An: NymhadoaTonks: Never fear, we all know Donna and Matt are endgame. They've had some conflict, but I feel like this is the first one that they've truly had with their relationship, nothing to do with the possession or the war. Donna just feels insecure when it comes to Matt being truthful. She's afraid to push him over the edge, and he's refusing to talk about it. So they're at a slight standstill for now...

I do assure you though, everything will be fixed between them by the end of this story. Promise!

Mia: Yes, Donna really needs to stop keeping secrets, but it's a bad habit. She'll crack soon. The guilt will soon overtake her.

BOTH: And yes!* Wink Wink* Lily sends Brandon letters that fly like birds instead of going through the actual mail so Derek can't catch them. There's a little tidbit for you.

Chapter 9

Perfectly Imperfect

The weekend had gone by quickly. The talk of Matt's amazing play, Luara's new boyfriend, and the fact that Ever After had beat Wonderland in bookball had been circling all throughout the halls. The best thing was seeing Molly's face after she had heard the news. On Monday morning, Luara had thought it all had been a dream. She was no longer Mitchell's girlfriend. But when she went down to the castleteria for breakfast, it was proven that this last week wasn't a dream.

Mitchell had found her first. Their eyes connected from across the room. He waved her over with a wink. Laura looked at both Eliza and Fauna, who had both nodded approvingly. She waved her friends goodbye and joined the boys' table for breakfast. Mitchell had slid his arm around her waist as she sat next to him. After giving him a small look, he dropped his touch. She wasn't favorable for public affection, but a blush rose to her cheeks.

"You're looking wonderful this morning," Mitchell gave her a charming smile. "I felt like I haven't seen you in years."

"You saw me last night," Luara rolled her eyes.

"I don't see the difference," Mitchell said playfully.

"Hey," Lee, the captain of the bookball team. "Matthew! Get over here, man!" Matt was sitting with Eliza and Fauna at their table. Very odd. Matt gave a small nod to Eliza before moving towards the team's table.

"You rang?" he said, putting his bag down on the floor.

"You've got to start eating with us, now," Lee commanded. "Not only are you part of the team, but you're also a vital part of it."

"Without you, we wouldn't even make it off the bench," another boy added. He then turned to Laura. "This kid is a whiz. I've never seen anyone so smart who is athletic too."

"So, he does all your homework then?" Laura lifted her brows at Mitchell.

"Uh," he cleared his throat. "Only the things I don't understand. He mostly does the others."

Laura turned her gaze back to Matt and the boss. They weren't really bonding, just talking about plays and the assignments they'll have due this week. Laura would feel bad for him, but she knew that he could stick up for himself if he actually had a problem with it. Besides, why would he be her problem anyway? He was only in her class, there was no further relation.

"Were you planning to keep your new relationship with the Wonderlandian a secret from me forever?" Laura asked. They were at lunch now. She had decided to sit with the girls at the fountain. She longed for some fresh crisp air.

"Well," Eliza shrugged. "I've been trying to understand it all myself, actually. I was going to tell you, but then there was Mitchell and I just didn't want you to get all angry with me."

"Girl, you just got your first boyfriend," Luara laughed a little. "I'm not going to get angry with you right away."

"Whew," Fauna let out a breath. "I thought this conversation was really going to go the opposite way."

"Just don't let him get on my nerves," Laura nudged Eliza playfully. "Or let him break your heart."

"We haven't even gone out on a date yet," Eliza shrugged. "Who knows if this will even evolve into anything."

"Oakley," Fauna suddenly stood up from the fountain. "Are you alright?"

Laura turned her gaze up to see Oakley. She had seen him all weekend, or morning for that matter. He looked dreadful. His eyes were puffy with bags underneath them. She watched him carefully as he sat down between Laura and Fauna. He was just quiet for a moment before taking a piece of Laura's sandwich and eating the nibble.

"I've been hiding," Oakley admitted. "All weekend I've just been merging into different wooden objects. It feels better to be hollow in physicality rather than emotionally."

"Oh, Oakley," Fauna placed her hand on his shoulder. "What happened?"

"Well, I didn't tell you guys," Oakley looked down. "Chester invited me to go to Wonderland with him this weekend. I was about to tell him, yes, I would go. But then...at the party on Friday, I caught him kissing another girl."

The three of them gasped. "Why would he hurt you like that?" Laura asked. "I thought he liked you."

"So did I," Oakley sighed. "I really thought he did, but..."

"I'm sorry," Eliza sympathized. "What did you do after you caught them?"

"They weren't really caught. It was out in the open, and I wasn't there long enough for them to notice my presence. I just left."

"You should talk to him," Luara said suddenly. "What if he didn't mean to kiss her? what if she forced herself onto him?"

"I suppose I could," Oakley shrugged. "But I don't know if I am brave enough."

"Of course you are," Fauna encouraged.

"Oakley," Laura said to him in a serious tone. "You are one of the strongest people that I know. He has hurt you and you have the right to know why. And if he dares to try to hurt you again, you can...send him over to me."

"Laura," Oakley widened his eyes. "I don't think it'll be that dramatic."

"Maybe not, but if it does," Laura grinned. "I'll get my spells ready for some damage."

In Sorcery class, Laura noticed that Felicity sat farther away from her than usual. She was practicing her own spells that Baba Yaga had given them for the day. Laura was supposed to be practicing the lesson herself, but she stared down at the book on her desk. It was the one she had found on Friday, although she had forgotten about it over the weekend.

She had figured it was some type of spellbook, but what Laura didn't know was that it was an original. Inside the cover, the author called himself The Sapphire Sorcerer. It was strange, she felt like she had seen that handwriting before, but she couldn't place where she had seen it. Perhaps it was all in her head. Most likely it was.

Flipping the book open, Luara began to read the unique spells and how to recreate them. They were mostly ordinary spells that had slight alterations or extensions on their actions. She was about halfway through before she spotted the section title. Human Puppetry. Laura looked down at the dark ink that had been scribbled on the paper.

Laura quickly turned the page to see that the spell she had used on Oakley and Felicity was there. A hand had been sketched out with the strings attached to it. Laura read over the paragraph next to the drawing.

This puppetry spell is one of the most complicated spells I have ever created or used. There is no incantation or creed to activate this spell. The magic within the sorcerer must be harnessed with great restraint to conduct this maneuver. I have only done it once in my life, and I am still not sure how I achieved it. By simply drawing my hand away from the object of interest, I had control over their actions.

This spell cannot be harvested for very long, I figure. Only a few seconds would pass before the object could take back control. It is unlike any possession I have seen. Not only was the person under my control, but I also was still not the person. It is much different from a regular possession and much more dangerous. Use with caution.

Laura thought of the events that occurred last week. She had used that spell with great ease on Oakley and Felicity. Laura hadn't really considered if she harnessed her magic effectively, it was just something that happened. Perhaps because she was so focused on a specific action. She continued to flip through the pages, looking at the different spells of control.

Laura stopped reading once Baba Yaga came back into the classroom. She had just been chasing a fly-away book from a spell she had demonstrated. Laura slipped the book into her backpack. She stared at Baba Yaga as she fiddled at her desk. Why was the spell bok under her desk? Was Baba Yaga the Sapphire Sorcerer? Perhaps it was a pen name from her days back in school.

Laura decided against her theory. Baba Yaga had too much pride to not take credit for her spell findings. But how did she know about the puppetry spell Laura had used? She had to know something, but how could Luara ask without being suspicious? She would have to just ask.

She chickened out once the bell rang. Laura wanted to gather more facts and knowledge before she accused Baba Yaga. As Felicity rushed past her, Laura wondered if the book even belonged to Baba Yaga. Laura had flipped over Felicity's backpack during their small duel, perhaps the book belongs to her. Laura immediately crossed out that theory.

Felicity didn't know what had happened to her when Laura had used the puppetry spell. If Felicity had the book, she would've at least tried to use it against Laura. And, the book was old and dusty. It had been under Baba Yaga's desk for years or maybe even decades. The only way to find out was to keep reading, so later that day she shut herself up in her dorm and read.

Eliza had just come back from a splendid walk with Matt. They talked about school, bookball, and just life as it was. It was nice to get out of the school and take a good breath. Matt's company was quite pleasant. He wasn't as pushy as he was when they first met. More kind and considerate. They didn't get into any deep stuff, which Eliza was grateful for. She didn't really like to talk about her home life all that much. mostly because it was complicated and always filled with conflict between her parents when it came to her. She wondered how Duchess and Sparrow were doing now that she was just out of their reach. They probably were perfectly fine, not even fighting about anything.

When she came into the dorm room, the lights were all off. Only the setting sun projected little light into the room. She flipped on the switch to see Laura sitting below the window, reading a book with a circle of blue stones on the cover. "Uh..." Eliza raised a questioning brow. "Why are you just sitting here in the dark?"

"Is it dark?" Laura looked around. "Oh, the time went by fast."

"What are you reading?" Eliza asked.

"A spellbook I found," Laura held it up. "I found the puppet spell that I thought I created."

"Really?"

"Yes, and many there controlling spells," Laura beamed down at the book. "These are the advanced spells I've been looking for. Eliza, I can finally prove my mother wrong and show her I'm ready for more responsibility."

"How are you going to do that?" Eliza asked. Suddenly, Fauna came out of the bathroom.

"I think it's working," Fauna was brushing out her long hair. The once dark tips now glowed a bright blue.

"You dyed her hair?" Eliza gasped. "I thought you wouldn't use any products tested on animals, Fauna."

"This was magic," Fauna shrugged. "Besides, I love the color. You should do yours, Eliza. Then we would be a matching set." Eliza looked back to Laura, who was taking her hair out of a ponytail to reveal her now pink hair tips that crept close to her jawline.

"I'm thinking green for you," Laura looked down at the book. "Like perhaps pine needle green. It'll make the green and blue really pop."

"No," Eliza ran her fingers through her auburn hair nervously. "I don't think so."

"What don't you trust me?" Laura raised a brow.

"Of course I trust you," Eliza looked at the book. "I just don't trust this mysterious book of spells you've come across. How do we know it's safe?"

"It doesn't matter what the book says," Laura rolled her eyes. "What matters is the sorceress's control. It even says that in the book." She held it out, pointing to a little section of text.

"I think I'll wait a little while, just so you can get the hang of it," Eliza gave a small smile.

"Okay, but I thought you were finally going to make your own choices this year," Laura muttered loud enough for Eliza to hear. Eliza wasn't going to fall for this peer pressure.

"This is my own decision," Eliza defended. "Now, leave it alone."

Laura looked at Eliza strangely, then dropped the conversation.

Oakley was once again in the greenhouse. He couldn't explain the comfort he felt there. Perhaps it was the trees. He could become one with them. Or perhaps it was the colors of flowers. It reminded him of home, where his mother worked on her paintings. He recalled her hands after she would come out of her studio. Always perfectly clean. Now that she was real, she didn't have to sand off the paint from her wooden hands.

He wasn't tending to any plants at all today. Oakley simply leaned against a blossom tree's roots. It had grown naturally there, and the school decided to just let it keep growing inside the greenhouse. As he pressed his temple against the bark of the trunk, he let out a heavy sigh. Perhaps the real reason he liked to come here was that Chester had kissed him for the first time here.

A wave of pain flooded through the boy's body. Oakley wished he wasn't like this. He had only started to like Chester a little less than two weeks ago. Was the well-known Wonderland prankster really worth crying over? For a moment, Oakley almost felt bold, but that quickly drowned in the sorrow. He let a single tear fall from his eyes.

"Why the long face?" Chester's voice echoed. Oakley wiped his face and stood up.

"Don't play games," Oakley said sternly. "Show yourself. Right now."

Chester appeared a few feet away from him. Oakley resisted crying at the sight of his concerned green eyes. He took a deep breath, waiting for Chester to speak. "I missed you this weekend."

"I'm sure that's true," Oakley rolled his eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Chester asked, visibly confused.

"I'm sure your little girlfriend kept your thoughts far from me this weekend," Oakley crossed his arms. It was a childish gesture, but he needed to restrain himself from strangling the Chesire.

"Girlfriend?" Chester raised a brow. "I don't have a girlfriend. I invited you to Wonderland."

"But I saw you kissing another girl," Oakley said furiously. "Explain that to me."

Chester's eyes widened before he shook his head. "Oakley..."

"What?!"

"That wasn't what you thought," Chester took a step closer. "I haven't seen my Wonderland friends for a long while. So when Ambrose saw me, she got way too excited. Apparently, someone spiked the punch too, otherwise, Ambrose wouldn't have been drunk. It was the quickest of pecks. I didn't even know what was happening until her lips were on mine."

"Were you drunk too?" Oakley asked after a moment. He wasn't entirely sure where he was going with this.

"I don't think so," Chester scratched his head. "I only had a little punch. Not even a full glass."

"Who is Ambrose?" Oakley asked.

"Amber Rose Blanc-Wonderland," Chester explained. "Bunny and Alister's daughter. Please, know that the kiss meant nothing. She even has a boyfriend. It was just...a strange encounter."

"Well, it made me feel like nothing," Oakley turned his face away from Chester.

"Oak-"

"I was going to tell you yes," Oakley snapped. Chester took a sudden step back surprised by Oakley's sudden rage. "I wanted to go with you. I wanted to be with you."

Chester took a deep breath and only stared at him. Oakley untensed himself as he only stared into Chester's eyes. "Wanted?" Chester asked, his voice cracking on the word. It almost broke Oakley's heart.

"I don't know anymore," Oakley turned away from him again and studied the bark. "We've never addressed the kiss. You kiss me and then leave. You make promises, then leave. Why do you keep leaving?"

"Because it's who I am," Chester defended.

"Yeah, that's reassuring," Oakley grumbled.

"No, that's not what I meant," Chester was fumbling over his words. Oakley had never heard him talk this way. "I mean that it's a habit. I prank people, that's my thing, and then I leave before I can be caught."

"So you're just pranking me," Oakley nodded, letting another tear fall. He didn't even bother to look back at Chester.

"No," Chester said in a small voice. He sounded like he was getting choked up. Oakley turned to see tears of frustration brewing in his eyes. His face softened. "I'm scared."

Oakley let out the breath he had been holding. He was scared. Scared of what?

As if he could read Oakley's mind, Chester continued. "I'm scared of realizing what I truly am."

"Being different doesn't make you some sort of monster," Oakley said with a sad smile. "Yes, it can be complicated, but you have to trust the people you care about. They'll help you through it. My mom did, Luara did, and I don't know what I would've done without them."

"Could you help me?" Chester asked after a moment of silence. Oakley didn't know if it was his sincere expression or pleading eyes, but Oakley had become undone.

"Of course," Oakley managed to say.

Chester had suddenly swept Oakley into a tight embrace. Oakley was caught off guard at first, but then he hugged Chester back, letting his body relax. Closing his eyes, Oakley would take in everything he had at this moment because it was perfectly imperfect. And that was all he expected out of life.