Just Like Magic

Chapter 17 Talk To Her

Cassius' POV

Randy stares with astonishment as she inches closer to the dishes that seem to be washing themselves but my mother is of course doing it with her magic. Randy reaches up slowly and touches the moving brush that is scrubbing the plate. As she claps and then bounces on her toes just having the best time until she freezes. She looks as if she is staring straight through the dish.

"Oh my! look at that!" Randy gasps as she stares out the little window above the sink. She quickly turns to runs past us and through the house just to go out back. I look over towards the way she left. I can't see what she is doing so I stand up with my plate in hand and bring it over to the sink as I glance out the kitchen window that's pointing out to the backyard area. Randy is hopping around an open pasture with nothing in there, so I'm confused, not seeing anything.

"What's out there Ma? I don't see anything." I ask, straining my eyes to see if I can catch a glimpse of anything, as she sadly says, "it's the Thestrals." I swallow the lump in my throat at that name because I know about that creature but there is a reason I can't see it. They are the creatures that only people who have seen death can see. I have seen a lot of things, but death isn't one of them.

But the hard part about this is that by Randy doing this innocent act, it's automatically telling my mother that Randy has been exposed to death already. I stare out the little window watching Randy smile as she pets them, loving on them. Not knowing the creature that she seems to adore, has this type of dark side to its story.

I can feel my mother's gaze burning into the side of my head. I reluctantly look over at her and she looks as if she is trying to silently get me to tell her what I know by intently staring at me.. but I don't know if I feel comfortable doing that for Randalyn without her permission. That just doesn't seem right to me.

"Oh... yeah... she told me about that. Like I said she has had a hard life." I say casually not wanting to parade around the traumas of her life. She stares at her for a second before nodding again. "Well I'm glad she is not alone I guess.. but can you really trust her?" She asks me as I shrug. "I won't ever know that for sure with physical confirmation, but I know what I feel in my heart and I feel like I can trust her and that she is a good person," I say this with confidence as I stare out the window at her. I walk away from her walking to the big glass window to watch Randalyn to make sure she is staying safe. I can hear my mother walking behind me as she stops right next to me. I let out a deep breath as I stare out the patio window just watching her smile and run around the yard with them.

I can't help but grin at this sweet sight because she seems to remind me of a fairy gliding while she frolics around in her own world for this moment. She prances with the creatures, only wearing the biggest smile that shows how genuine she really is. I can't see what they all look like or what they are doing, but what I love is that I can see her. She looks as if she is having the greatest time of her life. The smile is face-splitting Making a big smile appear on my face just at the sight. She looks glowing. My eyes are glued to her that I almost forgot I'm watching her with my mother.

"Why don't you go talk with her?" She asks me as I feel myself getting irritated about her insistence on being a part of every decision in my life when it comes to my relationships, once again. So I snap at her asking. "Talk to her about what?" I can tell my mother is looking at me once again, but I weigh the option of looking at her or not. Because once I do it will open the floodgates of advice about how to be social from a woman who hasn't talked to one single person in months.

I don't look thinking about just that. But she quickly gets impatient with me and retorts. "You know... talk to her about how you like her," she says to me as I scoff loudly. "I'm not going to take romantic advice from my mother." I snap trying to show how ridiculous that is for my self-confidence that I barely even have anymore. "Sure ridiculous... And the relationships you have dealt with on your own have gone so well for you... ugh... Have you even tried anything? I mean have you even told her that your interested?" she asks me as I shake my head. "Not exactly... but I have... shown her... She knows... I think."

"That's not good enough." I scoff at that comment from her giving her an offended look plastered on my face... letting her know she is crossing lines.

"What?! I'm just calling it as I see it... and I don't see anyone else around to help you out in this area since you're not doing so well on your own." She accuses me and this makes me turn to her and stare in disbelief as if I'm dumbfounded from that statement alone. But no argument arises from my lips because I know she is right whether I want to admit it out loud or not.

She laughs at me but I just shrug it off. "I'm doing fine on my own." I declare with little confidence behind those words. "Oh yeah?? How is staring at the pretty girl from afar while not saying one word to her, doing good? If that is good then I need to know what's doing bad? because obviously things have changed since I was in the dating market." She states shocking me more.

I quickly straighten out my back, as I feel my jaw clenching, probably looking defensive, as if I want and plan to argue with her, but still, nothing comes out. My mouth opens and shuts making her chuckle at my expense once again as we continue to watch Randy run around the backyard in a complete utter bliss.

"Well Ma, This is probably seen as bad from the outside looking in... but things have been growing for us... the first time I met her she hit me and threatened me with a poison that takes down bears... apparently. But there is nothing to worry about, look at me now." I try to declare my success without having to tell her about our makeout session. But she makes that almost impossible as she scoffs at me mockingly.

"Look at you now? You're just staring like a creep from afar... it's ok to be afraid hun." She states nicely as I get mad at that accusation. "I'm not scared."

"Yes you are and it's ok. I can see why.. she is different than us and might be harder to navigate. but at the same time she is out there and all kinds of excited about magical beings on her own without any help... so if you just show her more she will be enthralled and you can snuggle your way in from there." She says again, patting him on the back showing she doesn't believe I am not scared one bit... she knows me too well.. because I won't admit it out loud but I am scared... Randy has been through so much that there is this huge pressure on me to be amazing for her.. but I don't know if I can be that.. and I don't want to hurt her. But I fo want to try eith her.. that much is certain.

"No... I'm not scared... Im just caught off guard... you just wait and see." I say standing up with determination in my step as she stares out with a look of satisfaction on her face, this tells me that she probably tricked me into going out here.. she used to do that all the time when I was growing up.. always playing the reverse psychology card... dammit, another win for Mom.

I walk through the back door and head straight for Randy. She is smiling so big that I don't think it could get any bigger... but as I approach I'm proven wrong because her smile gets bigger once seeing me.

"Did you... maybe... if you want... want to go on a walk... you know... around this property?" I ask her stuttering through my question as she vigorously nods her head, walking in front of me to lead the way apparently. I feel eyes on me so when I look back at my mother's cabin I can see she is watching us from the window as she gives me a thumbs-up and walks away from there.

I follow Randy for a small moment until I catch up and walk side by side with her. I point out the nest of Billywigs that she has here. Thus causes her to Oo and Ah at the colors and how fast they are.

I show her to the big tree of Bowtruckles as she gasps in excitement at how cute she thinks they are. I keep showing her around and luckily she is loving all of it. From poking the floating dirigible plums to chasing the nifflers. As long as she has a smile on her face that's all that will matter to me.

"Having fun?" I ask just starting a conversation because I seem to love talking with her.

"Oh, I'm having the best time! Um.. eh... Sorry if I'm being embarrassing for you... I have dreamt about stuff like this all my life.. I never thought I would have a chance to see anything such as this.. and it's astonishing." She declares as I think about that.

"That makes sense.. but I never judged your excitement... I actually think it's really sweet and adorable.. the innocence that I used to have and the excitement of the things I have grown so used to, helps humble me while learning to appreciate the little things again... I like that about you... you make me see things in a way I have never done, or bringing back the ways I used to feel making it almost feel nostalgic... it's unique and I love that you can make me think and feel like this again... it's exhilarating." I say to her as she smiles at me while her face reddens the longer I stare over at her.

"I'm sure there are plenty of people who can make you feel that way here." She says to me as I shake my head. "No, you're different from everyone here," I say as a compliment but I don't think she is taking it like that.

"I know I'm nothing like the people here and that's the hard part, because I was nothing like the people in my old world either... it makes things hard when all I want to do is blend in." I stare down at her for a long moment before I respond. "There is no way a gorgeous creature such as yourself could blend in... You're going to be noticed by all around... whether it's being noticed by your opinion or how you act or look.. either way, all eyes will be on you.. how could they not notice you.. they would have to be blind to not notice." I say complimenting her as her face turns to a darker shade of red.

She clears her throat looking nervous as she changes the subject completely to take the attention from her.

"What your mother is doing here is amazing. If I were to choose anything.. it would probably be this.. this seems like the life." Randy says to me, but this makes me sad thinking she would rather be out here with no one than back there with someone if she got to choose.. but maybe she doesn't know the bad parts that can come with this life. I would love for her to choose something where we could be together in this life but I won't make her and maybe she wants to be alone. I hope not, but everyone is different.

"Well, it is amazing yes, because she is helping so many creatures, but people are always after her... chasing her every day so she can't stay in one place for too long.. plus it's very lonely too." I tried to detour her by trying to show the bad side of this career. "What do you mean? She would have all these sweet creatures that she can spend every day with... She wouldn't ever have to worry about being left behind because they all need her. They appreciate her and what she does while making her feel good with their presence. I think it sounds amazing." she says in a star-struck tone.

"Well.. wouldn't you want to be happy with someone? because this life doesn't allow her to have that unless she meets another magizoologist." I say sadly, losing hope that she would want anything with anyone else, let alone me.

"Well... I mean... I would love to have someone... but that just depends on if there was anyone in my life at that point that would even want me. I can't make that decision for them, they would have to choose me on their own.. and that's just assuming anyone would want any of that with me.. but that's something that has never happened to me before, so I doubt that would happen. Until this imaginary man comes around sometime soon, swooning over me... then I'll just be alone for the rest of my life." Randy declares, trying to explain things to me about her worries of being alone the rest of her life, thinking no would want her like that.

This gets my heart racing because I want to tell her, that I want just that.. but that is easier said than done. "What if you found that... I mean, a guy... that wants that .. with you?"

"Well, then I could see if that's what we truly want and go from there." She explains as she twiddles her thumbs looking up at me every now and then. "But that's only if someone wanted that.. and as far as I know.. that person doesn't exist." She says sadly.

"Why would you say that?" I ask her as she shrugs her shoulders. "I haven't ever had a guy who wants me, let alone fight to be with me... I'm just expecting to be alone... I'm not like you... tall, handsome, and I'm sure liked by many women... I don't have a line of people waiting to be with me.. so I have to be realistic with myself.. and come to the realization that I will probably end up alone.. that's not pessimistic that's just being honest with myself... So if that's going to happen then I would want to try to make sure that I'm happy there... and I think that's the only way I could be happy by myself, is taking care of creatures like this." she explains as I nod thinking about that.

"Well I... am a herbologist and I have to work closer to plant life, but also close to labs to do my research and tests.. what if you chose to do something closer to the city?" I ask as casually as possible.

"Well, that would depend if I can even stay here... I would hate to be locked up in your basement for the rest of my life to keep me protected because I'm not allowed to step foot outside the house.. and I don't want to do that again... I did that all my life.. that's why being out here would be nice. I can run and play and I wont have to worry." She says to me as I say playfully soft. "I like the idea of having you locked up in my basement though."

She is shocked with my response but obviously doesn't hate it because she playfully slaps my chest causing me to chuckle. "Ok... well what if I could figure out a way to have you stay with me but also allow you to have a job?" I ask her as nonchalantly as I can muster up.

"Are you asking me to stay with you?" She asks me as my mouth drops open in shock at being called out on this, while I was just trying to ease into it. "Yes he is!" my mother yells out from the open house window as I flip around and glare over at her. I slowly turn back around to face her as I shyly reply. "I think... that we... that you and me... well that we could... I... well." I stutter through not getting an idea or honest thought out edgewise.

She giggles at me as she stares into my eyes setting her hand on top of mine. "I think that would be fun.. and I think that's a great idea... but I don't know if you're ready for me... I'm a lot to handle and I don't think you realize that... Cass, I'm broken... there is too much wrong with me and everything is so perfect about you, that I don't think you would realize how hard this would be for you... and that's after the uphill battle of trying to allow me to stay here which is probably not going to even happen.. That doesn't even include trying to get a job here.. what could I possibly do in this world? I wouldn't be helping anyone out.. all I'm going to be is a burden on anyone who tries to be involved with me." She declares as she tries to walk past me.

Without hesitation, I reach out grabbing her arm to stop her. "Anything worth having has to be worked for or it's not worth having at all."

"You know you can get in trouble for just being seen with me right? that doesn't include what they would do to you if you were dating me... plus hiding me." She says as I step closer to her.

"I am willing to fight for what I want... are you?" She looks caught off guard as she slowly nods her head. "Always." I nod as I reach down and grab her hand bringing it up to my lips as I kiss the back of her hand. "Always," I repeat back to her as she bites her bottom lip just staring at mine that are gently kissing the top of her hand multiple times.