This Old Town

seven | numbness

I excused myself from dinner and stepped outside for air. My house always felt like my safe space but today it just made me claustrophobic.

I felt trapped by everything going on in my life. I wasn't just worried about my final years of high school and what was to come from that. No, now I had the burden of feeling like I didn't belong in the world in general. I already felt like I didn't fit in with my family, my friends, or school. Now there was this whole new world filled with 'freaks' and I still couldn't belong.

I laid on our driveway because suddenly laying on asphalt that was filled with car oil and dirt didn't matter. It didn't matter because I didn't matter. I wasn't a vampire, I wasn't a werewolf, I wasn't a witch, and I wasn't a superhuman. I wasn't even a human for all my family knew.

I heard the door open in the direction of Elton's house. I turned and saw him taking out the trash. Such a human thing to do, I thought. As if he sensed my eyes on him like the time prior, he turned to look at me. His dark eyes scattered over my face looking for something, anything. I guess he saw it because his face turned like Nico's and all I saw was pity. In response he threw the trash away in the bin and walked over to me. I looked away, hoping he would get the hint.

"You good?" he asked standing over me.

I shook my head 'yes' in response. I was to down to even muster up the power to form words.

"You sure?"

I shook my head 'yes' again.

"Eli? Eli? Where are you?" I heard a small voice coming from Elton's house.

I'm guessing 'Eli' was Elton and the voice was coming from his younger sister.

"There you are Eli" her small but loud voice proclaimed, making a small smile form on my face and me to sit up.

"Here I am" he turned to look at her as she ran, her black curls bouncing as she did so.

"Eli, what are you doing out here? You said you were taking the trash out. She doesn't look like taking out the trash?" she questioned trying to be silly.

But she didn't sound silly because at the moment I felt like trash.

"I was taking out the trash Layla. I just saw my friend. Sorry I took so long"

"Hi Eli's friend" Layla waved at me with a big smile on her small porcelain face.

I waved back.

"Why doesn't your friend talk Eli?"

"She does talk Layla"

"Hi" she tried again.

Feeling cheeky I again only waved without saying a word.

"See she didn't say hi back" she said and then waved for Elton to crouch down so she could whisper something.

A smile formed on his face after she whispered something to him.

"No she didn't have a spell placed on her by a witch"

She looked shocked that he had revealed her secret question and shushed him causing him to laugh at her pouting face.

"Mom and dad said you weren't supposed to tell anyone about witches" she frowned and furrowed her eyebrows.

"It's okay. My mom and dad already told me about witches" I finally spoke to her, bringing a smile to her small face.

"Hi" she tried again.

"Hi" I said and waved.

"Yay!" she cheered and jumped up and down. "She really does speak, Elton"

"Okay. Okay. Okay Layla time to go inside" Elton tried nudging her along her merry way.

"But I want to be friends with her" she pleaded.

"We're already friends. My name is Nevan" I stated and went to shake her hand.

"I'm Layla and I'm six" she giggled and showed me with her fingers.

"Okay Layla you have a new friend. Now go inside, will you?"

"Okay. Bye Nevan" she yelled as she ran back inside her home.

"So you told your parents?"

I shook my head 'yes'.

"Are we doing the whole not talking thing again" he laughed.

"Oh sorry. I umm...Yes I told them"

"That's good. Did you find something out?"

"Yes I did. I found out that my family history is in fact a mess and that I'm messed up. So..."

"You're not messed up" Elton started with a frown.

"I am. They also don't know why my eyes are blacked out or why I haven't shown any superhuman signs."

"Maybe Jason could help you"

"How could he help me?"

"Well I guessing your parents didn't give you all the information but Jason's family is a pretty big deal in this town"

"Really?" I was shocked. "How do you know this when I'm the one who has been living here my whole life?"

"Well there's the whole Coeleste thing. Every Coeleste town is usually ran by a certain species and family. Here in Arcanus Wood, werewolves are the top dogs in town. No pun intended" he said making me smile.

"So Jason's family's in charge here?"

"Not Jason's family specifically but his family does have quite the amount of power around here." He paused, then continued. "He should it explain it to you"

"I guess. So how do I contact him"

"You don't...you don't feel it?" he questioned.

"Feel what exactly?"

"Never mind. I'll...I'll just tell him myself"

"Will he be mad?"

"Why would he be mad?"

"Well back in the classroom he didn't seem to like you all that much"

"True but if you come with me that could probably help out the situation"

"Go with you right now?"

"Well I guess not right now. Sorry, I forgot that your parents probably have human rules"

"You mean curfews?" I almost laughed at how weird his statement was. Didn't Coelestes have curfews, I thought.

"Ya curfews"

"There's a lot I'm going to have to learn about huh?"

"Yup" he said as he waved goodbye and turned back towards his house. "See you later"

I too went back inside and began my night time routine. After sliding under the covers only to remember that I had homework, but felt to warm and cozy to get out to do it. So, I laid on my side waiting for sleep to take me or should I say my nightmare to take me. Because after all, my nightmares were the only things that seemed consistent and familiar now. Everything else in my life had in someway or form changed and at the moment it didn't seem like it was for the better.