Afraid

Chapter 9

The five of them sat around the Goldstein's table eating. One of the catches on Newt's case flicked open. He reached down and pushed it shut. Jacob was looking better after he had eaten.

Newt, Rayla and Tina were sitting quietly while Jacob and Queenie were talking. Mostly Queenie as she read Jacob's side of the conversation in his mind. They seemed to be getting along great.

"The job ain't that glamorous. I spend most days making coffee and unjinxing the john. Tina's the career girl. Nah. We're orphans. Ma and Pa died of dragon pox when we were kids. Aww... you're sweet. But we got each other."

"Could you stop reading my mind for a second?" Queenie's face fell. Quickly he added, "Don't get me wrong, I love it."

Queenie giggled, delighted.

"This meal, it's insanely good. This is what I do, I'm a cook and this is, like, the greatest meal I have ever had in my life."

Queenie laughed, "Oh you slay me! I ain't never really talked to a No-Maj before."

Jacob leaned forward, chin in his hand, "Really?"

Queenie and Jacob gaze into each other's eyes. Newt, Tina and Rayla all sat uncomfortably with the clear flirting between the two.

Queenie suddenly sat straight up.

"I am not flirting."

Tina looked embarrassed, "I'm just saying, don't go getting attached, he's going to have to be Obliviated," she turned to Jacob, "it's nothing personal."

Jacob was now looking pale and sweaty again, though it looked like he was trying to keep it together so he looks good for Queenie. She looked at him with concern, "Oh, hey, you okay honey?"

Newt got up briskly from the table and awkwardly stood behind his chair, "Miss Goldstein, I think Mr. Kowalski could do with an early night. And besides, you, Rayla and I need to be up early tomorrow morning to my Niffler, so-"

"What's a Niffler?" asked Queenie.

Tina looked exasperated, "Don't ask," she headed to another room, "okay, you guys can bunk back here," she turned to Rayla, "you can stay out here on the couch or on a cot in the room with these two," she said gesturing to Newt and Jacob.

"Cot."

"Re-really? Okay then. Come on."

Newt and Jacob were tucked into twin beds, Newt facing the wall, pretending to sleep, Jacob sitting up, reading a wizarding book, bewildered by it. Rayla lay on the cot, slightly uncomfortable.

Tina entered the room, wearing patterned blue pajamas, carrying a tray of cocoa, which is stirring itself. Jacob stares captivated by the magic.

"I thought you might want a hot drink?"

Tina handed a cup to Rayla, then Jacob. She turned to Newt, who kept feigning sleep. Tina, frustrated, placed, almost slammed, the cup into the bedside table. Jacob decided to try to help Newt feel friendlier, "Hey, Mr. Scamander," he held out his own cup, "Look, cocoa."

Newt still doesn't move from his spot.

Tina, clearly irritated, exited the room, "the toilet's down the hall to the right."

Jacob, being the friendliest in the room, "Thanks..." he gets a glimpse of Queenie in a demure dressing gown, "very much."

The moment the door closed, Newt jumped out of bed, still wearing his blue overcoat, which Rayla has become quite fond of in such a short time. He placed his case on the ground, opened it and climbed inside. Jacob let out a sound between a small scream and a high pitched gasp.

Rayla chuckled, "No way!"

She climbed in after him. Jacob stared at the case in disbelief. He could hear Rayla's amazement. "Oh my god!"

Newt's hand appeared from the case, beckoning Jacob to come in. Jacob was breathing heavily, still trying to process all this information. Newt's hand came up again, impatient.

"Come on."

Jacob composed himself, got out of the bed, and started to climb into Newt's case. However, he got stuck at his waistline had tried to squeeze himself through. The case bounced up and down with his efforts to squeeze in.

"For the love of.."

With one last jump, Jacob disappeared into the case, which snapped shut after him.