Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It was 7 in the morning when the von Stein family left for Aldcoast. It was a 3-hour drive, and TJ was unusually fresh. She was not really a morning person, but maybe it had to do with seeing Asher the first thing in the morning and kissing him, of course.

Although TJ insisted, Asher said that it would be weird being in the car with her when no one can see him. He said it would be another level of being creepy and stalkerish. TJ just laughed, and Asher said he would see her soon, and disappeared to wherever.

After 3 hours, TJ's father stopped the car in the parking of a very old-looking inn. TJ was bewildered, it didn't look like Aldcoas. Were they stopping before? She didn't believe her parents would be hungry after the heavy breakfast they had.

"Why are you taking the stuff out?" TJ asked as her father took out all her bags from the boot of the car.

"You'll see," He said cryptically, and TJ groaned loudly, but helped her father in picking up her baggage. It wasn't much, just a suitcase, a duffel bag, and her camping bag.

As they entered the inn, TJ was more creeped out with the inside than the outside. The floor creaked underneath as they walked. The paint on the wall was chipping out. There were cobwebs on every corner, and there was a strange coldness around the place. TJ shivered a little as her parents walked towards the reception where an old man stood, smiling a toothy smile, but with much fewer teeth.

"Alastair, good to see you!" TJ's father greeted the old man.

"Theodore!" The old man, Alastair, recognized him.

"Yes, and this is my wife. You remember Arabella?" Her father asked. Alastair nodded his head with happiness, looking at Arabella.

"Of course. You both were inseparable. Still are it seems," Alastair smiled, and both Theodore and Arabella blushed. TJ smirked, this was fun.

"You must be their daughter," Alastair assumed as he gave TJ a calculative look.

"Yes," TJ held out her hand, "I'm TJ, nice to meet you," She greeted him, and he took her hand. As they shook hands Alastair's expression changed, and he pulled away from her hand slowly.

"TJ?" Alastair questioned with a raised eyebrow and looked at TJ's attire which consisted of a t-shirt torn at the hem, and sleeves, and ripped jeans.

"Tiffany Josephine. She prefers TJ," TJ's mother answered, and Alastair's eyes widened.

"How old are you TJ?" Alastair asked TJ who just looked at him with a frown.

"I'm seventeen. I'll turn eighteen this October," TJ told him, and Alastair looked like he would dance with joy.

"Is she...?" He asked hesitantly, looking at Theodore and Arabella who nodded in sync. TJ was getting more and more confused with every passing minute.

"What are you guys talking about?" TJ asked.

"Nothing, sweet child. I see you are a late bloomer, just confirming with your parents," Alastair answered with a smile, TJ nodded.

TJ wasn't satisfied, she thought there was something that her parents, even Alastair was hiding.

"Oh, I forgot. Let me get you to your rooms," Alastair said, suddenly remembering that he was at the reception of the inn.

Alastair dinged the bell in front of him and a tall, lean boy of almost TJ's age came to the desk.

"I hope this time you are calling me for something useful, not scratching your back, or finding your teeth," The guy said in a bored voice.

"Show the guests their room, Lee," Alastair said with a huff, clearly offended by Lee's comment.

Lee looked at the family in front of him with a bored expression, TJ thought maybe his face was like that.

"Alright, follow me," Lee said and picked up all of TJ's luggage with ease.

TJ's eyes widened, and she looked at her parents who didn't seem fazed by what the boy just did.

What was he? Some sort of Hulk? The guy didn't even have muscles, he looked nerdy just like Bren. She looked at Alastair with a, 'what the hell?' look he shrugged and carried on with what work he was doing before they arrived, that is, sitting and doing nothing.

TJ followed her parents and Lee to the left of the creepy reception. Her eyes couldn't believe what she saw next. The place resembled a freaking five-star hotel as she saw in the movies. There was a red carpet spread that looked very soft. The woodwork was neatly polished, and the walls were engraved with an intricate design. There were 2 chandeliers in the corridor. It had only two rooms in front of each other.

There were 4 floors from what TJ could see from the circular, marble staircase. Their room was on the ground floor. TJ was a bit disappointed to not be able to use the stairs. She realized that the inn looked rather small from the outside, but it was huge within.

Lee opened the door of the room, bending his head as he went inside the room. Her parents followed him with no expression of awe for the place, and TJ guessed that they came here too much to have such a response. She remembered her parents and Alastair saying that she was a late bloomer, maybe everyone was in the academy since they were kids.

TJ gasped as she went inside the room, which was more like a suite. The suite looked like a lavish 2 BHK apartment. The floor was carpeted, there was a well-equipped kitchen, a huge living room with a big flat screen T.V, and a balcony. There were two rooms opposite each other, and Lee informed TJ that the bathrooms are attached to their respective rooms. Her parents chose the room on the right of the apartment looking hotel room, and Lee put all the luggage in the other room.

When Lee left, her mother patted the space on the couch beside where she sat, and TJ plopped down in between her parents.

"What's up?" TJ asked her parents.

"We thought it would be a bit odd for you...," Her father said, gesturing the whole room.

"Yeah, it's odd. I mean did you see that guy? How did he even pick those bags? And what is this place?" TJ said, her voice filled with awe, and her mother chuckled.

"This place is the place from where we can enter Aldcoast," Her father said, and TJ looked at him with confusion. "This inn acts as a middleman. Whenever somebody has to come to Aldcoast or go from there to any place, they commute through here. Unless they have some teleportation powers, then it's unnecessary," He explained, TJ nodded.

"So this is like the transporting telephone booth and toilets in Harry Potter?" TJ asked. Her mother made a face.

"Yes, but in a much less disgusting way," She scrunched up her nose, TJ chuckled. "To answer your second question, Lee just seems like that, but the boy can even pick up heaviest monster trucks," Her mother told TJ.

"You know him?" TJ asked incredulously, how old was the boy? Her mother nodded.

"Yeah, he's been working with Alastair to run this place for...over a decade I think," Her mother told TJ who looked at her with wide eyes.

"Wait, how old are Alastair and Lee?" TJ asked, and her mother looked at her with amusement.

"Aging is different for Enchanters like us, TJ" Her father explained, and TJ turned towards him, listening to what her father told her, very curiously. "On an average, 5 years of human aging will show as only 1 year of age for us as we gain full control of our powers. We Enchanters tend to live longer, and healthier than normal humans too. Not quite immortal, but we have a prolonged life span," Her father explained, and TJ was in awe.

"That means if you both gained your powers when you were 10, and you are 37 right now, then you must be around 200 years or something!" TJ exclaimed in horror as she calculated in her mind, and her parents laughed.

"No you silly girl," Her mother laughed. "We are not 200 years old. We are really 37, your father is just messing with you. Alastair is an Evergreen, and Lee is his grandson that's why they age a bit slower than everyone else. They also have like some superhuman strength unlike us," Her mother told her, giving a stern look to her husband, and TJ joined her, but it was no use, he was still laughing like a maniac.

"You really believed me!" TJ's father exclaimed as he sobered up from all the laughing.

"Uh... I really hate you. I thought you guys were 200 years old!" TJ shouted, and crossed her arms over her chest, and pouted.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I never got anyone to mess with so I loved messing up with you. But it's the truth, though. We Enchanters don't look our age," He said with a smile, and TJ stuck out her tongue at him playfully.

Theodore von Stein couldn't believe what he just saw, his daughter was acting childish and smiling. It was a year since he saw her like this. She wouldn't talk much, not go anywhere except for practice or Nat's place. They saw her only when she came down to eat. Asher's death had a huge effect on her. She became a whole new person since he left.

"Sweetie, are you alright?" Theodore asked her, and TJ furrowed her brows.

"Yeah, of course, I am. Why?" TJ asked.

"Nothing, it's just different seeing you all playful, and not cynical and cold," Theodore explained, and TJ nodded slowly.

A sudden expression of hesitation appeared on her face which Arabella caught immediately.

"What is it?" Arabella asked. TJ fiddled with her thumbs.

"Uh...actually...I saw Asher," TJ told them hesitantly. Both of the parents looked at their daughter in surprise. She had never taken his name throughout the past year.

"Yes, you kept telling us that you saw him. We are really sorry sweetie," Her father touching her shoulder.

"No, not like that," TJ told them, there was a certain excitement in her words. "Last night while coming back, I saw Asher in my car, it was the first time that he talked to me. He said I called him, but then I touched him. I could touch him. He said only I can touch him or see him," TJ described to her parents who looked at each other in shock.

"You mean that you can touch Asher? Is he here right now?" Her mother asked in a worried voice.

"No, that's the thing. He said that I called him that's why he came," TJ told them.

"So you called him?" Her father asked.

"No. I mean, he said I called him, and he won't tell me how the hell did I call him. He did appear when I was missing him terribly, but I have no idea how I summoned the dead," TJ said, saying the latter part with a sad voice.

"Heavens," Her father muttered with concern. "This is worse than I thought," He mumbled, "TJ, tell me once again," He started questioning his daughter who was looking at him inquisitively. "Did you see or touch any other ghost? Or anything similar to Asher?" He questioned.

"No, never. If I didn't know Asher was gone I couldn't even tell the difference. He looked so real. He felt so real," TJ replied, the latter to herself.

"I think we all should rest. The ceremony will start soon," Arabella said, changing the topic all of a sudden.

"Yeah, your mother needs rest too," Her father said, and TJ nodded.

Her parents told her about the ceremony. It was enrollment in lame man words. They would call all the other children, then check how much of their power has increased, or what they can do in TJ's case, and give the schedules.

It was also a formal ceremony, so TJ was forced to wear a dress. She hated dresses, it was too hard to sit in them. If it was a short dress, then it would ride up when she sat. Long dresses on the other hand came till her calves and look ridiculous on her. She avoided dresses at all costs, it was not good for her reputation, anyways. The other thing she hated more than dresses were heels, she couldn't even walk two steps without falling flat on her face.

TJ closed the door of her room and sighed. She was tired. Not physically, though, it was all the secrets that were now told to her that were resulting in her mental fatigue. She was so pissed that she couldn't talk about it with Nat. He called her when she was on the way, apologizing for not seeing her off before she went. She told him it was better that way, it felt like she was just going temporarily, and will be back to see her best friend.

She opened her suitcase and got out the dresses she brought with her. If it wasn't for her mother, TJ would have never bought those dresses. After much persuasion, TJ agreed on getting five dresses with her. Out of which 3 were black. The other two were grey, and navy blue respectively. She took out the full-sleeved black dress. It was a sheath dress that came just above her knees and had a broad V-neck. Asher would like it very much.

On the cue, a strong pair of arms grabbed her from behind making her smile.

"A dress?" He said as his lips touched her earlobe, and she leaned into him.

"Yeah, I have to wear one. Apparently, it's a dress code," TJ said with her eyes closed.

"I would love to see you in a dress," Asher said as his lips traced her earlobe. "But I would like to see you without one more," He traced the nape of her neck with his lips.

"Of course, you would," TJ tried sarcasm, but it died down her throat, only the hollow words came out.

Asher kissed her shoulder and turned her to face him. He could never get over how beautiful his Annie was. It wasn't her physical beauty that he loved. It was her wittiness, it was the way she was kind to people even without showing it. She cared a lot more than she showed. She was delicate, so delicate inside that he felt she would break even from the slightest touch. She was beautiful in and out.

He kissed her forehead before kissing her gorgeous, captivating eyes, and her little nose. His lips hovered over hers, barely brushing with hers, tormenting her for his touch. He liked how impatient she would become when he did anything like this. She would lean, tiptoe to his level, but he wouldn't give her the satisfaction of dominating or initiating the kiss.

Finally, when he too couldn't take anymore, he kissed her, slowly. Savouring every feeling he got as his lips touched hers. There was something else, Annie wasn't herself. She was kissing him, but it was unusual like something was bothering her. He pulled away and looked at her.

Annie's eyes were closed, and he waited for her to open those heavenly grey eyes. As she slowly opened her eyes, his doubts confirmed. Something was bothering her.

"What's wrong?" He asked her, his voice was soft and careful.

"Nothing," She lied. Annie knew Asher was caught when she lied. Something was definitely up.

"Tell me, Annie," Asher said a bit sternly, and she sighed.

She sat on the king-sized bed, and Asher followed suit. "Tell me," Asher urged.

"My parents," She said, and Asher understood, but he motioned her to continue. "They have been behaving weirdly, Alastair, the man at the reception, too was behaving weirdly. There is a ceremony going to happen where everyone will be given schedules according to their powers, and I have no idea if I have any. I'm so confused," She said, and Asher studied how vulnerable she looked.

"I know this is new to you, you feel like you don't belong here but believe me, Annie. I've seen what you can do before you did it. I know you'll do well, and your parents are just worried as any parent would be. I mean you just told them that you can see your supposedly dead boyfriend, they would freak out, right?" Asher responded, holding her hand in his, and she nodded.

"What special can I do? See ghosts? Or maybe make everyone's life miserable?" She asked him sadly, and he bit back a smile. She had no idea.

"No, you can be the most caring and loving person in the whole world. You can be the best friend anyone could ask for. I mean, you got Nat the girl he has been crushing on for eons. You can be the best daughter and sister. You didn't even question your parents' decision, and you're not a pain in the ass, you know. They love you even if you are a bit mischievous, and obviously...you are the best girlfriend ever," He said with affection, Annie blushed. "And you look adorable while blushing, which is an amazing superpower if you ask me," Asher smirked, and she hit him on his chest. He yelped but engulfed her in a hug.

"I love you, Asher," She said, inhaling his musky smell, it calmed her to no end. "Even if you say that I am the best girlfriend, I am not that good, and you know it. It was I who sent you there, and it was me because of whom...," She couldn't complete because Asher put his palm over her mouth.

"Don't, Annie. It wasn't your fault. Don't say it like that," Asher told her, and TJ felt that there was something Asher wasn't telling her.

"What are you not telling me?" She asked him voicing her thoughts.

"Nothing," Asher said and TJ knew he was lying.

"You're lying," She told him, and saw Asher close his eyes and sigh.

"Annie, I wish I could tell you but I can't. You have to find it on your own," He said, cupping her face in his hand.

He was keeping secrets too. She held his hand touching her face, and pulled it down, and got up.

"Annie, don't be mad at me," Asher caught her arm, standing up and pulling her to him.

"I'm not mad at you," She told him, but he didn't leave her hand.

"Annie I swear I want to tell you but I can't," He looked sincere.

"Yeah, I believe you. Now let me go, I have to get dressed," TJ said from between her teeth, trying to get her hand free from his grip. TJ wondered when he got so strong.

"Annie, don't do this to me, babe, I'm sorry," He apologized, and she looked at him.

"Sorry for what, Ash? Why are you sorry?" TJ asked him, stepping closer.

"For... I'm sorry," He sighed and looked down, leaving her hand.

Asher started to disappear, but before he could, TJ caught his hand, and he came back to his normal form.

"You don't run away like this, you get it?" TJ told him, walking closer, and he nodded. "You don't run away from me, you don't dare to fucking disappear, or I'll kill you again. I swear to God I will kill you if you ever leave me again. You have no idea how miserable I was without you, I forgot to laugh, you asshole. You won't, and can't leave me, Asher Thedric Black. Don't you dare do that, and that too without saying goodbye!" TJ scolded him as tears welled up in her eyes, and he bobbed his head like a child. He looked adorable as he looked at the ground with a pout on his face.

TJ lifted his face making him look at her, and his expression turned from guilty to that of pain as he saw tears in her eyes.

"Is that clear?" TJ asked choking a sob, and he agreed and wrapped his arms around her, and she hugged him back eagerly.

"I'm sorry Annie, I'm so sorry," He mumbled again and again as he caressed her hair.

They pulled away after what felt like hours but were only minutes, and Asher cupped her face in his palms, "I can't tell you everything you want to know, Annie. But I know this, and I want you to know that I would help you to know it all. I would be with you when you need me, and not leave you until you don't tell me to fuck off...No, I won't leave you even if you tell me to fuck off. I'll be there with you even if I'm not there physically. I'm in here, and you know that too," He said, pointing towards her heart, she smiled.

"I won't tell you to fuck off, you idiot. I can't tell you to fuck off, or I won't be able to live. I know how I managed without you, Ash. I can't anymore, and I promise you I won't. I will give anything to bring you back. Wherever you are," TJ told him, earning a shocked looked from Asher. "I'll bring you back, Asher Black, and I promise you that. Even if I have to go hell and below for it," TJ promised Asher with a smile before pecking him on his lips softly and walking away to change for the enrollment ceremony.

***