Zoe's only wish is to be able to run barefoot through grass, but she knows it'll never happen. Ever since she was born, she's been unable to touch anything living without it instantly dying. It's a curse she would do anything to get rid of, but that...
We stayed for a while longer. After our private conversation, Alex was all laugh and fun and drinking. She also very much wanted to cheer in alcohol with me over and over for different reasons. At first, I felt very uncomfortable with it, but as the evening went on, I got calmer. I started feeling warm and relaxed. It was easy to forget about everything that troubled me, all of the problems that I knew I would have to face before me and Felix could properly be together. That evening was all just fun.
"Okay, I think you've both have had enough," Felix said after a while.
"Come on! Don't be such a kill-joy! And when have you ever said no to beer?" Alex scolded him.
"We can keep on having fun, but fresh air would do you good."
Alex put out her tongue at him, and I giggled at her antics. But then her face shone with a smile.
"Actually, I know where we should go!" she exclaimed and got to her feet. "Quick! Go pay. We'll wait outside."
Barely had I gotten out of my seat before Alex had taken my hand to drag me out, leaving Felix to pay. As soon as we stepped outside, the evening breeze hit us. It wasn't until then that I realized how warm I felt. The cool air felt nice on my face. Soothing. There was also a light wind that danced over my skin. It made me all giddy.
I stretched my arms out and started spinning on the spot, my head towards the night sky and the few stars that could be seen. Alex giggled at my side and I guessed people were staring, but for once, I didn't care.
"The alcohol got to you?" Alex asked with a playful smirk when I stopped.
"What?" I answered as I steadied myself. She reached out a hand to help me gain balance.
"Never mind," she laughed and then tugged lightly on my dress. "So I get the clothes now, but girl, you really should wear something that's more flattering for you. That dress looks so old-timey," Alex exclaimed.
I looked down at my dress. Of course, it looked old-fashioned for her. For me, her clothes looked weird and provocative. The ripped jeans just looked like they ought to have been thrown away and the top was slightly see-through and left little to the imagination. For a moment, I considered how I would feel wearing something similar, but it made me blush. I couldn't imagine showing off my body like that. I shook my head.
"I like this," I admitted.
"Ha! It's only because you've never seen yourself in anything else. I bet you would look stunning in almost anything. You have to let me take you clothes shopping some day! I get you want to cover your skin, but there are damn better clothes out there for that."
"Maybe," I smiled at her. That would be fun. I had watched the other witches in my coven talk and try on clothes. Most had the same clothes that they almost always wore, but they would change for special occasions. It had always looked like fun, but I had never been invited to anything like that. They called me sister, but treated me worse than the ceremonial knife. In one evening, Alex felt more like a sister than any of them ever had.
Except Scarlet...
As soon as I thought of her, I forced myself to not. I didn't want to spoil the evening with what had happened earlier that day.
"Green really is your color though," Alex went on and I focused on her words. "It matches your eyes perfectly and looks really cool in contrast to your hair. Can I touch your hair?"
"Be careful," I answered and bit my lip.
She was careful, touching only the end of the braid. "It's so soft," she whispered.
"Hey! Don't try to steal her away from me," came Felix's voice behind me and next second I felt his arm around my waist.
"So possessive! Don't worry, she's not my type," Alex said and winked at me. I stifled a giggle. "Come on now!" she continued. "There's a free outdoors concert not far from here."
She walked ahead of us and Felix took my hand before we followed.
"How are you feeling?" he asked in a whisper.
I looked up at him, confused. "Good."
"You sure? You've had quite a bit to drink."
Had I? I thought to myself. Maybe I had. Honestly, I had lost track of it a bit, but I didn't feel drunk. Or so I at least thought. Not ever having been drunk, I didn't know what it would feel like. But all I felt was happy and relaxed and excited.
"Stay close to me, alright?" Felix asked me. "And if you start feeling bad, tell me and we can leave."
"You worry a lot, do you know that?" I told him with a laugh and got a smile in return.
"Only about you. And if any of us worry too much, that definitely is you."
I did worry a lot and about everything. I really did. But that night, I wanted to do anything but worry. For one night, I wanted to get a proper taste of what it was like to be normal. Felix had already given me many of those moments, but in all of them, the worry had still been nagging in the back of my head. But that night, I wasn't going to let it.
"Tonight I'll leave all the worrying to you," I told him.
"Sure," he smiled back.
We only walked for five minutes until the music could be heard and after another ten we were in a park and could see the source.
There was a stage built in it and a sea of people all around.
Alex laughed and ran to join the crowd, but I stayed back with Felix.
As much as I had just promised myself to not worry, that was exactly what I started doing during that moment. So many people, so packed together. The risk of an accident was almost definite.
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