Masked

xii.

xii. Emerald

I wiped the sweat of my brow as I prepared breakfast for the restaurant. Though I assisted Raphael, he gave me free reign for the breakfast. We worked together for lunch and dinner and desserts were either or. Though I liked cooking just about any food amongst breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert- my favorites were breakfast and desserts. 

As I finished this plate for a customer, I place it on the going out window, the waiter on the other side instantly taking it. As I moved onto the next dish, I was suddenly pulled away from my working trance. 

"Chef Emmy," one of the prep cooks said. He easily gained my attention as I washed my hands to work on the next dish. "You have a call."

I scrunch my brows together in confusion, wondering who could possibly be contacting me at work nonetheless. Drying my hands on a cloth, I make my way to the phone, taking whoever it was off hold. 

"Bonjour," I say. 

"Emerald," says the person on the other line. I grew confused when I heard her voice. 

"Malena? What's wrong?"

"You need to leave France," she says quickly, making me even more confused. 

"What? Why?" 

"Your brothers were tipped off and they are on their way there."

"What?!" I scream, gaining some attention. "Who tipped them off?"

"I am not sure but they haven't left yet but they will. You don't have that much time, you need to leave- now." 

I hung up with nothing left to say, shocked that my brothers had actually found me. Who would've tipped them off? Who here would've known about my secret? Running my hand through my hair that was tied up in a bun, I quickly pull my jacket on. The urgency in her voice let me know that I couldn't delay this, no matter how much I wanted to. I love France, I love what I do in France. But call it a witch's instinct to know when something was truly wrong. I trusted Malena and knew she would never stir me wrong, not just because I'm supposedly this high power that she claims but because she was my friend. 

As I was leaving the kitchen, I pumped into the man himself: Raphael. Leaving him was probably going to be very hard for me, not because we were ever romantic but he was a good friend. Ever since I learned about the world of cooking and knowing how famous he was, it was a dream (in the duration of a couple months) to work for him and I got to accomplish that. 

"Emmy," he says smiling softly. "Où allez-vous? C'est la ruée du matin (Where are you off to? It's morning rush)?"

"Uh... Je ... je ne me sens pas bien (I... I don't feel well)" I respond, coming up with a quick excuse.

"Est-ce que tu vas bien? Maintenant que vous le dites, vous avez l'air pâle (Are you alright? Now that you mention it you look a little pale)." His aura instantly showed concern, a light shade of orange somewhat encasing him. 

"Je vais aller bien. J'ai juste besoin de me reposer (I'll be okay. I just need to rest)."

"Prenez tout le temps dont vous avez besoin. (Take all the time you need)" 

He smiles softly while squeezing my shoulders, heading into the kitchen not too long after that. I sigh as I continue to leave the restaurant, a place that I will couldn't return to because I couldn't risk whoever tipped off my brothers seeing me. 

My flat was a couple blocks from the restaurant but I didn't have the time to walk. I walked to a nearby alleyway and teleported into my living room. Having mastered this from Jemma, I couldn't help but enjoy using it sometimes. I tried to regulate how often I used it, not wanting to tip someone off or cause chaos. 

Looking around the flat that I called home for the past three months, I sighed. I hadn't fully made this place my home but it was in the process of being something. Not wasting any time, I go to my wardrobe and open it up, pulling out a suitcase from the side of it and placing it on my bed open. With just a simple movement of my index and middle finger, my clothes and accessories from my dresser begins to go into the suitcase. I didn't have to worry about it not fitting because somehow it always did. 

As it was finishing up, I went to my living room to get my cloak that had a hood on it. I was capable of packing everything but one thing, one very important thing, kept nagging me. Where was I going to go? It would be one thing if I could stay with Jemma here but that was far too risky, I didn't want to bring danger to her or her husband who welcomed me in so easily after my training. But there I was working up the money to eventually move out, which I did, and now I was here where I was paying my own rent. 

I had money, that was a fact, but no place to start over. Frustratingly pushing my fingers through my hair that I had taken out of it's bun, I walk over to my herbs, potions, and spell book shrink it to a small size to fit in my crossbody purse. 

"Ah good, you're packing," says a voice behind me. 

"Almost done actually," I say, turning around to face Jemma. "Slight problem."

"What's that?"

"I have nowhere to go," I say. "I can't stay with you and can't back to Malena's, I'm practically homeless."

"Did you really think you were going to leave Italy without a place to go to?" I looked at her, Jemma possibly already knowing the answer. "Don't worry about that, I have it covered."

"That's the thing, I love your hospitality and without it, I'd surely be in the captives of my brothers again, but you've done so much for me as it is."

"Emerald, you have to understand that this isn't seen as something that's too hard for me. It's an honor for me to do this for you."

"As you and Malena keep telling me... I just wish I knew why."

"You do know why- you just haven't come to terms with it yet. In time." She smiled softly at me. "Anyways, let's get your suitcase and we can portal are way to the apartment."

"Exactly where is this apartment?"

She smiles widely at me. "Don't worry, you'll love it."

With a motion of her finger, she soon had my suitcase in her hand and was beginning to get the portal to teleport us to wherever it was she was taking me. But I stopped her.

"Wait," I say, her stopping the portal. "I have to do something first... I know I have to go pronto but I can't leave randomly, people will be looking for me."

"I'll just defer attraction, we'll-"

"No," I interrupt. "I can't risk my brothers stumbling across you. I have to erase myself."

"What do you... you're going to pull people's memory of you. As if you didn't exist." I nod my head. "Can't say that that's not a smart idea. This way people won't be too suspicious."

"Yeah and maybe I can take the memory of whoever tipped off my brothers."

"One can hope."