An Invitation and a Revelation

'What are you doing here?' Loki asked the boy.

'I am here to see Nev,' he said, unnecessarily rising his chin up.

'Who is it?' Nevaeh's voice called. Daniel barged in, brushing past Loki, who kept the door ajar for certain kicking-out purposes.

'Wow. You look ravaging for someone whose parents just left the house for a long trip,' Daniel said, hiding anger behind his snide laughter, 'So what, he is living with you here now?'

'Daniel, what were you thinking before barging into my house like this!' bellowed Nevaeh. The bulbs of the living room flickered a little.

'Why are you alone inside your big-ass house with him?' he bellowed back. Loki simply stood there with a pout and watched them, wondering what the size of her home had anything to do with all this.

Joe was amusedly watching the new, dramatic events. She loudly cleared her throat from the kitchen. 'Hi, Jerk!' she approached them with a wide smile on her face and an ice cream tub in her hand. 'Want some ice cream? It might soothe the burning in your —'she was interrupted by Nevaeh's foot.

Nevaeh looked directly at Daniel. 'Why are you here, Dan? What do you want? You know it is forbidden to drop by unannounced. We have been through this before.'

'I know, I know. I came by to tell you that I am leaving town soon. I am moving to New Jersey. I arranged a house party tomorrow at 7, and would love it if you came by. You as well, Joe,' he added, smiling at Joe. 'The rose was for being such a jerk earlier, and again, right now. I am also sorry to presume you being alone with him. I was wrong' he finished with an apologetic face. Nevaeh wanted to tell him that it is still improper to stop by unannounced, but his last statement bugged her.

'Daniel, don't apologize,' Nevaeh said in a soothing voice. 'You are not wrong. Soon, Joe will leave and I will be alone with him. See you tomorrow at 7? I would be bringing a plus one,' finished Nevaeh in a sickeningly sweet voice.

Daniel was about to say something. 'It's time for you to go now,' a voice spoke from behind him. Daniel's feet started moving themselves even though he felt like staying rooted to the ground. Joe waved him goodbye as he left, but Loki was courteous enough to accompany him to the door. Daniel's feet halted just outside the door, his body turning itself to face Loki. 'I have a brilliant idea to cancel out the confusion brimming inside your mortal head,' Loki told him. 'Here it is – Why don't you hit your head on some tree a couple of times? Say, just before going home? But avoid any serious damage. After all, you must be presentable for your party tomorrow. And why don't you forget what I just told you to do? That would be very– convenient,' Loki said.

'Dude, you are weird, just like her. I don't understand what you mean,' mumbled Daniel, turning away, shaking his head.

'You will find out soon enough,' assured a smirking Loki. He watched him walk away from the house before closing the door.

He came back inside to find Joe standing near the stairs. 'Nev needed some fresh air, so she went on the terrace. Also, she said if we want to drink then we should bring our own bottles because she will not share hers,' finished Joe sighing loudly, as if delivering this message had been hectic for her.

'Alright, why don't you take a seat while I do so? Would you prefer wine?' he asked, watching her trot towards the adjacent window and open it.

'No, I am fine. Thanks!' she said, now staring out of the window.

Loki went near the bar and fetched a bottle of malt, gently prodding the marble floor by his feet. He would soon find out everything about it and now was his chance. He looked at Joe who was still looking out the window as though searching for something.

'What are you looking at?'

'Just looking out for any creeps that can linger behind a few bushes,' she mumbled distractedly.

'What do you mean?'

'Promise not to tell Nev?' she asked, turning around.

'Sure' he said.

'I am looking out for any signs of Daniel. He is a bit of a stalker. Okay, I don't know why I said that, he is a full-fledged stalker and Nev would kill me if she found out that I told you this!' she said frantically. 'Did you hear how he asked, 'is he living with you now? How many times did he exactly see you in this house to conclude that you might be living here?' she said, pacing the room.

'When you say stalker, you mean—'he was interrupted by Joe who apparently couldn't stop expressing her train of thoughts. 'What are the odds of an ex stalker coming over to your house as soon as your parents leave?'

Before Loki could calculate the odds, Joe was picking up her purse and heading towards the front door. 'I need to do some research, Please tell Nev I had to leave, and do not tell her what I told you about Dan. Do not mention research either, and you keep her company and make sure she doesn't do anything reckless – while her parents are gone!' she finished the last words when she was almost out the door.

Loki wondered how she could get so worked-up just by thinking about her friend. He went to the terrace to find Nevaeh sitting at the edge, over-looking the ocean ahead. Her long hair was flowing in the wind behind her. 'Where is Joe?' she asked without glancing back.

'She had to leave' he said halting next to her, resting his elbows on the edge. The edges of the entire terrace were lit by golden little bulbs which gave the terrace a warm appearance. There were too many flowery bushes and shrubs surrounding them, bathing the open surface in an earthy fragrance.

Nevaeh lit a cigarette. Loki noticed that her bottle was already empty. Loki hopped on the edge to sit beside her.

'I am sorry for all the drama back there' she said quietly, without looking at him.

'Frankly, there is nothing I enjoy more than drama. Don't worry about it,' he waved an aloof arm.

'Don't you think everything was better when we were on Asgard? There was no one to talk to! It was so peaceful,' she said with a sigh.

'I don't know, Earth has its perks too. For instance, Joe provides some good entertainment.' Loki remembered her father saying that the pair went way back. 'I quite like her.'

'She is great, isn't she?'

Loki nodded. 'Indeed, unlike your other friends who appear to be quite the nuisance.'

'Right,' she laughed. 'Dan and I used to date.'

'Was that a recent – date thing?' asked Loki.

Nevaeh shook her head. 'We broke up two years ago.'

Loki frowned. 'I don't intend to pry, but didn't he say that you two met a week ago—'Loki was interrupted.

'Yeah, he has varying definitions of the term "met",' she said. 'He is a complicated young man.'

'Well, that just puts your choice of men into question. It's like you are a tad blind when it comes to dealing with people,' Loki laughed.

One of the little bulbs on the edge shattered, making an entire line of lights to disappear in darkness. Nevaeh didn't laugh at his statement though. On the contrary, she was silently fuming.

Nevaeh stared at Loki with disbelieving eyes as he glanced at the shattered bulb with mild amusement. She opened her mouth just to close it again, not being able to find the words, possibly swearwords that can properly address the fury rising inside of her. With half a mind of hitting Loki or pushing him off the edge, she got distracted when Loki pointed towards something at the beach.

'I thought this was a pretty posh area,'Loki said frowningly. Nevaeh quickly looked towards the direction, wondering what could possibly tarnish the reputation of her beloved city.

More than half a dozen guys were beating a man on the beach, apparently trying to mug him. The man was trying to fight back helplessly.

Nevaeh smiled. Sure, she couldn't push Loki off the edge, but she could definitely channel her frustration of the whole day in a healthy way, especially when an opportunity presented itself, and when someone was in sore need of her help.

Nevaeh quickly stood up on the edge. 'You know, Loki, you can be really mean at times. I'll be right back. I have to "deal with some people" I wasn't planning on doing it this way, but you kind of deserve the shock after that insensitive statement.'

Nevaeh dove off the terrace edge, falling towards the beach. A mildly surprised Loki stood up on the edge by this sudden, suicidal departure of hers. He called out her name loudly, and was about to ready his mystical hand to slow her down, but she had already landed on the sandy beach like a feather.

The thugs didn't even see her and Nevaeh was in no mood to chat.

Loki snapped his fingers and quickly teleported right below, maintaining a long distance from her. He watched in silence as she walked towards them, the sand somehow glimmering less than her long hair bathed in the moon light.

Four of the guys were kicking the boy, while the others sniggered behind them, drinking and fooling around. Nevaeh twisted her right arm.

A shot of red blast plummeted towards the boys. All of them were thrown into the air, away from the boy who, despite his limp, seized the opportunity to run away as fast as he could.

Nevaeh stood there and waited, giving them the opportunity to get up, her hand holding the wooden stick loosely. They looked confused not knowing what she had done, and began getting up on their feet. Nevaeh again shot a blast at the one who attempted to stand up first, making him fall back and tumble heavily on the ground moaning loudly. She relaxed her hand, attacking no more.

After witnessing what had occurred, they hastily stood up and were looking horrified at Nevaeh's evilly pleased face. One of the boys grabbed their friend who had been earlier shot.

'WITCH!' he cried, grasping his stomach.

Nevaeh cackled shrilly, her voice echoing on the entire beach, making the hair on the back of Loki's neck stand in sheer joy. 'Finally, you are ready to be out in the open,' he whispered, his face cracked in a triumphant grin.

'Yeah, and a bit of a bitch too,' she shrugged sending a glowing bolt at them so aggressively that they were all scattered, and knocked out.