freak show ➯ a.r.

ⓓⓐⓡⓚⓝⓔⓢⓢ ⓐⓗⓔⓐⓓ

"It's a bit like walking down a long, dark corridor,  never knowing when the light will go on." - Neil Lennon

When Alex Russo got home, she ran for her room and plopped down on her bed. She knew she had at least an hour or two before Justin came home and rat her out to her parents. Maybe an hour or two before her parents take his word for it and come nag her. She couldn't take the chance anymore. She couldn't deal with their disappointed stares anymore. Their hatred that they never express.

"This is it," Alex whispered to herself, "I guess I am really going to run away."

The young girl peeled herself away from her bed, and waved her wand. A couple of brand new suitcases appeared out of nowhere. Another flick of her wrist caused everything in her room to pack itself in the suitcases. They magically fit, even sometimes shrinking when space got low in the luggage.

When everything was empty in her room, she looked around sadly at the room where she grew up her whole life. Then she flicked her wand once more to reveal a sticky note and a sharpie. Leaning against the wall she used the flat surface as a hard surface to write her note, in which she said:

To whomever may find this note,

I ran away. I am done with all of this nonsense. I am done being a punching bag, the one who absorbs all the blame, anger and negativity in this household. Don't try to find me. Although, I don't think I need to tell you twice. Nobody cares about me, anyways.

From, Alex Russo

She stuck the note on one of the walls and shrunk her luggage, so that it could fit in her pocket. Then taking her wand, she waved it one more time, and she was gone.

The young woman didn't know where to go, honestly. She didn't know if she wanted to go anywhere, honestly. She doesn't want to go to school anymore (in fear of being ridiculed). She doesn't want to go back home (in fear of being scolded and looked down upon). She doesn't want to go crawling back to her ex (because he is with some crazy werewolf chick). She doesn't want to go back to her so-called friend, because she's too busy with nerd stuff and boyfriend.

Alex was starting to think about how she wouldn't be able to afford housing anywhere in NYC when she remembered... she's a wizard. And she remembered out of that book of spells, that there is one to replicate mortal money in such a way that it would never be considered counterfeit money. She could scrape something together to pay rent.

Which is where she found herself now. In one of the most expensive penthouses the city had to offer. The windows offered her a beautiful view of the busy city, with its bustling cars and life. She was able to put enough money down to pay rent for the month. It was enough to shush her landlord (and not question her age, because money silences people).

The rules were simple: she pays her rent, she keeps the place.

Alex got nostalgic as she unpacked her stuff, what meager things she had barely covering the expansive space of her flat. For the remainder of the emptiness, Alex used magic to flash in bright, colorful furniture. To breathe life into her otherwise black-and-white existence.

As she went through her things, in a basket named "JUNK", she came across a necklace. With a heart-shaped pendant. It wasn't just ANY necklace. It was the necklace he gave her. When he said he loved her.

It was a bitter realization Alex had come to, when she had researched the mechanics behind the magical artifact after they broken up and Mason had moved on pretty quickly from her with someone of his own kind. The necklace was designed to glow once it picked up on her scent. And if she was wearing it, it would glow once it picked up his scent.

He was a very clever man, she realized. His words, his deceitful nature didn't help her much when it mixed in with his looks and his cute British accent and slang. It made moving on from him all the more painful.

She really wanted to throw it away, really. At some point she envisioned herself throwing everything she had that reminded her of her past. She always envisioned of stepping out of her old self, and walking on in the future as a whole new person, leaving the shell of a lie she used to be behind.

But it never happened. Some kind of nagging feeling always pinned her down to the past. All the sentiments that only brought her pain remained with her. The necklace, the dog portraits, the photos of them during their 'romantic montage" Alex had self-imposed on them (to copy those picture perfect couple in Hollywood movies).

And it hurt, now. That she can never move on. That she is far too broken to mend the gaping wounds that have been repeatedly open so many times. So far damaged that any chance of repair is beyond impossible.

Looking around her, she instantly regretted moving out. What was she thinking, moving from a hell hole to another one? She would just be met with more misery: loneliness.

Curling up on her soft bed, the young witch cried herself to sleep, thinking to herself how much of a freak she is.