The bell for class rings out.
‘I’m glad you said that. I have one more question I have to ask before I go to class,’ I say to Brad.
‘Sure,’ he says.
‘I promise I won’t get upset if you answer me truthfully, but I have to ask. Do you feel any attraction towards Martha? Even the tiniest feeling towards her?’ I ask.
‘Martha? I barely notice she even exists,’ he assures me.
I nod, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. With a small smile, I walk away, reassured that Brad's feelings are only for me.
I wanted to walk home with Janie as I do every day after academy, but Xander was with her, and I honestly don’t even want to look at him. So, I walk home alone for the first time. Janie notices I’m already walking home. A few minutes later, Xander drives by slowly, with Janie sticking her head out. ‘Rose, I’m sorry about earlier. It was awkward for me too. Let’s just forget the conversation between Xander and Brad never happened?’ She says.
I stop walking and nod in agreement. At least Janie and I can clear the air quickly, unlike Brad and Xander. ‘Did you want a lift to the treehouse?’ she asks.
‘I’m going to stop home first for a quick bite to eat, then I’ll meet you at Mossmourn Grove,’ I tell her.
‘Are you sure?’ she says.
‘I’m sure,’ I smile.
‘All right, I’ll see you soon,’ she says.
Xander drives away as I continue my walk home.
As I walk under the lush canopy of the trees, I become acutely aware of each scent and aroma that fills the air. I can pinpoint precisely where each scent emanates from with a heightened sense of smell. Whether it's the enticing aroma of a home-cooked meal or the sweet scent of blooming flowers in a nearby garden, every fragrance is crystal clear to me.
Upon arriving home, I race up the stairs and unceremoniously drop my bag onto my bed. Without wasting a moment, I bound back down the stairs and fling open the fridge. I'm greeted with a plate of raw minced meat, and without hesitation, I grab handfuls of it with each hand and devour it like a wild hound.
Feeling satisfied, I scrub my hands in the sink just as my mother enters the room. 'How was the academy today?' she inquires.
'Great,' I lie, not wanting to get into details.
'That's good to hear. Do you have any plans with Janie or Brad this afternoon?' she asks, curious. ‘Yeah, with Janie and Imogen, but we’re going to Mossmourn Grove for a change of scenery. Imogen showed us a cool spot to hang out. We’re going to hang out and study there,’ I tell her.
'Well, have fun, sweetheart,' she smiles as I'm about to ask for a lift when an urge to run takes hold of me. If I take the back roads, I realise I can run at wolf speed and arrive at Mossmourn Grove quicker than a car would get me there.
I change my shoes, put my favourite runners on, climb over the back fence to the road with very few houses and many trees, and run as fast as possible. My beanie is about to fly off from the speed, so I hold it over my ears until I reach Mossmourn Grove.
Imogen has just arrived as well. She’s carrying a stack of books. I quickly approach and take half of them before she can topple over.
‘You didn’t have to borrow the whole library,’ I joke.
Imogen laughs, ‘I may have gone a little overboard, but I really want to help you out of the magical bubble you’re stuck in,’ she smiles.
‘Thanks, Imogen. That means a lot to me,’ I reply.
We place the books in a stack outside the treehouse and then hear Janie shout, ‘Lifto Levitatious,’ The books rise and hover up into the treehouse and stack in a neat pile.
We peer up to see Janie sticking her head out the window with a wide smile. We smile and wave hello, and climb the ladder.
I roll my eyes as I notice Xander leaning his back against the wall in the corner with his arms crossed. It’s obvious he doesn’t want to be here, and it’s obvious I don’t want him here.
We blatantly ignore each other as I grab a few books on spells and sit quietly in the far corner, flicking through the pages. Then, suddenly a burst of dust scares the hex out of us as Mister Kal makes a magical appearance.
‘Mister Kal!’ Janie says with delight and wraps her arms around him. Happy to be hugged, he purrs.
Janie lets Mister Kal go, and he struts over to Xander and jumps into his arms, purring extra loud as he affectionately headbutts Xander, as Xander pats him.
I glower at Mister Kal, like never before, throwing daggers at him. Mister Kal hates me so much, then Xander comes in, and Mister Kal is practically making out with him. Why does he hate me and love Xander so much?
‘Your cat is broken,’ I say to Janie.
‘How so?’ she asks with a look of confusion and stares at him. ‘He looks fine to me,’ she says.
‘Never mind,’ I grumble and stick my head back in the book.
It’s been over an hour, and I’m almost through the third book with no luck. I stare at Janie and Imogen, who shake their heads as well.
Xander sighs, ‘Are we going to be here all night?’ he asks.
I’m feeling defeated, and I’ll be stuck like this forever, and the thought that I’m a terrible girlfriend also looms over my head. Tears form, and I try hard to fight them back. I stand up, slam the book down, pull my beanie off, and throw it. ‘I’m so sorry, Xander, that me being stuck like this is such an inconvenience to your life,’ I shout. I dash to the ladder and climb down, bursting into tears.
‘Rose, wait!’ Janie says.
‘Rose, please don’t cry. It will be okay. We will find a way to help you,’ Imogen says.