Witchly Ever After

Chapter twenty-five

Avoiding seeing Aunt Charlotte, I decided to leave throughout my window and meet with Jiao Long. I walked down the stairs and didn't see Aunt Charlotte. Which would be the last thing I need considering how awkward that would be. 

Jiao Long was standing outside scrolling through his phone. I greeted him and returned it. It would be nice to go out for a run and go back doing that since I was spending several weeks in bed. 

"Thanks for coming out with me, Rowan." Jiao Long said, "Sorry if it seems a little silly for me to ask you to come because I don't like the dark." 

"It's nothing to be ashamed about." I smiled, "It's been a while since I have been out on a run, and it's going to help me take my mind off of things."  

"Well since you and I are both out here, let's go out on the trial and walk instead of going out for a run like you and I both had planned." Jiao Long offered.

I nodded and started to walk with Jiao Long down the path, leading into the woods. We walked in silence, our path only lit by the moon and the sound of the occasional owl hooting. Honestly, it was creepy. Whenever Jiao Long and I heard a rustle, he and I would jump and Jiao Long took out his wand, pointing at it through the trees. Coming to find out that it was a bug. 

Jiao Long and I talked to each other about things like what is our outcome of capturing Arthur and what will happen if we fail. If succeed, Grimmdale will live in peace and not worry about Arthur. If we fail, there would be no Grimmdale left.  

Jiao Long seemed to notice my worry about what would happen if Arthur wins, so he brought up the conversation of why I came out here in the first place. That was something I hope he wasn't going to talk about.

"So you said that you came out here to take away from something else." Jiao Long spoke, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really." I muttered, "It'll sound silly."

"Come on Rowan, humor me." Jiao Long laughed.

"Do you really want to know?" I asked, blushing in embarrassment.

"Well you won't feel any better if you don't." Jiao Long smiled.

 Should I just lie to him and say that I'm upset about what happened between my aunt or that I am just worried about what Arthur has planned? I mean he is going to be able to tell that something else is bothering me.

I started to walk ahead, "You know what, it's not that serious, I'll get over it."

Jiao Long and I kept walking and talking about the small stuff like what do we want to do once all of this Arthur mess is over. I told Jiao Long that I want to work to be a fashion designer like mom and help her out in her shop until I can get into a fashion school. Jiao Long wanted to be a graffiti artist. I found that to be surprising.

"Why a graffiti artist?" I asked, "Not that there's anything wrong with it, I just expected you to say something involving sports."

"It's something sentimental to me." Jiao Long smiled, "When I was living in the orphanage, I spent a lot of time with people out in the street rather than the other kids. They were the ones who didn't care about my powers. Street art was almost on every block. A person who was like the older brother I wish I had, gave me a spray can and was in awe with what I made." 

"You must be gifted then." I said, "Have you done other designs?"

"I designed my tattoo and took it to a tattoo artist." Jiao Long replied, "I also did-"

"You have a tattoo?" I interjected, my mouth agape. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"To be fair tattoos aren't allowed at school, so I had to keep it hidden." Jiao Long stated.