Today is a new day, as Nina Simone puts it. It's only been a week of trial and error for getting this school morning routine to get down set. Today of all days, I had an inspiration for a long black skirt and a graphic t-shirt. A modest amount of jewelry and this enchanted necklace, adjusted for a new school week.
"Hey, grab a jacket, it's going to be forty-two out here." My mom yelled on her way out the front door.
Now that she's gone off to work, I can really enjoy my morning now. She keeps leaving me breakfast in the air fryer and a cup of coffee to go. She's also getting a new routine, according to me. Turning on the news, to my surprise, it is nine minutes after six am.
"Holy crap, it worked!"
'Hey Yoshi, are you busy?'
…
'7:12 pm over here. What's got you up this early?'
'I tried this morning person potion. Do you want me to send the recipe?"
'Do you have one that'll get me a date?’
'I'm not giving you the recipe for that. Don’t get corrupted over there.'
Nothing was left behind, and I even put the plates in the dishwasher.
'Hey Fye.'
'Yes?'
'How would you feel if I came to your school to finish out my studies?'
Hold on, don't let him trick you into saying you miss him. It’s his Dad’s decision. Custody and all.
'I mean, you'd be my cousin. That's how I'm introducing you.'
'Say you hate me in fewer words next time.'
'I love you so much, I'd embarrass you and fuck up whatever street cred you thought you had. Now cut that K-drama shit. I gotta go to school, and you already go to Jeil. Ttyl?'
'TTYL!'
Today's a new day, a brighter one. I've got the first thing done off my weekend to-do list. The art of a singular mind reader. First period ran smoothly upon arrival.
"Wow, you were here earlier than Rachael, and Rachael is always here before everyone else." Damien casually remarked.
I rolled my eyes with a coy, "Well, I gotta work a little harder than everyone else. I'm an overachiever if you will."
Damien looks like a dirtbag. Sounds like a sleeze. I learned he was one from the start of freshman year.
"So you didn't text me at all last week, even the weekend we met. Did you change your mind about me?" He almost sounded unbothered.
I think the enchantment spell worked a little too well.
I casually went back to writing what was on the chalkboard, "Aw, were you waiting for me? Is that why you’re in the back of the class for once? Did you forget to do your homework? We're reviewing it today."
A slightly surprised smile came from the corners of his lips, "Oh yeah, you're an overachiever."
I have a crush who tails me. I have an actual crush on his friend Jerome. It's gonna hurt a little to do this to him, but it is either you’re useful or you shall be removed. And I won't give up the objectively good options or my girls. I fidgeted with my calcite and lapis lazuli amulet, which I managed to merge last week. It took some time, but with cast iron BBQing, it worked.
"That's a pretty cool necklace." He commented.
Everyone else started showing up. It's okay to embarrass myself in public; it's for good reasons.
"Yeah? And it's unisex." I smirked, looking down at it.
In one motion, my hand slipped off the necklace as I got up close behind him.
"Don't take this off until I ask for it back," I whispered.
Ding. Ding. Ding. And the spell was on.
"Whow Damien, if you keep moving that fast, y'all are gonna end up on a website somewhere." Cameron groaned from behind me.
"What are you? Jealous?" He proudly snickered.
I sighed and took my seat. Thank you, Cameron, for giving me the perfect excuse to be passive-aggressive. I enjoyed ignoring him for the rest of Biology.
Then came second period, Mrs. Beckett, where we took notes like it was the end of the world. All scripture is to be transcribed into personalized papers as if to preserve all knowledge itself. Valeria, draped in light green, fell asleep in the middle of class. So I took notes for both of our sakes. A scoff from the front of the classroom.
Ms. Beckett just shrugged it off, "No, no, let the girl sleep. She will act according to pass my class."
Rachael and I eyed each other from across the room. In fact, Rachael walked with me to lunch. It was more like we were uncomfortable around each other, yet heading to the same place. We walked almost together.
"So my mom and I are planning this little back-to-school dinner party thing with some of my closest friends and some people they know."
Oh my goodness, is this it? This is happening so fast. I'm getting invited to a party within a week! There has to be a record somewhere. Deedee has one.
"Um, don't invite any of the people you hang out with. Like, I know you hang out with Big Burford and that little Hispanic girl who plays into that weird Dora dress-up stuff. They're a little too out there for the whole vibe. Plus, you're like Jerome’s favorite right now, so if you come, he comes." She flatly said to my face.
Well, that's comforting to know. I am nothing but a diplomatic piece to this piece of shit.
"As long as I can invite them to other parties. Sure." I forced a convincing smile.
She paused for a moment and sniffed. I think I pissed off the wrong long-haired dirty blonde. Scarier because it’s colder than a fridge talking to her.
"Deal, I mean, it's senior year, so we might as well have huge parties? But this one is dress-coded, so you gotta dress fancy. That won't be a problem for you, right?" She cocked her head and smirked.
I'm going to make you taste nothing but tadpole water, you deranged cunt. We sat across from each other in silence. The conversation was dead in the water as far as I was aware. Not even Jerome entering the picture late caught my immediate attention.
"Hey, two times in a row. Lunch hasn't even started yet." Damien loudly proclaimed.
He made his seat next to me, then proceeded to open my lunch box. This one was made by Uncle Jerry, and he made Cajun Southern food too.
"Oh, trading internationality, I see?" Jerome was impressed, and for some really cute reason.
Today is pizza day in the fast food line. The second act began when I noticed Damien still had my necklace around his neck from this morning.
"That's a cool necklace, man. Where'd you get it?" A man said, patting Damien on the back.
The air changed.
"Thanks, Mikey."
A bubbly blonde girl jumped onto Mikey and lured him to the opposite side of the table next to the crowd, but behind the cafeteria pillar. -their usual shadowy love nest. Lovebird bandmates, no one bothered, and his girlfriend, who runs the blog. So I'm guessing she either likes switching boyfriends or I haven't noticed his whole face until now, but nonetheless, finally we meet. Rachel leaned back to introduce me officially.
"Amber, this is Fey, she's cool now, so we're all friends." She grinned.
If this girl won't stop backhanding me, I'm going to give her lice.
"So what's it this time?" Jerome butted in.
I can't say no to you, Jerome, and I think you know this. I turned away, embarrassed instead.
"What? I can't have some?" He teased back.
"Everyone, I have an announcement!" Rachael commanded our small group.
"Next Saturday, we're going to hang out at my place for a welcome-back party of sorts. Are any of y'all going to be free on the twenty-sixth and the twenty-seventh? If so, selfie invites only, dress code is Metgala royalty." Rachel cheered.
Is it an all-nighter, a two-day extravaganza, or a sleepover of sorts? There's something I am forgetting. Possibly I can either find something in my mom's closet or ask Uncle CJ to make me a dress, if he isn't busy. We all went along with eating and talking with casual conversation. Nothing of major note kept me glued except for what I have on the violin to practice today. Tchaikovsky Overture 20 is going to be the real challenge for everyone, but it was chosen, or at least it was just announced by the teacher that this is the song we will be taking to the competition. A recital counts as a concert. There are three other songs to learn, and I’ve played none of them in my life. I guess I’ve been learning for fun up until now?
"Hey, Fey, we're playing volleyball today." Luliya cheered at the door of Coach Marvin's classroom.
Great news to hear when we grouped up at the locker room together. It finally dawned on me: the magic circle in the shower. I never washed it away. Well, regardless, I still smudged the markings to close the transmission; otherwise, Yoshi really could send anything at any time. The magic circle was gone completely. A whole week it was there, and now it was cleaned off the wall. Whoever it was now has a monopoly on knowing about it, but on the other hand, hopefully no one will believe them if they did say anything. It just looks like a circle and smudges and lines, probably graffiti. I don't think hunters would go as far as to go into high schools, considering the grey area of kidnapping minors, but I should be on guard, no slip-ups anymore. When leaving the locker room, it was just my luck that Damien and I ran into each other again. Today's a new day.
"Hey, Damien. What are you doing, following me around, or leaving the gym?" I asked.
He paused for a moment before giving me this look of confusion.
"I didn't take you for that type of person." He added.
Now I'm confused, "You didn’t think I like parties and dressing up?"
"I mean, I kind of saw you as a wallflower. Just over the popularity stuff." He chuckled.
"You’re definitely over it. You don’t have to be there." I chuckled back.
His groan signaled defeat. Checkmate. Apparently, he's in U.S History for his fourth period, but gym is his third period, so he leaves the locker room later than everyone else. Hopefully that chat didn't make me late for my class.
I was on the team, not with Rachael, Valeria, and Luliya. I was placed on the team they beaten into the ground mercilessly. With Rachael as an experienced team captain, volleyball was easier to conquer than any sport, and her teammates were quick to follow orders. 0-5
Fifth period Photography wasn't too interesting either. Actually, a lot of the school day felt so routine that staying after school wasn't worth it anymore. The Library saw no use in my presence this week. As I parked my buggy in the driveway, I noticed a lot of celebrating going on inside the house.
Mother screamed at the top of her lungs with laughter, "You came! You finally came! We missed you so much!"
He was kidding, right? It can't be him.
Excitedly, I rushed to the door. Was Yoshi actually joking? The door creaked open with the wind as I entered to see my mom hugging my now-teenage cousin, Barbie. I haven't seen her in eight years. Holy crap, her hair is so plump now.
"Cousin Barb! I missed you so much." I nervously laughed.
Her dense afro reached my chin as she came in for a hug.
"Thank you so much for this. Its been such a long day." She sighed.
Her demeanor always felt so zen, but there was a tenseness about her in our living room that didn't sit right.
I froze for a moment. "Hey, what happened to you?"
Mom came in and started rubbing her back, "It's going to be a long talk. Barbie, remind me, how old are you again?"
"Seventeen. Once I'm eighteen, I'll find somewhere else to go and stuff." She shakily spat out.
Why is this all happening right now? There is so much going on already with my change to a public school. With a heavy sigh, she internally made the final decision for us.
"Barbie, when was the last time you ate?" My mom asked.
I sighed in relief, "Oh, thank goodness you brought that up."
A break from all this. One secret shared amongst teens. I've been partaking of the frankincense and myrrh since mom found out I was having panic attacks on and off. They mostly manifested back when I hit puberty, and my power was unstable.
Mom started the night with fried plantains and deep-fried goat with roasted vegetables on the side. We sat around the comforting fire pit in the backyard as we talked and ate. Mom only said family was coming, not that family was moving in. Didn’t that mean a visit in the past? What has changed now? Does that mean she's going to go to the same school as me?
"So explain to me what you meant when you got in contact with me. You only said you wanted to stay out here for a couple of days? That's what I thought was going on." My mom started with her mouth full.
"I'm sorry, I knew you weren't going to say yes if I said anything else." Barbs calmly replied.
"It'll be okay. Do you have all of your credentials?"
Oh, what good news. Barbie is going to the same school as me. And just when I thought I was going to be the main character of my teenage dream. I don't mind as much, but it definitely changes my main plans. What if I have to drag her everywhere?
Finally, there was enough of a pause so I could sneak my way upstairs to decompress. A bath, some candles, and some light meditation. The limit was thirty minutes before I heard my mother’s call.
"Hey, baby, can you get your syllabus and all that other stuff from your school?" Mom asked tiredly.
When I think about it, I don't think I've seen any of my family members since I was twelve. How could I forget about times like that? What else am I forgetting? Shuffling through my desk, I found the folder with a pamphlet for the school PTC meeting next Friday. The Twenty-fifth and the twenty-sixth are already marked...Think about that later. Quickly, I gathered my school papers.
I quietly rushed downstairs, "Hey mom, bad timing I know but- "
"Hey Tamara, this is your little sister Juniper. Give me a call back when you get this message. I think you've got a lot of explaining to do. If by chance you get this message after ten am, I will be available around five thirty after work." My mom said in her patient intake voice.
This is pretty bad. I haven't seen her this upset since Grandma and Grandpa died. She tied her braids up into a bun and covered it all up with her scarf. Pretty soon, she's going to make a list of what to do next, but first, a beer from the freezer. Leaving the pamphlet on the table, an acknowledged nod reassured me that everything would be fine. Barbie must have snuck off to the guest bedroom. I knocked just to be sure. She was exhausted too. I tapped on the wooden door. Knock, knock, knock, "Um, hey, you can come in."
"Um, hey, sorry the room is a little small, and that it still looks like this, my mom wanted to keep the nursery she made for me. I moved out of it at like thirteen anyway."
"You had a computer in here at one point?" She said, eyeing the old vintage window desk.
I wanted to be Jane Austen so bad.
"...It's a nice office desk. It looks over the driveway, and it is really pretty when the sun shines through the crystals in the morning. " Barbie added.
We awkwardly stared at each other for a while. She finally broke eye contact and drifted to the closet.
"How much stuff is in there?"
I blankly paused for a second. I made it into a walk-in closet with a small spatial distortion spell; it doesn’t look like the closet goes behind the washer-dryer. Let's hope to some god out there that my mom knows something about disabling this alchemic tool, or we're going to have to explain a lot right now.
I blurted out sounds to form words until it actually sounded like, "How about this weekend! I'll clean out this old closet, but whatever you do, do not open that."
We stared back at each other for a minute and a half. I gave up. I couldn't even see her pupils with all that hair poofed over her eyes.
With hesitation, I asked, "Barbie, could you show me like your whole face?"
She hesitated too at first, but it didn't take long for her to finally trust me. With a heavy heart, she revealed a big black bruise running from over her eyebrow into her hairline. Cousin Barbie is not going home at all.
"Please keep this a secret between you and me." She whispered softly.
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