Run

15

I rushed to stand up too fast, making me a little dizzy.

"Calm down." Julius' voice is soothing. I know he was talking to Alice, but it was definitely affecting me.

"How can you tell me to calm down! Are you kidnapping her? Are you the mafia I see on TV shows selling innocent girls for-?" She gasps, horrified as she holds her hands over her mouth at the last sentence.

I felt a small wash of anger coming from Julius. He grabs my arm, squeezing it.

"Never." There is an edge to his voice, but he maintains his composure. He attempts to tease her. "You have a wild imagination."

It doesn't work.

"Then what the hell is going on?" She is almost yelling.

"Shh." Julius huffs. "Alright. We'll tell you. But you must never tell a living soul, if you care for Andrea at all."

My head whips so fast to look at him that I had to blink a couple times to keep from being light-headed. We are?

Alice raises an eyebrow. "Continue."

"Swear to it."

"I bloody swear." She stares at me right in the eyes. I bite my lip. She never swears. By that, I mean she doesn't cuss.

"Alright, time to go." Alex appears out of nowhere. Where has he been all this time?

"We are telling her about everything." Julius sighs.

"Sure." Alex looks too joyful to be revealing about magic. He himself told me not to tell anyone about magic.

"Lets get into my van. We have no idea who can be watching us." Julius guides Alice with his hand and her back, slowly pushing her towards a van parked beside Alice's car. I follow suit, jittery and nervous.

As Julius slides open the van door, I immediately saw my mom, crossing her arms and staring at me from the seat she was on at the back of the van. Ahhh!

What?! How? Did they tell her?

"You're in big trouble, young lady."

They did, didn't they?

"Well? Are you going to get in or do you want me to scold you out there?"

I rushed in after Alice and Julius, closing the door behind me.

"Ma... what do you know?"

"Everything." She gives a quick glance at Alex.

Alice folds her arms as well as she sits beside my mom.

"Well, I don't know anything. And I've never kept secrets from my best friend. So enlighten me."

My eyes flew to Alex in the front of the van, at the drivers seat. He was smirking. So this is why he was so happy!

Help me!

"No. I handled your mom. Your turn." He winks.

Um...

"Alice, remember you swore to secrecy earlier." Julius says.

"Get on with it!"

His eye colour flickers dangerously at her snapping but Alice doesn't notice. I could feel the waves of frustration almost overflowing. His hand shoots out, wrapping his hands around my stomach. He's pulling me towards him. I let out an involuntary yelp as he does it. Ignoring my shocked state, he places his nose against my neck making me shiver. Taking in deep breaths, he visibly relaxes into me. I wish I could just stay in this position forever.