Her First Mistake

Chapter Five: The Remains of a Catapulted Apple

   For the second time, I was awoken by an electric shock. I woke up, fists swinging, to only fall off of the\ bed. I muttered some rude things before picking myself up. Now I was positive that was Alexie's doing. How, I didn't know, but he was doing it. 

   After that happy conversation yesterday, Alexie had disappeared into a different room for the rest of the day. I had raided his kitchen after realizing that I'd been stuck in that room for five whole hours. No wonder I'd been starving. After that, I collapsed on the bed in the guest bedroom only to be awoken by that stupid electric shock.

   My head still ached. It wasn't as bad, but it was bad enough that I wanted to go back to sleep. Instead, I grabbed some fresh clothes and threw them on. After braiding my hair back, I found the bathroom. It -- oddly -- lacked a mirror. I could still tell that I'd have bags under my dark brown eyes. My chestnut hair would be brown in the interior lighting, though it turned dark red once I was outside. It had always driven my best friend from high school nuts. We'd get dressed to go out, but she never knew what to give me to wear because of my hair. It just figured that I could bring red stuff to my hands at will.

   I left the bathroom and found Alexie sitting at the table. He was idly eating some breakfast. I arched an eyebrow. "Let me guess. I'm to make my food and sit down?" My tone was sardonic.

   He said nothing. Grumbling, I snagged an apple from the basket of fruit and sat down. He pretended I wasn't there while I ate. I felt awkward. After trying to leave, being convinced to stay, and now this. Did this guy ever try small talk? 

   Finally, he finished his food -- oatmeal? -- and leaned back to look at me. I stared right back, not about to be deterred. "Today," he said, "you will learn the proper way to harness magic. It's faster, stronger, and more efficient."

   I raised my eyebrows. "Is this that training thing you were talking about?"

   "You will find the answer in the books in the guest room." Alexie stood up and headed for the attic stairs. I eyed him warily. If he tries to lock me in again, I'm poisoning all of the food in here. Still, I followed after him cautiously. The stairs creaked under my feet and I shut the door.

   Alexie had taken a seat on the floor. Unsure of what to do, I did the same. "Conjure the magic as you did yesterday."

   I squinted at him, tempted to snap a snarky response, but decided against angering the same guy who had dodged knives easily. Instead I concentrated on the method I'd created yesterday. My thoughts cleared until I located the humming. As before, I attempted to reign in in. My head started to ache.

   Instead of feeling the tingling in my hands, something shoved at me. I yelped aloud and cradled my head. "What the heck just happened?"

   Alexie didn't look surprised. "Try again."

   I glowered, "It's not working. I had it yesterday, but something changed."

   "It's resisting you," he remarked in that quiet tone of his. 

   "Exactly." I gave him a weird look.

   "It's to be expected. The first time was easy. Because you had never used magic before, you had stored energy that allowed the first try to be smooth. However, now that energy has been spent. The second time is always much harder."

   "Oh." It made no sense, but I pretended that I understood.

   "Try again. This time, don't attempt to pull the magic. Don't try to control it. Tap in to it. Allow yourself to become a gateway. A door for it to flow through, per say. As if you were to connect a new wire to a circuit."