Valhalla High (A Magnus Chase Fanfic)

Lights, Camera, Jack!

September 17

"Did you get that?" Jack said.

"The camera wasn't rolling," Alex told him.

Jack's expression deflated. "Oh."

We were trying to film Jack's music video in my bedroom. It turned out to be a lot harder than I expected. Jack would do a cool dance move, but then stumble up on the lyrics or he'd sing passionately, while looking at a poster on my wall instead of the camera.

Odin has loaned us a school camera from the media department, which I was very grateful for. The dance was in two weeks and if we couldn't get the video edited quickly enough, Jack would probably not speak to me for a month or so.

"What if we tried recording the song and the dancing separately?" Alex suggested.

Jack looked at him. "Riptide wouldn't like it."

"Relax man," I said. "We'll edit it all together seamlessly."

Jack looked at me. "Do you swear on your troth?"

"My what?" I asked.

"Your troth," Jack repeated.

"Alright, I swear on my troth," I said.

Jack's expression lifted. He was wearing silvery pants and a matching tuxedo today. They were both elegant and flown and Jack looked like a movie star. I think he might've even been wearing some makeup and he definitely was wearing cologne.

Alex, was doubled over laughing. "What's so funny?" I asked.

He tried and failed to make a straight face. "Did you even ask Jack what a troth is?"

"Uhhh," I said, feeling less like an AP student with every second. "Jack, what's a troth?"

"Your soul," Jack said.

I knit my eyebrows together. "What kinda magic are you working on me?"

Jack shrugged. "If you don't keep your promise, I'll tell my lawyers to sue for your soul."

"You have lawyers?" I asked.

He shrugged again. "Alright, I don't. It's just, Magnus, your father swore he'd stay loyal to me, but he transferred me to another store the second he got a crush on some pretty lady. You wouldn't trade me for Alex would you?"

"Jack!" I said, my cheeks warm.

Alex was laughing even harder now. I pressed my lips together. "Jack, let's get recording now. I can't edit the footage until it's been shot."

Jack nodded. Alex quieted down and I used an app on my phone to capture the audio as he sang "Old Town Road." He sang it five times and took breaks for water in between to keep his voice crisp. When he finished, I uploaded the documents to my Google Drive.

"Alright," Alex said, hopping up. "It's movie time!"

***

We ended up filming outside in my backyard. The lighting was better and the air was fresher. After spending most of the day stuck inside, I was glad to feel the warm sun on my back and inhale the scent of early fall. Alex set the tripod up. Jack wanted to film the first scene in front of a huge oak tree. "I'm going to do something really cool," he promised.

Alex started recording and gave him a thumb up. Jack blinked at us for a few seconds and then, to my utter shock, did a backflip. Then, he started busting some serious dance moves. No wonder he was on the dance team.

    We filmed until the camera nearly died. "Guys, it's 3:33," I said.

    "Make a wish!" Jack said.

     "I wish for food," Alex said.

      We went inside and made some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, eating standing up by the kitchen counter. "Thanks Magnus," Jack said. "I have to work tomorrow again."

     "How long have you been working?" I asked.

      "Since I was fifteen," Jack said. "I needed money to pay for dance team expenses. I'm not rich like—"

   He broke off and looked at his shoes.

    "Rich people are overrated," I said.

     "Agreed," Alex said. "My father is the worst. He thinks that being rich makes him entitled to everything. No wonder he cheated on my stepmom."

    I snorted. "My uncle Randolph is the same minus the cheating part."

     "Randolph?" Alex said. "What a name."

      "Yeah," I said. "He lives in some huge mansion by himself ever since his wife and kids died in a horrible boating accident. He used to be a respected scholar on Norse culture, but he gambled everything in a thesis that he could never prove."

    "Wow," Jack said, finishing his sandwich. "Your uncle sounds crazy. Hey, can I have another?"

   I nodded. "Course."

     "Me too," Alex said standing up.

      Both of them made themselves another sandwich, while I got a glass of milk. "Your mother has fancy jams and jellies," Alex noted.

     "Yeah," I agreed. "She likes buying local stuff from the farmer's market,"

     Alex sighed. "I wish my family was like that. My dad shops at Whole Foods, but I think it's only because how expensive it is."

     "What's your father do?" Jack asked. "Is he some Hollywood actor or director? A famous baritone?"

    Alex laughed. "My father is neither. He just inherited his father's business and turned it from a local pottery store to mass producing overseas. My father doesn't like pottery like my grandpa and I do. He doesn't get how special it is to make unique pieces by hand. He wants me to run the family business one day, but I'd sooner die."

    I nodded. "I'm glad my mother isn't like that. She doesn't care what I do as long as it's not immoral or has to do with Randolph."

    Alex laughed. "Sounds like a good idea. What do you want to do?"

    "I kinda want to be a nurse," I said.

     Alex raised an eyebrow. "Not a doctor?"

     "No," I replied. "Nurses get to spend more time with their patients."

    Alex smiled. "You'd make a good nurse. You act all tough and stuff, but everyone knows you're a sweetheart, Maggie."

    "I am not!" I said.

     Alex saw my expression and started laughing. Jack joined in and soon we were all three laughing so hard that my mother came into the kitchen. "What's going on?" she said as she came into the room.

   She took one look at us and shook her head, smiling. "Take care to do the dishes, Magnus."

     "I will," I said, my laughter finally subsiding.

    She left and it started back up again. Mothers are great and all, but sometimes it's best to laugh in peace.