Starlet

13. Oliver

The next day, magic school starts. I guess I missed the tour. Marcus takes me over.

He walks me around the campus. There's 2 cafeterias. Also, pizza, burger, and taco places. I can buy from the coffee shop, but the cards aren't good there. My classes are easy to find and fairly simple though. Basic magic and beginner magic. The first teacher talks a lot. The next has the class make orbs for an hour. There are only 4 students in each of my classes. So, that's nice. After class, I go to the theater and dance for my practice time. I figured out how to have the brains play music. They do that while I dance.

On Friday, I am so excited about not having to do anything tomorrow. Lindsey drags me to a party she heard about. I've never been to a party. I'm excited and scared.

We get to the address and see Andy standing on the porch with his arms crossed. "No party tonight girls. You kids are going to have to be sneakier than that."

"OH COME ON." She starts pulling me, and Dipak and Mason come around the corner laughing. "WE'LL FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO HAVE FUN."

She pulls me about 3 steps and a boy runs up to us. He tells us another address quietly.

Andy, Mason, and Dipak are walking towards us. We run for it.

We run down a path and turn on another 1.

"They didn't chase us."

"We need to figure out where that address is."

"I think that path is right here."

We walk to the end, and we can't find the number he gave us. "He said 152, right?"

"Yea. It only goes to 150. Probably sent us here hoping they would follow us."

"Probably."

A couple of boys walk up to us. "This way girls."

We decide to follow them into the woods. We cross a stream into a house's front yard. I can't even see the village. But we're so close.

"Does anyone live here?"

"I don't think so. We use it for parties sometimes."

The other boy winks. "It's a nice place to relax."

There's about 20 teenagers in it. All sitting on crappy furniture and broken stuff. Everyone is drinking and relaxing. The boys give us each a cup. It's not very good.

They spend an hour complaining about adults and life. Other people pass around something they are smoking.

A boy tries to hand it to me. "No, thank you."

People do what they want and nobody cares.

Another group comes in after a while and I recognize Johen's disguise. I smile at him.

He sits beside me. More of that stuff goes around. Thora and Johen smoke it.

A couple of drinks later, Thora is out cold.

Johen stands up. "Want to go back to your house?"

"Can't. Not sure if I could carry Lindsey."

Everyone in the room laughs.

Johen pulls me up. "I'll get her. You walk."

"Ok."

He carries her and I follow them. Then 2 boys follow me.

"Hi. How are you?"

"We're good. We're going to make sure you 2 get home alright."

Johen chuckles. Then we get to the village. I've still got my last cup of beer.

Dipak and Andy come up to us. "What are you kids doing out this late?"

A boy answers, "Taking a walk."

Andy smirks. "What's in the cup?"

The boy grabs it. "It's got a bug in it." He dumps it off to the side in the yard.

That was good thinking.

"What's wrong with her?"

"She's tired. I'm taking her home now."

I think that worked. I nearly fall over but the boy beside me grabs me and holds me straight.

Dipak nods. "Alright. Straight home."

The boys get us back to the house laughing. The 2 that walked us out think it's hilarious that we outsmarted Dipak. Then we get stuck in the door because they won't let Johen in, and he has to come in. I'm not leaving Thora on the porch.

"All of you come in and put her on the couch."

Johen is trying not to laugh his ass off. He puts Thora down. Then the other 2 drag him out.

"Good night guys. Thank you."

Dipak and Andy come through the back door. I lay the other way on the couch. I don't say anything. I pass out.

I wake up in time to get ready for lunch. But I feel ok. Thora's starting to wake up too. I guess we slept on the couch.

"How did I get here?"

"Johen carried you. You went to sleep after you smoked that stuff."

"That was some good stuff. We should be boys today. I've been wanting to try it. They have it so much easier."

I shake my head. "I need to study."

"You have fun with that. I'm going to take a nap. I'll be back later."

"Good night." I take a nap too. Tired today.

That night, Thora and Nadine come back as boys. They are now Oliver and Jack. We go to the woods house. They keep talking about a blonde.

We walk in and everyone smiles at us.

"We're popular here."

Thora rolls her eyes. "Yea maybe we'll get more than girls sitting on us."

"Remember what I said. You already know what they want to hear."

She nods and we sit down.

"You don't see anyone but the blonde. You get fixated on them."

"Whatever. Who's the 1 getting laid tonight?"

Oliver pushes Jack down. "Not you for another 3 hours."

"Not like she's giving it up anyway." Jack goes over to a blonde. "So, how's your night going?"

"It's ok. How's yours?"

"Better now that I see you." He leads her to a different room.

Oliver goes upstairs with a girl.

I sit on the couch wondering what to do.

A boy sits beside me and hands me a cup. "Do you go to school here?"

"I have a couple classes at the magic school. I don't go to the other school."

"What classes do you have?"

"Beginner magic. What about you?"

"Reading, writing, swimming. The normal ones. Did you test out of everything?"

"I didn't take a test. My schedule is to full with dance. That's why I only have 2 magic classes."

"You're a dancer and magician. What else do you do?"

"Theater. I'm an actress."

"Am I going to see you in the play coming?"

"Yes. I'm Mel. She's a business person."

Jack sits beside me and stretches out. "Where the hell did Oliver go?" Then he gets some brains to play some music.

"I have no idea."

We talk for awhile then Oliver comes back. "I won."

"You did not."

"Yes I did."

"Asshole."

I scratch my head. I'm not sure what he won.

Then the blonde staggers over and falls on jack.

"What do I do about this?"

Oliver points at her. "HEY! Your friend is drunk."

A group of other girls stagger over trying to come and get her.

"Do you want some help?"

"That would be nice."

Oliver laughs so hard he's crying.

I stand up. "You can walk me home too, Jack."

"Lucky me."

"I know right."

We get to the village. The girls keep talking about boys. Apparently, Tye looked in their direction once.

Dipak and Marcus come up to us. "What are you doing out so late?"

"This 1 was tired. I'm taking her somewhere. They haven't told me yet where that is." Jack holds the blonde up. She's all over him. Or is trying to be anyway. She is sloppy and falling over.

The girls freak out. "WE'RE JUST OUT FOR A WALK."

1 starts crying.

"I SWEAR WE WEREN'T DRINKING."

Jack rubs his eyes. "I wish I was drunk right now."

"PLEASE DON'T TELL MY DADDY."

"Please figure out where I'm going."

Dipak tries to stop laughing. "Make sure you go straight home."

Jack glares at him. "Thank you."

"I'm close. I'm running home. See you later."

"Ok."

I go home and sit on the porch. Dipak and Marcus come up and sit with me. Dipak has a mark on his neck this time.

"Now you're marked. You're both Nadine's mates aren't you?"

"Yes. How did you figure it out?"

"She said something before about having more than 1. And your marks keep disappearing. Are you happy?"

Marcus smiles. "More than anything. I'm lucky to have found her."

"Ever since I got with her, she's been my whole world."

"I'm glad you're happy. It's nice to hear that mates can be happy."

"You don't think you'll be happy?"

Oops. I said too much. I shrug my shoulders.

Marcus picks up the paper. "Why are you going to these parties?"

"I'm a teenager. I think I'm supposed to."

"Any other reason?"

"Maybe to find a friend."

"You have friends."

"Who? People ignore me. That's still better than screaming and running from me. But I want a friend."

"You haven't been here that long. You'll make friends."

"Maybe I can get a boyfriend."

"No." Marcus starts coughing.

"No. Wait on your mate."

I open my mouth to tell them about Jareth being my mate. Then I close it.

Dipak smiles. "When you're ready to say what's bothering you, we're here to listen. And I think we've heard everything. You're not going to shock us."

I stay quiet. I'm sure it would shock them to know they killed my mate.