Morana

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I couldn't say that I was surprised when I saw Alejo on the other side of the door. I had kind of known it would be him. I did regret how pathetic I must have looked though. Tears and snot in my face and Leramidon clutched to my chest.

There was only sadness in his eyes as his hand moved towards my face. Probably to wipe away the tears. I simply took a step backwards, away from him.

"Don't," I said, and I was surprised over how steady my voice was.

"Can I please come in? Can we talk? Can I get to explain fully what I meant?" he begged.

I wanted to tell him no. I wanted to shut the door in his face. I wanted him to hold me and comfort me.

What the hell was actually up with me? I had known him for like an hour or so. I didn't actually know him. Why was I already feeling so secure in his company?

I didn't answer him, but simply turned, walked into my apartment, and sat down on the floor facing him. He took slow and careful steps as he walked in. I could see his eyes looking over the place as well.

It was a studio apartment, and not a fancy or big one. A single bed, the aquarium, a table and chairs for two, a bookshelf, a wardrobe. That was all the furniture I could fit in it. Or I probably could have fitted more if it wasn't because I liked to sit on floors. I knew also that the wallpaper was peeling off in some places and it had a bit of a cold and shabby feel to it. But it was cheap, comfortable, and enough.

He came over and sat on the floor opposite me. His eyes rested on Leramidon, who I had placed back on my knee.

There was a long silence.

"Are you gonna talk or not?" I finally said and rolled my eyes.

"I shouldn't have tricked you into touching the poster. I regretted it immediately. I'm sorry," he said. His head was somewhat bent down, but his gaze was on my eyes.

"If that's all then leave. I have a lot of things to get sorted. I wanna be out of here by tomorrow."

I put one hand on the floor to help me stand up. But he placed his hand on it. His touch was as warm as a radiator.

"The reason why I asked you to touch it is... I have a hard time trusting witches."

I froze somewhat at his words before taking my hand off the floor, away from his to place it in my lap. The heat from his hand lingered.

He sighed.

"I've never met a witch that hasn't had alternative motives..." He shook his head. "Rather, I've never met a witch that hasn't treated me like scum. And you just seem so... Something is off about the magic around you. I'm not gonna lie. There's something dark about it. But I don't care about it in the way I think you think I do. My problem with trusting other witches rather made me think that you somehow were a part of a prank my sisters were doing, or maybe a trap by the coven, or something. And that the off-ness in your magic was due to you not actually being... That they created you somehow."

He sent me half a smile with cheeks burning red and I just couldn't help but to laugh. His explanation was absurd.

"They must be dumb if I would be the best they could create," I laughed and at that I saw his hand twitch somewhat and he looked down at the floor.

"I'm really sorry. And please trust me, I don't care that there is something off about your magic."

"Riiight. Because that poster of yours told you that you can trust me."

I felt harshness return to my voice, and the laughter disappeared from me completely.

"That's not the reason." His head shot up again and his hands took hold of mine where they laid in my lap. "Already before that stupidity from my side I just felt... That you are a good person."

My eyes widened at both his hands and his words. That time I was the one that turned my head away.

"I probably overreacted a bit," I admitted. "It's just that no one has ever wanted me around. Not even my parents. I don't know how many different homes I had growing up because people just didn't like me. No matter what I did. Everyone just feels uneasy in my presence."

"I'm sorry, Morana."

I looked back at him. Pain was clear in his eyes and his hands were still around mine, but his thumbs moved in slow circles on the back of my hand. I could feel some of my own pain ebb away slightly. Was that how it felt to be comforted?

"Do you still wanna leave town?" he asked then.

"I do kind of have to," I answered and felt an ache in my heart.

"Why?"

"I haven't aged in a long time. I need to get myself a new identity and start over. Wait!" Realization hit me like a tornado. "Is that a witch thing? How old are you?"

He smiled. "Guess."

"Oh my god, you're like a thousand years old, aren't you?"

He laughed at that. "No. Witches don't get that old. But yeah, depending on the power of a witch, we usually live to be somewhere between six and eight hundred. I'm seventy-three."

"Oh, okay. Well, I'm sixty-seven. But then, you see my point. According to my current ID, I'm twenty-nine. People will start to get suspicious soon."

"I can help you with that. It's not a reason to leave town." He smiled wide and I couldn't help but to smile back at him.

"Alright."

"Who's your friend, by the way?"

At first, I was utterly confused. But then I saw him look down at Leramidon.

"Oh! This is Leramidon," I answered. "My best friend."

"Leramidon?"

"Yeah. Le-ornado. Ra-phael. Mi-chelangelo. Don-atello. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."

He laughed. It was a laugh of pure amusement, and it was the best sound I'd ever heard. It made my heart warm up. But as he laughed, he also let go of my hands and they felt weirdly empty.

"You really are something," he said while pulling himself out of the laughter.

"What?" I pouted, but that just made him laugh again.

As he laughed, his eyes seemed to catch something on the wall and in an instance all his joy disappeared.

"I have to go," he mumbled.

"Oh?"

"There's a thing with the coven in a bit. And I have to be there."

"But... But you said all other witches treat you like scum?"

"It's complicated," he answered and started standing up. But he must have seen something in my eyes because he quickly added, "I will explain. I want to explain. I just don't have time right now."

"Okay."

I stood up with him and took the few steps needed to get to the door.

"I'll see you later," he said with a smile as he left.

"Looks like we've finally made a friend," I told Leramidon when I'd closed the door. I tried to smile, but it was hard. Meeting Alejo did make me happy, and it truly did feel like I had made my first real friend ever, or at least started making my first real friend. But I felt oddly empty, and it was like Alejo had taken all the heat from the apartment with him as he left.