Amish Jedi: In a City Far, Far Away

Episode 7.2 ~ Dementors

"I forgot about that part," Teddy admits.

Leah rolls her eyes.

"How have you been?" Jason inquires. Patrick asks Leah about business at the same time dividing the conversation in two, and Teddy leans his head back in the armchair and closes his eyes as if taking a nap.

I shrug. "Not bad."

Jason purses his lips as if not believing me. 

"You?" I ask before he can probe deeper. 

"I'm okay." There's a short, awkward silence before he adds, "Congratulations on your book deal."

I nod, not at all wanting to talk about anything writing related. "So, Sarah's out of town?"

"On vacation with her parents."

"And you didn't want to go?" 

He frowns and gives me a look that on my face would mean, you know the answer, so why are you asking? "How's your family? You've never told me much about them."

"We haven't talked much since my first day here," I counter, feeling like Ron warring against McGonagal's chess set. 

Jason is sitting as close to the arm of the sofa as possible. Still, his body is too big not to touch mine. "Then tell me now." 

I sigh. "They're all fine."

"Who all?" he fires back. "Details are important to a story, right?"

I raise my brow but continue on, my spirit tingling around the edges like when a limb that has lost feeling is regaining life again. "Maem and Daed, that would be Rachel and Jacob to you—"

"I'd probably call them Mr. and Mrs. Zook," he corrects. "If I ever spoke with them."

Since that's never happening... "And Hannah, Miriam, Sadie, and Ariel are all doing fine—well, mostly fine. Ariel seems to be taking the separation the hardest. She punched her best friend in the eye."

Jason's brow lifts questioningly and something in his eyes transform. He is Batman again, or at least the guy I met who slew the balloons on the first day. 

"Her best friend...doesn't agree with my leaving," I say, editing out the most important details. Jason doesn't need to ever know about him. No one does, really.

Jason's expression softens to pity, which ignites a fire in my belly.

"It's not a big deal," I snap.

"Being separated from the people we love is always a big deal."

Thankfully, I don't have to come up with a way to change the subject because Megs's door flies open and she bounds out wearing black pants with slits at the knees, a sleek black top, her hair slicked straight back, and sparkly silver pumps. 

"Pretty woman," Teddy catcalls, suddenly wide awake. 

Megs strikes a pose. "Easy, breezy, bea-U-tiful, cover girl." She blows him a kiss.

Teddy mimes catching the kiss and then hesitates before shoving his fist into his jacket pocket.

"Ready to rock and roll people?" Megs says in her over-the-top enthusiastic manner.

Everyone stands to go. Jason gets up before me and offers me his hand. "I forgot to tell you how nice you look tonight."

I frown, but take his hand, feeling a bit tired from the pill I popped the moment Megs said we were going to a night club. 

As we traverse down the street, it becomes necessary for our party to walk in twos. I'm hoping either Megs or Leah will have mercy on me, but even if they want to, Jason won't allow it. He seems glued to my side as if he's determined to irritate feeling back into my soul. Or, another part of me argues, he's waiting for you to show signs of weakness so he can swoop in and save you again. Another spark flickers in my chest but then dies in the ocean of numbness.

"Have you been dancing before?" he asks, casually.

"Amish don't dance."

"You're not typical Amish," he reminds me.

"Don't I know it."

"I thought you liked being different," he says more to himself than me, "but then again, sometimes I think it makes you sad."

"Perceptive." I catch myself before pointing out the conflicts brewing all around him. "Do you dance?"

"Sometimes."

"And tonight is one of those times?"

"Megs called and said she needed me." He shrugs. "I'm here. Whether I dance or not depends."

"On?" I push.

He shrugs but doesn't answer.

We walk on in silence until the music pumping out of the club is so loud talking would be a chore. There is a line out the door, but Megs strides up to two tall, burly men. Teddy, by her side, shakes their hands, and then we are all heading up a narrow, blackened staircase. I am thankful for the meds as my body stiffens, but I'm still able to breathe.

Jason lightly places a hand on my back.

I glance over at him.

His eyes are wide and analyzing. I can tell he's worried, what I can't figure out is why.

"I'm fine," I assure him, having to yell over the music.

He leans down so his mouth is closer to my ear but not so close that he doesn't have to raise his voice. "Get up the stairs and I'll believe you."

Oh, so he wants a challenge now? That spark licks the inner parts of my chest again, and I kick my feet into gear forgetting that I'm still a novice on high heels. His arms reach out and wrap around me before I face-plant on the staircase. He sets me right and then releases me, sliding his hand into mine. There is nothing romantic about the gesture. He's holding me like a parent would hold the hand of an uncoordinated child.

This would bother me except that the place is so full of people. When we climb out onto the second floor, I reach out and grab Leah's hand to make sure I don't get lost. The six of us form a human train as Megs weaves us through the crowd toward the dance floor. Jason's palm warm against mine.