Virgil's POV:

I let out a sigh as Remy tugged on my hand. He was pulling me around his school's fall festival, begging to take him to see everything. I, being the designated chaperone, had to oblige if I wanted to keep my arm in my socket.

"Come on! There's a magician over here!! He's super cool!" he exclaimed, pulling me toward the group of kids gathered around said magician.

Remy let go of my hand to sit down with the kids while I stood in the back of the group, sighing with boredom. This whole fall festival would be fun if I wasn't single; I could've come here with a date to watch this kid together, and we could've talked and joked and this would be enjoyable, but nope. I guess I'm just destined to be forever alone.

"Gather 'round, gather 'round! Witness magic! Up close and personal," the magician said, voice smooth and alluring as he spoke.

I looked up, deciding I had nothing better to do than to watch this guy. He looked my age so I figured he was a high school student that was either getting paid or receiving volunteer hours for doing this. He wore a black bowler hat and a cape over his shoulders that hung down to the small of his back. His hands were covered by bright neon yellow gloves as opposed to the typical white ones magicians usually wear. It was an intriguing touch to his costume. The shirt he was wearing was a dark grey with accents of yellow, clearly the compliment to his gloves. He was handsome.

"You'll see this hat is empty," he said, showing it to the kids. "But with a wave of my hand-" he demonstrated, waving his hand over the hat and reaching inside, "voila!"

He pulled out a living snake, earning gasp and cheers from the kids. My own eyes widened as I watched him drape the animal around his shoulders. It was clearly his pet and used to the crowds. I had to admit, it was an impressive trick; I didn't know how he did it.

"This is Kaa," he said, gesturing to the snake. "He's friendly, no need to be frightened. After all, that's not the point of this show, now is it? The point of this show, is to have a bit of fun!"

He grabbed the snake, what seemed to me rather aggressively, and tossed it into the air to reveal it to be a scarf. I blinked; the snake had been on his shoulders what appeared to be the whole time. How on earth did he do that?

The kids cheered and clapped and he continued to do a few more tricks for about fifteen minutes before he explained that he was done. "That's all I have for time tonight kids! I hope you enjoyed it and here's one last trick!" he said, standing up straight as he raised his hand. "I'll disappear before your very eyes."

He snapped his fingers and was gone with a puff of yellow smoke. I smiled, clapping a little cause, damn, he had some impressive tricks for a high school magician.

I saw him a few minutes later, packing up his tricks. I wanted to go talk to him, but Remy was complaining and pulling on my arm. Apparently his friends' chaperones weren't following them around like I was and that made me a 'buzzkill'; his words, not mine. "Okay, okay, go hang out with your friends, and meet me in the cafeteria at 9:00 sharp, okay?" I told him. "Does that sound fair?"

"Yes! Thank you Virge!" he said, hugging me before running off.

I smiled a little, turning to approach the magician. "That was a pretty impressive show," I said, making him look up. "I mean, you look like you're in high school, so I was surprised by some of the tricks. They were actually really cool."

"Oh, thank you," he said, smiling a little.

Up close, I realized one of his eyes was yellow. I raised my hand to gesture to mine. "Is that a contact? Part of your costume?"

"No, actually..." he said. "It's um... it's just a condition. It's fine, I'm used to people staring. So, what are you doing at a kid's festival? It's gotta be boring for you. I mean, there's nothing really here to do for older people."

I smiled at him, shrugging. "I'm watching a kid for a friend," I told him. "And I'm not bored, I'm talking to you."

"Well, I'm flattered you think it's interesting to hold a conversation with me," he said smoothly as he placed Kaa into a carrier.

The snake moved around inside the cage, happily nibbling on a treat the magician had put inside for him. "So, how'd you do you do the tricks?" I asked curiously. "Like the one where you turned the snake into a scarf."

"Well, come now, you know should know a magician never reveals his secrets," he replied with a smirk. "The art of deception is only an art because not everyone knows how to do it. If everyone knew its secrets, why would anyone want to watch someone else do it?"

"Well, good point," I said, blushing slightly. He was looking at me intently and he was intimidating in a way. "So, what's your name? Do we go to the same school?"

He nodded with a shrug. "I go by De," he said before leaning in with a wink. "You know, short for deceit? The basis for magic? You're Virgil, right?"

I flush, not realizing he knew me. "U-Uh, yeah, how did you-"

"You've got to be attentive if you're a magician," he explained. "I notice all the little details of the places and people around me. Don't worry, it's nothing personal. Although," he flashed a smile, "I'd be lying if I said you didn't catch my eye more than once."

My cheeks warmed furiously as I looked away. "Thanks, I think?" I said, laughing with embarrassment. "You... you are flirting with me, right?"

"Yes, Virgil, I was flirting with you," De said, chuckling as he took out a pen. "But since it clearly makes you nervous to have to guess if that's what my interests are in, here. Call me tomorrow. We can go out sometime when you're not stuck watching some kid."

He wrote his number onto my wrist and tucked the pen away as he picked up his trunk. "O-Okay," I replied with a nervous smile.

The magician returned it and tipped his hat to me as he headed for the parking lot. "I'll be awaiting your call Virgil," he said, flashing another wink. I laughed a little as I waved, smiling down at the number written on my wrist.

Maybe this fall festival thing was fun after all.