Episode Six: Where There's Smoke

I opened my desk drawer to search for a bar of wax to seal the letter I had just finished.

“Anyone home?”

“Oh hey, Angelica,” I said, looking up to find one of my new friends standing in the doorway. “How’s it going?”

She came in and threw herself across the end of my bed. “I can’t believe we’ve been here for a week already,” she said, rolling over to stare up at the ceiling. “Weird, isn’t it?”

“Very weird,” I agreed. “Want to see something cool?”

She bounced off the bed to come watch what I was doing. I held the stick of wax out over the envelope and rubbed the tips of my fingers together over it. “Heat,” I murmured, and was rewarded when a gentle glow emanated from between my fingers. The wax immediately started dripping. Once a small pool of it formed on the envelope I separated my fingers, and the heat source disappeared. I grabbed the triskelion seal my mother had given me and pressed it into the wax before it could cool.

“Sweet.” Angelica grinned. “Is that difficult?”

“Not at all,” I said. “You just have to be careful not to burn yourself. Want to try?”

Episode Four: Poetry and Tact

Amidst the insanity of us all scrambling to pick up our mingled luggage, I’d managed to snag the best bedroom in the house. September and Echo ended up with the other bedrooms on the second floor while Angelica, Nicola, and myself had dashed up the stairs to check out the third floor. Like the second, there was a communal living room, a bathroom, and three bedrooms. I managed to get a look at all three before choosing the largest. Happily, it had a bay window that faced east as well as a beautiful brick and mortar fireplace. The fireplace, walls, and the wrought-iron bed frame had been painted white. But a few well-chosen landscape paintings and a vase full of fresh flowers on the bedside table brought just enough color to the room.

I immediately hung my clothing in the narrow closet and lined up my shoes beneath the bed. A crocheted blanket Kara had made me last Yule went over the armchair next to the desk. I was a bit flummoxed by the vanity table for awhile, but I eventually found an empty glass for my mascara and eyeliner and set that and the vase of flowers on it.

I was busy stacking my books on the built-in bookshelf when I heard a soft knock on my door. I was surprised that anyone would be knocking on my door after the fiasco downstairs, but I was even more surprised to discover it was the new girl when I went and opened it.   

“Hi,” she said in a surprisingly sweet voice. “Do you have a phone charger I can borrow? I guess I left mine in my parent’s car and my phone is dead.” She held up an iPhone whose case had been decorated with what seemed to be purple unicorns and pink bats.

I goggled at her. She must have thought I was offended or something because she shuffled her feet and looked away.

“I’m sorry I bothered you,” she murmured, and again I was shocked by how sweet she sounded. “I can ask someone else if you’re busy.”

“No, wait!” I said just as she was turning around. “I’m sorry, I just…” I gestured uselessly. I couldn’t exactly explain that I had trouble reconciling her goth appearance with her personality. “Would you like to come in for a second?” I said.