don't fear the unknown

“Everythings ready for the ritual!” Ea exclaimed. I sigh and bury my forehead into the pillow. “Do we have to?” I moan.

Ea puts their hands on their hips. “Yes, yes we do.”

“Whyyyyyyyy.”

“Because, and besides, I'm doing this for your greater good, not mine, so you're welcome.”

“I didn't ask you to!”

Ea raises their eyebrows and puts their hands on their hips. “You need this, you've got it bad.”

“No, I don't!” 

Ea smirks. “You know I vaguely remember something like this happening..” They start spinning around in circles and flapping their arms like wings. “Oh sage, sage, sage you're so amazing and hot!” They spin in a circle and then collapse on their bean bag in a fitful of laughter.

“I did not do that!”I protest.

“Oh yeah sure, let me just pull off this video I have of you doing exactly just that.” They pull their phone from their back pocket.

“No please, it's so humiliating don't do this to me!” I get off the bed and flop on the beanbag next to them and then I take their phone from their hand and hold it above my head.

“I'm taking this.”

Ea sighs. “Come on, let's do this.”

“No.”

“Or else I'll text Sage and tell them myself.” They spring up and grab their phone back.

I stare at them. “You wouldn't..”

“Try me.”

“Fine!”

Ea claps their hands happily. “YES!”

I groan.

“So as you can see the room is dark, the candles are lit, the rose petals are on the floor and the moon is full, everything is perfect!”

I looked around, Ea had a fairly large room and since the lights were off darkness coated the corners. The only light was from the ring of candles burning bright. Rose petals were scattered everywhere and Ea’s window was wide open. The moon shone bright, big, and as full as could be. Sounds of trick-or-treating children could be heard from below.

Ea snapped their fingers. “Bee don't space out on me now!”

“I wasn't!”

“Mmm.”

I stuck my tongue out at them.

“Wife, you offend me.” Ea proclaimed.

“Were only tax, beneficial wives.” I mutter

“I thought I was your favorite wife!” Ea gives me puppy eyes.

“Of course you are.”

Ea blows me a kiss. “Now let's get this going. The whole thing is really simple. It's all about setting the mood and believing.”

“Wonderfull,” I say sarcastically.

Ea ignores me. “Just light this candle. Say what you want and let the candle burn down.” Ea hands me a red candle and a lighter.

I stare at them suspiciously. “I doubt this is safe…” Ea waves it off.

“You only live once.”

I stick out my shaky arm and grab the two items. I set the candle on a small wooden box and took the lighter in my hand.

And then there's fire. “Say what you want..” Ea whispers..

“I want..”  I don't know what I want. “I want to know how I feel..” I whisper.

Everything has been so confusing. My last girlfriend had broken up with me after I told her I had feelings for another person as well. Then all of her friends tried to figure out who it was and her, as well as all her friends, thought it was Ea and at this point, I was too tired to tell them it wasn't true. Sage was the person I liked.

But then at night, I couldn't help thinking about Ea like was there something everyone else saw that I didn't? Did I really have feelings for Ea? And then it made everything complicated because Ea also liked Sage as well so what would happen if I liked Ea?

Ea was chill about all of this. Both of us were pretty much in denial about the fact that we both liked the same person so at the moment we were both emotionally fine. But what would happen if all of this turned into something real?

I looked up and saw Ea grab a candle.

“I'm going to do one as well.”

They set it in the crate and lit the candle. “I hope that when is all and said and done I’m with who I'm supposed to be with”

They looked up at me and smiled. We sat in silence for a long time before Ea hopped up to their feet. “Let's go sit on the porch.” They suggested.

I followed them down the stairs and onto the porch. They went to the swinging chair and I sat down next to them and watched the trick or treaters.

I stare at the trick or treaters when I see them. A person in a vampire costume who has insanely bouncy brown hair dark mascara and bright red lips. They have a long velvet skirt and a tight black and red corset and dang my heart almost stops.

I blink and stare again, what are the chances there actually here? I must be hallucinating, I'm down that bad. But when I open my eyes they're still there.

Ea nudges me. “Go talk to them!”

“Uh no. Why don't you?”

“Because. Here follow me.” Ea grabs my hand and drags me inside. Ea whispers something to her mom and then turns to look back at me.

“My mom needs a break. Can you pass out candy for a little bit? Thank you!” Ea shoves the bowl of candy into my hands and pushes me towards the front door. Before I can figure what's happening the doorbell rings. I open it and in front of me is Sage.

“Hi bee.” bee’s my nickname only Ea calls me that it's a cutesy name. I stare at them and I can't move.

I'm memorized, paralyzed. I am so helpless.

I bit my lip and tried to come back to my senses.

“What are you doing here?” I ask like an idiot.

“Trick-or-treating.” They smile and my heart almost stops.

“I mean don't you live.. Not here?”

“My sisters wanted to go trick or treating downtown and then wanted to come to this neighborhood.” They explain.

Sage cocks their head at me.

“What are you doing here? Don't you live by the school?”

“Yeah.. i'm just hanging out with Ea..”

“And they made you hand out candy?”

“Apparently. They just gave me the bowl and ran off.. They must have had some sort of ulterior motive..” I stare at Sage, stare at the candy bowl, and then smack my forehead. “Of course,” I mutter.

“You figure it out?” Sage smirks. 

I roll my eyes. “That child is always up to no good.”

“I think they're pretty smart. Don't you?’ And then they smile and I can't breathe.

“Your cheeks look cold.” Sage smiles at me and then puts their hands on my cheeks and I stay there gazing into their eyes. They smile and then pull away. “Bye Bee.” And then they're gone swallowed into the darkness. I stand there with my hand over my heart and gaze at where they used to be.

“Okay, you love-struck puppy let's sit down.” Ea chuckles. We sat down on the swinging chair again.

“You are down so bad.” They laugh

“Do you think it actually worked?” I ask.

Ea looks up to the sky. “I'm not sure. The world is a magical place and it's fun to think anythings possible.”

I looked at their eyes full of wonder and curiosity. A strand of their curly orange hair falls in front of their face. Without hesitation, I put the strand behind their ear.

They turn to look at me and I'm suddenly aware of how close we are. Our legs are touching my fingers still on their face and I can feel their breath on my cheeks. My gaze goes to their eyes. Ea looks like a deer in headlights that's exactly how I feel.

And I don't know who made the first move but suddenly my lips are on theirs. And they're so soft. I pull away and look back up at them. I open my mouth and try to speak but nothing comes out. Ea laughs and I flush red. I bury my head into their neck and they lean in closer to me.

“I don't know where that came from.. I.. don't.. I don't know how I feel. About you, About this, about Sage.. About anything real.”

“Me neither.” They say softly. “But.. that's okay..We can figure ourselves out together.”

“I..” I pause.. “That would be nice. Like how am I supposed to know how I feel?” and then softly. “Sage was just so hot.”

Ea looks at me.

“Sorry, that was insensitive.”

Ea laughs. “Yeah they really are, but so are you.”

“Right back at you wife.” I chuckle.

“I knew there had to be a reason why I was your favorite..”

“Oh, whatever.” I shove them playfully.

“Just know I'll always be here for you.” Ea smiles.

“Always and forever my favorite wife.''We exchange glances and burst out laughing. We get off the swing and together we step together.

Into the unknown. But I'm not afraid. I'm ready. Watch out world.