After unpacking my things in my small but comfortable room, I grabbed Kelsey's violin and told Jack I'll be meeting the girls soon before I left the cottage.
I took a walk through the fields close by and smiled at seeing nothing but sheep, a brown fence on the other side of the field, and a couple of trees here and there.
"Perfect." I said out loud before opening the violin case and picking up the violin and tuning it.
I knew how to play the violin a little because Kelsey taught me herself, but I wouldn't say I was amazing or anything. I just like to play it for fun.
I closed my eyes and breathed in and out before playing a song I've been learning for a while.
I heard someone clapping there hands once I finished playing. I had no idea I had my own audience, but apparently so. "Wow, I haven't heard playing like that in awhile, other than at the local tavern."
What the...who-
"Why don't you turn around, las? I promise I won't bite."
I did as the dude said, and instead of seeing a human, I saw the one thing I've always believed in. "A Leprechaun?! Sweet baby Jesus, I knew they were real all along...I just didn't think I'd actually get the chance to meet one."
The boy smiled at me from where he was sitting on top of Kelsey's violin case and gave me a little wave. "The name's Mickey Muldoon, pleasure to meet you...sorry las, what's your name?"
I blinked several times, my mind trying to process that this guy is a freakin' Leprechaun. "Huh? Oh! Uh, sorry, it's Amelia Woods, but my friends call me Mia for short."
Mickey looked at me in complete surprise. Why was he looking at me like that? "Did you say your name is Amelia?"
It took a seat on the grass in front of him and nodded slowly. "Yeah...is something wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost, though it's a little weird that I can see that, seeing as you're a...you know..."
"A Leprechaun?"
I nodded. "Yeah, that."
Mickey gave me a small smile. "Sorry, it's just that, I had a little sister called Amelia as well. It's probably just a coincidence. Nothing for you to worry about."
I nodded slowly. "Yeah...probably."
"So, have you been in Ireland long?" Mickey asked.
I shook my head. "No, I got here about half an hour ago. I've always wanted to visit Ireland because I can run around free without anyone stopping me, and no rules for me to follow."
"Ah, so, you like a bit of mischief, then?"
I raised an eyebrow. "'Like' mischief? I love it! Nothing like a good prank on the people you you don't like, right?"
Mickey burst out laughing. "I hear you! Those Trooping Fairies don't know what hit 'em sometimes. Brainless flies!" I couldn't help but laugh along with him.
"We see you've met Mickey."
I looked up at Brianna and Kelsey in surprise. "Wait...you two know him?!"
Kelsey and Brianna looked at each other nervously for some reason. "Well, you see...the thing is-"
"We've known each other for a long time. My friends and Brianna and Kelsey used to hang out together sometimes before they left Ireland." Mickey interrupted Kelsey. The three of them exchanged looks, but I just shrugged it off and thought nothing of it.
"That explains a lot, though I'm a little disappointed you didn't tell me anything about meeting Leprechauns." I started laughing out of the blue, getting weird looks from them. "You know, I won't be surprised if you tell me the two of you are also Leprechauns."
Kelsey, Brianna, and even Mickey, went silent.
I stopped laughing and cleared my throat. "You're Leprechauns as well, aren't you?" Gosh, this feels pretty awkward right now...
Brianna sighed and nodded. "We're sorry we didn't tell you before Mia. You don't exactly hear anyone tell someone they're a Leprechaun every day."
Kelsey looked at me apologetically. "Brianna's right. We wanted to tell you, but we didn't know when the right time was."
I smiled at them. "It's okay you guys, I get it. But I am curious about something...like the fact you can turn into a human?! What's that about?"
Brianna removed a couple of small brown pouches from her pocket and took out one small glass bottle with some blue liquid in. "Mother Nature made these with the help of your-uh, I mean Mickey's uncle, Sir Aloysius Jantee, a Butter Fairy, these potions will turn us both into humans, but they only last a few hours a day until we go back to our original Leprechaun form."
I looked at the girls in surprise. "Seriously?! Mother Nature is an actual person?! That's...that's awesome!"
Kelsey chuckled. "And there was Brianna thinking you'd try to avoid us or something once we told you our secret."
I smiled at them. "Well, sorry to burst your bubble Brianna, but I can never get mad at you both, not one bit, and I'd certainly never avoid either of you. You are the only friends I've got. That is...unless Mickey wants to be my friend as well?" I looked at Mickey expectantly. "That would be pretty cool, actually."
Mickey grinned and nodded. "'Course I will. I don't see why not."
My smile widened. I couldn't help but jump up and do a little cheer. "Yes!! That's now a total of three friends you've made in your entire life, Amelia Woods! Congratulations!"
Mickey popped in my right shoulder once I stopped my little cheer, and frowned. "Only three?! You never made any friends before? Or are humans as viscous and vile as those the Trooping Fairies?"
I shook my head and gave him a small smile. "I've tried, but nobody wants to be friends with someone who gets into trouble all the time. I can't help it that I like to have a bit of mischief in my life now and then. I've always had that feeling where I've felt I don't belong there. I know that the city life isn't for me. It never was."
"I always used to hang out in the forest not far from an orphanage I had lived in since I was a baby, until I ran away from there when I was 15 and managed to rent out a small apartment with money I saved up from several little jobs I did."
Mickey looked at me in confusion and sadness? I couldn't tell. "Didn't you ever get adopted?"
I shook my head again and faked a laugh. "Who would want to adopt a freak like me? I'm just a doorstep baby that my birth parents most likely didn't want to keep and nobody knew about because I didn't even have a surname for the orphanage to help identify who I was. All I know is that I was wrapped in a forest green blanket with a note that had 'Amelia' written on it...no surname or anything. Just my first name."
"Is your surname 'Woods' because somebody with that surname adopted you in the end?"
Brianna decided to answer for me this time. "No, the orphanage she had been brought up in gave her that surname because she loves the woods and spends all her spare time there. She ran away from the orphanage because she was fed up of how horribly they had treated her, and she gave up on the idea of being adopted."
Kelsey nodded. "She lived on her own for a little while until Jack Woods and his girlfriend at the time came along and took her in."
I laughed a little. "Oh, yeah, he was pretty stubborn about leaving me to fend for myself despite me telling him that I'd be fine on my own, but I just didn't have it in me to say 'no', so I moved in with him and the woman he was with at the until she left because she cheated on him, etc. etc."
Mickey nodded in understanding. "I understand. My parents refuse to let me live on my own, and I'm nearly 200 years old! Well, my father thinks it's a good idea for me to do so, but my Ma on the other hand..."
"She's probably just looking out for you, since her son, after all-" I stopped myself when I realised what he just said. "Hold the phone...you're nearly 200?!"
Brianna slowly raised her hand up. "If it helps...I'm only 130..."
"And I'm 149!" Kelsey yelled excitedly...not that she needed to, but it's great to be around someone with that happy-go-lucky attitude.
I looked at all three of them wide-eyed before shaking my head and passing Kelsey's violin back to her, then I turned around with my back facing them. "Uh...you know what? I didn't notice how dark it had gotten already, so I'm just gonna...ya know...go home."
I twisted my head a little and gave them a tight smile before waving at them. "See ya!" I ran back the way I entered the field, ignoring them calling out my name. I just wanted to go back to the cottage and go to sleep.
Maybe someone was pulling a big prank on me? Like some sort of revenge plot against me or something?
Or maybe this was all just a dream the entire time?
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Once I got back to the cottage, I saw Jack staring at the bottle Mr. Bagnell gave to him earlier on the table. "I'm going to bed a little early tonight. The jet lag really gets to you."
Jack nodded, but kept his focus on the bottle that was placed directly in front of him. "Alrighty then, don't be up too late tomorrow. Not unless you don't feel like exploring the place you've always wanted to go."
"Can't promise anything. Anyways, careful not to let that stuff hit your gums on the way down just like Mr. Bagnell said." I warned him before making my way towards my room. "Goodnight uncle Jack."
"Goodnight Mia."
I closed the door and got ready for bed. I face-planted it and released a yawn before smiling uncontrollably into the pillows. "Tomorrow's gonna be a great day."
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**End Of Chapter 03**