"The movie is a story told by people who act it out. Then others can watch them." Ben said as allowed Lora to lean into him, becoming quite fond of the girl at his side. "It'll be fun. I promise." He said as they stepped out of the elevator and made their way to Jack and Gena's apartment.

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"Well I am always up for fun!" Lorabelle beamed as she followed Ben obediently to wherever he led her. As they neared the apartment, however, Lorabelle slowed down as her nerves grew stronger, "But what if they make fun of me... For surely they will believe me strange when I do not know what anything is... Will they not think you strange for inviting me into your home and will they not be angry for you bringing me and ruining everything?"

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"You're not going to ruin anything, Lora." Ben assured her as he gave her hand a small squeeze before letting go and knocking on Jack's door.

Gena answered first, giving the two a large smile as she ushered them in. "Are you going to watch the movie with us, Lora?" Gena asked as Ben took off his shoes and set them near the door, gesturing for Lora to do the same.

"Yes she's going to watch it with us so nothing too scary." He teased with a wink.

"Course not." Gena said just as Jack appeared and wrpaped his arms around Gena's waist, giving her neck a few soft kisses.

"You must be Lora." Jack said politely as he rested his chin on Gena's shoulder, putting his hand out for Lora to shake.

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Blushing, Lorabelle nodded as she hesitantly took Jack's hand, not really sure what to do, "Yes, my name is Lora. You must be Gena's mate, Jack. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Lorabelle bit her lower lip in embarrassment, as she fumbled with getting the flats Ben had put on her off.

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"Mate is one way of saying it." Jack smiled. "But I prefer lovers." He said with an evil grin, earning a light smack from Gena.

"We'll make some popcorn." Gena said as she led Jack into the kitchen.

Ben gave Lora an encouraging half-hug before bending down on one knee and helping Lora take off her flats. "I'll show you the living room." He said as he stood back up and brought Lora into a living room with a brown, faux-leather couch and a flat screen tv flashing the DVD menu.

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The blush continued to fill Lorabelle's cheeks as she followed Ben into the living room. "Ben? Are all humans so affectionate? There is so much I do not understand...," Lorabelle admitted as she looked up shyly at Ben, "Why is it you do not act so affectionate towards someone? Or is it only when you are with your mate that you act as such? Am I asking too many silly questions? Forgive me if I am," Lorabelle added as she looked down at her feet.

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"You're not asking too much." Ben assured her with a smile before settling into the couch. "Gena and Jack are affectionate because their in love. I'm not in love so I'm not affectionate with anyone." He said simply, nervously running a hand through his hair.

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"Do humans fall in love easily? Does it last a lifetime like with Fairies? Or is it something that is in passing? I have heard that humans are very fickle with their emotions. Is it true?" Lorabelle inquired as she sat beside Ben on the couch, turning to face him as she pulled her knees to her chest, her toes barely brushing against Ben's thigh. She was fascinated with the humans, wondering what they were truly like. Lorabelle only hoped Ben would not get offended nor become cross with her due to her incessant questions and chatter.

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"Its easy to fall in love. The trick is to find the right person who will return your love." Ben explained, looking over at the woman next to him. "Gena and Jack are going to last a lifetime, I'm sure of it." He said, absentmindedly brushing a strand of hair behind Lora's ear before resting his hands back in his lap. "But some of us are not so lucky to find a partner so young." He explained.

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"But how do you know the other person will return your affections? And how do you know if your age is right? Is there some ceremony and change in a human that tells everyone they are looking for love and a mate?

"Back in Fairy we have such things called the Rose Petal Gala and the Peach Blossom Ball. One is in Winter and the other in Summer - they are the only times that a fairy maiden may enter into the marriage circle. In this circle, you dance with many partners, looking for the one who connects with your soul. When you find that person, your dancing frames begin to glow this heavenly white.

"But that is how we are married and find our life mates; is the human custom similar?" Lorabelle inquired with a glaze in her eyes, remembering her countless embarrassments at the balls when she never found her life mate.

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"Not exactly." Ben smiled softly. "You just have to take a leap of faith. Gena and Jack say that they just know that they're soulmates but I wouldn't know for sure." Ben explained.

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"A leap of faith? But what if you plummet and die? It seems very dangerous to me.. How high up do you have to jump from?" Lorabelle inquired as she looked up at him, taking the literal meaning of the phrase and not it's metaphorical meaning.

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Ben let out a small chuckle as he gazed over at Lora. "Its not a real leap, Lora. I was using an expression. You just have to have faith that the person will love you just as much as you love them.

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Lora's brow furrowed in confusion, "But if you do not truly leap, then how do you know you have taken that leap of faith? And how can you be sure they love you without opening yourself up for heartache and deception? What if you give them your heart and they crush it into a million pieces by being unloyal? Why is it humans always relish in and enjoy hurting someone else? I do not understand.. You would think humans would become untrusting of each other after so long..."

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"You make a good point, Lora." Ben said with a playful smile. "But if one does not give themselves away then they're stuck alone. Its a choice really, try to love someone or live alone. To each their own I guess." He said as Jack and Gina loped back into the room with buttery popcorn in hand and Jack began the movie, Alice in Wonderland, on the screen.

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The conversation forgotten for the time being, Lorabelle's attention was immediately torn between the flashing pictures and the bowl of yellow fluffy solids. Leaning into Ben as she shifted so that she sat upon her knees on the couch, Lorabelle whispered softly, pointing to the yellow solids in the bowl, "What is this stuff?"

However, as soon as she asked, her attention was drawn to the magic box. Unconsciously, Lorabelle began to slide from the couch and scoot towards the magic box, completely drawn in by the moving pictures and the magic of the pictures.

The pictures were making her homesick.. The scenery, the world so different from the human world. It was almost a torture to watch the pictures yet she couldn't help but stare at them.

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Jack and Gina exchanged a strange look as Ben simply smiled at Lora who was now on the floor. Moving to the edge of the couch, Ben outreached an arm and placed a hand on Lora's shoulder. "If you get any closer you'll hurt your eyes." Ben explained as he motioned for her to sit on the couch again. "Try some popcorn." He offered with the bowl in his free hand.

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Lorabelle blushed a deep scarlet as she scurried back onto the couch and looked down at her lap. "Forgive me," Lorabelle whispered as she glanced up at Ben, wondering if she embarrassed him in front of his friends. It must have been so strange to see her do such a thing, get so enraptured by the magic box. Blushing an even deeper scarlet, Lorabelle tried to busy herself by taking a piece of what Ben had called popcorn and studying it, trying to figure out what to do with it.

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Ben offered only a warm smile as he took a piece of popcorn from the bowl and popped it into his mouth. Silently demonstrating what Lora was to do as well.

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Smiling, Lorabelle copied Ben's movements. When the salty puff touched her tongue, her mouth began salivating as she chewed the scrumptious yellow ball. "It's delicious!" Lorabelle said with a grin as she took another piece and ate it happily, slightly squirming on the couch with happiness.

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Gena and Jack snuck another strange look at each other at Lora's actions though Ben smiled blissfully beside the foreign woman. Cupping Gena's chin, Jack stole a tender kiss from her lips before turning back to the movie though Ben wouldn't have noticed as his gazed remained focused on Lora and took another bite of popcorn.

Sitting upon her knees beside Ben, Lorabelle took another piece of popcorn and popped it into her mouth, nearly filling it in excitement from the different taste in each bite. Some pieces were soggy, some were fluffy, some were white, some were yellow, some were salty, some were plain.

Lorabelle loved each and every new form of the flavors that appeared upon her tongue and she filled her mouth with popcorn, happily chewing and swallowing as fast as she could in order to make more room for the popcorn. Paying only attention to the popcorn in the dish, Lorabelle didn't notice her cheek having a butter smear, her fingertips covered in salt and butter, nor the pictures that were moving on the creen to her left.

"Careful Lora." Ben warned teasingly as he brought his thumb to her cheek and gently wiped away the small smear of butter. "You don't want to get too full." He said with a warm smile as he thoroughly enjoyed opening up this new world to her.

Lorabelle blushed as she swallowed the popcorn in her mouth and nodded softly. "Sorry, I did get a bit carried away.. Didn't I," Lorabelle admitted in a whisper.

"Its alright." Ben assured her as his hand found its way to the back of the couch. "Its easy to get distracted by new things." He mused, he should know considering how easily he had accepted Lora's crazy stories and strange behavior even if others wouldn't understand. He could live with crazy, as long as she was willing to put up with is own craziness as well.