"Tank, come out!" He called, squeezing Tank's squeaky toy. The sound usually made him come running.
Nothing.
Frowning, Dave put the toy down on the kitchen table. While doing so, he caught sight of the night sky through the window. The darkest time of night was right before the sun came up. It looked like solid, black velvet, encrusted with diamonds. And right outside on the fire escape...was a pair of fluffy ears!
"Really Tank?" Dave asked, walking over to the window. "The fire escape? How did you even get out..." But he stopped.
Becky sat on the fire escape ladder, her ipod in her ears. Her eyes immediatly turned to him and she pulled the buds out.
"Oh...hey, Dave." She said. Dave said nothing for a second.
"Now that I think about it, the question is more of, how did you get out here?" becky only flashed a small grin and shrugged.
"I guess I just needed to clear my head." She said.
"And you always clear your head on my fire escape?" Dave questioned. Becky watched as he began to climb out the window, but eventually looked away toward the sky. She only looked back when Dave's leg got caught on the window seal and he fell foward.
"I'm okay!" He said, holding up a hand. Then sat, Indian style on the bottom of the railing. Tank immediatly came over and planted himself by Dave.
"So, what's the real reason your here?" Dave asked, scratching Tank's stomache. Again, Becky had to snap her attention back to him.
"Oh. I ran into Balthazar today." She explained. Dave froze.
Was that a good, or a bad thing?
"He said if I was coming your way to give you...this." She held out a small jar. Inside was some kind of clear orbs.
And one of them was looking at him!
"Oh, um...I don't..." Dave studdered, flushing at the fact that Balthazar gave her a jar containing "Eye of Newt."
"Yeah...I know." She said awkwardly and put the jar down beside him. The two sat in silence for a while. Cars passed, stars twinkled, and lights flickered from skyscraper to skyscraper. Typical Manhattan.
"Does it feel weird?" Becky interupted.
"Does what feel weird?" Dave asked, unsure.
"Being a sorceror?"
"S'Apprentice." Dave added. They always forgot to add that one detail. Becky looked at him, expecting an answer. "Kind of. I haven't really been one that long." How long ago had he met Balthazar? A month? Two?
"But for the most part, it's kind of cool. Balthazar has been working with me alot. Training me and my powers, teaching me new spells, poisioning my mind more than it already was, you know."
Becky grinned at that last part. Up until a few weeks back, she hadn't even known of the magical world until Dave had went against Balthazar's wishes and told her. It was something she always dreamed of, but just never considered real. Now that it was...she didn't know what to believe. But she thought of something else at that moment.
"So, you and Balthzar are busy all the time, right?" She asked, a tint of sadness in her voice. Dave could see it.
"Well, not all the time. Why?"
Becky said nothing.
"I should probably get home." She said and stood up. "I've got a test in Henderson's class tommorrow. From what I hear, it's going to be killer." She started to leave. Dave finally got it.
Dave had been so busy with his sorcery training that he and Becky have hardly been spending any time together. Becky's sweet-nature kept her from saying anything. But Dave could see it. And now he watched her leave.
Don't just let her go! Say something, moron!
"Wait, Becky!" He caught her just as she got to the flight below. She looked up at him. He froze.
Now say something else! His mind challenged. He was drawing a blank.
"Do you...want to go see a movie together tommorrow?" He asked, saying the first thing that came to his mind. Becky looked confused.
"But I thought you had training with Balthazar." She stated. Dave only shrugged.
"It's not that big-a-deal." Dave blew off. He walked to the flight below. "I mean, it's just one practice session. He'll get over it."
"Are you sure? If you have to save the world or something I really don't want to keep you away." Now it was Dave's turn to laugh, making Becky's grin widen.
"Don't worry. It'll be okay. Now go ahead and go home. I'll pick you up tommorrow. I hear that there's suppose to be a movie out with Nicholas Cage in it."
"I love him!" Becky stated, but thought for a second. "Thanks, Dave."
"For what? Taking you to a movie?"
"No, for showing me that...you shouldn't be afraid to dream."
"Oh."
He had taught her something?
Dave didn't even have time to ponder this, because soon enough Becky planted a kiss on his cheek.
"See you tommorrow." She smiled, then turned down the stairs.
"Yeah. See 'ya." Dave said backing up.
Right into the metal stairs.
"Ow!" He flinched, but quickly shoved it aside. Back up on the fire escape above them, Tank waited impatiently for Dave to get back up. He let out a bark at his lovestruck owner.
"Huh? Oh, sorry Tank." He said. He stuggled to lift the heavy dog back into the window. He broke into a run once he got inside. Dave was about to come in too. but he noticed the jar sitting on by the stairs. Sighing, he picked it up.
"Why would you...?" Dave only rolled his eyes and brought it inside.
Balthazar said there were things he needed to teach Dave. Apparently, he could say the same about him!
