Witchery

Chapter 13

The next few days passes me by. 

Wednesday, I have an appointment at the hospital, but they are all satisfied with my progress, and I only spent a few hours, mostly with the physiotherapist. 

Thursday afternoon I, once again, am driven by Adriel to Ari’s apartment. Again, I see no Elise. I had, when I came back home after ballet class, tried to text her, but I still haven’t received a response. Deciding not to bring the matter up, unless Ari wants to talk about it, we chat about trivial matters like Ari’s favorite i********: model getting pregnant, how Ari cooked the baked potatoes we are eating, and how Sera is doing. I also tell her, I have texted with Tinka ever since our first encounter, and that Tinka has agreed to show up for Dancehall this evening. 

“That is great to hear. She is such a sweetheart. However, she’s had it rough lately. She really wants to become a professional ballet dancer, that is why she takes all the ballet classes she can. Her friends have all left for other cities, all on ballet scholarships, but she is still here.”

“But she was so good, why can’t she follow her friends?” I ask, frowning. 

“Because of her body.” Ari sounds very sad, admitting this. “They are very strict with which body types they pick when scouting professional ballet dancers. It is actually more important that you have the right body type than how good you are at dancing.” 

“But why?” I feel the anger creeping into my voice, hearing this. This sounds so unfair. 

“Because it is a really tough profession to pick. You retire when you are 42. Tinka’s body won’t hold as long as that. But it still sucks.” 

I nod, felling very sorry for her.

After dinner, I wear loose trackpants, after Ari’s advice, and a loose cropped top, and we head over the street to the dance studio. The receptionist greets us and points us towards one of the rooms on the first floor. I spot Tinka among the other students, standing outside a closed door. I hear faint, upbeat music coming from the room, and I can’t help but rock out to it a bit. I tap Tinka on her shoulder and she turns. Immediately, her face lights up. 

“Wow, you totally crept in on my, I can’t smell your wolf, it is so faint.” She greets me, while giving me a hug. 

“It is because my wolf is totally overpowering hers.” Ari grins, also giving Tinka a hug. 

We are soon led into the dance studio, after patiently waiting outside the entrance, letting the other class filing out. A lot of the people who has attended the other class, greets Ari, asking her why she is at the beginner’s class. 

“I am here with Esme today; she hasn’t tried it before.” 

“Oh hallo, I am Benjamin, I usually have the pleasure dancing next to Ari here.” A tall, sleek guy greets me. 

I notice his sly smile, his eyes covering every part of Ari’s body while talking to me, and I only hesitantly shake his hand. Ari and Tinka snorts as soon as he is gone with a few friends who had also introduced themselves. I roll my eyes, before following the girls inside the dance studio. 

This time the teacher is already in the room. She is a small woman, with a lot of curves, her dreadlocked hair pulled back in a ponytail. She is wearing a sports bra in bright red and matching, loose pants. 

“Welcome, chickas.” She smiles, waving all of us in. I notice only girls are in the room. 

“Is it a female only class?” I whisper to Ari, and she nods. 

“Welcome, welcome. Are you ready to dance with your Mama?” The dance teacher goes on asking. 

“To those of you who are new, I am Gabriella Jones, you can just call me Ella, and I am originally from Jamaica, where this lovely dance genre was, in fact, invented.”

I already love her energy, and hastily find a good spot, somewhere in the middle of the room, where I can see her clearly, Ari and Tinka following me.  

The class is very different from the ballet class I did earlier this week. But I have to admit, I am happy I took the ballet class first. Except for the sore muscles I’ve dealt with ever since, it really gave me more control over my own body.

The dancehall class starts with a warmup, where we repeat some of the basic steps in Dancehall, before Ella teaches us a new choreography. I do my best to keep up, but it is very fast and there are so many new impressions. Ari is shining, getting a lot of attention from Ella, even being invited to do the dance in front of everyone in the end with Ella, while Tinka is tasked with filming them. Afterwards, we are all split into smaller groups, everyone being filmed. 

“I’ll put the videos in the f*******:-group.” Ella brightly announces at the end of the class, telling me what to search to find the group. 

“That was so much fun.” I laugh, when Tinka, Ari and I go gathering up our stuff afterwards. I open up my bottle of water, drinking the rest of its contend. 

“I like this genre too, and Ella is amazing.” Tinka says. “But ballet is my heart.” 

She does a little, perfect pirouette in the exact same time as Ella walks by, laughing. 

“Oh, why are you still here, Tinka? Do you know how much I would pay to see you shine on the Royal Stage?”  

Tinka just laughs, and we wave her off. 

“Hey Esme, I was thinking, how would you feel about hanging out with me this Saturday? There is another beginner’s ballet class, we could do together, and then I could show you my favorite coffee bar.” Tinka picks up her back, looking over at me. 

I am just about to scream yes, when Ari stops me. 

“She can’t say yes to that just yet, Tinka, she has to talk to Adriel first.” She reminds both of us. I feel a bit upset with this comment from Ari, biting down my ‘yes’. I seem like a little kid, when I have to ask for his permission to see my friends. 

“Oh, that is true, you are still just a kid, and Adriel is overprotective as fuck.” Tinka just shrugs. We have made it out of the building, where Adriel’s black car is parked. 

“Just text me when you know.” She says, giving both of us a hug, before turning on her heals, sending Adriel a wave when she passes him. 

“This was so nice.” I repeat to Ari, and she happily nods, satisfied I enjoyed her favorite dance genre. 

“Let’s do it again sometime! Then I also have an excuse to avoid that pig Benjamin.” She laughs. 

“Yeah, he was quite disgusting.” I agree. 

Adriel rolls down the window, asking what is taking us this long. Ari gives me another hug, telling Adriel to say hallo from her to their mum, before heading over the street. I open the car door and get in, once again feeling very conscious of my sweaty self. 

“Don’t worry, you know I work out too, I know how you smell after exercising.” He laughs at my insecurity, before speeding up the car, making a rapid U-turn. 

Before heading around the corner, leaving the street with Ari’s apartment behind for good, I see the shadow of a girl, looking just like Elise, stumbling out of one of the bars further up the street, heading towards their building. I frown, but before I can make sure it was Elise, we turn around the corner. 

“Oh, by the way, Tinka asked if I wanted to join her for another ballet class this Saturday, and afterwards go with her to her favorite coffee bar. Would that be, ehm, possible?” I ask, not hiding my embarrassment that I actually have to ask for his permission. Adriel frowns, telling me he has to think the situation through. 

“But come one, I am a grown person.” I point out to him, crossing my arms. 

“Yes, but you are also a grown person in danger, and you are mine to protect.” Adriel brushes me off.  

“Will you at least think about it?” pouting my mouth just like Ariana does when she wants something, I make sure he notices my expression in the rear-view mirror. He sighs.

“Yes baby.”

“Fast?” 

He just rolls his eyes and I stare out of the car window, unsatisfied with his vague answer. 

When we make it home though, he grabs my wrist, stopping me from leaving the car. 

“Okay, you can go see her, but I’ll have to get the address of this café, and we’ll have to agree on a specific time for me to pick you up on.” 

First, I frown, visibly not happy with this idea, but then I take a big breath, letting my annoyance pass, accepting his terms. This is at least better than not going. Or having someone following me like a bodyguard. 

“I don’t want to see you upset baby, but this is security matters, and you gotta let me handle those.” He says, before leaning in, giving me a big, wet kiss. The rest of my irritation instantly leaves me, and I lean into his big arms. 

“I just forget about safety when I am with you.” I whisper when we break apart, our lips barely not touching. I can feel him smile against mine. 

“That’s my baby, you are always safe with me.” He whispers, before giving me one last kiss, letting me leave the car. 

As soon as I am in the house, however, I text Tinka, telling her I have time to see her Saturday, I just need the address details. 

After yet another visit at the hospital, finally being allowed to stop taking the antibiotics, Saturday finally arrives. I haven’t seen much of Adriel since he picked me up after dance class Thursday. Sera even ended up having to take me to the hospital, a very wobbly experience due to the fact that it was a few years since she lastly had been driving. However, her impulses were still sharp, and she even manage to outmaneuver a street-crossing cat. Adriel had called me afterwards, telling me he wouldn’t make it for dinner. Feeling slightly sorry for me, Sera had then agreed with going to a fast-food chain instead of cooking when hearing Adriel wouldn’t be over. It had been my first time eating fast food, and although I did love it while eating, I had to tell Sera she would have to keep my away the upcoming weeks, which she easily agreed on. 

The night between Friday and Saturday was the first time, I had slept without him too, and it had caused several nightmares. However, I still feel great because of today’s exciting schedule, and because I have missed him a lot. As soon as I hear his car pull up – and I notice I can distinguish that it is his car by now – I run to the entrance, just in time for him to open the door. 

“Adriel!” I exclaim, almost jumping at him. 

He laughs and takes me into his big arms, actually lifting me up, kissing me passionately on my mouth, then going on to kiss my chin, and my upper chest. I chuckle and wrestle myself loose, almost falling to the ground, had he not supported me. 

“Baby, I missed you, too, but please be careful.” He chuckles, taking off his shoes and jacket, following me to the kitchen, where I have made my first attempt of cooking scramble eggs and toasted bread for breakfast. A pretty good first attempt, if I do say so myself and I proudly tell Adriel, too. 

He sits down, immediately going for the coffee, yawning. Sera, who has been keeping an eye on the toasted bread while I ran to Adriel, comes over, smiling, and sits down too. She starts telling Adriel about last days event, mainly her driving all the way to the hospital. 

“I am so proud of both of you, my favorite women on Earth,” He chuckles before adding, “don’t tell Ari I said that though.” All of us laugh. 

“How was work?” I ask tentatively. 

“Tiring.” He admits, before loading a good chunk-full of scrambled eggs on top of his toasted bread with melted butter, telling me it smells deliciously. I follow suit, my mouth already running with water.  

“And it is like it isn’t the same sleeping at home anymore. It is like I sleep much better at the madras next to you.” He sends me a crooked smile, which I can’t help but reply. 

“I didn’t sleep too good either.” I admit. 

“Did you have, you know, another memory dream?” He asks worried, letting go of his fork, taking my hand.  

“No just the usual bad dreams.” Shrugging it off, I let go of his hand to take a bite of my own scramble eggs. Adriel returns to his own food, but still looks worried and a tad guilt-ridden. 

“I shouldn’t have left you alone. I am sorry babe, I just… I’ll tell you soon what I was up to.” 

This time I am the one letting go of my fork, intrigued. 

“Tell me what?” I press. 

“Not now babe, I need to be sure, before I tell you anything. And I want you to focus on your date with Tinka today.” He adds. 

I sulk for a bit, before letting the matter go, deciding he is probably right. I do want to enjoy this day to its fullest. 

“Esme and I were talking about going shopping next Tuesday, before she has to take her dance class. Then you don’t have to come home early to get her. And you can make it home at normal time next Friday.” She adds, eyebrows raised, before he gets to tell her that he doesn’t mind driving me. 

“Esme needs more stuff, and she has never had the experience of shopping before. At least as far as we know.” 

Finally, Adriel gives in, letting me go shopping with his mum, and I silently appreciate Sera’s convincing art, sending her a smile. 

Adriel also notices my good spirit, asking me why I am smiling this much today when I slept badly while we walk to his car after breakfast. 

“I don’t know, I just feel like I am finally doing something. That I can forget about… you know… just for some time at least.” 

“I understand babe, I think it is great.” He backs out the car but has only just made it to the end of the small road Sera’s house is situated on, before his phone rings. After putting in one of his ear plucks, he picks it up, talking while driving. 

“Lucas. What’s up?” 

I turn my head away from my newly made i********: account, intriguingly trying to listening in. 

“What? You sure?” 

I have to realise I can’t hear the even the slightest of what Lucas is saying. Sulking, I sit back in the car seat, looking down at my phone again. A picture of a girl with tattoos all over her body pops up on my feed. I stare at it, before following one of her hashtags used, looking at more people with tattoos. I indistinctly hear Adriel hang up the phone, and I turn to him. 

“Can I get a tattoo?” Again, feeling like a small child, I show him one of the tattoos of a sunflower on a woman’s upper arm. 

“Uhm, sure babe.” He answers, clearly not really paying attention. 

Instead, he calls up someone else, making them check through some files and contacting some guy, before finally turning his full attention to me. I have scrolled through the feed, and have actually just ended up downloading Pinterest, where I find a lot more inspiration on both tattoos, but also painting and dancing. 

“I have tattoos myself, baby, why would I be against you getting one?” He asks me. 

“I just figured I had to ask you permission for everything else. Also, I don’t even have a credit card or money for that matter.” 

I haven’t really thought about this before this morning where we discussed me going shopping with Sera, and the thought has been nagging in the back of my head ever since. 

“You can just borrow mine, silly.” 

Perfectly avoiding the other half of my sentence, he smoothly parks in front of the dance studio. Tinka is standing outside the door, since Adriel wouldn’t allow me to walk from the car inside the building without someone following me. And I was, for sure, not going to be followed in by him like a little kid. Which lead to me having to, embarrassingly, ask Tinka to wait for me outside the door. 

She waves at both of us, smiling brightly, and just as I am about to get out the door without further comment, letting him know that I am pissed at him, he grabs my wrist with one hand, pulling me back inside the car, holding my cheek with the other and kissing me intensely. And just like Thursday, my anger disappears like mist vanishes when the sun gets up. I send him a smile, getting out of the car, waving goodbye, before heading inside with Tinka. 

The ballet class is, once again, tough, and Tinka is doing amazing. This time, it is an elderly lady, named Sophie Justine, teaching, and she often has Tinka show the steps to the rest of the class, because she is too old to do them properly herself, as she explains. She is also very strict, but has a sense of humor, which Mr. Henderson was definitely lacking.  

After class, Tinka shows me downstairs in the building, where two locker rooms are situated. Tinka had asked me to bring normal clothes and a towel, and we hit the shower together. I feel a bit insecure about my thin body, but Tinka spends the entire shower complaining over her period, since she gets the cramps, but because she dances as much as she does, she almost never bleeds. 

“And you know, that’s f*****g unfair, right? I don’t bleed, but I still get the cramps? Like what the heck, that is f****d up, body.” She scolds down on her own body. 

“I actually haven’t had my period for as long as I can remember.” I say shyly, not even sure Tinka knows I only remember the last month of my life. 

“It is only natural, you know. If your body is put through something extreme or stressful, then you stop bleeding. Yes, Ari gave me a shortage of your life, I know what happened to you. At least the general situation.” 

I look down, not really sure I want to talk about it in here, naked in the shower. I can hear other people rummaging around outside as well. 

“Don’t worry, we don’t have to talk about it right now.” She says. “I was actually considering getting an IUD.” 

Easily taking the subject back to what we were talking about before, I look up at her quizzically. 

“What’s an IUD?” I ask, unsure. 

“Oh but girl, have you been living under a rock? Just kidding, I know you have. Okay sorry I am being mean now; it is a birth control paraphernalia.”  

“How does it work?” I interestingly ask. 

I know this is yet another thing I should probably consider before having s*x with Adriel. 

“Well it is either made of cobber or with hormones. The one with hormones also helps you stop bleeding, I believe. In most cases anyways.” 

She ventures on to explain how it is put up inside your uterus, which I definitely think sounds very unpleasant. Tinka agrees, explaining that’s why she still haven’t gotten one herself. 

“But are you just getting birth control to control your period. Or are you having s*x with someone?” On one hand, I feel bold asking such a question, but on the other hand, she isn’t holding back. By now, we have both left the shower, drying our bodies, before heading to our lockers to change clothes. I’ve picked a silky baby blue dress, a bit similar to the one, Ari was wearing the other day. I’ve paired it with a grey hoodie to play it down a bit and black boots. 

“Uh I like that dress.” Tinka says, taking out a short, dark brown skirt, long, leather boots, and a tight, red shirt to go with. I realise neither of us has seen the other in anything but dance clothes. 

“But no, I am not having s*x these days. I had a boyfriend once, but he left to go to another city. He is a ballet dancer, too. Our contact got rocky after a few months and we decided to leave at that. It seems like he is living his best life now.” She shrugs, but I can tell she isn’t feeling too good about it. 

“We just have to find you a new, sweeter, more supportive one.” I tell her, sticking my elbow in her side, before heading to the mirror, blow-drying my hair and putting on my mascara, filling up my eyebrows. 

“How did you know he wasn’t supportive?” She asks, laughing, before following suit, her own makeup out. 

“I could just tell.” I answer, sending her a smug smile.

“Oh stop it. I am the one teasing people, not the other way around. What about you and your boyfriend, huh? He is a handsome one.” She winks at me and I blush. 

“No, we haven’t. I haven’t even considered birth control yet.” I admit. 

“I guess a condom could just fix it. Although I was on the pill when I was with Justin. What happened to your eyebrow? If I may ask.” 

“Oh, this?” I point to the missing part of my left eyebrow. “It is my thing, part of my look.” 

“No f*****g way.” 

“Okay, okay, no I actually have no idea how it happened.” I admit. 

She laughs at my bad attempt to make a joke. We pack up our stuff, and, leaving the dance studio, we only have to walk down a few streets, before locating her favorite coffee bar, which turns out to be insanely cozy. They even serve pink colored coffee.

Once we have received our coffee orders, with cake on the side, we sit down among the many plants hanging down from the ceiling. 

“So, open up to old granny Tinka, tell me more about what happened to you.” Tinka asks while picking at her chocolate muffin. 

I hesitate for a second, before explaining how I can only remember being locked up in the apartment for two, terrible weeks. How Adriel found me, how we mated, and how he has taken care of me ever since. I explain the hospital, how I started having weird dreams about my past, and how I eventually went to see Lena. As I talk, I feel tears pressing my eyelids, threatening to roll over my cheeks. A chill runs down my spine, when I think of the Warlock.

“Oh Lena, she is one of my mum’s best friends. I really like her! Would never go through therapy with her though, she’s a bit scary.” 

I can only agree, even though it had felt great to tell someone about all my thoughts. I haven’t even had a panic attack ever since. 

“So, what did you dream?” 

I tell her I figured out the Warlock killed my mum, this time not being able to stop the tears from silently running down my cheeks. Tinka gently pats my hand, when she sees my tears, and I see her gentler, carrying side. 

“But come on, let’s not just talk about me and my sad, short life.” I insist, wiping away my tears. “Tell me a bit about you? Like, who are your parents, and do you have any siblings?” 

“Well I have pretty amazing parents, my mum is a bit of a hero, actually. She had an accident when she was pregnant with me, that is why I look like I do.” 

“What kind of accident?” 

“Well, she was forced to transform into her wolf, when I was not even 12 weeks in her stomach. This normally causes you to lose the child, but I guess I was stubborn.” She laughs a bit. 

“What forced her?” 

“There was a fire in the kindergarten, she works in, and she had to transform to be able to save all the children. I really don’t blame her for this.” 

“Wow.” I stare at her, dumbfounded. A chill runs down my spine, her mum is so heroic. Tinka just shrugs. 

“She did what anyone would do, I am sure.” 

“What does your father do, then?” 

“He mostly has pack duties. I am not sure exactly what the boss has going on, but it is all very secretive.” 

It takes me a moment to figure out she refers to Adriel as ‘the boss’, and I can’t help but smile a bit. 

“Then I have a big brother, he mostly helps my dad. And a younger brother, he’s just started college, studying medicine.” 

“Wow that is really an impressive family.” 

“Well thanks. I guess that is my problem, really. They all do these amazing things, and here I am following a long-lost dream.” 

“You mean becoming a professional dancer?” I silently ask.  

“Exactly. So, I have finally made the decision to also go do a university degree.” 

“Oh wow, okay. What degree?” 

“Physical Education, I think. It is the most fitting one.” 

“You know what, if that is not what you want to do, then you shouldn’t do it.” I blurt out all of a sudden. 

“You shouldn’t measurer yourself with your brothers, they have different lives. And if this helps, I think you are really impressive too! You are an amazing dancing and you have already proven to be a great friend. And you are funny too, by the way."

She laughs, before looking me into my eyes, saying: 

“This is all very sweet, I just wished you could tell yourself the same thing.”