Just My Luck

8. Oh no... She's Back...

Well, I guess I did mean borrow, but I didn't see him wearing any other jacket. "You're still wearing summer clothes in the dead of winter," I told him, "and besides, it's got your name on it anyways." I meant that literally by the way. My brother had had a habit of stitching his name (IN CURSIVE mind you! The over achiever) onto his clothes.

"Oh um thank you, I guess," Paws tucked the jacket under his arm and watched me file away a couple more books.

"Admiring my book-filing skills or do you just think I'm pretty?" I raised an eyebrow at him when he just watched me.

"No! It's not that at all!" Paws quickly debunked my suggestion.

"Then out with it," I pushed the cart full of books to the next section, "class is about to start soon. Why did you really come find me?" I asked him. "The jacket was a good excuse, but you didn't know how to go through the transition did you? Just ask already."

"Do you know about me?" He worded his question carefully.

I stopped filing the books for a moment and analyzed him. "What part of you are you referring to?" I decided his question was too vague, although I had a hunch he was talking about a certain piece of jewelry.

"This," he held up his hand with the silver ring. Ah, so I was right.

He stared at me, and I met his gaze evenly, "Yes. Your horrible lie didn't exactly cover it up now did it?"

"That wasn't enough to suggest it, you just saw Plagg."

"Is that the kwami's name?" I asked him.

Paws nodded, "Wait you know what kwamis are?"

"I've actually known about your extra-curricular activities before you came to the library and talked to me," I informed him.

"Are you going to tell him about me?" Fuko asked me excitedly.

"How?" Paws cocked his head suspiciously.

"Some idiot during medieval times tried replicating your miraculous," I told him, then I held up my own hand to show him my ring.

Paws' eyes widened, "No way..." he reached out for my hand and then hesitated, "Can I?" he asked permission.

How sweet, "Sure," I held my hand closer to him so he could examine it.

"Could I just see the ring?" he asked.

"Unfortunately, it's a phony copy of your miraculous," I told him, "It's cursed, and I can't take it off."

Paws seemed taken aback by this information, "There's really no way?"

"For some reason, it can only be taken off the wearer by someone who loves them, catch is though, that they get cursed with it instead," I shelved another book, "and I don't really want to curse anyone who likes me."

Paws looked down at his ring as if considering how lucky he was he could take his off.

"Anyways, the fake miraculous is complete with a fake kwami," I told him, "only the ring's bearer can see her," I explained, "and since she and the ring are a copy of yours, she's been able to sense you since we first came to Paris."

"Unbelievable," Paws commented.

"Unbearably awful," I scowled. "As much as I'd love to further divulge you in the wonders of a phony miraculous of destruction that leaks bad luck everywhere, class is about to start and my job requires me to remind students to go to class."

Paws smiled awkwardly, "Oh right!" he tucked the jacket under his arm, "Thanks for the jacket then! I'll see you later!" he gave me one of those model smiles and left the library.