Where The Mind Is With Fear

Part 9

The next day, Abigail was back, and the next and the next. But there was no sight of Seth. I was disappointed, because being with him was pure bliss. On the other hand, I was also grateful he didn't turn up because it would have been awkward for me to look at him after the bizarre dream that I got. Curiosity took over me, and I asked Abigail, all in a rush,"Where is Seth? Is he busy or something?", even as I knew I should not have asked her such a stupid question, I kept talking. But, there was no sign of shock or anything on Abigail's face.

"He has horse riding lessons. That guy loves horses",she replied casually.

Aarya, though, asked,"Why do you wanna know, Courtney?" I ignored her and stomped my way to the garden. As usual, the goblins were at work, watering plants that grew you-know-whats. At one end, there was a swing. I sat on it and started wondering. What if he liked an Estonian Draft even in real life? That would be utter coincidence. Shooing away all thoughts of Seth, I concentrated on the present. Randomly, I started murmuring the lyrics of  'Empty Apartment' by Yellowcard and didn't realize that my murmuring had turned into full pitch singing.

After finishing the chorus twice, someone from behind said,"That was nice" 

I turned around and saw Seth looking at me from under his baseball cap. Holy! I had just sung a whole song of Yellowcard, and the guy I liked had heard it all! O M G! Wait! Did I say guy I liked? No, I meant guy I liked as a friend. Yeah.

I could feel the blood leaving my face and my right leg started shaking uncontrollably. A habit I could never get rid of.

"Hey, it's okay, just me", Seth  saw that I was embarrassed. He sat next to me on the swing and quickly changed the topic. I felt a little relaxed. But, as I looked at him in the eye, the visions of my dream returned, and once again the embarrassment started.

"Relax Courtney, this is our little secret", he winked. I couldn't help suppress a chuckle.

"So, Abigail told me you liked horses?", I asked.

"Ah! Yes. Would love to be a jockey one day. Or an equestrian.", he smiled. His smile was the most amazing thing, second after the way his jaw bones flexed. 

"Favorite horse?", I asked my heart racing fast at the question.

I half-expected him to say Estonian Draft, but instead he said,"Virginia Highlander. So who teaches you magic now?",his abrupt out-of-the-blue question made me hesitate for a second.

"Right now, we aren't doing anything, but Mrs.Russo said that these goblins would teach us how to use the defense mechanisms.", I replied pointing to the goblins. 

"The thing bores me. I mean, I hate being the son of an evil magician..", it looked like he was talking to himself cause he looked straight ahead,"....all they do, is devise new ways to gain more power and each time the destruction caused is massive. Innocent people are killed and they get nothing out of it. They, including your mother Mrs.Russo, can stoop as low as the Netherlands plains to regain their strength."

"Excuse me? Mrs.Russo is NOT my mother. She just adopted us for her sake, not because she wanted to help us.",I could not help retorting back. How could he even think of such a thing?

"Okay, chill. But one day, I would really love to run away from this place forever, but I'm only waiting for the right opportunity". That rings a bell in my mind. So he too, wants to escape. "Hey that's a little secret between me and you. Do not mention it to anyone."

"I don't even know what you are talking about!", I said.

"Thanks. So do you like all this? I mean don't you feel like you are just a mere prisoner trapped in this world, only to do bad?", he asked.