Ginger Tee

Why Can't This Be? [arockysmith + tlstiffl]

Marta never imagined this is how she would fall in love. Growing up, her father would always read her a bedtime story, and those stories always included a prince charming rescuing a damsel in distress. Marta, until very recently, was sure that was how she would meet her prince charming. As a child, she loved to play pretend and climb up into her tree house and pretend she was being held captive.

Marta also believed she would only find love once. She didn’t imagine it happening twice. So for her to admit these feelings to Ezra, was like signing her name in blood. Yes, he was her first love, but Marta was sure he would be her last. But it seemed Ezra had different thoughts.

Ezra’s mind seemed set on the fact that whatever was happening between them was fleeting. It would disappear with just a blink of the eye. And who knows, that may be what happens, but Marta didn’t want to believe it. Her optimism once again, convincing her that her and Ezra would fight through this. They would defeat every obstacle they faced, and they would someone gain acceptance from their families, and they would be together. And live happily ever after. At least, that is what Marta wanted to believe.

Hearing Ezra start to quote Shakespeare, Marta listened. Marta was very familiar with this sonnet. She knew all of Shakespeare’s sonnets. And this one was dear to her, not because she could relate to it (up to this point), but just the flow of the words. They created music without a single note being played. But suddenly, this sonnet took on new meaning to her. Ezra was reciting this sonnet to establish her as some untouchable, immortal thing he can’t obtain. It was his way of showing his love for her, but from a distance. He believed that this is all it ever will be. Marta was never to be his.

But that isn’t what Marta wanted. She wanted to be the person that Ezra enjoyed a summer’s day with, not compare her to it. As cheesy as it sounded.

“Ezra…” she whispered, suddenly feeling tears forming in her eyes, “Please… I just...I don’t want…”

She was lost for words. How could she convey to him that this will be lasting? How can she make him realize he wasn’t in some magical bubble that would pop soon? It was like he was the sheltered one now.

She blinked, a few tears falling into her lap, which she was now staring at. She felt lost. Ezra was so close, physically, yet she almost felt emotionally he was miles away. It was like Marta was on a movie screen, being displayed and he was loving her from the audience. But Marta was right, her arms wide open, emotionally and physically, ready to give her all to him.

Looking up again, she asked, “Why are you putting me on a pedestal? Why can’t you accept that you are good enough for me? Will I ever be yours?”

Why Can't This Be? [arockysmith + tlstiffl]

She heard the chuckle, unsure which part of what she said he was chuckling at, but the sound regardless was music to her ears. She wanted to hear his full laughter. She wanted to see him smile from ear to ear. And she wanted to be the reason he did. Marta felt him raise her head and before anything else could happen, she felt his lips against hers. Their second kiss. This one lasted a few seconds longer, and Marta’s hands found their way to his chest again, where under the thin fabric of his clean shirt, she could feel the scars on his chest. She knew she couldn’t make that scar disappear, but she hoped she could help him forget about it.

Marta listened intently as Ezra compared them to Romeo and Juliet. It was definitely an accurate representation of their relationship thus far. Forbidden lovers faced with obstacles from every person, place and thing around them. Yet they fought hard and did whatever they could to be together, even if that meant being together in the afterlife. Marta didn’t know what laid ahead of her after she left this life; it could be a wonderful thing, it could be hell or it could be blank. Everything about her erased from the world. And that thought made Marta live this life to the fullest.

When Ezra said that he thinks she’ll never love her, Marta couldn’t help it. She blurted out, “But I am already starting to fall in love with you...”

After those words left her lips, her eyes widened to the size of tennis balls. The statement was one the most true things she has ever said, but she just couldn’t believe she actually said it. It is one thing to feel these emotions to herself, but it had to be too soon to let others, including the man she was falling for, know. If Marta’s social standings and religion didn’t scare Ezra, she was sure what she just said must have.

But she wouldn’t deny and she wouldn’t take it back. Marta doesn’t like to lie, so it is rare thing for her to do it. People will call her crazy, say you can’t love someone after knowing them for only a few hours. Everyone would think she lost her mind, except her father. His father knew the minute he met her mother, he would marry her. Henry had just gotten his first job in the big city. He was a mail boy in a big law attorney office. On his first day, he was delivering the mail and he saw her mother sitting at a desk. She was a receptionist in the office. He knew right away he would love her. And he started courting her the next day and they were married two months later. They were both only 18 years old. They waited for about another five years before they had Marta because her father moved up the job ladder very quickly.

Was she going to marry Ezra? Better question, would she even be allowed to? She wasn’t Jewish and she was sure Ezra already has an arranged marriage planned. But Marta wanted something real, and Ezra was the most real thing in her life.

Why Can't This Be? [arockysmith + tlstiffl]

Marta felt a smile tug on her lips as Ezra said her name for the first time. It sounded pretty when he said. She never minded her name, but she didn’t really consider it pretty either. It was just her name. But I guess her first name was better than her middle name… Francis. It was her grandmother’s name. She loved her grandma, but everyone always called her Franny, and that made Marta think of the word fanny. It always made her giggle as a child.

When he said that maybe she didn’t need to avoid the bakery as much, she felt a tug on her heart. Not a bad one, but a good one. He wanted her to come around again. That meant he wanted to see her, and she assumed that meant talk to her. She wanted to talk to him more. She wanted to get to know him better, better than she knows anyone. She needs to find out the little things. Like when his birthday is, or his favorite color, or what his favorite book is. But she also wanted to know the deeper things. She wanted to learn more about his religion and the traditions that came with it. She wanted to know his family. She just wanted to know him.

“I don’t think I could avoid it even if I wanted to…” she stated, meaning that on many levels, but to lighten the mood she added, “Besides, I never got to try your babka.”

She enjoyed his hands in hers, letting him twiddled with her fingers. She had soft hands; rich people’s hands that have never done a hard day's work in their life. Ezra, were more rough, but not hard to the touch. His hands told a story about his life. Marta let her fingers run over the lines of his palms, which were deeper than her own.

Hearing him say she wasn’t allowed to walk home alone, Marta nodded. It would be dark soon, and regardless of what part of the city she was in, Marta never enjoyed walking alone at night. It wasn’t so much the fear of being attacked, though after today those thoughts would be lingering in her mind, but rather she was worried about getting lost. Even on the rich side of town, the lamp posts didn’t do much in terms of creating brightness on the streets.

“I can call someone,” but Marta made no signs of doing that at the moment. She wanted to enjoy being near Ezra for as long as possible.

She felt him drop her hands and Marta couldn’t help but frown a bit, but then he scooted closer, their knees and shoulders pushed against each other. Any closer and Marta would be on his lap, which is something she would not mind.

She looked up at Ezra and noticed for the first time a gold chain around his neck with a small pendant of the Star of David hanging on it. He must normally keep it tucked away under his shirt. Marta had a similar necklace, but hers had a gold cross. She wasn’t wearing hers though. Even though Marta was Christian, and was forced to go to church every Sunday, she had a hard time accepting some aspects of her religion. She believed in God and that he was looking over us, but some of the stuff said in the bible were too extreme for her. She created her own beliefs. The belief that love is most important and everyone deserves love unless they do something to lose it. Like Hitler. He didn’t deserve anything.

Marta reached up, grasping his necklace between her fingers. This tiny symbol labeled him as the enemy. It caused him and so many others to feel more hatred than Marta thought possible to exist.

“It’s beautiful” she whispered, still looking at the charm, before glancing up into his eyes. “Ezra, you have been apologizing to me all night. But it is time for me to apologize to you. I am so sorry I put you through what I did. I was being selfish… I just...I am not sure why, but I want to be near you. I don’t think I can imagine my life without you in it now… silly, I know.”

She looked away, flushed with embarrassment. She just made an awfully bold statement and she wasn’t sure how Ezra was going to take it.

Why Can't This Be? [arockysmith + tlstiffl]

Marta still sitting on the couch was getting more anxious by the minute. She started to shake her foot back and forth as a way to keep her nerves from exploding within her. The unknown can be terrifying or exhilarating. In this moment, it felt more terrifying. She didn’t think Ezra and his parents would harm her, but maybe they would call the police? Then again, maybe not, since the police were under Hitler’s control, so the Jewish community probably has a very strained relationship with authority. But maybe they had like a vigilante? A group of people in their community that worked together to protect one another. Maybe they would come force her out of the house. That didn’t seem like a plausible explanation either. These people weren’t that cruel.

Hearing the door open behind her, Marta assumed it would Edith or Abe coming to tell her she should leave. She put their son in a dangerous situation and her being there would obviously only make things worse. But when Marta looked over her shoulder, she saw Ezra come out of the room. She noticed right away that he seemed to have calm down and was over his panic attack. That made Marta feel better. She would never forgive herself if what happened today somehow caused permanent mental damage. She watched as he came over, expecting him to join her on the couch, or yell at her. But then he sat on the ground, and she watched as his head rested on her legs. She let a tiny smile graced her lips. Well he doesn’t seem to totally hate her guts...yet.

Why is he apologizing? He did nothing wrong. She should be begging for forgiveness right now. But she let him speak, listening as he went on about the phone. Marta knew she needed to call her parents soon. But for now, it could wait a little longer. What she was waiting for though she wasn’t exactly sure. Maybe just to be sure Ezra was ok? But she could see now that he was. Were they going to talk about what happened? Was Ezra going to tell her again that after today, she should never return? She didn’t want that to happen. Marta didn’t like to think that she wouldn’t see Ezra after today.

Feeling him take her hand, she gave it a gentle squeeze, just her way of letting him know she wasn’t going anywhere and she was here for him. She looked him in the eyes once more and smiled and said, “Marta.”

She heard him once again call her miss, and she figured it was time to turn herself from stranger to at least an acquaintance. But she realized he didn’t actually ask for her name, so her statement probably seemed odd and confusing.

“My name is Marta.” she said, just to clarify things.

Not liking that Ezra was on the floor, Marta shifted and scooted herself onto the floor, sitting with her legs tucked under, facing Ezra, her hand still laced in his. Suddenly, Marta felt very shy. She fiddled with a button on the dress with her free hand and nibbled on her lip a little. Her pushy behavior from before seemed to melt away, and she wanted Ezra to tell her what to do next, whatever it may, but she prayed it wasn’t to exit his life completely.

Why Can't This Be? [arockysmith + tlstiffl]

Marta kept her eyes fully on Ezra. She didn’t want to miss a single thing. Normally, when Marta was in a new place, she liked to observe her surroundings. She loved getting a glimpse into someone else’s life. The pictures in frames, the pieces of art that hold significant value, the setup of the furniture. It was all just a snapshot of a person’s life and it fascinated her.

However, right now, her focus had to stay on Ezra. She felt her clothes starting to dry, but they were still damp and because of that were starting to stick to her skin awkwardly. Since Ezra’s head was in her lap, there wasn’t much she could do about adjusting and trying to make herself more comfortable. And besides, her comfort wasn’t important. Ezra’s is.

She hadn’t stopped stroking the boy’s hair, when she suddenly heard voices. Her head snapped up and she turned and look in the direction of the stairway. The voice called out Ezra name, so Marta knew it wasn’t a stranger (at least not a stranger to Ezra) and they weren’t breaking in. A couple seconds later, two figures appeared at the top of the steps and the look on their faces said it all. Shock and fear.

Marta didn’t need to even be told. These people were Ezra’s parents. The lady, dressed in a plain brown frock dress, looked identical to Ezra. And the gentleman, who towered over his wife, had the same straight mouth that Ezra had. And both of them had looks of pure worry in their eyes.

Marta watched as his mother came over and started to fuss over Ezra. Marta, at this point, had stopped stroking his hair, but kept a hand on his shoulder. Despite knowing these people were his parents, Marta still felt very protective of Ezra. So when his mother and father, whose name she has now learned are Edith and Abe, got Ezra to get off the couch, Marta felt empty. She didn’t like it. She felt she had to keep touching Ezra, or he would go crazy, or better yet, she would. But she had to shake her head. Of course Ezra didn’t care about where she was. He had his parents now; the people who raised him and did their best to protect him his entire life. Of course he would want to be with them.

Before Marta could do anything else, which she figured would be to leave, she was ushered into the tiny bathroom by Edith. They walked into the tiny room, where there was barely enough space for the toilet, sink and bathtub that was about half the size of Marta’s personal tub in her private bathroom. She turned and looked at Edith, who was already reaching up and getting a towel down from the shelf.

“Ok dear, take that soaking thing off before you catch a cold.”

Marta stared at her. She was just like her son. She didn’t even know Marta’s name or who she was, yet she didn’t hesitate to help her. It warmed her heart to know Ezra had such a loving mother, and that he clearly inherited many of her traits.

Because of all the love that was existing in this house, Marta suddenly felt like she shouldn’t be allowed here. She was tainting it. She would only bring evil into this house. She didn’t want to leave Ezra, but maybe it was the best.

“Ma’am. Really I am ok. I should probably go….”

“Nonsense dear. It is still raining cats and dogs out there. You cannot leave until it stops. In the meantime, you must take a warm bath and I will get you something dry to wear.”

Before Marta could protest anymore, Edith turned and left the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Marta was trapped. Not actually, but she couldn’t be rude. They were showing her hospitality and she couldn’t deny it. She knew once Ezra told them exactly what happened, they would be kicking her out of their house in a heartbeat.

Marta turned to the tub and turned the water on. She let it fill about halfway, before taking her dress off, hanging if temporarily over the sink. She stepped into the tub, and for a moment, just let the warmth of the water engulf her. She sat there and zoned out, letting the events of the past couple hours play in her mind.

About ten minutes later, once the water was no longer warm, Marta stood and wrapped the towel around herself. She looked around and noticed a grey dress, similar to the one Edith was wearing, hanging on the back of the door. Edith must have put it in here when Marta wasn’t paying attention. She reached over, the itchy fabric touching her fingertips. Marta’s attire consisted of dresses and tops made from the finest material. But this dress, and its simpleness, was still beautiful in Marta’s eyes.

She dried off and did the best to run her fingers through her damp hair and put it up into a french twist. She put the dress on and turned to face the door. She walked back out into the living room and noticed it was empty. She heard voices coming from the other room, where the door was closed.

Marta wasn’t sure what to do. She should probably just leave, but something told her stay put. So she walked over and sat down on the couch, crossing her legs and just waiting. Waiting to see how much more damage she could do.

Why Can't This Be? [arockysmith + tlstiffl]

Marta watched as Ezra tried to find his keys. The simplest of tasks was making the boy go crazy. What had Marta done? She should have never walked into that bakery today. Ezra, despite what has happened to him, was learning how to cope. He was doing his best to live as normal a life as possible. Then Marta shows up and pulls the rug out from under him. It was her fault that the boy was spiraling out of control now. The guilt suddenly made everything seem not worth it. But she couldn’t leave, not now.

She felt Ezra put the keys in her hand, holding onto them and her hand tightly. She felt the metal of the keys digging into her skin, but she didn’t let the pain show. Once Ezra released her hand enough so she could open the door, she turn and put the key into the lock. As she fiddled to find the right one, since there were a couple different sets on the ring, she felt Ezra’s body push against her and him wrapping his arms around her waist. At that moment, she knew she was the boy’s anchor. Without her, he would come crashing down. It terrified her, but she wanted to be that for him, even if he was this way because of her.

Finally finding the right key, Marta opened the door and pulled away from Ezra enough to grab his hand and lead him up the flight of stairs. The wood creaked beneath their feet as they entered into the small living corridors above the bakery. Marta didn’t have much a chance to look around before she was being pulled over to the couch. If this was just a normal day, and Marta was visiting Ezra’s house under different circumstances, she would feel rude sitting on the furniture soaking wet. But at this time, it didn’t matter.

She sat down and barely had time to put her purse on the ground next to her, when she felt Ezra crawl onto the couch and lay his head on her lap. Looking down, she felt the tears forming once again in her eyes. She reached down with her hand, and started to gently stroke the boy’s wet hair, hoping it would help to sooth him. Hearing him say to not leave her, Marta couldn’t help let a little sob escape her lips.

“I’ll never leave you.” She whispered, not even sure if it was loud enough for Ezra to hear.

She continued to caress the boy’s hair as she reached up and pulled a blanket down from the back of the couch and placed it over the boy’s body, hopefully to help him stop shaking. So many thoughts flying through her mind, but the overwhelming though was You did this. This is all your fault.

Why didn’t she just let him take her home like he originally wanted? Why did she kiss him? Why was so stubborn about staying in this boy’s life, when she is so clearly ruining it even more. But she did do all these things, and she couldn’t take it back. And deep down she didn’t want to take it back. Maybe all of this was happening for a reason. Maybe Ezra needed to hit rock bottom, and Marta needed to be there to help pick him up again. It seemed as though up to this point, Ezra was living in a bit of denial. He is aware of what happened to him, but he wouldn’t allow his mind to process what it did to him emotionally. How the scars were not just physical.

She continued to sit there, noticing the boy’s breathing began to even out and became more shallow. He appeared to be calming down a little, or so she hoped. Taking a chance, she leaned down and placed a sweet kiss on his forehead. Marta figured they would have to get up at some point. Ezra needed to put dry clothes on, and Marta needed to find a phone so she could ring her uncle’s estate to let everyone know she was alive and well.

But for now, all that mattered was continuing to sooth the boy who was laying on her lap. The boy who she was starting to fall in love with.

Why Can't This Be? [arockysmith + tlstiffl]

Marta held onto all the hope she had left, and just prayed Ezra would accept her presence. That he would let her into his world, even if it was baby steps. Marta hoped that if she could get closer to him, that he would be more comfortable around her and she could find better ways of helping him. And in return, Marta would get to be around him. Ezra’s soul and being was engraved in Marta’s heart now. She wanted to know everything about him. She wanted to run her fingers over all the skin on his body, scarred or not. She wanted to give him sunshine in darkness. She wanted to be his everything.

But that dream, as newly formed as it was, came crashing down when she felt Ezra turn her to face the direction she was suppose to go and starting walking ahead of her. She froze for a second, unable to process how quickly everything just changed. She didn’t want to follow, yet at the same time, she didn’t want to leave his side. So she started to try and catch up, her heels clicking with every step. She felt herself slip a couple of times on the wet pavement, but she was able to stay standing.

Marta heard Ezra say something, but it was so quiet and not directed at her, so she wasn’t sure what he did say. Maybe it was to himself? Marta was definitely guilty of talking to herself a lot; being an only child meant having a lot of imaginary friends growing up. But just as quickly as Ezra had started to move, he suddenly stopped. Marta took a moment to get her bearings and saw they were walking in the opposite direction of her school, but were now on her “side of town”.

Ezra mentioning he didn’t know where to take her, Marta was about to retort and say she didn’t want to go home, but he continued to speak. It seemed all the questions he was asking were rhetorical because he didn’t give her a chance to answer. Her eyebrows raised when he said she gave him his first kiss. How could a handsome, charming guy like Ezra have never been kissed before? She imagined girls lining up in the bakery just for the chance.

Marta didn’t even care that he didn’t know her name, though that should eventually be remedied, but for now, names weren’t important. Though Ezra was the most special name she has ever heard. Marta was about to comment and say that her life didn’t matter, at least, not in comparison to his. He probably had so many more reasons to live. He had a family who needed him, a neighborhood who depended on him, and a battle to fight against the rest of the country. What was Marta’s purpose? To play a piano; like that was going to make a difference.

Marta finally had so much she wanted to say, to try and make Ezra understand why she did the things she did. But she noticed Ezra’s eyes were no longer on her and were looking at the surroundings. Marta took a moment to look and try and see what he saw, and it didn’t take her even half a second to realize. The propaganda. It was plastered on every inch of real estate in this part of the city. Swastikas covering every inch of bare wall. The sight made Marta sick to the stomach.

Being sheltered, and living in her own world sometimes, Marta had been completely oblivious to these signs, even though she walked by them on a daily basis. She subconsciously chose not to see them because of the awfulness. Now it was different. She would never forget these images. They would haunt her dreams.

She turned to apologize to Ezra and to say they could turn around, but she noticed Ezra’s mind was somewhere else. He was in a catatonic state, repeating the same phrase over and over… I’m not safe.

And the part that scared Marta half to death was, he was right. He wasn’t safe, especially not here. If something were to happen, Ezra would be the target. He is the enemy here. And Marta would not be able to save him. Knowing she had to get him out of here, she looked around and saw a cab parked on the corner. Taking Ezra’s hand, she encouraged him to walk with her and over to the cab. She opened the door and sort of pushed Ezra in, without actually shoving him. She followed him, and sat down, closing the door behind her.

The driver looked at her through his rear-view mirror, and then she saw his eyes flicker to Ezra who was shaking and still mumbling to himself. Marta briefly panicked. Would the cabbie drive them or hurt them? And also where were they going to go? Marta knew Ezra would not want to go to her house, so she supposed the best option was to go back to the bakery.

She looked at the cab driver and said “Corner of Nederman and Comstock.”

Comstock was the road she had originally been on that lead to her uncle’s. She is glad she remembered what street the bakery was on.

It was a short commute, but it was definitely farther than she thought. How long had they been walking? When the cab stopped, Marta reached into her purse and took out the necessary coins, plus a generous tip, and handed them to the driver. Hopefully the tip would be a hint to this man to keep his mouth shut.

She opened the door and got out, reaching in to take Ezra’s hands and lead him out. She moved them the few extra feet until they stood in front of the bakery once more. Marta looked around and noticed there was another door off to the side that appeared to lead up to an apartment above the bakery. Marta had a hunch that was where Ezra and his family lived. So walking with him over to that door, her hand still clutching his, she turned and looked at him. So much worry in her eyes.

“Ezra, do you have the key?” she asked, hoping Ezra was aware enough to know where he was and that it would be best for them to get inside as quickly as possible.

Why Can't This Be? [arockysmith + tlstiffl]

Marta stood there, unable to move or say anything. Truth was, she didn’t want to move, she truly believed she was exactly where she should be. And when her mind finally processed the arm that was resting around her waist, Ezra’s arm, she felt so safe and secure in that moment, even if it was the farthest thing from the truth. Completely oblivious to the stares of people around them, through curtained windows, or just on the other side of the street, Marta did not realize how much damage she may have just caused. To her though, she was still in shock that she just initiated her first ever kiss. Yes Marta was beautiful, and all the boys on her street like to flirt with her, but Marta never paid them any attention. She was waiting for the right guy, despite what her mother may think. Marta is waiting for love.

She looked up, her cheeks still very flushed from the kiss, and saw so many emotions in Ezra’s eyes. And she heard him start to form his words, faltering at times. And when she saw the flash of anger and heard him ask her why she wanted him to suffer, Marta felt her knees almost give out from beneath her. What had she done? Why did her brain, and heart, believe this to be the right thing to do? It was too late to change what she had done,

Her stupidity becoming more and more clear to her. Her actions would leave no effect on her, but she may have just dug Ezra’s grave. They weren’t on her side of town, they were on his. His neighbors were the witnesses. Ezra would truly be the one who suffers. There would be no logical way of her parents ever finding out what happened, unless she told them. She could go home tonight, lay in bed and know she would be able to walk out her front door tomorrow without fear of someone glaring at her, or even worse, attacking her. The same couldn't be said for Ezra. Marta could die from idiocy in this moment.

Marta fully expected Ezra to push her away, hell even slap her at this point. She deserved it. However, what he did next turned Marta into a shivering puddle of a mess.

She felt Ezra step closer to her, his body’s warmth enveloping her as the rain started to fall more heavily now. At this rate, the two of them would be drenched in a matter of minutes. She couldn’t help but let her eyelids flutter shut as Ezra ran his hand through her hair. Despite what was happening right now, the calmness of having a person touch her hair will always be soothing. She slowly opened her eyes again and listened to his words, feeling his delicate fingers upon her face. It was so bittersweet. He wasn’t mad that she kissed him, but he seemed sure it would never and should never happen again. Marta didn’t want that.

Marta had no way of knowing what would happen next, but she does know that all the emotions running through her right now, there was something different about them. Something she has never felt before. While Marta may be a likable person and befriend anyone who just says "hi" to her, there are only a handful of people she deems worthy of her love. That included her parents, aunts and uncles and grandparents. And her best friend, Hilda. But the love she holds for them is tender and sweet. But the emotions she is feelings towards Ezra right now felt similar, but with a fiery passion behind them that did not feel like they would ever extinguish. Was this what it felt like to be falling in love?

Her body was beginning to tremble from the cold rain and from the pure adrenaline and emotions coursing through her body. Her eyes have not left Ezra’s and she has made no indication of moving from his arms. His comment about never going back the bakery, and her not being smart and not listening, nailed it right on the head. It is not even an option. She would see Ezra again.

Her hand, which was still resting on Ezra’s chest, reached up and rested on the back of his neck, letting her fingers play with his curly locks at the base of his neck. Finally breaking her silence, Marta closed the gap between their bodies more and said, “I don’t want you to be left wondering. I want you to feel those things everyday, for real. I can’t pretend I didn’t meet you Ezra. And I will not stay away.”

My Better Half [tlstiffl + avanhelsing]

Logan saw the flash in Jason’s eyes after he look the silencing spell off of him. Logan knew what was coming next, but he was just a millisecond too late. He felt the curse him in the chest, and he flew backwards and landed on his back, staring up at that sky. Logan was not alright with what just happened. The curse he had set on Jason was just to tease him. It didn’t leave the more immobile, like Jason had to him. Logan was not a competitive person, but he was prideful, so if his pride is attacked, he retaliates.

He felt Jason realize him from the spell, and Logan closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in. He was going to give Jason the benefit of the doubt, and let him have his shining moment. Logan knew if Jason kept fooling around, he would be ready. He was stronger magically than this guy.

He stood up, dusting the grass off his pants. He didn’t acknowledge Jason’s comment about winning, and just reach into his bag. He pulled out his blank scroll and quill and place them on the ground in preparation to write down the situations he and Jason were going to create. He let Jason have his fun time, and it definitely brought the bitterness back into Logan’s demeanor.

“Ok then. Situation number one. You are in an alley and someone casts stupefy on you. You use protego to bounce the curse back to the other person. Would you like to practice the Protego charm?”

Why Can't This Be? [arockysmith + tlstiffl]

When she felt Ezra drop her hands, she felt like it was more than just that. It felt like Ezra was already giving up, though what he was giving up on exactly was a bit unclear. In a way, it was like he was giving up on Marta, even though, what reason did he have to believe in her? What could she possibly do to help him or make things better? Sure, he father held a pretty influential position in the government, but he would not sacrifice his job, and potentially his family’s safety, just to help one boy. But surely there had to be something Marta could do, but like always, her hopeful behavior blinded her from the reality.

She felt Ezra standing, helping her up as she did. She made sure to straighten her dress since it bunched up while sitting on the ground. Marta looked up at Ezra as he began to speak, and Marta almost wished he hadn’t. He spoke so bluntly, it almost made Marta want to run away. But that would just prove what he was saying to be correct. She was one of the lucky ones. She had everything in the world, while he had nothing. Even if there wasn’t a war brewing, and it was just a normal day, their social standings would still make Marta the elite, and Ezra just the rats in the gutter of the streets that her type of people walked on everyday. But that was just it, Marta didn’t want to be like those people.

Marta wanted to surround herself with every type of person, culture, food, experience she could imagine. She didn’t want to live in the bubble, and she was doing whatever she could to pop it. Marta would think of Ezra, everyday, for the unforeseeable future. Their short interaction has impacted her life more than he could imagine. She would not forget how the world they live in made him question her reasoning for being in the bakery. She would not forget how, despite his fears about her, he came to her aid after she fled. She would not forget the look in his eyes as she stared at him, as if there was so much more he wanted to say and do.

Marta was speechless. Which, for her, was a rare thing. She didn’t want to go home, but what else was she suppose to do? Clearly Ezra had his mind made up; he wanted her out of his life, so that he could forget about her. Marta didn’t want to give up, but her naivety making it impossible to come up with a solution.

With a shaky breath, she turned and started to head towards the direction of her house. Every step she took felt like a weight was being added to her shoulders. Her footsteps ringing in her ears. This can’t be it she thought to herself as she felt a raindrop on her forehead. Don’t give up Marta! Do something!

Marta can be very stubborn, which has proven helpful, at least in terms of getting what she wants, from her father and on occasion, her mother. If she wasn’t as stubborn as she was, she would have never convinced her father to let her go to Berlin. Or convince her mother to let her walk to her uncle’s party today. And it was about to prove useful once again, as her stubbornness made her stop walking and face Ezra again.

At the moment though, she was still lost for words, but she had to let Ezra know she wasn’t going anywhere. That he was stuck with her now. So her instincts kicked in and she did the only thing she could think to do.

Marta leaned over, her hands landing gently on Ezra’s chest, as she stood on her tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss on Ezra’s lips. It was a soft, and did not last very long, but it felt so right to Marta. She pulled back, a look of shock on her face. She could not believe she did that, but she did not regret it. However, she was speechless before, now Marta was pretty sure she didn’t even know how to form words. Did she just take it too far?