❝ 𝐋𝐔𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 ❞ ʲᵃˢᵖᵉʳ ʰᵃˡᵉ ( EN )

☇ 𝟮𝟬

The rain was falling softly against the windows, creating a comforting background noise as Théodora was settled on the living room couch. An old woolen blanket rested on her legs, and she was watching television absentmindedly without really following the show's plot. In a corner of the room, her mother was busy ironing clothes, concentrated, her gestures meticulous. Outside, the drizzle was growing heavier, accompanied by loud claps of thunder. Powerful lightning bolts tore through the sky, illuminating the room at intervals.

Like an omen, this sky that splits and these lightning bolts that cut through the horizon. Is it a warning? Or simply the chaos reigning outside, a mirror of the turmoil inside me?

Théodora looked up at the window, watching the dancing shadows of branches under the lightning. Her phone suddenly vibrated in her hand, and she lowered her gaze to find a message from Jasper:

Jasper: I'm inviting you to a baseball game. There's a storm, it's the perfect time. I'll pick you up in half an hour.

Her heart skipped a beat. She read and reread the words, an uncontrollable smile spreading across her face. It was real. She was going out with him. It was official. A wave of warmth filled her. She gently bit her lip, amused by the idea, then quickly typed a response:

Théodora: Baseball in a storm? Why not wait until the weather is nice?

Jasper quickly replied:

Jasper: We need the storm to cover the sound of the hits. Trust me, it's worth seeing.

The sound of thunder as an accomplice, masking their inhuman strength. A world where even the elements bend to their nature. How could I understand this reality, I who am still so fragile among them?

Théodora raised an eyebrow, intrigued by this explanation. She loved these moments when Jasper took her into his world, far from everything she knew.

Her mother, still focused on her ironing, broke the silence: "What are you doing tonight, sweetie?"

Théodora straightened up a bit, sliding her phone into her pocket. "Uh... I'm going out... with a friend."

Her mother carefully placed a freshly ironed sweater on the pile of clothes and turned towards her, a mischievous smile stretching across her lips. "A friend?" She raised an eyebrow with a falsely innocent look. "Isn't it the one you're on the phone with every evening, huh? You know, I'm not always at the hospital, I hear you talking."

Théodora felt a wave of warmth rise to her cheeks. She blushed immediately, knowing full well that Jasper was never on the phone when they talked, but actually there... sometimes just behind the door or at the window. But she couldn't tell her mother that.

"No, mom, it's just... a friend." Lie. She cleared her throat, trying to change the subject. "We're going... to play baseball."

Always these lies to protect a secret too big to be shared.

Her mother laughed softly, setting down her iron. "Baseball? But since when do you play baseball? Aren't you more of a volleyball player?" She cast a curious glance at her daughter, amused by the situation.

Théodora felt even more embarrassed. She had never shown any particular interest in this sport. "Yes, well... I'm just going to try, that's all."

Try, as if I could simply adapt to this world. But there are rules, forces that escape my understanding.

"Sure, sure." Her mother looked at her with a knowing smile, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "And this friend... what's his name?"

Théodora looked away, nervously biting her lip. She knew she couldn't escape this question without blushing even more. "Uh... Jasper."