The dream turned into vast darkness that stopped when Cecilio woke up.
The headache was gone, but now his eyes were wet and there was this excruciating weight in his chest. He needed some minutes to himself, just laying in his bed, to try his best and forget once again about Theo.
As he sat on the bed, he dried the wet eyelashes with the sheet, passing his hands through the frizzy hair to get it off his face. Why would he be crying over Theo? When that wasn’t even his name, and everything that man showed him was but a farse. It'd been so long ago, too. Everything, from the place he came to his true intentions, they were all a lie. Having these sort of sweet dreams about him felt like an insult to his intelligence when Cecilio knew his heart made an effort in remembering a deception. Now, he felt like he needed a drink, so getting ready to go to Antares' birthday party didn’t sound that terrible.
It was already 10 PM, there was enough time to get ready for the party. His usual clothes wouldn't be enough for a feast arranged by the richest elves on this side of the world, so after taking a rather long shower and even washing his hair, putting on a bathrobe to apply a clay mask for 25 minutes and then moisturizer, he sat on the wooden floor in front of his bedroom’s mirror with all of the instruments he would need to look half decent. These instruments were a makeup pouch and his hairstyling equipment, and with “Half decent” he meant “Stunning” for Elf and Cherry’s standards, otherwise, they wouldn’t let him inside the club.
But he’s the Grand Witch you know. The most powerful being on Earth, who should be revered and deserves respect. Such a magnificent person was playing music on shuffle on his phone, some old Boleros, and drinking that morning’s leftover overheated coffee to start doing his makeup. Cecilio started with makeup concealer to look less tired, he then delicately applied brown eyeshadow a little darker than himself on his lids and golden pressed glitter on the lower lash line and the eyelid. This step plus a subtly blended eyeliner done with black eyeshadow was what he enjoyed the most. The face was ready, now he had to care for the hair and this he didn’t like to do that much.
After applying styling cream and gel, waiting for it to dry with his diffusor bothered him, he lit up one of his lavender cigarettes and was distracted by the shapes that came out of the smoke. Things were always revealed to Cecilio, whether he wanted it or not, a thing that came with power, and even after so many years he hasn’t been able to fully control it. Ignoring it was the usual, yet at times more than revealing the future, or advising stuff to him, the smoke tried to entertain him. The white shade turned into hues of pink and purple and it calmed his nerves that have been altered ever since he woke up from that terrible dream.
Te Busco by Celia Cruz started playing and Cecilio gave his curls volume with some coconut oil before getting dressed. Looking at himself whenever he was this dress-up felt like the one in his reflection was his other self, with the black ensemble of turtleneck, pants, and boots that appeared to blend into one, showing off the small frame he tended to hide. For that, he picked a long leather coat that fitted his figure and was in a lovely shade of emerald green. Cecilio's favorite. He complement his look with some gold rings and necklaces and felt like he was ready to go.
Cecilio preferred to watch Tv for half an hour to enjoy some rerun episodes of The Addams Family. Both to make time and not get to the party too early, and as a way to prepare himself. When the clock hit 12, Cecilio was ready for the journey to Cherry’s place. He took the invitation and saved it inside his coat, went down the stairs of the living room into the store, and after wasting time checking everything was in order he opened the curtain and walked towards that hidden door at the end of the hallway.
There was the mysterious iron door, with all those runes engraved in it that shone a greenish light when Cecilio grabbed the handle. This was his private door to Club Kalon. A nice establishment and sort of haven for every nonhuman, or earthborn as they preferred to be called, and it worked as the safest meeting spot since you could only get in with the owner’s permission.
The door opened, and Cecilio felt the cold air carrying the smells of liquor and expensive perfumes, and hidden within them there was the tiniest hint of the incense he crafted earlier. The strident music made Cecilio cover his ears as he walked onto the second floor and looked down the black railing at the dance floor and the number of people enjoying the party. A colorful bunch of earthborns, not many human witches around, most of them were elves and fairies, and some members of the errant Troll community, all enjoying themselves on the dancefloor. The Trolls had planned their passing through Teria so they could attend this party. The vampires sitting on the couches at one corner were discussing whatever things vampires discussed. Probably a debate over what was better: Deer or bunny blood.
It was as loud, excessive, and exuberant with drink, food, dance, and extremely vibrant energy as he imagined Antares' birthday party would be.
Cecilio wished to admire how happy everyone looked for a little longer, but his eyes meet the ones of the birthday boy as he was enjoying himself, joking around with friends in the bar. Antares looked as if he was turning 20 even when he was turning 250 years old that same night. With his light blonde braided hair in a bun and the brown skin that shone prettily under the club’s lights like his white satin dress shirt, he couldn’t stop himself from hugging the hairy men next to him and shouting loud enough that everyone close to him could hear.
“The Grand Witch came to my birthday party!”
Many eyes were now on the shadowy figure of Cecilio, standing by himself on the second floor and looking relaxed, but seriously hoping they wouldn’t think to put a reflector on him. Thankfully they didn’t and he just waved a little at the people at the party before he decided to go down to say hi. At the end of the stairs, there was André, carefully dressed in a red suit and black shirt as he smoked some tobacco.
“What a great entrance. So bad the reflector couldn’t show your magnanimous figure.”
“Go dance in circles, asshole,” answered Cecilio, nodding his head at the people around him and waving. “Good that you know your place and didn’t try to take the spotlight from Antares.”
“Oh, I tried. Cherry stopped me.”
“Why can’t you be more like her?”
André chuckled and put out his cigarette in the trash bin next to him. “I’ve done enough by letting her dress me.”
“Red suits you, demon. How’s everything going?”
“Peaceful for a Callas party. Give it time for people to reach their 5th drink and chaos to commence,” André’s smile grew as he spoke.
“Wouldn't you like that… Enjoy the party then.”
Cecilio left him alone and walked towards the bar and the birthday boy who looked thrilled at having such a personality accepting his invitation when he used to decline most. Antares Callas was tall, at least slightly taller than Cecilio, and his demeanor could be described with just one word: Carefree. He was the middle brother of 10 who belonged to the main branch of the family, the one that predated the city itself. Even if the Callas were certified party animals, they took work seriously, except for Antares, who’d decided many years ago that office work just wasn’t for him. He wandered around through life for at least 50 years until he found his true calling.
What else could someone as emblematic of this community with such a pedigree be? Well, a designer, a talented tailor, and dressmaker. A skillful one. Antares made the coat Cecilio was wearing, and more than being happy at being graced with Cecilio’s presence, he was thrilled to see one of his favorite creations come to life in Cecilio’s elegant figure while being shown to everyone. One of the best gifts he’d gotten that day.
“Hello, Antares. Happy birthday. I hope my gift reached you safely,” said Cecilio, sitting on a free stool at the bar.
“I adored them! I promise to be responsible while using those oils. More important, I was surprised when I received the package a day before my birthday, yet not as surprised as seeing you here tonight.”
“Just felt like it.”
Antares laughed, a loud cackle that felt louder than the music to Cecilio, and he sat next to him, checking Cecilio and his coat up and down, overjoyed since it fit the Grand Witch as well as he imagined it would.
“You usually don’t feel like it. Could you tell me what’s wrong?”
Cecilio gave him his best bussines smile, one filled with deception.
“Nothing that should ruin your night”
Comments (0)
See all