The next morning was a complete slog for Alex.

The previous night had been filled with several rounds of Go Fish played atop Ziro's bed, albeit even after all that the rules were still quite fuzzy to Alex, and despite not winning any games he still managed to survive the rounds.

By the time the neighbourhood warming party had finally concluded, it was after midnight so Carsyn had walked Alex home, but Grayson, strangely enough, had apparently stayed a bit longer at the Umbramoor Manor. Alex had dozed off as soon as his head hit the pillow, so he had no idea if and when Grayson had actually gotten home.

As for himself, he had woken up later than he had initially planned, and as a result had less than an hour to shower, get changed, make and eat breakfast, and pack an overnight bag for the sleepover at Lev's. He barely had time to do that yesterday along with unpacking and then heading to the get together at Ziro's.

After wolfing down a toasted bagel coated in cream cheese and downing a tall glass of chilled milk along with it, Alex dashed back upstairs into his bedroom to examine his packed duffle bag making sure he had everything he would need, when a somnolent form appeared in the doorway.

"What is this mind-boggling event that has you awake before 10 a.m. on the weekend?" Grayson asked. He draped himself to one side of the doorframe; his eyelids heavy, his beard befouled, his words slow and a little slurred, but Alex was at least able to make out most of what he said.

"Oh! Yeah I'm going to a sleepover — at a friend's — a different friend. You haven't met them yet." Alex's ears were focused on Grayson, but his eyes remained trained between his duffle bag and the time displayed on the digital clock atop his bedside table.

"Wow, you're really drowning in friends. Good fuh yuuhh," Grayson yawned. He shifted in the doorway to arch his back and stretch his arms over his head.

At the sound of Grayson's tiredness, Alex's senses regathered and he craned his head to study his father, finally noticing his wearied state. "Didn't hear you come home last night. It's the first time you've stayed out so long. Should I be expecting a late night call from the cops?" he teased.

Grayson wielded his entire left arm to give a dismissive and exaggerated wave to his son. "I might have had one too many bottles of that soju stuff. But this is the last time you'll see me like this — all teenager-y."

"Mhm. Okay, sure. Take a shower though. You kinda stink, can smell ya from here." Alex zipped up his duffle and swung the strap over his head letting it straddle his shoulder. "Heading out now, back tomorrow morning." He squeezed past a disheveled Grayson through the doorway, and gave him two pats to the back shouting, "remember to eat something!"

Grayson winced at the loudness, then twofold when Alex had made it downstairs and accidentally slammed the front door closed.

He pressed his fingers to each of his temples and began to rub circles in an effort to suppress the pulsing pain coming about. "...maybe some pancakes will make it go away..."

**********************************************************************************************

The lanky grass and bluebell flowers began to dance in the flurry of air upon Alex's arrival at the lookout point. Yesterday he had hardly noticed the droves of insects occupying the area, but today he couldn't miss any of them; the mini prairie was hushed yet buzzing.

Not far off ahead in the bottle green field, Alex saw a figure with their hands pocketed and their face overlooking a wall of trees. He gingerly took steps towards them but no matter how close he got, the sunlight shining from the same direction made it difficult to make out the backside of the individual. It also blinded him from seeing a fallen branch a few steps ahead, and the resulting snap of it caused the person to spin around at the culprit.

"You're late," Lev said. He stalked towards Alex, quickly filling the space and stepping on the other frail branches that laid between them.

"Yeah, sorry," Alex started. His eyes lingered all over Lev's glinting piercings. "I actually did plan on being early, but I lost track of time last night and ended up oversleeping."

"Lost track of time doing what?" Lev asked, though it sounded more catechizing.

Alex hesitantly lifted a hand to entwine his fingers in his curls. "Oh, umm..." He remembered the apparent bad blood that brewed between Lev and Ziro, and considered how much he should admit to right now. He was sure at least, that he shouldn't lie about anything. "...there was a neighbourhood warming party, you know, for me and my dad since we moved in and all... It was at Ziro's house — nothing big. We just...uh, hung out. And my dad and I got to know some of the neighbourhood. That's all."

Lev stared at him until what seemed like an eternity later, until at last he maneuvered past Alex, barely brushing against his shoulder, and started for the exit. "Let's go."

*******************************************************************************************

Lev had led Alex to the furthermost part town, which Alex had noticed seemed to be located in the opposite direction that the Umbramoor Manor was.

The house they did arrive at was a broad, granola brown and porcelain white residence that had a mailbox out front with like colours of a plain beige and white for the carrier signal flag. On the roof of the home above the front door, a massive stone dragon perched, its menacing gaze casting down the zigzagging concrete path that led up to the entrance.

Lev glanced back at a tailing Alex just in time to see him gawking at the house. "This," he said, smirking and dishing out a lenient flick to Alex's forehead to bring back his attention, "is the Whitevole Estate. Come on."

Lev continued a quicker pace, leaving Alex to dally and tend to his numb forehead with small circles rubbed with his index finger. When they reached the front door, Lev pulled out a gold key from the back pocket of his jeans, and used it to enter.

"Lev, is that you?!" called a honeyed, feminine voice from somewhere inside.

"No!" Lev yelled back. "It's two deranged city dwellers here to rob you, and then dismember you!"

"Alright then! But if you're not too busy robbing me at the moment, could I meet your accomplice? I'm in the living room!" the voice returned.

Lev chuckled to himself so lowly that Alex almost didn't hear him. "Follow me," he said, and Alex did so, step after step.

They came to a living room with biscotti walls and sandcastle-shaded wooden floors. Much of the walls were embellished by a variety of instruments: a saxophone, a pair of maracas, a bass guitar — next to it appeared to be another guitar, though with a more tear-shaped body — Alex wondered what kind of guitar it was. The rest of the room was occupied with spots of steel blue furniture: fluffy polyester carpeting, a sectional linen couch and two armchairs, a four-piece entertainment center that housed a flat screen.

All this was settled in the upper-half of the room, while at the very back was an enormous, creamy-white grand piano. Perched by it on a bench, another slab of steel blue furniture, was a woman with ebony hair tied loosely in a ponytail. "You must be the strange boy from the magical place. Alex, yes? Kaia Novas," she held out her hand, and Alex dithered a second before scooping it up in a firm grip. "Wow...that's quite the grip you have. Perhaps you'll be a formidable opponent for my son."

"Opponent?" Alex asked. Next to him, Lev shot his mother a vexed look.

"Is that not why he's here?" she asked Lev, who continued to stare at her frustratingly, as if the answer was obvious. "...you mean to tell me that you two are actually having a 'sleepover'? What, with ghostly tales, junk food, gossip and all that? Are you serious?" she said this to Lev again, but then her eyes shifted between the two boys.

"Are you seriously a musician?" Alex suddenly asked her, his own eyes fluttering back and forth at Kaia and the piano. "Cuz if you are, that'd be really cool. I've never met one before — a professional."

Kaia blushed. "Well, I am a music consultant at a store downtown, and I do hold my own lessons for a variety of instruments — but I'd hardly call myself a 'professional'."

Lev rolled his eyes. "Jeez, mom-"

"Leven!" Kaia interrupted, "what are you doing just standing around? Your guest must be starving! You should fix a little something for him in the kitchen."

"Well I already ate this morning, but I could still eat now," Alex mentioned. The effects of his earlier cream-cheesed bagel and milk were wearing off as he could feel the light rumbles of his stomach. He looked at Lev with an innocent smile displayed.

Lev growled low in response, but marched off towards the kitchen anyways. Kaia stood, catching Alex's arm and leading him to the kitchen as well.

As the two trailed behind Lev, Kaia asked Alex, "anything particular you're in the mood to eat?"

Alex shrugged. "I'll try anything once."

Lev glanced back at them, irritably. "Could you be any less specific?"

"Hey now..." Kaia warned.

"What? I'm the one who has to do the cooking," Lev retorted.

"I can help you out," Alex offered.

Both Novas' immediately paused in their steps and spun their heads to stare at Alex. And Alex had to agree with them. He had entertained the thought of actually gathering enough courage to volunteer his help, and was flabbergasted when he actually uttered his proposal out loud.

"You?" Lev said. "Do you even know what tongs are?"

Alex gave a timorous smile. He might as well at least try to go all in now. "Yeah, it's those grippy things. You use 'em to pick stuff up — hot stuff, and cold stuff."

Lev looked ill-humoured, but Kaia laughed. "He's a natural kitchen connoisseur!"