Between Ties

Reintroduction

Rhyett's Point of View

Where is it!?

My mind speaking in annoyance as I rushed through the living room of my apartment wearing one shoe, the blinds were wide open as the sun shone brightly inside as if to greet me with its happiness and rays of bliss but I was feeling anything but.

"Token, have you seen my other shoe?" I said speaking to the fury black creature in front of me, she completely ignored me and meowed at me before walking off into my bedroom.

Great, not only am I forgetful but now I'm crazy too for thinking my cat would respond.

I turned the music of my stereo louder as my favorite song had played next from my morning playlist. I slowly swayed to the beat.

It's got to be here somewhere, I wore them last night when I went out to get late night dinner at Chang's.

I breathed in deeply and then cupped my hand to my forehead accepting that I was about to be late,

Those are my favorite sneakers and I refuse to leave without them, plus they really match this outfit and I'm not about to change.

"Token! Come on speak! I know you can speak, where are they!?" I yelled having a one sided argument with my cat and then kneeled down to the laminated wooden floors to press my face to the surface of it as my eyes scanned beneath my couch.

Nothing, absolutely nothing.

Okay, I'm going to put on my vans and I'm going to leave.

I was stern as I picked up the bottle of red wine and the glass I had used to finished it, and tidied up before I was about to get my vans, I took my one shoe ass-self and went into my bedroom to get them and then I heard the faint sound of my phone ringing from inside that was drowned out by the music.

You've got to be kidding me!

I rushed back into my lounge and then saw his name appear on my screen, white bold letters that had made my stomach drop. I picked up my phone from the couch and then hastily rushed over to my stereo to completely turn the music off.

I cleaned my throat and then answered.

"Hey." I said sweetly, tucking my hair behind my ear, a little out of breath.

"Hi." I could feel him smiling,

And now we're both smiling,

Okay it's silent. It's turning awkward now. Rhy say something!

I was frazzled.

"I-" I was about to but then he cut me off with his words. "You got a lift to school?"

"Yeah, I mean I'm driving myself." I said in no mood to take my pink bicycle anywhere today although it would cut traffic time, but I'm not showing up to my new school on my first day on a pink bicycle.

I then walked into my bedroom in attempt to multitask by changing my shoes and talking to Xander at the same time.

"And that's dope that you're independent, but it's your first day and I'd be honored to drive you." He spoke with such charm and then I smiled rolling my eyes "Plus this weekend was great and I kinda want to spend more time with you, you know away from Beth and the gang." He said and then I exhaled thinking about it for a moment.

"You do know that you're seeing me tonight right? Our date?" I was silent for a moment "or did you forget?"

"No of course not, I have a date with the mysterious and kinda sexy, one and only Rhyett Charlie Willow, how could I forget that."

"Cute." I laughed and then dug out my vans only to hear a thump coming from the corner of my bedroom, neighboring my nightstand.

"You're a piece of s**t, you know that?" I said as I saw token chewing on my missing converse.

"What?" Xander laughed in confusion.

"No not you!" I c****d my head back in realization that he thought I was talking to him. "It's my cat." I laughed, "but also I don't know if you're a piece of s**t yet I only met you this weekend, so that statement is still up for debate." I played.

"Fair enough." He said and then I responded to his earlier question "and yes Xander, you can drive me to school."

"Great! Send me the location of your building. I'll be there in Ten."

"What if I live far?" I tried to tease him.

"I'll still be there in Ten. Fast car, good driver."

"See you in Ten, Xander." I smiled sweetly and then hung up as I held my phone to my heart for a minute, just taking in the fact that a cute boy was going to drive me to school and I also have a date tonight with said cute boy.

Thank you Elizabeth Beckley. Beth and I weren't close, although we had known each other since 6th grade but only because our fathers were in business together. I hardly knew her but she was my only so called friend right now. I am kind of fond of her and she's very welcoming but I have yet to know more.

I had lived in New York when I was kid but then my parents got divorced due to my mom cheating, but I still left to California with her because she brainwashed me into thinking my dad was the bad guy for years but I then grew to realized that she was the b***h and, I just had to get out.

And now I'm here, with my dad in New York City, trying to make up for lost time and of course see if Beth and I had a friendship to build. I didn't really have much friends in Cali, real ones at least, and Beth was sweet enough to throw me a welcome home party in her parents penthouse and although I knew none of the people who attended, they were pretty cool,

Especially Xander,

"Hand it over!" I said as her chewing pulled me from my thoughts I then stared her dead in the eye as she did the same.

I walked over to Token and had then taken my shoe from her and traded it for my vans. She loves chewing my vans but she just didn't have access to it so my converse was her second best.

Okay,

I pulled on my other shoe as I glanced in my full length mirror while grabbing my bag. A cute sundress, wavy hair, my converse and my earphones.

I'm ready.

I rushed into my living room and then the boy across from me had caught my eye as I was about to walk over to slightly close the blinds.

He took a bite out of his toast, put on his denim jacket, grabbed his phone and keys from the counter of his kitchen and then swung his black Nike backpack onto his back, picked up his watch and then he turned around,

But paused to notice me.

He smirked and then nudged his chin up and followed it with a wink, as if to greet me good morning.

I smiled warmly and then waved, greeting him in return before he turned around to walk out of his apartment. I then shifted the blinds to almost close them but still left some space open for the sunlight to shine through.

Maverick was obviously good looking, but he seemed very uptight and kinda like he hated the world, he was mysterious and -

"Did you eat?" I heard a voice coming from outside my door and then yelled to answer "yes dad!" I walked towards my door and opened it to see him standing there.

"Good, don't be late."

"I won't I'm catching a lift with a friend."

"What friend?" His eyes were curious.

"A friend friend, I'm going to be fine. I can take care of myself."

"I know you can." He smiled his fuzzy comforting smile and then said "Also Rhy remember, I might own this apartment building but you still need to play by the rules honey. No loud music after 9 and keep the cat inside, token can't keep wondering around, last night he snuck into another apartment. Don't forget to lock the door." He was serious but still really sweet and kind.

"I know daddy, I'm sorry. I love you. I need to go. Enjoy your day." I said and then kissed his cheek before bolting out and locking the door, leaving him in my dust as I sprinted down the hallway, and then heard the faint, innocent and precious sound of his voice saying

"I love you too...Rhyett"

Maverick's Point of View

"Isn't there a spell I can use to have Starbucks magically appear in my hand?" I spoke to Tusco on the phone as our call was connected to my car "I'm so f*****g late and traffic is not on my f*****g side today. Beth is going to kill me. I told her I would get her Starbucks."

"Dude f**k that, why can't she get her own Starbucks!?"

"Because I flaked on her this weekend and went MIA, it's kinda like an apology." I rolled my eyes. 

"Wait let me check the grimoire." He said seriously.

"What!? Quit playing! You have the grimoire!?" I laughed "you lying boy!"

"Nah for real!" He chuckled deeply "I stayed over at Kenzo's last night in his guest bedroom. I swiped it before I left this morning and now I'm chilling at the rents place flipping through the pages." He said confidently.

"His going to kill you." I said referring to Kenzo and then I took a sharp left almost missing my turnoff.

Shit,

"I'll return it before he gets back home. He's at the hospital working a double shift and Addison is at her parents. She was freaking out this morning, pregnancy vibes." He seemed annoyed and then I rolled my eyes. Addison, was okay it's not that we didn't like her, it's just that we didn't like pregnant Addison. Her ass is moody as f**k I don't know how Kenzo puts up with it,

But then again he's always at the hospital and never home.

"Can you believe we're going to be uncles? That shits wild." I said and noticed the guy beside me trying to overtake me on the road without signaling.

Dick.

"Nah, that shits crazy." He paused pulling me to listen to him "you think the kid's going to be a witch?"

"Probably, the craft is in our bloodline. The elemental part of it though, I'm not sure. The elements are taken. Unless one of us dies, I guess." I thought for a moment trying to make sense of something I didn't really understand "then I think it will pass on to the next oldest kid from our bloodline." I changed gears "I don't really know man I'm not really sure how this s**t works, as far as I know, we're the only element witches to exist."

"Same" he said agreeing, admitting that we both didn't know much about why we have element powers.

Tusco was water, I was fire, Nixon was air and Kenzo was earth.

And our biological father was a witch, we never met him, we don't really know s**t about him, all we know is that he left the oldest,

Kenzo, his grimoire and since then we've been trying to figure it out.

Each of us, control different elements that don't require a sacrifice to make it happen, it comes from us naturally, but spells...the craft,

It comes with a price. A sacrifice of blood,

Our blood,

It's simple, you cut your finger you cast the spell. If you don't offer a sacrifice, you get punished by the ancient ancestors.

It's all f****d up but it's facts.

"Look, ima go. Have fun with the grimoire." I smirked and was about to hung up but then he stopped me.

"Wait wait, I got something for your little girlfriend. A small objects teleportation spell but It requires both of us to do the spell."

"I'm listening." I said as I parked in the school parking lot, staying seated in my car to talk to him.

"There's a new Starbucks right across the road from my parents. I can buy the drink, we do the spell and it teleports from me to you."

"Yo, that sounds dope. I'm down!"

"I'm already on my way! Stay put, what's her drink?" I heard voice and a door being swung open. 

"Iced white chocolate mocha." I laughed "Kenzo's going to lose his shit." I chuckled as I heard Tusco talking to the barista and then we waited for a few minutes that consisted of us talking s**t about Kenzo.

"Got it man!" I heard him say and then he asked "you ready?"

I swallowed, and then reached for the knife in the door of my car "yeah"

"Okay, the spell reads, estro kaiyan villametu, we need to say it together after we do the sacrifice and you need to hold your hand as if your holding a cup."

"Boy this s**t sounds real dumb," I looked around to see if anyone was watching "but let's hurry the bells going to ring soon." I said and then pressed the blade of my knife against my index finger and felt it's sharp digging, as blood begin to leak out from my skin.

"Done."

"Done."

"On three chant it and close your eyes."

"Got it."

"1"

"2"

"3"

"estro kaiyan villametu, estro kaiyan villametu, estro kaiyan villametu." We both said as I felt an energy lift within my body it felt like every positive feeling I had ever felt in my life was trying to break out of me through my chest just to have my whole body explode in bliss, I gasped and then felt a shift within my soul forcing me to open my eyes.

My hand was full and a cold sensation melted over it.

This. Is. f*****g crazy!

"It worked!!" I was shook "dude are you f*****g joking that was f*****g dope! Man! Did you feel that shift! f**k! That was real!" I was astonished as I held my girl's drink in my hand.

I had done magic before, but being away from the coven for as long as I was had caused me to forget spells and no use magic for a long time, I forgot how good this feel felt.

"Yo! That s**t was crazy! I need to read up on this grimoire, maybe I can find more cool s**t, That was-"

I heard a knocking sound on my window and then I looked up to see Beth smiling at me, but it wasn't a smile that spoke her happiness to see me, but rather

Boy where the f**k were you.

I was in trouble.

"Look, Beth is at my window. I have to go. Talk later. Don't give the book back to Kenzo. Not yet." I said and then hung up as she stepped aside giving me space to open my car door.

"I got your drink." I smiled thinly before she went off into rage.

"Thank you." She took it from my hand and then kissed my cheek. "You're late." She rolled her eyes and then I shut my door and leaned against my car while she stood in front of me, her dark brown hair perfectly straight as her thick full lips sucked on the straw. Her honey brown eyes was hard not to look at right now as she was staring a hole in my face waiting for me to explain.

"There was traffic and I had to get you Starbucks." I tried calming the waters.

"I saw you pull up and I walked past your car to greet Erin and then spoke to her and came back and you were still in your car on the phone." She c****d her head back "with who were you on the phone with, you seemed pretty happy before I knocked on your window."

Here we go again with this insecure s**t, f*****g annoying.

"Yo, chill. Don't start this s**t. I was talking to my brother." I pushed myself up from my car and at this pointed I just wanted to walk away from her, and I tried to but then she pulled me back.

"I'm just asking, Maverick can you relax."

"Hey Mav's!" I saw that cute blonde girl from our history class stroll pass as she greeted me but I waved her off "hey" I greeted back without looking at her and still kept my eyes on Beth.

"That's the s**t I mean!" She kept her eyes locked on me too "half this school clearly wants you and you entertain it."

"Was I suppose to be rude and ignore her!? Come on grow up!" I shrugged and then c****d my head back with a disapproved look on my face "half the school wants you too...." I said and then grabbed her waist pulling her against me as my arms wrapped around her causing her to almost spill her drink "but I'm chilled about it because you're mine and I have you and whoever got a f*****g problem with that can come fight me." I said and then she did that puppy eye thing she does.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, you just gotta chill sometimes babe." I said to her trying to reassure her as I took a sip of her drink as she held the cup up for me.

"I know I just-" she spoke and then continued to speak but I had zoned out as I saw Xander's car pull up beside mine in the empty spot that only our group of friends park in, he climbed out laughing after he had said something and then my brows pushed themselves together as I could vaguely see someone sitting besides his seat about to get out,

And then Beth noticed me staring after I swallowed my sip and took another one.

"Xander's totally into her. I'm so happy I hooked them up this weekend. She's perfect for him, for sure his type." She whispered to me.

"Weekend?" I was confused "what weekend?" I asked and then she pulled my face with her pretty hands to only see her before I could see Xander's new shinny play thing.

"The party for my old friend from 6th grade, who's back in town. I told you about it." She shoved me "that's her, they're so cute!" She squeaked "don't look yet, don't make it awkward."

I rolled my eyes and then I heard her voice, and saw the shin of her red glossy soft hair,

Ariel..I mean Rhyett. It can't f*****g be. Universe are you f*****g with me. If I didn't know any better I would say I'm definitely positively abso-f*****g-lutely in one of Beth's w*****d novels.

I almost choked and swallowed down the wrong pipe at the sight of her big blue eyes and laughing face.

I swallowed quickly and then coughed loudly to get my chest right.

"You okay?" Beth looked concerned placing her hand on my shoulder as Xander came up to greet me. "Yo, the main man. You missed a cool party this weekend." He said taking my hand and greeting me like we boys do and then Rhy smiled.

"Well if it isn't Jim Hawkins himself." She played and then I shook off my new found shock and almost death, and exhaled before giving her a tiny grin, but not big enough for Beth to start an argument with me again.

"You know each other?" She stared at me and then at Rhy as if she was missing something and she was,

"Yeah." Rhy said as she quickly realized that Beth and I were kinda together while she nervously began to fidget with a lock of her hair.

Fuck! Don't tell her we kinda flirted last night at my job, I'll be dead before lunch. Not only for flirting but also for not calling her when I got home and for ignoring her calls.

"He lives in the building across from mine. He told me to turn down my music last night. We exchanged a few words." She shrugged and then Beth shook her head as her curiosity died down as if she remembered that Rhy was right, she knew where Rhyett probably lived and knows where I lived too, so it must of made sense to her.

I looked at Rhy in a grateful manner for not getting me into trouble and she recognized my appreciation from my face.

"You didn't tell me you had a boyfriend!?" She said to Beth.

"We aren't technically dating," she paused to look at me and then smiled "but were getting there." And then she tangled her fingers into mine, holding my hand "but also I couldn't tell you about Maverick, you were too busy chatting up a storm with Xander we didn't really get time to catch up." She laughed.

"Yeah, I get that." Rhy shrugged and then Beth said "seeing that you and Xander are practically married, I should add you to our friend group chat, you'll meet the rest of our friends later. The ones that weren't at the party." Beth smiled and then we heard the bell ring as she typed on her phone and then said "done. Let's go babes I have a lot of people to introduce you too." She spoke to Rhy and then I took my new pack of cigarettes out,

Because s**t I needed to smoke.

"You're bleeding." Rhy pointed out as she noticed my finger had dry blood on it,

"Yeah I'm good." I quickly waved her off "Ima smoke first." I said as they wanted to walk towards the building and then I saw Zach my friend from study group pulling up "ima hang out with Zach for a minute, see y'all in class. Beth take notes for me."

"Sure." She rolled her eyes not happy to agree.

"Mavs, I got a plaster in my bag." Rhy spoke trying to scratch for it "it's in here somewhere." She searched and then I don't know why but I reached for her and grabbed her arm, gently to make her stop scratching, "Rhy, I said I'm good." My words came out in a cold tone. "You should go with them, see you around." I said sternly and then saw Zach waving at me before I had brushed past her,

leaving her in my ice, I didn't mean to be mean but her and I can't talk, I need to cut her off while I can, I can't afford to get close to her,

She was friends with Beth and I didn't want to f**k up what I had with Beth.

I can't.