AH1) Welcome to Arcturus High - Ch4 - Naeniam Exponentia

(Josie Sayz: Here is the edited fourth chapter of the first story, in my 'Arcturus High Chronicles'. This chapter has probably changed the most. There have been a few new scenes added and a few lines changed, similar to chapter three. These scenes were added to enhance the worries that Caitlyn has been facing. Maybe it is because I still have these worries as an adult, so even though this story is aimed at eleven-year-olds, even an adult can relate to it in parts. It also adds to Caitlyn's character overall, making her appear less clingy to Jay, by showing how her anxiety affects her.

If you have found this page without reading chapters one, two or three, first, you can find it here:
Chapter One: https://josiesayz.blogspot.com/2024/08/ah1-welcome-to-arcturus-high-ch1.html.
Chapter Two: https://josiesayz.blogspot.com/2024/08/ah1-welcome-to-arcturus-high-ch2.html
Chapter Three:https://josiesayz.blogspot.com/2024/08/ah1-welcome-to-arcturus-high-ch3.html.)

 

Welcome to Arcturus High

Naeniam Exponentia

Throughout the week, both Caitlyn and Jay began settling into their new school. Caitlyn felt she coped well in her maths, English and science lessons, which were the most important subjects. She liked her maths teacher, Mrs Arendas, and her science teacher, Dr McAuley, made her laugh when he dumbed down his explanation of a chemical reaction, for a member of her class that did not understand. “Just imagine I bashed your two heads together,” Dr McAuley explained to the two boys, while swinging his hands together, with an echoing clap. “Well, you wouldn’t just sit there and take it, would you? You’d react.” Most of the class hid sniggers behind their hands.

Despite Caitlyn’s immediate disliking to her form tutor, Mr Shaw, she warmed up to him during her form group’s English lessons. ‘He’s a good teacher,’ Caitlyn decided, as she hopped out of her English classroom on Wednesday afternoon. Mr Shaw had praised Caitlyn for her observation in the author’s choice of words, in the passage that they were reading. ‘However,’ he warned her. ‘How you interpret it, may not be the same as how I or your friends might interpret it. That doesn’t make you interpretation wrong, nor does it make mine invalid. You see class,” Mr Shaw went on, “although the author’s intent may be to make you feel one way, if you were to experience a different feeling, or emotion, that is valid too. Each of you brings your own life experiences to the table. That’s the fun of creative writing and is what makes each of us unique. Feel free to harness the unique viewpoint that you hold and use it to your advantage in your essay, when telling me how the novel affected you.”

‘I think I’m starting to like English,’ Caitlyn decided. ‘Mr Shaw makes everyone feel like their opinion is valid. I wish other teachers made you feel this way.’

Caitlyn’s geography teacher became her history teacher too, when the school got a phone call, on Wednesday morning, to say that the teacher, who should have been teaching Caitlyn’s class, had gone into labour. “Please don’t push yourself too hard,” Caitlyn had pleaded to Ms Tata, once her history lesson was over.

“Thank you for your kind words, Caitlyn,” Ms Tata praised. “I’m happy to help out. Besides, if it becomes too much, Miss Lehal, your RE teacher, has offered to assist.” Caitlyn gave Ms Tata her kindest smile, as she nodded. “If only more students were like you,” Ms Tata praised.

To Darcia’s dismay, Miss Ferguson’s PE lessons were even harder than she had imagined. “Does she think this is a fire drill?!” Darcia exclaimed to Caitlyn, while Miss Ferguson screamed, “Go! Go! Go! Faster now! Faster!” as the girls ran an obstacle course around the gym.

Arcturus High had many subjects on their timetable that Caitlyn was unfamiliar with before: German, art, music and design and technology. Apart from her strict art teacher, who made the class work in silence, while they drew the plain ivory cup in front of them, Caitlyn enjoyed her other lessons.

In music, Mr Wye, taught them how to play a simple tune on the glockenspiel. He let out a playful chuckle, when Caitlyn continued to mix the glockenspiel and xylophone up, no matter how many times he told her which was which. “You amuse me, Miss Flynn,” he told her, with a gentle smile, as he dismissed the class. “I hope you do not think I am being unkind,” he warned. “Your way of learning intrigues me. You see, usually I’m the one setting the tasks for my students to follow, but you, my dear, have set me with an interesting venture – to discover new ways of teaching, as opposed to the traditional textbook standard. Textbook jargon bores me, hence, why I became a music teacher.” Caitlyn felt her cheeks tingle, as she held her breath, to conceal a giggle. Mr Wye’s vision hazed, as he stared out of the window at the clouds. His eyes widened and he clicked his fingers. “By Jove, I’ve had a fabulous idea,” he blurted, as he shuddered out of his daydream and returned his attention to Caitlyn. “Thank you, Miss Flynn. Thank you indeed!” he exclaimed, shaking her hand.

Even Caitlyn’s IT class was much different to what she was used to. “We actually get to learn what all of the buttons and menus do,” Caitlyn gasped, as she explained to Emily how their double IT lesson went, during lunch. “In our old school, we just typed up our English essays and that was classed as an IT lesson.”

“Poor you,” Emily had sympathised. “My old school wasn’t that bad with technology, but the teachers were all scared that they would forget their passwords, so they all used the word ‘apple’,” she sniggered. “One of the boys once, his name was Danny Hall, logged into the secretary’s computer and tried to change the lunch menu to be pizza, with chocolate ice cream,” Emily told her friends, as she chuckled at the memory. Sat beside her, Darcia’s eyes widened, and she let out an excited hum.

“Pizza and ice cream is so much better than my lemon curd sandwiches,” sighed Darcia, as her shoulders deflated. Lowering her eyes to her sandwich, Darcia wrinkled her nose and shuddered.

“Yeah,” Aisha agreed, who was sat opposite Darcia. “That sounds so good!” She prodded her fork into her salad and sighed, as she rolled her eyes.

“Yes,” chuckled Emily. “It would have been good, if he wasn’t caught.” Samantha gasped, midbite of her mince beef sandwich.

“What happened? Did he get into trouble?” Samanta asked, curling a hand to her mouth.

“He got suspended,” Emily said, with a shrug, unwrapping more clingfilm to her chicken and salad wrap. “It’s his own fault for breaking the rules.”

“I wanna give that a try!” came an excited voice, from the table behind Emily and Darcia, as Bentley’s head appeared between the girls. Pinching her lip in, Darcia’s cheeks turned a deep pink, as she smiled at him.

“Did you not hear what I said?” Emily warned him. “The boy from my old school got suspended.”

“He just wasn’t sneaky enough at it,” said another male voice, as his head appeared at Emily’s other shoulder, his face covered in freckles. “That kid used the secretary’s computer, that’s where he went wrong,” the boy informed the girls. “He shoulda used remote access, that way no one woulda seen him do it.”

“What?” asked Darcia and Aisha, in unison.

“My mate, Brinkey, and I are gonna be computer hackers, when we’re older,” the boy grinned, prodding his thumb over his shoulder to a blond boy, who was sat on the opposite side of the table to him, with his head in a book, sipping on a soda can.

“And you are?” asked Aisha.

“He’s Jack,” Bentley told the girls, as he gestured his head towards the freckled boy, who was leaning over Emily’s shoulder. “I’m Bentley, that there is Adam,” he announced, pointing at the blond boy. “But we call him Brinkey… and this is Jamie,” he added, as he pointed to the boy sat opposite him.

“They’re in my form group,” Emily told the girls, as she rolled her eyes.

Having kept her head down, during the groups’ conversation, Caitlyn tried her best to prevent lines from creasing her brow, as she struggled to comprehend the conversation topic. From her position, sat on the edge of two chairs, between Samantha and Aisha, Caitlyn flickered a glance at each of the boys in turn. The jolly, chatty boy, Bentley, she recognised, as the boy who had bumped into Darcia, when they were waiting for their design and technology lesson to begin, on their first day of lessons. Jamie, who was sat opposite Bentley, Caitlyn realised was the boy who had pushed Bentley, making him lose his balance and crash into Darcia. Folding her arms tight at her chest, Caitlyn wrinkled her nose at Jamie. ‘I hope he doesn’t cause any trouble,’ Caitlyn worried, as the volume of chatter, amongst the students around them, increased. Not wanting to focus on the negative feelings that were beginning to bubble inside of her, Caitlyn flickered her glance towards the blond boy, Adam. Squinting, Caitlyn managed to see that the book that he was reading had a computer keyboard on the front cover. ‘Maybe the boys really are taking the computer hacking thing seriously,’ she wondered, forcing a nervous swallow. ‘But I haven’t had a scary shudder, so hopefully they aren’t bad… maybe just really excitable.’ In an attempt to force her anxiety to ease, Caitlyn allowed a soft smile to spread across her face, as she glanced from Bentley, to Jamie, to Adam and then Jack. The freckled boy’s eyes met Caitlyn’s and he smiled back.

“Yeah right,” scoffed Darcia, “Like you really know how to hack into the school computers.”

“Don’t tempt us, ‘cause we’ll do it,” Jack replied, with a proud smirk, pressing his shoulders back, to straighten his posture. He winked in Samantha and Caitlyn’s direction, before turning back around to finish his lunch.

“Would you like that, Darica?” asked Bentley, with a chuckle to his voice. “Would you like pizza and chocolate ice cream for lunch? We could get Brinkey t’ make it happen.”

“But you’ll get suspended,” Aisha reminded the boys. “Weren’t you paying attention to Emily’s story.”

“They won’t know it’s us, dummies,” Jamie called, over Bentley’s shoulder, with a slight disgust to his tone.

“We’ll use remote access,” Jack added, arching his head over his shoulder. With his head deep in his book, Adam remained silent.

With the slight concern for the boys’ possible future prospects regarding computer hacking, the lunch time conversation left a sinking feeling in Caitlyn’s stomach. ‘The boys already know what they want to do when they’re older,’ she realised, glancing back over to Adam, who was reading an IT book, whilst he consumed his lunch. Knots tugged tighter at Caitlyn’s intestines. ‘Am I supposed to know what I want to be when I’m older, already?’ Her breathing became faster, shallower. ‘What if Darica, Emily, Aisha and Samantha all do? What if I’m the only one that doesn’t know?’ she worried. ‘What if I am the only person in the entire school that doesn’t know?’ As lathering bubbling in her stomach, Caitlyn closed the lid of her lunchbox. Hunching her shoulders, she stared at the table.

“You watch,” said the blond boy, shuddering Caitlyn out of her thoughts. “On the day that the school gets pizza and chocolate ice cream for lunch, you’ll know that I did it.”

 

*

 

Jay, too, had begun to settle into secondary school. His new group of friends all played musical instruments. Before and after school they met up in the music practice rooms, to practise their instruments and hang out with other likeminded people. Caitlyn had caught a glimpse of Jay and his new group of friends, a few times, around school. A warmth engulfed her, when she saw him smiling and laughing with them.

Walking to school with Jay on Friday morning, Caitlyn questioned him about his week, determined to make sure he was okay. A knot in her stomach formed, when she wondered if he was pretending to be happy whenever he spotted her.

“You have to stop worrying,” Jay told her, with a chuckle, as they entered the park. “Everything’s fine.” Shifting her sight to the gravel underfoot, Caitlyn gripped her right elbow with her left hand. “How about we walk home together, later?” he suggested. A smile poked into Caitlyn’s cheek, as she faced him. “I’m going to music club after school; you’re welcome to join.”

“I don’t know,” Caitlyn shrugged. “I don’t play an instrument.”

“You can learn one,” Jay replied. “I’m taking up cornet. Why don’t you join me? We can learn together.”

“You know my parents won’t pay for lessons,” Caitlyn sighed. “My dad says, “If school want you do something it should be free.” He doesn’t care that I want to learn the ukulele and piano.” Rolling her eyes, Caitlyn’s shoulders drooped.

“Maybe my parents should adopt you,” Jay joked. “They’d let you learn whatever instrument you wanted. Will plays trombone and guitar – he’s taking up drums this year too. I think he wants to be a one-man band.” The two laughed, as they imagined Jay’s older brother parading around the school playing as many instruments, at once, as he could. “At least I made you laugh,” Jay pointed out, screeching open the park gate.

“Thanks,” Caitlyn smiled.

Arching her head over her shoulder, a flutter tingled in Caitlyn’s stomach as a row of three older girls walked in their direction. The middle girl wore a long rainbow striped woollen scarf, with tassels at the ends. ‘She looks so cool. I wish I could be like her,’ Caitlyn thought with a deep sigh. ‘I bet she has lots of friends… and I bet she knows what job she wants to do, when she’s older.’

“All clubs are having an intro day, after school today,” Jay told Caitlyn, bringing her attention back to the direction she was walking. “I’m sure you can find another one to join.”

“Apart from music and art club, aren’t all the others sports?” she muttered, stiffening her shoulders.

“Maybe,” Jay shrugged. “Why not try art then?”

“You know I can’t draw,” sulked Caitlyn with a nervous laugh, twisting her studded earring.

“You can,” insisted Jay. “Stick people count.”

“Do not!” she laughed, giving Jay a playful shove.

“Do too!” he exclaimed. “I bet somewhere, in the world, there’s a museum dedicated to stickmen drawings.” Caitlyn cupped a hand to her mouth, as she burst out laughing. Influenced by Caitlyn’s laughter and amused by his own statement, Jay chuckled at Caitlyn’s side. “See, I bet you’ll be world famous.”

“Look Jay,” Caitlyn sighed, once they had run across the busy, main road. “I’m struggling to keep up with classes, as it is. Six classes a day, six lots of hour-long homework. You know that I struggle to read and spell things, so homework takes me a lot longer than it does everyone else.” Giving her shoulders a wriggle, Caitlyn adjusted the weight of her backpack. “I don’t think I have time for a club,” she went on, with a sad sigh. “I’ll go to the library after school, to make a start on my homework and I need to find a book to read for English. Maybe I can meet you there, after music club?”

“Okay,” Jay shrugged. “If you’re sure.” Caitlyn nodded. “Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

“Thanks,” she smiled.

Since Jay had knocked on her door that morning, a bubbling had begun to lather in Caitlyn’s stomach. Her chest tightened. Her pulse thudded inside her ears. Inhaling a shaky breath, she stopped walking and squeezed her hand to the back of her neck. “Actually Jay…” Caitlyn hesitated.

“Is everything okay?” questioned Jay. Noticing that Caitlyn had stood still, Jay turned to face her and reached a tentative hand out towards her.

“Can I ask you something?” Caitlyn asked, as she forced a swallow. Her chest began to tremble, as she feared Jay’s response to the question that she was withholding. Following the conversation that she and her friends’ had had with Bentley, Jack, Adam and Jamie, Caitlyn had begun to wonder if Jay, also, knew what he wanted to be, when he grew up. ‘If he does… then I really am the only person in the school who doesn’t know,’ Caitlyn concluded and began to sniff, in hopes of preventing her jittery breaths from continuing and the salty prickle, in the corners of her eyes, from falling.

“Of course,” Jay replied, lowering his hand. “Is everything okay?” The lines on Caitlyn’s brown deepened, as she tilted her head to one side and pinched her lips in. Her heart drummed, thumping against its imprisonment.

Inhaling a slow breath through her nose, Caitlyn closed her eyes, as she asked Jay, “Do you know what job you want to do, when you grow up?” As the words left her mouth, the hammering in Caitlyn’s chest increased. Squinting open her eyes, she forced a swallow, as she felt her throat tighten.

“Of course,” he beamed at her. “I’m gonna be a world-famous director. It’s gonna be my film that you see on the big screen, one day.” Seeing Caitlyn’s puckered brow and bottom lip tremble a little, he chuckled. “Come on, Caitlyn, it’s just a dream. I’m not gonna grown up and forget all about you; is that what you’re worried about?”

“Maybe,” muttered Caitlyn, lowering her sight to her shoes. Gripping her tie, Caitlyn began rubbing her fingers across its silky surface. “Is it a bad thing that I don’t know what I want to do?” she asked, in a very small voice.

“Of course not, Caitlyn. We’re eleven,” Jay reminded her. “We have the whole rest of our lives to figure that out.”

“It’s just… I don’t even know what jobs exists, aside from being a teacher, doctor, nurse, police officer, firefighter, postman or you work in a shop,” Caitlyn exclaimed, deepening the lines creasing her forehead. “Is that all there is?”

“Of course not,” Jay chuckled, shaking his head. “You can be anything you want to be, Caitlyn.” Caitlyn’s bottom lip trembled. Her vision began to blur.

“That doesn’t answer my question at all,” she burst into tears. Gasping, Jay threw his arms around her, and pulled Caitlyn into a comforting embrace.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered into her ear, rubbing his hand up and down her arm. “I’m so sorry, Caitlyn. I didn’t know this was bothering you.” Inhaling several jittery breaths, Caitlyn murmured in reply, as she pressed her head into Jay’s collarbone and squeezed him tight. “There’s no rush, no rush at all,” he reassured her. “You know my dad’s a teacher. Why don’t you come over this weekend and you can talk through things with him? You know he loves you like you’re his daughter. Bring Mr Bear with you and me and Will can give you guys some space and you can just talk to him… or I can be there too, if you want… okay?” Jay leant out of their embrace and tilted his head to one side, to try and see Caitlyn’s expression. Her blotchy face looked up at him and nodded. A soft smile stretched across Jay’s face. “See… things aren’t so scary,” he told her, wiping a tear from her cheek, with his thumb. “You’re not alone, Caitlyn.”

“Thank you,” she whispered and forced the right corner of her mouth into her cheek.

“You gonna be okay?” asked Jay. Pinching her lips in, Caitlyn gave a slow nod. Jay smiled at her. “Come on, let’s get going.” Jay jerked his head in the direction of their walk to school. Caitlyn sniffed and rubbed the tears from her face against her blazer sleeve. She gave Jay another nod and the two continued their walk to school. “Like I said, I’ll be up in music after school, if you need me, okay?” he reminded her.

“Thanks,” she whispered back.

As Caitlyn and Jay crossed over a side road, Darcia raced towards them. “Morning!” she cheered, waving at Caitlyn.

“See you later,” Jay muttered, with a nod to Caitlyn, as he strode on, sliding his hands into his pockets.

“Promise you won’t forget me!” Caitlyn called after him, feeling her insides sink to the depths of her stomach. “Meet me in the library?”

Turning around, Jay’s cheeks turned pink, as he replied, “I promise.” A giggle escaped Caitlyn, as she waved to him.

“What’s that all about?” Darcia hissed, once Jay was out of earshot.

“Nothing,” mumbled Caitlyn, looping her thumbs beneath the straps of her backpack. Holding her head high, she watched Jay disappear into the crowd of students ahead.

“Is something going on?” asked Darcia, with a hint of excitement to her voice. Her eyes pierced open, as she bounced up and down on her toes. “Oh Caitlyn, what is it? Is it a secret? You can tell me.”

“It’s nothing,” Caitlyn shrugged.

“Please,” begged Darcia. “I won’t tell.”

“Jay’s just meeting me after school, that’s all,” Caitlyn replied, shrugging.

“Oh,” muttered Darcia, as her heels sank to the pavement. Her head bounced up, as a smile poked back into the corner of her mouth. “Why is he meeting you?” she asked, with a gleam in her eye.

“We often walk home together,” Caitlyn told her, with another shrug. “It’s no big deal.”

“This was different,” Darcia insisted, tugging on Caitlyn’s sleeve. Ignoring Darcia’s odd behaviour, Caitlyn continued walking. Darcia gasped, frozen to the spot.

“You okay?” asked Caitlyn, turning back to see why Darcia had stopped. Racing up to Caitlyn’s side, Darcia tugged on her friend’s sleeve once more.

“He likes you, doesn’t he?” she beamed.

“Jay’s my friend,” replied Caitlyn. “Of course he does.”

“No,” Darcia sighed. “He likes you. I can tell. I bet he wants to meet you after school to ask you out.”

“Darcia,” sighed Caitlyn, rolling her eyes. “Jay and I are just friends, you know that. Just because he’s a guy, it doesn’t mean we can’t be just friends.”

“Whatever you say,” mused Darcia, with an increasing grin.

Darcia’s amused grin remained stretched across her face, for the girls’ entire walk to school. While Caitlyn took her time to put her bag away in her little locker cubbyhole, and sort out the books that she needed for the beginning of the day, Darcia raced out of the locker bank to where Emily and Samantha congregated, on one of the picnic benches, near the fir tree. “Guess what? Guess what? Guess what?” Darcia repeated, with eager, bulging eyes, as she bounced on her toes. Samantha curled her hand to her mouth and chuckled, while Emily scrunched her mouth up to one side and tried to think what could have caused her friend to become so animated.

“Someone’s excited!” exclaimed Aisha, as she entered the quad and scurried towards her friends. Aisha chuckled at Darcia’s excited expression and looped her thumbs beneath the shoulder straps of her backpack, not wanting to put her bag away and miss out on any of the gossip.

“Aisha!” Caitlyn gasped, as she appeared at Darcia’s side. “Your parents let you come to school earlier?”

“Yeah!” Aisha nodded. “I managed to convince my parents that you guys are a good influence on me, and are a lot nicer than the girls I used to hang around with, at my old school. And I’m glad I did.” Aisha’s cheeks turned a rosy hue, as she giggled at her bouncing, brunette friend. “Darcia looks as though she is about to explode, if she doesn’t say something soon,” she chuckled.

Squeezing her books tight at her chest, Darcia’s bright smile remained, as she continued bouncing on her toes. Her eyes sparkled wide, as she looked at each of her friends in turn. Caitlyn felt as though her friend’s eyes bulged, as she looked at her, which caused Caitlyn to hunch her shoulders.

“I thought we were supposed to be guessing,” said Samantha, looking from Aisha to Darcia, with a curious smile.

“I’ll guess,” beamed Emily. “One of the boys you like asked you out.” Upon hearing Emily say this, a deep frown formed on Caitlyn’s brow.

‘One of the boys Darcia likes?’ Caitlyn repeated to herself. Caitlyn turned to Darcia, with a puzzled pout, watching as her friend pinched her lips in and shook her head, to Emily’s speculation.

“I got it!” exclaimed Aisha. “I bet Mr Lockley said hello to her,” she chuckled, rolling her eyes. Again, Darcia shook her head.

“Who’s Mr Lockley?” asked Caitlyn, in a whisper, as she neared Aisha’s side.

“He’s one of the art teachers that Darcia’s gah-gah over,” Aisha sniggered. “Have you seen the way she looks at him, when he walks by?” Caitlyn felt her intestines spiral, as she looked from Aisha to Darica, then flickered a glance towards the art corridor, with her frown fixed deep on her forehead.

‘Darcia likes a teacher?’ Caitlyn pondered, as she felt the creases on her forehead deepen. ‘And multiple boys from the sounds of things… since when? And why? Am I supposed to like teachers and boys too?’ Caitlyn felt her cheeks burn and her eyes grew wide, as she blushed bright. The lines on her forehead vanished. The knots in her insides tugged tighter.

“It’s not about me,” Darcia told the group, with a giggle. “Jay has a crush on Caitlyn.”

“What?!” screeched Caitlyn, as the other girls began to giggle. “Darcia,” she scolded. “I told you; Jay is meeting me after school, in the library, to walk home together, that is it.”

“Oh my gosh, Caitlyn, wake up!” Darcia exclaimed. “We’re in secondary school now. Things are different. There is definitely something going on between you two… there always has been. Come on, tell us!”

“Darcia!” Caitlyn screeched again, in disbelief. Glancing at each of her friends in turn, Caitlyn could sense that Darcia’s excitement and boy crazy mindset had rubbed off on them too. As Caitlyn rolled her eyes, she tilted all of her weight onto her right leg and jabbed her hand to her hip. “Darcia,” Caitlyn let out an exasperated sigh. “A) There is nothing going on, b) It’s none of your business if there was, and c) Jay and I are just friends,” she explained, tilting her head to her right.

“Thanks for the alphabet lesson,” chuckled Darcia, with an amused smirk, “but Jay likes you, Caitlyn… it’s obvious to everyone.”

“Except you,” Aisha added, patting Caitlyn on the shoulder. “Even I know he likes you.” Taking a step back, Caitlyn let out another deep sigh.

“Jay and I have been friends forever,” Caitlyn told her friends, in a matter-of-fact tone. “Secondary school isn’t going to change that. Just because none of you are friends with boys, doesn’t mean my friendship can’t be just that… a friendship. Since when are you all interested in boys, anyway?” she asked, feeling her chest tighten.

“Oh Caitlyn,” Darcia sang, with a sigh. “You’ll see. One day, you’ll get a crush on a boy and you’ll see what all of the excitement is all about.” Caitlyn stood and stared at her friends, as the girls burst into giggles.

 

*

 

Throughout the school day, Caitlyn’s mind struggled to focus on her lessons. Multiple worries spiralled around in her brain, scrambling her concentration. ‘What is with the girls’ interest in liking boys?’ she wondered. ‘Is that why Darcia is always giggling, when stood outside of her maths classroom?’ Caitlyn could sense that her face was stuck in a permanent frown, throughout her cooking lesson, as she allowed memories, of seeing Darcia waiting outside her maths classroom, to flicker to the front of her mind. She could see Darcia smiling, as she looked towards three of the boys, stood with her, outside of their maths classroom. As one of them spoke, the brunette curled her hand to her mouth and giggled, as a rosy hue glowed from her cheeks. ‘I always thought she was giggling because something was funny… is it possible that she is giggling because she likes them? Oh, why is this all so confusing?’ Caitlyn huffed, with a pout.

Before Caitlyn could comprehend her realisation of Darcia liking boys, another thought popped into her head. ‘Could Darcia be right? Might boys like girls too?’ A knot formed in Caitlyn’s stomach, and she felt her palms grow sweaty. Her thoughts were drawn to their first cooking lesson, and how Artie’s friends had teased him for talking to her. ‘Oh no,’ she blushed. ‘What if they think I like Artie?’ Her intestines began to swirl around in spirals. ‘What if Artie thinks that I like him?’ Caitlyn’s eyes shot open wide, as she felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach. ‘I can’t have that happen,’ she cried. Shaking her head, Caitlyn shuddered those thoughts away. ‘Why can’t I just be friends with people anymore? Why is everything different?’

Before Caitlyn could ponder over the possibility of boys liking girls for too long, memories of a different worry protruded her thoughts. Phrases from the conversation that Emily, Darcia and Aisha had, with the boys in Emily’s form group, started to taunt her. “My mate, Brinkey, and I are gonna be computer hackers, when we’re older,” she heard Jack say. Then, Jay’s voice appeared in her head.

“I’m gonna be a world-famous director. It’s gonna be my film that you see on the big screen,” Jay had told her earlier that morning. Bubbling lathered in Caitlyn’s stomach. She hunched her posture and wrapped her arms around her stomach.

‘But I don’t know what job I want,’ she reflected, with a sad sigh, as she sunk in seat. ‘I don’t even know what jobs exist.’ As her maths teacher, Mrs Arendas, droned on, Caitlyn sunk in her seat.

Then another worry plagued Caitlyn’s brain. ‘There is so much homework to do. How am I supposed to fit in time to do it all?’ she worried, as Mrs Arendas gave her maths class homework to do. ‘I already got given homework for cooking, to research into French baking and now I have homework for maths too.’ Caitlyn clawed her hand through her hair. ‘What if I have maths and science on Tuesday and they both give me homework for Wednesday?’ Caitlyn worried, as she folded her arms tight at her chest. ‘And what if I need to use the library to do research or find a book for the homework…? Then I’ll be home even later to start on my homework. And I have to find time to read, for English.’ As all of these thoughts followed Caitlyn to Miss Lehal’s RE lesson, she let out a long sigh and lowered her sigh to a scribble engraved in the desk that she was seated at. ‘How can the school expect me to think about joining a club, this afternoon, if I have so many other things to worry about?’ The lines on Caitlyn’s forehead began to feel as though they had become a permanent fixture to her face, as her brain raced with worry after worry. ‘And why is nobody else panicking, like I am?’ her inner voice cried, as she looked around her classroom, to see her form group all chatting away to their friends, with smiles on their faces and laughter filtering into her ears. ‘Am I really the only one who is struggling to cope with all this?’ Forcing a swallow, Caitlyn gripped her biceps tight, as she made herself hunch as small as possible, to match how she was feeling.

 

*

 

As double English finished at five-past-three, a group of five girls lingered on the corner of the English and art corridor. “Are you sure you’re not coming to art club, Caitlyn?” Samantha whined. “It won’t be the same without you,” she pouted.

“Sorry Samantha,” murmured Caitlyn, with a puckered brow, “but I can’t draw. You saw Mrs Bevin frown at my cup drawing. I think she hates me.”

“Stop being silly,” Darcia sighed. “Yours was the best. Mrs Bevin just didn’t like how realistic you made it – adding in the crack an’ everything.” The girls laughed. “Mrs Bevin hates all of us,” Darcia went on. “I think she hates everybody, including the teachers,” she added, with a snigger. “Did you see her scowl at Mr Heekin, when he came to check on us? I thought she was going to gouge his eyes out.”

“Darcia!” gasped Caitlyn and Samantha, in unison.

“What?” Darcia shrugged. “It’s true.”

“So, why are you two going to art club?” asked Caitlyn, as her forehead furrowed. “I couldn’t cope with Mrs Bevin glaring at me for another hour,” she told them, wrinkling her nose.

“Mrs Bevin isn’t running it,” Samantha told her. “Miss Atkins and Mr Lockley are.”

“They’re only going because Darcia has a huge crush on Mr Lockley,” Emily added, with a snigger.

“Em!” screeched Darcia, elbowing the blonde in the ribs.

“Don’t worry,” Aisha laughed. “It’s not a secret. We’ve seen you drooling over him every time he walks past.” While Aisha, Emily and Samantha burst out laughing, Caitlyn shot her eyes to the floor.

The talk of crushes made Caitlyn’s stomach lather with unease. Mr Lockley was a tall, slim man, with shoulder-length blond hair swept back in a ponytail. ‘I don’t see how he’s that different to anyone else,’ Caitlyn shrugged to herself, while the girls laughed. ‘What’s with their sudden interest in boys?’ she wondered. ‘Darcia seemed to think something was going on between me and Jay this morning.’ A frown fixed on Caitlyn’s forehead, as her friends continued to laugh.

“Wish I’d asked my dad to let me stay longer,” Aisha sulked. “He’s picking me up any minute.”

“Well, I’m going to music club, if you want to join,” Emily told Caitlyn. “And I’m not going because I’m garh-garh over some teacher,” she added, with a chuckle. “I’m a drummer. I wanna see if I can join the percussion group. Oh, and I wanna join choir too.”

“Choir sounds fun,” admitted Caitlyn. ‘And Jay is going to music club too,’ she reminded herself. Flickering her sight between her friends, a knot formed in her stomach at the thought of picking sides. “I think I’ll just go to the library,” she decided. “I need a reading book for English, and I should probably find a textbook to help me with my science homework.”

“Okay, have fun,” Darcia told her. She and Samantha waved to their friends, before skipping over to one of the art classrooms.

As Aisha waved goodbye and headed towards the school’s main entrance, Emily and Caitlyn continued down the corridor. “All clubs let you join whenever you want,” Emily explained. “Today’s just a taster session, so if you change your mind, once you know what day the club meets, you can join whenever you like.”

“Thanks,” smiled Caitlyn. “It’s helpful having a friend who knows a little about the school.”

“You’re welcome,” Emily replied with, a warm smile. “Have a nice weekend,” she said, with a wave, as they reached the staircase that led up to the humanities and music departments.

“You too,” replied Caitlyn, beaming back.

“I’ll meet you at the lockers, first thing on Monday morning, okay?” Emily asked.

“Okay,” nodded Caitlyn, with a giggle, as they parted ways.

Entering the library, Caitlyn flickered her attention from right to left, then back again. Looping her thumbs through the straps of her backpack, she gripped them tight. To her immediate left, a lady with dark curly hair sat behind a desk, typing away on a computer. She glanced up at Caitlyn and gave her a nod of acknowledgement, as she ventured inside. Caitlyn returned the nod, before examining the aisles of books.

A line of wooden bookcases outlined the walls on the far-left and far-right side of the room. They towered over Caitlyn at six shelves high. A further two rows of bookshelves created a narrow walkway on both sides of the room. A collection of tables and chairs lay in between. Towards the back of the library, a group appeared to gather around a large table. A small handful of computers lay against the walls, on either side of the congregated group. Keeping a low profile, Caitlyn dipped her head, as she headed towards the furthest bookcase, on the right-hand side of the library. Above, Caitlyn had spotted the sign that read, ‘Fiction’. Glancing through the shelves, Caitlyn sighed to herself. ‘This would be easier if Darcia were here.’ Having traipsed her index finger along the top two rows of novels, Caitlyn’s shoulders sank. ‘Where do I even start?’ she wondered. ‘How do I know if I’ll like one?’ Caitlyn took off her backpack and dropped it to the floor, with a thud. Flickering her sight to the spot where her bag landed, she noticed a handful of books poking out of the shelf. Caitlyn exhaled a sigh, with a hum, as she crouched down and began prodding the books back inline on the shelf. A frown fixed to her forehead. The books would not budge. She tilted her head to one side, squinting towards the back of the shelf. ‘Something seems to be blocking them,’ she realised, seeing a murky stone rectangle against the back of the cinnamon-coloured wood.

Dropping to her knees, Caitlyn began pulling out the books that were hanging out of the bookcase. As she pulled out the last book, the stone-coloured rectangle flopped. She grunted as she stretched her hand to the back of the bottom shelf. Examining her find, she hummed at the book in her hands. The words: ‘The Masked Detective Series,’ lined the top of the book, with the image of a young man in a trilby hat and eye mask etched in the centre. In her attempts to hide an excited gasp, Caitlyn held her hand to her mouth. ‘The Iron Face Crusade by SK McCyanth,’ was etched on the bottom. Fanning the worn, yellowed pages, Caitlyn turned to the back of the book. ‘Follow the first of Detective Dean Franklin’s adventures in ‘The Iron Face Crusade’ as he follows smugglers, escapes a bank heist and races his automobile to the death, all to clear his name. Read the one that started it all,’ Caitlyn read. ‘This seems interesting. I think I’ve found my book,’ she beamed. ‘That was easy.’

Placing the book to one side, she returned the others, which she had pulled from the shelf, back into the bookcase. A musty smell filter into the air, as Caitlyn returned her attention to the weathered, old book. Flicking open the front cover, she glanced through the library return dates sheet, in the inside cover. “No way!” she gasped out loud. ‘This book hasn’t been taken out since I was born,’ she realised. ‘Has it really been sat at the back of the shelf for eleven whole years? That makes it all the more special,’ she decided, with a gleam in her eye. ‘It’s like it was meant to be. Maybe things are starting to go right after all.’

Hearing a familiar, deep, male voice, Caitlyn shuddered out of her thoughts. “Bert, why’s there a mop on your head?” came an odd question from Mr Penn. Instead of the unsettling, icy shudder creeping up her spine that she sensed whenever she was around Mr Penn, this time, Caitlyn could not help but laugh. Turning to face the group that had congregated around the large table towards the back of the library, Caitlyn began to watch.

“I’m growing my hair out,” exclaimed a tall boy with a sandy-brown long fringe that swept across his face. His hair curled out at his ears and down his neck. “Well, Ariel seems to like it,” he declared, puffing out his chest. A girl with long, coffee-coloured hair giggled.

“You look like a hippie,” remarked Mr Penn, scrunching up his nose. Many of the others at the table began laughing too. Caitlyn had to press a hand to her mouth, in fears that they would hear her giggling along with them.

“You’re one to talk, Sir,” scoffed Bert. “Your hair comes past your shoulders.”

“The difference, Bertie, is mine is a gorgeous mane of locks,” he proclaimed. “Whereas yours is a mop,” he said simply. “Now folks, are we here to tease Mr Cador about his hair?” he asked the group, before adding, “Although we all know he deserves it,” in a mutter. “Or are we here to talk about magic?”

“Magic?” Caitlyn gasped, dropping her book. Mr Penn and Bert turned towards her. Bert gave Caitlyn a big smile and waved at her. Caitlyn smiled back, before dropping her eyes to the floor. Feeling her cheeks tingle, she scooped up her book and grabbed her backpack, swinging a strap on her shoulder. As she returned to glance in Bert and Mr Penn’s direction, Mr Penn had continued with the group’s conversation.

Caitlyn’s heart skipped a beat, as she wandered towards the other side of the library. ‘Magic,’ she relayed the word over in her mind, as she stared at the science section of books. ‘Stop being silly,’ Caitlyn scolded herself, with a stern expression. ‘Mr Penn is a science teacher. He believes in logic and facts. He couldn’t possibly have said the word magic.’ Flickering her eyes across the titles on the side of the books, Caitlyn spotted the fire flame design on the spine that she recognised as the book her science teacher, Dr McAuley, had used. As Caitlyn stretched up to reach the textbook, she heard Mr Penn’s voice again and could not help, but peer through the gap between the bookcases and watch.

“I see none of you are interested in sleight of hand this afternoon,” Mr Penn huffed, as he dropped his deck of playing cards down on the table. The cards scattered, drifting towards the students sat opposite him. “Did any of you practise anything I taught you over the summer break?”

‘Ooh,’ Caitlyn realised, feeling her cheeks tingle with embarrassment. ‘They meant magic as in card tricks, of course. How silly of me.’ Shaking her head at herself, Caitlyn continued to watch. ‘I’d love to learn card tricks,’ Caitlyn thought, as her eyes widened. A warm tingle spread inside her. ‘And this looks like a club meeting up. I wonder why no one ever mentioned it.’

“I practised, Mr Penn,” said a boy, with scruffy blond hair. Sat facing Mr Penn, the boy had his back to Caitlyn.

“I’m sure you did Fabian, which is why you’re one of my favourites,” Mr Penn praised. “As for the rest of you,” he growled, “I guess I can take a gander as to why you are here… Frandadis fruits, I presume.” The unamused tone in Mr Penn’s voice, as he rolled his eyes, caused Caitlyn to avert her eyes from the group.

‘Mr Tall-Dark-and-Scary seems to be in a bad mood,’ Caitlyn decided, as she crept away from the group. ‘I wouldn’t want to see him lose his temper.’ With her science textbook and novel in hand, Caitlyn made her way towards the lady at the desk, who acknowledged her when she first came in.

Forcing a swallow, Caitlyn edged closer to the librarian, at the front desk. “Erm… hi,” Caitlyn muttered, lowering her head. “I’d like to borrow these books, please.”

“Of course,” smiled the librarian, peering over her moon-shaped spectacles. “You’re a new student, aren’t you?” she asked. Caitlyn nodded. “Right. I just need you to fill in this form,” she explained, passing Caitlyn an A5 sheet of paper. Dropping her bag to the floor, Caitlyn popped open the flap and dove her hand inside, to rummage for a pen. A bellow of laughter rang out from the back of the room. Twisting her head over her shoulder, Caitlyn looked towards Mr Penn’s group. “I apologise for the noise,” the librarian told Caitlyn, as her brows slanted upwards. “I only agreed they could stay, as the library is usually empty, after school, on a Friday.”

“That’s okay,” Caitlyn shrugged. “I’m just going to start on homework, while I wait for my friend to come from music club, if that’s okay?” she asked, as she filled out the form.

“Of course, dear,” the librarian replied. “We do close at four o’clock,” she warned.

“That’s fine,” replied Caitlyn, sliding the form across the table, towards the librarian.

“Thank you,” the librarian smiled. Taking Caitlyn’s books, she stamped the return date on the inside cover. “I did forget Mr Segoe and Mr Wye hold their big music club induction on the first Friday of the school year,” she muttered. “That’s why I’m stuck with this lot.” Caitlyn’s eyes widened, as the librarian continued to rant. “I thought Mr Penn had fallen out with Mr Wye again – it wouldn’t surprise me.” The librarian rolled her eyes. “Why Wye lets him use his music classroom for such a thing is beyond me.”

“Sorry, Miss,” Caitlyn murmured, with a puzzled frown. “I thought Mr Penn was a science teacher. Why can’t he hold his club in his classroom?”

“Mr Penn’s club,” she snarled her nose, as though the world ‘club’ disgusted her. “Is not approved of by the science faculty – or many others to be frank,” she muttered, under her breath. “Music is the farthest, oldest part of the school, if you don’t count that unsightly turret.” Caitlyn shot her eyes down to the table. Inhaling through her nose, she held a shaky breath. “You’re welcome to stay, dear,” the librarian told her, as she returned the books to Caitlyn. “Just try and steer clear of that lot.” Feeling a lump form in her throat, Caitlyn’s bottom lip quivered, as she locked eyes with the librarian.

“Thank you,” Caitlyn mumbled. Taking her books, Caitlyn stooped her head and dragged her feet, as she shuffled towards the seating area, in the centre of the room.

Picking a desk that was hidden from the librarian’s view, by an angled bookcase, Caitlyn dropped into the seat. A shaky breath escaped her, as she fluttered her eyes closed. Relaxing her shoulders, she glanced over to Mr Penn’s group. “Now you must be careful,” he warned the students surrounding him at the table, as he stirred a stick around in a glass beaker. “If you splash any of this on you, the consequences could be fatal.”

‘That sounds dangerous,’ Caitlyn squirmed. ‘What magic trick involves a dangerous liquid?’ she wondered, as she rummaged in her bag for her science exercise book and her pencil case. ‘Maybe he’s doing a science experiment,’ she decided.

“Hannah, we’re going to need Monsieur Ducky for this one,” announced Mr Penn. A frown furrowed on Caitlyn’s brow, as she hummed a giggle. Digging her elbows into the table, Caitlyn stretched her neck, in attempt to see what was happening. Around a dozen heads gathered around the table, as a girl with toffee coloured, curly hair, in two braids that hung from her ears, hooked her hands behind the back of her neck to remove her necklace.

“You better not break it,” grumbled the girl, as she fumbled with her necklace clasp.

“Yee of little faith,” Mr Penn sighed. Refastening the chain together, having removed it from her neck, the girl handed her cord with a dangling head of a rubber duck to Mr Penn. “Pay attention now,” he told the group, “as I’m only going to do this once.” Caitlyn’s eyes widened. Her heart raced in her chest. Holding Hannah’s necklace in one hand, Mr Penn dipped a pipette into the beaker he had been stirring. He squeezed the pipette bulb, extracting a pinch of liquid. The strict stare he had worn changed to a smug grin, as he allowed three droplets to fall. The duck’s smooth plastic wrinkled. Its beak opened.

“Quack!” squawked the duck head, blinking, as it swung from its cord. “Quack! Quaa-ack!”

“Wow!” Caitlyn gasped out loud. Her mouth froze open and her eyes widened as big as they could. The group broke into a chorus of cheers and applause. Caitlyn joined in, clapping, as the rubber duck’s features faded back to its smooth plastic, and its beak closed.

Returning Hannah her duck necklace (who had lost her grumbling frown and was now smiling with the rest of the group) Mr Penn leant towards Bert, who stood on his left and began to whisper. A warm bubble of excitement swirled around in Caitlyn’s stomach. She felt her cheeks tingle, as she returned her attention to her science book. ‘Now that really was magic,’ Caitlyn beamed an astounded grin. ‘Oh, it looks so much fun.’ Skimming her eyes across the page of her science textbook, Caitlyn fidgeted with the lid of her pen. ‘How can I concentrate now?’ she sighed to herself. ‘Science is so boring compared to whatever it is they’re doing.’

A shadow hovered over her book. Caitlyn flinched. Shooting her head up, she felt her face flush, as Bert, the boy from Mr Penn’s group, stood in front of her. “Hi,” he smiled. “I’m Bert. I’m from the Naeniam Exponentia club, led by Mr Penn,” he told her, pointing towards the group behind him. Pinching her lips in, Caitlyn flickered her eyes from the boy in front of her, down to the table. “You seem to have taken an interest in our club?” he phrased this more as a question than a statement.

“I’m sorry,” muttered Caitlyn, returning her sight to Bert. She inhaled a sharp sniff, as Mr Penn appeared at his side. “I, I… I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“Nonsense,” laughed Mr Penn. “What’s your name, kid?”

“Caitlyn,” she replied, forcing a swallow.

“Glad to meet you, Caitlyn,” beamed Mr Penn. He extended his hand out towards her, to shake. Shifting her sight from Mr Penn to Bert and back again, Caitlyn bit on the inside of her cheek, as she rose from her seat and reached a hesitant hand towards his. Mr Penn’s hand engulfed hers, as he yanked a firm shake. “I’m glad you have taken an interest in our activities,” he told her, as he released her hand from his grip. “As I have taken an interest in you.”

Clasping her hands to her chest, the hairs on the back of Caitlyn’s neck prickled. Her stomach whirlpooled. Pulse pounded at her temples. Her palms dampened with sweat. Feeling her heart hammer in her ribcage, creases lined Caitlyn’s forehead, as she looked to Bert.

“That’s a good thing,” he whispered, leaning towards her. Lowering her sight to the table, Caitlyn shuffled back a step. “So, will you join us?” Bert asked, holding his hand out towards her.

“Erm…” muttered Caitlyn, flickering her sight to the large table behind him. Eyes stared at her. Aside from the girl with a tanned complexion and dark hair in a braid over one shoulder, who snarled her nose at Caitlyn, the table was full of welcoming smiles. Scanning the group, Caitlyn noticed, there appeared to be eight guys and three girls sat at the table. She hummed to herself, as she returned her sight to Bert and Mr Penn. “Well, there are thirteen of you… and the first to leave is the first to die,” Caitlyn pointed out. “So, if I join you, that’ll make fourteen and no one has to worry.”

“I like the way you think,” nodded Mr Penn.

With a newfound grin on his face, Mr Penn took his place at the centre of the table, with Bert as his side. Having grabbed her bag and slid her books inside it, Caitlyn followed Bert and Mr Penn, perching on an empty chair at the end of the table, opposite the girl with long coffee-coloured hair, who Caitlyn saw laughing at Bert, earlier. ‘I’m guessing she’s Ariel,’ Caitlyn decided, having heard the name mentioned. Beside Ariel sat a shorter boy, with spikey, dirty-blond hair. Next to the short boy, sat Bert and next to Bert was Mr Penn. On Mr Penn’s right, sat the girl named Hannah, who wore the necklace with the head of a rubber duck. Beside her sat two similar looking boys, with jet-black hair that rested just above their shoulders and parted down the centre. The boy farthest from Caitlyn straightened his posture and brushed part of his fringe from his face, curling it behind his ear. Opposite the identical boys sat the girl who had snarled her nose at Caitlyn. Beside her sat a boy with deep burgundy hair. The snarling girl linked her arm through his. ‘Clearly marking her territory,’ Caitlyn noted, rolling her eyes. The next four seats were all taken up by boys. The first boy’s hair was curled and a slight golden brown; he gripped the cuffs of his blazer around his wrists and lowered his head from the group. Next to him, and opposite Mr Penn, was the scruffy haired blond, whom Mr Penn had called, one of his favourites. Next to the blond was another brunet, but his hair was a deep ash, similar to Mr Penn’s. Beside him, and next to Caitlyn, was a boy with a similar hair colour to herself, except his had a more copper glow than her bronze hue.

“Right,” boomed Mr Penn, retrieving a deck of cards from his pocket. “This, here, is our honorary member, for the afternoon, Caitlyn,” he announced, holding a hand over, towards her. As heads turned to gawk at her, Caitlyn felt her cheeks tingle. Pinching in her lips, she shifted her sight to the various faces, making sure not to linger on one person for longer than a second. “Now I want you all to make her feel welcome,” he told them, as he skimmed the empty card box across the table. Cutting the deck of cards up, between several fingers, and sliding them back in place, Mr Penn asked the group, “Who’d like to show our guest some real magic?” Several hands shot up and murmurs muttered amongst them. “Now we all know sleight of hand is where the real work lies,” he told them, as he placed the cards on the table. Cutting the deck in half, Mr Penn placed the two stacks parallel to each other. “Hmm, let’s see,” he muttered to himself, debating which member of the group to select. Whilst he pondered, he placed his thumbs on the inner corners of both piles of cards. Sliding his thumbs from bottom to top, the cards slotted inside one another.

A warmth bubbled inside of Caitlyn, as she watched the cards dance between Mr Penn’s fingers. ‘I wish I could shuffle like that,’ she yearned. ‘If he can shuffle cards this well, I can’t wait to see what sort of tricks he teaches.’

“Fabian,” beamed Mr Penn, at the blond boy opposite him. “Would you do me the honour, no, the group, the honour and demonstrate to Caitlyn what we can do?”

“Sure,” Fabian shrugged. Rising from his seat, he reached over to take the shuffled deck from Mr Penn.

“Nothing too difficult,” warned Mr Penn, as he sat back down. “We don’t want to scare her off. Think exciting yet simple. Think amaze yet super easy to teach, in a single session.”

Feeling his heart rattle in his chest and his ears beginning to burn, Fabian nodded. He turned his attention to the new girl, sat on the end of the table. As he stared at her, the bodies around him blurred into the background. He gave her a warm smile, as he shuffled the cards from his right hand to his left. As she gazed back at him, a flutter tingled in his stomach.

“Why don’t we ask Caitlyn to show us what she can do?” snarled the girl on the farthest end of the table, before a sound came out of Fabian’s mouth.

‘Oh no!’ Caitlyn cried to herself, as her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach.

“Excellent idea Beth!” exclaimed Mr Penn, as he leapt out of his chair. “Hand the cards to Caitlyn, my boy,” Mr Penn instructed, rubbing his palms together. “Let’s see what we have to work with.”

“That’s not really fair,” Fabian objected, as he watched Caitlyn’s smile drain from her face. “I doubt Caitlyn’s had a teacher as good as you,” he went on, being careful how he phrased his frustration. “You don’t want to embarrass her, do you?” He clutched the cards tight, in his right hand, as he spoke; his wrist trembled.

“Although I do agree with you, Mr Hayes, I think our Bethany is right,” explained Mr Penn. “Every magician must be comfortable presenting to a crowd. It’s all about confidence.”

A terrifying shudder prickled the hairs on the back of Caitlyn’s neck. Her breathing grew heavy. Sweat clung to her palms. A lump tightened at her throat. Lowering his head, Fabian shrugged and grumbled under his breath, as he approached Caitlyn. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, as he handed her the cards.

“Thanks,” she breathed, staring at the deck in her hand.

“Whenever you’re ready,” said Mr Penn, as he took his seat. Leaning forward, he pressed his elbows into the table, laced his fingers together at the top of his chest and placed his chin upon them.

Inhaling a shaky breath, Caitlyn shuffled in her seat, as she stared at the cards. ‘I can do this,’ she told herself, feeling her cheeks begin to heat up. ‘I can do this,’ she repeated. Her heart rapped in her ribcage. ‘I know one trick… it may not be that good, but at least it’s something.’ Forcing a swallow, she shuffled the cards from her right hand to her left. Her intestines churned. Her eyes darted between the faces, all focused on her. Dropping her sight back to the cards, she fanned the deck out in front of her. She closed her eyes. Exhaling a long, slow breath, Caitlyn steadied her nerves, before turning her attention to the girl sat opposite her. “Would you like to pick a card?” she asked the girl, holding the fan of cards out towards her. The girl’s soft smile helped Caitlyn exhale another long, slow breath. “Anyone you like,” Caitlyn added, as she tried to spread the stack wider.

“Okay,” replied the brunette, as she slid a card out from the pile.

“You can look at it,” Caitlyn told her, “but don’t let me know what it is.” As the girl nodded, Caitlyn slid the cards back into one pile and made a cut.

“Aahh-chooo!” bellowed Mr Penn, snapping his eyes shut, dipped his head into his elbow, as he sneezed. Caitlyn flinched, as did many others. While everyone turned see Mr Penn’s colossal sneeze, Caitlyn snuck a peep at the bottom card of the pile, in her right hand.

As everyone’s attention returned to Caitlyn, she asked the girl whom she thought was named Ariel, “Would you return the card, please?” holding out the half of the deck, in her left hand. The girl nodded, placing her chosen card on the top. Caitlyn placed this half of the cards on the table, putting the other half of the cards, in her right hand, on top of it. “Would you cut the deck for me, please?” Caitlyn asked, as she stared at the navy diamond design on the back of the deck. The brunette selected a chunk of the cards, lifted them from the pile and placed them on the table, beside the remaining stack. “And complete the cut,” Caitlyn instructed, keeping her vision between the girl opposite her and the deck of cards. Placing her fingers around the remaining cards, the brunette placed them on top of the pile that she had removed. “Thank you,” Caitlyn told her, as she retrieved the pile.

Caitlyn’s fingers trembled. Her heart raced. ‘I can do this,’ Caitlyn reminded herself. ‘I can do this.’ Closing her eyes, Caitlyn took in a slow, deep breath. As she opened her eyes, she placed the top card, from the deck, face-up on the table. It was the five of clubs. “I know that isn’t your card,” Caitlyn told the girl opposite, noticing her puckered brow. “Nor is it the next card,” Caitlyn told her, as she placed the two of diamonds on the pile. “Or the next one.” As the seven of spades was placed on top. With another five cards added to the pile and the Jack of clubs now on the top, Caitlyn announced, “I know that the next card is your card.” Her insides swirled and her heart thudded, as she placed the three of clubs down on the pile. A nervous gasp escaped the brunette, as she looked from the card to Caitlyn.

“It is,” the girl told her. “Well done,” she added with a giggle.

“Thanks,” muttered Caitlyn. Dropping her eyes to the table, she placed the rest of the cards beside the pile.

“Good job,” beamed Mr Penn with a slow clap. Others, around the table, applauded along with him. “Nice card choice by the way,” he winked at the brunette. She chuckled at him. “Caitlyn, not bad for your first try,” Mr Penn told her. “A little rusty around the edges, but full of potential… and you actually have an interest in cards. That’s more than I can say for Mr Cador, over here, and some a his friends.”

“Hey!” Bert exclaimed, clenching his fists.

“Calm down, Bertie boy,” sang Mr Penn. “I’m only teasing. Now something we need to work on, Caitlyn, is our ability to misdirect.” Feeling the attention return back to her, Caitlyn sank in her seat, as she lowered her chin to her chest. “That wasn’t sneezing, gang,” projected Mr Penn, with a growing grin. “That was misdirection.” Cupping her fist to her mouth, Caitlyn giggled. “I was just giving Caitlyn a little helping hand there,” Mr Penn explained, as Caitlyn looked up towards him.

“Yeah,” muttered the girl, on the far side of the table. “She needed the help.”

“Now Beth,” Mr Penn raised his voice, using a condescending tone. “If I remember right, when you joined my club less than a year ago, you couldn’t do a single card trick. You were only interested in the glamourous role as a magician’s assistant.” As several people laughed, Caitlyn held her breath, in hopes of swallowing a snigger.

“Ooow look at me,” mocked one of the boys opposite Beth. “I’m Beth and I think I’m so good looking. I don’t need to work hard.”

“No,” mimicked the other boy, “I’m too glamorous to do card tricks,” he laughed, fanning his fingers out and placing the back of his hand to his forehead. The library broke into laughter. Snarling her nose, Beth folded her arms tight at her chest.

“Shut it Stuart,” she snapped. “Jamie,” she muttered, rolling her eyes. The boy, who has started the teasing, stuck his tongue out at her. “Bite me!” she growled.

“Enough!” roared Mr Penn, bringing silence to the room. “Now, I’m sure we can all agree, Bethany deserved that,” Mr Penn told them. “But let’s not lose focus on why we’re here,” he warned. “There’s production, vanish, levitation, suspension, transformation, transportation, transposition, restoration, penetration, prediction and escape all to cover, as well as discovering the mystifying properties of the Frandadis fruits, which are these colourful things here,” he announced, revealing a bowl of coloured berries, from underneath the table. “These fruits have magical properties, yet to be explored by science. They can produce effects far greater than you can imagine. That demonstration I gave earlier, with the duck… that was using these.”

“Wow!” Caitlyn gasped.

Stretching her neck up, Caitlyn strained to see inside the lemon-coloured bowl that housed a rainbow of fruits shaped like raspberries and limes, but varying in size and texture. Some of the berry-shaped fruits reflected a glossy hue, resembling the peel of an orange, whereas some of the lime-shaped ones appeared to have mushed together and a current sap rolled around the bowl, as Mr Penn wavered it towards Caitlyn.

“I guess, since it’s the first day back and you’re not all here,” Mr Penn said, with a grumble. “As some of you decided you’d rather be at music, art or athletics club,” at this, he rolled his eyes. “It’s pointless for me to teach you something new. We’ll break off into groups and you can get yourselves familiar with the properties of Frandadis fruits again,” he announced. “But you’re only getting the scraps. These things cost me a fortune,” he grumbled. “I’ve charged it to the school budget for now, but who knows how much longer they’ll keep funding our cause,” he warned them.

“Right, Jamie, Stuart and Hannah, you’re one group,” he told the three students on this right. “Beth, Caleb, Reuben, you’re another,” he instructed the three students sat opposite the first group. “Fabian, Oscar and Pete, another,” he told the line of boys to Caitlyn’s left. “Bert, Robin and Ariel, can I entrust you to watch over Caitlyn?” he asked the group to his left, opposite Caitlyn.

“Yes, Sir,” the group agreed.

“Good,” nodded Mr Penn. “Ariel, do make sure the boys don’t over complicate things. I’m not looking for anything showy. Perhaps show Caitlyn how to change the colour of this pencil,” he instructed, sliding a yellow and black striped pencil towards the group. “In fact,” Mr Penn announced. “Why don’t you all demonstrate some of the skills you learnt last year on these pencils? I don’t want you destroying library books.” Fishing his hands into his pockets, Mr Penn pulled out three more pencils and rolled one towards each of the groups. “And no bouncing grasshopper pencils,” Mr Penn warned, glaring at Jamie and Stuart, the two identical boys in the far corner. “Do you know what will happen if we fail to catch them? They will multiply… and poor, sweet Mrs Eleanor, our kind librarian, will come back to a cloud of them, on Monday morning. That is no way to treat someone, who has been so kind as to let us borrow her place of work, for the afternoon.” Clasping her hands to her mouth, Caitlyn hid another giggle.

‘Is he serious?’ she wondered, flickering glances at the others. Everyone’s expression remained stone.

As the groups dispersed, into different corners of the table, Mr Penn distributed an array of equipment. Beakers, stirrers, pipettes, scalpels, tweezers and cutting boards were handed out to each group. ‘I guess it is like a science experiment,’ Caitlyn realised, as she stared at the apparatus in front of them. Flickering her attention to Mr Penn, Caitlyn watched, as he sorted the colourful fruits into four piles.

“I’m trusting you, Robin,” Caitlyn heard Bert say to the other boy in their group, as he pointed a finger at him. “No funny business, you hear?”

“Jeez,” exhaled Robin. “You can trust me, you know.”

Ignoring Robin’s remark, Bert approached Caitlyn and asked her, “Can I talk to you for a moment? We’ll leave Ariel and Robin to make a start.” He jabbed his thumb to Caitlyn’s right. Nodding, she followed him over to a nearby bookcase.

“Mr Penn asked me to see what you think so far,” Bert told her, once they were out of earshot. “I know it’s literally been five minutes, but he’s wary of letting outsiders into the group. He’s eager for you to stay, but we won’t keep you if it’s not your thing.”

“It seems like fun,” Caitlyn told him, with a giggle. “It’s the first thing I’ve actually enjoyed since starting school.”

“That’s great,” beamed Bert. His smile dropped to a frown, “Not about the not enjoying school thing,” he told her. “I mean you liking what you’ve seen so far. We meet up every Tuesday after school, up in music… and sometimes on Fridays, especially when we’ve got a lot of practising to do for a show.”

“You put on shows?” asked Caitlyn, as her interest in what the group did grew.

“Yeah,” Bert replied, with a nod. “The music department usually do a concert at the end of every winter and summer term, where all of the big bands perform: wind band, swing band, string band, jazz band, choir and aspiring singers, usually there’s a few rock bands too. Mr Penn convinced the head teacher that we could do the same. So, we get to perform at the end of every autumn and spring half-term. It’s lots of fun. We get to demonstrate the tricks we can do, not just with cards, but other illusions too and we get to show the school what Frandadis fruits can do.”

“What can they do, exactly?” Caitlyn asked, with a puckered brow.

“They’re kind of frowned upon by a lot of staff, students and parents, but it’s only ‘cause they’re scared and don’t understand them,” explained Bert. “Imagine a fairy tale, medieval alchemist crossed with Merlin the magician – the potion kind of magic, not the magic words and a pointed stick kind, although I’ve read that pointed sticks can be useful. Anyway, that’s how it appears to outsiders, and they come after us like an angry mob, with pitchforks and flaming torches.” Caitlyn giggled. “The imagery may be funny, but it’s no laughing matter,” Bert warned her. “If this were strictly card tricks and sawing people in half, we wouldn’t have to keep things so secretive. It’s the magical, un-researched and undocumented effects of the Frandadis fruits that have people worried. With all the smoke and lights, people think it’s just a trick of the eye and they’re fine with being fooled, but as soon as someone sees Frandadis fruits, the unknown triggers fear and they act like an old-fashioned mob.”

“We just have to find ways to hide what we’re doing. What we’re doing isn’t wrong,” he warned her. “It’s science, really. We record all of our findings and experiments, as we go along. It all helps Mr Penn with his book. He’s been trying to bring the science of Frandadis fruits to the governing board for years, but without enough research, they dismiss him as some sort of crazy alchemist. They think what he’s doing is wrong – allowing students to practise with substances that the world knows very little about. The problem is the world is full of old-fashioned fears and scaremongering. They see something they don’t understand, so they stick their heads in the sand and pretend it doesn’t exist. Or they dismiss its existence and spread wild rumours, scaring people even more.”

“Our club could be the start of a whole new science class, for future generations. Imagine being a part of that. Frandadis fruits really can do magical things – that’s why half the people are here. Yeah, we learn your standard magic too, that’s the only way Mr Penn could get the school to let him run the club. Good job he’s a great magician too,” Bert told her. Smirking, he added, “You surprised both Mr Penn and myself, when you showed you know your way around a deck of cards.”

“I’m not very good though,” worried Caitlyn, hunching her shoulders.

“Everyone has to start somewhere,” Bert insisted, holding a hand on her shoulder. “You’ve got great potential to do well here, I can feel it… and not just because you took an interest in our club. I can sense there’s something special about you,” he confessed, lowering his voice. Caitlyn’s lips parted, as she stared at him, frozen to the spot. “I don’t mean t’ scare you off,” he added, with a nervous laugh, running a hand across the back of his neck. “It’s just, Mr Penn and I started this club together. Everyone we recruited, we feel has something special about them, or something unique that they can offer the group; you’re no different.”

A frown formed on Caitlyn’s forehead. Her brain raced for words, but nothing could find its way to her mouth. “I don’t know whether you coming here, today, was some kind of destiny – if you believe in that sort of thing,” Bert added. “But I knew there was someone in this room that had something, before I even saw you.”

“To anyone else, they might think you’ve gone mad,” Caitlyn told him, with a serious stare, “but to me, that kind of makes sense… it’s hard to explain… I think you’re having trouble explaining it too.” She paused, as Bert exhaled a nervous laugh.

“Kinda,” he chuckled. “Glad we’re on the same wavelength.”

“Something’s felt strange to me since I started here,” Caitlyn told Bert. “I don’t know exactly why or what it is, but strange things have happened, like the future’s changed, if that’s even possible,” she told him, with a nervous laugh.

Feeling Bert stare at her, Caitlyn shifted her focus to the others, at the table. Her eyes widened, as she stared at the tall teacher, with a mane of dark curls, as he strode from one group to another. “Who is Mr Penn, exactly?” asked Caitlyn, returning her attention to Bert.

“Mr Penn? He’s just my form tutor and chemistry teacher. Why?” Bert asked, with a flinch, as he straightened his back. “Is something wrong?”

“It’s just…” Caitlyn paused, dropping her eyes to the floor. A lump formed in the hollow of her throat. Her chest trembled, as her throat tightened. “I get a creepy shudder, sometimes, that makes me feel uncomfortable around him. Not now… not since I’ve been in the library… but I’ve seen him around school several times and… it’s like an ice, cold chill.” Caitlyn snapped her eyes tight, disturbed by her memories, as she explained it.

“Do you get this often?” asked Bert, in a whisper.

“Only when I sense someone’s bad,” Caitlyn explained, with a shrug, returning her attention to Bert. “Like really bad,” she continued. “Like a bully or they’re not really my friend, only pretending. It’s like, I know someone’s going to be bad or something bad’s going to happen before it does.” Watching the creases on Bert’s forehead deepen, Caitlyn’s shoulders sank. “I sound weird, don’t I?” she sighed. “I’ve never told anyone, other than my parents, before,” Caitlyn added. “It just felt right to tell you… like you’d believe me.” She lowered her head. Silence. Her palms dampened. The thudding in her chest trembled louder, the longer the silence between them grew.

“I believe you,” replied Bert, staring straight at her. “If this were anyone else, I’d defend him,” he told her. “Mr Penn’s my mentor. Yes, he’s tall and can act kinda scary sometimes, but he’s a real teddy bear.” As Caitlyn looked away, dejected, Bert added, “Maybe you sense something I don’t… that’s why I’d really appreciate it if you’d stick around.” As Caitlyn flickered her eyes back to him, he added, “Also, come ‘n’ tell me if you get that cold shudder again, will you? About anyone. It doesn’t have to be Mr Penn.” Caitlyn nodded. “Promise?” Bert asked.

“I promise,” she replied, with another slight nod.

Bert’s stomach churned. Shooting his head towards Mr Penn his mind grew fuzzy. A cloud hazed inside his brain. ‘I’ve trusted him for two full years,’ he told himself. ‘Me of all people… could I be wrong? Is she more powerful than me?’ He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. “Before we head back,” Bert blurted out. “Is anyone in your family magic?”

“What?” Caitlyn frowned at him, with a nervous chuckle. “There’s no such-”

“Okay!” exclaimed Bert, holding up his hands in surrender. ‘So that’s not it,’ he grumbled to himself. ‘It’s likely skipped a generation or five,’ he realised. “Does anyone else in your family experience a similar thing?” he rephrased. “The shudder you mentioned?”

“No,” Caitlyn told him with a scornful laugh. “They all think I’m mad. I keep being told to ignore it and to stop being silly. My dad’s parents keep telling my dad they should give me away… and I know they’re not joking half the time.”

“That’s not right,” Bert declared. “But don’t ignore that feeling that you get,” Bert told her. “And you’re not being silly. If you consider joining our club, I’ll help you enhance it and use it to your advantage.”

“Really?” gasped Caitlyn, as her eyes widened. “You mean it? You believe me?”

“Yes, yes and yes,” he chuckled. “But it’s our little secret, for now,” he told her. “Okay?”

“Okay,” she nodded.

“So, what d’ya say? Shall we see what Ariel and Robin are up to?”

“Yes, please,” she nodded.

Returning to the group, Bert winked at Mr Penn, who gave him a big grin back. Caitlyn’s curiosity returned, as she neared Ariel. “We’ve done all the prep work,” Ariel told Caitlyn, pointing to the array of chopped up fruits in front of them.

Caitlyn’s eyes widened, as she examined the table. Spread over the chopping board were a colourful collection of peeled, diced, and crushed fruits. A pile of peel that resembled orange peel, but were a bright cyan and deep amethyst, lay in a clump on the far right of the board. Segments of, what looked to Caitlyn to be a mauve and turquoise-coloured lime slices, lay in a line along the bottom. On the left-hand side of the cutting mat, an array of warm burgundies, deep reds and fiery oranges, as well as a fierce lime green array of berries appeared in various forms. To the top left of the chopping mat, they appeared whole and looked like the coloured raspberries that Caitlyn had seen in Mr Penn’s bowl. Below, the berries appeared to have been smushed into the board. Chunks of fruity flesh clumped together around the edges of the mushed puddles. Underneath the crushed berries, each round segment of the berry appeared to have been separated, as small balls of matching hues were piled in clusters.

Spiking out, towards the top of the board, lay a mound of earthy vine-like stalks, identical to the stem of a grape. Beside the vines were a collection of salmon and fuchsia-coloured grape-looking ovals, with a shiny skin. Many of these grape-like fruits had been sliced into small discs. As Caitlyn examined them, they appeared to have the same juicy and veiny details as the inside of a grape.

Underneath the stalks and grape-like fruits were a line of small, round balls that had the same colour, shape, size, and clouded shine as a blueberry. ‘I suspect they aren’t,’ Caitlyn warned herself, as she spotted identical berries, but in sunflower-yellow, piled beside them. Beneath the round berries lay lemon and lilac-coloured thin strips. Upon closer inspection, Caitlyn realised that these were sliced into narrow triangular prisms, and appeared to have the same texture to the inside of a cucumber. The same fruit appeared to be diced and towered into small piles beneath the strips. Adjacent to the diced lemon and lilac-coloured pieces were chunks of carrot-coloured cubes, with a waxy shine. They were cubed, inside a leaf-green skin.

The last fruit on the cutting board reminded Caitlyn of a kiwi, but as with most of the other fruits, the colours were rather different. As opposed to an earthy brown skin, this fruit was covered with a mossy fur. Having been sliced into thin discs, the khaki colour created a ring around the soft fleshy interior. Instead of the bright chartreuse-green of a kiwi, the inside of this fruit was a deep raspberry-pink, with a creamy centre and tiny black seeds.

As Caitlyn’s eyes danced over the dissected fruits in front of her, a gasp escaped her. “These are amazing,” she breathed.

“I know,” cheered Ariel, at her side. “Aren’t the colours so vibrant and beautiful?” Nodding, Caitlyn agreed.

“It looks like you’re ready to assemble a fruit salad,” Caitlyn chuckled.

“Whatever you do, don’t eat them,” warned Robin, the short boy with spiked blond hair. “No matter how tempting they look.”

“I won’t,” Caitlyn replied, with a nervous laugh.

Returning her attention back to the chopping board full of a magical rainbow of fruits, Caitlyn’s mind buzzed with excitement. ‘They’re so colourful,’ she beamed. ‘I’ve never seen anything like it. And there’s so many. They look so familiar, yet so foreign, all at the same time. I wonder what they’re all called… and what do they all do? Why do those ones look just like blueberries?’ she wondered, gazing at the rounded, deep indigo fruit. ‘And those bright purple and blue peels… they’re well… I don’t have words,’ she gasped.

“A lot to take in, isn’t it?” Bert chuckled, at her side. “You remind me a lot of Ariel, when I first showed the fruits to her.” Ariel giggled.

“I wanted to learn absolutely everything I could about them,” beamed Ariel, with wide eyes, as she watched Caitlyn’s overwhelmed grin grow. “I still do,” she exclaimed, as Caitlyn turned towards her.

“Looks as though you two did a great job,” Bert praised Ariel and Robin’s preparation skills. Robin gave Bert a nod of acknowledgment, while Ariel let out a dreamy hum. Bert chuckled, as he gazed back at Ariel. Arching her head from Ariel, on her right, to Bert, on her left, Caitlyn ducked her head, worried she was caught in the middle of something. She felt her stomach flop, as she hunched her shoulders, wishing she could trade places with Ariel.

Returning her attention to the chopped, sliced, diced, peeled and mushed Frandadis fruits on the table, Caitlyn heard Bert tell her, “Don’t worry about learning all their names and properties just yet. We’ll just do a few simple demonstrations, today, so you can see what they do and if you do decide to join us, no pressure by the way,” he added. “Then we’ll begin teaching you all there is to know.”

“Great,” grinned Caitlyn.

Taking control of the group, Bert strode past Caitlyn, to stand between Ariel and Robin. He swiped his hand out to grab the beaker, with a stern glare. Caitlyn inhaled a sharp sniff, as Bert appeared to race Robin for the tweezers. “I’ve got them,” Bert grumbled, flickering Robin another sharp glare. Shuffling to her left, Caitlyn attempted to distance herself from the tension between the boys. A concoction of peel, berry spheres and fruit chunks were added to the beaker. The mixture fizzed. Smoke clouded. As Bert pinched some of the ingredients up in the tweezers and dropped them into the beaker, Robin stretched his neck up, to get a closer look at Bert’s mixture.

“Not too many,” Robin sneered, watching Bert drop a cluster of lemon-coloured sticks into the clouded liquid in the beaker. “We’re changing the colour of a pencil, not the entire table.”

“I know what I’m doing,” Bert barked back.

Tightening her arms at her chest, Caitlyn’s brows slanted towards one another, as she watched Bert and Robin bicker. A rhythmical clank caused Caitlyn to snap her eyes shut. She seeped a breath through gritted teeth. Squinting her eyes open, she watched, as Bert swirled the mixture in the beaker, with a metal stick, clonking it against the side of the glass with his speed. “Watch it Bert,” boomed Mr Penn, as he neared them. For once, Caitlyn’s shoulders relaxed, and she released her breath, as Mr Penn appeared at her side. “Don’t go breaking that glass or that’s one more thing I’ll need t’ buy,” Mr Penn growled, glaring at the boys.

“Sorry, Sir,” Bert muttered. Lowering his arm, he rested the stirrer on the rim of the beaker.

“Now, your mixture looks about done,” said Mr Penn, with a nod. “Let’s have Caitlyn choose what colour we’re changing the pencil to.”

“What’s your favourite colour, Caitlyn?” Ariel asked, with her brightest smile.

“Erm, green,” replied Caitlyn, squeezing her right elbow with her left hand.

“Oowh, we harmonise each other,” Ariel exclaimed. “Mine’s purple, that purple to be exact,” she told Caitlyn, as she pointed to the amethyst-coloured peel on the right-hand side of the board.

“Right,” Bert nodded, as he reached out for a pipette. “We’ll just use the generic green for now. Two drops of the pigment should be enough.”

‘That sounds like it’s more a dig at Robin than for my benefit,’ Caitlyn assumed. ‘Mr Penn must know that, right?’

“You can mix the different colours together, like a paint pallet,” Ariel told Caitlyn. “So, if you wanted to make it darker, you could mix some darker blue juice to it.”

“Won’t adding different juices change the mixture?” asked Caitlyn, with a frown.

“Good question,” Mr Penn beamed, at her side. “I’m impressed you asked. We dip the pipette into a tub of iced water. The temperature freezes all of the other properties, leaving us with just the pigment.”

“But won’t the chemicals react once they’re added to the room temperature mixture?” asked Caitlyn, puzzled, tilting her head up towards Mr Penn.

“Wonderful! I love this kid!” Mr Penn exclaimed with a grin, thumping Caitlyn a pat on the back. She jolted forwards, rubbing a hand to her shoulder. “These are the questions of someone who wants to learn. The simple answer is, we must act quickly. If you mix it in whilst the juices are close to freezing temperature, it acts just like paint or food dye. The magical properties are frozen. It’s a simple enough mixture, providing you follow the instructions to a tee – just like a science experiment or baking a cake.” The frown on Caitlyn’s forehead lifted, as she nodded back at Mr Penn. “Caitlyn, would you like to be the one to make the magic happen?”

“Can I?” gasped Caitlyn. Her eyes sparkled with excitement, at the thought of assisting with such a thing.

“Of course. Bert hand her the pipette,” Mr Penn requested.

Turning her attention to Bert, Caitlyn noticed a palm-sized glass bowl, full of water and floating ice cubes. Bert stopped swirling the pipette around, as he turned towards her. “Be quick,” Bert told Caitlyn with a smile. “But be careful, it’s really cold. Here, take the pipette, hold it over the green juice,” he said, holding the plastic tube towards her. As Caitlyn gripped it, Bert instructed, “Give the bulb just a little squeeze; we only want two tiny drops.” Nodding, Caitlyn held the pipette out over the mushed lime-green berry. She gave the air-chamber a slight pinch. Several bubbles of green pigment slurped inside. “That’s it. Now add two drops of it in here,” he instructed, nodding his head towards the glass beaker, which he had returned to stirring. Caitlyn nodded. Pressing herself up on tiptoes, she stretched her arm towards the beaker. Her hand trembled. She held her breath. Steadying her grip, she gave the pipette bulb a tiny pinch. One drop splashed into the mixture. She pinched it again. A second drop fell in. Clanking the stirring stick around in the glass, Bert swirled the mixture around, until it whirlpooled.

“Robin, hand Caitlyn a clean pipette,” Mr Penn instructed. Robin nodded. He waved his hands together then pressed the inside of his fingers into his palms. Sliding his hands into separation, a pipette appeared. Caitlyn gasped and began clapping.

“Appearing a pipette otta nowhere, bet he’s seen it a million times,” Bert muttered, snorting a puff of air from his nostrils. “Right, Sir?”

“Well,” Mr Penn, paused, glancing between the boys. “Even if I have, at this point, I’m just grateful Robin hasn’t forgotten everything I taught him, over the summer.”

Holding a hand to his mouth, Mr Penn cleared his throat in a loud, belligerent manner. “Right, that ought t’ do it,” he announced, peering down at the beaker. “Caitlyn, take the clean pipette and extract a drop from the beaker. A pencil is a small surface area, so providing the mixture is correct, which I dare say it is,” Mr Penn added, looking at Bert. “One drop is all you will need.” Caitlyn nodded at Mr Penn, before edging closer to the mixture. Inhaling a shaky breath, Caitlyn tried to steady her trembling hand.

The tingling in Caitlyn’s stomach returned, as she neared the beaker. Dipping in her clean pipette, she pinched the bulb, extracting one bubble of a chartreuse hue. Her eyes widened. She held her breath. Hovering her hand over the yellow and black striped pencil, Caitlyn gave the pipette a tiny pinch. Time slowed. A droplet descended from the plastic tip. Caitlyn’s heart thudded in her ribcage. The green drop splashed onto the centre of the pencil. The magical drop absorbed into the wood. Seeping towards the ends of the pencil, a chartreuse streak swallowed the black and yellow stripes. Caitlyn gasped. Her hands trembled. “Wow!” she breathed, as her eyes widened. “That’s amazing.” The colour lingered for five seconds, before fading back to the yellow and black stripes.

“It’s good to see an eager face,” Mr Penn chuckled. Caitlyn blushed. Turning towards Ariel, Caitlyn’s wide eyes and grin remained.

“Isn’t it amazing?” Ariel exclaimed. “The rest of the school don’t get to see things like this.”

“That’s right,” added Mr Penn. “You’re a talented lot. Right, Ariel, can I entrust you with clean up and safe transferal of the non-reacted fruits into airtight containers?”

“Yes, Sir,” Ariel nodded.

As Mr Penn strode over to Hannah, Stuart and Jamie’s group, Caitlyn flickered a glance around between each of the group’s projects. The boys, who she had sat beside earlier, were still stirring their mixture. Further up the table, Beth and the two boys had split the pencil into small sections. Making the segments balance on top of one another, the group created steps. Caitlyn’s eyes widened. One of the identical boys, from Hannah’s group scoffed, “Show off,” at Beth. It was Beth’s turn to stick her tongue out.

“Now then,” boomed Mr Penn, hovering behind Hannah. “What have you boys concocted this time? It had better not explode,” he added in a mutter.

“Don’t worry,” Hannah reassured him. “The boys are under control.” Dipping the pipette into the beaker, the boy closest to Hannah, extracted a suction of mixture. A smirk prodded into the side of his mouth. With a quick swipe of his wrist, the boy saturated the pencil in liquid. Two flat, transparent circles lifted from the centre of the pencil’s surface. Fluttering back and forth, the wings lifted the pencil into the air. It hovered several centimetres above the table before shooting off, towards a bookcase. Jamie and Stuart burst out laughing. Hannah clasped a hand to her mouth, concealing a giggle.

“You said no grasshopper pencils,” the deeper voiced boy reminded Mr Penn, as the pencil shot back into sight and hovered near Beth’s shoulder. “You said nothing about bumble bee pencils.” Watching the pencil zoom back towards the boys, before arching around the edge of the table, Caitlyn’s eyes grew. She giggled, clasping her hands to her chest as the pencil turned towards her, before zooming back in the direction of the bookcases.

“Very funny Stuart,” grumbled Mr Penn. “Now go find it before I turn you into a bumble bee.”

As the boys scurried in search of the flying pencil, Mr Penn approached Beth’s group. Hearing voices nearby, Caitlyn was shuddered out of her concentration. “You are not,” she heard Bert growl. “If you were an honourable man, you’d leave Ariel alone.”

“She has her own thoughts and feelings, you know,” Robin barked. “She could choose me.”

“Ha!” spat Bert. “Only if you were to spell her.”

“I would never!” Robin gasped. “I swear!”

“Fine,” replied Bert with a shrug. “Come with me to visit my great-gramps tonight and we’ll make sure you can never go back on your word.”

Caitlyn’s intestines churned. Wrapping her arms tight around herself, she forced a swallow. ‘Something’s going on,’ Caitlyn warned herself. ‘And where’s Ariel?’ The lines on Caitlyn’s forehead deepened, as she arched her head around, searching for the girl with long coffee-coloured hair. Her head spun left then right. Her heart pounded. Throwing her hand to her stomach as it winced, Caitlyn let out a breath, spotting Ariel rummaging through a bookshelf at the back of the library.

“Come on boys, let’s see what you’ve got,” Caitlyn heard Mr Penn cheer. Turning her attention to the group of boys beside her, Caitlyn held her breath, as the red head pinched the bulb of the pipette, extracting a waterfall of liquid onto the pencil. The pencil tremored. A bend appeared in the side of the pencil. Then another and another. Curves arched in the wood. The pencil slithered forwards, dancing across the table. With the graphite tip leading the way, the eraser end prodded upwards, shaking from left to right. Cupping a hand around the side of his mouth, the brunet in the group, pressed his teeth together, hissing a rattling sound. The snake pencil slithered towards Caitlyn. Stopping in front of her, it lifted its head and nodded. Exhaling an astounded breath, Caitlyn applauded them. She flickered her glance from the snake to the boys. The red-haired boy and the brunet stood beaming at their creation, whilst the blond kept his concentrate with their snake, muttering under his breath.

“We wanted to change its colour, to make it look more snake-like,” the red head explained, as the snake pencil circled around the table, returning towards them. “But Bert hogged all the ice.”

“A great job, boys,” praised Mr Penn. “I’m impressed. I’m impressed with all of your efforts,” he added, looking around the table at everyone. As the snake slowed in pace and returned to its pencil state, the blond boy came out of his trance and shot Caitlyn a smile.

‘Could he control the pencil?’ Caitlyn wondered, as she giggled back at him. ‘How could he do that?’

“Maybe there is hope for this club yet,” cheered Mr Penn, patting a hand to his favourite’s back. A smirk escaped Caitlyn.

‘He has very little faith in them,’ Caitlyn mused. ‘Everyone here is so talented. I want to learn everything,’ she told herself. Flickering a glance around the library, Caitlyn spotted Ariel returning to the group with a pile of books in her arms. ‘I wonder if Mr Penn teaches other magic tricks, aside from card tricks and the magic fruit?’ Caitlyn wondered, as she glanced around the table, observing everyone around her. ‘I’d love to learn the trick where you wrap a scarf around someone’s neck and pull the ends, but instead of squeezing their neck, it magically goes through their neck… or how you separate someone’s body parts in a big box and reassemble them. I know it’s not the same as sawing someone in half,’ she told herself. ‘Because a whole person can’t possibly fit in a box the size of your head – even the world’s best contortionist can’t do that.’

“Right,” she heard Mr Penn announce, shuddering Caitlyn out of her thoughts. Footsteps thudded towards the table.

“The bumble bee’s dead!” projected one of the identical boys, waving a pencil towards them.

“Ran outta juice,” the other added, as he plonked back into his chair.

‘The mixture must have worn off,’ Caitlyn told herself.

“Good,” nodded Mr Penn. “I wish to congratulate you all on your achievements over the last year. Never would I have imagined that a group of youngsters would pay so much attention to an afterschool club about magic. This session today has warmed my heart.”

“You’ve just got a room full of people who actually want to learn,” scoffed the boy who had linked arms, with Beth, earlier.

“Now Caleb,” Mr Penn warned. “Let’s not get cocky. We’ll give the others a chance to demonstrate their skills, when we meet up on Tuesday. Then I’ll re-allocate the assistant and secretary positions.”

“Like he hasn’t already picked his favourites,” muttered Caleb, with a scornful exhale. Caitlyn’s eyes widened at his remark and she clawed her nails into her palms.

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that, Hartwell Junior,” Mr Penn warned. Scrunching his nose, Caleb folded his arms at his chest, hunching his back.

‘Those two are made for each other,’ Caitlyn mused, rolling her eyes at the grumpy couple on the far end of the table.

Clearing his throat, with a loud cantankerous cough, Mr Penn strode around the table, towards Caitlyn, as he told the group, “Once we’re all back together again, I was thinking we would focus on some larger illusion props, like escaping from a locked box or sawing your assistant in half.” Turning back to the moody couple, he added, “You’ll love that one, Beth,” with a wink. Beth joined her boyfriend, with a sour, scrunched up facial expression.

“Maybe we can saw Beth in half,” chuckled the red-haired boy, beside Caitlyn.

“Good one, Pete!” his brunet friend exclaimed, holding his palm out towards the red head. The boy clapped his hand against his friend’s. Caitlyn giggled at them.

“Where are we meeting on Tuesday?” asked Robin. Folding his arms at his chest, Robin pressed them into the table, as he leant forwards.

“Music,” Mr Penn replied.

“Where in music though?” Robin enquired, as his brows slanted. “Mr Wye’s classroom? Or-”

“It’s too cramped,” one of the identical boys cried, seeing Mr Penn’s shoulders sink.

“I agree,” Ariel sighed. “You can’t squish all twenty of us into that tiny room and expect us to be able to learn anything,” she complained, clenching her fists.

“Yeah,” came a chorus of voices, agreeing with her. Mr Penn lowered his head. His expression drooped. Cupping a hand to his forehead, he let out a dejected sigh.

“The location’s not ideal” Mr Penn told them. “But beggars can’t be choosers. At the moment it’s all we have. Mrs Eleanor only agreed we could use the library for this afternoon,” he sighed. “And before any of you ask, I already tried using the ol’ Penn charm on her, but sadly my looks, wit an’ a couple of card tricks weren’t enough to woo her,” he added, with a hollow chuckle. “Come on now,” he boomed. “Let’s commence operation clean up. We might have time for one more illusion before you go.”

The clonking and clanking of glass beakers and metal instruments echoed off bookcases, as the group dropped their equipment back into large plastic containers that were stacked up behind Mr Penn’s chair. Caitlyn remained sat in her seat. She forced a swallow. Flickering her sight around at the bodies clearing up, a twang of guilt tugged at her stomach. ‘Maybe I should offer to help Pete’s friends tidy up,’ Caitlyn wondered, as she watched them. ‘Ariel’s already done ours.’ Turning towards Ariel, Caitlyn watched, as she and Bert huddled over a book. Beside them, Robin flickered them a glance, as he jabbed his thumbs into the buttons of his mobile phone. A thudding pounded in the pit of Caitlyn’s stomach. ‘Something’s definitely going on between them,’ Caitlyn warned herself. She forced a swallow, before flickering a glance back to the rest of the room.

Having returned all of the equipment to its containers, everyone returned to their seats. All eyes turned towards Mr Penn, as he stood at the head of the table, between Beth and the twins. Silence. Breaths were held. Mr Penn brought his right hand out, from behind his back, and showed the group a grape between the thumb and forefinger of his right hand. Bringing it towards his left, he cupped his left hand around the grape. With his left hand in a fist, he lifted his arm up and thumped himself on the top of the head. His mouth popped open and a grape shot out. Caitlyn clasped both hands to her mouth, trying to hide her giggle. “Excellent,” beamed Mr Penn. “I made you laugh,” he said, as he clicked his fingers, pointing at Caitlyn. “Magic is all about telling a story and making people happy. Seeing the joy on their faces, when I perform even the simplest of tricks, is what keeps me going… and I hope it does to all of you here. Whether you know how to do this simple palming trick or not, what I love about teaching you guys, is you all have your own interests, your own niches and unique quirks. Some of you love card tricks, others are brilliant at coin manipulation, or the cup and ball tricks. This year, I intend to escalate your knowledge, by bringing in some of the big boys, putting your performance skills to the test. Now, you don’t need to learn everything,” Mr Penn added, with a soft chuckle, as he looked at Caitlyn. “Once you know a few simple principles, you can build a whole magic routine. It’s just like learning a few simple chords on a guitar; you only need to learn four chords and you can play so many songs. It’s the same with magic.” A warm tingle fluttered to Caitlyn’s cheeks. “No pressure, Caitlyn, but it would be nice to see you on stage performing with these guys, when we put on our half-term show.” As heads turned towards her, Caitlyn sunk in her seat, feeling her face redden. “You like helping people, I can tell,” Mr Penn told her. “And what better way to help people, than to make them smile?”

Shuffling in his seat, the boy closest to Mr Penn raised his hand. “Sorry to interrupt, but we’ve gotta go,” announced the soft spoken boy.

“Yeah, Jamie’s right,” agreed the other boy, who had a hunched posture and a deeper, raspier sounding voice.

‘Okay, so the slightly taller boy, with the softer voice is Jamie and that must be Stuart,’ Caitlyn realised, trying to figure out which of the twins was which. Sliding back his chair, it screeched against the laminated flooring, as Stuart clambered out of his seat.

“We’ve gotta meet Alison from art club,” Stuart told them. Grabbing his messenger bag from under the desk, Stuart was the first of the group to leave.

“We don’t wanna miss the ten-past-four bus,” exclaimed Jamie, as he leapt from his chair and tugged on Hannah’s arm. “If we don’t get to the Baldwin chippie before five, all the scallops will be gone,” he sulked, hauling his bag onto his arm and racing after his twin. “It is fish ‘n’ chip day, you know.”

“Typical Jamie,” Hannah chuckled, shaking her head, as she, too, rose from her seat and slipped her bag onto her shoulder. “Bye everyone,” she waved, as she followed after the boys.

A chorus of, “Bye!” and, “Bye Hannah!” rang out amongst the group.

“And nice to meet you Caitlyn,” Hannah added with a wave, as she walked past her.

“You too,” nodded Caitlyn, with a big smile.

“Bye Stuart! Bye Jamie!” the group called, as the boys departed.

“Tell Alison, we hope to see her on Tuesday,” Mr Penn called after them.

“Will do,” sang Jamie, turning back to wave to the group.

The warmth and excitement Caitlyn had felt since joining Mr Penn’s group, pulsed through her body. A smile remained etched into her cheeks, as she watched Jamie, Stuart and Hannah disappear around the corner. Her grin grew, as she spotted Jay walking towards the library entrance. Rising from her seat, Caitlyn told the group, “I have to leave too. It was nice meeting all of you.”

“Perhaps you’ll consider becoming more than just an honorary member?” Mr Penn asked Caitlyn. “We meet up in music on Tuesday, after school. If you’re interested, we’ll be happy to welcome you to the club.” Grabbing her backpack, Caitlyn looked towards the library door, to see Jay waiting for her. A buzz of excitement vibrated through her body, as she turned back to Mr Penn and nodded. “And there will be more than thirteen of us next time,” he added, with a chuckle. Caitlyn giggled.

“Promise you’ll think about it?” asked Bert. Caitlyn flickered a glance around the table. Smiles beamed back at her. Even moody Beth softened her expression to a smile, as she looked back at Caitlyn. Returning her sight to Bert, Caitlyn nodded.

“Bye Caitlyn!” everyone sang, waving, as she departed.

Tugging the library door open, a warm giggle escaped her. “It’s good to see you smiling,” Jay grinned, at Caitlyn.

“Thanks,” she beamed back. Arching her head over her shoulder, she took one final look at the magic group, gathered around the table. ‘That was so much fun,’ she thought, with a dreamy sigh. Mr Penn’s eyes locked on her and Jay. His warm smile faded. A cold shudder trickled up Caitlyn’s spine. Her eyes widened. Throwing her head over her shoulder, she looked from Jay then to Mr Penn and back again. Her stomach churned. Biting the inside of her cheek, she stared back at the group in the library. Her feet froze. She rooted to the spot. ‘What’s going on?’ she worried. ‘Something’s not right. Who is it? I know it isn’t Jay. Is it one of the magic club?’

“You okay?” asked Jay, placing a hand on her arm.

“Yeah,” muttered Caitlyn, shuddering out of her thoughts. A frown fixed on her forehead, as she walked alongside Jay. She exhaled a confused hum, as her thoughts wandered to each member of the group, in turn. ‘I really don’t think it’s Beth,’ Caitlyn told herself. ‘And after spending time with Mr Penn, I don’t want to believe it was him this time either,’ she decided. ‘Maybe the librarian?’ she wondered, arching her head over her shoulder. Lines wrinkled her forehead, as she glanced at the empty corridor behind them.

“You sure you’re okay?” Jay asked, leading Caitlyn out of a door and into the courtyard.

“I’m fine,” muttered Caitlyn, shaking her head.

 

*

 

His brow puckered. Having seen the alarm on Caitlyn’s face, worry churned in Bert’s stomach. He turned towards his mentor, Mr Penn, with a stone stare. Catching Mr Penn shudder out of a glare, as he returned his attention to the group, having gazed off towards the front of the library, Bert’s lips parted. ‘Maybe she’s on to something,’ Bert pondered, as Caitlyn disappeared down the corridor, out of sight. He hummed to himself, cupping his hand around his chin.

Dismissing the magic club for the weekend, Mr Penn trudged towards the back of the library. A grumble escaped him, as he heaved one of his plastic containers on top of a nearby chair. “Need a hand?” asked Robin, appearing at Mr Penn’s side.

“Thanks,” Mr Penn chuckled. “You really do appear like magic, don’t ya?” Robin smirked, with a shrug. “I do appreciate it,” Mr Penn told him. “My knees aren’t what they used t’ be.”

“No worries, Sir,” smiled Robin. “I’m happy to help.”

With Mr Penn out of earshot, Bert glanced around at the remaining Naeniam Exponentia members. Excluding himself and Robin, seven students lingered around the library. Sat on the edge of her chair, Ariel had her head in a book. A smirk poked into the corner of Bert’s mouth, as he watched her, captivated. ‘Focus,’ he warned himself, flinching. ‘You can talk to Ariel later,’ he told himself. Caleb, Reuben and Beth swung their bags onto their shoulders, as they conversed at the opposite end of the table. ‘Just the three I wanted to talk to,’ Bert mused, as Pete, Oscar and Fabian remained. Perching himself on the edge of the table, where Caitlyn had been sitting, Bert called out the boys’ names, “Pete, Oscar, Fabian.”

“Yeah, Bert?” replied Pete and Fabian, turning around to face him.

“What’s up?” Oscar asked, as he arched his head over his shoulder.

“Can you three do me a favour?” Bert asked. Resting his right ankle on his left knee, Bert leant closer towards the boys, lowering his voice. “Can you keep an eye on Caitlyn for me?”

“Sure,” muttered Pete, with a shrug.

“Why?” asked Ariel, appearing at his side.

“Why?” Bert repeated, with a frown, flustered by Ariel’s arrival. “I erm… I just want to make sure she joins the club, that’s all,” he told them, running a hand across the back of his neck. Fabian shot him a glare. “Look,” Bert sighed. “I’m just worried about her, that’s all,” he confessed, as his shoulders deflated. “Caitlyn seems to be struggling with school and I’d hate for her to miss out on something she clearly enjoys,” he told them, with a shrug.

“That’s fine,” Oscar told him. “Year seven share loadsa breaks with year eight. If we spot her, we’ll tell her you said hi.”

“Why them?” pouted Ariel, tugging on Bert’s sleeve. “I really like Caitlyn. She seems nice. Can’t I look out for her too?”

“Of course,” Bert smiled, hooking an arm around Ariel’s shoulder. “Can I entrust the four of you with this?” he asked, arching his head from Ariel on his left, to the boys on his right. “If she changes her mind about Naeniam Exponentia, let me know.” The boys nodded.

“And why do they get the special job?” asked Beth, placing her hands on her hips, as she appeared behind Fabian.

“Beth,” Bert chuckled. “You frown upon people making friends outside of their year group, despite doing it yourself, and you’re jealous of anyone who goes near your boyfriend. Why would you want me t’ even ask you to look out for a year seven – especially a girl?”

“Alright, you have a point,” Beth huffed. “I’m not worried about her getting’ her hands on Caleb though,” she told them, as Caleb and his friend appeared beside her. “Why not ask Reuben, though?”

“One, no offence Reuben, but you’re kinda shy and I wouldn’t expect you to go out of your way to introduce yourself to her,” Bert explained, with a shrug. “And two, by asking Reuben to look out for her that would mean Caleb’s likely to be involved too. I was only looking out for you, Beth. I didn’t want you getting jealous and go scaring Caitlyn away.”

“Fine,” Beth grumbled, folding her arms. “Whatever. What about Shorty, over there?” she asked, nudging her head towards Robin, who was still assisting Mr Penn.

“Let’s keep this our little secret for now,” he told the group, glancing over his shoulder towards Robin and his mentor. “It’s best we keep Robin outta this,” Bert said, looking from Caleb, to Reuben, to Oscar, Pete and Ariel, making sure he skipped locking eyes with Fabian. “I’ve already got enough on my plate with him,” Bert muttered, prodding a thumb over his shoulder, in Robin’s direction. “Besides,” he added with a shrug. “He blabs everything to Penn, like he’s his little assistant or something. I don’t want that. I don’t think Caitlyn would either. Let’s just keep this between ourselves, okay?”

“Okay,” muttered Beth, with a shrug.

“Sure,” Caleb replied. Reuben nodded beside him.

“Okay,” Pete, Oscar and Fabian agreed.

“Fine by me,” added Ariel. “If that’s what’s best for Caitlyn.”

“It is,” Bert told them, with a nod. “Right!” he projected, as he leapt off the table. Stretching his arms out over his head, Bert said, “Have a nice weekend guys. See you next week.”

“Yeah,” they all agreed.

“See you next week,” Beth called, as she led the way out of the library.

“See you next week,” Caleb and Reuben echoed, following after her.

Grabbing their bags, Pete, Oscar and Fabian waved goodbye to their friends and trudged towards the library entrance. Striding after them, Bert placed a hand on the blond boy’s shoulder. Peering his head over his shoulder, the boy’s expression hardened to a stern glare. He tugged his shoulder out from Bert’s grip and turned around to face him. “Watch out for her,” Bert whispered. Silence passed between them. Unspoken conversation carried through their glares. The blond nodded.

“I’m doing this for her, not you,” Fabian warned him. A smirk prodded into the corner of Bert’s mouth.

“I see you’ve taken an interest in her too,” mused Bert. “Magic’s a powerful thing.” Fabian snarled his nose, shaking his head.

“She’s not a trophy,” Fabian growled, deep and low, in hopes no one else would hear him. “I won’t let you control her.”

“And I won’t,” warned Bert. “She has free will, just like you do.” The two stared at each other, once more. Dropping his gaze, Fabian’s expression softened. Bert’s smirk returned. “Protect her,” whispered Bert.

“I will,” Fabian nodded.

“Ber-ert!” Ariel sang, as she appeared at Bert’s side, tugging on his left arm. “Are you gonna walk me to the bus stop?” she asked. With her bulging bag looped over her shoulder, Ariel held a stack of books in her left arm.

“Sure,” Bert smiled at her, resting a hand to the hollow of her back. “See you next week, Fabian,” Bert added, turning to the blond with a smile. Pinching in his lips, Fabian nodded back.

“See you, Ariel,” Fabian muttered, with a nod. “Bert,” he added, nodding towards Bert.

 

*

 

Caitlyn remained silent, deep in her thoughts, as she and Jay exited the school. Pressing her palms together, she slid her thumbs underneath her chin, resting the tip of her nose against her forefingers and hummed. ‘If I keep thinking about it, I’m going to drive myself mad,’ Caitlyn sighed, in defeat. ‘I’ll just have to be more alert next time,’ she warned herself, with a slow exhale.

Dropping her arms to her sides, Caitlyn looked towards Jay, as they trudged up the hill, exiting the crescent that their school was on. “Sorry I’ve been quiet,” she told him.

“It’s okay,” Jay replied, with a shrug.

“I was deep in thought. So, did you have fun in music?” she asked, as they waited to cross over the road. An engine rumbled, as the car slowed down. The driver waved a hand towards them, allowing them to cross. Jay and Caitlyn held up a hand, thanking the car, as they raced to the other side of the road.

“Music was great!” Jay told her. “Me and Rajinder joined the jazz band, with Will. We get to practise, like a proper big orchestra.” The excitement in his voice caused Caitlyn to grin from ear to ear. “Each instrument gets their own part to learn, and we all come together to perform a big concert at Christmas. I’m so excited,” he buzzed. “Will’s mate, Lee, said he’ll teach me how to play bass too, if I want. How cool is that?” Caitlyn could not help but giggle, at Jay’s enthusiasm. Her heart drummed with warmth.

“It’s great to see you this happy,” she beamed. “I… you… I like seeing you like this,” stuttered Caitlyn, speechless at Jay’s transformation. A swirl spiralled in her stomach, as memories of Jay’s sunken posture and glum expression, from earlier in the week, fluttered to the front of her mind.

Gazing back at her best friend, Caitlyn’s grin grew. “Seeing you like this makes me so happy.”

“Thanks,” grinned Jay. “So, how was the library?” he asked, with a puckered brow. “Sorry, guess it was kinda boring.”

“Actually, it was really fun,” Caitlyn told him.

“Fun?” frowned Jay. “Since when do you love reading?”

“Well, I like books, when I can find a story I like,” she told him. “Even if it takes me forever to read it. I found this really cool looking, old book about a masked detective. It hadn’t been taken out of the library in eleven years. Can you believe it? It had just been sitting there, at the back of the shelf all this time – well, I’m guessing it was,” she added, with a giggle. Jay smirked at her. “Then, I saw Mr Penn and he was holding a club in the library. He teaches card tricks and there’re these things called Frandadis fruits that do… well, magic. He mixed them together, like he was making a potion or something. He made this girl’s duck necklace come to life and quack, like, he literally transformed from a piece of rubbery plastic into a real duck, for, like, five seconds, before it changed back. It was so cool!” Caitlyn gasped for air, having explained most of her story in one breath. “They let me sit and watch them. I wish you’d have been there.”

“I thought you said you weren’t interested in joining a club,” Jay grumbled. Caitlyn’s lips parted. Her heart dropped to her stomach.

“Er-er, I, I wasn’t,” she stuttered. Seeping in a shaky breath, Caitlyn folded her arms tight at her chest. ‘Why’s he annoyed with me?’ she worried. ‘Did I say something wrong? I thought he’d be happy for me… I’ve finally found something that I like about school.’

Taking in a slow steady breath, Caitlyn tried to clear her thoughts. ‘Stop being negative,’ she warned herself, inhaling a long, slow breath. ‘Positivity is contagious,’ she remembered. With her smile back on her face, Caitlyn told Jay, “Mr Penn’s club was so much fun. No one mentioned that our school has a magic club that teaches you cool card tricks. You should see Mr Penn shuffle a deck of cards,” Caitlyn told Jay, with a chuckle. “His fingers are like an octopus. He divided a deck of cards into several piles using just his fingers. That on its own was cool enough.” Twiddling her fingers around her studded earring, Caitlyn went on, “But then the colourful fruits… they were like something from another world. They literally changed things into other things. One group of boys turned a pencil into a snake and made it slither around the table. It was amazing,” she beamed. “I wish you could have seen it. Bert asked me if I’d consider joining them on Tuesday.”

“Look, Caitlyn,” Jay sighed. “I didn’t wanna have t’ tell you this, but you need to watch out for that guy?”

“What guy?” murmured Caitlyn, with a frown. “Mr Penn? Bert?”

“The whole group,” Jay warned her. “Will says they’re trouble. You don’t wanna get yourselves mixed in with their lot.”

“What?” Caitlyn exclaimed. “Jay… you’re not making any sense,” she said, with a worrying tremble to her voice. “You’re telling me, you already knew that Mr Penn held a secret club in the library, where he teaches magic tricks and Will told you to stay away from them because… why? Are they going to turn all of the classroom door handles into rubber and someone’s going to point and laugh at you when you can’t open the door?” asked Caitlyn, with a nervous chuckle. Jay scowled at her. “I’m sorry, but I don’t understand. Jay you didn’t even know about this club until I told you, a few seconds ago,” she cried. Her chest grew tight. Her bottom lip trembled. “What’s gotten into you?”

Caitlyn’s stomach churned. The raging traffic that surrounded them, blurred into a fuzz, as her mind raced. Her heart rapped in her ribcage. Her throat grew tight. “I thought you’d be happy for me,” she muttered, with trembling hands, dropping her sight to the pavement. “I found something I like,” she told him, her voice no more than a whisper. The swirling in her stomach made Caitlyn’s legs trembled. “I thought it seemed fun.”

“Yeah,” snarled Jay. “That’s what they want you to think. Look, just trust me. Don’t get yourself involved with their kind.”

“What?” Caitlyn gasped. “You can’t tell me who I can and can’t be friends with.”

“Caitlyn,” Jay sighed.

“No,” she cut him off. “I didn’t tell you that you couldn’t be friends with Kieran and Sean, even though I knew they were troublemakers,” she cried. Pain stabbed through her temple. She clenched her fists. “You can’t dictate to me who I can and can’t be friends with,” she raged. A nearby streetlamp flickered on, shuddering it’s light onto the street. “I can figure out the bad people for myself.”

“Whatever,” Jay muttered, with a shrug. Snarling his nose, he shot Caitlyn a glare. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

They continued their walk, along the main road and through the park, in silence. Fear bubbled in the pit of Caitlyn’s stomach. ‘That wasn’t Jay,’ she told herself. ‘No way was that Jay.’ Looping her thumbs beneath the straps of her backpack, Caitlyn squeezed her hands tight around the padding. Her nails daggered into her palms. ‘Did Will really warn him about Mr Penn’s club?’ she wondered. ‘He can’t have done. Bert did say some people don’t take well to Frandadis fruits… but that doesn’t feel like Will either – he and Jay are so similar. Neither of them are judgemental like that.’

She chewed the inside of her cheek, as her mind spiralled over what had happened. Lathering bubbled in her stomach. Her intestines knotted. ‘The future’s changed again,’ Caitlyn warned herself, as her lips parted. ‘That shudder I felt as I left the library… something’s caused Jay to react that way, but what or who… and why?’ Her mouth remained open, as creases lined her forehead. ‘I trust Bert,’ she told herself. ‘Despite his and Robin’s bickering. Nothing felt odd about anyone while I was there.’ Thinking back to her time in the library, Caitlyn squinted, as she racked her brain for any feeling of unease or discomfort she felt before Jay appeared. ‘Beth and Caleb seemed to be the only people that were a little unpleasant, but I didn’t feel uncomfortable around them. I think they were just wary of letting an outsider join the group,’ Caitlyn reasoned. ‘Could it be Mr Penn?’ she wondered. ‘Up until the magic tricks, I have felt there’s something strange about him… but I didn’t feel it the whole time I was there. Bert was right; Mr Penn may appear scary, but he’s a teddy bear, really.’

As they exited the park, Caitlyn’s shoulders sank. ‘I can’t fall out with Jay over something so silly,’ she told herself. ‘I don’t know what I’d do without him.’ Fluttering her eyes, Caitlyn inhaled a slow, deep breath. ‘I’ll just forget about Mr Penn’s club, for now,’ she told herself, as she exhaled. ‘Maybe, I can join later, if I can convince Jay there’s nothing to worry about. Maybe I could introduce him to them… once he’s had time to cool off about whatever this was.’

Having slowed her racing heart, Caitlyn blew out one final breath, before turning to Jay. “If it means so much to you,” Caitlyn murmured. “I won’t join Mr Penn’s club,” she told Jay, as she shook her head. The spiralling in her stomach slowed. “I’ll stay away from everyone I spoke to there. I promise,” she added, in a whisper. A fluttering tingled in her chest, as she hoped to see Jay’s smile return.

“Whatever,” grumbled Jay, with a shrug. A lump lodged in Caitlyn’s throat. The knot in her intestines squeezed tighter. Her mouth dropped open. A squeak remained stuck on the tip of her voice box. She forced a swallow. Drumming raged in her ribcage. Her chest trembled, as her breaths grew shallow and shaky.

Caitlyn remained silent. Stiffening her shoulders, she dropped her sight to the floor. Despite their disagreement, Jay remained at her side. Having retrieved a rustling packet of sweets from his backpack, Jay rummaged a hand inside. Caitlyn shifted her sight towards him. Swinging his hand out, he lobbed a sweet at the street sign. A clonk rang out, echoing in Caitlyn’s ears. “What did you do that for?” Caitlyn shrieked, as her brow darted up her forehead.

“What?” Jay growled. “Chill will ya.” He scowled at her. An icy shudder crept up Caitlyn’s spine. A gasp escaped her.

‘No!’ she cried. Her insides lathered. Her feet rooted to the spot. ‘I’ve never felt that around Jay before.’ Frozen, her lips parted as she stared at Jay’s back. Her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach.

- Josie -