I had a dream that night.
God, that sounds cliched. Actually, it IS cliched, but you can't exactly control what happens to you, right? So yeah, I had a dream, and yeah, it was what finally started to help me make sense of all the junk going on, and if you're not cool with this so obvious overusage of plot, well, whatever.
Anyway, it started off like any other dream I had- Andy. Me. Someplace besides the Fruity Music Bar. Without Roxy, however much I loved her.
But then Andy started to pop in and out of view, like he was a bad hologram. And my hair got all swept up by the wind. Storm clouds moved in to the beach we had been relaxing on, and I shivered, although I was wearing a really cool black jacket that SO wasn't part of my real-life wardrobe, and lime green lace gloves. So, the creepy was balanced with the cool.
Until I realized I was hovering off the ground. That's when creepy went off the chart, the awesome outfit I was in didn't even matter, and I was lucky enough to wake up. Screaming, of course, like a little girl.
Suri looked at me, half amused half annoyed. I guess I woke her up. I smiled tentatively, and motioned her over. Immediately, Her Pinkness flapped her silly little wings towards my bedside table. "Hey, Sur," I said, my voice shaky. "How'd you sleep before I had to go and disturb you?"
The pink tabby whirled and twirled gracefully in the air. I took that to mean, "fine."
I got up from my bed and undid the ponytail I wore to bed. I took five minutes to slip into my clothes, then headed downstairs, where Mom was brewing something that smelled quite a bit better than healing salve. "Lavender for relaxation?" I asked, immediately emphasizing the statement with a yawn.
"Mmmhmm."
Barely an answer. "Hey, Mom, after breakfast Roxy and I are meeting up."
That one got a response. "And how is her destiny coming?"
"Ummmm..." Okay. So how do you answer a question like that. "I suppose it's going great," I supplied weakly.
"Tell her that sometimes you need to ignore the brightness of a future and look towards the brightness of an aura," Mom said helpfully.
"Fine," I agreed, not intending to do it. Mom freaked Roxy out ever since we were seven, when Mom read Roxy's future. Apparently, my best friend had some incredible destiny in front of her, and needed all the supernatural advice she could get. That little piece of aura info? That was actually a one on the zero-to-ten weirdness scale. Once, she told Roxy that two tall strangers with hair of fire would "hold the key". While it WAS a very creative twist on Tall Dark Stranger, it wasn't exactly the normal "stay away from sex, drugs, and cigarettes" talk most girls get.
Mom, thankfully, gave up the psychicness and focused on normal parental stuff. "What are you doing?"
"Going back to the Love and Pet. Rox wants to see it herself."
"That's nice. Look out for those that would do you harm," my mother responded as I grabbed a muffin and headed for the door.
Roxy was outside already, leaning on her bike and tapping her toe dramatically. "Nice to see you, Elle Fabba. Finally."
I rolled my eyes in response. "It's barely nine AM."
"Exactly, the Love and Pet's been open for almost an hour according to their site. Let's get going!"
We biked there, me on my mom's navy blue bike with a sign on the back advertising "Fabba Readings. Palms, Cards, and more!" Roxy, who had only a way-cool dad, no witchcraft-obsessed mom, had her normal bicycle.
It didn't take long, but too long for what we found- a sign saying "be back soon" and a random pile of water seeping in through the crack of the door. "That can't be good for the pets," Roxy said, shaking her head.
"Well, we can't do anything about it," I mentioned. "We'll come back tomorrow and see if they're dead."
Roxy glared. "That's not even funny, Elle."
I knew it, but I had always tended to make jokes about serious subjects. In truth, I was worried about the animals that must have been Suri's friends, and why Redhead and Co. hadn't opened the store yet. Or why they were out, or whatever.
We headed over to Roxy's house, mainly because I was desperate to get away from my mom. We walked past Klaus in the kitchen as we headed up to Roxy's room, and he raise dhis eyebrows at me. "Going to be at work today, Elle?"
"Right on time, Klaus," I said. "I need money as much as the next girl."
Roxy pointed at herself. "Meaning I need some cash too. If you want to be nice and give me my paycheck a bit early..."
Klaus laughed. "Sorry, Rox. Not the way it works in the business world."
On that note of sad non-parental-favoritism, we entered Roxy's room and shut the door. She took position on the bed, and I slammed onto her rug. "So," Roxy asked. "What did your mom say about me this time?"
I don't even know why she asks if it creeps her out, PLUS she doesn't believe it. "Watch your future, look for people's auras."
"Elle, I'm sorry, but your mom is a weirdo."
I rolled my eyes. "Don't I know it."
"And is aura that little glow around people?" she asked.
"Yeah." I furrowed my eyebrows. "Why? Are you worried about it?"
"No, it's just that... Elle, you've sort of got a little glow to you?"
I looked. "I don't see a thing."
Roxy shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. "I... I don't see it anymore. Maybe it's just a halo. Maybe I need glasses." But I could almost hear her unspoken, Maybe your mom isn't such a weirdo after all.
I stood. "If you think there's more too it than being in serious need of ugly frames, we should go talk to my mom. She supposedly knows all about this destiny of yours."
"My destiny? My destiny is to take over the Fruity Music Bar after college. To probably become a Crazy Dog Lady. If either of us has a destiny, it's you, Elle. You've got the whole supernatural family, and the insane looks, and smarts. You'll go to college and then save the world."
I blinked. I hadn't really thought of myself like that. Roxy was really the pretty one, with exotic hair and raw talent.
"But fine, if you think your mom can help, we'll go."
