Together With You

Carnival

"I’m leaving already! I'll be back later!" I yelled as I ran down the stairs. I hurried to the front door but right before I opened it I stopped. 

I could feel that I was being watched so I instinctively looked around. It didn't take me long to find who was watching me. Sitting in the living room I could see the shape of a woman holding a raven staff. I backed away from the door and walked toward her. She didn't look happy. 

“I was just leaving to meet up with Edric and Emira,” I said trying not to look nervous. She raised an eyebrow expectantly. I knew why she was upset. It was my own fault for putting it off until the last minute but I was scared. I wasn’t sure how Ed and Em would react once I told them.”I don’t want to be late.”

“You’re the type of person that arrives early while your friends are the type to arrive late. So don’t worry about that. Now you know you have to do it today right?” she said in a stoic tone. I nodded in agreement trying not to look at her face. I didn’t want to see how disappointed she was in me. I heard her get up from her seat and then I felt her wrap her arms around me. “I know this is hard for you but it’s something you have to do. It’s not fair for them either to leave them in the dark about this.” 

“I know,” I said hugging her back. “I promise I’ll do it today.” 

“Good, I’ll be here waiting for you when you come home,” she replied, giving me a kiss on my head. She then lifted my face gently so she could look at me. “Now go have fun with your friends,” she said with a warm smile. 

I smiled back and then hugged her tightly before letting go. “I will. See you when I get home.”

I rushed back to the front door and pulled it open. “I love you,” she said from behind me. 

“I love you too mom. Bye!” I yelled running out the front door. 

The carnival was in town today and my friends and I had made plans to go. We had been planning this for weeks and I had been really looking forward to it. Even more so now that I would be leaving for the academy. I was granted special permission as the son of the coven head to enter at the age of twelve. I'll be the youngest cadet in the history of the emperor's coven. My friends don't know yet but I didn’t want to ruin this day so I decided it would be best if I told them tonight after we left the carnival. I wanted one last great memory before I had to go. 

We had agreed to meet up at the carnival so I hurried to get there. Mom was right though, I got there way too early and my friends got there late. I was starting to fall asleep waiting for them on a bench when they suddenly popped up on either side of me.

“Hi Hunny!” they yelled into my ears. I wasn’t expecting it so I let out a yell and fell out of my seat from being startled.

I could hear Edric laughing while I saw Emira walk around the bench and lend a hand to help me get up. “Are you okay?” she asked with a smile. I felt my face start to feel hot and I knew that I was staring but I just couldn’t take my eyes off of her. I don’t know why this happens but recently I started feeling weird whenever I’m around Emira. Especially when it’s just the two of us together. I tried talking to my mom about this before but she didn’t know why I was feeling this way either. I wanted to tell Edric and Emira about it but it didn’t feel right to do so. “Hunter?”

I shook my head to try and snap out of whatever was wrong with me. I took her hand and got up. Once I was on my feet I realized that I had completely blocked out all the noise around me including Edric who was now next to Emira looking very concerned. “Maybe he hit his head when he fell,” noted Ed. 

“No, I’m fine you guys just caught me off guard,” I said dusting myself off. “We’re already late so we should head inside.” 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” asked Emira putting a hand on my cheek. She was standing too close. Imedetly I felt my face start to burn so I backed away.