Chapter 3

"Wow, that was so cool!" exclaimed Liam.

 "Can you teach me that one day?".

 I had just finished doing a small magic show for Michael Moore's son, Liam and all his friends. His friends ran into the kitchen for cake and ice cream. I smiled down at him. 

"Maybe". 

I knelt down on one knee to look at him, into his eyes. 

"Thank you for being my wonderful volunteer". 

He grinned big back at me. 

"Are you going to come back again and do more magic tricks?".

I shifted my gaze to a figure that stood in the living room doorway. 

"You'll have to ask your father" I said, standing up again to my feet. 

Liam turned around and ran to his father. 

"Can she come back again, please?" he pleaded.

 His father chuckled. "We'll see. Now go get your cake and ice-cream before it melts". 

I started to pack up my props after Liam left the room.

 "You really know how to put on a show" commented Michael, as he started walking towards me. 

"Why, thank you. It's been a while since you've seen my magic tricks" I said, clicking my 3 decks of cards into their cases.

"So, how are you doing?".

 I closed my black leather briefcase, latched it up and turned to face him. 

"I'm doing fine; Me and my friend Rachel got an apartment close to St. Lawrence College and we both got into 2 programs there". 

"That's good to hear". 

"What about you? How are you doing since we-"

 I hesitated for a few moments.

"Broke up". 

"I'm doing good. I have a new girlfriend, my first kid and we recently bought this house". 

I picked up my briefcase by the small handle in-between the 2 latches. 

"I'm surprised you've gotten over me and found another beautiful woman".

"Well, I haven't completely gotten over you" confessed Michael, shoving his hands in his front blue jean pockets.

 I look at him in shock. 

"You still have feelings for me? What does your girlfriend think about that?" I asked, lowering my voice to a whisper and stepped closer to him, until our faces were inches apart. 

"She doesn't know and honestly it's not that I still have a crush on you; I've just missed you".

A smile spread across my face. 

"I missed you too". 

"And I want to fix our relationship by taking you out to a movie" offered Michael. 

"Oh Moore, you know I have moved on and you can't take a girl out when you're dating another". 

"I know, that's why it's not a date; We're going just as friends. Shall I pick you up at your place around 5pm next Friday?".

I looked into his blue eyes.

 "How about I meet you at the movie theatre at 5?".

 He shrugged his muscular shoulders. 

"Sounds good". 

After saying goodbye to the little kids, Michael walked me to my car, that was parked on the side of the road, just in front of his house. I got into my car, turned it on and rolled down the front passenger window. 

"Thanks for coming," said Michael, handing me two twenty-dollar bills. I took them from his hand and set it in one of the cupholders, that was in front of the armrest.

"You're welcome, and don't wear anything too fancy; We're going only as friends, nothing more".

 "Don't worry, I'll remember. See you then" he said, giving me a quick wink. 

"Bye". 

I pulled out onto the road and closed the window. Fifth-teen minutes later, I parked my car back in its spot and walked up 3 flights of stairs, before going into my home. 

"Rachel, I'm back!" I said, projecting my voice in case she was in her room with the door closed. 

"Hey Vanessa, how did your magic gig go?" asked my roommate, as she turned on the couch to face me.

"It was great! The kids loved me, and Michael invited me to go see a movie with him next Friday".

 "He's taking you out on a date already? Wow, I guess he really missed you". 

I took off my boots and hung up my car keys on the hook by the door. 

"Caleigh owes me twenty bucks" muttered Rachel under her breath. 

"Pardon?". 

I sat down on the cushion next to Rachel and raised an eyebrow at her. 

"On a totally different bet". 

"Technically, it's not a date, we're just going as friends". 

"Oh, how come?".

I gently set my briefcase at my feet.

 "Because Michael's with another girl". 

"He's with someone else?!? With whom?".

 I sighed. 

"He's with a nice, blonde-haired woman". 

"Wow, that was quick, I thought he would be single for the rest of his life after breaking up with you".

 "However, he still has feelings for me, and his girlfriend doesn't know".

"So, are you going to make a move on him?" asked Rachel, scooching closer to me. 

"Ewe no Rachel, that's wrong. I've moved on from him, and he has a kid".

"He has a kid?!? What's his or her name?".

 "His name is Liam and he's such a sweet boy". 

"I can't believe he did all of that". 

"Yeah, I-". 

Suddenly the alarm on Rachel's watch went off. 

"I better go see if the pizza is ready," she said, hopping to her feet and headed into the kitchen. 

"I'm going to get changed; I'll meet you back at the couch for our movie" I said, calling to Rachel as I walked to my room. I shut the door, changed into my 'FRIENDS' pj's and hung up my tuxedo in my closet, before putting my magician hat on the top shelf.

When I went back to the couch in the living room area, I found Rachel there, with the movie and our meals ready to go. 

"You ready?". 

"Heck yeah. What movie are we watching?" I replied, taking a seat next to her. 

"Doctor Strange".

 I picked up my plate from the coffee table and put two slices of pizza on it. 

"Doctor Strange? Weren't you watching that yesterday?". 

"No, that was Doctor Who," explained Rachel, clicking the play button on the TV remote.

Well, I have never seen Doctor Strange. Hopefully there isn't any gross surgery scenes. 

About an hour into the movie, I had eaten 3 slices of pizza and was on the edge of my seat when Stephen Strange opened the Eye of Agamotto in the library for the first time on the TV screen. 

Close the Eye of Agamotto before you get caught Stephen, you're going to get-. 

"Can you pause the movie V, I need to go use the washroom" asked Rachel, as she got up from the couch. 

"Sure".

I grabbed the remote off the coffee table and paused it, before leaning back into the couch. After a few minutes of waiting, an orange spark appeared in front of the TV. 

I watched in disbelief as the spark grew into a sparking circle and on the other side, stood a man dressed in blue robes with a red cloak. He stepped through the circle and looked directly at me, with his calm blue eyes.