Hello, Internet! I'm back once more with another chapter, and not just any chapter. We've reached double digits! WHOOP WHOOP! Anyway, Grandma Norton makes a bit of an appearance, to which I hope you like. Enjoy!

CHAPTER TEN HOUSE OF HOPSCOTCHES

"What are we doing?" I screeched. "Move!" The three of us started to crawl under the descending ceiling, rushing through to get to the end. Fabian managed to get out first and pull me out the rest of the way. I yanked on Amber's arm until her feet were out.

"My shoe!" she cried, reaching her arm under the ceiling. I pulled her back with alarm, but she clutched her recovered shoe tightly. "Sorry, sorry." She said when we stepped back. The groaning and rumbling stopped. "No shoe gets left behind." The ceiling moved again, but this time started returning up.

I breathed heavily. Oh man, that was too close. "Th-there's some kind of pattern on the floor." I noticed. An array of diamond shapes with different characters was displayed on the dust-covered floor.

"Traverse the grid with step or hop," Robert's voice filled the tunnel. "Follow the sequence, do not stop. All must complete the hopscotch test before the ceiling stays at rest."

"Hopscotch?" I yelled at the ceiling. "Really, Robert?"

"I can't hopscotch to save my life." Fabian confessed to us.

"Fabes," I told him. "You're going to have to. If not for your life, do it for ours."

"I was school hopscotch champion two years running." Amber announced. She picked up a stone and rolled it onto the grid. "I wonder if I've still got it…" She started to hop on the grid, and immediately the ceiling started to fall again. Fabian and I grabbed Amber by the arm and pulled her back. The ceiling went back up. "But I did it right, you saw me!"

"Screw you, Robert!" I yelled. "Can't even play hopscotch right!"

"It's obvious the ancient Egyptians did not know a thing about hopscotch." Amber rolled her eyes.

I looked back at the grid. "There aren't any numbers." I realized. The characters were all animals or something. "Is that supposed to be a duck? Fabian, can you take a picture?" Fabian pulled out his cell phone and snapped a photo. I wasn't sure how well it'd come out, but I hoped it would be good enough. "Let's call it a night."

"Even if we do learn the sequence to this," Fabian argued. "What about the chasm? How do we get over that?" I rubbed my temple. There were so many problems…

"You know Pink Power Ranger would do." Amber said. "She'd long-jump it. Or leap it. Or would she javel in it?"

"Amber," Fabian interrupted. "You're just listing sports."

"How many more freaking traps are there going to be now?" I questioned in frustration. "Ten? A hundred?

"A thousand? A hundred thousand?" Amber rambled off. "A million?"

"Amber!" Fabian interrupted. "Now you're just listing big numbers!"

"Yeah, sorry. I list things when I get anxious."

I stared at the hopscotch grid once more before we headed back out.

~ Next day ~

"But I don't understand why Sarah Frobisher-Smythe would have to—"

"Amber!" I interrupted, stopping her at the top of the stairs. "No names." Fabian glanced over the railing to see if Victor was there.

"It's okay, we're good." He declared.

"I'm just saying," Amber said. "An impossible quest doesn't actually have to be impossible."

"Nice to know, Ambs." I rolled my eyes.

"Wouldn't it be fun for once for a easy quest? One that doesn't involve death and matching marks or tombs?" she complained.

"But where's the fun in that?" I teased. "Either way, Robert probably would've made it safer if he knew children would be involved. But he was keeping the Mask safe, so it's understandable." We walked into the kitchen so I could snatch some food.

Back in my room, Fabian took out his phone so we could look at the pictures of the hopscotch grid. He sighed. "The first task was so easy." He paused. "Well, relatively easy."

I stared at the grid on his phone. "How in this lifetime will we ever figure out the sequence? Robert's crazy for not giving any clues to that!" I felt a pull in my stomach, but brushed it off as anxiety.

"This is tough." Amber stated. Yeah, no kidding.

~ Next day at school ~

I walked up to Sibuna in the hall just as Fabian said, "I can't dance" and Amber said, "You can't dance."

"Some luck on the Hopscotch Internet Search." I announced, not even bothering asking what they were on about. "Apparently it goes farther back that preschool playgrounds. There were so many versions, almost like a story being passed down through the ages."

"It makes no sense." Fabian said. "Hopscotch? It's seems kind of crazy for a middle-aged mastermind, doesn't it?"

"That's the point," I countered. "It's unexpected."

"He had a little girl," Amber added. "Little girls love hopscotch."

"I didn't." I said. "Never saw the appeal to it. Still don't, as a matter of fact." Amber rolled her eyes. I looked to Fabian, who had a look of triumph on his face, like he realized something.

"Of course, the dollhouse!" he exclaimed. My eyes widened. Why hadn't I thought of that!

"After dinner." I planned. Amber grinned like someone just gave her a pink poodle. She and I went to class as Fabian went to his locker.

~ Dinner ~

Preparations for the Opening Ball were a bust. Fabian somehow managed to break the microphone. Amber and I totally failed at unfolding a table, which then collapsed on her foot and she hopped around screaming. And if God didn't hate us enough, the power in the school went out.

Luckily, dinner was still on the table when we got home. Bad news, Amber walked on a limp.

"It'll be alright overnight though, right?" Fabian asked.

"You're going to have to invent a dance to forticate this." Amber shot back. "And what about the hopscotch?" I got Amber to sit down, but when I looked up to Fabian, he was talking to Joy. She was talking about a test coming up in Geography.

"Aw man," I said. "I haven't mentally prepared myself for that yet!"

But no one was listening to my not-so-important struggles. Fabian sat on the other side on the table to talk to Joy about their study-buddying. Suddenly my right side felt empty.

Eddie walked into the dining room just then. "Hey Eddie." I greeted. "You can sit next to me," I switched to a demonic voice, "if you dare."

"Challenge accepted," he smirked. I laughed as he sat down. "Won you over, haven't I?"

"You know he eats with his mouth open." Patricia said.

"Yeah, and he burps." Fabian added.

"And there is so much love in this house that I feel like I'm going to burst," Eddie said sarcastically.

"Just not all over me, got it?" I warned. We were the only ones laughing. "And if you eat with your mouth open or burp anywhere near me, I will personally kick your ass into next year."

"Advice taken." He said, smiling at me and leaning his hand on the back of my chair.

"So tell me about yourself, American." I struck up conversation, taking a biscuit. "Which state are you from?"

"Ohio, the city of Cleveland." He said. "All up north by Lake Eerie."

"Cool," I shrugged. Already everyone was chattering away with their own conversations. "I'm from California. The Golden State isn't exactly golden. Los Angeles is usually just hot year-round." He chuckled a bit at my lame joke.

"Why are you here?" he asked. "What brought you over the Atlantic to this school?"

"I got a scholarship. Saw an advertisement for it online and decided, why not? I hated my old school so I asked my gran and applied."

"Hated your old school, huh?" His face seemed to weaken in a sense. Grow nicer instead of cocky. "Guess we have some things in common."

"Yeah," I withheld a snort as I sorted through some salad. "Doubt you were bullied and accused of murder though."

Eddie choked on the food in his mouth. "Excuse me?"

I leaned a little closer to him, not really wanting the others to hear. I didn't understand it, but something in me told me that it was okay to tell Eddie. "My parents died when I was young. I was there when… it… happened, so the kids at school pointed the finger at me."

Eddie rested his hand on mine and gave me a sympathetic smile. His touch sent a zap of electricity through me, causing a blush to creep up my face. "And I thought I had a bad childhood with split parents."

"The weirdest secrets we reveal to absolute strangers." I said mysteriously. I suddenly retracted my hand. "Okay, favorite band?"

His soft expression returned to the normal cockiness. "Now we're talking."

~ Night ~

"Where's Fabian?" Amber asked aloud as she lied on her bed.

"Study Buddy with Joy, remember?" I mentioned. I sat down at the foot of her bed. "Ugh, I'm so bored."

"You know he knows how important this is," she continued. "He's even learning hopscotch for you! No boy has ever done that for me."

"Did he ever have to save not only your life, but his own as well at the same time, requiring to get past an obstacle of deadly hopscotch?"

"No," she admitted.

I grinned at her. "Silly billy." The door opened just then. Fabian came in with a smile on his face.

"I'm sorry it took so long," he apologized. I shrugged. Suddenly, he looked panicked. "What? Hello?" I raised an eyebrow at him. "There's a lit-up dollhouse right behind you!" I gasped when I turned to see the house.

It opened up to show miniature versions of the rooms in the house. Each room was well lit. The chimney was smoking again. "Sarah!" I exclaimed.

"The dollhouse!" Amber cried.

A light shined in one room, almost like a warning. "Pen," I realized. "I need a pen and paper!" Rushing to my bag, I snatched a notepad and pencil before returning. The dollhouse then started its message. Small figures rose from the floors of the dollhouse in bursts of light.

"M-moo, bam," Amber recited as I fumbled with the notepad. "Woof, quack, meow!" I wrote down the animals that made those sounds, the ones that came in the bursts.

"Did you get it?" asked Fabian.

"Cow, sheep, dog, duck, cat." I read off the notes.

"Yeah," Amber said, "Moo, bam, woof, quack, meow." She giggled and we high-fived.

"Wh– don't I get five?" Fabian asked, hand still hanging. "I saw the smoke."

"You get a three," Amber said monotonously, pressing three fingers to his hand. "Maximum." I burst out laughing.

~ Saturday morning ~

"Hey, Gran," I spoke into the receiver of my cellphone. "How is London?"

"Oh, Mary Ann, it's absolutely wonderful," she replied. I could hear the honks and zooms of cars in the background. "I wish you could see this place."

"Yeah, too bad I'm getting an education." I grinned.

She laughed. "Yeah, too bad. How's the education, anyways?"

"It's good." I started pulling on a pair of socks, holding the phone between my cheek and shoulder. "There's a new kid named Eddie, he's taken Mick's spot."

"Mick? That sporty guy that went to Australia, right?"

"The one and only. Get this, Eddie's American. Now I'm not the only one from across the pond."

"That's wonderful, hon. Is he cute?"

"I suppose, if you're into bad boys." I chuckled. "But he is a nice guy. Real funny."

"Speaking of cuties, how's Fabian? Is his poetry getting any better?"

I chuckled again. "Er, not sure about his poetry, but Fabian's fine." If by 'fine,' you mean cursed by a crazy spirit to search for a legendary Mask or die trying. Yeah, he's fine.

"What? You mean he still hasn't read you the poem?"

"What poem?" I straightened on the seat of my bed. I picked up my cell from between my cheek and shoulder.

"The haiku he wrote? To assert himself more in your relationship? What kind of connection is going on over there?"

My shoulders slumped. With a sigh, I said, "Gran, didn't I tell you?"

"Tell me what, ma puce?"

"Fabian and I broke up. A while ago, in fact."

There was an awkward pause. "What?" she asked. "When? How? WHY?"

"We broke up like a month ago. We realized that even though we were dating, it was just as if we were still only best friends. It was better for the both of us."

"Ah, Mary, why didn't you tell me a month ago? Wow, that's been a long time. How are you feeling about that?"

"Gran, it's alright. It's better this way, now that we don't have to worry about keeping our relationship going."

"Whatever you say, Mary." There was a particularly loud honking. "Oh, got to go. Bye."

"Gran–" I paused. So badly, I wanted to tell her about the mysteries. How, only last year, I had risked my life to stop some teachers from gaining immortality. And now I was risking my life again, and Fabian's life, to find some Mask. I wanted to tell her so badly, and have her help me and tell me it would be okay, even though I knew it would never be. I wanted to tell her about the spirit and the dollhouse and Sarah and the tunnels and the teachers. And more than anything, I wanted to run away and forget all about this stupid quest. But I was no longer a kid. I could no longer curl up into her side and have her fix all of my problems. Telling her about it would risk her life, and too many were already at stake.

"Yes?"

"… I love you. A lot."

She chuckled softly. "Love you too, hon. Bye." She hung up and I spent a few seconds listening to the beeping coming through the receiver. I then shut off my phone and headed downstairs.

"Hey," Fabian said to me as descended the stairs. He waited the two seconds for me to reach him in the main hall. His lips were curled in a small smile, which was still cute enough to make my heart beat skip a beat.

"Hi," I smiled at him as if the feelings never happened. I just needed a little more time, and then I'd be over it. We'd be back in the Friend Zone and I'd never have to worry about the sweet buzzing in my head whenever I thought of meeting up with him. "I like Saturdays. No school, huzzah!"

He chuckled. "Yeah, the best part of the week."

I leaned my back against the doorframe that led the main hall into the living room, and crossed my arms. "Then again, you are a nerd, so you probably like the school week." I struggled to contain a smile.

"Yeah, Mary Ann, I am such a nerd that Monday is my favorite day ever." He grinned and went along with it. I started to laugh.

"I used to love Saturdays." I said, "I'd just sleep in and then spend the entire morning watching television. Shame I have to worry for my life all the freaking time."

He gripped my arm lightly in his reassuring way. "We'll get through this," he promised.

"I know."

"Gather 'round, gather 'round, everyone!" Jerome called out, waltzing into the living room with his arms full of boxes. Assortments of clothes stuck out from each box. "I have, for your selection, the finest array of masks for the up and coming ball." He set the boxes down on the couch. "All of them reasonable prices. Any single mask could make your face more mysterious, intriguing, and charming."

"Oh, this one's mine." Alfie said, picking up a Frankestein head from the box. I got closer and rummaged through the selections.

"Alfie, you can't wear that mask." Amber argued, "my dress isn't green and you're not eight." I picked up a mask on a stick. It was a half-mask. The mask was off-white with golden designs that wrapped around the eyes. A big white feather stuck out on the side.

I grinned at it and walked back to Fabian, who was sitting on the arm of one of the armchairs. I placed the mask on and flashed him a smile. My lashes beat softly against the frame as I saw him smile back at me. "It looks perfect." He told me.

Then a realization dawned on me. Taking off the mask, I pouted. "I haven't got a dress for ball. With my busy body schedule, I hadn't even thought of–"

"Hello, Mary Ann," Jerome cut off, joining our conversation. "I couldn't help overhearing." I suppressed a snort. Yeah, right. "Now, I'm not only the provider of fine masks, but of fine dresses to go with them." I raised an eyebrow at him. "Reasonable prices." He added.

I snickered, and Fabian joined in. "A dress you chose, Jerome? I don't think so." He voiced my thoughts.

"Oh, they are pretty." Mara pitched in. "I've seen the one he sold Joy."

"It's true, I look amazing." Joy agreed before leaving the room.

"He's working really hard to pay off the debt so…" Mara added in a whisper before trailing after Joy. Oh, that would make a lot of sense.

"Hmm," I thought for a moment. Jerome managed to get a dress for Joy, and even Mara liked it. I got up.

"No," Fabian said, seeing me get up.

"Ah, what's the harm?" I persuaded. It was either get a dress now or have to search for one later. "And it is my dress." I added. "You shouldn't care." I skipped over to Jerome, though he met me halfway.

Holding up a dress, Jerome had this weird look in his eyes. "I promise that you will love it," he said. "But try before you buy because I do have a no returns policy." Of course he did. I examined the dress he was displaying. It was off-white, which matched the mask, and quite adorable. It was a one-shoulder, modern Egyptian style dress. The one sleeve ended at my metacarpals, but the hole extended to a longer piece of fabric that ended at my knee. The collar was threaded with golden beads, as was the belt sewed into the area just below the breasts. The fabric below the belt ended at the floor, loosely clinging to my body.

I picked the dress from his hands. "Er, thanks, Clark." I said. I looked back at Fabian and shrugged. Turning back to Jerome, "I'll try it on then."

Followed by Fabian, I walked up to my room. After I locked him outside, I stared at the dress and mask that now lied on my bed. I stripped down and unzipped the dress. Pulling the dress up, I noticed just how well it fit my stature. I zipped up the back, but after at one point I realized I couldn't reach the zipper anymore. Awkwardly, I realized I'd have to ask Fabian to zip me up the rest of the way. I sighed and opened the door.

When he first entered, he stared at me in disbelief. Then a grin broke through and I tried not to blush too much. "Wow, Mary Ann, just… wow. That really is a nice dress."

"Who would've thought Jerome could pick a dress, eh?" I laughed and turned around. Brushing my long auburn hair out of the way, I said, "Can you zip me up the rest of the way?"

"Oh, yeah, sure." He stuttered. I felt him take the zipper and heard it move up. When he was done, I turned around to face him, admiring the dress I was wearing as I did so. Fabian looked a bit dazed and I grinned at him. There was a split second when our eyes met and I thought, maybe even hoped, that he would lean that small gap between us and kiss me.

He stepped back and the thoughts vanished. A blush colored his cheeks as he adverted his gaze. I took a moment to gather myself before checking my reflection in the mirror. My hair actually went with the dress a lot better than I had anticipated. I picked up the mask and placed it over my face. It all went together perfectly.

I smiled at Fabian, maybe enjoying the swish of the dress as I turned a little too much. "This is so cool." I said. "Now, out! Out!" I pushed him toward the door. "I need to change back!" I locked him out of my room and looked at my reflection once more before getting out of my dress.

~ Saturday, late evening ~

Amber and I sat at the bottom of the stairs as we waited for Fabian to finish tutoring Joy. Amber complained ever once in awhile that we had more important things to do, like learn hopscotch. I didn't say anything, just tried to bear the pain of having my legs fall asleep.

Fabian and Joy entered the main hall. Joy said, "Listen, I just want to say thanks for everything– Ugh!" Fabian dumped all of her books into her arms when he saw us sitting on the stairs. They both looked at us for some reason and I attempted to regain feeling in my legs. "You know, after last year… you've been there for me." She took Fabian's hand and smiled gratefully at him. I could relate to Joy. Fabian made me feel that way too.

Joy snuck past Amber and me and went upstairs. Amber stood and I clenched my fist, feeling the throb of blood recirculating through me.

"Sorry," he apologized sheepishly. I leaned against the banister to stand up, but still couldn't feel my feet. The sensation was weird. "I had to be a–"

"Study buddy," Amber interrupted. "We know. Let's just get practicing."

"Give me a sec," I said as they made their way toward the end of the main hall. "My legs fell asleep." We waited a good minute before moving to our "grid".

"I'm out until my foot gets better," Amber said, "So I'll be the Simon Cowell."

I raised an eyebrow at her and snickered. She stood a few feet away and faced us. "Cheers or tears, it really depends on your performance." I took out a copy of our grid that we'd made before. The steps we needed were highlighted.

I glanced at the floor and then back to the grid. Starting to hop, I made my way toward Amber, yet still had to confer with the grid for every step. Eventually, I made it across and cheered.

"Yay, you're going to Hollywood!" Amber stated. We looked at Fabian. "Your turn, Fabian. Remember, just go with the rhythm."

He breathed uneasily and stepped forward. Moving along the same steps I did, too late did I realize that he'd run into me. He didn't seem to realize it until the last moment either, because he twisted awkwardly in an attempt to avoid me. Still, he bumped into me and we both stumbled.

We were both laughing. "I'm sorry," he chuckled. I helped him back to his feet as we laughed and smiled together.

"Not funny, people," Amber said with no amusement. "Not funny."

"What is so amusing?" Victor asked, hanging out of the window in his office to glare at us. We sobered up.

"Thank you." Amber muttered.

"Tomorrow is the day of the Grand Opening. I shall not allow you to jeopardize such an important event through lack of sleep or preparation. Go to bed now." I grinned sheepishly at Fabian before following Amber upstairs.

~ Grand Opening Ball ~

"…It's always important that we remember, even though each civilization comes and goes, they always leave behind a footprint for the next one. And that couldn't be more important for all of us, today." Fabian finished his speech epically. I started applauding, as did everyone else. Wow, it was really inspiring.

The crowd disbanded as Fabian left the stage. Music started to play in the background as we reached each other.

"That was amazing," I told him, brushing my curly auburn hair out of the way. He gave a laugh.

"Would you like to dance?" he offered. I didn't have to be asked twice. Lifting my mask over my face, I smirked at him and we laughed. I put my free arm on his shoulder and felt his hands pull me in by the waist.

"You were right," I told him, though for some reason I couldn't remember what he was right about. "It all turned out perfect."

"Look, M-Mary Ann, I…" he stuttered, getting serious all of a sudden, "I know I've been spending a lot of time with Joy recently, and, but, I just want you to know she's not…" He sighed, getting his words together. "She's only my study buddy. You're my best friend."

"Do we have to be just best friends?" I finally asked. Before he could say anything, I leaned up and kissed him. Oh, how I missed the taste of his lips after all this time. He deepened the kiss, pressing his mouth harder against mine. When I finally pushed away, I felt the weirdest realization.

"Watch the timepiece." The spirit's voice echoed through my head as I took down my mask.

"We've got to leave," I said. "I know the sequence, I can go!" I started rushing out of the room.

"Find it! Or forfeit your life!" the spirit threatened. I pushed passed the people and ran back to the house.

Before I realized it, I was through the hopscotch court and in front of the chasm. Oh, shit. I'd forgotten about it. I walked a bit closer to the edge and peered over. That was a scary fall down…

"Watch the timepiece!" the spirit whispered. "You move at the pace of a dead beetle, girl! Why do you take so long?"

"It's not as easy as it looks, lady!" I shouted into space. "We're trying our hardest!"

"The Mask is in return for your life!" she reminded me. The Mark burned in my skin and I twisted around. The spirit lady stood a few feet away, glaring at me. "You've betrayed me and yourself. You are feeble, Chosen One. And you can be replaced!"

She lunged at me and I fell back, but the ground wasn't there. I twisted just in time to see the path on the other side of the chasm disappear from view as I began a plummet down. The sides of the chasm rushed by. My skin felt like it was peeling away. Screaming my head off, I suddenly knew no more.