Secrets Don't Make Friends

[Elizabeth Mendler]

Elizabeth was running late. It wasn't something she often found herself doing, but on that particular morning, the teenager had slept in far too late, and hardly had time to get ready before going out. Still, she was meeting up with Cedric, and she had to look her best for that. His impeccable appearance always compelled her to try her hardest to look as good, but that took time. She might not have been as late as she was if she hadn't taken the time to curl the ends of her hair, or go searching for her prettier pair of ballet flats that matched perfectly with the pale pink dress she was wearing, but she had to. Eliza needed to look nice for her best friend, even if they would probably do nothing more than walk around for a bit and talk.

The girl walked hurriedly to the spot where they had decided on meeting up at, slightly out of breath from walking so quickly. She glanced at a watch that was tangled between a few of her bracelets, and realized she was about half an hour late. "I'm so sorry, Cedric, I woke up late, I didn't mean to keep you waiting," she immediately explained as she approached, putting an apologetic smile on her face.

[Cedric Winters]

Cedric Winters was arguably the only man who could make a shirt and blue jeans look like a tuxedo. The jet black dress shoes he wore could technically pass for casual, but it was certainly not in most circles. Moving beyond that his jeans were crisp and the long sleeved black v-neck he wore over his slender torso and arms seemed to be in impeccable shape. His chocolate locks were perfectly combed and remained so as he turned his head to focus his emerald irises on the lady in pink who was rushing over to him. Watching her apologize and smile, caused Cedric to respond in kind before he let his baritone flow from his mouth.

"I personally don't see anything to be sorry about Elizabeth. After all beauty and perfection take time. To put them both together certainly explains a bit of tardiness. I hardly think that is worthy of capital punishment."

[Elizabeth Mendler]

She came to a stop right in front of him, giving Cedric a brief hug. Each time they met, it felt like they were spending longer and longer apart. Eliza had just become increasingly busy with every passing day, with finishing up her last semester of high school, and setting up for what she would hopefully be doing after her schooling was done. It left the girl with almost zero down time, and her weekends were also packed with activities and things that occupied every moment of her time. She had forced herself to make time for Cedric on that particular weekend, however. Going weeks without seeing him was starting to wear down on her, and she figured she could put down the textbooks for a few hours and just hang out.

"Yes, but if you can show up here, looking as perfect as you do, and on time, then I should be able to do the same. I don't want to quibble about this, though, we've too little time to waste on meaningless spats, and there is so much catching up to do."

[Cedric Winters]

Returning the hug with equal fervor, Cedric chuckled being around her. It had been ages since they last saw each other, but he distinctly remembered the last time they had met involved a bit of a debate between his suggestion for her career after school and his lack of a romantic partner. That being said, Cedric was more than enthralled to see Elizabeth so happy and looking so well. Breaking apart from their embrace, Cedric looked to Elizabeth extraordinarily curious as to what had happened in her life since their last meeting.

"Indeed there is, indeed there is. I've been waiting for ages to ask you about your prospective modeling career. It was months ago that you mentioned there was an agency seeking your employ."

[Elizabeth Mendler]

At the mention of modeling, Elizabeth smiled a little sadly. While it was true that there had been an agency looking to use her as a model, things hadn't quite gone as well as she hoped they would have. Linking her arm in Cedric's, Eliza began walking fairly slowly, looking down at her feet more than at her friend.

"Yes, well...I did a few test shoots with them, and they kindly informed me that I didn't have the look they wanted. Whatever that's supposed to mean. I've sent in portfolios and pictures to a few other places recently, so I'm hoping those might turn out better. But what about you, how have you been doing lately? Anything interesting come up in your life?"

[Cedric Winters]

Moving along with Elizabeth, Cedric looked to the girl at his left. She seemed a bit out of place having her arm in his and once Cedric heard why he couldn't help but frown a bit himself. However he put a smile back on before the reached his right arm over to Elizabeth's chin to raise it back off taking the pavement out of her line of sight. He gently pulled it so she'd be looking at him before he spoke with a smile on his face, as was his usual character.

"I can tell you what it means. It means that they clearly have no taste in good modeling. Hopefully these next agencies won't actually be so dimwitted. Personally I've just been very busy with nothing of interest. Dancing, homework, more dancing, class, and dancing."

[Elizabeth Mendler]

The gesture of Cedric's took her off guard for only a moment, as she hadn't anticipated it. Elizabeth smiled gently at him as he spoke, her cheeks blushing with a light pink color. She was far more than used to such actions and words from her friend, and while it was nothing out of the ordinary, just the comfort of them made her feel a bit better about it. Eliza hadn't necessarily wanted to share that information with Cedric, because it was so disappointing, but he was trying to help her realize that it wasn't her fault.

"Well, thank you, for being so kind. I just hope I can get some sort of luck and get a contract with an agency soon, though I doubt it's going to happen. Someone seems like they've been a very busy dancer, however. I would ask you to demonstrate, but I'm afraid if you needed a partner, I would only work to ruin everything with my lack of dancing skills."

[Cedric Winters]

"And I personally doubt that you need luck of any sort. However while I do prefer dancing with a partner, I am more than capable of dancing alone. After all it's vital to know how to dance alone before trying to mesh styles with another person. I of course would be happy to show you."

Smirking Cedric let go of the blushing girl as he felt her cheeks warm up after becoming the same color as her dress and simply kept his left arm linked with her right one. She needed to learn that while the arts were indeed magical, they could be just as kind and gentle as they could be harsh and unforgiving. The reward for mastering an art form was unrivaled in Cedric's mind, but Elizabeth had to recognize that. Naturally Cedric would be more than inclined to help his best friend with that.

[Elizabeth Mendler]

Eliza was well aware of Cedric's talent at dance. She knew how hard he worked at it, and how much he loved it. Even if she was terrible at it, she could appreciate the boy's passion for it. At one point, Elizabeth had tried dance, ballet specifically, and found she lacked the poise and balance necessary for the art. It had driven her off of liking it for a while, until she was convinced by Cedric's enthusiasm that it wasn't so bad. At the moment, she was glad to talk about it, if it meant getting off the topic of her stagnant modeling prospects.

"If you want to dance Cedric, by all means go ahead. I do have to say though, that I think we're not in a very appropriate place to dance," she gestured toward the sidewalks and the general outdoor location that might get in the way. "To be honest, I'm content just to walk."

[Cedric Winters]

Cedric of course loved to dance, but it wasn't necessary. Honestly unless she wanted it, he would feel like he was leaving Elizabeth out which would be absolutely criminal. Walking with Elizabeth was wonderful, but he knew he'd have to avoid talking about her modeling. Which is exactly what prompted Cedric to seek another avenue where he could try and get Eizabeth a bit more animated where his dancing would not.

"Then we can save it for another day. For now we enjoy the spring season, which is a lovely season once the flowers come in bloom and the birds return from wherever it is they venture off to. Now then, what's been happening with you and Harry?"

[Elizabeth Mendler]

"Oh, you know, stuff."

Eliza smiled wide at the mention of Harry, though she tried to hide it the best she could. She couldn't help it. While she didn't see the boy as often as she would have liked, she was still very much in a state of joy over their whole relationship. It had been something unexpected but wonderful. It put a small spring in her step to be able to talk about the boy she was dating.

"We've simply been writing letters back and forth, because we don't see each other all too much. We get on splendidly though."

[Cedric Winters]

"Well hopefully that will change over the course of the summer. After all without school bogging the two of you down, there will be plenty of time to do exactly what you've been wanting to do. Maybe make a little magic, hmm?"

Cedric could see the smile on Elizabeth's face and that caused him to reciprocate it. Whenever Elizabeth was happy it only made Cedric equally as happy. She was so happy about Elizabeth and Harry. He had never spent much time with the Seventh year Lotus Fellowship student, but she spoke well of him at least. Cedric certainly did not feel it was his place to get involved where Elizabeth was happy.

[Elizabeth Mendler]

Eliza giggled into the back of her hand at Cedric's comment. She was oblivious as to the double meaning that the phrase held to the boy, thinking only of how silly it sounded. "Magic? Well, this is Salem after all. Magic is practically infused into this town, so perhaps it's not totally impossible."

She frowned a little as she thought about the upcoming summer holiday. Something was finally clicking in her brain that she hadn't realized before. Of course, Eliza was just like every other student, eagerly awaiting the summer, having thought for a while that she'd have all the time in the world to do what she wanted, one of those things being spending time with Harry. The more that Elizabeth thought about it, the more she realized how unlikely that was to happen. She nearly stopped walking, because it was such a sudden, striking epiphany.

"Harry lives in California when he isn't at school... He won't be around for the summer holidays. How could I have not realized that before?" She whispered the last part more to herself than Cedric, looking stunned. "He's leaving once school is over."

[Cedric Winters]

Feeling a jerk back when Elizabeth stopped walking, Cedric frowned looking at her. He had no idea Harry lived so far away. Thinking for a moment, Cedric wondered if Harry had an apparation license. Otherwise getting around would be quite a bother. Cedric had no idea where he'd be without apparation. Looking to Elizabeth clearly made upset, Cedric hoped that he'd be able to at least distract her. Hopefully the magic in Salem would be able to actually help Elizabeth out as he subtly drew his wand of blackthorn from his right pocket. He kept it against his leg to avoid her seeing it. While it was technically frowned on for wizards to cast magic in front of Muggles, there wasn't really any harm if she didn't notice. And Cedric was one to make sure she wouldn't notice. Looking to a flower that was just beginning to bloom, Cedric thought for a moment before it began to bloom into a lovely yellow tulip. Drawing her attention to it he pointed with his left hand still linked in Elizabeth's arm.

"Well now I wouldn't say that. I'm sure you'll see him plenty over the summer. Look at that flower. I'm almost positive that's good luck for a flower to bloom near a passer-by."

[Elizabeth Mendler]

Elizabeth continued to frown, thinking about the subject still. Harry wouldn't be there over the summer. She most likely wouldn't get to see him for months, because traveling back and forth between the coasts of the states wasn't something too easily done. It was something she had never managed to think of before, but now that she had, it was all she was going to be able to think about. The boy she had started to have serious feelings for would be leaving her in not too long a time. It was awful, wretched, cruel.

"No, I won't, Cedric. He's going to be all the way across the country and--"

She cut herself off mid-sentence as she caught sigh of the blooming flower. Eliza looked at it in confusion. Had it really just bloomed in front of her? It surely must have, because Cedric had even pointed it out. Then she started to question how he had known the flower was even blooming in the first place. And, as far as she knew, flowers took quite a while to open up to the world, and it was not an instantaneous process.

"What? How did that...? There's no way that could have just bloomed like that."

[Cedric Winters]

"Of course it can you silly girl. After all you just saw it happen. So unless we are both crazy, nature is giving us a wonderful sight to see. Then again you were never much of a horticulturist Elizabeth."

She also wasn't familiar with the Herbivicus charm either, but Cedric would keep that to himself as he slipped his wand back into his right pocket. The less that was out the safer he'd be. Smiling and putting his right hand on hers, Cedric smirked at the her. She was blind to the magic in the world, so Cedric occasionally had to give her a gentle nudge in the right direction. Of course that meant he couldn't let her know he was the one nudging her either.

[Elizabeth Mendler]

"No, really Cedric, that isn't possible! A flower can't just... bloom instantaneously. It doesn't work like that."

Elizabeth shook her head, clearly not able to accept what she had just seen. She looked at the boy's right hand as it rested on hers, and her brows pulled together in concentration. Her mind was trying to figure out a possible way that the lovely flower before them could have simply bloomed into being. Eliza wanted to go and examine the flower more closely, but she knew it would only show itself to be a basic, normal plant. The girl sighed, shaking her head once more.

"It didn't bloom right before us, it couldn't have. It must have been the sun, or something, temporarily blinding us and tricking our eyes into thinking the flower bloomed, when really it might have just been disturbed and moved."

[Cedric Winters]

Chuckling, Cedric let go of Elizabeth's hand and arm so he could go over and pluck the flower from the soil. Chuckling, he bent down to extract the flower. However no sooner had he taken the flower out of the dirt did he feel something sliding out of his pocket. He was glad he was facing away from Elizabeth because he went absolutely wide eyed when he felt his blackthorn wand leave his pocket. He had always wanted the women of the world to see the magic in it, especially Elizabeth, but certainly not at the risk of exposing the wizarding world, the consequences for which were the most severe known to wizardkind, the punishments more severe than those for murder.

[Elizabeth Mendler]

"Cedric, what are you doing?"

She tried to look at what he was doing as he moved away from her and toward the flower. She assumed he was going to pick it from the ground, but it was taking him longer than she expected it would to pick a flower. The girl walked over to where he was, poking her head forward to see what it was that he was busying himself with.

[Cedric Winters]

Cedric thought how he could play the wand falling out of his pocket. He took a deep breath to calm down, but made sure to quietly exhale. All he needed to do was present himself nonchalantly and he'd be fine. No matter what he would have to convince Elizabeth that nothing was out of the ordinary. The last thing he needed was someone at the Ministry discovering something about this. This was something he could spend life in prison for, or potentially even be killed for. Turning around and stowing his wand back in his right pocket, Cedric restored the calm he always had on his face, the only difference being now he was almost frantic on the inside. After his wand was put in his right pocket, Cedric looked to Elizabeth and extended the tulip and smiling to her now seeing she had crossed over to him.

"I told you it was real you crazy girl."

[Elizabeth Mendler]

Eliza wasn't exactly the most observant of people all of the time. She managed to not catch anything out of the ordinary going on with the boy, and her mind was still trying to wrap itself around the occurrence with the tulip. Crossing her arms, the girl looked at the flower that was being held out to her, raising an eyebrow at it.

"But... It can't have just sprouted up like that! I swear, things like that don't happen. The way it grew so quickly, it was like magic, or something."

The girl used the term nonchalantly, thinking nothing of it. She had meant it along the lines of some illusionist or performer, doing simple tricks to a gullible audience. Of course, she didn't realize the slip up that Cedric had almost made just then, or the underlying causes behind how the flower actually grew. Eliza was just speaking her mind on the matter.

[Cedric Winters]

Cedric raised a brow at her before chuckling and gently taking her hand to put the tulip in it. He picked up on what Elizabeth said but he was more than happy to point it out. He would be glad to as long as she didn't catch on of course. No slip ups, no life sentences in prison. It seemed like a nice trade off on his part though he almost made a grave mistake of doing so.

"Magic? Well now, maybe you finally are beginning to see that it exists in the world."

Smirking, Cedric put on a very sly smile on his face as if to say 'I told you so' to the girl who didn't believe in magic. Granted she wasn't supposed to know he was a wizard, but she should know about magic at least.

[Elizabeth Mendler]

Eliza accepted the tulip, half-smiling. It was a pretty flower, regardless of how it came to be. She examined it for herself, twirling it between her fingers gently, then ran a finger across the soft, yellow petal. It wasn't her favorite type of flower, but she appreciated its loveliness just the same. However, at his comment and very subtle facial expression that Eliza barely managed to catch and interpret, she began to look at him oddly.

"Cedric, we've been over this before, haven't we? The natural magic, or whatever it was. I think you mentioned something about marriage and birth and... the first blossom of spring."

Eliza grinned knowingly, looking down at the flower in her hand. That was exactly what Cedric had told her before, and while the flower she was holding didn't exactly fit that description, it was pretty close. It had bloomed right before them, which was astounding enough. She had to laugh a little, thinking it completely coincidental.

[Cedric Winters]

"Oh you remembered. I'm flattered Elizabeth. I'm telling you it exists, you just need to look for it. I think you just need to learn how to see it."

Cedric then linked his arm back with Elizabeth's knowing he'd have to be a bit more careful if he was planning on doing more magic today. He'd at least have to make sure his wand wasn't sliding out of his pocket when he bent over to pick up a flower. However, he wasn't completely deterred. He'd gladly use magic to enchant Elizabeth, but by that same token, he would be much more cautious of how he did so. Exposure to the magical world was not something Elizabeth had to see. Not yet anyway.

[Elizabeth Mendler]

Eliza was still confused, but she didn't protest any further. Cedric had managed to successfully deter her attention from thoughts of her boyfriend leaving. She still didn't think on the topic, her mind still pondering the tulip she now held in her hands. What her friend had told her about a natural magic in the world made a little bit of sense to her, just slightly. Sometimes there were wonders that had to be viewed with awe, because of how astounding they were. But seeing an entire flower spring up and bloom was not something she had considered even possible, let alone any form of magic. As she linked her arm in Cedric's, she looked down at the flower once more.

"Too bad this is a yellow flower. If it were pink, I might have adorned my curls with it. It is still such a pretty thing."