Help! My Friend is Dating a Wizard!

Chapter 1 - Introducing Lizzie

The doorbell rings and I race to answer. My friend Lizzie is back in town! Her dad was doing research in Mexico the past year, and I have missed her like crazy! We have been friends since we were in preschool.

"Shamira!" Lizzie yells, crushing me in a bear hug. I hug her back, then can't help but stare at her. I can't believe how much she has changed! Lizzie used to be a tomboy. Now she has long, curly brown hair, makeup, and super cute clothes.

"It looks like Mexico treated you well!" I say. "Eres bonita!"

"Gracias! Usted tambien!" LIzzie returns the compliment.

"And you are probably fluent in Spanish. You can tutor me this summer! I missed a lot of school last year, but I think I caught up on everything except for Spanish!" I say.

"No problemo!" Lizzie replies. "You don't know how terrible I felt when you were missing and I wasn't able to be here to do anything! I'm so glad you got your memory back and found your way back home!"

"Yeah, about that, I was never really gone," I say.

"No comprendo? What do you mean you were never really gone!?" Lizzie asks, scrunching up her face, like she always does when she is confused.

"Can you keep a major secret?" I ask. "I mean really major. Like you may not believe me."

"Try me," Lizzie answers.

"I was here, it's just that Caitlin turned me into a horse. She was a wizard, but not anymore. Originally she was a cat!  The real wizard was my cat, Dusty, who is now Caitlin's brother, Evan."

"Let me catch this. You were a horse, Caitlin was a cat and a wizard, and your cat is now a wizard? You're right. You don't have amnesia. You have gone completely loco!" LIzzie answers.

So I explain everything, which I have also written in my journal "My LIfe as a Horse". Lizzie promises to keep my secrets. I also tell her that Kayla and Evan are dating. And that Caitlin has turned nice and has a horse at Jacob's house. And how Jacob has helped me through everything. And how Ryan and I are dating. "But enough about me. How were the boys in Mexico?" I ask.

"Well, I'm a little jealous," Lizzie admits. "I go away for a year and you have more adventures than me! The boys were alright, but I tried not to get too close to any of them since I knew I wouldn't be staying there. My brother Luke was not so careful. He totally fell for one of the girls there, and now he can't wait to finish his senior year because he wants to go back to Mexico next year!"

"Have you seen your mom yet?" I ask. LIzzie's parents are divorced. Her mom had a mid-life crisis or something and left home to be an actress which did not work out, but she did fall in love with another guy, who she brought back home with her, much to Lizzie's disapproval.

"Yeah," LIzzie said, looking down. "Sorry, I think I liked hearing about your life better. I can't wait to see Ryan and Kayla again. But have you seriously forgiven Caitlin? You never liked her in the first place, and after what she did to you?"

"I know," I answered. "It's not like I've forgotten. But people can change. At least I think she has. Anyway, she's not a wizard anymore. And Evan would turn her back into a cat if she tried anything evil again!"

"Then I'll have to meet this Evan too. Gosh, I really did miss a lot!"