gave her ‘a good plucking’ first. She could be really witty; I liked her so much when she was in this mood. Unfortunately there was a really good chance it wasn’t gonna last.
In my capacity of peacemaker, I took it on myself to convince Erik to volunteer as well. Not making flowers, I hasten to add; he was trying to reinstate his geek status, but that would have been taking it too far! To say Kacey wasn’t pleased to see him could easily have been described as an understatement.
‘Hi, Kace, how you doing?’
Erik seemed really uncomfortable; it was clear he was only doing this to please me.
Kacey didn’t respond. She just threw me a look that would curdle cream and turned back to what she was working on.
‘So what have they got you doing?’ I said trying to lighten the mood.
‘Well, I offered to help paint the float but the jocks figured the brushes might be a bit heavy for me.’
Erik grinned – it was so endearing.
The jock squad had seen what he’d done on the Wall yesterday but they just couldn’t get past his geek image.
‘Well you should have thrown a can of paint at them. In fact, if you still want to I’ll come help you pick it up. I wouldn’t want you to sprain yourself,’ I teased.
Erik nudged me lightly on the arm; ‘look’ he motioned, nodding toward Kacey.
‘Something funny, Kacey?’
She turned to look at me, clearly stifling a smile.
‘Just the thought of geek boy here trying to take the lid of a tin of paint. Pains me, it really does.’
The laughter and smiles were genuine now; probably for the first time in a very long time.
‘Come on, I think we’ve done enough for one day.’
I was happy to help out but I wanted to get some time alone with Erik too.
We cleared away the materials, put the completed flowers neatly into a box, and left everything out of the way at the side of the hall. No doubt we’d have to do some more tomorrow but for now it was time to go.
As we left the hall and made our way out to the parking lot we passed by the jocks.
‘Hey, Zauber,’ called out one. ‘Let us know when you finish with her and we’ll come show her how it’s supposed to be done.’
‘Why is it some people never learn?’ Erik said quietly.
I had a hold of his hand and I could feel him tensing up. I could feel his anger.
‘Ignore them, Erik. Please. Just ignore them.’ I tugged lightly at his jacket. ‘Come on. Let’s go. You have nothing to prove. We both know that.’
He nodded reluctantly but I knew he didn’t want to back down.
We would be about halfway across the grass toward the parking lot when Erik suddenly stopped.
‘Watch.’ He smiled.
He turned toward the jocks who were still slapping themselves on the back for how amusing they were. Lifting his left hand just slightly, barely noticeable really, he stood completely motionless. He had a look on his face I hadn’t seen before; it was like he was no longer there. I wanted to say something to him but I feared if he lost concentration he might break. I turned from him to the jocks. All of a sudden, without any warning or explanation, an unopened can of paint suddenly blew open like a fizzed-up can of Coke. The contents, bright yellow, burst like a mini explosion, spewing over everyone within ten feet. Funnily enough though, the only people within ten feet were the jocks.
‘Erik!’ I squealed playfully. ‘That was so cool!’
That was the first time I’d actually been impressed with his magic. There was no way anyone could link it to him. We were clear across the field, they were no longer looking in our direction, and were just so angry about being covered in paint they didn’t give us a second thought. I knew Erik shouldn’t practise, not even minor spells, but that was just so, well, so karma.
‘Not a word when you meet my dad. OK?’
‘Meet your dad? When?’
I know I’d hoped to meet his family but having Erik actually say it out loud was more daunting than I thought it would be.
In my capacity of peacemaker, I took it on myself to convince Erik to volunteer as well. Not making flowers, I hasten to add; he was trying to reinstate his geek status, but that would have been taking it too far! To say Kacey wasn’t pleased to see him could easily have been described as an understatement.
‘Hi, Kace, how you doing?’
Erik seemed really uncomfortable; it was clear he was only doing this to please me.
Kacey didn’t respond. She just threw me a look that would curdle cream and turned back to what she was working on.
‘So what have they got you doing?’ I said trying to lighten the mood.
‘Well, I offered to help paint the float but the jocks figured the brushes might be a bit heavy for me.’
Erik grinned – it was so endearing.
The jock squad had seen what he’d done on the Wall yesterday but they just couldn’t get past his geek image.
‘Well you should have thrown a can of paint at them. In fact, if you still want to I’ll come help you pick it up. I wouldn’t want you to sprain yourself,’ I teased.
Erik nudged me lightly on the arm; ‘look’ he motioned, nodding toward Kacey.
‘Something funny, Kacey?’
She turned to look at me, clearly stifling a smile.
‘Just the thought of geek boy here trying to take the lid of a tin of paint. Pains me, it really does.’
The laughter and smiles were genuine now; probably for the first time in a very long time.
‘Come on, I think we’ve done enough for one day.’
I was happy to help out but I wanted to get some time alone with Erik too.
We cleared away the materials, put the completed flowers neatly into a box, and left everything out of the way at the side of the hall. No doubt we’d have to do some more tomorrow but for now it was time to go.
As we left the hall and made our way out to the parking lot we passed by the jocks.
‘Hey, Zauber,’ called out one. ‘Let us know when you finish with her and we’ll come show her how it’s supposed to be done.’
‘Why is it some people never learn?’ Erik said quietly.
I had a hold of his hand and I could feel him tensing up. I could feel his anger.
‘Ignore them, Erik. Please. Just ignore them.’ I tugged lightly at his jacket. ‘Come on. Let’s go. You have nothing to prove. We both know that.’
He nodded reluctantly but I knew he didn’t want to back down.
We would be about halfway across the grass toward the parking lot when Erik suddenly stopped.
‘Watch.’ He smiled.
He turned toward the jocks who were still slapping themselves on the back for how amusing they were. Lifting his left hand just slightly, barely noticeable really, he stood completely motionless. He had a look on his face I hadn’t seen before; it was like he was no longer there. I wanted to say something to him but I feared if he lost concentration he might break. I turned from him to the jocks. All of a sudden, without any warning or explanation, an unopened can of paint suddenly blew open like a fizzed-up can of Coke. The contents, bright yellow, burst like a mini explosion, spewing over everyone within ten feet. Funnily enough though, the only people within ten feet were the jocks.
‘Erik!’ I squealed playfully. ‘That was so cool!’
That was the first time I’d actually been impressed with his magic. There was no way anyone could link it to him. We were clear across the field, they were no longer looking in our direction, and were just so angry about being covered in paint they didn’t give us a second thought. I knew Erik shouldn’t practise, not even minor spells, but that was just so, well, so karma.
‘Not a word when you meet my dad. OK?’
‘Meet your dad? When?’
I know I’d hoped to meet his family but having Erik actually say it out loud was more daunting than I thought it would be.
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