Tickling the Giant Squid and other Grand Adventures

16. Avila

The music was interesting, and by that, I mean just my style. It reminded me of a band I didn't listen to often, but still liked, called Secondhand Serenade, but there was more to it.

Two little angels, one stands by my side,

The other lays in bed, gently wrapped up tight

Sent here from heaven above, here to save me I see

There's no other reason I have her here asleep.

After listening to the song for a moment I started to get Panic! At The Disco vibes. Both bands had a way of changing the beats in a cool way.

After the song was over I gave Karou her earbud back.

"Whaddya think?"

"It's Secondhand Serenade meets Panic! At The Disco. It's awesome!"

Karou's face blanched. "Oh my God, you like Panic! At The Disco too? Jesus H. Christ, you're my new best friend."

"Tell me you like My Chemical Romance and Twenty One Pilots and I'll have to agree," I demanded.

"Gravity is my favorite MCR and Twenty One Pilots' best songs are Tear In My Heart and HeavyDirtySoul."

"I love Gravity!"

Under her breath, Karou began to sing. "Gravity..." Her voice changed, ever so subtly, .smoothing out to a soft even throb.

"Don't mean too much to me." Avila sang after her, ever so quietly, but matching her tone.

"I'm who I've got to be..." they continued together, voices going up and down, in harmony, sounding aching and lonely yet defiant at the same time.

"Girls in the back!" Binns said sharply, glaring at them. "Do I need to give a detention?"

Immediately, I said, "No sir!"

"Sorry Professor!" Karou said quickly. "It won't happen again, promise!"

"It better not." Binns went back to his lecture.

I stared straight ahead for a few moments, knowing the moment I looked to the side, I'd start talking again. But I couldn't avoid Karou for long.

"It's like it's not even the start of the school year with him." I finally said. "What is this about Goblin Wars? If this is the History class, can't he teach us about these Harry Potter and Voldemort guys?"

Karou coughed. "Well, um, 'History of Magic,' actually means 'Ancient Unimportant History That Will Never Relate To Life'."

"Ah. Should have known. God, I miss the last school I went to. No finals, just presentations out the wazoo. Got to pick what we learned about too."

"Ooh, that sounds nic," Karou muttered longingly.

"It really was." I sighed, thinking of the last school I'd attended. It was the only school I'd done better than my sister in. Tests had always been her thing.

"So, what do you want to do after dinner? Library? Get those books about Harry Potter out of the way?"

I winced. "Oh, God, I would, but my sister invited me to brush up on my Quidditch skills since I've been in the Muggle schooling system so long."

"What's Quidditch?"

Karou's mouth dropped open. "Yep, okay, you're coming with me to the field tonight."

"Okaaaaay. So, Harry Potter over the weekend then." I sighed, looking at her face. She was absolutely dying to tell me about Quidditch. "Ok, fine, go on then. What's Quidditch?

"A sport. With balls and stuff- no don't snicker, not like that. And you ride on broomsticks-"

I raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"I'm not actually sure how to explain it, I'm in it more for the broomsticks and flying."

"Ok, understandable. I look forward to meeting your sister.

"Oh, yeah, she is fabulous."

"I'll take your word for it."