Awes

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"So, how was the date, Theseus?" Jacob asked, the next day.  Theseus had refused to talk about the date for the rest of the day and hence, they had to wait for the right time to ask without striking a nerve.

"You were there" he grunted, "Darla seems too good to be true.  I don't know why. She seems a bit off".

"What do you mean?" Queenie barged in, "She's perfect! She's adorable and amazing! You were able to connect!"

"Maybe I should know more about her, than her tea preferences and her background. She hardly talks about her  job or where she's from" Theseus shrugged, "I bet a lot of people talk about professions during their first date. And I don't know where she's from".

"Why can't you use some mind tricks to get those answers, Queenie?" Jacob asked, "You were the one who arranged this date".

"I know, but I couldn't. She used a lot of Occlumency, I don't know why" Queenie said,  "It's like she had something to hide. Nobody uses Occlumency like that. Well, maybe except for Teen if she's kissing Newt or something".

"I know, Theseus" Jacob had  a brainwave, "Why don't you ask her for a moonlight stroll?"

"That sounds wonderful, Jacob. It's a perfect way to get  to know someone" Queenie explained,  "Darlene seems great. If she's got something to hide, she'd eventually spill the beans. A stroll is a great way for people to trust one another".

"Okay, I'll ask her" Theseus decided, "Like, should I write her a letter or. .?"

"Do it!"


Darla agreed.  Although she seemed pretty weird in the response letter. She was hesitant to talk about something, but nevertheless, she signed off with a yes. That night, Theseus dressed well and adjusted his tie. He was finally getting over Leta and this was a good step. If Darla seemed well and if her intentions were in the right place, she would be the one.

That night, Theseus waited for her in Central Park. It wasn't closing time, yet and there was still a few hours left. 

It was a full moon night, with the stars gleaming. Theseus figured they'd take a walk and go for dinner in a fancy restaurant. He thought about what Darla's secret might be. Perhaps it was something embarrassing ; Theseus decided not to prod her and decided to respect her privacy. 

 Theseus hugged his coat since it was a cold day. He waited.

Suddenly he heard a distant howl. Might be a pack of dogs? Anyway, the howl didn't bother him. He had seen worse before. Yet, he placed his hand inside his pocket where his wand resided. If something happened, he can pull it out and save himself.

He heard footsteps and the sound of grass crunching beneath someone's feet. He saw Darla, dressed in a knee-length skirt and a dark blouse to match her earrings. She was holding something in her hand, possibly roots of a plant or hair. Her face was scarred.

"Hey" Darla smiled, "You came".

"Yeah, of course" Theseus said, "What happened to your face?"

"Cats" she replied, "They. . uh. . scratched my face".

"That's nonsense".

"Believe what you want" Darla scoffed, "Now, uh, you want to go for a walk?"

"Are you okay, Darla?" Theseus asked.

"I'm fine" she said. But she seemed panicked. She looked around for any signs of movement and sighed.

Theseus and Darla took a stroll down the pathway. Darla often looked behind her, to see if someone followed her.

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