The Grimoire

Strange Stranger.

*** Gialsjay Timesday . ***

Spell to freeze time .
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With all kinds of thoughts about my mom's behavior running through my mind, I take out my Venetian swan mask and unconsciously play with it. The silk bind feels so soft under my fingers tips the diamond-like stones feel rough and hard.

"Kevin!! " someone exclaims in the distance.

I hear chatter in the background, but it all seems distant. I am lost in my world and was wondering what my mom was up to until someone bumps into me, and my mask falls down. I look around searching for the culprit but find none. I peer down to see my mask. It was in a rich rose gold color.

I pick it up and put it on, lest I lose it again. It made me feel different, like I was someone else. It gave vibes of a mysterious personality and a different aura surrounded me — or so I thought.

I turn around looking for Ingrid only to see her rushing off with her boyfriend, who is in an year above us.

Urrrgghhhh! She left me off to fend for myself. Again!

Oh wait, they talked, that was the chatter I heard. Oh, great!!

I drift off to explore this humongous house. The decorations were completely in red and gold, from the ribbons hung up to the tablecloth. The people around put their best foot forward and were in complete formal. I spot a photo booth set up by the balcony entrance, also following the same colour code with a few props. They draped the pillars in satin ribbons with lilies in the middle, and there were soft lights placed at the bottom of the pillars.

The whole aura of the place was overwhelming me.

The makeshift bar caught my attention. Maybe a drink or two won't harm me. I mean I know I shouldn't but I don't see my mom anywhere around. I sneakily go there. 

I was drowning myself in a glass of green apple martini, or so I believed it to be. It slipped in so smoothly inside my throat. It was nice and had a refreshing taste to it. Unlike the beer that most guys have, it didn't reek. I order another drink and hear someone calling out to me. I quickly try to gulp down my drink, and this one unfortunately burnt my throat. I put the glass down and see a little of it still left. I life it up to finish it, when someone places a hand on my shoulder.  

"Lilia, is that you?" says a familiar voice.

I turn around to see Mrs. Potts standing there gleaming. I try to hastily hide the drink behind me, but she spots it.

"Oh Lilia, since when did you start drinking?" She asks in an accusing tone. I feel bad, like I've let her down. She is like a second mother to me.

"This is the first time, I swear!" I say, my voice coming out croakier than usual. I was being honest. This really is the first time.

"You just turned seventeen and you are drinking. This is bad. You know better than this."

"I know, it was just this once," I say sheepishly.

"As long as you have it under control," she says, taking a sip from my drink.

She understands me like no one else and always supports me. As a kid, I was very sensitive and would end up fighting a lot with Ingrid.

One such fateful night after a fight with her, I ran away crying into the woods, only to realize that I lost my way. I was shouting out for help when I saw a pair of eyes suddenly popping out from nowhere. At first I thought it was a wolf or some wild animal, but it turned to be Mrs. Potts. That night she took me to her home, fed me, and gave me a place to rest.