"Wake up!" El bounced onto my bed, jolting me out of my sleep.
"What?" I yawned.
"Hurry up and get changed." She half pulled me out of bed.
"Why?" I moaned, pulling the blanket back over my head.
"We're going out. Come on. Everyone else is waiting." She yanked the blacket away from me.
"Okay okay. I'm getting up." I sat up. "Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise." She yelled on her way out of the room. "Wear the yellow dress I left out for you!"
I looked over at my desk where she had put a yellow summer dress on the chair. I quickly changed and braided my hair. I ran downstairs to find everyone waiting outside. Eddie had my guitar on his back.
"Why have you got my guitar?" I asked.
"We're going out." He smiled.
"That's what El said." I muttered.
"Come one." El looped her arm into mine. We walked as a group to the recreation center to pick up some bikes.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"Into town." She said. "We packed a picnic and all."
"Why?" I mounted one of the bikes.
"Do you have to ask so many questions?" Katerina sighed. "Just enjoy today."
I guess I do ask too many questions, but none of it's without reason. Everything that's been happening recently has made me slightly paranoid. We rode into town and stopped at a large park. We locked the bikes up and found a shady place to set up our picnic. They had actually done I really good job with the food.
"This feels so nice." El stretched out on the grass. "As nice as the campus is, I miss something that's normal."
"I know what you mean." Nicholas agreed. "School just doesn't seem like it's real."
"Did you guys all grow up with magic though?" I asked.
"Not at this scale." El closed her eyes. "This is intense. Even for people like us."
"Is that what this has turned into?" Penelope asked softly. "Us verses them."
"It would seem so." Eddie nodded. "But it's never been so bad before has it?"
"No." She shook her head. "The school is changing us."
"Hopefully for the better." El muttered. and rolled onto her stomach. "Play something Celine."
Eddie passed me the guitar and I set it in my lap. I tuned it then started to play some chords.
"Any suggestions?" I asked.
"Something cheerful." Katerina said.
I thought about it for a while then started to play "When I'm Gone".
"I wouldn't call that cheerful." She said.
"It was all I could think of that I can actually play." I laughed. "I've only been learning to play this for around a month."
"Fine," she chuckled, "we'll let you off this time."
"Only this time though." Nicholas added.
"I agree. I want happy cheerful music next time." El declared. She smiled. "Anyway I think now is a good time to start playing happy birthday."
I started to play it, being a simple song it wasn't hard. The others sang happy birthday to Penelope.
"How did you guys know?" She asked at the end.
"Did you really think we weren't going to find out?" Nicholas asked.
"Well, I didn't think that anyone would do anything like this. I'm not even sure how you found out when my birthday was." She said.
"Oh ye of little faith." Katerina grinned. "Your patron told me."
"What?" Penelope exclaimed. "You spoke with my patron about this?"
"Of course we did." El said. "Did you seriously think we were just going to stay at school to celebrate?"
"I didn't think we were going to celebrate at all." She shook her head.
"If it helps, I was kept mostly out of the loop too." I said.
"We couldn't trust you then." Katerina said.
I sighed. "Thanks."
"You were so out of it most of the time and we were worried that you might slip up because you were so tired." Eddie explained.
"It's okay. I get it." I nodded.
"I'm so happy to have met you all." Penelope said.
"Of course you are." El said. "Especially since we brought cake."
Eddie took out a cake from a chiller bag. "It's chocolate. I hope you like it."
"Who doesn't like chocolate?" She smiled. After Eddie cut the cake up and gave us each a slice, every just relaxed and enjoyed the day. We didn't go back to school until the sun was setting.
"Hey what happened to the music room plan?" I asked.
"It fell through." El pouted. "I couldn't get the decorations I wanted in time."
"Oh." I said.
She shrugged. "Another day."
The way she said it was as though there was someone else's birthday coming up soon too. Unfortunately for me, I had no idea who it was. Maybe we need a calendar in the house so we can write everyone's birthdays down.
During the ride back to school everyone was talking about what we were going to do next time we got a day off. They were making plans to go to the movies, shops and arcade.
"What are you thinking about?" Eddie slowed down so that he was next to me.
"Nothing." I shook my head.
"Why the sad face then?" He asked.
"I don't have a sad face." I claimed.
"Okay. So you have a resting sad face then?" He grinned.
"That's not funny." I chastised. "Have you seen your resting face? You would have a pretty successful career as a clown."
"Harsh." He said with mock pain. "I see the extra sleep has tempered with your sweet personality."
I scoffed. "Maybe it's just your constant antagonising."
"Ouch." He grinned.
"Come on lovebirds!" Nicholas yelled to us. "I want to make it back to campus before dinner!"
Eddie and I had fallen quite behind the others so we picked up the pace to catch up with the others. After we returned the bikes to the shed we parted ways. Katerina, El and Nicholas headed back to the house while Penelope went to the library to read. Eddie had a piano rehearsal so he walked me to the administration building before heading to the church. I walked up the stairs slowly to room 33 and knocked on the door.
"Come in!" Seraphina called. I pushed open the door. "What can I do for you Celine?"
"I was wondering if you have heard anything from my mum." I said. "She hasn't contacted me in a while."
Seraphina frowned. "I haven't received any messages from her. Are you hoping for something in particular?"
I shook my head. "I was just worried."
"It's probably nothing." She smiled. "She's probably just busy."
"Yeah." I nodded. "Probably."
"If you want, we can send a letter." She said. "Maybe her phone is dead."
"No." I shook my head. "It's fine. You're probably right anyway. When is the next parent day?"
She looked at the calendar. "The Monday before the trimester ends."
"That's only three weeks away." I said. "I can't believe the trimester has passed so fast."
"Twelve weeks isn't exactly that long." She smiled.
"I guess not." I said.
"Go and enjoy the rest of the afternoon." Seraphina smiled. "I'll tell you if I hear anything from your mum."
"Thanks." I said.