With Cinder looking at him, Jon decides to tell her that they should go somewhere together. He had a million questions to ask her, about witches, magic and anything else that the wishing rock may have injected into reality thanks to his vaguely worded wish.
Yes, out was good. Out, there were many things they could do. In was bad. In his room, in particular, was out of question.
Since the stone obviously created this situation Jon wasn't sure if Cinder should be allowed anywhere near it, yet. Besides, Jon wasn't sure he could trust his own judgment in his bedroom while under the advances of a charming and beautiful girl.
"Are you hungry?" Jon asked, "I know a good deli in town, we could grab a sandwich and then I could show you around some "“ that is, if you moved in from out of town?"
"From Salem, actually," Cinder smiled.
"Oh, good. For a second there, I thought you were going to say Eastwick."
"Food sounds good, you smartass," said Cinder with a smirk. "Let me just tell Mom before we go."
"Sure, I'll go grab my wallet," Jon nodded, and headed back to his front door. He turned as he walked to watch the apple-skinned girl return excitedly to her mother.
She listened to her daughter's tale with an unbroken smile and then her large, dark eyes found Jon from across the lawn. She was undoubtedly beautiful, but something in that look sent a cold shiver running down his back. Jon turned and entered the house, preferring the sanctuary of his home to staring at that strange woman further.
Jon grabbed his wallet and found his mother cleaning the kitchen. He told her about the new neighbours, when suddenly Cinder knocked at his door.
In telling his story, Jon had omitted any mention of witches or green skin. He wasn't sure how she would react, if she believed him at all. So after kissing his mom goodbye, Jon rushed to the door. He barely opened it enough before diving through the slim gap and slamming it closed behind him.
It was not that Jon was embarrassed for Cinder or the colour of her skin - certainly not - it was just that he wanted to know more about her himself, before even trying to explain her existence to his family.
The pair of teenagers walked down the road. Cinder walked closely beside Jon, and he let her. Practically shoulder-to-shoulder, talking and laughing the whole time, the two of them headed towards the centre of town.
