Conjured

Chapter 18 - Playing with Fire

Author Note - This chapter will contain some violence and graphic writing so if that's not your thing just skip this one ;) 

Christmas Day went well. I laughed with my little cousins and we ate till we were about to burst. I had to go lie down for two hours after lunch! My mother's cooking had always been my weakness and having missed out on it for the past few months made me even hungrier for it. 

Soon all our family left and Alessio and I begin to clean up the kitchen. "So what are you up to tonight?" I ask him while scrubbing some dishes. A small smile appears on his face but he looks the other way before responding, "I may have a date". My eyes grow wide. "Alessio! Who?! You have to tell me!" I ask excitedly. "You don't know her. She's a girl from uni. We've got a lab together for biology and we get along well so I asked her out" He grins. I give him a big hug. "Good luck bro" I whisper. 

"Thanks. What about you?" He questions. I debate telling him and I can see a curious look in his eyes so decide it won't hurt to let him know. "I might be secretly catching up with Mark" I murmur while putting the now clean dishes away. "Really? Last time I saw that kid he looked like a complete wreck. He was getting into fist fights at school and really hurt some of his mates. I didn't think you guys were still together" He says in surprise. "That's the first I've heard of it." I say in shock. It would explain why he was always covered in bruises. "Be careful around him Willa. He's gotten aggressive while you've been away and his powers are kicking in too so he could be dangerous" Alessio warns. 

"He's my boyfriend, Alessio, he would never hurt me. Besides we're just going to chill at the footy oval we're not going to a boxing ring or something" I laugh. I tried to lighten the situation but Les still looks concerned. "Just be careful, promise me sis" He pleads. "I will don't worry. And in all honesty if he tried anything he wouldn't last long" I say making my eyes turn purple with a grin. Alessio scoffs and puts the last dish away.

"You might be strong Willa, hell I think you're stronger than I'll ever be after that arm wrestling last night, but when you're in love your emotions can get in the way. Don't let them with him" He  says quietly. When Alessio mentions love I feel a strange pang in my chest and I wish it would go away. I keep feeling this distance grow between Mark and I and from what Alessio has just said, I don't know if I want to be with him anyway. I'm not interested in someone who just uses their powers to beat up humans. I nod to Alessio and seeing the clean kitchen walk down the hall to my room to think. 

The minutes and hours tick away and it gets close to the time i'm meant to meet Mark. Although it was hot during the day the evening has cooled down. It's almost cold which is really strange for a summer in Melbourne. I sneak out my window when I hear my parents snoring in front of the television. The football grounds are only a 10 minute walk from my house and I soon arrive at the green. Mark is sitting in the middle of the oval picking at some grass.

I decide to sneak up on him using my imagining to make myself soundless. When I poke his shoulder he jumps and I can't help but laugh. The fire burns in his eyes but it disappears when he works out its me. "Willa don't do that" He says with a small laugh. "Sorry" I say giving him a hug. We sit down and talk about how our day was for a bit and then I pull my present for him out of my pocket. He opens it quickly in excitement. It's a silver chain bracelet I saw him eyeing on his phone a few days ago. He slips it on quickly and gives me a kiss on the cheek. 

"So what about my present Mr Adair?" I say jokingly. He starts to look awkward and stares at the ground. After some time he looks up and there's something in his eyes that makes me shiver. "Willa I haven't been truthful with you. The bruises I keep getting aren't from new powers" He starts. "I know Mark. Alessio told me about the fights at school. What's going on?" I ask. He sighs and runs a hand through his hair trying to come up with a response.