Lover Be | The Originals

Chapter Seventeen | Strange Behaviors

"Take the A Train" by Duke Ellington

Malia gave up the argument that she knew she couldn't win. 

"Are you really just going to follow me around wherever I go?" Malia questioned as she packed some clothes into a box. "What if I have to go to the bathroom?"

Ignoring her, Elijah ran his hands on the upright piano in the corner of her room. 

"Do you play?"

Malia looked back at the sound of his voice. His eyes were already on her. 

"Yeah. You could say that."

There was a knock on the door, taking their attention elsewhere.

"Stay hidden," Malia told him. "Please?"

Elijah gave a slight nod and Malia went to the door.

"Nelle," Malia was surprised to see her friend. Since the awkward interaction with Klaus, the cafe manager had been dodging her calls and texts. 

"Hey," Nelle said gently with a soft smile. "I'm sorry for ghosting you like that."

"It's alright. What was that about, anyway?"

Nelle studied her for a second, contemplating what she could give away.

"Look, I got you this to make up for it," Nelle offered a silver beaded bracelet.

"Nelle, that's very beautiful," Malia went to take the bracelet, but Nelle grabbed her wrist and put it on. She whispered something unintelligible under her breath.

"Promise me you'll wear it, always."

"Nelle, what's this about?"

"Please, M. Just . . . promise me?"

"Okay. Okay, I promise."

"Good," her friend looked relieved. "And M. That guy you're seeing? Be careful."

She left and Malia closed the door. When she turned around, Elijah was already directly in front of her. 

"Who was that?" he questioned.

"A friend of mine. Does it bother you that I have friends?" Malia pushes past him, annoyed, but he grabs her wrist. 

He pulls his hand away almost immediately after touching it, looking down at the bracelet-shaped burn mark in his palm.

"And why did your 'friend' give you a vervain bracelet?"

"What?"

Malia looks down at her wrist in surprise. She tries to take the bracelet off, but it won't work.

"I think the clasp is stuck."

"Allow me," Elijah offered his hands out to her.

"It'll burn you, hang on," Malia's eyes narrowed as she worked the clasp to no avail.

Elijah pulled her hand toward himself and attempted to remove the bracelet, his hands blistering in the process.

"It's been charmed," Elijah looks up at her. "Your friend is a witch."

"Nelle? No, that's not possible. She runs a cafe, she's not stirring a cauldron and flying on broomsticks."

"That's a fairytale depiction of witches. Witches live much like regular people. They have an extensive history in New Orleans and have been formidable opponents for my siblings and me over the centuries."

"Siblings? Wait, centuries? How old exactly are you?"

"We are the oldest vampires. The Originals."

"Where are your other siblings?"

"My sister is traveling. The others are . . . gone." Elijah looks down.

Malia grabs his hand to try to comfort him.

"I'm sorry," she says genuinely. "I lost my sister just a couple of months ago. It's the most difficult loss that anyone could possibly go through."