The Mix (short story)

Part 4

“Mrs. Williams?” Julie said as her hand shot straight up in the air.

       “Yes, Julie?” Mrs. Williams acknowledged Julie with a smile.

       “Today’s my birthday, and I brought treats for the class. Do you mind if I hand them out while we read?” Julie asked with a sugary-sweet smile plastered on her mouth. I figured this was all part of the plan, since it was not Julie’s birthday. I hoped no one else noticed her little fib, but if they did, they didn’t speak up. Who was going to deny free treats?

       Poor Mrs. Williams granted Julie permission with nothing more than a “Hurry back.”

       “Do you mind if I take Emma with me, to help carry?”

       “Of course.”

       Julie and I exited the classroom and began making our way to the lunchroom. My hands were trembling in excitement.

       “Stop shaking,” Julie commanded me, “We got this. I know what I’m doing.”

       I wasn’t sure if I believed her or not.

       After passing through a few more hallways, we entered the kitchen and opened the fridge, retrieving Julie’s cupcakes and punch.

       “So, what’s the plan?” I asked her on the way back to class, fruit punch in hand.

       “Just help me poor the punch, I’ll do the rest.”

       We stepped back inside the classroom, and all of the students turned their eyes to the cupcakes.

       “I’ll hand them out,” Julie whispered, “Start pouring, half a glass each.”

       I nodded and set the punch and cups down at the front of the room. I took out eighteen cups and began filling them exactly halfway full. I felt sweat begin to form on the back of my neck as heat flooded my face. I had the nagging feeling that I was doing something terribly wrong.

       Julie came to join me at the front of the room, once each student had a cupcake. She moved me so that my back was to the class, and I stood right in front of her, so that no one would be able to see her tampering with the drinks.

       I watched as she scanned the classroom, counting students carefully in her head, obviously making sure which drink was the special drink, without making it too obvious.

       She arranged the drinks on the table in the same formation as the desks in the room, and then, ever so slyly, she pulled a small vial, containing a white foggy liquid out of her front pocket. She unfastened the lid with a light pop, and then, without hesitation, she swiftly poured the liquid into one of the cups. It was over so fast, I almost missed it.

       Julie exhaled, and returned the vial to her pocket. She smiled at me victoriously, as she began handing me drinks. She told me a name with each drink and I dutifully took the drinks to their proper places.

       Julie grinned at me as she whispered, “Draiden” and I grinned back at her.

       I walked over to his desk nonchalantly and set the drink down. He muttered his thanks, but didn’t drink. I turned away and resumed handing out the rest of the cups.

       We were almost done. I walked back to Julie to get the last two drinks, a smug look on my face, but as I reached for the two remaining cups, she froze, her face as white as a sheet.

       “Uh…Julie?” I asked her softly.

       “Crap,” she croaked. The cups slipped from her hands, splattering all over her shoes and mine. The class jumped.

       “Julie dear, are you alright?” asked Mrs. Williams sweetly.

       “Wait! Don’t drink!” she yelled at the class suddenly. Everyone looked at her, confused. She blushed, “Um… the bottle says that it’s expired!” she covered for herself.

       I looked around the room in panic, as I realized that most of the boys had already drank their punch, including Draiden.

       “It’s okay,” Mrs. Williams comforted Julie, “It was nice of you to bring treats in the first place,” she said as if Julie were five instead of fifteen, “Why don’t you and Emma go get some different shoes?” she suggested. We thanked her and hurried out, avoiding the eyes of our classmates.

       “What happened?” I asked as soon as the door shut.

       “I…I don’t know,” she said slowly, as if she’d never heard those words come out of her mouth in that order.

       “What do you mean, you don’t know??” I squeaked.

       “I don’t know,” she uttered, in the same tone as before.

       “Did Draiden get the potion?!” I asked her in a rush.

       She turned to me, “I don’t know!” she screeched, her eyes alive with panic, “I think I flipped around the seating order…I don’t know who got it! It might have been Draiden…but I don’t know!” she said, devastated. Tears burned in her eyes.

        I would have comforted her, if it wasn’t for the nauseous feeling in my own stomach.

        “How long does it take to kick in?” I asked her, in a very lack-luster tone of voice.

        “Twelve hours, maybe more?” she responded between sobs.

        I sighed, shakily, “How will this go down, exactly?”

     She wiped the tears from her face and looked at me, “The elixir creates the illusion of a real relationship. The more time you spend with the drinker, the more they’ll fall for you.”

        I took a deep breath, trembling slightly, “So…basically, I can’t ever speak to any boys in this class ever again?”

        “I don’t know…I don’t know!” she exclaimed, burying her face in her hands.

      I scrunched my face up in distress. Suddenly, the bell rang, and students flooded the hallway around us.

        “I guess we’ll find out…” I said sadly. With that, we sloshed off to the locker room in search of dry shoes.

***

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