The Mystics Chapter 2

“Tell me again why riding with me and my mom is better than getting a ride from your sister?” Alvin asked as he wiped that days slobber from his cheek.

      “Trust me I’d take mini vans over boy bands any day,” Reed replied as the two of them made their way to the front of the building from the parking lot.

      “You could have just had your girlfriend pick you up.”

      “I told you she’s not my girlfriend. She’s just an old friend. Besides I didn't even text her.”

      “What, why not?”

      “Because, I didn't know what to say, and I didn't want to look like an idiot,” Reed said.

      “So you chose to give her the cold shoulder. Smooth.”

      “She’s different then I remember. Not bad different, just different. It would have been awkward.”

      “So you’re just not going to talk to her again. She clearly likes you; she was all over you yesterday. Even I know that was something.”

      Reed’s face burned at the thought. They dropped the subject when they were both distracted by the sound of blaring music. They turned to watch as a black Rolls-Royce pulled up looking like it had just rolled out of a Scott Fitzgerald novel and into the school parking lot. The driver emerged looking like something out of a movie as her dress and hair blew perfectly in the wind. Alexis had everyone’s attention as she walked in seemingly slow motion from her car with a fit little smirk formed on her lips. The crowds gaze followed her as she walked to where Reed and Alvin were standing and pulled Reed into a tight kiss. When she pulled away Reed was left with his mouth hanging open. Before he could formulate a thought she grabbed both of them by the hand and pulled them off toward the school saying “Come on, you guys promised me a tour didn't you?”

      Alvin looked over at Reed and raised his eyebrows.

      “I swear she’s not my girlfriend,” Reed claimed. But even he was confused.

* * *

      Reed sat at their usual lunch table picking at his food while Alvin scarfed down his meal. He absent mindedly scanned the cafeteria, looking for a familiar face. After the two of them showed Alexis to her first class they hadn't seen her since, but they heard plenty of gossip about her. The events of the morning had not gone unnoticed and talk of the new girl had spread throughout the school by the end of first block.

      Alexis wasn't the only person getting recognized however. Reed had noticed more than a few looks thrown his in the halls. Normally a complete nobody, he couldn't help feeling a bit proud of this new status. One guy had even given him a congratulatory fist bump as he was on his way to math class. Even if he wasn’t sure what the kiss had meant no one else had to know that.

      Reed was pushing some peas around his tray when he looked up and spotted Alexis walking their direction alongside another girl. He recognized her as Christina Grant. She and Alexis had been friends in middle school and the three of them had hung out on occasion.

      “Hey you guys,” Alexis said as the girls sat down across from them. “Reed, I’m sure you remember Christina. And Christina this is…”

      “Alvin Schmidt,” Christina finished for her. “I know who he is. He spent freshman year copying off of me in math class.” There was a twinge of annoyance in the last sentence.

      “Don’t say it like that baby, I offered you something in return,” Alvin defended.

      Christina shuddered. “Trust me that would not have made it better.”

      Alvin didn’t let the rejection affect his confidence. Instead he just winked at her and said, “Well if you change your mind the offers still on the table.”

      Christina rolled her eyes but didn’t get a chance to offer a retort when Tiffany and her crew came and hovered over their table.

      “Can we help you Tiffany?” Reed asked calmly.

      “We just came over to welcome Alexis back,” she replied.

      “Really?” Alexis questioned. “Because if I remember correctly you didn’t want me around much before.”

      Reed watched the interactions between the two of them with curiosity. Alexis had always been good at taking on girls like Tiffany despite the fact she’d never really been much of a popular girl. When he had asked how she managed to be so brave against them she simply replied that she didn’t care what they thought of her, so nothing they said could get under her skin.

      Tiffany put on a phony smile and said, “Yes, well, I don’t see any reason why we can’t just put that aside and start over.

      “If you say so,” Alexis replied, not buying into her crap.

      “Great,” Tiffany said. “I hope you don’t mind if we skip the welcome kiss. We’ve got a cheer tournament in a couple of weeks and we don’t want to catch anything.”

      Her backup girls snickered at the joke. Alexis just forced a sarcastic smile and said, “You know Tiffany, now that I think about it, there are a couple of reasons why you and I can’t start over.”

      Tiffany’s expression changed completely a she narrowed her eyes at her and tried to think of something to say. Before she got a chance one of her friends tapped her on the arm. “Um, Tiffany?”

      “What?” She snapped.

      The girl nodded her head the direction of Tiffany’s lunch tray, where her packet of fat-free salad dressing appeared to be bubbling. She stared at it in confusion right as it exploded it all over her face. The two other girls screamed in shock which got the attention of the rest of the lunch room. A couple started laughing as Tiffany stood there drenched in blue cheese dressing.

      “You’ll pay for this Fabulis,” she claimed before starting to storm out.

      “Wait, Tiffany?” Reed called after her.

      She spun around. “What?” She barked.

      He pointed to a spot on his own face and said, “You’ve got a little something right there.”

      She narrowed her eyes at him and rushed out of the cafeteria.

      The group of four looked at each other for a moment, suppressing smiles before inevitably cracking up.

* * *

      “What’s that on your arm?”

      Reed looked up from the piece of pizza he was working on at Natalie’s question. His mom was working late so per usual his dad, sister, and he were seat around a carry-out meal.

      “What?” He asked, spraying her with bits of semi-digested pepperoni.

      She cringed and wiped her face before replying, “Right there. The writing.”

      He looked down at where Alexis had written her phone number. It had fade slightly from showering, but he hadn’t washed it away completely despite the fact he’d put it in his phone. “A number,” he explained non-specifically.

      Natalie rolled her eyes. “I see that, but who’s?”

      “A friend’s.”

      “A girl friend’s?” His father piped in. Reed simply shrugged but his dad seemed to get the message and responded with, “Don’t let your mother see it.”

      Reed finished his slice before getting up and announcing he was going to bed.

      “Really?” Natalie inquired. “It’s only 9:30.”

      “Another way of looking at it is it’s 9:30 and we’re just finishing dinner. Goodnight.”

      Reed trudged upstairs and collapsed on his bed. He stared at his ceiling before absent-mindedly grabbing his phone and pulling up Alexis’s number. He tapped on new message and laid there, his thumb hovering over the keyboard as he watched the cursor blinking at him. He had done this several times since he had gotten her number and each time it seemed like the little line was mocking him. He knew it was silly, he just didn’t know what to say. There were so many things he wanted to say to her, to ask her, he just didn’t know how.

      He eventually fell asleep like that, phone in his hand, and Alexis on his mind.

Author's Note

Tell me all your thoughts.

Reviews

[Larsa Valeth]

i enjoyed the lunch scene as well Alexis does seem like a interesting character as does Reed. the only thing i can think of making the chapters better is a better description of Davenport, the school, and the locations, i have never been there so i am only guess about what the places look like. that is the only issue i can think of

[Jamal]

hahahahah loved the lunch room scene and most of all I loved that Alexis' transformation is only external