Jordan finished nibbling on the last bit of the chip, trying to ignore the odd mix of emotions swirling inside him. He could feel Alice’s gaze on him, warm and curious, and when he glanced up, he saw a spark of excitement in her eyes. It was the kind of look she got when she was struck by an idea.
“Hang on,” Alice said suddenly, reaching into her bag. She pulled out a small notebook and a pen, placing them carefully on the blanket in front of Jordan. The notebook, which was normal-sized to her, looked enormous to him, and the pen might as well have been a log.
“Can you write?” she asked, her voice filled with hopeful curiosity.
Jordan hesitated for a moment, his mind racing. Should he? Would this only make things more complicated? But seeing the eager look on Alice’s face, he found himself nodding almost automatically. He didn’t want to disappoint her, and he still needed to buy some time until he could find a way to slip away.
Alice’s eyes lit up with excitement. “You can write? That’s amazing! I had no idea that little people… or whatever you are… could do that.” She opened the notebook to a blank page and set the pen down beside it. “I have so many questions,” she added, almost giddy with anticipation.
Jordan stared at the big notebook and pen in front of him, feeling a pit form in his stomach. This was getting too close for comfort, but he had to play along for now. He nodded, signaling that he’d try to answer her questions.
Alice clapped her hands together, practically beaming. “Okay, first question, let's start with something really simple… How old are you?”
Jordan felt a pang of nervousness at the question. If he answered truthfully, it might lead Alice to connect the dots. But he didn’t have much of a choice—with his current appearance he still fit the bill of a 17-year old person, or at least he thought he did. With a bit of effort, he managed to lift the pen with both hands, struggling a bit with its weight. Carefully, he scrawled the number “17” on the page, his tiny handwriting shaky but legible.
Alice leaned in closer, reading the number with a mixture of surprise and delight. “Seventeen? That’s the exact same age as my friend Jordan!” she exclaimed, her tone filled with wonder. She paused, her expression turning thoughtful. “Wow… that’s such a coincidence. He’s usually with me during things like this. I hope he’s doing alright.”
She let out a light, almost nervous laugh. “It’s kind of funny, actually… Jordan disappeared not long before you showed up. He really missed out on this, didn’t he?” She shook her head with a smile, but Jordan could sense the faint undercurrent of concern in her voice. Alice was always thinking about him, even in the middle of this bizarre situation.
Jordan’s heart skipped a beat, his nerves tightening. He hadn’t expected her to make the connection so quickly, even in a joking manner. He realized he needed to be a lot more careful with his answers if he didn’t want her to start putting the pieces together.
He looked up at Alice, trying to keep his expression neutral, but his mind was racing. He couldn’t afford to be completely honest in these answers, or he’d risk revealing too much. He was in dangerous territory now, and every word—or in this case, every written response—had to be chosen carefully.
Alice tilted her head, noticing his nervous look. “Hey, it’s okay, don't worry about all that. I really think it’s incredible that you can write though” She offered him a reassuring smile, clearly sensing his unease. “And don’t worry, you don't have to answer any question you're not comfortable answering.”
Jordan nodded, relieved that she was willing to back off a bit, but he knew he had to stay on his toes. Alice hadn't exactly connected all the dots yet, but she was already thinking about Jordan in relation to this tiny creature. If he wasn’t careful, she might start to figure out the truth. He just had to play along until he could find a way out of this mess, and hopefully, Leila would keep her word and turn him back.
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Alice’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she leaned closer, eager to ask her next question. "Okay, that was just a simple warm-up," she said with a grin. "Now I’d like to ask something about… well, tiny people in general."
Jordan’s stomach tightened. He had been dreading this. He felt like his next answer could either help keep his identity hidden or risk exposing everything.
“So… where do you and the other little people live?” Alice asked, her curiosity piqued. She waited, her eyes locked on him.
Jordan hesitated, his mind scrambling for an answer. He had no idea where Leila or any of the other tiny people actually lived. All he knew was that Leila had run off toward the forest part of the park, so it might be somewhere in that direction. Deciding it was the safest guess, he carefully wrote down “forest” in the notebook.
Alice leaned in, reading his tiny handwriting. “The forest?” she repeated, nodding as if it made perfect sense. “Yeah, that would make sense. It’s more secluded, harder for people to find you there.” She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “It must be kind of nice, in a way… all that peace and quiet.”
Jordan felt a flicker of relief, hoping that answer would satisfy her for now. But Alice was already moving on to her next question.
“Do you like living here?” she asked, her tone soft and more serious now. “Would you want to stay in the park forever?”
Jordan felt his chest tighten at the question. He thought of his own situation, the idea of being stuck in the park, living a life where he had to hide from humans, separated from Alice, unable to return to his regular life. The thought filled him with a sudden rush of panic. He couldn’t imagine having to give up everything he knew—his home, his family, his future… Alice.
Without much thought about keeping his identity a secret for this one, he quickly scribbled the word “No” on the page.
Alice’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Really?” she asked, tilting her head as she looked at him with a curious smile. “I would’ve thought a little person like you would love it here. All the freedom, the open spaces… no one to bother you. Why don’t you like it?”
Jordan swallowed hard, unsure how to respond. He didn’t know how to explain without giving himself away, so he just looked down, avoiding her gaze.
Alice noticed his hesitation, but instead of pressing, she gave him a playful smile, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Well, if you don’t really like it here that much… maybe you’d like to come home with me?”
Jordan’s heart skipped a beat, panic surging through him. If Alice took him home, he’d be trapped. There’d be no way to find Leila and get her to reverse the spell, and he’d have no choice but to reveal everything to Alice—the magic, Leila, the entire absurd situation. And the thought of having to explain it all to her, to admit that he had been shrunk down to three inches tall, filled him with embarrassment. What if she laughed at him, or worse, felt betrayed that he hadn’t told her the truth right away?
Alice’s smile was still there, but there was a seriousness in her eyes. “I mean, I could make a little space for you,” she continued, her tone half-joking, half-sincere. “You wouldn’t have to live in the park, hiding away. You could live with me, and I’d make sure you’re safe… I’d even get you a little house or something.”
Jordan’s mind raced. He could feel his cheeks flushing, his hands trembling slightly as he held the pen. He had no idea what to write. He couldn’t say yes—going home with Alice would only complicate everything further. But he also couldn’t say no too forcefully, or she might think something was wrong… or worse, that he was somehow connected to the real Jordan.
Alice leaned in closer, noticing his hesitation. “What’s the matter?” she asked softly, her playful smile fading into a look of concern. “You don’t have to be scared. I’d never hurt you… I just want to help.”
Jordan felt a lump form in his throat. He glanced up at her, his best friend who was now looming over him, her expression so earnest and kind, and he felt a pang of guilt mixed with fear. He couldn’t stay silent forever, but he wasn’t ready to reveal the truth just yet.
Taking a deep breath, he decided to stall. Slowly, he wrote down, “I don’t know,” hoping that would be vague enough to buy him some more time.
Alice read the words, her expression softening. “That’s okay,” she said gently. “I get it—it’s probably a big decision for you. But just know that if you ever want to, you’re welcome to come with me.”
Jordan nodded, trying to force a smile, but his mind was spinning. He had to find a way to get back to Leila, and soon, before things got even more complicated. But for now, he had to keep playing along, hoping for a chance to present itself to slip away unnoticed.