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3schia · 3 days

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CHAPTER 1

“Confessions”

[2002]

It’s Isla. The eldest child among five siblings. Mhmm.

My parents are really hardworking. Eyyy!

We live in a simple, lovely home here in Ciudad Real, Spain.

Here I am, a simple 13-year-old, 8th grade student.

This is when I found my puppy love, Vincent.

I had a crush on him not only because of his looks but also for his intelligence, camaraderie, and sense of humor.

No wonder a lot of girls were also attracted to him.

I’d also found my best friend, Adelle, who also got close to Vincent.

For a couple of months, I used to keep my feelings for Vincent.

During those days, I used to text with my classmates, including Adelle, David, Jasper, and Vincent.

One day, I had a conversation with David.

He told me about the disappointment he felt at having personal feelings for me and for Kate, because he was aware that both of us admire Vincent.

After a couple of months, Adelle asked me to confess my feelings to Vincent.

But why would I?

One day, Adelle told me that Vincent also has feelings for me, and he’s also aware of my feelings for him.

So now, my status with Vincent is that:

We both know that we have feelings for each other.

But this so-called “pride” or “shame” is keeping us from formally confessing to each other.

Due to the increasing expenses of our family, I have had to limit myself from spending money on things that are not so necessary including my phone’s load.

So, Adelle used to call me a lot.

“Why aren’t you replying to our texts?”

“I do not have a load.” I said.

A few minutes later, I received €2 worth of load.

Then Vincent texted me, so I knew that he’s the one who gave me that load, so I would be able to text him back.

From then on, he regularly initiated providing for my phone’s load so we could continue our talks more often.

We used to discuss a lot of things, including our dreams.

He told me that he has this great interest in astronomy.

I also told him about my dreams, including my desire to become a fashion designer.

We both look up to each other’s desires in life.

One day, Vincent told me about Kate’s confession to him.

He felt the need to tell me the truth, even if we still do not have the label.

VINCENT: Kate told me something

ISLA: What is it?

VINCENT: She has a crush on me and told me that she loves me a lot

I did not reply, but I felt a bit jealous, so I immediately told Adelle about it.

In just a couple of hours, I received a message from Adelle...

“Vincent asked Kate not to message him anymore. Because he wants you, not her.”

I really appreciate what Vincent has done. I also felt that he was serious to me.

One day, I planned to formally express my personal feelings for him.

I was hardly encouraged by Adelle to do so.

ISLA: I have something to tell you

VINCENT: What is it?

...

VINCENT: Hey, what is it you want to say?

ISLA: Nothing.

Still, I didn’t have enough courage to tell him.

I also got confused about why he would not tell me first about his feelings when he had already told others about it.

It seems like he’s really waiting for me to do the formal confession before him.

It is either pride or shame that keeps him from telling.

Then, I texted Adelle.

ISLA: I can’t…

ADELLE: Do it now!

ISLA: Are you serious that he really told you that he has feelings for me?

ADELLE: Yes, of course!

Fast forward…

The day has finally come. I decided to formally tell him through text.

ISLA: I have something to tell you

VINCENT: What is it?

…

VINCENT: Hey!

ISLA: Do you know…

VINCENT: What?!

ISLA: I have a crush on you.

VINCENT: I also have a crush on you, Isla.

And then it finally happened! We formally have mutual understanding now.

---

In just a few days that passed, everyone in our classroom knew what’s between me and Vincent.

It’s so funny how they supported us.

But something has changed, we cannot talk now in person, maybe due to shame? XD

Jasper, one of my classmates, told me something after knowing about my status with Vincent…

“It’s fine.”

Then he smiled at me, and I just ran out of words. So, I just smiled at him back.

From then on, I have known that he had feelings for me.

I thought he was just a gentleman to everyone, but his actions towards me meant something.

[2003]

We have now finished the school year and are now enjoying the 2-month vacation.

Some thoughts came into my mind, so I texted Adelle...

ISLA: I don’t have feelings for Vincent anymore.

ADELLE: You’re just confused because you’re not seeing him.

ISLA: No, I’m serious.

ADELLE: Wait until the start of class this school year. I’m sure you’re still in love with him.

I am an incoming grade 9 student.

*It's the first day of class…

Tadaaa! Say “Hi” to Celestine, whom I call “Tin”. A newfound friend.

I’ve met Adelle in front of the school gate...

ADELLE: Kristina, come here!

ISLA: Hey! In what section are you?

ADELLE: Sampaguita. How about you?

ISLA: Sunflower.

ADELLE: Have you seen Vincent?

ISLA: No.

After class, Vincent and I saw each other outside the school, but as usual, we didn’t even smile at each other. Then I went home. A few hours later, Adelle asked me a question...

ADELLE: Vincent told me you saw each other after class.

ISLA: Yes, we do.

ADELLE: How about now?

ISLA: What?

ADELLE: You still have feelings for him, right?

ISLA: Okay, I’ll be honest, I still have feelings for him.

ADELLE: I told you!

I used to keep in contact with Adelle and Vincent. Their friendship had also grown even more. A few months later, Adelle confessed something to me...

ADELLE: I admire Jasper back then.

ISLA: Oh, really? Why didn’t you tell me?

ADELLE: I just can’t.

ISLA: Oh.

ADELLE: I think I still have feelings for him.

ISLA: Just keep up your communication with him.

Even with that late confession from Adelle, I didn’t come to the conclusion that she might have encouraged me to express my feelings for Vincent because she likes Jasper. I am certain that Adelle is really a good friend of mine and of Vincent.

We managed to maintain our communication even if we went into different sections. Although Vincent still feels awkward interacting with me in person, he still shows his support for everything that I do, which I truly appreciate. He expresses his admiration for me whenever I got achievements in school. And with that, I used to appreciate him even more.

One day, Adelle and I just hung out in the nearest mall. We talked a lot.

ADELLE: Vincent introduced you to his parents by showing your photos.

ISLA: Oh.

ADELLE: His parents told him, “We’re going to prepare foods for her when she comes here.”

You know what? Vincent told me that he collected all your photos from your social media account. He really likes you.

With the conversation we had, I got to appreciate Vincent even more. I’m so lucky to have him. ~

[2005]

*Saying goodbye to junior high school life is approaching*

I didn’t get any academic awards, but I’m grateful that all my family members attended my moving-up day. Tin becomes the rank 1 in our class. And Vincent also becomes the top student in their class. I’m so proud of both of you.

Tin and I enrolled at Saint García College, just here in our hometown, to pursue our senior high school lives.

Vincent and Adelle went to another school.

#Hardworking

#PuppyLove

#MutualUnderstanding

#LateConfession

#Proud

CHAPTER 2

“A Friend to a Lover”

And we are now in senior high school.

We have this new classmate who’s also our schoolmate when we were in junior high school, a responsible student whose name is Bruce.

A man with good looks and a good heart.

A very low-key person and very calm.

BRUCE: Isla, let’s review.

ISLA: Do we have a quiz?

BRUCE: Yes, in English.

ISLA: Oh, I’m not aware. Alright, let’s review.

Study, study, study ---

Obviously, some similar characteristics have contributed to our friendship.

One day, I received a text message from Bruce.

I don’t know with whom he got my number.

BRUCE: Good evening, Isla. This is Bruce. When are we going to have our group meeting in Arts?

ISLA: Hi. I don’t know. I’ll ask the other members.

BRUCE: Good evening

ISLA: Good evening

BRUCE: What are you doing?

ISLA: Just texting. How about you?

BRUCE: Texting

Study, text, study, text.

That’s how I illustrate my status with Bruce who I think is just like Vincent.

He’s the one who texts first, showing motives that he likes me, but is not directly telling his personal feelings.

Why are men so weak these days? I was like, “Why waste your time?”

Going back to Vincent, even if we’ve not been in an official relationship for more than two years, as I am not allowed to have a boyfriend yet, I have felt a love for him. And he means so much to me.

We’ve continued our talks, he gifted me presents occasionally, and he expressed his love in the ways he could.

But sometimes, love is not enough. Due to personal differences, arguments, and a lack of physical closure, and I’ll be very honest, due to being infatuated with Bruce, I fell out of love very quickly.

Vincent felt so much hatred against me for leaving him out of the blue.

And I tried to understand his feelings, for I knew how much he loved me.

But I guess he should also understand that there are traits that I find hard to deal with.

And if only we’d had enough closure, I might have stayed with Vincent, but that’s just life, everything happens for a reason.

E n d o f o u r l o v e s t o r y .

One day, as usual, I received a message from Bruce...

BRUCE: Good evening

ISLA: Good evening as well.

BRUCE: What are you doing?

ISLA: Just texting. How about you?

BRUCE: Texting and reviewing notes

ISLA: Then?

BRUCE: Nothing. I’m just sharing. Have you eaten?

A lot of thoughts have come into my mind.

What’s the purpose of communicating with me from time to time if his questions are only about what I do and things alike?

So, I asked him a question.

ISLA: What am I to you, Bruce?

BRUCE: Friend XD

ISLA: Oh, okay.

BRUCE: Okay fine. I have feelings for you. How about you? What am I to you?

ISLA: Same. Why do you have feelings for me?

BRUCE: Because you’re beautiful, smart, and kind

ISLA: That’s too much

BRUCE: How about you? Why do you have feelings for me?

ISLA: I don’t know. I just like you a bit. Maybe because of your face and attitude

BRUCE: Can we meet tomorrow?

ISLA: Tomorrow is my birthday. You may come.

BRUCE: Oh, really? I’ll come!

---

What a smooth conversation! ~

And then here’s my day.

Another year and another thrill!

Bruce gave me a bracelet and chocolate.

My friends also came.

And that was really a happy birthday, though I felt a bit awkward.

He was just a friend a few days ago, and he’s now my lover. WITWIWWW

---

[2006]

Bruce may be my lover, but we’ve honestly treated each other like best friends for a couple of months. During our 2-month vacation, we met almost every day to exercise by jogging, cycling, playing badminton, and basketball. That made us closer and made our bond even stronger. With that, we used to love each other even more.

After a few months of courtship, I’ve decided to finally be his girlfriend.

BRUCE: Can you now be my girlfriend?

ISLA: Hmm. Yap.

BRUCE: Yey!

ISLA: In one condition

BRUCE: What is it?

ISLA: I’ll cut a little bit of your hair

BRUCE: Sure!

Then Bruce and I went to their home to get a scissor.

After cutting his hair, he asked me…

BRUCE: You’re my girlfriend now, right?

ISLA: Yes!

Bruce smiled like there’s no tomorrow, and then we went home.

But something is bothering me.

ISLA: It’s a prank!

BRUCE: Ay!

ISLA: I don’t want to be your girlfriend yet

BRUCE: Argh!

ISLA: Oh

BRUCE: I’m mad. But it's fine.

Few hours later…

“Okay, deal. I’m your girlfriend now. But let’s keep it a secret in the meantime. You know why.”

“Yes!”

It wasn’t supposed to be serious, it’s just a simple prank, but look what happened. I have now my first boyfriend!

As the months passed, Bruce and I got closer, to the extent that Tin feels disappointed in me as I’ve given most of my time to Bruce during break time. I was so in love that I didn’t notice this until she confronted me about it.

TIN: You know what, I prefer Vincent more than Bruce for you

ISLA: Why?

TIN: Never mind...

You’re not joining me anymore during break time. I’m so disappointed in you

ISLA: I’m sorry. I didn’t notice

TIN: You didn’t notice because you’re so happy with Bruce. Fine.

ISLA: I’m sorry. Let me make it up for you.

Then Tin just walked out.

I’ve felt her disappointment in me,

so I spent more time with her to make it up and to show how sorry I am.

After Tin’s confession about Bruce being with me most of the time,

I told Bruce to keep some distance from me so I could also spend more time with her. Then things between me and Tin became smoother from then on.

Because of this, Bruce demanded that we meet more often during the weekends.

So, we had the chance to go to some places we’d never been to.

We experienced a lot more thrills. We even go to some places to hide. XD

*Texting again with Bruce*

BRUCE: I have something to ask you

ISLA: What is it?

BRUCE: Did you know that when we were in 8th grade, I asked Larisse if I could court you?

ISLA: What?! For real?

BRUCE: Yes. But Larisse told me you didn’t want to

ISLA: She didn’t tell me such a thing. You’re just familiar to me from when we were in junior high school since we were schoolmates. But I’ve only known you since you become my classmate this school year

BRUCE: Oh! She didn’t tell you, I thought you rejected me back then.

So, I asked Larisse if this was true.

ISLA: Hi, Larisse. Is it true that Bruce asked you to tell me if he could court me?

LARISSE: Yes HAHAHA

ISLA: Why didn’t you tell me? HAHA

Larisse didn’t answer my question, but it’s fine.

Maybe she has a reason why.

Larisse is friends with Bruce and Vincent, and she’s fully aware of what’s been going on between me and Vincent since we started in 8th grade.

So maybe she didn’t help Bruce with respect to Vincent.

We really can’t judge, right? So, it’s hard to draw a conclusion.

#SmoothConversation

#GoodbyeVincent

#HelloBruce

#PrankFailed

#SecretRelationship

#Let’sHide

#CrushSince8thGrade

CHAPTER 3

“Hola, College life. Hola, Faith”

[2007]

Tin stayed at SGC.

Then Bruce went to a university in Madrid,

and here I am at White West University in Segovia.

So, we used to see each other less often.

We’ve become so busy with our personal lives. It became so boring.

No thrill. No dates. He always talks about his studies.

This is, I guess, the most boring chapter in our relationship.

When I went home and scrolled through my social media account,

I received a follow request from that handsome Russian boy I talked to in the waiting line when I enrolled in the Financial Management course.

What a beautiful name, Meinard Finn. ~

MEINARD: Hi

ISLA: Hello

MEINARD: How are you?

ISLA: I’m good. And you?

MEINARD: I’m happy

ISLA: Why?

MEINARD: Because you accepted my follow request

ISLA: Oh. You’re welcome

MEINARD: Do you have a boyfriend?

ISLA: Yes. And you?

MEINARD: I’m single

ISLA: Okay

MEINARD: He’s so lucky to have you

ISLA: I’m also lucky to have him

MEINARD: What are you doing?

ISLA: Just scrolling through my social media. And you?

MEINARD: Staring at your photos.

With the messages he’s sending, I guess he wants to be my side guy. LOL. I’m getting bored. Why not go for a ride in the meantime?

The first day of class...

WTF? That Russian boy is my classmate?!

To make distance from Meinard, I decided to transfer to another class section.

MEINARD: Why did you transfer to that section?

ISLA: I have my personal reason

MEINARD: I’ll also be transferring in there

ISLA: No way!

MEINARD: Why?

ISLA: I don’t want you near me in public!

MEINARD: Please. I want to be close with you

ISLA: No!

MEINARD: I’ll be transferring in there

ISLA: Don't forget that what we have is just a play. I told you in the first place that I’m just bored and just want someone to talk to in the meantime. I won’t be messaging you anymore if you do it.

MEINARD: No, please. I won’t be transferring to that section anymore. Just keep our communication

ISLA: No, I’m so done with you!

On the next day, when I opened our door to purchase our breakfast,

I saw Meinard outside our house. WTF, how did he know?

And so, I went back inside. But my grandma wants to have his breakfast already…

“Why did you come back?” My grandma asked

“Ahm. I will brush my teeth first.”

I intentionally brush my teeth slowly in the hopes that when I go outside,

Meinard won’t be there anymore.

But after going outside, I still saw him. Oh ohhh!

I can’t do anything. I must buy our breakfast from the nearest bakery.

While walking, Meinard still follows me and is begging for my reply.

MEINARD: Please don’t stop what we have.

ISLA: Okay, okay. I’ll give you another chance, just go home right now.

I feel like I am going to explode, LOL.

He’s still following me, but I can’t get angry.

I can’t shout at him, as there are a lot of people passing by near us.

After I bought our breakfast, I rushed home.

MEINARD: Please!

ISLA: Stop it! People are looking at you. You’re embarrassing! I’ll just reply to your texts. Go home now.

And then he went home.

I got so mad.

What a breakfast!

---

One day, I heard my two classmates gossiping beside me...

“That's why I left him because he's obsessed.”

“Who are you talking about?” I asked.

“Meinard Finn. We had a mutual understanding before. I left him after a month because he's obsessed, he follows me to almost wherever I go. Like, wat da ef?”

---

Here’s to the second semester.

Because of the long travel time,

I decided to look for an apartment to rent near the University.

This is where I met the lessor, Auntie Mercedes, and her daughter, Faith.

ISLA: Thank you again, Miss Mercedes, for giving me the discount.

AUNTIE: You’re welcome, Isla. Just call me Auntie.

ISLA: Okay, auntie. Good night for now.

FAITH: Have a good night's sleep, Isla!

ISLA: Thanks, Faith. Good night!

I feel like I will stay here until I graduate.

They are so welcoming and kind. ~

And again, it’s Monday...

When I opened the door, I saw Faith at the front.

ISLA: Oh, you’re here.

FAITH: Good morning, Isla!

ISLA: Good morning, Faith!

FAITH: Mom told me you’re also studying at White West University.

ISLA: Yap.

FAITH: Do you want to come with me so I can teach you where you can ride?

ISLA: Yes, of course. Thank you!

FAITH: Let’s go?

ISLA: Yes!

FAITH: So, what are you studying?

ISLA: Financial Management

FAITH: Oh, common!

ISLA: Why?

FAITH: We’re in the same field!

ISLA: Oh, nice! In what section are you?

FAITH: Four, and you?

ISLA: One. On what floor is your section?

FAITH: We’re on the third floor.

ISLA: Oh, we’re just on the second floor.

FAITH: What a small world! So, can we have our lunch together?

ISLA: Of course, that would be fun!

FAITH: Yey!

ISLA: Goodbye for now.

FAITH: See you later, Isla!

Lunch break~

FAITH: So, what are you going to eat today?

ISLA: The usual, fried milkfish. How about you?

FAITH: The usual, fried chicken.

ISLA: Let’s go.

ISLA: What a happy lunch!

FAITH: Yeah!

ISLA: So, what are we going to do now?

FAITH: Hmm, let’s go to the library.

ISLA: Alright!

FAITH: So, do you have a boyfriend?

ISLA: Yap, and you?

FAITH: Yeah! So, how long have you been together?

ISLA: 1.5 years, and you?

FAITH: Just recently, going 4 months.

ISLA: Yown!

FAITH: So, what’s his name?

ISLA: Bruce.

FAITH: Mine is Albert. So, what’s the secret to staying that long?

ISLA: I guess, being honest, caring, and loving.

FAITH: Oh.

ISLA: And spending enough time.

FAITH: Yeah! So, where is he living?

ISLA: He’s currently renting an apartment in Madrid.

FAITH: Because that’s where his school is?

ISLA: Yeah.

FAITH: So, you’re currently in a long-distance relationship.

ISLA: Yap, we are. But it’s fine.

FAITH: Yeah. You can have dates on weekends.

ISLA: Yes. How about your boyfriend?

FAITH: He’s just there, near the church.

ISLA: So, do you often meet?

FAITH: Not really.

ISLA: Why?

FAITH: He’s actually a nerd. He often studies. He’s just there in front of us.

ISLA: Oh. Like mine, but not a nerd, he just likes studying so he can make his parents proud.

FAITH: That’s nice. So, what do you often do on weekends?

ISLA: Hmm. We usually watch movies.

FAITH: What kind of movies?

ISLA: Action movies. How about you?

FAITH: Hmm. I’m actually part of the choir at that church. We practice singing for mass. Then I just go home after.

ISLA: Oh, nice.

FAITH: Do you want to participate sometimes in our activities?

ISLA: What activities?

FAITH: Charitable activities.

ISLA: Yeah.

FAITH: That would be fun.

#MeinardFinnKaFlingFling

#HowDidHeKnow?

#FinanceStudents

#FaithAGoodFriend

#LongDistanceRelationship

You can continue reading the story by viewing my profile.

It has 21 chapters in total.

Go to the lowest part of my profile to see the chapters 4, 5, 6, and so on.

#The10thOrdinance #LibravsPisces #Chapter1 #Chapter2 #Chapter3

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a-for-alorias · 1 year

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Chapter - 1 Magic(O.R.S: Magic)

Note: This is only draft 3. There is a slight mention of sexual items and a tiny bit of strong language. Enjoy!

Matt Mennor had always felt different from everyone else. He wasn’t sure why, he just never seemed to fit in and had been bullied for years because of it. Perhaps it was because he had an active imagination that others couldn’t quite understand. He had always believed himself to be a little different, but little did his younger self know, he was destined to save a hidden world. Not with a knife or gun, but with the magic that coursed through his veins. But back when our story begins, he had no idea of what lay ahead of him. In his eyes, he was just a lonely boy fresh out of primary school who was waiting out his holidays until his first day of year 7.

The hot and vibrant summers of Australia were loved by everyone. Well, almost everyone that is. Matt hated hot summer days, which gave him a headache and made him feel lethargic. He loved to cuddle up in bed with a book and a hot cup of tea on days of rain and storms. He averted his eyes from his novel and flicked his hand towards the sun in a joking attempt to change the weather. Of course, he knew he possessed no magic. Magic was just a tool used in fiction, not reality. He often daydreamed about having magical powers and going on adventures, but knew it was just a fantasy.

“Matt it’s 10 am!” His mother yelled from down the hall. “Go do something.”

Matt’s mother just didn’t understand. He enjoyed his holidays by reading away reality, not playing outside. It wasn’t as if he had friends to meet up with or parties to attend. Everyone hated him. They all thought he was strange and depressed. He longed for someone to talk to who would understand him, but it seemed like an impossible dream.

“Mum please-” He begged

“Don’t argue with me young man.”

He knew that’d be the answer, he wasn’t sure why he even attempted to argue. Reluctantly, Matt got up from his cosy bed; his many books fell off the sheets as he did. Even though he knew he had an addiction. But he didn’t really care. It was a lot better than real life. He’d much rather battle dragons and study magic within his own mind through books than do maths and pointlessly walk around until his mum was happy, but he knew there was no point in arguing. Like with the weather, he’d just have to deal with it.

Despite it being mid-morning, he was still in his pajamas. Matt changed into his typical clothing style. He almost always wore dark academia style clothing; not just because he liked the aesthetic but also because it made him look smart. On this particularly warm day he made the odd decision to wear a dark orange jumper with business pants and a belt. Unlike most Aussies, in the summer, he wore leather academic shoes, not the traditional thongs. He completed the look by styling his extremely fluffy brown hair which he wore to hide his eyes leaving only a small strip of his face visible upon wearing his mask.

He didn’t wear the mask to protect from illness, instead it shielded the face that his classmates had mocked since prep. There wasn’t anything wrong with it, to someone who didn’t know him he looked quite normal. But some certain people who got a kick out of bullying him. They’d eaten away at his self-esteem until there wasn’t anything left. Due to his mask, he became known as ‘The Faceless Boy’.

As he walked out the front door, his book hidden in his messenger bag, he noticed his mother’s sigh as she saw his outfit. She had every right to question her son’s sanity as it was over 30 degrees.

Outside the wind was calm, trees softly swayed to the earth’s melodies. Mere minutes after leaving the house Matt’s legs began to hurt. As he slowly wandered down the sunny suburban street, something drifted down and landed softly on his head, getting caught in his ocean of curls. If it wasn’t for the odd warmth that came off the flower, he wouldn’t have noticed.

The flower looked like that of a purple and blue rose, something he’d never known existed. Upon touching the warm petals, Matt felt a powerful dose of energy enter his body. It wasn’t the kind of energy that helps you run fast but instead it was more of a magical one. One that made him feel as if he could really perform magic for a split second. But moments later the flower lost its glow and warmth as the feeling went away. A sharp pain suddenly overwhelmed his head, as if it was being crushed. He fell onto the pavement, clinging his head like it was about to fall off. Due to the heat not, many people were outside so nobody came to his aid.

A few minutes passed and the pain began to fade. He felt dizzy getting up, like he was about to faint. A static sensation washed over him, and his vision went black. His stomach felt like it was about to eject all of its contents. Though just as the pain did, the weird sensations disappeared, and his vision was restored. He contemplated heading back but decided against it as he was heavily craving tea. There was a cosy little cafe not too far by in The Block Arcade. He used to go there after school sometimes, not to do homework but to read. He rarely did homework.

“Ah hello again Mr. Mennor.” The waiter greeted upon seeing the familiar curls and mask. “Table for 1?”

He nodded as the waiter had already begun to lead him to his usual spot. A nice little booth by the display window. Matt pulled out his book to get lost within its words once more, but a strange store caught his eye. Despite having gone there only a few weeks before, he’d never seen it. It looked old, almost like an antique store. He could smell the strong scent of floral perfumes from his booth. But upon closer inspection he realised it was in fact an occult store. He became lost in its windows; his trance being broken only by the waiter serving him his tea. Before he could get hypnotized by the store once more, he opened his book and began to get lost in that instead. He became so focused on his book that he’d completely forgotten where he was. In his eyes he was standing at the edge of a cliff, wielding an ancient magical sword at a fierce dragon the size of a building. Slowly, his mind began to distance itself from the world created by words and back into the one of cells and atoms. The steam of the tea had made Matt’s hair damp; he only realised once a drop of water fell on his nose (catching him off guard and slightly scaring him). He instantly remembered he was yet to stir it just as he went to take a sip. As soon as he looked down, he froze. A wave of shock and horror washed over him. He felt his heart skip a beat as he saw what could only be described as magic.

The tea had turned into a whirlpool as if something was stirring it intensely. The milk and sugar packages were open beside it. With the deep translucent red colour of the tea it almost looked like a pool of blood. He’d never seen such a beautiful colour in his tea. At first, he was scared but now he was almost fascinated by it. Eventually it stopped, steam still rose from the cup but as Matt took a sip, it turned out to be the perfect temperature. It wasn’t just the temperature but also the taste, which was not too sweet or bitter, it was right in the middle.

He’d never felt better. Sipping the perfect cup of tea while reading the climax of his newest book. The slow classical music which filled the cafe was the cherry on top. It turned out a lot fucking better than staying in bed and reading.

He handed back his mug as he was never the one to just leave his dishes on the table, packed his book and paid. He’d decided he would go straight back home, not stopping at all. But the occult store seemed to call his name. Every time he stepped further away; the call got louder. It wasn’t a verbal call but instead an energy-like call. As if he was destined to enter. Eventually, he gave in.

As Matt stood at the front of the door, he could finally make out the name of the store which had been covered in a thick layer of dust.

Imeri’s Box

An odd name he thought. He’d never heard such a word but assumed it was just a fancy word or a foreign name. The sign read ‘Open’, but he hadn’t seen one person come in or out. The creek of the door filled the entire arcade; he wondered if it was the same door that had been there originally, it certainly looked like it. Unlike the rest of the doors, this one was wooden and bulky with a small window looking into the dimly lit store.

The perfume smell was sickeningly strong from inside; Matt’s head began to ache as he went further into the store. It was lit only by a few tall thin candles on each table. A shelf full of small crystals caught Matt’s eye.

“Hello?” Said a voice behind him as he began to admire the crystals.

It was clear it wasn’t the voice of an employee as it was far too young, plus he hadn’t seen anyone in the store at all. Matt turned to see a ghastly sight. For a moment he thought he’d seen a ghost but as his heart stopped racing, his mind processed the sight.

A tall and pale young boy, no older than Matt, was standing behind him. The first thing Matt noticed about the boy was his eyes; his left eye was light blue while his right was grey. It wasn’t just the odd colour which sparked his interest, it was the fact they looked to glow. His skin was almost as white as snow which is what made him appear to be a ghost at first glance. Despite looking like an ancient vampire, he was dressed very casually in a horror-movie shirt and dark jeans.

“I didn’t actually think I’d find another one of us here, especially a kid.” He laughed. “You’re so lucky to have grown up IS.”

“Um… you must be mistaken. I don’t know what ‘us’ is nor what ‘IS’ means.” Matt murmured nervously.

“So, you just came here, not knowing what it means?”

Matt nodded, a cold chill going down his back. He feared he’d just walked into a cult or something worse.

“I’m Rei by the way, Rei Orlin. See you soon.” He smiled as he slipped something into Matt’s hand.

Rei bolted up the stairs. Matt followed but found nothing but a glowing door behind beaded curtains. He considered going through it but the text from his mother telling him to come home due to the raging storm pulled him away.

Sure enough, rain had begun to drown the streets in puddles and the thunder shook the city. Of course, having left on a seemingly different day which was hot and sunny, he hadn’t thought of bringing an umbrella. As much as he hated being cold and wet, he couldn’t help but admire the beautiful city under the blanket of grey clouds and misty rain. In his mind, it was a sight which belonged in heaven.

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Originally, he’d planned to go back home but as soon as he left the city, a flyer for a new bookstore caught his eye. It looked like heaven, he might as well. Matt texted his mum he’d found shelter and would return when the rain stopped before walking all the way to the other side of the city without an umbrella or anything. Hours had passed. When he was ready to leave, it was almost evening by the time he got out of the city alone, but the rain was still pouring. He actually feared there being a small flood, but it never got that bad. By the time he reached home he was drenched from head to toe.

“Matt! Go take a bath!” His father yelled as soon as he entered the home, dripping water everywhere.

He had no reason not to, he was freezing cold and completely soaked. Matt could see the deathly glare his father gave as he walked down the hall and up the stairs, giving the floors an unscheduled wash.

He chose to keep the lights off as the atmosphere the storm outside created could only be described as a gift from the skies. As he waited for the bath to fill with water, he inspected the strange object he’d been given. After receiving it, Matt had been too afraid to look at it until he was somewhere safe. He’d hidden it in his pocket which surprisingly, his father hadn’t noticed. Upon finally looking at it he couldn’t help but laugh at himself. He’d been so afraid of a cute necklace with a charm made of what looked to be rose quartz. Being grateful for the first gift someone outside his family had ever given him, he slipped the necklace over his head without fear.

Soon enough the bath was full, Matt placed his hand into the water for a test. It wasn’t super cold, but still quite cold. Having been taught never to waste water, Matt sucked it up and slid in. As he sat there, blissfully daydreaming, he noticed the water start to change. It was only a little at first, then it got warmer and warmer until it was just right. In that moment, he was too relaxed to care. He was happy just being in a nice warm bath, on a perfect day, after the perfect tea; in that moment he didn’t care how it happened. Suddenly his necklace began to glow.

“Ven destinea venice” A muffled voice spoke.

He’d never heard such a language, it was beautiful. Matt opened his eyes but there wasn’t a person, radio or anything off in sight. It hadn’t been the strangest thing that’d happened that day. Whatever the voice said, it brought him comfort. Almost as if he knew what it meant subconsciously.

Matt’s relaxation was broken by his little sister Lily’s cries from beyond the door. Somehow, he’d completely forgotten about her complex hair schedule.

“Matt it’s 5 pm!” She yelled.

After knocking as hard as her hands could for several minutes straight their mother came and dragged the demon away, he was forever grateful. Eventually he did get out as he could feel his mother’s pain; Lily was crazy about her ‘beauty routine’. As he dried himself, staring out the window onto the stormy streets below, he couldn’t help but feel as if there was a hole in his heart. Ever since he’d heard that voice, he’d felt as if he was missing something. Suddenly a name began to come to him.

“Ehhnnn” He began. “Derr?” It felt like remembering a very old memory, it came to him in sections. “Rei-cove-aide?”

“Enderaecovade!” He figured out.

He wondered if he’d just made it up; but it felt too important?

Matt hadn’t ever heard such a peculiar name, nor such a long one but still, the name felt so familiar and important. He’d grown up in an area so bland, nobody had unique names. In his year level alone there had been 4 Chloes and 5 Joshs. Seeing such an odd name made him question if what he was missing was something new; something that isn’t perfect and pretty. He began to realise how boring his life was. Every home looked the same; so, did the people, schools, stores and days. He’d blinded himself by reading. His books gave him something new, something to fear that wasn’t bullying, a sense of adventure. He’d once read a book about a world where everything was the same, he couldn’t help but feel like the main character of it; trapped in a world of black and white.

“Matt! Get out!!!!” Lily cried, having escaped their mum’s grasp.

“Give me a second!” He said as he collected his hairdryer.

The moment Matt opened the door he sprinted to his room, his legs becoming those of an athlete for that moment. He didn’t fear much within his own home, but his sister’s anger was equivalent to that of the devil’s. He slammed his door so hard he could swear it shook the house.

The second he reached his desk he ripped out a page from one of his notebooks and wrote down the name which had come to him. He wrote in a ‘D’ within the name, he didn’t know how to explain it. That’s just how it was spelt. But he knew it was silent, like a fancy French name.

Enderdraecovade

The note which he’d stuck above his desk read.

He sighed in exhaustion. He had no idea what was happening to him. He began to worry he was going crazy. In an attempt to distract himself he plugged in his hairdryer and slowly averted his eyes away from his mirror over to the massive window by his bed. Nothing was better than enjoying the sight of the city in the rain from the comfort of his own bed. His eyes had only been on the city for a few minutes before he glanced back. The fluffy hair that usually took a good half an hour to dry had completely dried. To make sure the heat wasn’t just making him see things, he ran his hands through his hair. It was even fluffier and neater than ever. He poked his finger through his palm, believing he was dreaming, but it didn’t go through; proving this was real. Matt had read countless books about magic; he couldn’t help but wonder if he’d entered his own. He had to test his powers immediately.

A thick book which he could barely lift caught his eye. It was sat firmly on his desk when he began to stare at it. He stared harder and harder until it hurt too much to keep his eyes open. He imagined the book lifting into the air, as if it were as light as a feather. Closing his eyes made it much easier to visualize but he’d never had a problem with it even with his eyes open. He didn’t just imagine the book floating up, he felt the sense of power seeing that would give him, he heard the book softly hit the ceiling, he smelt the magic. By the time he felt ready to open his eyes, he could barely tell if his eyes were already open, he was that immersed in his visualisation. Despite how real it felt, Matt couldn’t help but secretly believe he was just going crazy. What if he’d never seen anything odd at the arcade, and his hair did take half an hour, he just got distracted. He couldn’t help but fear he was delirious. He wasn’t religious but, in that moment, he prayed to God that his brother wouldn’t walk in, in fear of him seeing Matt intently focusing on a closed book. But his fears were short-lived as the moment he opened his eyes, he saw something that would change his life. The book was floating, it was a few centimeters away from the ceiling. A smile so big and bright it was painful crept across Matt’s face. His heart pounded and his mind spiralled. It was far too overwhelming, but in a good way. He’d never felt more powerful, more important before. He felt like he’d just begun a magical journey like he’d always read about. Now he was the main character of his own story. As all these ideas rushed through his mind, he completely forgot to keep concentrating on the book which was floating right above his head. As he went to stand up, he was pushed right back down by the mighty force of the book. Only the corner had hit him, but it still throbbed. He held his head in pain as the book slid off the bed and onto the floor landing with a loud ‘thud’.

“Kids, dinner!” His father announced, making Matt’s head feel even worse.

Moments after he finished his announcement, Matt’s siblings bolted out of their rooms and down the stairs like starving wolves. Matt had always been the last one to the table. It wasn’t his father’s cooking, he adored it; he just never got that hungry. He knew it was a good thing, he was grateful that he wasn’t starving on the streets. Because of this he made sure to always finish his meal, no matter how full he was. He couldn’t imagine throwing away perfectly good food.

Like always, Matt took his seat beside his brother who was already 3 chicken wings into dinner. His head still hurt but not nearly as much as it did at first. Matt went for the tongs, but his hand was slapped away by his brother, Milton’s. He picked up two wings off the serving plate and dropped them messily on Matt’s plate.

“I think that’ll be enough for ya, paper-boy.” Milton laughed, bits of chicken falling from his uncleaned mouth.

Matt dealt with this on a daily basis, he was no stranger to mockery from others either; but this evening was different. He no longer felt like the invisible bookworm he’d always been, now he felt powerful, like the people who’d always teased him. It was only him and Milton at the table as his parents were finishing up the salad while Lily ate the spare cheese. As soon as he was sure no one could see them, he began to concentrate on all the anger in his mind. He slowly focused his anger on Milton’s ever so precious hair. As he did, he felt the necklace begin to warm up as if absorbing some of his anger. The anger built up and up, growing stronger than ever; he focused on every comment his brother had made, every joke, every laugh. Then it was gone… his anger had disappeared. For a moment Matt wondered what had happened until he noticed Milton’s hair begin to move. It started off slowly with small strands struggling to stand; of course, his brother was far too distracted stuffing his face to notice. But when it began to look like someone was holding him from his hair, he noticed. He ran his hands through his hair, as he realised his ugly unbrushed mullet had turned into more of a tree stump, his breathing stopped. Nothing was more important to him than his hair. Matt giggled as he watched him run off to the bathroom, holding his electric-clown hair. Mere seconds later, the rest of the family returned. When they asked about Milton, Matt just smiled innocently as he said:

“He ruined his hair.”

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By the time Lily and Matt had begun the dishes, Milton still hadn’t returned. Their parents had now gone to deal with his latest fit of melodrama. As soon as they were alone, Lily asked Matt what had really happened before to Milton.

“Well.” Matt began, barely able to hold back his laughs. “His hair just began to stick up, I’m not too sure why, it was probably karma.”

“Did he look electrocuted?”

Matt nodded, causing the young girl to burst out laughing. Milton didn’t just tease Matt. Lily had been a long-time victim too. When they finally caught their breath after minutes of pure laughter and jokes, Lily’s face went from her usual smiley and giggling expression to a sadder and more serious one.

“You know a lot about weird magical things, right?” She asked.

Matt’s heart skipped a beat. Did Lily know about his magic? Or perhaps she had magic of her own? If so, how did she find out?

“Have you seen my bookshelf? It’s all weird magical stuff.”

Lily smiled at his comment before becoming serious again. Matt feared something worse. In all of his books with heroic magical main characters, there was always a cast of evil characters. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if any villains harmed his sister, but he knew they wouldn’t come out of it unharmed. Sure, she had her flaws, in primary she’d spread multiple rumors about him but that didn’t mean he loved her any less. Milton, on the other hand, was a lot more controversial.

Lily was having trouble figuring out how to word her question. As he waited, Matt’s palms began to sweat so much the freshly dried mug he held fell from his hand, landing safely in the sink. His heart raced faster than the ideas in his mind, he felt like he was going insane. His mind spiralled so much that some of the theories he’d created caused tears to fall from his eyes. He quickly hid it as Lily finally started her question.

“I had… a strange dream.”

Matt put his towel down and turned to face her with a comforting smile.

“What happened in this dream?” He asked.

“I was with this girl.” She explained, recalling the dream as best she could. “She was dressed like a normal girl except for her witch’s hat. She sat me down and told me to tell you to ‘Not to trust the pigtails. Whatever that means.”

“Hm. Well I’d don’t know anyone with pigtails. Do you know her name?” He asked.

“Mania…” She recalled. “Mania Orlin.”

His heart stopped. Getting suspicious and a little scared, Matt pulled out his phone and looked up the store, but the results seemed to disprove its existence as nothing had come up at all.

“I-I met a boy named Rei Orlin at this store today. Where Lexi was before it shut down, it’d this occult store now.”

“Maybe you fell asleep again? Everyone Know’s you’ve fallen asleep at that cafe hundreds of times.”

“How’d you know I was-”

“Cause that’s the only place you go other than here and school.”

She wasn’t wrong.

He pulled out the necklace, explaining that Rei had given it to him meaning he definitely was real. Lily only seemed to half believe him, the only thing which made her question the validity of her brother’s story was the name. There was no way he could know.

“Today’s been a bit strange for me to.” He smiled, hugging Lily. “I’ll finish up by myself. You don’t need to worry about this weird magic stuff, ok?”

He could tell it’d clearly scared her. She hugged him even tighter before running up the stairs to her room, leaving Matt with a pile of dishes but he didn’t mind, it wasn’t a lot. To distract himself from the tiresome task, he imagined all the things he would do with his magic. The bubbles in the sink turned into vast mountains which he could Mould any way he felt necessary. The cutlery became fierce dragons in need of slaying; and his sponge had become himself, defending and molding the world within his mind (and sink). Before he knew it, everything was clean, and the sink was empty. Matt couldn’t help but laugh under his breath upon fully realising how he’d ‘survived’ such a task. It was a very Matt Mennor way to pass such a task.

He’d intended to just go back up to his room and read but when he saw his parents out on the porch with a drink, he realised his legs had turned to the door of his parents’ room. With his newly found abilities, he had one last major thing he wanted to do that night. It wasn’t anything fun, not like the book. It was something that had always entered his thoughts late at night, something that he’d always been strictly banned from all his life. He made sure his parents were still outside as he softly opened the door so as not to attract the attention of his big-mouthed brother.

His parents’ room was probably the least conspicuous room in the house. It was your basic mundane modern bedroom, decorated with dull shades of white and beige. It wasn’t the boring design of the room which sparked his curiosity but instead the built-in closet at the other end of the room. He wouldn’t have ever really cared about it if his parents hadn’t strictly prohibited him and his siblings from even going near it. Milton had often joked about it being their parent’s sex toy collection, but Matt had never believed it. He felt there was something more than that.

He held the lock in his hands, shutting his eyes and imagining it unlocked. Suddenly he felt the pop of it unlocking and slid it off the handles. Before opening the door, he took a deep breath. He had no idea what he’d see on the other side, it could be anything from clothes to a secret that would change his life. The door was surprisingly heavy, the thick carpet probably wasn’t helping. When he managed to finally get it open, he couldn’t help but feel underwhelmed. Below his parents’ hanging clothes was a safe. It made sense for his parents to keep some spare money in a safe, they were prepared for everything. It explained why they’d been banned; his parents knew they’d try steal it. Well, Milton and Lily would, he had no interest in money. As he sat down to inspect the safe, he noticed a photo on the safe. He picked it up to see it was nothing but a family photo. He almost placed it back when he realised he didn’t know anyone in the photo. At first, he’d assumed it was his father’s old family, back before he’s previous wife died; but no one in the photo looked familiar. It was of a woman and a man he assumed to be her husband, between the two was a baby who didn’t look a day over 1. Unlike his father, the man was tall with long fluffy brown hair while his father had short straight blonde hair. It wasn’t just the hair, the longer he studied the photo, the more different the man looked. There was no way it was the same person. He wondered if perhaps it was his mother with his biological father, but it made no sense as the woman didn’t have his mother’s famous birthmark on her neck. He compared the people in the photo to his parents as best he could but that just caused him to see even more differences. That when he turned the photo to see a caption written in fancy handwriting. The last name had been scribbled out.

Eva, Justin and little ——

31/10/2009

Chapter end

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