Just Like Magic

Chapter 11 Time To Explain

Randalyn's POV

With Cadsius' breath fanning over my ear. I can feel his hand lightly gliding over my cheek to the back of my head and through my thick hair. He is holding me to his chest protectively, making my heart feel so light from him holding all this extra weight of mine for a moment. I lean into him letting myself slightly put down my guard as his grip stays tight around me. "You're ok.. You survived... remember that... And please pay attention to this part because I want to make sure this is completely clear to you, you're safe here. I won't ever hurt you like that... and I won't let anyone do that to you. Just breathe Randy." He says so softly into my ear as I find myself instinctively nodding as if I believe every word out of his mouth.. but I don't know him... I don't know why his words are so believable and easily trusted by me, but they shouldn't be.. right? I get mad at the idea of me being so gullible that I end up easily giving into him, when he is probably just telling me what I want to hear to get into my pants.

I fight Cassius' hold, but not for very long and with little to no effort. I feel the strong urge to play the part of a strong independent woman by trying to show that I'm resilient to everyone around me. Not lingering on the fact that I know I'm nothing like that in the slightest. At least that's not how I view myself. I'm barely surviving at best, and I almost didn't even do that... But if I somehow make it through this chaos, then that's what I want to be after all this is said and done, but that doesn't mean that's what I am.. Or ever will be.. Everyone has goals in their lives, but not everyone reaches their goals.. and I know that.

So with every little struggle I make, he just tightens his loving hold on me that melts me from the outside in, until I'm automatically leaning into him, just loving how gentle he undoubtedly is. I can honestly say I have never been treated like this and there is a part of me that never wants this to end, even though he is a stranger. But a kind stranger all the same, who makes me feel as if I have been around him for years. What kind of a person can make a stranger feel that way? That has to be good, right? Or maybe he is just too good at this scam scene.. I don't know and I'm honestly scared to know, because what if I don't like the answer I'm given? I don't want to be hurt by another person. But maybe that's just life.. and there is only one way to find out.

I automatically notice that with the comfort he brings, he also seems to give an internal strength, mostly when he holds me like this... which seems to create something inside of me that I never knew existed. I feel my heart strengthening by taking down the internal negativity that has always been there, glossing over every thought or action I have made... it was always taking over everything I did, that I never knew could be removed, until today. I feel strong with him even though I'm on my knees breaking down.. So this makes no sense to me.. How do I feel strong at my weakest point? Maybe it's not me and maybe it's him. I just don't know what to think about all of this.

My mind is running in circles trying to comprehend every possible thought that could make this make sense... Somehow, getting all of this off my chest with him, has made me feel a million times better. I know I didn't get anything done and I'm still lost in this place I have never been to before... plus it never took away the torment I endured over the years, but it makes me feel better to talk about this with him... I wonder why this stressful weight was lifted off my heart with him and only him, but it never worked originally with the therapist... Maybe it was me not truly opening up when I was told to by her and the police.. Maybe it was the stressful situation surrounding everything... or maybe it was because I never felt comfortable with her in the first place when that's all Cassius seems to do for me is make me feel safe. We will never know. But either way, I'm grateful that I had this opportunity to clear my mind and finally break down in someone's protection, even if it's just this one time, I'm still happy I got to experience this.

I'm still in a slight bit of shock at how easily I was able to break down with this man, like I have known him all my life when in all actuality, it's been a half day at the most... But the comfort he brings naturally, makes me want to let down those walls, that have been up and surrounding my heart for my entire life. It's as if the bright green eyes he owns are sledgehammers and with every look he sends my way, accompanied by that soothing rumble of a baritone voice, they somehow bring down one layer of the wall after the other. I feel vulnerable and I can't figure out if that's good or bad.

He seems to be so naturally protective and caring that he acts as if he has done this a million times for a just as long list of people. But with the confusion that he and his sister share on their features about my arrival and how to help me out, plus what to do with me... makes me conclude that he hasn't done this ever.

I keep leaning into him as his hand rubs over my back. I can hear someone walking around us and I would assume it's his sister.. I forgot she was here and that was one more person who knows all the details of my life.. But that doesn't make me feel any worse, which is great, but I still feel insane at this very moment, not understanding what I'm doing or why... But who hasn't at a time or two in their lives? or at least that's what I'm convincing myself of, because of my actions. Mostly because no one has seen me like this and I don't know what makes him so special. He is not even a therapist.. that I know of... Come to think of it I don't know anything about him except his name and the little bit he has informed me about his family.

My gut is telling me he is a good person and that I can trust him.. And as weird as that may sound to some, I am going to believe my gut over all else because it hasn't let me down yet.. My gut has warned me so many times about people and situations that would end up being horrible and would have saved me so much pain if I would have just listened to it. So I made those mistakes and now I'm going to learn from them and trust these people, even if it's just for a moment until I can get out of here.. Because who am I to tell my gut that it's wrong now... this is the only person it has approved of... and believe me, I have met a ton of people over the years.

It's strange that this type of connection finally happens only when I try to permanently leave the world I hate.. So then maybe that's a sign that the whole world isn't such a horrible place and leaving that little corner of the world for another, could mean that things can be better for me here or anywhere else but there.. it doesn't have to be with him.. But maybe this is just the universe's natural way of telling that the places, things and people are better for me here then what they are in my old town.

I don't know how far I am from there, but since the trip didn't take too long, I assume I'm not too far away by any means. Maybe a couple towns over or so.. But if I can get here this easily, then that also means that I can go anywhere else just as easily.. Since I don't want to make things harder on the only two people who have helped me... I have decided that if I have to leave them alone and go elsewhere, I think I can do just that.. I don't see why not... I'll start walking now if they want.. anything to not make things harder on them.

No matter how comfortable Cassius seems to makes me feel, I know that I probably shouldn't have let my walls down so easily... but the waves of chaos and anxiety hit me tenfold when hearing his sister talking about turning me in... I got freaked out honestly... I know my father isn't alive anymore, but I still feel the hurt and anxiousness filling my heart when I think about having to go back... I don't want to go back... Especially knowing that I'm all alone there and that I don't have anything to keep me safe there, no home, no friends... nothing. I'm not saying I have to stay here and bother these two people more than I already have.. but instead of taking myself out of this world.. maybe I can just take myself somewhere new and just pray that they don't know me or try to look up my name because my situation will be attached to it.

I lean into Cassius' hold no matter how much I think I should fight this... It feels too good to leave. But I know I won't have this for long, which makes me want to hold onto it as long as I can, but then I just beat myself up for needing this.. I bet most people don't need to be coddled like this just to feel OK, so I shouldn't either... right?

He unexpectedly lets me go, which gets my undivided attention by the cold taking over, since his warm hold is now gone. I feel his big hands wrap over my cheeks as he lifts my face to make sure I'm looking at him. Those bright green orbs just shine with concern, making them look so much more genuine than I ever anticipated. They're beautiful. His thumbs rub over my cheeks as I just stare at him, not knowing what to say, but seeing that he obviously has something to say to me. His mouth opens to say something but nothing comes out. He looks nervous. But his sister clears her throat, making it seem like she is pushing him to talk with me, so this makes me think this might not be a good thing,

"You were honest with me so I want to be honest with you, Ok?" he asks me as I nod but kept my face in his gentle hold as he continues. "I won't turn you in I swear on my life... the only reason we talked about it is.. well because non-magical beings are not allowed here. If any are found, we have laws that state we have to turn them in given to us by our Ministry." He says this to me but this confused me even more. I think he can see the confusion on my face as he clears his throat, keeping my attention to keep explaining.

"I don't know if you realize it.. but you're not in your world anymore... You came here when you took that hat... I haven't heard about you or your situation... I want to make sure you know that I don't blame or judge you for any of your actions or what has happened to you... But this is a magical place with lots of magical beings, from people, to all sorts of creatures, and even the plants are magical in one way or another.. by just having magical properties or having a life of their own.. this is not the world you know and that's why I was scared of you leaving... I don't want you to get hurt by anything else out there... Just like last night... But I don't know how to get you back to your world without contacting the Ministry or, in your words, the authorities." He explains this and at first, I honestly didn't believe him until I saw the serious look in his eyes that was not changing.

He lets go of my face as I look over to his sister, who looks concerned but doesn't object at all to his explanation. Which means he is telling the truth or they are making this lie together.. But now that I think about it, there have been so many things happening here that I can't explain or even try to comprehend, so who am I to say he is lying... His explanation seems to explain what's happening around me, whether I want to believe it or not.

"So you never knew about my situation?" I ask as he sadly shakes his head I feel mortified that I spilled everything to him thinking he knew and he had no idea... I could have just held that information with me and he wouldn't have ever known... now he knows the worst things about me and only just met me. "There is no judgment here... Please don't be embarrassed and I swear I won't mention it to anyone.. Neither one of us will... and I'm sorry for everything you have been through. It's awful to even imagine, let alone experience." He says to me as I sit there thinking about everything else.. where do I go from here? I'm somewhere I can exactly leave from while being a type of criminal without doing anything wrong.

I think about this as I still sit there contemplating everything that has happened and how this could change everything for me.. Maybe I could have a more fruitful future in a place like this.. Back home, that broken leg would have taken me out for so long and not having a home or family, it could have killed me.. but here I am, better in just one night... I have read about magical creatures and such and it's always been my favorite since I was a child... I always hoped and prayed for Magic to be real and it finally proved to be real... why would I ever want to go back to the sh*tty world I once lived in just to be bearable there when there is potential to be happy here? But the window to being happy is getting smaller by the second when figuring out that I'm technically not allowed here.

"What... um... I know this might sound crazy... but... what if I don't want to go back?" I ask them as they share a gaze before he stares down at me. I can tell he is thinking but doesn't know how to respond. But maybe he is worried about me mooching off of him or depending on him to protect me.. Or like his sister said before that I could get him in trouble.. Thats the last thing I would want. But now that I know the magical properties this world has, I can be more aware and keep an eye out for them while learning as I go.

"I don't want to go back to that hell where I was tortured daily for fun.. I would love to stay here.. but I don't want to bother either one of you, let alone get you in trouble.. So I won't keep bothering you... If you let me stay here without turning me in, then I would leave you and your sister alone... I swear and to make sure you guys don't get in trouble I won't ever mention your names again... I just don't want to go back to the world I came from... It was awful, I was miserable.. so much so that I wanted to kill myself to give myself a better life than what I had there... But this seems like a completely different place... I could evolve, get stronger and have a better future in a place where no one knows me or my past." I suggest not wanting him to feel like he is tethered to me in this situation.

He just stares at me, not responding, as I feel my anxiety hitting me. I don't want to go back. "Please don't take me back... please just leave me here and you can forget you ever saw me... please." I begged as he shook his head before looking at his sister. She lets out a deep breath but doesn't say anything either. That is until he reaches over and takes my hand into his before his lulling tone leaves his lips. "Forgive me for being bold, but I don't want to forget that I saw you." He says to me and those words instantly take my breath away, getting my heart beating frantically as if it has a mind of its own.

"I don't want to either.. but I don't want to get you in trouble." I say quickly and softly, as if it's under my breath, since there is no confidence behind it. He nods his head as we hear knocking on the front door. This causes all of us to freeze, as we share a curious look between all of us.. Which says to me that they weren't expecting company. His sister walks away down the hall towards the front door, while his hands just rub over the top of mine but nothing is said between us. Its just a comfortable silence that shared between the two of us.