Traces Of Magic

~Chapter 18~

I find myself stuck in the middle of the rush of people trying to exit the school. I get pushed and shoved from all directions. I trip over my own feet and crash into the person in front of me. They don't even look behind them as I get back up. Heat radiates around my body. I'm afraid that if I don't get outside soon, I'm going to burst into flames again, and I don't want that.

My wish is answered as I feel sunlight tickle my face. Immediately, the crowd dispenses as some people go right and others go left. I search around for Grayson but can't find him before another surge of people exiting the school force me to go to the right. I make my way through the group to the edge of the entire thing. I cross my arms and watch the crowds coming our with the hopes of seeing Grayson. As I'm standing there, I feel someone grab my arm and pull me into a nearby bush. I turn around to face Grayson.

"Grayson! What are you doing in a bush?" He looks around. "Derrick sent me to get you." I look around, expecting to see Derrick somewhere in the bush with us. "Come on. We should get going before anyone notices you're gone." He takes my hand and starts leaving the bush. Before we completely exit it, I pull him close and kiss him quickly. I let him take me to Derrick as he blushes slightly. We go around the side of the building and into the woods outside where I saw Derrick earlier. Sure enough, there he is, leaning against the tree.

"Found her." Grayson lets go of my hand. Derrick looks up at us. I move away from Grayson and towards Derrick. With my good hand, I reach out and slap him. "Ow! Why did you do that Mandy?" Grayson chuckles behind me as Derrick rubs his red cheek. "That was for distracting me in class and making me get detention..." I slap him on the other side of his face. "...and that was for this!" I show him my hand covered in now bloody pieces of toilet paper as he rubs his other cheek. It takes him a moment to find his words. "What even happened in there?"

I tell him about my incident in the bathroom. Grayson comes over and joins us. They both listen intensely, taking in every word I say. After I finish my story, Derrick is the first one to speak. "And you're sure no one else was in the bathroom with you?" I nod my head. "Good. Now we need to get you back to base."

I look at him. "You want me to leave? In the middle of a fire drill?" He rubs the back of his head nervously. "Yeah. Pretty much." I shake my head as I cross my arms defiantly. "No way! I'm staying here." Without a word, Derrick picks me up and tosses me over his shoulder. "That wasn't a question Mandy. It was a command." "Derrick! Put me down this instant! I demand to be set down!" He ignores my pleads and goes back to the base with Grayson following behind us.

Savannah finds Dustin easily. "Savannah! Where have you been? I've been worried sick about you!" He kisses her briefly before she pulls him over to the side. "Listen Dustin..." She sighs before going on. "...I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but I think you're right about Mandy." She leans over and whispers what she saw in the bathroom to Dustin. His eyes go wide with surprise and shock.

"Are you serious Savannah?" She nods her head. He takes a moment to think about what she's told him. "Show me." "Fine." Savannah grabs his hand and drags him through the crowd to where it all took place. Their feet splash in the water that has started to flood in the hallway near the girls restroom. The heat still lingering in the bathroom tickles their skin as they enter what's left of the room. Dustin lets go of Savannah's hand and stands in the middle of the blackened room. He looks around and observes everything from the scorched walls to the ceramic puddles underneath the melted sinks. He looks back at Savannah who leans against the entry. "Are you sure it was Mandy?" She nods her head. I was right he thinks to himself. "We need to find Mandy Shade. And fast."

Derrick finally sets me down inside the base. I had given up on squirming around a while ago and just let him carry me. I stretch as he reclines in a chair. Like usual, Jarron lays on the couch with his eyes shut. Sage runs up and hugs me. "Glad to see you're back Mandy!" Grayson sits down in the other chair as Sage pulls me away from the group.

"Listen Mandy..." She lowers her voice and looks around to make sure no one is near us. "...I don't know if he told you yet, but my brother really likes you. He cares about you Mandy. Ands I know he can be a jerk sometimes, but once you get to know him, you'll see how sweet and tender he is." She stops for a moment. "I also wanted to ask you that in the case something were to happen to me, you would look after him for me." I nod my head. "He can get a bit reckless, and I thought a girl would be better to look after him instead of a guy. That's why I didn't ask Derrick."

There's a bit of silence between us. Suddenly, she hugs me. "Thank you." I hug her back instantly. "That's what friends do." I feel her nod her head before she lets me go. She takes a deep breath before returning to the others. "Jarron! Move your feet! I want to sit down too!" She whacks him with a pillow. Jarron sits up and yawns before moving over for his sister. He looks around the room and eventually his eyes find me.

Feeling him staring at me, I go over and sit by Grayson. Jarron's eyes look over Grayson before they leave the both of us. Derrick's eyes suddenly go open. "Oh no..." He shakes his head, drawing the attention of Jarron. "What's the matter Derrick? Did you have another vision?" He nods his head. "You're not going to like it Jarron. It's about Sage."