Special

Curses of the Wizard

The Halloween decorations had gone up way too early for Matt's taste. It was barely October but already there were carved pumpkins, paper witches, and zombie figurines everywhere. And 'their' café had been among the first to put them up. Paper cut-outs lined the walls wishing every one a spooky Halloween and the drinks were served with latte art ghosts. It was the same with Christmas. Every one got excited about it way too early, the season lasted for way too long, and it just ruined it. For him at least.

He looked at Daniel who didn't seem to mind at all. They were sitting in the back corner of the café and Daniel had claimed the bench for himself. He had leaned his back against the wall, kicked off his shoes and rested the book that he was reading on his knees. His free hand lazily stirred his Caramel Apple Latte aka the Witch's Brew. Personally, Matt would have categorized it as a winter drink but it seemed like one would just have to slap on a Halloween themed name and it would sell. Daniel seemed to genuinely enjoy it.

"Are you a big fan of Halloween?" Matt asked after taking a sip from his hot chocolate and immediately burning his tongue.

"Hm?" Daniel put his book down and looked at Matt. Clearly he had been too caught up in the story that he hadn't heard him.

"I asked if you like Halloween."

"Oh, yeah," Daniel nodded, "I do. It's the only time of the year where it's socially acceptable for me to dress up as a wizard and pretend to curse the people that inconvenience me."

Matt raised his eyebrows in surprise. Out of all the answers he could have thought of that one was the least expected.

Daniel giggled. He took the spoon out of his drink and waved it through the air.

"I curse you and your sons and your sons' sons to always speak the truth!" he exclaimed and pointed the spoon at Matt's face. A bit of milk foam fell down onto the table.

Matt swiped it up. "Hm, that doesn't really seem like a curse to me," he said and licked the foam off his finger.

"The older we get the more it seems to me like lying is more helpful. Telling the truth only gets you into trouble."

"Hashtag deep," Matt laughed.

Daniel frowned at him. "Have you tried telling a girl that the outfit she chose doesn't look good on her?"

"Fair point. But I could just stay away from the ladies, and I'd be good."

Daniel tapped his fingers on the cover of the book. It was a picture of a moonlit forest and a muscular vampire with naked torso staring threateningly, or maybe seductively, at the reader.

"Do you want to become a crazy cat lady who lives alone in a secluded part of the country with thirty-two cats and has never been in a relationship?"

"Well, I'm on the best way there already anyway. It's not like I'm popular with the girls," Matt lied. In fact he was kind of popular. Enough girls had confessed to him that he could have just dated any one of them just to try a relationship and see where it would lead. Most other guys would probably be jealous but he couldn't do it. He knew he wouldn't be able to lie to himself like that. He looked at the book cover again, the strong arms of the vampire dude. There was definitely no way he would be able to not be true to himself.

"You are a liar," Daniel called him out. "Emily told me that Becky confessed to you just last week You probably have the most options to chose from out of all the guys in our class."

Matt sighed. He just wished he could chose from the guys in class. And he already knew who it would be if he could. There was silence between them for a moment. He could just do it. He could just reach over the table and... no, wasn't that what had gotten him into trouble last time? In elementary school? He looked up at Daniel, who had put the spoon back into the latte and swirled it around. Did he remember?