"And how will Puck get Lysander to fall in love with Helena? Anyone? How about you, Seth?" I snapped back to reality as soon as I heard my name being called. All eyes went to me while mine frantically searched the book for the answer.
"It says here," I read the two lines out before answering, "Puck will give them the potion from the plant, I think. It's like a love potion that Lysander will drink so he will be falling for Helena and forget about Hermia."
The professor nodded briefly, giving me a glare for not paying attention in the first place. "Correct. Tell us, Mr. Avery, what do you think about the use of magic, in order to obtain something."
"Magic isn't real." I snorted, leaning back to my seat. "And even if it was, it shouldn't be used because it wouldn't be fair to others." Thankfully after that, he went to another student to ask more questions. A Midsummer Night's Dream is quite a good story but I can't help but feel that it's so unrealistic and cliche. Magic, fairies, really? Who could possible believe in those things?
Sighing, the bell rings and I jolted out of the room. I stopped by my locker to return my thick literature book, then the locker door closed and the giggly girl from my class blocks my way. "Hi Seth! Are you doing anything after school?" She smiles with big eyes staring back at me expectantly.
However, before I could answer, the familiar red head stood beside me for my rescue. "Seth is going to help me and his sister pick out dresses for our dates with our boyfriends tonight. He's very busy."
"Whatever." The sweet girl faked a smile before moving on to her next class.
I smiled at the intimidating girl. "You're funny, Liz. First of all, you don't even like boys. Second of all, I don't even have a sister. Third of all, I hate shopping for dresses."
"She believed it, didn't she?" She smirked before nodding past me. "Justin." My other friend arrived, looking annoyed as always.
"Today, my leadership squad and I worked on the winter dance decorations and it was so horrible. Diana was talking about how her boyfriend is an asshole and then Kevin was complaining about his boyfriend giving him the cold shoulder. See, this is why relationships are not in my to-do-list, ever." The preppy boy hissed in frustration, running a hand through his short hair.
Liz pouted playfully. "Poor you. Come on, let's go to PE. I hope we play volleyball so I have an excuse to hit annoying people."
***
"Alright, today is a good today to improve your mile scores."
I glanced at Justin to find him with a massive grimace. "Great." He groaned, crossing his arms as he sends a secret glare at our coach. "Seth, now that we're friends, I think you should know some things about me. I don't run. I don't speed walk. I hate sports. I most especially despise the fucking fitness test."
"What's the fitness test?" I asked confused.
"It's this thing you need to do to prove you're fit or something. I don't know." He scoffs. "Anyway, I'm already failing PE, for the second time in a row, so whatever."
The entire class started to walk to the running track. I followed everyone behind a white line while the coach stood in front of us with a timer and a whistle. "Remember, you aren't competing with anyone but yourself. Run four laps and let me know what time you finish. The faster your time is, the better you get. Now go! Don't slack off and I'm talking to you, Fiasco."
Justin smiled at him widely. "Yes sir." He replies sarcastically.
At the sound of the whistle, everyone sprints forward, except for Justin and myself. The coach frowned at me. "What are you doing, newbie? Run!"
I have been at this school for two weeks and I still have no idea what the hell is happening.
I just do what I'm told and frankly, I'm tired and pissed off.
If I hadn't moved from London to New York, my life would've been so much better.
If I didn't get in that stupid car accident, I wouldn't have lost my memory and I wouldn't look like an idiot right now.
But oh well, I have to do what I have to do.
I jogged the first lap in order to catch up with some of the people from my class.
The second lap, I was at the very back of the group as everyone ran faster. The first runner is Liz, then several other jocks, then the average runners, then the slow runners like myself, and then there's Justin who just walked carelessly.
By the time I started my third lap, I struggled to breathe. I tried to speed walk but the coach keeps yelling at me to keep running. Half way through the run, I started to cough uncontrollably and my chest hurt badly.
"Coach, I don't think I can run anymore." I said through coughs, putting my hands on my knees so I can catch my breath.
The coach gave me a look of disapproval. "Do you have asthma or something, kid?"
"I-I think so, sir."
"Your dad didn't put anything on your school records about any health issues." He narrowed his eyes. "I'm going to call him later and ask him about it. For now, you're off the hook, Avery. Just this once, because this is your first time running the mile here."
"Thank you." With that, I went straight to the water fountain and drank as much as I can until I feel my body calming down.
When I felt better, I decided to take a seat on the bleachers, joining the people who had already finished their mile. Liz already finished but she's talking to a girl so I didn't want to interrupt. I sat by myself and watched the other runners still in the field.
Just then, one of the football players who is also in my math class sat next to me, playing with his water bottle. "What's the matter newbie, you can't run a quick mile?" He glanced at me up and down before laughing. "I wouldn't be surprised though. You're only a scrawny little English nerd."
I clenched my jaw and glared at him. "Leave me alone, Sean."
Unfortunately, he wasn't one to take warnings seriously. He continued to pester me and comment about my appearance and where I'm from and that's when I couldn't take it anymore. All the anger that I've been holding inside just came out and it couldn't be more weirder.
Just when I was about to punch his obnoxious face, something came out from his mouth. It was a slug. It had came out as if he vomited it. He and I looked down at the slimy creature on the ground between us with our eyes widened. I backed away slowly, looking at him with disgust. "What the hell was that?!"
"I-- " His answer was cut off when another slug came out of his mouth, followed by another.
"Eww!" A girl screamed as she passed by us. "Ew what the fuck is that?! Coach!"
And just like that, a crowed circled around us while the obnoxious git continues to vomit slugs. "What is going on here?" The coach pushed through people and gaped at us with horror. "Sean, go to the nurse now!"
While everyone gushes about what is happening, I slipped away from the group and went to the boys locker room. I removed my shirt before opening my locker, then I sat down on the bench as I felt a headache coming.
That was disgusting and odd. What has that boy eaten that he's vomiting living slugs?
Oh well, this is New York and there's a lot of strange things around me. Dad said I'm going to be seeing a lot of weird things that I didn't see in London, so I guess this is just one of them. If only I actually remembered what I've seen in London.
***
' And when the lights start flashing like a photobooth
And the stars exploding
We'll be fireproof
My youth
My youth is yours'
I lowered my radio's volume as I heard a knock on my door. "Seth, lunch is on the table. I'll be going out for a while."
"Okay dad." More McDonalds, lovely.
Without permission, dad entered my room dressed in his usual work attire, which is really just all black. He works in a private agency as a security guard so he's usually out around the afternoon, leaving me all to myself. "How was school?" He asked, sitting on a chair by my desk.
"It was good."
"How are the other students treating you? All good, I hope?"
I nodded. "Yeah."
"Good." He smiles. "I'll be leaving now. Take care and -- What's that?" His eyes became glued to where my closet is.
"Um, dirty clothes? I still haven't unpacked some of the things I took from our old house, so..." When I woke up from the accident, dad took me to our old house and said we were going to move so I took whatever was in my room. I still haven't unpacked some of my things simply because I can't be bothered.
"No, Seth.. That." He walked closer and picked up something from the carpet floor. It's a necklace with the moon as its pendant. It's glowing white at the moment, though I was sure that it's black when I last saw it. He had stared at it for a long time and then gasped as if he had been attacked.
"What?"
His eyes widened and his body became tensed. "Samantha."
"What?"
Saying nothing, he dropped the necklace and ran out of my room without another word.
Who's Samantha?
***
Dad hasn't returned after a day. I didn't get a message or call from him so I became worried. The whole day yesterday and today, my necklace kept glowing. Right now, I'm laying on my bed examining the odd necklace. Why have I got this in the first place? This is not something I would wear.
When dad saw it, he seems to have panicked and I don't know why. It's just a necklace? All he said was Samantha but that doesn't explain anything. "Samantha. Who is Samantha?"
I sat up and was about to throw the jewelry away, until the glowing stopped. I looked at the pendant closer and saw an image starting to form. It's a girl. She's sleeping on a bed. I can't see her face but I notice that she has dark red hair. I am only able to see a little, as if I'm looking from a small hole.
Then, a boy sat down beside her. His back is facing me so I can't see his face either, but he's holding the girl's hand. He's got blue and purple hair.
Who are these people and why can I see them through this necklace?
What happened to the girl?
Is she Samantha?
I don't understand.
After watching the girl and the boy for ten minutes, I hear the door closed. Dad is here and I think I should ask some questions.
I walked out of my room and entered the living room to find dad in the kitchen. He had several vials on the table along with one cauldron. He also has a wooden stick, about ten centimeters long, right next to a bunch of scraps and other odd things that can be found on forests. I don't even know what some of them are.
"Dad, what are you doing?"
"Seth, go to your room." He replies bitterly, opening an old looking book.
I sat down on the kitchen stool and faced him. "Dad, please answer me. Who is Samantha?" I asked nervously.
He froze. He turned to me warily. "Why? Do you remember anything?"
"No." I furrowed my eyebrows while he sighs in relief. "But who is she? Who's Samantha?"
He picked up a vial that contains a little bit of a clear liquid. He set it aside and opened another vial, pouring its containment in the cauldron. "It's not important Seth. Go back to your room and do your homework. There's school tomorrow."
This time, I was getting fed him with him brushing me off. I don't have my memory and I don't know anything, yet he's not telling me any information. How am I supposed to get better? I don't even know if I have a mother or not, because he doesn't want to tell me. He just pushes me away saying it doesn't matter.
I made sure to give him a cold look before storming back to my room, slamming the door shut before jumping to my bed. I buried my face on my pillow as I shut my eyes closed.
"Seth? Seth are you there?"
I shook my head and covered my body with my blanket.
"Seth! Can you hear me? Where are you?" I hear a voice ringing through my room, but it's not my dad.
I must be going crazy.
Maybe I was crazy before, and I just don't remember.
"Seth? Come on mate, help me out here. Tell me I'm not wrong, come on. Where are you?" The male's voice rang again.
Cussing, I sat up and followed the voice.
It lead me to the necklace that I had left on the floor. I picked it up and looked at it closely to see the boy that I had seen last time. It's him, the blue haired boy. I can see his face and hair only.
As soon as he saw me, a smile appeared on his face. "Yes! I knew it!" He exclaimed. "Oh my god, I was right!"
I don't know what to say. Should I talk back to him? Would he hear me? If I could hear him, he should be able to hear me. But, I'll be talking to my necklace and that sounds awfully mad. He could see me though, I know that. We can see and hear each other, but how?
"W-Who are you? How are you doing this?" I asked, sitting down my desk by the window.
The blue haired boy's mouth dropped and his eyes flashed blue for a quick second. "Oh no..." His face dropped. "We're too late. He's already corrupted you."
"What?"
"You don't know who I am?" He asked, sounding sad. "It's me, Teddy. Edward Lupin. Teddy Lupin."
I shook my head slowly, unfamiliar of the name. "Sorry. I don't know anyone with that name. I've never seen you before in my life."
He bit his lip and brushed a hand though his hair. "Memory loss. That's fixable." He cleared his throat and gave me a small smile. "I don't suppose you know you have magic and you're a wizard either."
"Ha ha." I scoffed. "What the hell is this stupid joke? How are you doing this? Talking to me through this thing?"
"Right!" He beamed. "Well, you don't remember yet but I'm one of your super amazing best friends. Your clever best friend, Teddy Lupin. I was expecting Sam's necklace because she always wear it and then I realized it's a mirror. I'm familiar with Two-Way Mirrors and I thought the mirror and the necklace share the same characteristics and it turns out, I'm right! The necklace is like a Two-Way Mirror, but in necklace version. You and Sam can communicate with each other, just say each other's names. Also, it's charmed so when one twin is hurt, the other twin's necklace will glow. I bet your necklace was glowing the other day, huh? Sam was hurt because of some bloody git but it's all taken care of. Anyway, I was right! It's a Two-Way Mirror necklace! This is great!"
I tilted my head in confusion. I understood none of the things he had said. "First of all, who is Sam? What's a Two-Way Mirror?"
He rolled his eyes. "Great, you don't even remember your own twin sister. Bloody brilliant."
"I have a twin sister?" My heart raced anxiously. "Is it the girl, Samantha? Was she the injured girl?"
He nodded. "Yes. She is your sister. Samantha Avery." How could I have a twin sister and not remember it? "Now, listen to me very carefully Seth. That man you're with, your father, he isn't a good guy. He's been trying to get you and Sam. He wants you two to live without magic, away from the Wizarding World. That's why he erased your memory and took away your magic. He couldn't get Sam so it's only you. You shouldn't trust him, Seth. He took you away from your family."
My father? Magic? Wizarding World?
"You're crazy." I hissed. "I must be going mad."
"No, Seth! Listen! It sounds mad, I know but you have to trust me!" He frowned. "We need you to work with us, Seth. So we can save you. Your mother, your friends, everyone, we all need you back here where it's safe. You're a wizard, you have magic. It -- "
Before he could say anymore madness, I threw the necklace back to the closet. I grabbed my coat and rushed out of my room. I passed by dad in the kitchen, who is too busy working at whatever he's doing to even acknowledge me.
I ran out of our apartment and breathed slowly, letting the coldness wake me up.
Needing to take a walk, I headed towards the central park. At this time, there are not many people, just a few teenagers, some children and adults. I stood by the bridge and thought back to what the boy had said.
I'm a wizard and I have magic.
How the hell can that be real?
In books and movies, wizards just wave their hands and magic happens, right? Maybe that's what I should do.
"I guess I'm going mad." Shrugging, I extended my hand and thought of something to happen. I imaged a fire appearing. I closed my eyes and concentrated, just like how they do it in the media.
When I opened my eyes, nothing happened. It's just me, going mad.
Maybe I had accidentally drank some sort of drug in school. It is high school and anything can happen. Someone could have put drugs on the food, for all I know. Maybe that's why I'm seeing things.
Sean was vomiting slugs, for goodness sake. That is definitely a drug effect.
I don't have a twin sister.
My necklace doesn't let me talk to anyone. It's just a necklace.
I'm a normal person. Not a wizard.