Help! My Friend is Dating a Wizard!

Chapter 3 - Trouble

 The next weekend Jacob, Lizzie, Ryan, and I are hanging out at my place. My parents are both at work. Suddenly Caitlin comes bursting in. "We've got trouble!" she announces.

 "What kind of trouble?" Jacob asks.

 Caitlin explains. "Evan and Kayla are missing. A few days ago I was telling them about this place called Rainbow Island, where magic horses who can talk and fly learn to develop their powers. Well, you know how much Kayla adores horses. She begged Evan to take her there. I told her that this wouldn't be a good idea because there are also some evil horses on the island. And people aren't allowed on the island anyway, unless they have possession of the Necklace of Welcome. So I thought that was the end of it. But evidently Kayla still wanted to go, and Evan will do anything to make Kayla happy. Evan left me a note this morning saying not to tell mom and dad, that they should be back in just a few hours, because a day at Rainbow Island is only an hour here. Well, it has been five hours, which means five days, so I think they are in trouble."

"So what can we do?" Ryan asks.

"I talked with a wizard friend of mine. He said that he could send a few of us there through a magic portal, but it would be up to us to get ourselves back. He also had more bad news." Caitlin hesitates.

"Go on," I say.

Caitlin continues. "He said that wizard powers are also ineffective on the island without the Necklace of Welcome. I don't think Evan knows that. In other words, I don't know if any of us will be able to come back, unless we find the necklace."

"What!?" I shout. "First Evan switches forms with you and is unable to switch you and him back. Now he and Kayla go to some magic island and are unable to return? When will that boy learn to think before he acts?"

"Evan was a cat for four years. Of course he's excited to get his wizard powers back, but I don't think he is any more mature than he was when he was twelve," Caitlin says.

"Well, we have to help them! After all, if it wasn't for Kayla and Evan, I would still be a horse!" I say.

"Wait a minute," Ryan says. "There is no sense in us getting involved unless we have a good plan.

"If we could find the Necklace of Truth, I think we can also find the Necklace of Welcome," Jacob rationalizes. "Do you have any clues about where it would be?"

"Not yet," Caitlin says, "but I'll do some more research."

"It wouldn't happen to look anything like this, would it?" Lizzie ask,s while touching the neckace around her neck.

"OMG!" Caitlin gasps. "That looks almost like the Necklace of Truth! Wherever did you get it?"

"I won it playing Bingo last week," LIzzie explains.

"Then maybe someone in the Wizard World is looking out for us!" Caitlin declares excitedly. "If it is the Necklace of Welcome, it will glow when you get to the island."

"Then I am in!" Lizzie smiles. "Who is with me?"

"I am!" I say.

"So am I!" Jacob adds.

"And you, Ryan?" Caitlin asks.

"I still think we need to think this over more first," Ryan counters.

"Yes, I'm going to find all the information I can on the island and then will get back to the rest of you ASAP. I will not be going myself. I will stay here in case things still don't work out. Then I can tell my parents, and get their help.  But I'm hoping we won't have to tell them," Caitlin says, then leaves.

Ryan does not look happy. "I really don't want you putting yourself in danger again!" he tells me.

"I know. But Kayla would do anything to help me, so I have to do the same for her. You understand that, don't you?" I ask.

"But how do you know you can trust Caitlin? Maybe this is just another one of her tricks. Notice how she is not the one going to the island herself?" Ryan has a point.

"Caitlin may act tough on the outside, but she is really a Scaredy Cat," Jacob says. "That is the real reason why she turned Shamira into a horse, and the real reason why she is not going to the island herself."

"If Caitlin and Evan's parents are wizards, shouldn't we just let them deal with this?" Ryan asks.

"And miss out an opportunity to be superheros ourselves?" Lizzie asks. "That is our back-up plan, but meanwhile I have the necklace and I plan to use it! We just have to believe in ourselves and do this for Kayla and Evan. Besides, it sounds like fun!"

"Then you and Jacob can go," Ryan says. " But I almost lost you once already this year, Shamira, I think you and I should stay here. Things will only look more suspicious to our parents if we all go"

I am getting frustrated. "You may be my boyfriend, Ryan, but I don't think you have the right to tell me what I can and can't do!"

"You're right," Ryan answers. "You can do whatever you want, but I don't have to like it!" Then Ryan turns and walks away.

"It's okay," Jacob says. "You don't have to go with us."

I tighten my jaw with determination. "I may love Ryan, but I love the rest of you too. Like Lizzie said, we can do this! I'm going to get ready. What should we bring?"