Don't Believe Your Eyes (Part one)

"Is it terrible?" Davon asks, raking a hand through his hair, "I think it's the perfect medicine for you."

"How can you say that?" Kimberly shouts, eyes wide with hysteria, "Do you know what you've done?"

"Of course I do," his voice rings with mirth, "I concocted the potion, remember?"

"Why would you do this to me? You-you monster!" fresh tears make their escape, rushing down her face only to fall to the grey carpet below. My stomach twists in sympathy. I don't need to be told what happened, I've already figured it out.

"To help you, just as you asked," the innocent expression he's donned further sours my own. I don't see how what's done constitutes helping in any way.

"How is this helping?" She spits the question, which mirrors my own.

“You’ll fear those ‘negative’ thoughts for the rest of your life. You’ll force yourself away from them, terrified that they’ll spill into your waking life,” he tilts his head, his eyes dulled with boredom, “Am I wrong?”

“Well… no,” she steps closer, “But this wasn’t right. My homeroom teacher is dead because of you!”

“She’s dead because you wished it.” 

I flinch at his words, wondering how he can be so cruel. He’d seemed so playful, jovial last week. I’m shocked by the cold, serious side he is laying bare before me.

“That’s-”

“True,” he cuts her off, annoyance curving his lips and crinkling the bridge of his nose, “My potion makes all negative thoughts reality, it doesn’t pick and choose. Your death wish fell under negative, so it came to pass.”

“You didn’t tell me that!” she grips the front of his forest green shirt, dislodging the top button. My eyes zoom in of the thin wisps of brown that peak out from the fabric and I find myself imagining what he would look like if the remaining buttons were to…

His shirt snaps open, buttons scattering on the floor like loose marbles, revealing his hard chest and abs. Kimberly jumps back in surprise, as a slow smile creeps onto Davon’s face. His eyes sparkling, he gives me a sideways glance. I flush under its implications; did I do that?

He clears his throat, emotions draining from his face, “No, I didn’t. Common sense dictates that there would be a risk, it’s not my fault you didn’t consider them.”

“Yes it is,” I blurt out, then tighten my lips. I expect that icy expression to turn on me, instead he faces me with a half-smile.

“How so?”

“What do you mean ‘how so’? You-“ a raise of his hand silences Kimberly. No, it freezes her. 

My eyes are glued on her, she stands stark still beside him. Her hands are balled into fists, mouth parted to speak a word that doesn’t come. She looks like a statue, sculpted to display a moment of rage.

“I’ve stopped her time,” He explains, palm still facing her, “So we can talk.”

I shift in my spot as he draws closer, never allowing his arm to drop. I gather that he needs that hand aimed at her, which must mean his spell will end when it drops. I’m tempted to smack it down when he’s close enough, but once he is the idea fades into fades into nothing. I’m lost in the mossy green eyes, now noticing the sliver of silver that circles his iris’.

“Tell me, how am I wrong?” he asks, the soft murmur of his voice like a gentle caress to my suddenly aching flesh. I shiver, captured by the hunger he ignites within me, until he turns away.

“Don’t believe your eyes,” his voice is empty again, distant. It leaves me longing for his gaze, “If you find my personality dislikable, don’t fall prey to the sight of me.”

It feels like I’ve been slapped. He thinks me shallow and, with my behavior, I can’t deny it. But it hurts. I raise a hand to my heart, veering my gaze from the back of his head to that large, open window. I breathe in the scent of herbs, willing rationality back into my being.

“I won’t,” I tell him, pride giving an edge to my tone, “And you’re wrong because she doesn’t understand magic. She had no way of knowing this would happen,” I grab his arm, making him look at me. I fight off the instant pull of his gaze, forcing my way through the lustful haze as I continue, “She trusted you and you repaid that with deceit.”

Surprise lights his face, parting those tantalizing lips. He glances off to the side, shoulders slumping as though he’s just been reprimanded by his mother. The thought leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

“I didn’t deceive her, I told her it would help with her problem- it did. There’s no part of me that believes she will ever think the same way after this.”

“But you caused her pain,” I press, placing a hand on his cheek. Reluctantly, he meets my gaze, “Does no part of you feel bad about that?”

“It’s necessary,” his arm finally drops.

“Tricked me!” Kimberly finishes, startling me with her sudden reanimation.

Davon turns to her, leaving me to stare at his back. His broad shoulders look tense, telling me that my words had some affect. I wonder if I’ve hurt him? The thought is like barb wire around my heart, trapping me in regret even as reason tells me I should have none. I’m not wrong and he needs to know that, whether it hurts him or not.

“It can’t be remedied,” he tells her, stepping closer to the angry young woman, “Now, it’s time for my payment.”

“You won’t get a dime from me!” Kimberly fumes, standing her ground.

He takes hold of her chin, but I’m the only one taken aback. I wonder if he’s frozen her again, but a shift in my position shows me her cloudy gaze. 

“You put her in a trance?” I ask, appalled. How can he think it’s okay to mess with people like this?

He doesn’t answer me. Instead, he brings his lips closer to hers. Jealousy and disgust war within me. But those feelings are torn away to make room for shock, as black streams of smoke slither from her parted lips. 

They dance in the air between them, like a cobra being coaxed from a pot. Swaying to some song I can’t hear, they slip into Davon’s awaiting mouth where they’re swallowed up with a soft sigh.

“You can go now and forget this place ever existed,” he steps back, his gaze holding hers, “It will be like a dream to you and the fear you felt in it will remain. Negativity will never take hold of your thoughts again.”

She nods, then staggers to the door. I watch her with vested interest until the door closes behind her. I don’t understand, what did I just see? I look to Davon, sure that he knows my thoughts, but he doesn’t speak. He walks back into his home and I’m quick to follow.

“Aren’t you going to tell me what just happened?” I ask, chasing him into the living room.

He doesn’t stop until his feet are on the milky-way rug, then he gives me a curt, “Nope.” Before he falls through the fabric, vanishing.

“Davon!” I call out, running to the spot where he’d just stood. Nothing happens.

I silence the panic of my mind, assuring myself that he’s fine. He’s done this on purpose. Should I just wait him out? He’s bound to come back, from wherever, eventually. I bite my lip, staring down at the plush rug. I want to follow him, I don’t want him to just flee from me. I hear a ‘pop’ and then I’m falling.

Screaming, I trash around in a void. Twisting, turning, I reach out desperately into the darkness for something to grasp. Of course I find nothing, but still I try again and again. Light streams up, alerting me to the thing below me; a life-like painting which mirrors the rug which had swallowed me up.

“Davon!” I cry out, realizing the image is hurdling up toward me just as fast as I’m falling. 

The impact steals my breath, sending a shockwave of pain through my body. Tears sting my eyes as I try to push myself up onto hands and knees, only for a pair of hands to reach out from the picture. I’m pulled through it and into Davon’s arms. 

He cradles me as I sob, rubbing small circles between my shoulder blades he coo’s, “It’s alright, you’re alright.”

“It hurts.”

“I know, but it’ll pass,” he holds me closer against his warm chest, “Just breathe and will it away.”

I choke out, “I can’t,” burying my face in his shirt. 

“You can, trust me. You willed my shirt open, remember?” I can hear the smirk in his voice, it calms me; stabilizes my breathing. 

Though my lungs still shake with pain, I focus on the warmth of his body, the gentleness of his touch. Telling the pain to dissipate, I cling to him and breath in his scent; an incomparable mix of earthy-ness and spice. The pain fades as I relax in his embrace. Sleep claims me.