by Anna Edwards
I’m a complete and utter bastard, and I will do it; I’ll set the entire school upon her and make her life a misery. She won’t be able to walk down the corridor without sarcastic comments being directed at her, and she’ll have her possessions broken and stolen. If she gets in my way, I’ll make sure every bullying tactic in the book is used against her until she’s on her knees crying.
Juniper’s shoulders slump, and she slouches down in her chair. “Go away, Jacobi, I’ve no intention of coming anywhere near you or your cronies. I want to be here as much as you want me here. I plan to do the bare minimum required to achieve my grades and get out of here at the end of the year. Now, just like you demand of me, pretend I don’t exist and get the hell out of my way so I can figure out this schedule and what work I need to catch up on. Believe me, I want to have as little to do with you as possible.”
Just like that I’m dismissed from the conversation. I know I’ll not get anything else out of Flake. She’s accepted my rules, and I can finally relax for the first time since I saw her. The problem with that is my body’s wound too tight.
Leaving the classroom without looking back, I head straight to the school’s running track. It’s empty for now, and I’m grateful. It’s my favourite place. I’ve always enjoyed running. Without thinking, I remove my jacket and jumper, and throwing them down on the dusty ground, I walk out onto the track. Taking a start position, I imagine the firing of a pistol in my head and begin running: slow, fast, changing speed as I make circle after circle of the track. I don’t know for how long I run, because I forget to keep a check on the time, but more importantly, I forget about Juniper being here. All’s right in my world again.
As I leave the school and walk back through the courtyard toward my room, I spot him on the running track. I knew he was there. I saw him through the window in the corridor, and I told myself I wouldn’t look. I’m sure there’s another route, a better route, to get me back to my new home, but I’ve always been a daredevil; it’s why we used to get along so well together.
I know I should be scared of Jacobi; I certainly made sure he thought I was, even going so far as to say hello to Taya in a submissive gesture. But the truth is, he still intrigues me, and I wish he didn’t, because as much as I’m curious about who he is now, I hate him, immensely.
“Hey, I heard you were back.” The familiar voice hits me as I turn the corner to my studio flat.
“Emmie,” I breathe her name out, almost shocked to see her, which is crazy because I was fully aware we would run into each other at some point.
She waves, it’s cute and a little unsure. “Your mum told my mum you were here.”
I stand still, and dropping my bags down, I grin outrageously with pure happiness at seeing my friend again. Like something out of a film, we both run at each other and hug, giggling and tearful.
“I missed you so much,” I whisper into her short, blueish hair.
“I missed you too,” she whimpers before pulling back, but not letting go.
We stare at each other, and I revel in the familiar roundness of her face, her cute button nose, and the scattering of freckles across her cheeks. She has grey eyes and shoulder-length, soft curls which are naturally blonde, but she’s dyed them for as long as she’s been allowed.
We let go, and she helps gather my bags.
“You want to come up to my new place?” I ask with a smile.
“Of course.” Her answer is immediate, and I realise it’s correct what they say: a true friend will always be a true friend, no matter the time passed between visits.
“Your place is pretty nice, snug, but nice,” Emmie offers, dropping my bags on the floor as we walk into my flat.
“Well, Daddy dearest wouldn’t want me to have anything too lavish, but it wouldn’t do for the fake princess to be seen in student halls.” My laugh is hollow and Emmie frowns.
“Things are bad between you and your dad then?”
“Things haven’t been good for years, you know that, Emmie.” I remind her, collecting all my bags and dropping them on the bed. “You wanna order pizza?”
Emmie wrinkles her nose, and I remember she hates pizza. I smile. “Indian?”
Her eyes alight. “Chicken curry, naan bread, basmati rice, and onion bhajis, please.”
I look at her small frame. She’s shorter than me by at least six inches at around five two and she’s a size ten when wet, possibly a size twelve when she’s layered up in the winter. I’ve no idea where she stores her food, but she’s always had a big appetite. It must be her metabolism, if only mine were as fast.
Grabbing my phone, I glance at Emmie. “Still the Taste of Asia?”
She smiles. “The only place I’d get my curry from.”
I open my phone, pleased when I see they have an app for ordering.
“Okay, I’ve placed the order. Delivery will be in thirty minutes. Help me put all this stuff away?”
Emmie nods, and we get to work unpacking the bags from my shopping spree.
“Phew, I’m exhausted.” Emmie complains, dropping into the armchair.
I glance over my shoulder at her and roll my eyes as I finally manage to wrestle the new cover I bought onto my duvet.
The buzzer rings for my door, and I look back to Emmie. “Get that please. My purse is on the side.”
She groans loudly but drags herself up from the chair, and I listen as she opens the door and trudges downstairs to the entryway to get our food. I’m just putting the last pillowcase on as she gets back inside and starts unloading the food onto the measly kitchen worktop I have.
“Ugh, what have you ordered yourself?” Emmie asks.
“Sag aloo and tandoori chicken.”
“So basically, nothing with fat or flavour.”
“Hey, tandoori chicken has flavour.”
“I’ll think of you as I dip my naan into my chicken curry sauce.”
“We can’t all have your figure,” I state, crossing my arms. “Some of us have to be careful with what we eat.”
“You’re what, a twelve-”
“More like a fourteen,” I cut her off.
“And also five eight. You totally pull it off. Guys want tits and arse.”
“Oh please,” I shake my head and snort at the ridiculousness, “no they don’t.”
Emmie starts to open her mouth again, but I shut her up with my hand and she huffs.
“Emmie, honestly, I have no hang ups about my weight. I know I’m not overweight. I eat what I want and try to maintain how I look rather than change it, but I’ve already had two takeaways this week.” I shrug, hoping she understands why I’ve chosen a healthier option today. “Let’s just have something nice to eat and catch up,” I semi order, and when her shoulders drop, I know she’s given in.
“So, have you seen anyone else?” she asks when we’re tidying up after dinner.
“I bumped into Jacobi and Taya,” I tell her.
“Lucky you.” Her sarcastic lilt makes me smile.
“Still not their biggest fan, then?”
She shrugs, “I used to like him, you know, before.” She spares me a quick glance, then looks down to her hands as she twists her fingers around each other. “Taya changed him, or maybe… I don’t know, maybe other things did.”
I want to get away from this subject. “So, any interesting boys in your class this year?”
Her cheeks flush, and suddenly I'm all ears.
“James, he’s a new guy, but I don’t think he’s noticed me, not outside the classroom anyway.”
Her whole posture is slumped and sad, and I wonder how life has treated her while I’ve been gone. When I moved away with my mum, I didn’t think about this place, or more accurately, I tried to erase this place from my mind, and in doing that, I also blocked out my friend and left her to the wolves.
Placing my hand over hers, she startles as her eyes meet mine.
“I’m not sorry I left,” I tell her, “but I will always be sorry I didn’t keep in to
uch with you.” Tears well in her eyes, and I feel like the worst friend ever. “I never stopped considering you as a friend, not like you think I did, I just needed to block this place out, which meant everyone…” I sigh, knowing no matter what I say, it will never make up for the way I treated my best friend. “But still, I should never have blocked you out. I know now I should have explained that I needed time. I could’ve even written a letter, not left you hanging, wondering why I ditched you. I’m sorry, Emmie, really, really sorry.”
She leans forward and grabs my shoulders, pulling me in for a hug, and I vow to myself, I won’t be that friend again. Not to her.
“Come on, enough with the heavy,” she says, looking at her watch. “Let’s go to the arcade.”
I look at my own watch and see it’s still early. “Okay, why not. We’ll finish this food, and I’ll go and get changed,” I respond, pointing at the stain on my top.
Giving myself a once over in the mirror, I’m happy with my black jeans, black UGG boots, and my black, cropped Calvin Klein hoodie. I comb my fingers through my long, grey hair which I should brush, but I can’t be bothered, and I coat my lips with a light red gloss.
“Ready,” I tell Emmie.
“Are you wearing enough black?” she asks sarcastically. I raise an eyebrow and open a drawer, pulling out a black beanie which I slip on my head. She rolls her eyes and threads her arm through mine. “Come on,”
The sound and lights hit me first, then the smell of hot dogs and burgers. I realise I’ve missed this place. We used to hang out here all the time when there was a group of us, before things changed and before I left. This place was our home away from home.
“Nigel still works here.” Emmie tells me. “He still talks about you, the girl with the grey hair.”
“Yeah, well if he was allowed to know about witches, my hair wouldn’t seem that odd,” I reply.
“Awesome.”
I glance down at her as we approach the entry doors. “Huh?”
“Awesome,” she repeats and nods towards my head. “Your hair is awesome.”
“So’s yours,” I state, nodding back towards hers.
She fiddles with her curls. “Yeah, but mine’s all fabricated.”
I pull her to a stop. “Women don’t want grey hair, Emmie. They pay a lot of money to have it dyed when it starts going that way.”
“Urm, no. Women pay a lot of money to have their white hair covered. They call it grey, but it never is. Haven’t you ever noticed that?” She doesn’t give me a chance to respond before carrying on her tirade. “Your hair is beautiful, and it’s silver,” she states. “Plus, it’s long and thick. Hell, you had this look even before it became fashionable. Now everyone want’s grey and silver hair.”
I chuckle at her and squeeze her cheeks. “Love you, Emmie.”
She smiles at me. “Come on, nutcase, let’s go play some games.”
A few minutes later, we’ve changed up some notes for coins, and we’re ready to go. It’s only when we turn the corner, heading towards the pool tables we spot Taya and Jacobi with the rest of their crowd, and they’re staring straight at us.
It’s strange. I could sense her walking into the arcade before I even saw her mop of grey hair through the sea of people. My nostrils flare with the anticipation of her being here, my shoulders tensing as I take my shot and send the cue ball flying over the edge of the pool table and thumping down onto the floor. She’s already causing me trouble, despite the fact I told her to stay away. I need to put a stop to this.
Dropping my cue onto the table and conceding the game, I pull Taya to me, her body flush against mine, and devour her mouth. A couple of the people around us whistle at the display of public affection. Backing Taya farther over the pool table, I kiss her harder and harder before pulling her up and letting her go.
She stands in front of me, silent, with shining eyes. “What was that for?”
I shrug my shoulders nonchalantly. “No reason, just because I can, and you look hot tonight.”
She does look hot. Taya wears her clothes like a second skin; they cling to all her curves. Juniper is all dressed in black, but Taya is wearing a bright pink skirt, barely covering her backside. Her top is white and declares her a ‘Princess of Brooklyn’ which is a place I happen to know she’s never been.
“In that case, you can do it whenever you want,” Taya responds.
“Don’t worry I plan to and a lot more,” I tell her.
I kiss Taya again before pulling away and peering over my shoulder at where Juniper’s standing. Her eyes are wide, staring in shock at my public display of affection. I place my hand on Taya’s backside and give it a little smack. Juniper looks down, anywhere but at me.
Leaning in to Taya, I whisper into her ear, “It seems we have interlopers who shouldn’t be here.” I nod towards Juniper and her equally annoying friend Emmie. “Why don’t you show them just what happens to people who enter our kingdom uninvited. We may have to tolerate them at Caspian, but in here the rules are different.”
“I can’t think of a better evening’s entertainment,” Taya smirks.
Taya calls two of her friends over. They’re carbon copies of my girlfriend in their short skirts and matching idiotic tops from countries and places they haven’t been. The three of them strut purposefully over to Juniper and Emmie while I sit on the edge of pool table and watch intently at what’s about to unfold.
A flash of guilt hits me, but I suppress it. I can’t allow Juniper to beat me. I have to win against her. I have to come out on top when it comes to her. She’s nothing to me but gum on the bottom of my shoe, destined to be ground into the harsh surface of concrete until she’s nothing.
“What are you up to?” my friend Lucas questions, appearing at my side.
“Nothing,” I respond with a smirk, just as the girls reach where Juniper and Emmie are sitting.
The entire arcade falls silent, ready to watch the show.
“Hello, Juniper.” Taya takes a strand of her blonde hair and twists it around her finger.
Juniper looks up from her drink with annoyance crossing her face. “Hi, Taya. How can I help you?”
“You can take your food and drink and leave.” Taya smiles politely, her glittering white teeth shining through the slightly smudged red lipstick around her mouth. She looks like she’s just been thoroughly kissed.
“What?” Juniper looks across to her friend who shrugs her shoulders. “As far as I’m aware, there are no rules about who can and can’t come in here for entertainment. I checked the door before I walked in,” Juniper replies, sarcasm lacing her tone.
Taya tosses the strand of hair she’s been playing with over her shoulder and sighs heavily. “They aren’t written rules, but they are known rules by everyone with half a brain. So I suggest you get up and leave before we have to take matters into our own hands and throw you out.”
“Give it a rest, Taya,” Emmie interrupts. “We’re not going to interfere with you and your little gang of idiots. We’re here to have a drink and play on a few machines. Go back to them and do whatever it is you do best.”
“You stay out of this. You have permission to come here at the moment, but it can easily be revoked,” one of the other girls next to Taya snarls at Juniper’s only friend.
I reach across to the table beside me and retrieve my drink. Bringing it up to my lips, I take a mouthful of lemonade. It’s mixed with a little special touch of my own I added when out of view of the owner of this place. An elixir that gives a natural high. There’s no need for alcohol when you have magic at your fingertips.
“God, who died and made you lot in control of this place. Get lost,” Emmie continues and then returns to her drink.
“Not until you leave,” Taya snarls, her hands placed on her curvy hips.
“We will finish our drinks and then go,” Juniper responds.
She looks angry. I can see the rosy tint to her cheeks. Taya flicks her finger in the air, casting a magical spell
of displacement, and Juniper’s drink falls over and spills into her lap. A smirk crosses my face. She should’ve left without arguing. Taya’s the queen of the school both in it and outside. She commands respect, which is the reason I set her on Juniper.
“What the hell?” Juniper is up on her feet and cursing Taya. “Why did you do that?”
“Because you disobeyed an order.” Taya’s reply is matter of fact and full of meaning. There’ll be more sanctions should Juniper not leave at once.
“I can’t believe I was ever friends with you,” Juniper retorts as she grabs paper towels from the table in front of her and proceeds to try and remove some of the moisture from her clothes.
Emmie pushes out of her seat, and barging into Taya and the two guards either side of her, she says, “Just leave us alone, Taya.”
“Not until you leave.” Taya remains determined. Another flick of her wrist and a bottle of ketchup magically squirts itself all over Juniper’s hoodie.
“Stop it,” my nemesis cries, tears fill her eyes, but I also see the anger behind them. She won’t go down without a fight.
Juniper flicks her wrist this time, and a squirt of ketchup makes its way onto the front of Taya’s t-shirt, covering some of the words so now she loves ‘Lyn’ apparently.
We’re not supposed to do magic out of school, and here in the arcade there are normal people, humans, not supernaturals like us. However, I know the crowd around the girls are all supernatural. Thankfully, the humans think we’re strange and avoid us.
“You’ll pay for that.” Taya lunges at Juniper. She grabs a handful of her grey hair, and tugging hard on it, she pulls out a large clump before forming a fist and smacking it hard into Juniper’s face. “Get out. You’re a no one, Juniper. You ruined any chance of being someone when you were here last time. You’re a joke now. No one will talk to you or help you without our approval. You’ll be an outcast forever. You might as well crawl back under whatever rock it was your father dragged you out from. Go back to slumming it with your mother.”