Pure Magic (Ballad of the Seer, Book One)

Chapter 13 - The Grand Tour

When Lily's alarm clock sounded the next morning, she turned it off and pulled the covers over her head. She figured that getting attacked was a good excuse for skipping one day of school. It wouldn't affect her grades and she could easily catch up on the work she missed. Plus, she really didn't want to hear what people were going to be saying about her now.

Sara surely would've heard from her uncle about the maniac roaming the streets of Ashland attacking poor innocent young girls. He no doubt would've shared Lily's horror story with her as a safety precaution. She would spread it to Veronica, who would broadcast it to the whole school. Lily was already enough of a sideshow act after the last few days, she didn't need to add assault victim to the list.

Ten minutes later, the covers were pulled back. Her mother stood over her. "Why Lily aren't you dressed yet?"

Lily groaned, pulling one of her extra pillows over her head. "I don't feel like going to school today."

"Alright."

Lily removed the pillow to stare at her mother. "Really?"

Jacquelyn reached down to brush the hair out of Lily's face. "I'll call the school and let them know. You just rest." Jacquelyn returned Lily's covers and turned the lights off on her way out.

Lily closed her eyes to take full advantage of the extra sleep that she never got to have. She soon awoke to the horrible buzzing of the intercom; it was the double tone of the front gate. If it was ringing in her room that meant there was no one home to answer it on the first four rings.

Lily climbed out of bed with an exasperated sigh and trudged over to the panel by the door. "What?" she yelled to whoever was on the other end.

"Lily?" a boy asked.

Her finger flew to the talk button again. "Duncan, is that you?"

"Yeah, I have your stuff that you left at my house. I wanted to return it."

Lily buzzed him in. She raced to the bathroom to make sure that she was presentable. She grimaced at her unkempt appearance. She quickly brushed her teeth, combed through her tangled mess of hair, and put on fresh deodorant. She rushed to the closet for her favorite jeans and a clean white t-shirt.

As the doorbell chimed throughout the house, Lily thought about putting on some makeup, but there was no time for that, so she grabbed a tube of lip gloss on her way out of her bedroom, applying it on her way down the stairs. She left the gloss on the table by the door.

Lily stopped and shook out her hair, flipping it forward, then back.

Finally, she opened the door, smiling. "Duncan, hi," she said as nonchalantly as she could manage.

"Hey," he said. "Wow."

"What's wrong?" Her hands fussed with her hair and clothes. She wondered if she had gotten lip gloss on her face or if her hair was sticking up.

"You look..." He shook his head. "Your voice it sounded like... I thought you were just waking up, but you look great."

The corners of her newly glossed pink lips turned up into a small smile. "Thank you."

"Oh, here." He handed her the duffle bag. She took it and tossed it to the side.

It took her a moment to realize that he was wearing his gray school uniform slacks and the white button down shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

"Why aren't you at school?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I knew you weren't there so I came straight over here."