Goodbye Normal (12 page)

“I have heard so much about you including tales about your rare eyes, which I must say are very stunning, the last time I saw a black person with those, was in a movie by aamh..”

“There quiet a number of them actually, Stacey Dash, Vanessa Williams, the dude ammh..” Zoe listed.

“Michael Ealy.” Liz pulled through.

“Exactly!” Zoe exclaimed as she pointed a fork at Liz.

“They are pretty on you.” George marveled.

“Well, thank you. Your quiet a charmer yourself, though I cannot say the same about hearing lots about you.” Zoe said throwing an accusing eye at Liz.

“Owwkayy.” Liz declared and pulled George’s chin to her with her finger “eyes back on me tiger. I will reap the both you if you keep testing my patience.”

“She is a keeper.” George declared with a smooth laugh.

“I don’t blame her. So where’re you from George? Clerktown or Goldberry.”

“Actually I’m not from anywhere In Desolia. Am from a very small town in Alabama, called Clay, you heard of it?”

“Not really.”

“I told him Doomsberg is literally New York for him.” Liz japed.

They chuckled in unison “A small town guy huh, Doomsberg suits you perfectly.” Zoe concluded.

“I already feel at home.” he smiled, glaring at Liz adorably straight in the eye. “I guess this wizard cast a spell on me.”

It was a joke, she took it as one, But her eyes had suddenly flickered at the mention of wizard. George looked back at her and she smiled meekly, disguising the meek smile with admiration for them.

“But I don’t have an interesting life. Unlike you, Plus I hear you’re into dangerous stuff.”

“Don’t you guys have anything else to talk about?” Zoe jeered.

“No we just covered up every important base.” Liz chuckled up a defense.  

“Glad to know am important, And point of correction George, am not into dangerous but into different stuff.”

“Interesting, what kind a
different
are we talking about here? like aamh…” he paused looking around for an example “him different?” he pointed outside the window. A gothic teen was walking past the restaurant.

“Different doesn’t have to be scary! It’s either extraordinary or just not popular, for example I went to palm street last week.”

“Isn’t that a scary and dangerous part of the town?” George looked both surprised and interested.

If he’d asked that question on the very night she’d probably shudder. Right now she was over it and past that phase.   

“Yes. But I went there for the scenery. I was doing a personal fun time photo shoot. There are quite great views out there; I will send you the photos.” She offered glancing at Liz who was nodded her nose in the juice glass.

“I want them too.” George pouted.

“You will get them”

“So there is nothing to be scared of out there.”

“None that I know of, I may be walking with an angel.”

“You sure are. One of these days I will borrow you and your angel for a tour in the dark side.”

“Be my guest” Zoe accepted with half a laugh.

“So what’s your deal with Doomsberg… other than stealing best-friends” Zoe pestered shifting her regard to Liz.

George chuckled, but before he could answer her, Joe interrupted him.

“George, need some help.” Joe’s big voice called out to him.

“Hold the thought, will be back.” He placed another peck on Liz, whispered something flushable in Liz eye then strode away.

Zoe turned to greet George. He saw her and Joe smiled fondly.

“Ooh hi kiddo”

“Hey Joe, this is the last time. Won’t answer to that ever again” she threatened.

“I’ll keep note. Welcome, I don’t see much of you these days. Where have you been hiding?”

“All sorts of places, am touring Desolia.”

“Good luck with that. Am off touring my kitchen” Joe said disappearing into the hotness.

Zoe chortled humorously then restored her attention to Liz.

“Wow” Zoe raised her brows.

“I know…jackpot!” Liz sung.

“He is so considerate; I thought I’d be surfing eBay just to keep from drowning in my loneliness.”

“Very considerate of him huh.”

“Yeah, you guys must talk all the time.” she assessed

“We do, he is actually more talkative.” Liz informed with a chuckle.

“Am glad you are happy.” She looked really happy

“Yea, I just hope it doesn’t go away soon.” she said dreamingly.

The look on Liz’s face had more emotion than her voice, she looked so hopeful.

“So you guys are like serious or something?”

Liz shrugged “I don’t know, I just wanna enjoy this for now. This time I don’t want to get ahead of myself. The fewer the promises the lesser the expectations.”

“Good strategy soldier, another one of your theories huh?”

“Something like that.”

“Kudos girlfriend and careful, I’ll start confusing you with Harriet Turk.” Zoe quipped.

“You know how they say experience is the best teacher. Gosh, I now sound like my father, but it’s how it is.” Liz eat a piece of strawberry “Enough about me. Tell me your dirty little secret.”

Liz, two weeks ago I found out that am a wizard, how about that! She looked at her thinking, if only it was that easy.

“And who said I have a secret?” Zoe asked muzzling a laugh.

“You do, so spill the beans before I choke them out of you.”

“No need to get aggressive tigress.”  

Liz looked at her with brows arched high and held her fork mid air. Waiting.

“I received a white on red rose bouquet from-”

“Josh?” Liz interrupted.

“That’s right, and he wants to be friends, sent me a forgiveness note aand that’s about it.”

Liz pressed her lips momentarily then said “I think you should forgive him.”

“Why?” Zoe was surprised; she hadn’t expected that from her, not Liz of all people.

“First because it’s not like he cheated on you, and you told me yourself he barely remembered you. I know what he did was rude but nonetheless forgivable and you may never know what he has been through all this time.”

“Alabama boy must be a wisdom charm too.”

“Am serious Zow” Liz said ignoring the sarcasm.

 She groaned “I know, I thought about that too. The poor thing must have gone through a lot of straining to finally remember me, and find my house Anyway mom also says I should do the same thing”

“You see, that is the adult move to make, we are not in high school where it’s okay to hate on someone’s mistakes for the whole year around. We are grown ups and we should act as such.” Liz smiled jabbing another fruit with her fork.

“I’m loving the rehabbed you.” Zoe acknowledged, with her fruit full fork in midair.

“Kudos to rehab.” she smiled beautifully her eyes on George who was winking at her.

“Okay I’ll call him tonight.” she acceded.

 Liz was busy getting smoldered by her waiter boyfriend to hear what she said. Zoe turned to look at George who was also staring back at Liz. She felt out of place.

“I guess am not needed here any longer.” she concluded, gathering her belongings.

“What did you say?” Liz shook her head, her attention back on her.

“I got to go. I decided I will talk to Josh tonight.” Zoe informed her standing.

“Okay, that’s good. I call you later.”

Zoe nodded, searched around for George who had disappeared into the kitchen.

“You’ll tell Joe and George that am out and tell him. It was a pleasure.”

“Liz nodded with perched lips.

Zoe walked out of Joe’s feeling sorry for her poor self. A peculiar sense of loneliness and envy was suffocating her. She wouldn’t deny that she also felt an ounce of jealousy for George. Liz was her confidant and best friend with all that she was going through she needed her company more than ever. But as much as she would have loved to get selfish with her, wouldn’t deny her the happiness she seemed to be experiencing.

She understood first hand that the consequences and distractions caused by hanging around newly lovebirds. She would end up feeling depressed and proceed to dating the first guy she meets on the road.

Thinking about it, she decided to do just that with the first one that came on her mind.

      
Hey Josh, this is my number,

       Hope to see you tomorrow.

She smiled mischievously at the ‘sent’ alert and proceeded to her car. Her emotional stand towards Josh was an incredulous super funny phenomenon. Ever since the photo shoot incident, her perspective of the whole subject had taken a grave turn. She wasn’t as enthused about the idea as she had been. If the same number had been to her disposal two months ago she probably be staring at it all day. It seemed like nothing was as she hoped or thought it would be. Practically Nothing.

 She was just about certain that nothing else could surprise her at that moment. Pertaining the message was already sent, it was about time she saw the glamorous side of friendship.

Just when she was about to get into her car, another one came blocking her exit. She turned furiously only to see Gigi’s smiling face waving at her. Oh no! Witch-hood here we go.

She smiled genuinely happy to see her in spite of the obvious initial dislike. She walked towards her, wondering what spell brought Gigi to her.

“Hey how did you track me?”

“Your GPS must be on.” Gigi pointed at Zoe’s phone which was tightly clenched in her palm.

“Oh” she unconsciously glanced at her phone. You wizards also use technology? She wanted to add that, but it would sound rude, it’s not like she came to her naked on a broomstick. 

“We have a problem Zoe, get in the car. We need to talk.”

Zoe half smiled to the memory of the same words, we need to talk. Only that this time she was the problem, last time she was like the apparent solution. She stopped hating, automatically looked her car and perched her body into the seat next to Gigi. Gigi started the car and Zoe looked at her stunned.

“Where are we going?”

“To meet your mentor.” Gigi replied sharply, her face on the road.

“But…but the week is not over yet.” she sounded sad and looked despondent.

 She needed a little more time to be normal. She wanted to meet her mentor but all that commotion felt final and way sooner than planned. She needed to feel prepared. Although in truth it was just 3days earlier.

“What is going on” she asked bleakly, watching Gigi’s serious face turn to her.

“I know you know that my father is a cop right?”

“Yes, we met.”

“Well, and I know that you went to palm street last week”

“What? Are you guys following me?” a slap of anger jerked her neck to Gigi.

“No, but it looks like we should. You didn’t think about your repercussions? The guys you defended yourself against with your magic have been talking around”

“But, how did they know it was me?” she was now meek and panicked.

“Zoe, not any which has those powers, most of us have to be joined in a ritual circle to channel that much energy. In any case getting pushed magically fifteen feet away doesn’t happen every day, not even to gang boys.”

“Oh my God, so what kinda trouble am I in? am I going to jail or something.”

“No. My father is taking care of it. Am not sure how he’ll pull it off, but we hope he comes up with something positive.”

“Oh thank God.” She breathed.

“Listen carefully,” Gigi eyed her briefly and tilted back to the road. “This town has two kinds of witches, those who practice harmless magic and those who practice dark magic, which is harmful. Our coven practices harmless magic. But you already know that we are fighting against those who practice dark magic. They have this crazy theory that, to them the magic we practice is no magic and it’s like abusing the essence of magic itself. They want to destroy us and they want this town to be occupied by witches who practice dark magic only.”

She stopped there after seeing the horror on Zoe’s face.

“So what am I supposed to do? Zoe asked confusion swirling in her head. It was all happening too fast.

“It’s about time you meet you mentor, so that we could finally protect you from getting harmed.”

“Who will harm me? And how?”

“The believers of dark magic are very powerful and they also have an immortal but powerless king, his name is Darkeel. He has lived for over 400 years, right here in Desolia. He was the founder of the island and never wanted invasion until the 1
^st
coven panel convinced him otherwise.”

“This is too much for me, what am I supposed to do huh? So am supposed to fight this Darkeel? I am supposed to fight an immortal man who has lived for 400 years, I am 18 for god’s sake couldn’t you find a better match” It was bad timing for sarcasm but she couldn’t help it.

“We are all fighting Darkeel and his black coven, this is our war not your war.”

“I don’t think I can do this” Zoe resigned, feeling the heaviness over her shoulders.

“Zoe, please learn to trust yourself. You are not doing this for me, but for all the families out there and which include both gifted and ungifted. It is a huge burden, that I know but you should understand that, with it you are creating a better Desolia, and a safer home for your friends and family” Gigi convinced.

Zoe was quiet for a while, trying to digest her fate. It was happening too fast, the pace was relentless. Will she be able to keep up, wont she crumble and fall? .How do they trust her that much? Weren’t there any other alternatives?

“Isn’t there any other way?” she asked feeling no strength in her tone.

“Actually there is. Apparently it involves a lot of bloodshed, just like what your history books tell you about Desolia in the early 19
^th
century.” Gigi said wistfully. She suddenly stopped the car and turned to face her. Breathing out heavily, she leveled her dark green eyes to Zoe’s doubtful blue ones. She looked exasperated.

“Zoe you are a brave girl. That is something you have to fish inside of you. You are destined to help us keep peace in our world. And you just can’t run away from that. You are not alone okay, but you are our key weapon” Her tone was filled with an urgency that was compelling but her last remark got her quivering.