We Found Each Other

'White Roses'

Ever since my magic practice sessions started at Tyler's place, Ryle and I felt guilty of keeping Emalie oblivious to all of it. Although Wiola and Tyler didn't mind if Emalie were to know, disclosing everything to her was itself a task.

It was indeed wrong to keep secrets from her, for Ryle it was harder to keep it a secret as he had to see Emalie more often. But as I per my request, he didn't tell her anything. If anyone was to reveal the truth, it would be me.

I had squandered enough days, failing to tell her everything at any chance I got but not any longer. As the last bell rang, Emalie and I headed out together. I had decided to tell her everything as we stroll. I was damn sure that she'd get startled and possibly irate.

We stepped out the main building leisurely talking to each other about the upcoming group project and discussing the plans for today.

Capturing everyone's attention, Tyler stood outside his Ford SUV, holding a little and pretty bouquet of white roses. He motioned towards us as soon as our eyes met.

Anxiety laughed at my face and my chest tightened when I looked around to see jealous and disgusted scowls.

'What are you trying to do Tyler, these girls will eat me up alive.' If only he could hear these thoughts.

"I picked it up on my way here, you said you liked flowers." Shoving the bouquet towards me, he looked... nervous.

I grabbed the bouquet with sweaty palms. "Thanks, Tyler, but—"

"Gosh these are beautiful, Tyler, Linnet loves white roses!" Emalie spoke, cutting me off and then gave me a surprised look.

I unconsciously attempted to hear her thoughts to know the reason behind that look of hers. "What you mean 'but'? he has never brought flowers for anyone before!" She thought.

At present, the fact that I could choose to hear a certain person's thought while deterring thoughts of every other person around me surprised me more.

'As expected, the power of Enchanted Tanzanite.' I thought, gazing at his pendant.

"I need to go now." Tyler smiled getting in the car and my stomach dropped.

As Tyler vanished from my sight, I knew what kind of experience awaited me and my anxiety wasn't going to help at all.

The voices abruptly grew in my head almost giving me a headache. My bouquet fell on the ground as I clasped my ears and hunched over. Emalie's panicked voice was vaguely audible, melded with the brutal noise.

I wished to run away, like I had been doing all my life but Tyler's words reoccurred in my mind: 'Not yet, you can't give up just yet, you can do it, and I believe in you.' I gathered some courage in me, to fight off the voices of their minds. I barely knew what to do, so I recalled what Tyler had told me before. 'Concentrate on what you want. Your powers should heed your choice just as naturally as your body does.'

'I don't want to hear any of it, I don't want to... ' I could sense something initiating in me as I repeated my will in my mind.

As a result, the voices blurred eventually faded, there was no headache now, no signs of uneasiness were left in me. Now I understood why Tyler had bothered to bring me flowers out of nowhere. He knew I would never be able to do this if he didn't put me in a tight situation.

"LINNET, WHATS HAPPENING TO YOU? SAY SOMETHING, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!" Confused and worried, Emalie yelled.

Picking up the bouquet from the ground, I smiled reassuringly at Emalie. "I'm okay! It was just a headache."

"Are you—, You freaked the hell out of me!!" She sighed. "Are you sure, you're okay? Should I call your Mom or a cab?"

"Yeah, don't worry, I'm as fine as ever." I held her hands. "Let's go to that ice cream parlour you were talking about last time."

"If you say so." Emalie looked uncertain.

Entering the parlour was like entering a dreamland. So many catchy hues of blossoming meadows decorated the small yet spacious ice cream parlour. Sweet fragrance wafted in the chilly air.

Emalie glanced on the white roses placed beside me. "I only had a doubt but now I'm sure he really likes you."

The waiteress served our orders which consisted a waffle cone with scopes of pistachio and chocolate ice cream for Emalie and a waffle cone with cookies 'n crème and chocolate flavoured scopes for me.

"He's the reason why no cute guy would hit on her, half of them thinks they are out of her league, and half of them thinks they don't stand a chance because 'Tyler' is showing interest in her," I heard her thoughts as I was attempting to confirm whether my powers were heeding my choice now.

"Likes me? Tyler?"

"Yeah, did you see that? He even brought you flowers, he's a romantic." She giggled.

"He's merely helping me," I said.

"What you mean by that?"

'Now this is the right time. I need to tell her.'

"Emalie, the thing is, believe me, I wanted to tell you this sooner, but I couldn't work up the courage. I thought you won't believe me and—"

"FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, why won't I believe you? Just tell me what it is already," she ever so habitually interrupted me.

I began explaining to her about Realms, Warlocks and Witches, that we had been hiding the fact that Tyler and Wiola were one of them. About Enchanted Tanzanite and how I'm linked to it and the powers I possess.

I answered all of her questions regarding me and Tyler and clarified that giving me this bouquet was just his way of helping me control my ability to hear thoughts. Although there were questions I couldn't answer, like 'how does the magic thing work for you guys?' It was inexplicable, we could just feel its presence.

When she was done listening to me she said: "I don't see the reason why he wouldn't like you though."

"Anyone who would look at her would look twice just to see what colour her eyes are. She's pretty, nice and cute. Literally every guy's ideal type. I can't see why Tyler won't fall for her," I heard her thoughts as I was off-guard.

"Seriously Emalie? All you could come up with, is this topic? And you know I can hear your thoughts."

"I know, I know, I was just checking, I needed you to hear it anyway, you're just too slow-witted to get that he likes you!" She emphasised. "And about you having extraordinary powers or Tyler being a warlock, I don't care. All I know is, you both are my friends and that's all that matters." She bit her ice cream.

"Emalie... you really lifted a burden off my chest, I'm so lucky to have you as my best friend. You're the best!" I charged at her for a hug, and she hugged me back. "Shut up, You'll give me diabetes," she quipped.

The rest of our conversation comprised of how she and Ryle were doing. Her face brightened up as soon as I mentioned Ryle. She told me that he had taken her on multiple dates and that he's really funny. He sent her cute snaps almost all the time. He had somehow befriended her disastrous little brothers Jamie and Jace and he often took them out and bought them snacks.

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There was a constant battle between me, and my mind, as I tried not to think about him and focus on completing my assignment only. Now that I doubted that thinking about him could result in summoning him, I needed to be more cautious.

I shook off his thoughts immediately as soon as he popped up in my mind. It was harder than practising magic, I swear.

How did my life become so complicated? Not that it wasn't in the first place but... nevermind actually.

My phone, placed on my study desk, dinged. I reached for my phone but it slipped from my hand crashing on the wooden floor as I read 'Tyler' on the notification bar.

I carefully peered around the room. thankfully, I didn't see Tyler in here; I didn't summon him. I glanced down to one of my most dreaded nightmares. My phone that just crashed on the floor upside down. I extended my hand down and picked it up with my eyes shut. I wasn't ready to see a smashed screen. "Please be alive, please be alive," I kept mumbling while opening my eyes slowly.

I heaved a sigh of relief when I saw there weren't any scratches. Unlocking the phone, I immediately opened my inbox.

TYLER: Did you like the flowers?

ME: Yeah, they are lovely.

I glimpsed at the vase at my desk in which I had placed those beautiful white roses.

TYLER: I'm glad.

ME: You purposely did it right? So I can suffer and then somehow manage to block off those voices? Your trick actually worked.

TYLER: Did you really do it this time? That's great! I'm so proud of you.

TYLER: but that's not the reason I gave you those flowers.

ME: What's the reason then?

TYLER: Nothing, I'll come pick you up in an hour.

ME: Okay.

I put my phone back and continued completing the assignments that I had to finish before Tyler came. But, why, I mean what could be the possible reason for Tyler to give me white roses?