at nine PM tomorrow.¡± I nodded and said my goodbyes. Vincent gave me his phone number and told me to call him if I needed anything.


    I think he got the job of babysitting me. Which I was more than fine with. I really liked him. I remember Ari telling me he was a half-vampire. Well, not precisely telling. More like testing me with that piece of information. I wonder what it meant for him. Maybe it was rude to ask him that. Well, I¡¯ll ask him either way. Right now, I just was very excited about my date tomorrow. And yeah, staying alive.


    I fell asleep easily, relishing the feeling of having nothing to wake up for. There was no pressure to do anything other than sleep, and in a heartbeat, I was off in dreamland.


    When I woke up, it was late in the morning. For the first time in a while, I really felt well-rested. I stretched and got the sleepy knots out of my body. Looking down, I saw Jaron¡¯s bed was empty. He wasn¡¯t in the room as well. He probably woke up early and was watching some TV. I got up and went to the bathroom to take a shower. I want to look good today. Well, as much as I can.


    I blow-dried my hair and straightened it. It was the first time I had done it in a while. The straighter belongs to Grandma, but she won¡¯t mind. My hair reached just below my shoulders now, after begin straightened. I thought it looked good. I hope Jake will like it too. Wow, I was really going all out for him.


    We¡¯d been friends for years, but it was different now. I wanted him to see me in a different light. As I went down the stairs, I smelled some pancakes. Which could only mean Grandma was home. I went down quickly. Going two steps at a time. Excited to see her. ¡°Grandma?¡± I called from the bottom of our wooden stairs.


    ¡°In the kitchen, dear.¡± Entering the kitchen, I saw Grandma sitting beside the table, reading a book. Some romance judging by the cover. Jaron was snacking and watching TV on the couch. I took a plate and got myself some pancakes. ¡°Thanks for the pancakes. It¡¯s been a while since we had any. Oh, and good morning.¡± Sitting next to Grandma, I started to eat them. ¡°Good morning, sweetie. At least put something on top of them.¡± I made a face. ¡°I like them plain.¡±


    ¡°Well, to each their own. Thanks to you, I could buy all the ingredients for once. We also have some meat for the weakened. If you want, we can grill it tomorrow for lunch.¡± It¡¯s been a while since we had any of those things. Despite everything, I¡¯m glad I got that money. ¡±Yeah, I would love that. I¡¯m sure Jaron won¡¯t object.¡±


    ¡°I can hear you. Don¡¯t talk about me like I¡¯m not in the room.¡± Jaron yelled from the couch. ¡°We were just saying you won¡¯t object to grilled meat. Don¡¯t worry. I only gossip about you behind your back.¡± Grandma answered him with humor in her voice. Jaron didn¡¯t like that. ¡°Well, don¡¯t talk about me at all.¡± He got off the couch and went upstairs. He doesn¡¯t enjoy our company and hides whenever he can on weekends.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him, dear. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll come around.¡±


    ¡°Was I that bad at his age?¡±


    ¡°No, you were always too serious for your own good. Always have to do all the chores and take care of everyone.¡± Grandma was smiling, remembering those earlier years. ¡°Yeah, if I didn¡¯t do something right, Mom would beat me up. So I just tried to be good. I didn¡¯t want to anger you at first.¡± Wrong thing to say. I¡¯m such an idiot.


    Grandma¡¯s face fell, and she looked at me with pity. ¡°Sorry Gran, didn¡¯t mean to say it. It just slipped out. Forget it.¡±


    ¡°Julian, if you need to talk-¡°


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. It is what it is. That¡¯s the reason I was so obedient at first. Maybe it¡¯s good that Jaron acts like that. He¡¯s not scared to act out. It¡¯s not good, but it¡¯s good for him. Does that make any sense?¡± I asked her. ¡°Not really, but I get what you¡¯re trying to say. Either way, I hope he gets over it fast. Before I get too angry and give him my three-hour famous talk.¡±


    That was Grandma for you. ¡°Please, just not the talk. Have mercy on his young soul.¡± Grandma joined in the laughter with me. ¡°Well, never mind all that. Any reason you look particularly good today? Going on a hot date?¡± She had a mischievous look on her face. I didn¡¯t want to have this conversation with Grandma. ¡°Nope, just going to hang out with Jake. We¡¯re going ice skating.¡±


    ¡°You know, Jake does count as a hot date.¡±


    ¡°Grandma! He¡¯s younger than you by at least thirty years.¡± Grandma just laughed and wished me to have fun. I finished my pancakes and went to the room to get ready. Jake would be here to pick me up in an hour. Jaron was there with his earphones, so I just tried to walk around him and not bother him. He seemed to be in a bad mood today.


    I picked out some nice clothes. Wide low-rise pants that did wonders for my ass and a short shirt. It was short enough to be considered a crop top and was the most scandals item of clothing I owned. I bought it but never dared to wear it. I was feeling courageous enough now after everything that happened and thought, ¡®why not.¡¯


    I relaxed and scrolled through my phone a little. Short funny videos were always a great way for me to calm down. Some would say it was a waste of time, but I liked it like the rest of my generation. Soon enough, Jake texted me he was here.


    I went down the stairs and waved Grandma goodbye. Jake was standing in front of his car. Looking extra good today. Maybe he was excited like me. I walked up to him and gave him a hug. His hands wrapped around me instantly. ¡°Hey Jules, you look¡­ perfect.¡± I blushed and looked at him. ¡°You¡¯re not too bad yourself.¡± I shoot him a grin. ¡°Shit, Jules, I really want to kiss you right now.¡± He murmured inside my ear. I shivered at his words. ¡°Play your cards right, and you might just will.¡±


    The ride to the ice rink was fun. We calmed down a little and sang our favorite songs inside the car. Jake glanced at me every few seconds. Catching my eye and smiling at me.


    As we entered the ice rink, I was immediately struck with the pulsing beat of 80s music vibrating through the air. ¡°Well, they didn¡¯t lie about the 80s theme,¡± I told Jake. ¡°Yeah, you like it?¡± He asked me a little nervously. ¡°Love it,¡± I grinned at him.


    I took my initial steps onto the ice and was immediately thrown off balance. ¡°Whoa,¡± I gulp, trying to regain my footing. Shivering in nervousness, I look over to Jake, who managed to get to the other side of the rink.


    ¡°You alright?¡± He asks with a smirk on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do this. It¡¯s pretty slippery out here,¡± I reply with a nervous laugh.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just hold my hand. I¡¯ve got you,¡± he extends his inviting arm toward me, coaxing me to come closer. Jake takes my hand, and we start skating, slowly moving around the rink. Our skates make a smooth swishing sound on the ice, and I can feel the cold on my cheeks. We laugh and tease each other, enjoying the moment. He has a way of making me feel so comfortable like I can finally be myself without any judgments.


    We take a few more laps around the rink before coming to a stop. We make our way to the edge of the ice, settling in next to each other. ¡°So, how was your day?¡± I ask him. He grins. ¡°Not bad. You?¡± I laugh. ¡°Same. There¡¯s this weird guy that made me go ice-skating with him. Other than that, nothing new.¡± Jake laughed at my lame joke. I pause for a moment before continuing. ¡°You know, I¡¯m really glad we¡¯re together now,¡± I say, looking into his eyes. His smile deepens, and he takes my hand in his own. ¡°Me too.¡±


    We decide to do a few tricks on the ice. I try several spins and jumps, but they mostly end in spectacular fails. Jake tries a few too, but his landings aren¡¯t much better. We laugh at our silliness, and it¡¯s a happy kind of laughter. We¡¯re enjoying this moment together, and all the struggles and falls just make it even more special.


    We finish off the day with a few romantic songs. We skate slowly around the rink, our hands intertwined and our bodies close together. I feel like I¡¯m in a dream and almost afraid to wake up. We move together in perfect harmony with the music, the lights, and the expectation of something more.


    As the day comes to an end, we walk back to the car. Jake puts his arm around me and pulls me close, and I feel a wave of emotion wash over me. I¡¯m so grateful to have him in my life. I can¡¯t help but smile as I think about all the fun days we will have together in the future.


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    I glance up at Jake, and our eyes meet. There¡¯s a spark there that ignites something inside me. I want him, all of him, and I can tell he wants me to. We stop by the car, and he leans in, his lips hovering over mine. I close my eyes, anticipating the kiss.


    Our lips meet, and it¡¯s like fireworks going off in my head. I wrap my arms around him, pulling him in closer. He deepens the kiss, his tongue exploring my mouth. It¡¯s like we¡¯re the only two people in the world, and nothing else matters. We pull apart even though I don¡¯t want to. ¡°We should enter the car,¡± I say. Jake nodes and opens the door for me to enter.


    ¡°So, did you have fun?¡± Jake asked me as we settled inside the car. ¡°Yeah, thanks for that, Jake. It was the best first date ever.¡± I smiled at him. We hold hands as we start the drive. ¡°Do you want to go back to my place? It¡¯s empty. My parents are out of town. Not to do anything. Just to hang out some more.¡± He blushed at his own words.


    I looked at the time. It was six PM. Still plenty of time until Vincent would come and pick me up to my first witch practice. ¡°Sure, but I have to be at home by nine. I¡¯m working today.¡±


    ¡°Cool,¡± Jake replied with a smile. We arrived at Jake¡¯s house and entered the kitchen.


    His house was huge in compression to my own. We sat on the high chairs and snacked on some chips Jake had brought out. ¡°So I think I might be bisexual,¡± I say to Jake. Jake smiles and squeezes my hand in response. ¡°That¡¯s awesome.¡± We sit in silence for a few moments, both processing the revelation. ¡°Me too. I think I like guys more than girls, though.¡± Jake finally admits. ¡°Well, we spent a lot of time making out. It¡¯d be a little weird if none of us were into guys.¡± I smirked up at him.


    The two of us looked at each other for a few moments. Finally, I broke the silence, ¡°Jake, I really like you. And I think I could really like you a lot. Wait, that came out weird.¡± Jake¡¯s smile broadened as he replied, ¡°I like you too, Jules. A lot. How about we continue this and see where it takes us?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m all in for that plan. Now can we kiss some more?¡±


    Jake smirked at me. ¡°Want to go to my bedroom? It¡¯s just more comfortable there. We don¡¯t have to.¡± My heart picked up as if it was trying to run a marathon. ¡°Yeah,¡± I replied. My voice shook a bit.


    We reached Jake¡¯s bedroom, and he plopped on the bed. I stood in front of him, my heart pounding in anticipation. He slides up to me and reaches out for my hand. Our fingers intertwine as he pulls me closer. He leans forward to kiss me again, all thoughts of reservations gone from my mind.


    Our kissing intensifies as we both give into our desires. His hands slide around my waist and down my back, making me shiver with pleasure at his touch. He puts me on his thighs so that I¡¯m now on top of him and we continue to make out passionately.


    Finally, it becomes too much for us both, and we pull away, panting heavily. ¡°Do you want¡­ to do something else?¡± Jake asks nervously, looking at me with an anxious expression on his face. ¡°I mean only if you want to¡­ if not, that¡¯s totally fine,¡± he adds hastily as if he¡¯s worried he¡¯d gone too far.


    I look into his eyes, seeing a mix of fear and desire. I know what he means, and I suddenly feel brave enough to take this step with him. ¡°Yeah,¡± I whisper, my voice trembling slightly.


    We both don¡¯t move for a few moments before finally gathering the courage to continue. Then, very hesitantly, we remove our clothes and start to touch each other¡¯s bodies. It¡¯s my first time doing anything like that, and it feels both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.


    Jake kisses me again as he holds me close against him, helping me relax into his embrace. We explore one another in ways neither of us had ever done before, slowly but surely becoming more comfortable together with each passing moment.


    His hands caress my body with such tenderness that it takes my breath away. Each new sensation increases in intensity. He turned me around and pushed me to the bed. He climbed on top of me a moment later and kissed my neck. He slowly made his way down. Continuing kissing me as he went. By the time he reached my lower belly, I had thought I would explode.


    Finally, Jake leaned down between my legs and looked up at me. ¡°Can I?¡± He whispers. ¡°Yeah,¡± I answer, feeling more nervous than ever. He storks me a bit before taking me inside his mouth.


    Jake¡¯s lips are gentle and warm around me, and his hands are firm yet tender as he holds me close to him. His movements are confident and prepared but careful, as if he¡¯s determined to ensure I enjoy every second of it. The sensation is overwhelming, each second stretching on for what feels like an eternity until I¡¯m hit with a wave of pleasure, unlike anything I¡¯ve ever experienced before. I¡¯m so overwhelmed that all I can do is hold onto him tightly and take in the moment.


    I come fast. Can¡¯t hold it in for very long. ¡°Shit, Jake,¡± I say, breathing heavily. Jake looks at me. His cheeks are flushed, and his entire face is a mess. He looks so good like that. I feel like I could die from happiness right now.


    ¡°Do you want me to-¡± I start to ask. ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to. It¡¯s something I wanted to do. And anyway, I already...¡± I looked down at Jake. ¡°Did you come just from... this?¡± I asked, barely managing to contain the excitement in my voice. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said and looked embarrassed. ¡°That¡¯s really hot,¡± I say, wanting him to feel better.


    Jake smiled. He grabbed a towel and cleaned both of us. Then he climbed up the bed and wrapped me in his arms. We lay spooning together, content in each other¡¯s company. I think we both feel relieved to have taken this step together and know that we can trust one another with our emotions and bodies.


    ¡°This was the first time for me. With a guy. I hope I wasn¡¯t terrible.¡± Jake whispered. ¡°it¡¯s my first time too. With anyone. It was amazing for me. You blew my mind.¡± I said between chuckles. ¡°Jules, you¡¯re so lame. This must be your worst joke so far.¡± We were full-on laughing right now. It made me feel better and relieved. I really can be my stupid self around Jake.


    ¡°Shit, Jake. I need to get going. Vincent is going to come soon to pick me up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll drive you. But, wait, who the hell is Vincent?¡± Jake asked, looking suspicious. ¡°It¡¯s just one of the bouncers at the club. He was nice and offered me a ride. Are you jealous?¡± I asked and wiggled my eyebrows at him.


    ¡°No. Just don¡¯t know him. I wouldn¡¯t think a club bouncer is a good company.¡± Jake mumbled. ¡°Trust me, he¡¯s a giant teddy bear on the inside. He just looks like a bouncer. And don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re the only guy on my mind right now.¡±


    ¡°So there might be a girl on your mind besides me?¡±


    ¡°Jake shut it. You''re such an idiot.¡± But it was nice to know he cared.


    I leaned down and kissed him before we started the drive to my house. When we got back, we stayed in the car. Kissing some more. I really didn¡¯t want our date to be over. ¡°Well, I got to go. Jake, I had a blast today. Thanks for everything.¡± I noticed my voice was still shaking as I said that. ¡°I had fun also. I can¡¯t believe you actually want to be with me.¡±


    ¡°Stop saying that. Of course I do. I¡¯ll see you soon.¡± Our lips met again for a final kiss. I got out of the car and watched him drive off. Almost instantly, another car drove up the driveway. It seemed to be Vincent¡¯s car. When it got closer, I could see Vincent inside it. Shit, I didn¡¯t have time to switch my clothes to something normal.


    ¡°Hey, Julian. I got here already, but I wanted to give you some privacy with your date. Ready to go?¡± I smiled at the sound of Vincent¡¯s voice. ¡°Sure. Do you think I should change my clothes? I can do it in two minutes.¡± I told him, feeling a little bit uncertain about myself. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re wearing now is good. You look witchy and hot.¡± I blushed.


    I got into his car, and he started to drive. ¡°So it was a good date then?¡± He asked with a wicked look on his face. Wait, did vampires could smell some stuff? Don¡¯t tell me he could smell what Jake and I did. ¡°Vincent, why do you say that? Can you¡­ feel something?¡± Vincent burst out laughing. ¡°Yeah. I can smell you had a good time. Don¡¯t worry. By the end of the drive, no one could tell. My own smell will hide it. So, was it good? No need in breaking legs?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It was amazing. Jake was so sweet. It was my first time doing anything like that. It felt so good. But now, for some reason, I feel guilt at the bottom of my stomach. I don¡¯t know why I feel bad suddenly.¡± I told Vincent when I realized what I was feeling.


    ¡°It¡¯s not guilt, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just normal hormones. You were in a very high place, and now that it¡¯s over, what you feel is a drop. It¡¯s very common.¡± Vincent explained to me. ¡°Is that a witch thing?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a human thing. A lot of people experiencing that. As I said, it¡¯s common. You can even search that up. Its scientific name is Postcoital Dysphoria. Don¡¯t overthink it. It will pass in a few minutes. And trust me, Jahha will keep you busy. Anyway, I¡¯m glad you had a good time.¡± He smiled at me.


    A drop, huh? I didn¡¯t know something like that could happen. A sense of dread permeated my gut, similar to the feeling of bad butterflies but far worse. But by the time we reached the club, that feeling had almost faded away. I got out of the car and embraced Vincent, who seemed unprepared for it but hugged me back anyway. ¡°Hey, Vince,¡± I said with a grin. ¡°Hey,¡± he mumbled.


    He led me to a room upstairs. The room was spacious, with muted reds, purples, and blues in the curtains that adorn the windows lining the walls. Plenty of pillows and blankets on the floor gave it a cozy feel. The fireplace crackles in the corner, casting an orange glow over the darkened room. An array of plants and wooden trinkets gave off a witchy vibe that only got amplified by the scent of burning incense. ¡°Jahha is already here. She¡¯s going through some things with Ari. So she¡¯ll be right here.¡± Vincent told me. I nodded and flopped down on one of the soft pillows.


    Vincent took a sit next to me. ¡°Do you have any questions about vampires? I thought you said you had a ton.¡± I thought about that. ¡°Can you maybe give me an explanation? I really don¡¯t know where to start. And I don¡¯t want to say anything offensive. Vincent laughed. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give it a go. So basically, from the earliest known books, vampires seemed to be living amongst humans. Then, as modern times came, we became a myth. I don¡¯t know how we were created. I personally believe we developed into a new genetic brunch from homospiens somewhere in Africa.¡± He looked at me before continuing.


    ¡°Vampires are born and not made, despite popular belief. We can only procreate with other vampires or humans. When we reach adulthood, we stop aging. Around the time we reach twenty-five. By that time, we slowly develop all our vampiric skills. Strength, smell, hearing, speed, and mental strength. All of us are stronger than human beings, but not by much. Each vampire has their own gift in a certain field, from the list I just said. The most common one is strength. Those vampires are incredibly strong. Others are fast or have superior hearing or smelling abilities. But no one has more than one gift.¡± Vincent concluded.


    ¡°Which one are you?¡± I asked him. Genuinely curious. ¡°My gift is mantel strength. I can compel humans, werewolves, and weak vampires.¡± He said. ¡°Is that a common thing?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s actually pretty rare. That¡¯s why Ari keeps me around. Usually, no one takes in half vampires.¡± Oh yeah, I remember that. ¡°Why not?¡± I asked. ¡°We are weaker. Most of the time, we won¡¯t develop a gift and live a normal life with some craving for raw meat. But I always was leaning into my vampiric side. So Ari took me in.¡± Right, they needed blood to live. ¡°So¡­ about your diet,¡± I looked at him.


    ¡°Yeah. We do need blood. And a lot of it. The average vampire would need about a liter a day. The council prison keeps a lot of human prisoners in it. Part of their punishment is to draw blood every day. So there¡¯s enough for everyone. These are human criminals we caught before the police. Or the one that the justice system let go when they are, in fact, guilty. I¡¯m talking about terrible crimes. They deserve it, don¡¯t worry.¡± Vincent finished.


    I let all of that sink in. ¡°So, no burning by the sun, garlic, or mirrors?¡±


    ¡°No. all of those are a myth. Our eyes are susceptible, so walking on a bright day could be overwhelming, even with sunglasses on. We prefer the darker hours. Garlic really does nothing for us, nor does mirrors. And as long as we drink blood daily, we won¡¯t age. If we stop drinking the blood for enough time, we will continue to age and lose our powers.¡±


    ¡°Wow. That¡¯s so different from what I thought vampires were all about. You¡¯re pretty cool, Vincent.¡± He blushed and looked away. He really was adorable. ¡°I¡¯ll let Jahha tell you about your kind. She thinks my kind shouldn¡¯t get involved in the supernatural world and just live as humans.¡± Yeah, I noticed the way Jahha looked at Vincent. She wasn¡¯t fond of him.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mention that we can turn humans into vampires. They are called rough vampires and live for about two years after they turn. They can¡¯t drink blood, and their body starts to attack itself after a while. They are powerful, though. It¡¯s forbidden to create any. Just so you know.¡± I nodded.


    Jahha finally entered the room. She looked stunning and well put together, as always. ¡°Julian. It¡¯s lovely to see you again. Shall we begin?¡±

 Even Angels Are Scared Of Death

    Jahha settled onto her pillow across from mine and shot me a piercing gaze. I shifted my weight on my cushion, feeling the intensity of her presence bearing down on me. Vincent excused himself earlier, saying he had unfinished business with Ari, and now it was just the two of us. My heart was pounding in my chest, my palms sweating profusely. The doubt of being able to cast magic lingered within me.


    I had a deep desire to be special. I wanted to be the person everybody would turn to, rely on. Of course, it was selfish, but I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of importance, the feeling that, for once in my life, I mattered. Without magic, without being a witch, I¡¯m nothing to anyone.


    Maybe she could see right through me. Perhaps she knew I was nothing special. She said I had a lot of power, but I just couldn¡¯t see it. ¡°Stop that,¡± Jahha snapped at me. ¡°Stop what?¡± I asked. ¡°Worrying. I told you we will find out today what kind of magic, if at all, you can use. Even if you can¡¯t use magic, you still have a strong gift. I will guide you either way.¡± I nodded, and the stress I was feeling released a little.


    ¡°So where do we start? What are we going to do?¡± I asked her. ¡°One of the most important things children start with is history. You need to learn it and understand our roots. You are not a child, so I brought you some books you can use. Read them in your own time. I want to be more practical with you. First, I need you to tell me what you do to activate your power. How you start to sense lies.¡±


    This was an odd question. ¡°What do you mean? I don¡¯t activate it. It¡¯s just always on. I can¡¯t turn it off or anything. It¡¯s a default setting for me.¡± Jahha looked very surprised. ¡°You mean you always sense lies? Nonstop?¡± I nodded. She took a deep breath in as if trying to calm herself. ¡°Julian, this is extremely dangerous. You could drain yourself. I¡¯m getting ahead of myself. We start with the basics and see how we can help you.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t in my control to feel the lies. It¡¯s something that has always happened to me. I got used to it by now. Could it be possible to shut down the buzz? Get some quiet inside my mind? I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll be a bad or a good thing at this point. ¡°Okay,¡± I mumbled and looked at Jahha for more instructions.


    ¡°Good. We start with spells and move on to potions. As witches, we have the power to shift reality to do are bidding. Reality is organized by strings. Every object and every living being is connected by thousands of strings. We have power inside of us that allows us to affect those strings. If I want to crush an object, I¡¯ll reap apart all of its strings. If I want to heal or rebuild something, I must put the strings back together. To do that, we have specific words for each action. The power comes through our words and moves the strings. We use outside sources to perform magic.¡±


    After her explanation, Jahha took a small candle and whispered a word. In a second, the candle lit on its own. I watched, mesmerized. ¡°Jahha, this is amazing,¡± I said. She smiled at me. ¡°This will be your first task. It¡¯s the most simple spell there is. You¡¯ll understand how magic works when you lit your first candle.¡±


    She put a candle in front of me. ¡°Say ¡®ignis lux.¡¯ It means fire light in Latin. Nothing more. Think about the candle lighting up as you say it.¡±


    I looked at the candle. Very doubtful of my ability to light it up just by using my words. I followed her instruction and said it while thinking of lighting up the candle. Nothing happened. ¡°Am I doing it right?¡± I asked her with some worry.


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s common not to succeed on your first try. So just do it again.¡± For the next half an hour, I tried it over again and again. Each time it didn¡¯t work, and I started to get frustrated. That was it. The failure I knew I was.


    I looked at the treacherous candle. Without talking this time, I thought, ¡®god dammit, just light up already.¡¯ A flame so big lit on the top of the candle I had to jump back. Jahha looked at me with her mouth hanging open. ¡°Did you whisper the spell, or did you light it up without talking?¡±


    ¡°I just told the candle to light up inside my mind.¡± Or something like that. Jahha blew off the candle. ¡°Do that again,¡± she demanded. Looking at the candle, I once again imagined it lighting up as I asked it to do so. The candle lit up again. Not as strong as before, maybe because I didn¡¯t mentally scream at it this time.


    I felt proud of myself for managing to light the candle. Looking up, I wanted to give Jahha a smile, but the look on her face stopped me. She had a look of horror on her face. ¡°Julian, did you think about the spell mentally or just commanded the candle to light up?¡±


    ¡°I just thought about the candle lighting up. In English,¡± I added. ¡°Impossible, That¡¯s impossible,¡± Jahha said. She put a small pencil in front of me. ¡°Move the pencil, Julian. Tell it to move like you told the candle.¡±


    I looked at the object. ¡®Move.¡¯ I thought in my mind. The pencil started to roll towards me. My heart skipped a bit. Did I do that? Made the pencil move? ¡®Move up, fly.¡¯ I told it. The pencil lifted up a few inches above the ground. I started playing with it. Twisting and moving it mid-air. This is so awesome.


    I let it drop and looked at Jahha. She didn¡¯t think it was awesome like me, apparently. Her face still radiated with horror. ¡°Who are you, Julian?¡± She asked, her voice laced with fear. What was going on? ¡°Umm¡­ I¡¯m just me? I don¡¯t understand the question.¡± I told her.


    ¡°Let me ask again. Who are your parents?¡± I didn¡¯t have the answer to that. ¡°My mother was a drug addict. She died when I was five. I never met my father. He probably was a one-night stand my mom couldn¡¯t even remember. I¡¯m pretty sure my mother is human, though.¡± She looked at me. Calculating my answer.


    ¡°Any other family members who might not be human?¡± She finally asked. ¡°No. I only have my grandma and brother. They never seemed to be anything other than human.¡± I told her.


    ¡°Let me explain something to you, Julian. There¡¯s a reason we have spells. We are the spark. The strings are the fuel. When both of those things are met by our words, you can say friction, fire is created. Or the wanted spell. What you did just now, The candle and the pencil were manipulated without using any spells. This means you have your own fuel, the power already inside you. That indicates you may be able to bend reality to your will without restrictions.¡±


    I listened to her carefully. Feeling a spark of fear crawling up inside of me. ¡°It is raw power. Yes. But what happens when you have friction, fuel, and a spark at the same place for a long time?¡± She asked me as I gulped. ¡°An explosion,¡± I whispered. Jahha nodded.


    ¡°You are an anomaly, Julian. I never encountered a creature like you. There are rumors about someone with similar powers to yours. They are only rumors. I never met her. And our entire community seems to be afraid of her.¡±


    My heart was beating fast. What does that mean? ¡°Listen to me carefully, Julian. You will learn the spells. Whenever you use magic, you pretend to do it by the spells. Never tell a soul about what you can do.¡± I could only nod.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand. You can¡¯t tell anyone. They will lock you up. Find out what makes you tick. Other people will want your power to themselves.¡±


    ¡°Why are you helping me then?¡± I asked Jahha. ¡°I want to be on your good side, for starters. You have a lot of potential. I won¡¯t let those old bastards in the council hurt another witch. Even if you are an abnormal one.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I mumbled. This was not what I expected of today. ¡°We¡¯re done for now. Take the books. Learn the wording of the spells. We¡¯ll try to see your power limit in our next session.¡±


    As I stood up, I felt a little dizzy. Whether it was from the spells or from my confusion, I did not know. Looking at the time, I saw it was already past midnight. Time moved so fast. Why must I be so weird? An abnormal witch? Really? As if being a witch isn¡¯t enough.


    ¡°Thank you for today, Jahha. Maybe you could check if anyone else has similar powers to mine?¡± I asked her. ¡°I¡¯ll look. Discreetly.¡± She walked out of the room, leaving me standing there alone.


    I grabbed the books and went to search for Vincent. Finding him wasn¡¯t hard. He was standing in front of Ari¡¯s door next to an angry-looking woman. I walked towards him and gave him a smile as soon as he caught my eyes. ¡°Finished for today?¡± He asked me. I nodded at him. ¡°Could you maybe help me with the books to your car? If that¡¯s okay to ask.¡±


    ¡°Of course, give them to me,¡± Vincent said, already reaching out to grab the books. I insisted on carrying at least half of the books myself. We were jokingly fighting about it when someone cleared their throat beside me, and I realized it was the angry-looking woman. ¡°Julian, this is Vivian. Vivian That¡¯s Julian, the one Ari told you about.¡± She nodded. ¡°We need to talk. Official council business.¡± She said. ¡°You want to talk with me?¡± I asked her, confused.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Yes, of course. An unknown powerful witch suddenly pops up. It¡¯s my obligation to talk to you.¡± Her voice was nice and clear, filled with authority. Looking closer at her, I realized she was very young. Not like me, but she looked eighteen, maybe nineteen at best.


    Her short blonde hair fitted well with her sharp face and green eyes. Not wanting to stare, I everted my eyes and looked at Vincent. Finally, Vincent got the hint. ¡°And you will. Let us put his books in the car, and we¡¯ll come back up. I want all of us to speak together. Ari must be present as well.¡± She really didn¡¯t like that.


    ¡°Ari can be present, but you, Vincent, don¡¯t have to. It¡¯s none of your business.¡± She said in a harsh voice. ¡°I want Vincent there. I won¡¯t talk to you unless he¡¯s present.¡± I told her, wishing for my voice to sound confident.


    ¡°Got your fangs inside this one, haven¡¯t you? Fucked him already? He seems attached.¡± Who was this woman? Why was she being so rude? ¡°How dare you talk to him like that? I thought you needed his help. As if he¡¯s going to agree to help you now.¡± Vincent practically yelled at her. I attempted to remain composed. I didn¡¯t want her to realize she had provoked me.


    ¡°We¡¯ll put the books away and return to talk to you. Both Vincent and Ari have to be present. If you need my help, I¡¯ll hear you out and decide accordingly whether I¡¯ll help you or not. It¡¯s none of your business who I fuck or who fucks me. And by the way, I¡¯m sixteen, so you shouldn¡¯t even be asking me that. Let¡¯s go, Vincent.¡±


    We left her standing there stunted. I was surprised by my reaction. We walked out of the club to the quiet night. ¡°Wow, Jules, you were amazing. Who knew you were a secret badass.¡± Vincent complimented me. I blushed. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to go off at her like that. She was just being so rude. Who is she anyways?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°She¡¯s the leader of the enforcers. They¡¯re the werewolves in the council. They¡¯re strong and fast, which makes them perfect for enforcing any activity that goes against our laws. Kind of like human police.¡± I nodded at his explanation. ¡°She seems so young, though.¡±


    ¡°She is. She¡¯s only nineteen, the youngest leader we ever had. She¡¯s good, though. Usually, she¡¯s way more calm and calculated. I don¡¯t know what got to her today.¡± Vivian? Calm and calculated? She left a completely different first impression.


    ¡°How did it go with Jahha?¡± Vincent asked me after we dropped off the books at his car. ¡°It was good. I lit up a candle.¡± I told him. Leaving out the actual important details. I trusted Vincent, yet Jahha told me not to tell a soul. So I won¡¯t. Vincent smiled at me. ¡°I knew you could do it. That¡¯s amazing, Julian.¡±


    He shouldn¡¯t be making my heart flutter like this. I felt terrible about Jake. I don¡¯t even know if Vincent is into guys or not¡­ not that it matters since I¡¯m with Jake. C¡¯mon, Julian, he¡¯s just being friendly. ¡°Do you know what Vivian wants from me?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I have no idea. Knowing the council, it¡¯s nothing good. But the wolves are just the enforces. The witches have the final word. I¡¯m guessing her request is coming from them.¡± I wonder what kind of witches are sitting on the council.


    We approached Ari¡¯s office, and I pondered what they could want from me. Should I comply? Or should I refuse? Time to find out. When we entered the room, Vivian and Ari were in it, but far away from each other. Ari was at his desk, Vivian on the couch that was the furthest from the desk. The tension between them was evident, adding to my own apprehension.


    ¡°Julian. It¡¯s lovely to see you. How was your time with Jahha?¡± Ari asked. ¡°It was good. We did some basic spells. I lit up a candle.¡± I told Ari. He seemed pleased with this information and smiled at me. Wow. Ari was smiling. We should check if any puppies died just now.


    ¡°He lit up a candle. Should we all burst into applause?¡± Vivian said, sarcasm laced in her voice. ¡°Hold your tongue, Vivian. He just learned of what he is. It is not a simple task.¡± Ari told her. It felt good having his support. What was her problem?


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll make it simple. Each new addition to our prison is examined by the most professional people we have. But just to make sure that no mistakes are made, we want you, Julian, to test every new prisoner. We were made aware of your ability. Can¡¯t lie and say it¡¯s not useful.¡± She finished.


    That sounds easy enough. I could do that. And it would also ensure no innocent people will end up in the council¡¯s prison. From what Vincent told me, this place wasn¡¯t fun. ¡°What would it require from me? I¡¯m still at school. I don¡¯t have much time left between that and learning magic.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be much. Twice a week, for two hours each time. You¡¯ll get your payment from the council. Personally, I won¡¯t take you in. You seem young and ignorant. But the higher-ups insist.¡± Wow, she just makes the most compelling argument. ¡°Will I be working with you?¡± I asked her. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m the head of the enforces. I¡¯ll be present at every sitting.¡±


    ¡°So no. I refuse. I don¡¯t have much left of my mental health. I¡¯m not wasting any on you. You can go to the council and tell them I refuse as long as I have to work with you.¡± She paled. ¡°You really give up such an important job? Anyone would love to have it.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not anyone, and from my understanding, there are no others with my power. So all the cards are in my hands. I don¡¯t know what I did to you, but you¡¯re being extremely disrespectful. So I refuse to work with you.¡± Her face was red now.


    ¡°And if I¡¯ll let your lap dog come with you?¡± Was she referring to Vincent? ¡°If Vincent can come with me, I¡¯ll take it. Only if it¡¯s okay with you, Ari.¡± I added, not wanting to overstep. ¡°Whatever you need, Julian. Vincent is quite taken with you. I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t mind.¡± Ari said as I blushed. ¡°Great. If you make out at the council building, your out. I don¡¯t care what they¡¯ll say.¡± Vivian took her belongings and left the office.


    Tears stung my eyes. Yet I refused to cry. I couldn¡¯t help to think she treated me like that because of how I looked. I was still wearing that stupid crop top. Not everyone will have a positive reaction to what I am. Although I knew that, it still hurt. ¡°Don¡¯t mind her, Julian. She¡¯s just intimidated by you. You have been known to our world for less than a week and already hold a higher position than her. There is no other reason to her hate.¡± It was as if Ari could read my thoughts.


    ¡°Thank you, Ari, for everything,¡± I told him. He gave me a slight nod as we walked out of his office. When we reached Vincent¡¯s car and were alone, I let the tears spill, Unable to hold them in. Her words really hurt me despite the calm demeanor I tried to maintain in front of her.


    Vincent was there immediately, hugging me. ¡°Shit, I¡¯m sorry for being such a crybaby,¡± I said, trying not to get snot all over his shirt. ¡°You¡¯re not. You are such a sweet person. She shouldn¡¯t talk to you like that.¡± He was still hugging me. It wasn¡¯t just her. It was everything that happened today. The good and the bad things were just too overwhelming for me.


    I calmed down a little bit as we drove. Vincent said nothing, but the silence between us wasn¡¯t awkward. I don¡¯t know what he thinks of me right now. I hope he¡¯s not sick of me just yet. Losing Vincent would genuinely break me. I saw him as my only ally.


    He parked up next to my driveway and looked at me. ¡°Feeling any better?¡± He asked with concern still lingering in his voice. ¡°Yeah. This entire day was just¡­ too much for me. I¡¯m so glad it¡¯s an off day tomorrow. I don¡¯t think I can do much other than sleep.¡± Vincent chuckled. ¡°So sleep, take as much time to rest as you need. It¡¯s my off day tomorrow as well, so if you want, we can do something fun.¡±


    I thought about his offer. I won¡¯t mind hanging out outside all the crazy stuff. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll text you in the morning.¡± Vincent gave me a smile. ¡°Oh, I need to tell you something. Ari set up a bank account for you under my name. You can¡¯t keep working under the table, not with the sums the council is paying you. The account is under my name, but you are the only one with access. Promise.¡±


    What was he talking about? ¡°How much money are we talking about? I would do what the council wants for free, honestly. The cause is good.¡± Vincent¡¯s eyes bore into my own. ¡°It¡¯s the standard pay. Take it, Julian.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but how much are we talking about?¡± Vincent looked a little bit uncomfortable. ¡°Six figures. Julian, you will earn that money fairly, don¡¯t be modest. Take it and make sure your family is taken care of.¡±


    Not knowing what to say, I just nodded. Vincent gave me a small black card and a folder with files containing my account information. ¡°Call me tomorrow if you still feel like hanging out.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I will.¡± Then, smiling at me, he gave me one final hug before he made a U-turn and drove off.


    Glancing down at the card in my hands, I still felt stunned. How am I supposed to use all of this money? The mortgage seemed like a good place to start, but then what? I had no clue.


    My phone went off. Who would be calling right now? It was two in the morning. Looking at the phone screen, I saw Jake¡¯s name flashing on it. I quickly answered the call.


    ¡°Jake? Is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Jules, thank god you¡¯re awake. I¡¯m so so sorry.¡± He sounds frantic, his voice full of sadness and fear. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡± I asked him, fear taking hold of me as well. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you. Just know that I love you, okay? I wish I could have been brave enough and tell you that sooner. We were able to have only one night to ourselves. I love you. Please don¡¯t hate me.¡±


    ¡°Jake, I would never hate you.¡±


    ¡°You might after this. We¡¯re going away. My family and I. I won¡¯t be able to have contact with you after that. I can¡¯t tell you why. We won¡¯t see each other ever again. Live your life, Jules, to the fullest. Give your heart to someone who deserves it. Forget about me. But trust me, I¡¯ll always remember you.¡±


    ¡°Jake! What are you saying? Tell me what¡¯s going on. I can help-¡°The line got caught off. I was left alone with the phone in my hand.


    I frantically dialed Jake¡¯s number, getting nothing in response but the cold, robotic voicemail chime. My hands trembled, tears streaming down my face like a flood. This can¡¯t be happening. Jake was the only one who made me feel alive. Now he was gone. My body shook with rage, every breath coming out as a strangled sob.


    Not caring about anything, I ordered a cub and drove to Jake¡¯s house. I wasn¡¯t thinking very clearly, but if he was in danger, I was going to help him.


    Twenty minutes later, I was at the front of his house. I went to the door and knocked on it. Hard. No answer. The house looked abandoned. Suddenly I heard a clicking noise behind me. ¡°Don¡¯t move a muscle, or I will shoot.¡± A masculine voice declared.


    I put my shaking hands up, not understanding what was going on. ¡°Who are you?¡± He asked me. ¡°Julian. My friend lives here. We just had a troubling conversation, and I thought he was in danger. So I came here to check on him.¡± I explained with a shaky voice.


    ¡°Put the gun down, Ronen. You don¡¯t want to put a hole inside the new council witch.¡± I knew that voice. ¡°Vivian? What are you doing here?¡± I was really stunned. Ronen immediately put his gun down.


    ¡°The real question is, what are you doing here, Julian?¡±