“Today, Mia. I will tell you the story of the first day I met your grand-father.”
“Ooh. It’s a good one, Kiddo! Mind if I have a listen, too?”
“That would be nice, James!”
“Yes, please listen, Grandpa!”
“Good idea, Mia! That way I can hold her accountable for telling it right!”
Well, two days ago I left off with shutting myself in my Inn room and locking the door tight because I was being followed by these two random people that I had seen at the bus station. But those people hadn’t bothered me all night, and I couldn't stay in that room forever. I needed to continue my mission to harness magic. Also, I was viciously hungry and I needed supplies to build a little house for my brand new mouse friend that I made when I was terrifiedly trapped in my room the whole night.
Anyways, when I opened my door, I realized that I was wrong in assuming that I only had two followers. I had three. I looked down, and there in my threshold was this scrawny high school kid sitting crisscross-apple-sauce and staring up at me.
“Who are you?” I said to the stalker doorstep kid.
“I’m James Andrew Davis. At your service m’lady!”
“What are you doing there on the floor?”
“Just saving your life. No biggy.” He was cocky and egotistical and so annoying!
“What do you mean saving my life?”
“Well, I was walking home yesterday. I saw people following you, so I decided to sit outside your door to make sure you stayed safe overnight, and it was a good thing I did. Those two creeps kept checking your door to see if I was gone, so they could break into your room. Who are those people? Why are they after you?”
“I don’t have any kinda clue, but thanks anyway for protecting me. Not that I need protecting, but that was nice of you.”
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have things to do. It was a pleasure meeting you, Jem.”
“Woah, whoa, whoa, whoa! Where are you going?”
“None of your beeswax, Jem.”
“It’s James. And you Sunset, were a not nicer seeming from across the street.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be curt, but I’m hungry.”
“Oh, so Sunset gets hangry! See? We’re learning so much about each other already! Except, I still don’t know yer name.”
“Sorry! Can’t tell ya that. The last time I told my personal business to a stranger, they ended up stalking me.”
“But, Sunset. I’m kinda already stalking you.”
“If I tell ya that you’re walking in the opposite direction from a cafe, will you tell me your name?”
“Don’t need to. Ya already told me.”
“Dang. Well, there goes that plan. But can’t you trust me? I did stay up all night, trying to keep you safe.”
“Oh. Alright! Fine. My name is Ivy. And this is Quincy.”
“AH! Where did that mouse come from?”
“I found it in my room last night. I was lonely okay? And animals like me.”
“I guess it makes sense why this one does. It’s got the same feet as you. Tiny and white as porcelain. You do know, though that white-footed mice are known carriers of lyme disease, right? If you’re gonna keep that thing, yer gonna need to get rid of its ticks.”
“How do you know so much about mice?”
“I hate em. They’re terrifying. The things I’m terrified of, I research. Fear comes from lack of understanding.”
“So now you’re not scared of them anymore?”
“I still don’t like them anymore, but no. I wouldn’t say scared. C’mon, you seem like you’re in a hurry, so I’ll show you where to get Permethrin to treat your friend of ticks. You can get food there, too. That should save you some time.”
“Thanks… Hey, Jem?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t you have school today?”
“Don’t you?”
“Touché.”
“Oui, mon amour. Say, where are your parents, Ivy? Aren’t they worried?”
“Yeah, my mom called a whole bunch last night and this morning, but I told her I stayed at the library overnight by accident and then I told her I was going to school.”
“Did you run away?”
“Yeah. I have to save my dad.” (Then I told him the whole plan and story. Even though I didn’t know him that well and probably shouldn’t have.)
“WOW! SO YOU’RE A WITCH! SO COOL!”
“Shush! Not so loud!”
But it was too late. My two shadows had been secretly following me the whole time that Jem and I were talking. They now knew my whole plan, and what I needed then was to get to the hobbomak as soon as humanly possible, but I was hungry and oblivious and all I wanted was to get food and stay talking to my very first best friend. He promised to be loyal and help me through my journey, no matter what. He liked me after only twenty minutes. He was distracting, but he was the first person outside of my family to ever help me with anything. I wouldn’t give that up. That could be useful, I thought. I was right. But everything comes at a price. Jem was distraction, another person’s safety to worry about, another person’s feelings and emotions, another person’s meaning to me.