I have no idea how to go about this. on Labyrinth Gardens

Malikhi Hill

April 13, 2020 12:59 PM

I have no idea how to go about this. by Malikhi Hill

Malikhi hadn't felt this nervous for a long time. Not even entering Sonora for the first time had made him feel this anxious. He didn't think something like this would make him feel so... well, if he was honest, sick. His stomach felt like there were a million butterflies all fluttering around inside. This was awful. How did people do this on a regular basis? Why weren't there a load of boys wandering around, looking and feeling like he did? How did they do it? Where did they find the courage and, more to the point, where could he find some? It had to be inside himself somewhere because it wasn't like he could just walk up to someone and borrow their courage. That was annoying. If only it was that simple then this would be a whole lot easier.

He exhaled heavily through his nose. He was being ridiculous. He knew he was. It was just a single question. That's all it was. He'd asked questions before and, might he add, very successfully too. His questions had almost always received an answer and when they didn't, he was perfectly capable of asking a secondary question. This was something that he had done a million times (probably more) before and yet, why had it become so difficult?

Malikhi knew why.

It was because it was just any old question about homework or what somebody had for dinner. This was an Important Question. One that he had never asked anybody before. Not that he would ask a boy this question. Malikhi didn't feel this way about other boys. Not that there was a problem to want to ask boys this question but Malikhi didn't and that was fine too. He wasn't going to ask a boy this question. He was going to ask a girl. Not just any girl, either. Johana-Leonie Zauberhexen.

This felt rather like life or death. If she said yes, he'd be ecstatic, delighted, over-the-moon. If she said no... well... he decided not to think about that. He'd cross that bridge if he ever came to it. Hopefully, he wouldn't.

He was waiting for Hana at the entrance to the Labyrinth. He'd asked her to meet him here during their last class. He thought it offered more privacy than the library or a hallway. He felt that privacy was needed for something as important as this.

He ran a hand through his hair, trying to distract himself by being annoyed at how uncooperative his blonde locks were being. He'd tried to comb it but his hair had practically a life of its own and was quite content to fall about wherever it wanted. He brushed a hand down one of the sleeves of the shirt he'd chosen to wear, wanting to look nice for Hana, gentlemanly. He thought that was the right thing to do. To make an effort. He thought that she might like that.

So, Malikhi looked up, trying not to fidget and ignore his nerves before another terrifying thought occurred to him.

"Oh, God. What if she doesn't show up?"

20 Malikhi Hill I have no idea how to go about this. 1423 1 5

Johana Leonie Zauberhexen

April 13, 2020 1:27 PM

I have no idea what you're going about. by Johana Leonie Zauberhexen

It wasn't unusual for Kai to ask Johana Leonie to hang out after class. Usually it was something about that Charms homework neither of them understood, or the potion ingredients they needed to write about before their next class, but sometimes it was other things. Sometimes Johana Leonie asked him, too. But today, Kai seemed a bit nervous, and that made Johana Leonie nervous. Had she said something wrong or done something wrong and now she'd upset her friend? She was pretty sure that wasn't true, but the thought crossed her mind regardless.

She stopped to grab a pastry from her trunk when she dropped her books and things off, and decided that perhaps Kai would like to try something her mom had made so she grabbed one for him too. She didn't stop to check her appearance in the mirror because she never did; for all that she loved pretty things, she just didn't think of them as much as some of the other girls in her year. As such, her hair was in its usual messy bun, strawberry curls tumbling around her face where they'd come out of their place.

Half of her pastry was gone by the time she got to the Gardens, and she saw Malikhi standing there, right where he said he'd be. He seemed more anxious still and she wondered whether something had happened at home. Maybe something had happened to his family? Maybe he was sick? That would be a weird thing to meet up in person to tell her about, but maybe.

"Hallo," she greeted him with a smile, putting her fears aside and moving forward. That's what healers did and that's what Zauberhexens did and that's all she could do. "I bring small food. Kirsche dänisch, from meine Mama. Cherry danish." She'd been practicing that one in English on her way down. "Are you going okay?"

22 Johana Leonie Zauberhexen I have no idea what you're going about. 1432 0 5

Malikhi Hill

April 13, 2020 1:42 PM

You will do in a minute. Maybe two. by Malikhi Hill

Malikhi felt foolish for worrying that Hana might not show up because of course she would. She had never not shown up before and he felt a little guilty that he had had those thoughts. He tried to smile when he spotted her, trying not to look too anxious. He didn't want to mess this up by being a nervous idiot but he also didn't want to dismiss his nerves entirely and be insensitive. He tried not to groan. He had hoped that when Hana came that things would fall into the natural, easy way that they normally did. This did not seem to be the case this time.

He would normally be grateful for a pastry or food but he wasn't entirely sure he wouldn't throw it back up again after eating it. He took it nonetheless and gave Hana another, more genuine smile. It was such a nice and thoughtful thing to do, after all that he couldn't ignore the gesture. It also reinforced why he was asking her The Question in the first place. Hana was lovely and sweet and kind. Why wouldn't he ask a girl with those nice qualities?

"I'm... fine," he answered her, though he felt that it wasn't quite the truth. Physically, there was nothing wrong with him at all, he was the picture of health. Emotionally was a completely different matter. This felt painfully awkward. "I have something to ask you."

20 Malikhi Hill You will do in a minute. Maybe two. 1423 0 5

Johana Leonie Zauberhexen

April 15, 2020 11:47 AM

Will do what? by Johana Leonie Zauberhexen

To be fair, Johana Leonie didn't know Kai that well. They'd only begun their friendship within the past few months, and their interactions were limited by virtue of being at school together. That being said, she had never ever seen him not dive into a treat he'd been offered. Of course, she had also never ever seen him so . . . anxious? Was that what he was? Maybe he just didn't like cherry danishes? That seemed unlikely. Who in their right mind didn't like cherry danishes. Maybe he was allergic to something? Or maybe he was sick? That would explain his discomfort. Asking why he wasn't eating it certainly wouldn't be appropriate, and he had taken it after all, so Johana Leonie didn't say anything. Perhaps he just wasn't hungry right now, or he wanted to save it for after dinner.

Johana Leonie took a half step back, not sure where this was going, and searched his face. It was such an anxious face, but still a nice one. He was taller than she was and she wondered what he saw when he looked down at her. Her eyebrows pinched together with confusion as she replayed what he'd said to make sure she understood it all.

"What asks you?" she asked with a quiet, distinctly calm voice. If he was sick, which seemed likely, then Johana Leonie needed to be calm and not raise any alarm for him. She began running through a list of things in her mind, trying to decide whether he was displaying more signs of anxiety, food poisoning, or some other illness. "Are you okay?"

22 Johana Leonie Zauberhexen Will do what? 1432 0 5

Malikhi Hill

April 15, 2020 12:39 PM

You will understand. I hope. by Malikhi Hill

This was it. This was the moment. Oh, his stomach felt really fluttery. He really, really hoped that he wasn't going to throw up because that would really ruin things, wouldn't it? That was definitely on the list of things not to do when asking a girl the important question. That would definitely earn him a rejection. So, Malikhi was not going to throw up. Even if it came into his mouth, he was going to swallow it back down and not let it out, no matter how gross doing that would be because it was Johana Leonie, the girl he wanted to ask and definitely not throw up on.

He brushed his hair from his face and really looked at her. Eye contact was important, right? He didn't want there to be any misunderstandings, especially with English not being Hana's first language. Not that she was bad at English or even understanding. Not at all. She was wonderful and intelligent and she would definitely, absolutely and completely understand the question that he was going to ask her.

He hoped.

He took a deep breath and reached for Hana's hand.

"Johana-Leonie Zauberhexen," he began, completely sure that he hadn't said that particularly correctly but he needed her to understand just how serious this was and his mother had always used his full name when he was in trouble or when she needed to explain something very serious and Malikhi thought the same tactic would work here. Hopefully, he wasn't being too scary. "Will you be my date to the ball?"

20 Malikhi Hill You will understand. I hope. 1423 0 5

Johana Leonie Zauberhexen

April 15, 2020 8:17 PM

Ja ich verstehe. Aber.... Wirklich? by Johana Leonie Zauberhexen

The weird thing was that Johana Leonie actually understood all the words. It was the rest that she wasn't sure she was getting. He looked so . . . serious. And melty. And then he took her hand, which wasn't the first time he'd done that but usually it was because he wanted to take her up the stairs with him to get ice cream or something. And then he used her full name (sort of) and that was pretty cute, but she wasn't sure what the significance was for him. And then he asked her to the Ball.

Johana Leonie made a mental note to thank Zara again.

But he looked so serious and nervous and Johana Leonie replayed his question a few times over in her head before she realized it was because he was nervous to ask her, not because the question was bad. Kai didn't seem like the nervous type, and certainly not with girls. He actually struck Johana Leonie as sort of a lady's man type, although he was a bit too reclusive for that to work.

Johana Leonie had spent a long time being nervous. She had wanted a date or a boyfriend or a husband or something. She wanted her prince charming. She hadn't thought that maybe prince charming would be nervous, too. What did that mean?

Her face was very serious as she thought through all of these things. It didn't take her terribly long, but several seconds had gone by when she realized she was meant to say something. This was a question. This was the question.

She wasn't really sure how dating worked in Germany, let alone America, so she didn't quite know whether this meant they were dating or just going on a date. Was that a distinction here? It seemed like a big difference. Did this mean he liked her that way though? Surprisingly, it didn't matter at all. He was good company, a good friend, and they were going to the Ball together. If it turned out that they liked each other, that would just be a wonderful addition. Right? Wonderful?

Breaking into a shy grin, Johana Leonie nodded, satisfied that she came to a conclusion. "That is good," she agreed. "I go with you liking."

22 Johana Leonie Zauberhexen Ja ich verstehe. Aber.... Wirklich? 1432 0 5

Malikhi Hill

April 16, 2020 10:00 AM

I don't understand now. by Malikhi Hill

She wasn't answering. She hadn't answered yet. Why hadn't she answered yet? The question had been a hard one to ask but he hadn't thought that the answer would be as equally hard to give. It was just 'yes' or 'no'. If she liked him, surely the answer would be yes? And if not, then tragically, it would have to be no. Was there much to more to consider than that? Malikhi hadn't really thought about the answering part of this interaction. He wasn't doing the answering so had focused completely on the questioning bit and maybe that hadn't been the wisest of things to do because Hana was clearly thinking about something that was delaying the answer and it would've helped Malikhi to know what those things were.

He didn't know what taking Hana to the ball would lead to. He hadn't thought about whether something would come from that and there could be more to their friendship than their currently was. He liked Hana. He liked Hana a lot. Was it possible that their friendship could develop into something? Malikhi wasn't sure and was probably getting ahead of himself. She still hadn't said yes yet. Or no. Bloody hell.

Then, he saw her smile and then she said something. She didn't say the word 'yes' and for a moment Malikhi was trying to work out if her answer was yes or no. He didn't think that maybe she wouldn't use just those two words. Of course Hana could say sentences that may possibly not include 'yes' or 'no'. Sentences could be answers. How could Malikhi forget that?

"You're saying yes, right?" he asked her, wanting to make sure. She had said the word 'good' which was, well, good and he was pretty certain. He started to smile, his eyes sparkling with delight before he tugged her by the hand to pull her in for a hug. He hadn't hugged anybody for quite some time and for Hana to be the first person to hug felt nice.

20 Malikhi Hill I don't understand now. 1423 0 5

Johana Leonie Zauberhexen

April 16, 2020 11:10 AM

Yes yes yes! by Johana Leonie Zauberhexen

Johana Leonie's eyes widened with surprise as she was pulled into a surprisingly warm, nice-smelling hug. On the whole, she suspected boys didn't smell very good because Freddie never seemed to smell good - although maybe that was just because he was her brother? - and she hadn't been close enough to many others to find out. Of course, studying in close proximity meant is wasn't the first time she'd ever found out that Kai didn't smell like a sack of old potatoes, but it was surprising nonetheless. She thought that it also might be the first time she'd ever hugged a boy she wasn't related to. Was she allowed to do that? Was she supposed to ask her parents before she hugged or kissed or dated boys? She made a mental note to write to them right away and grinned into Kai's shoulder.

"Yes," she laughed. "Thank you that you asks me."

She liked to dance very much and she was looking forward to this a whole lot. Although, she was also a bit terrified. She thought that maybe she would be less nervous when she got there and did all the things.

"I like dancing, and you," she smiled before using her previous choice of words again. "That is good."

22 Johana Leonie Zauberhexen Yes yes yes! 1432 0 5