Fen Wu
People say I was born with a curse, given I don't belong with the two major categories of humankind. I belong to the third category. Am I ashamed of it? No. This is how I was born, and I couldn't have changed that.
Hell with the people who couldn't accept me, well I am perfectly normal.
Besides not falling into the usual expectations of my coven, I refuse to follow any rules being constructed by them. I am keen to participate in the war to fight for the people who don't care about me.
I am a lone wolf.
Until Jia came along. I met her when I turned 21. Unlike other kids of the Silver Flame coven, they did not force me to participate in the test to get into a magical academy. My parents once knew they wouldn't be accepting me inside the academy, so they diverted their care and attention to my little sister. I couldn't be happy anymore. I was free to learn, practice, and work as I wished. I quit school; I joined several jobs; I practiced magic without limit, since I had no restrictions, they can't punish me, even if I surpass any one of the so-called rules they have framed, because I am considered a curse to the coven.
I never loved anything more than traveling. I wanted to travel to all the places that have been described in the books and learn the chants and spells of magic.
So I decided to do more jobs, save more money and let go of all the ties and go rogue.
Follow your dreams. Those mundane quotes had never been more true to me.
During one of those days, I met her. Jia, she was sensational.
We fell for each other during the 10 hours of the flight. Unlike me, she was on a business trip. She was working as an assistant to a fashion designer; she was traveling across the world to deliver the piece her boss made, and she was ordered to stay there and alter the outfit as their client requested. Our conversation began as simple as she caught me when I looked over my shoulder to take a look at what she was reading, which answered much-needed savageness that made my head and neck snap back into place.
Then she asked me what I was reading, she gave me a bored look when I told her, I was reading some economic magazines. I tried to explain to her the magazine, which she clearly begged me to stop as she was getting bored. We introduced ourselves and ended each other's routine with our favorite wine we wish to have for dinner.
During the entire flight, I couldn't take my eyes off her, the way there was a glint of tiredness at the corner of her eyes, and how she snorted every time she laughed and apologized profusely every time. She said that the snorting makes her look unprofessional, which I denied and told her, that's how you are born and you couldn't change it.
Those were the same lines she told me when I confessed about gender, and she took my breath away when she leaned in and hugged me, saying she just liked me the way I am.
I swear I cried there. We exchanged numbers, and she took the first step after two days, asking me if I was up for a drink, where she vented about the client and his stupid risks. At the end of the night, she cried into my shoulder, drunk and tired.
I couldn't control myself when I saw her lay her head peacefully on my shoulder with a pout on her lower lips. I leaned down and pressed my lips to her forehead.
She was human; she didn't know about the magic society during those 10 hours, but I promised myself I would tell her soon.
But there was always a small fear in the back of my mind, regarding the danger of exposing her to the dangers of the society I was unfortunately born into.
We became friends. She would invite me to meet her for some dinners with her friends back in America. The more I spent time with her, the more I started to fall in love with her. Just like that one day she contacted me when I was in Germany, saying it was an emergency and she needed to meet me.
I was scared at first because the call was after a week. I told her the complete history of my family and the complete truth about me.
After a long time, I was scared of losing someone so important to me.
She asked me to meet him in the usual restaurant we go to. I was an hour early, scared and nervous about the meeting. But when she walked through wearing a pink summer dress which I brought her from LA, I lost myself. One of the many reasons I fell for her would be her confidence.
But she was nervous that day. I encouraged her and begged her to say the reason, but she refused to communicate with me. But when dinner ended, she walked me to the Uber and kissed me in the back seat. There she was, my confident girl.
She told me that she wanted to be with me, despite my identity or gender, or sexuality.
This is what I have been dreaming of all these days when I met her.
But that didn't give me happiness, an unknown unpleasant feeling set in my body. Soon it turned to fear. Meanwhile, she took a break from her job and decided to travel with me. On her 25th birthday, we made love for the first time. During which she told me she loved me.
I love her too.
Oh! How I wish I had told her.
Everything was amazing except the gnawing feeling until that night. I should have gone with her. I should have been more careful. I should have known better.
We were staying in the woods when it happened. I didn't expect them to attack a rogue witch.
But it should have been me.
She was supposed to live her dream. All she did was love me. This is how I paid her.
I cried for days holding her dead body close to my body, withering in pain and sadness.
It just took one swing of hand, with some deadly chatterings to fall from my lips, which paled without her love.
As they say, I am born with a curse everywhere I go, I bring destruction.
They should have left her alone