Despite the long day ahead of me, I found it hard to sleep. I mean, who would have especially when someone told you that you’re a witch. And I was pretty sure that I didn’t mishear them because they repeatedly declared that I’m a witch.
If Tyrelle didn’t have the initiative to pull me back, I feel like I would have stood there frozen.
“Meow.” Come to think of it; I brought the cat home with me without even thinking it through. My mom and dad weren’t aware of the cat either since they were busy in the hospital that they had to work overtime.
The little black cat hopped on my pillow as if it sensed that I was troubled.
“Come to think of it, I haven’t given you a name yet, have I?” I must be insane that I’m talking to a cat. I guess that even the cat thought that I was weird because it started to avoid my gaze and head for the window.
I sat up on my bed to call her when I realized that she had no name yet. But right now, I wasn’t in the mood to think because all I wanted to do was sleep and forget about everything that had happened.
Speaking about forgetting, there was one thing that I could do to forget that this day ever happened. I should go and read. I remember that I still have that one book that Aelfric bought me using Tyrelle’s money. I might as well go and make good use of it.
I turned my bedside land on and grabbed the book just beside it. I’ve been waiting for a long time to read this book, but with everything going on in my life, I had to postpone it all the time.
Just like now, when I tried to open my book, my adopted cat started hissing out at the window. Now, a sane owner would come and see what their cat was looking at, but for me, I simply ignored her, thinking that she must have seen a fly or something. I didn’t even look up until I heard the window sliding open, and my cat let out a feral snarl.
“What’s this bug doing here? Babe, do you want me to throw it out?”
I shut the book that I was reading close as soon as I heard Aelfric’s voice. The hybrid casually entered the room through my window like he owned the place. Using one hand, he held the kitten by the scruff of its neck. He held it close to his face but also a bit far away from getting scratched by its claws.
“This little shit is so annoying. I think I’ll have it as a midnight snack.”
That comment pulled me out of my trance. “Don’t you dare!” I placed the book back on my nightstand and headed over to grab my cat from Al. But before I could reach it, he pulled the kitten out of my reach, and I ended up hitting his chest.
Aelfric smiled at the contact. He fixed his colorful gaze in my direction softly. He lowered his body, so his face was closer to mine. “If I knew you’d miss me this much, I never would have left your side.”
I almost got lost in the glint of his eyes. Luckily, I managed to push him aside and grabbed the kitten when he lowered his hand as he was caught off-guard by my action. “What are you doing here? And where were you this morning? Tyrelle and I haven’t seen you in class today, and then you suddenly showed up looking…” I paused as I took in his appearance. “Come to think of it, why do you look…dirty?” I couldn’t see very well in the dark, but it seemed like mud was stuck in his hair.
My comment seemed to strike him oddly as he seemed to take a step back like he was embarrassed or maybe ashamed. I can’t exactly decipher which, but it did make him seem uncomfortable.
“N-Nothing. I was just playing with a bunch of old friends.” He stuttered, which made me believe that something was going on. There were only a few things that make a confident guy like Aelfric act nervous. “I just miss you. Can’t that be a reason to see you?” When I didn’t falter and continued to stare at him for a long time, he seemed to fidget. “A-Anyway, enough about me. What’s with that animal?” He changed the subject by pointing towards the cat in my arms.
I began to recall the events earlier, which only made me frown. It didn’t go unnoticed by Aelfric as he immediately picked up that something was up. The smile in his eyes was gone and replaced with a stern one. “What happened, Gabriella? Did wolf boy do something to you again?”
“N-No! It’s not Tyrelle. It’s just…” I hesitated. I don’t even know where to start. How do I tell him something that makes no sense?
But come to think of it, Aelfric is a supernatural himself. Maybe he knows something about witches?
“You know you can ask me anything.” He said as if he read my mind while I was still debating my thoughts. “If it’s for my Gabby poo, I would do everything I can for you.”
I don’t get it. Maybe there was something wrong with me but for some reason, hearing his voice made gave me a small sense of comfort that I didn’t think that I would have for someone, especially when they are your stalker.
“What…What do you know about witches?”
“Witches?” It could be my imagination, but I think I saw him flinch.
I nodded as he repeated my words. “Yes. Witches. What do you know about them?”
Aelfric seemed to think carefully about his words before he uttered a response. “They aren’t as powerful as they used to be. They lost their touch in magic, so they can’t fully make miracles without the assistance of their potions.” He cast a glance at me warily. “Before I say anything further, I would like to ask you more about why you want to know about witches. What brought up this topic?”
“Tyrelle has a witch doctor that helps me recover before. While Tyrelle and I were having lunch earlier this morning, we found this kitten on the brink of dying. I asked Tyrelle if he could contact his witch doctor to help and use one of his potions on her.” I looked down at the cat in my arms, who finally settled down.
“If the cat is here, then I assume that the potion worked? The cat lives.”
I nodded again. “Thankfully, it lives. But Doctor Kusher told me something. He said that he wasn’t the one who healed the cat. It was me.”
“You? How?” When he asked the question, there was a little bit of laughing mixed in his words. “How can a human like you-”
“They said that I’m a witch,” I whispered, but judging from the silence coming from Al, I was certain that he heard me. “Doctor Krusher said that I must have come from a long line of powerful witches to still have the ability to use raw magic. He even offered to teach-”
I was cut off mid-sentence when Aelfric burst out laughing. “I’m sorry, babe. I never took you for the jokester, but that’s is just impossible. There’s no way that you can be a witch!” He sighed and patted my head. “I don’t know what kind of looney circus that quack doctor took his witch degree from, but I am pretty certain that he was spouting nonsense.”
“But he said-”
“Doesn’t matter what he said.” He cut me off again, looking at me with a stern gaze as he said his next words. “I lived for a very long time, and never have I heard of such bullshit in my entire life.” The look on his face doesn’t seem to be joking, so it could only mean that he was serious.
Come to think of it, if he lived for as long as he claims, just how old is he?
“Al.”
“Yes?”
“How old are you?”
Al’s sneaky smile returned to his face. “Longer than you think.” He winked. “But long enough so that I could meet only you.”
My face furrowed, and I took a step back. “If you live for a long time, doesn’t that make you a pedophile for hitting on me?”
“How rude!” He gasped dramatically with a hand over his heart. “Don’t you know all the pain and loneliness that I suffered so that I could meet you?”
“No one asked you to wait.” I deadpanned.
Ael pouted before dismissing the expression when he suddenly turned back to my open window like he heard something. I even saw his eyes turning dark as he grit his teeth.
“Is something wrong? Did you hear something?” After hearing me speak, he turned to me with a cheerful face, which made me question the expression I saw him make a while ago.
“I think that it is getting way past your bedtime. You should go to sleep.” He said and started to head for the window where he came in in the first place. He paused with both hands on the window frame before looking back at me. “Forgot about the witch stuff. It’s impossible. They’re just screwing with you, alright?” He paused once again like he remembered something and once again turned back to me. “Oh, by the way, make sure that you keep your window locked when I leave. We don’t want any perverts entering your room.”
“Like you?”
Al winked. “Exactly like me. But lucky for you, I am a gentleman and a pervert at the same time.” He said with confidence like it was something to be proud of. “See you tomorrow, Gabbie poo. Make sure to lock the windows. I love you.” He sang before jumping out of the window.
I ran to the window when he left. “There’s nothing to be proud of for being a pervert, you weirdo!” I huffed and closed the window shut at my irritation towards him. Sometimes, I don’t hate him as much, and another time, I just wish to kick him out for being such a weirdo.
But despite that, there was something weird about him. He looked troubled, and it seemed like he was hiding something from me. Something that he doesn’t want me to find out.
I wonder what more could he be hiding.
“Great. How the hell can I sleep when that guy just gave me another thing to worry about!? Stupid guy.” That being said, I slammed my window shut and locked it so that not even he could enter again.