✨ A Little Bit of Magic || READER X RAY || The Promised Neverland

✨ Chapter Forty Two

I met Ray the first time Mom and Dad brought me to Grace Field to enroll. 

"Josephine, you know we usually don't allow children with- homes to go to school here. Your daughter should be very happy at a normal school, with normal friends, who aren't as... damaged as the children here." "The kids here aren't damaged, Isabella." My mom frowned, stepping closer to the woman. "The education here is unparalleled by any other magical academy!" "For a reason." Isabella sighed, turning to my father. "James, please talk your wife out of this." My father sighed, patting my head gently. "I've tried, Isabella. I've told her that Glory Bell is just a mile away but she insists on bringing her here." My mom giggled, punching my dad's shoulder playfully. "It's nostalgic here. I grew up in Grace Field and I loved this place. I want y/n to grow up where her mother did. It's not like we can take her to... y'know, James. Please? Pretty please?" 

I remembered my mother as the brighter of the two. She was always smiling, laughing, making jokes, and whatnot. My father was more serious, stoic, always looking forward. Though a bit stricter than my mother, I'd still lump him into the easy-going parents category. She was reckless, wild, and did things out of whim. He loved that about her, and made it his duty to keep her safe whenever she'd follow an impulse. 

From what I've been told both my parents were orphans. My mother was from Grace Field, where she grew up with our now Headmistress Isabella. My father was an exchange student from far away, and after meeting my mother he'd decided to stay. We had no last name, no sort of identity, or reassurance we'd always be each other's but my parents didn't seem to mind.

"Mommy, I'm bored," I whispered, clinging onto my mother's long skirt. Isabella's eyes widened at the sight of me. "y/n! I didn't see you there! How are you, sweetie?" I shuffled behind my dad, mumbling an "I'm good..." She laughed in response, a warm expression falling onto her face. "She's lucky to have two such loving parents. And Josephine? James? I might end up regretting this, but I'll get the paperwork. She- y/n. y/n can attend Grace Field Academy." My mom squealed happily, practically strangling Isabella with a hug. It was something I wish I'd remembered. My parent's smiling faces. All I was left with were their deaths. Their pale bodies twitching with electricity. My father's gasps for air. My mother's final words were a spell, protecting me from the murderer. Can I take this memory with me when I wake up? Just one happy thing, please? 

A large, cold hand grazed past my tiny fingers. "Do you want to meet the other kids, y/n?" Isabella asked, smiling warmly. This memory was at least a decade old. But the headmistress hasn't looked like she aged a day. I nodded my head, grabbing onto her hand. "I- I don't have any friends here," I whispered, clutching the pink strap to my unicorn backpack. "You will soon, y/n. You're going to meet a lot of kids today! You're going to have plenty of friends in no time." "Re-Really?" I replied, my voice growing higher with excitement. She nodded, pushing open a set of wooden double doors. 

Yeah, there were a lot of kids running amok in a large room, half library half play space. Right opposite of the door, a boy with black hair was sitting quietly, reading a book that looked far too thick for someone his age to be reading. It seemed I'd forgotten the intricacy of this memory too. His dark gray eyes lifted from the page, immediately meeting mine. He opened his lips to speak. "Isabella! That's a stranger!" 

Ah- Right. That was something Ray would say. That was definitely something Ray would do. The other kids also seemed to notice my appearance, hoards of them gathering around the Headmistress and I. Many familiar faces I hadn't known before had started to distinguish themselves in the crowd. Emma and Norman were stuck in the back of the crowd, taller kids like Oliver and Zack introducing themselves loudly. I couldn't make up what any of them were saying. I was fixated on Ray, who hadn't moved from his chair. Everyone's voices grew louder and louder, until I started to cry. Isabella shouted at the children to give me some space, and picked me up. She gently cradled me into her arms, giving the tiny Ray a cold glare. "Come here, Ray." She said sternly. The boy shrugged, following her as she brought me back to her office. "I want you to apologize to her. Now." My mother and father were busy filing paperwork, leaving my outburst to the Headmistress. 

"Why do I have to say sorry?" 

"Ray, because you made her cry. Making other people sad isn't nice."

"I didn't make her sad. She was happy until everyone became loud and scary." 

Isabella raised an eyebrow, pulling me away from her chest. "Is that true y/n? Did Ray make you cry?" I shook my head no. "They were- They were too loud," I sniffled in between tears. Ray grinned triumphantly. Even as children he had an attitude. The black haired woman set me down on my feet, giving both of us a gentle pat. Her violet eyes looked a little sad, her gaze wandering to my parents. "What I'd give to have him here." She whispered, glancing at Ray. I didn't make much of the comment, as I was still very embarrassed by my sudden sobs in front of many potential friends. "You don't like loud things, huh?" Ray asked, hugging his book to his chest. He was cuter as a six year old. God I wanna squish his cheeks. I nodded my head, daring not to say a word. "Then, wanna read with me? We can stay here. It's quiet here. I don't like loud people either." He grabbed my hand before I could respond, leading me to a couch. My heart skipped a beat, just by that simple action. Our fingers continued to be intertwined through the rest of the book. This warmth, this feeling, it was something I've always wanted. It was something I think I needed.

The dream started to fade away, but not the weight in my hands. A room the scent of hand sanitizer and bleach. A thin white sheet of a blanket. I turned to my side, where the boy I'd just seen was sleeping quietly. He was holding it. Ray was here, holding my hand. My left arm was bandaged up quite heavily, the whole left fist bandaged together tightly so I couldn't move it. The other side was in much better condition, as a certain emo cyclops was clinging onto it so tightly. I could die right now, and I'd be happy. Because for the first time in years- I felt loved.