Pure Magic (Ballad of the Seer, Book One)

Chapter 10 - Skipping Class

After waking up at three in the morning, plagued by another dream of a great darkness come for Duncan, she laid there staring up at the ceiling. Unable to get back to sleep, her thoughts turned to Jack.

She wasn't sure why she let their relationship last as long as it did. She cared for him, that was never a question, but after four months together—not including her summer in Paris—she thought she should've felt more. He was in love with her, and she just wanted to go back to being friends. Maybe she couldn't love him because she wasn't honest. She'd held back a huge part of her life. Not that it mattered anymore. After what he did to her and Dianna in that alley, and the darkness she felt in his mind, she could never go back to him.

That brought her mind to Duncan. Their talk in the clinic had played on a loop in the back of her mind since she got home. If Dianna hadn't interrupted, she would've kissed him. The thought made her so giddy, she couldn't contain her smile. That may not have been the right time, but it was coming; very soon, if she had anything to say about it.

When she heard the buzzing of the alarm clock, she looked over to see that it was time to get up. She hadn't even noticed how light the room had gotten. Even with the curtains drawn she could see everything plainly.

Despite having barely any sleep, she felt invigorated and ready for the day at the mere thought of seeing Duncan again.

Lily's high spirits did not go unnoticed when she entered into the dining room, practically skipping to her chair.

"You are certainly chipper for a Monday morning." Jacquelyn said, taking a break from her sketching to sip her coffee.

"Good morning to you too."

"Is something special happening today at school?"

"Nope." Lily shook her head. "It's just a wonderful day."

"I'm surprised. I expected you to be sullen and snappish."

Lily chuckled, digging into the crepes Anderson had just laid before her. "Why?"

"That's how you were the last time you and Jack broke up."

"Jack is old news. I'm over that. I'm turning over a new leaf."

"Would there be a boy under this particular leaf by any chance?" Jacquelyn asked.

Lily stared at her mother in utter confusion. She couldn't possibly have read Lily's mind; she couldn't with her mental block. Lily tried to sound nonchalant. "Why would you ask that?" She failed miserably.

"After you told me about Dianna, I called her mother. Apparently, a boy brought you and Dianna home, in Dianna's car. I asked if it was Jack and she said that she had never seen this young man before."

"Oh, yeah, right..." Lily laughed it off, like it was no big deal. "Him."

"Yes, him." Jacquelyn smiled at her. She unusually lighthearted this morning. "Who is this stranger that's driving my daughter around to God knows where?"

"He's very nice. He's in my class. He just moved here. He's my... friend." It was the only word that Lily could come up with to describe Duncan. It was nowhere near the right word, but she couldn't exactly tell her mother that she had feelings for a boy that she didn't know. Besides, he used the word first, so why couldn't she?

"Well, I'd like to meet this friend." The way her mother said the word implied that she didn't believe he was just a friend. "You can bring him to the house for dinner. Next week. See what night works best for him."

"I don't know. I just met him. This is all a lot to take in." Lily waved her arms to indicate the large old house around them.

Jacquelyn returned to her typical resigned demeanor. "I don't want you to be riding around with some boy your father and I haven't met. If you want to keep being friends then he'll come for dinner. Is that understood?"