“So?” I heard as I walked through the gym door after I got off the bus. Luke was waiting for me inside the doorway, but to the side, so he couldn’t be accused of blocking it. I could tell he was excited and impatient for news.

“So what?” I teased him even as I motioned over to the bleachers and for him to follow and take a seat.

“So what happened?” He begged. We found a seat that was separate from the other students. I hoped the low drone of the other student's conversation would cover our discussion. I had a lot to tell him and more than a few questions I needed to ask.

“I’m not sure what I can tell you and what I should tell you.” I started to say as I looked at him earnestly. I nervously bit my lip, but before I could continue.

“Well, start at the beginning. Move on to the middle then tell me the end.” He said wringing his hands.

I sighed and looked at him before speaking. “It's not that easy. I mean the beginning sounds like a fairy tale, the middle sounds like a bad movie and we aren’t even close to the ending.’ I pondered a moment then began. I was thanking my new wisdom and the perks it gave me in relating information. I caught a motion out of the corner of my eye. Turning to it I spotted Caroline making her way up to is. As I waved over to her I looked first at her then over to Luke; the two would make a cute couple. “ Hey, I was just about to relate to Luke my evening.”

“I’m so excited to hear what your mom got you for your birthday. Oh, and how's your dad.” my friend said excitedly. That was one of the great things about Caroline, no matter how weird life got she always worried about the important things.

“Uhm, fine, and mom were a little too busy to shop for my birthday. But we had my favorite dinner.” I said. “Luke wants to know about the message.”

“Oh yeah, what happened with that?” Caroline said as if it wasn’t the biggest thing to happen to me ever.

“Well, I learned a lot. First, there is a type of system thing.”

“I knew it, Caroline.” Luke cried excitedly reaching out to take Caroline’s hand.

Both girls shushed him. “It’s called the Akashic field it is an energy field that connects everything living, dead and it contains all of the past knowledge.”

“Like the force,” Caroline asked drawing Luke's attention.

“Whoa, you know about the force?”

“Yes,” She hissed. “Rei is the worst Jedi ever. Now shush.” She said to him. “Let the girl talk.”

I sighed, having known my best friend's geek side for years. It looked like she might be able to give Luke a run for his money. “Back thousands of years ago the Atlanteans screwed something up and created rifts that allow monsters into this world.”

“Cool.” Both of them said then blinked and looked at each other before they both grinned at one another.

“Not so cool. They swore an oath to the Akashic library that they and all of their descendants would hunt down the monsters.”

“So your parents are hunters? I never knew your mom was so cool. I always thought she was a bookkeeper.” Caroline said thoughtfully.

“She is a bookkeeper and my dad is just a foreman,” Victoria said sighing. “Mom and dad are not my biological parents according to the library.”

“Wait, what?” Luke said and then looked around the suddenly emptying gym. “Hey, it’s homeroom.” Startled we each bolted out of the gym heading to different classrooms. I could see both my friends had thoughts of power. Caroline I’m sure was thinking of lightsabers, while Luke dreamed of mastering all the knowledge in the world. I traipsed to class, feeling all alone and with more than a touch of apprehension for what my new life would be like.

X X X

“Victoria, why is this place soo depressing?” I looked in horror at the small pixie hovering around Me. My eyes darted around the classroom hoping no one else had spotted the small beast as she flitted around examining objects in the room.

“What are you talking about?” I hissed between my teeth. “This is a school I’m learning.” I was certain Lacey had just given me the mother of all eye rolls. Look I know what you are thinking. Could it have been so bad that I was caught talking to a fairy at school? Well yes, who talks to fairy's crazy people and everyone still thought I was crazy because of this little monster when I was eight.

“None of these people want to be here, even the teachers don’t.” Using my new ability to read social cue’s I really looked at the students and teacher. Then up at the board.

“Yeah, it's fish stick Friday. No one wants to be here for that.” I said with a laugh.

The pixie looked at me suspiciously. Then she said deadpan. “It’s Tuesday.”

I leaned forward to whisper. “Because they taste like chicken.” I chuckled to myself. “Well, are you going to practice your spells here?”

“Not right now.” I said looking around once more. “But I will definitely be using detect poison at lunchtime.” I hissed.

“Hey, Toria.” Said a cheerful voice loudly into her ear. This was one of the other annoyances that were in my life but she had shown up when I was seven.

“What's wrong?”

I looked over to where it came from, her eyes narrowed. There was a cute blond pixie-haired girl standing there rocking on the balls of her feet her hands held behind her in parade rest. Her school uniform seemed to fit but it was subtly off in color, cut, and style. “Go Away,” I said and shut my eyes.

“What? Why?” The young girl asked puzzled.

“You’re not real. Go Away.” I was starting to grow angry and then I realized, no one else had seen the pixie and Lacie was real. Was my tormentor real also?was she telling the truth? Maybe I could get some truth from it. Maybe Lacie could see her.

“Of course I’m real. We’ve gone over this time and time again.”

My eyes opened wide and I glared at the blond girl. Then darted around to see who was looking at her. “If you’re real why is it no one else can ever see you?”

“Because I don’t want them to, DUH!” She rolled her eyes. “You know how it is when a guy starts incessantly hitting on you and asking for a date…” She looked at me with an appraising glance. “Well, maybe you don’t. But it is just so annoying I’d rather not have people looking at me like that.” I saw a flutter of Lacie’s wings behind her, there was a look of surprise or maybe it was shock on her face. “I’ve got to go.” the girl said as she ran off laughing.

“That bitch,” Lacie said as she glared after the girl. “I’m the only one that gets to make fun of you.”

I was thunderstruck. “You saw her?” I asked a note of hope and maybe a little bit of glee in my voice. “No one else has ever seen her.”

At that point, we both heard another voice. ”Mrs. Babbage I think Victoria is having another fit. She’s talking to herself.” Looking up I saw others looking at me including a few of the mean girls in school who were snickering. I know I should have felt embarrassed but I didn’t my invisible tormentor had been seen by the mysterious mean fairy that… I was so screwed.

“What? Of sorry, I was practicing a soliloquy for my AP English class.” I said looking confused. This was a lie I could get away with I was sure most of the other students were lucky to be on grade level much less in AP classes.

“That's alright Victoria.” The older teacher sighed. “I’m sure they are just concerned for you after the day you had yesterday.” She gave the group of girls a sour look. Then went back to reading her papers on the desk.

“How in the library did you get involved with a Mazikeen?” Lacie asked, there was a note of shock in her voice.

I shrugged then took out a piece of paper and began to write; Talk Later tell me everything about the !!! Then crumbled up the paper just as the bell began to ring. I felt like the period bell was toling my doom