013 The Boy That Was Once Mine

In the end, Jacob went with Ann.

"Are you sure you don't want to go attend to your girlfriend?" Ann glanced at Jacob in a casual tone, but her fingers were pure white for gripping tight on the wheel of her roadster out of nervous.

She didn't want him to, of course. She needed Lilith away, as far as possible.

"I would understand if you go." Ann continued after Jacob answered her with silence, "You know I will. I know how much she means to you."

"I called ALL the hospitals in town, and she was nowhere to be found." Jacob let out a heavy sigh, seeing that he cannot avoid this topic.

"Aren't you gonna go look for her?" Asked Ann in a small voice, glancing at him cautiously.

"And how do you suggest I do that?" Jacob closed his eyes tiredly, "I'm telling you, it's like she vaporized from the face of the earth."

Ann remembered the evil grin of that mysterious man, Edmund Gaomond. Even if he was able to save Lilith, Jacob sould have heard from her by now. What was going on?!

"How's that even possible..." Ann sighed frustratedly, "She was barely alive when I left...You think she might have died?"

"What?" Gasped Jacob as if he had seen a ghost.

"Well, I mean you don't have to assume the worst yet," Ann realized she went too far, "She's taken away by medics, that much I made sure, right?"

"I didn't know you'd care about her so much..." Jacob fixed his eyes on Ann's perfect silhouette.

Ann let out a slight chuckle as she took another glance at Jacob: "It's you who I care about, silly."

Jacob looked away in silence, but his ear went scarlet red.

"Does she have any relatives that she can turn to?" Ann didn't let the topic end easily, "Maybe they would be contacted for the accident."

She already tried and she knew full well -- she couldn't use The Shadow even now it was wakened. She had to make sure that Lilith would never be back if she wanted to hold on to The Shadow.

"She lost her parents when she was ten," Jacob shook his head in a heavy mood, "And she had been with her grandma until she was 15 when the old lady was gone as well."

"She got any foster parents then?" Ann frowned at this thought -- that would be messy.

"No..." Jacob let out a bitter laugh, "She forged papers and that was when she got to our town. I don't think the system even knew such a little orphan escaped, or ever existed."

The smile Jacob put on when he talked about Lilith was burning in Ann's eyes.

"You really like her, huh?" Said Ann in a sad tone.

"Your necklace, I have never seen you wear any jewelry before." Jacob changed the subject again all of a sudden.

"My father gave it to me this morning." Ann ran a finger down her neck with a touch of teasing, but Jacob just nodded.

"A reward for my wakening The Shadow." Still trying to get Jacob's attention to her body, Ann hooked the necklace with a finger and the sapphire jingled bumping into the metal chain, "Supposed to be a powerful magic item, I think."

Jacob frowned a bit when Ann said "powerful magic item", but Ann didn't notice.

"It's pretty." Jacob mumbled with his eyes falling out of the car window.

"What's wrong?" Ann didn't understand why he looked so down when she was so excited. She used to be able to put a smile on his face just by saying she was happy.

"Nothing's wrong." Jacob shrugged, "So how's the new wand? Our new supreme mage, I assume?" Jacob tried to use a light tone, chaging the subject.

Ann gripped tight on the wheel again --

It was frustrating enough not being able to use the relic she stole, but even more frustrating because it was now a secret that she couldn't let anyone know.

"Power is responsibility, Jacob." Ann frowned in frustration, "It's not to be used lightly."

Jacob glanced at Ann with a sullen look: "I think you'd always choose power over everything, even if it's love." Jacob shook his head slightly.

"What's wrong with wanting power?" Ann frowned at Jacob, "We are Mages. We have the privilege to pursue power, and it's something humans can't even imagine!"

"Nothing." Jacob shrugged, "Except you will never know how great it feels to be loved. It was the happiest time of my life, to be with Lilith."

"Of course I know!" Ann chuckled as she hit the gas, " She was timid and complying, just like all the boys around me, just like you."

"But that's not enought for you." Jacob grunted, not looking at Ann.

Was that why he choose Lilith? Because he thought he wasn't good enough for her? Ann never felt so relieved like this.

"It does make me feel good, silly." Ann laughed with a relieved sigh, "Did you not know that I enjoyed your company?"

Jacob shook his head: "You don't get it."

"Yes, I do!" Ann stressed her tone, "It's just not my life's goal is all. I enjoy having you around, but I have my own dream. What's so wrong about that?"

Jacob pursed his lips.

"This is what I have been telling you! Silly!" Ann exclaimed with a laugh, "You are a Mage, you can have more! So much more than an ordinary human, so long as you want."

"I don't want more! I want someone I can love!" Jacob finally let out a burst, "I want to be happy!"

"Ohh, please!" Ann rolled her eyes, "You think it's love you have with Lilith?! You only enjoyed it because she is like you to me! She admires you and obeys you, that's all!"

"It's not like that! I loved talking to her and listening to her!" Jacob protested, "I loved ALL the time spent with her and I could be myself in front of her! You would never understand!"

Ann looked at Jacob in shock, unable to utter another word at his sudden outburst.

"I'm sorry." Jacob sighed, "It had been a rough couple of days..."

"I understand." Ann murmured.

It wasn't Jacob's yelling that scared Ann, but the thought that Jacob no longer belong to her.

Jacob sighed and closed his eyes in distress.

Ann looked at Jacob with a shred of sullen in her eyes: "You've changed..."

"What are you talking about?" Jacob glanced at Ann, but his eyes didn't land on her for long.

"Your eyes," Ann touched Jacob's chin and that made him tilt his head a bit to avoid her, "There was once a time, when I was the only one living in them."

"You should keep yours on the road though." Jacob tried to make a joke, but his tone was too bitter and awkward to bring anyone joy.

Ann wanted to ask more, but her throat suddenly got so dry that she could barely squeeze out a word.

All that left between them was now silence.