The air in the shopping centre was stale despite the fact that in some parts you could catch glimpses of the open sky. It was full of people, some running to grab a quick lunch somewhere or have a lunch as a treat, mums with kids enjoying some “quality” time with their friends, people shopping. The main shopping street imitated a high street but it felt sterile. There was no life, all activity inside the centre felt futile. Come to buy what you do or don’t need and leave.

I took a fresh breath of air where there was an open air. Some argued it was annoying, you could get actually rain inside of a shopping centre, but I felt it was some grounding point in the concrete madness. I guess I would have welcomed even a potted tree now and there. Though their absence and absence of any life there for that matter was exactly the reason why we were meeting there and not next to the oak.

Jake was already waiting in front of Next. I saw him looking at the shop window, his back towards me. I realised it was the first time I was really observing him with interest. I saw a tall well-built guy with brown hair. He had a presence around him, probably that’s what Jonathan was half-jokingly referring to as a ladies touch. How old was he really? The late twenties or early thirties? I couldn’t tell. He was not wearing a coat, just a woolly brown scarf that was more a fashion statement. How was it possible he was not cold? His washed out blue T-shirt hugged his broad shoulders as if we were in the middle of the summer. Well, dressed in the T-shirt and jeans he looked fit. I was grateful that he didn't fall for the English men's obsession with tight jeans, though he would have been probably able to pull it off. I hugged my coat safely around me. Even if he didn't feel the cold, I did. Then, as if he could see me, he turned.

I was glad we met here, where there were no witnesses. At least not the ones that mattered. He looked serious as I approached him. I took a deep breath.

“Hi,” I said, trying to stay in charge of the situation.

“Hi,” he answered. I couldn't tell if he was happy to see me. I stopped maybe half a meter from him. This was awkward. I was expecting it to be awkward but maybe not that much. Well, actually I felt a bit out of my depth. I was not sure what I expected. Truth be told, I didn’t expect Jake to remember anything that happened on Friday. At least nothing about the kiss or the dance and not much about him talking with Mike. I had no clue what he remembered and that was confusing.

I looked into his deep green eyes and smiled. Would flirting work? Well, it sort of did on Friday, but then, I would not say that was really flirting. The air around us felt a bit colder. Dead man eyes, again. Jake was confusing. He would radiate so much energy around him it could keep a girl warm throughout the whole winter. Then you would look into his eyes and see death and suddenly the world would become one sad cold place. Life and death don’t really mix. Either you are alive or dead. That’s it. He looked confused too.

“Are we going to talk or will you just keep staring at me?” He said after a while. His voice woke me up from my thoughts. I really needed to be a bit more focused. Maybe it was good I switched to accounting, clearly, I was no good at this witchy stuff.

“Yeah, sure. Should we grab a coffee first?” I suggested out of habit as if we were out for a date and not what I thought was a more of a business meeting of sorts. Caffeine can brighten up the darkest day and I hoped it would work its magic today too. He just shrugged shoulders.

And so we walked across the fake street to Starbucks. It was busy as always on Sunday or any day for the matter, but it didn’t really matter. We were quietly queuing, waiting for our turn. Not talking to each other, we managed to ignore the other one. Standing next to each other, our hands were almost touching. It was not going how I expected it to be. It felt pathetic really.

“So, how do you like High Wycombe?” I broke the uneasy silence. Jake looked at me if I was joking. I had to admit, it wasn’t the greatest topic, but I was always bad at small talk. He shrugged shoulders. Again.

“It’s fine, I guess,” he answered. The conversation had really the potential to be exciting.

“Any orders?” The situation was rescued by the barista, I felt a wave of relief.

“Small cappuccino,” I said without thinking.

“Black coffee,” Jake added.

“Here or to go?”

“Here.” I felt safer in public.

“To go,” Jake said at the very same moment. He looked at me as if I were joking, planning on sitting down here in the overcrowded coffee shop.

“Sorry, to go.” I apologised and smiled the brightest smile at the barista who seemed to be absolutely oblivious to the situation. I smiled again and he didn’t even ask for our names. Sometimes being a witch had its benefits. Then, Jake paid for our coffee, dismissing my very feeble protest that I could pay for my own cappuccino.

At least we didn’t need to wait for the coffee for too long.

“Where do you want to go now?” I asked because it was Jake who wanted to take the coffee out. He looked at me like I was a little insane.

“You are local.” He looked around. “Seriously, don’t you think we should talk somewhere a bit more private? Why not in the wood?”

“It’s not really safe there,” I said without explaining any details. I lead him out of the coffee shop, thinking hard about where would be the best place to talk. The mall was busy with people streaming in all directions as if it was the place to be on Sunday. Sadly, for some, it was truly the highlight of their day. Jake was right, we did need to meet somewhere a bit more private.

Jake started to turn towards the exit. Suddenly, I could feel the vibrations in the air. I ducked, using Jake as a shield. It was a pigeon flying low looking for something to eat. Call me melodramatic or paranoid, but I didn’t want to risk anything. It’s not the wall who have ears. They are soulless. Dead. Everything else has. What’s worse, anything that has ears can talk if you know how to ask and more importantly, if you know how to listen. Jake looked at me surprised.

“Have I missed anything?” He sounded more than confused. He didn't pay any attention to the pigeon. I wished that things would be less complicated, that I would be more like him - not seeing a threat behind every living thing in sight. Then again, that was why I moved to England, to simplify things. And look how that turned out. Working with a vampire to get rid of my problem. And now Jake, becoming a problem of his own.

“Let’s just go here.” I pointed towards the entrance to the car park.

“Seriously?” He looked at me as if I was joking again.

I nodded.

“Seriously. Come on, don’t be a crybaby.” I urged him. I led the way and Jake followed. I opened the door and entered the corridor. I looked around. The area to pay for tickets was likely to get busy. I decided to walk the stairs. One flight, then another. Before reaching the third floor, I stopped and pointed to the middle of the staircase to sit down.

“What the hell is going on?” Jake now sounded more angry than surprised. Maybe a bit disappointed if I were brave enough to admit it.

“That’s what I am trying to find out.” For once, I was honest. I sat down and Jake decided to sit right next to me.

“Care to explain?” He looked at me quizzically.

Honesty is sometimes the best policy. “What do you remember about Friday?”

“We danced then we went to McDonald's.”

I smiled.

“Yes. That’s about it. So, why did you want to meet? I think we are all set up for Tuesday, no?”

“Well, partially I wanted to check about that. It’s important to Jonathan.” Ahhh, perfect puppet response.

“Secondly,” he continued. “Dancing and burgers are not exactly what happened on Friday. Right? So….” He looked absolutely serious. The temperature fell down yet by another few degrees, I confess I felt as if I could touch the frost.

“What do you mean?” I was not playing my surprise. I didn't expect him to remember that much and even know to ask for more details. That was not the plan.

“Who are you?” I asked him when he didn't answer my question. I tried to focus on him to find out what was under all those layers he presented to the world. I could feel the energy, the same kind of energy all people have. I focused a bit more, to taste his essence. I always felt that thinking about it as tasting makes more sense. My mum thought it was funny. She said I sound like some hocus pocus card reader. The next thing she expected me to do was to discuss aura. My granma thought it was rather interesting. Interesting - that’s how she worded it. But she looked at me as if she were disappointed.

A sharp noise startled me. I focused my eyes at Jake.

“No more your hocus pocus tricks.” He said and I realised the sharp noise was him whistling. He sounded serious. He also sounded older than he actually appeared. What was going on? Did he feel what I was doing? Generally speaking, most people were oblivious to it, some might feel rather uneasy as if someone was interrogating you but generally they couldn't say what was going on. He caught me off-guard. I couldn’t really focus anymore and I needed more space to think about it. I focused myself on a crack on a wall in front of us instead of Jake. I followed it up along the wall, observing every little piece of dirt on the way. In a way, it looked a bit like an old man's veins.

“Are you now going to ignore me?” he asked me after a moment. He probably expected me to be chattier.

The idea of ignoring him had crossed my mind, but then I simply said: “I am trying to figure you out.”

“Figure ME out?”

“Yes. There is something off about you.” I paused, not wanted to say anything more. I started to count the specks of dirt on the left side of the crack.

“You know, when I first saw you, I thought you were odd.” I continued, my stare fixed on the wall.

Jake was waiting if I would keep talking. A few breaths later, he said: “Odd how?”

“That’s exactly what I am trying to figure out,” I said, hugging my knees. The first time I saw him, I saw a pretty guy. Pretty, a bit creepy guy, with eyes of a dead man. Those eyes that were also deeply mesmerizing green.

“You know, when I first saw you, I thought you had it all together. Now I think you are odd too.” He said. I looked at him sharply. He looked straight ahead of him. Was he looking at the same crack? I followed his gaze.

“Odd how?”

“Are you going first?” He suggested, but I shook my head. He smiled.

“Beautiful girl. Powerful witch. And then, you start to blackmail and play everyone.”

“Blackmail? I started to blackmail?” When the hell did I start to blackmail anyone?

“Yes, blackmail. But I have seen that before. It’s not going to work.”

“What the hell are you talking about? What blackmail?”

“Do you really think I don’t know what you are trying to do asking Jonathan for blood?” Honestly, I didn’t think he knew. How could he?

“It’s not going to make you younger or live longer or whatever. You will just become a puppet. That’s why he is ok with it, sort of.”

“Puppet like you?” I asked mockingly, but deep down I was relieved. He had no idea. They had no idea.

“What do you mean?” Jake tensed. He looked annoyed. I smirked. I felt much more secure now when I had an upper hand.

“Well, it’s obvious, no? You do exactly what he tells you. You come across strong but when you are next to him it’s as if you disappeared into the background. There is something odd about you and now I think I know what it is. You have some of his blood running through your veins. I can feel it. I just haven’t understood before. It’s quite obvious, if you ask me, actually.” It wasn’t. Or at least I didn’t really know any vampire puppets. Well, Jonathan was the first vampire I ever met. But I looked at Jake and I could see his pupils dilating. Most of the time he was composed, but he was tensing. I could see how his hand grabbed the rail and gripped it so his knuckles whitened.

He stared at me in disbelief.

“Is that what you think about me? That I have no free will?”

I nodded.

“You are insane.” He said.

“I am insane? I am my own person, not some daytime runner.”

“And neither am I. But at least I don’t go around making people do what I want them to do against their will. You just bend the reality so it suits you and then make people forget so you don’t need to deal with the consequences. Because that’s exactly what you did on Friday.”

I stared at him but he just continued.

“You were angry that I ruined your little game with your poster “boyfriend”.” He stressed “boyfriend” just to make a point.

“And then you just kissed me and made me forget. You should really grow up.” He stood up.

“Jake, wait.” I was not sure what I wanted to say, because it did feel like this was exactly what happened. He turned to me.

“About Tuesday,” I started. Did I need anything? I felt like I desperately needed something.

“I will see you then.” I composed myself. He nodded and walked away. I just kept sitting there in the dirt and dead concrete. I felt like running away, anywhere far enough. But then, running away was exactly what put me in this situation in the first place. Instead, I hugged my knees.

“Are you OK?”

I stared at the face of a young couple. I must have been sitting there for quite some time. I nodded and stood up. They just passed me on their way up. It was time for me to go home.

It was then when I realised what he said: beautiful girl, a powerful witch.