Magic Tricks

No Invisible String

Pedaling hard, I race down the sidewalk. If I don't hurry, I'll be late for school. I don't like being late for school. Other things? Fine. School? Nope. I have a reputation.

Why am I running late, exactly? Well, maybe, possibly, I was up half the night looking up magic trick reveals and then fell asleep on top of my biology homework. But it wasn't my fault.

Whose fault was it? Marcus's. Despite my library's worth of magic trick books and detective-like internet-searching skills, I couldn't find any of his tricks. None. And I must have watched every single illusion ever performed on America's got Talent. I'm dealing with a prodigy here.

My bike screeches to a halt and I lock it up. I rush inside and towards my locker, glad to see students still littering the halls. I'm a few minutes earlier than I thought. I fumble while dialing in my password and clumsily fling open its door.

"Katie!" someone yells from behind me. I jump, let out a small screech and whirl around. "Katie," Marcus says again, running over to me, ''Hello."

I press a hand over my heart, "Geeze, Marcus, are you trying to give me a heart attack or something?" I breathe, "I nearly jumped through the roof just now."

He blinks and looks from me to the ceiling, and back again, "Did I hurt you?" I sigh. "No. It's an expression. You surprised me."

"Good. I'm in need of your aid," he says, pulling a folded up piece of paper out of his pocket and showing it to me.

B-13

"I need to get here," he taps the paper "it's my home room and I don't know where it is. Could you maybe..."
"Show you the way?"
He nods.
"Alright, it's-" wait a minute. I smirk. "I'll show you the way... if you tell me the secret to the trick you did in the park yesterday," I offer.
"Aaaah," he shakes a finger in my face, "You sly noodle. You are trying to bribe me. You are trying to trick the Trickster." He chuckles. "Very well. I shall find it myself."
"A sly noodle? Really?" I ask, in the most unamused voice a can muster. He shrugs and turns to search for his classroom. I decide to press on. If there's one thing I hate, it's not having the upper hand in an argument, "Was it Velcro?"

He stops. "Katie," he shakes his head like a disappointed parent, "Surely such an 'illusion enthusiast'", he makes finger quotes, "as yourself should know the Velcro would be much too loud for such a stunt."
"Was it invisible string?" I question hopefully.

If he had snorted any harder, I'm pretty sure Marcus' lungs would have came out through his nostrils (disgusting, I know). "Invisible string?" he whispered through fits of laughter, "That's the oldest trick in the book!"
"I know, I kno-"
"I am no amateur, Katie." He snickers.
"It was just a question." I mutter, crossing my arms. I can feel color flooding my cheeks.

He gives me a pat on the head. "There is no need to be embarrassed, Katie," he mocks, regaining his composure, "Nobody can crack that trick," his eyes narrow, "Nobody."
I narrow my eyes as well, standing on the tips of my toes to reach his eye level, "Fine," I scoff, "Have fun finding home room."

Marcus raises his chin, "I will, thank you very much," he replies calmly, and with that, he walks off. "Invisible string," he whispers as he leaves, chuckling to himself.

The warning bell rings. Now I am late. Thanks a lot, Marcus.

With a huff, I turn back to my locker to grab my things. I reach for my books but stop. A single playing card lays on top of them. Ace of hearts. I turn it over in my hand to find that the back side is blank, save for a note jotted down on it in neat cursive.

Need another year?

~
Hello, hello, my fantastic friends. It's been too long. Anyway, not much to say here except, sorry I've taken so long (writer's... block) and also, to any actual illusionists out there reading this who might be offended, I apologize and I am most certainly not out to expose your secrets.
~