Spellbound [COMPLETED]

Chapter 8 First Impressions

Ben opened the car door for Ana, and they drove to the Brew. They went into the city, away from suburbia and in the opposite direction of the forest.

"So, where's your sister? Carly is it?" Ana asked.

"She'll meet us there. She got there this afternoon to help set up. And to straighten some things out."

"What kind of things?"

Oh you know, that you're coming, Ben thought, and that you may or may not be mortal.

"Just the guest list and things like that. Boring stuff."

"Oh okay," Ana wasn't convinced, she still had a hunch that something strange was going on. Then again, she's been used to strange since the first time she had a vision about the future.

If anything, normal would be her new strange.

They both stayed silent throughout the drive, caught up in their thoughts. Ana with her theories about the murders in town as well as her strange encounter with her mental powers. She could've sworn she spoke with that one girl telepathically. What was her name, she thought, Arrianne?

Meanwhile, Ben was more worried about tonight. He still had faith in Ana, but he was concerned about what they'd do with her. If she was a mortal, he could never see her again. If she wasn't, they might use her as a weapon, endangering her. He also worried that Peter might overreact and, instead of erasing her memory, kill her. Then again, Arrianne seems more like the type to do that.

Ben decided to break the silence.

"So, you look lovely as ever. But I told you that already," he smirked, "Have you ever been to something like this?"

"Sort of," Ana responded, "There was this big charity event thing for my mom's job. She owns a business and loves doing charity work on the side, so she opened a library and learning center for underprivileged kids. I was like nine, though. But it was a privilege to help her cut the ribbon. She named it after me."

"Really? Where is it?"

"It's in Singapore. We traveled a bit before we settled here in the States."

"Cool. So you lived in the Middle East for a bit?"

"First Asia, then the Middle East."

"Anywhere in particular."

"Maybe another time."

"Wow, we haven't even gotten past half an hour of our date, and already you don't trust me," he said.

"It's not that," she said exasperatingly, "It's just some really personal stuff. You wouldn't understand."

"Try me," he challenged her.

She hesitated.

The car filled with silence once again, but this time, they looked at each other.

It's worth mentioning that her hesitation began as they approached a red light.

"I'd rather not," she finally said, "and keep your eyes on the road."

About a second after she said that, the light turned green.

"Promise me you'll tell me one day?" Ben said as he slowly stepped on the gas pedal.

"I can't make promises, but I can give you a maybe."

"Seriously?"

"You never give up do you?"
"I'll never give up on you," he quickly glanced at her, "And I mean that Annabel."

She looked at him, stunned by what he just said. Woah, she thought, things just got real serious real fast.

Sorry, hope I didn't scare you, he thought back.

Ana gasped and whipped her head towards him.

"What is it, Ana?"

"Did you just say something?"

"No, why? Did you hear something?"

"Yeah, but it's probably nothing."

Oh my God, she thought, Not here, not now, not when I'm with him! This cannot be happening!

Oh no, Ben thought, this time to himself, This is all my fault.

"Ana, just breathe, you're okay," he said, putting one hand on her shoulder, "You're safe."

Remember what I said, he thought, you ARE safe.

You can hear me, she asked mentally.

No, but I know you can hear me.

How?

You show the signs of how I was a while back. You have powers, don't you Ana?

How do I know to trust you?

What have you got to lose?

Are there others like you?

Like us, he thought, And you're about to find out.

She didn't realize that they were in the driveway of The Brew with a waiting valet ready to take their car.

"Show time," Ben gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, escorted her out of the car, and walked her to the corridor.