Chapter 7

The Enemy

"O-oh!" I gasped. I wasn't expecting Sigmund to answer the call, but there he was on the other end and he didn't look thrilled to see me. Not in the slightest.

"What do you think you're doing calling Erin's crystal?!" He questioned immediately. I didn't know how to respond, especially hearing how upset his tone was coming off. I was completely taken aback.

"Sigmund—!"

"Don't call Erin! EVER!"

"What the-why are you shouting?" I heard faintly in the background on Sigmund's end. Then I heard a gasp from the same voice as Sigmund's head swung in their direction. "Wait. Is that my crystal?"

I recognized the voice, it was Erin. She was clearly shocked to see Sigmund had answered her call. He didn't seem to back down from her protest for the crystal back though and an argument quickly formed.

"Why is he calling you?" Sigmund asked harshly.

"Why are you answering my calls?" Erin snapped back.

"You've been helping him, haven't you? I told you to leave the situation alone and stop talking to him! He's trouble! He didn't want our help!"

"You can't tell me who I can and can't talk to! Give me my crystal back!"

"No!"

"Sigmund, give me my crystal!"

"Not if you're going to talk to him! No!"

"You're being petty!"

I watched them argue back and forth and felt myself feeling completely guilty. Erin had warned me earlier in the day that she was going to see Sigmund later, but I didn't think she would've still been hanging out. I should've known better though, it was the weekend after all and people apart from me actually had social lives. I also didn't think he would've answered her call. I should've been more careful.

"Sigmund, don't yell at her, please!" I spoke out between the bickering. "I reached out. It's my fault." Sigmund turned his attention back to the crystal and gave me a look that could've honestly given me a generational curse. I could feel the blood draining from my face in fear.

"It is your fault!" He nodded. "All your fault! Not mine, not hers, so stop calling us!"

"Give me my crystal back!" Erin shouted, finally snatching it away from the sorcerer who was caught off guard. "I'm sick of this! He said sorry already! What's your deal? We have to help him!"

"So you've been talking with him behind my back?!" Sigmund accused. "Is that what's going on? Is that why he's calling you?"

"Yes! I'm tired of walking on eggshells about this. It's silly. He's my friend!"

"Oh, wunderbar!" Sigmund retorted, his response dripping with sarcasm. "So happy for you! Glad you're friends, have fun with your friend then."

"Where are you going?"

"Back to Milkweed."

"You're kidding me, right?"

"Are you? Are you kidding me?!"

"Guys..." I pouted. "Come on! Stop!" I was ignored and the argument between them only escalated from there. Behind me, my Necronomicon was having a great time watching the whole scene play out.

"If you walk out, I don't wanna see you anymore!" Erin yelled, looking behind her.

"...You don't mean that." Sigmund muttered after a pause. The witch nodded.

"I do. I mean it."

"Oh, really? Fine then!"

"FINE!"

"FINE! Auf Wiedersehen!"

"WHATEVER! JUST GO!"

"W-wait!" I gasped, shocked by the exchange. "Hold on! D-Don't do that!"

"AND TAKE THIS WITH YOU!" Erin set the crystal down and I was finally able to see the entire scene. She worked to quickly unclasp a necklace from around her neck and chucked it in Sigmund's direction, who was stood at the doorway to wherever they were in the moment. Picking it up from where it landed in front of him, he pushed it into his coat pocket and seemed to do the same as she did, pulling off a necklace from his own neck and throwing it rather forcefully at her. The entire action was unreal.

"BACK AT YOU!" He shouted in return, leaving the room quickly afterwards with a slam of the door. With him out of the room, the call had fallen silent. Erin stood with her back to the crystal and didn't move immediately, but after a moment of staring at the door, she finally crouched down to pick up the discarded necklace. I covered my mouth in utter disbelief. I didn't know what to say. I couldn't believe that had just happened.

"Erin...are you alright?"

"O-oh..." She seemed to gasp faintly. Even though she didn't turn around, I could see her wiping at her face. She seemed to have forgotten I was still on the crystal. "Sorry, erm—"

"Don't apologize. Are you alright?"

"Um..." Finally facing the crystal again, Erin gave a weak smile. Her eyes spoke for her though, even though she was doing her best to mask her sadness. It was clear she was holding back tears. "Don't worry about it! Did you get the forms?"

"Erin..."

"It's okay, really."

"It's not okay. I'm so sorry."

"Kyle, I'm fine. The forms, did you get them?"

Considering she clearly didn't want to talk about what had just transpired, I nodded towards her question and reverted the subject. I held the stack of papers up to the crystal, high enough for her to view. Wiping her eyes again quickly, she nodded.

"Wonderful! How about the broom? Did you send it?"

"Yup! It was no trouble at all!"

"I told you! How far along are you with those forms?"

"Actually, I haven't started..." I muttered, flipping through the pages. "It's a lot and I had questions."

"Well, my schedule just cleared up!" Erin chuckled weakly. "So let's get through it together!"

"Right now? Are you sure?"

"Positive, Freckles. Let's get through it. The sooner you send it back, the better."

"But, are you sure you feel alright? I can't help but feel b—."

"I could really use a distraction right now, Kyle. Please..."

I blinked at her change in tone, it was incredibly fragile. Even her smile seemed to drop. I wouldn't protest with her any longer. With a nod in response, I set the crystal down on the table and pulled a pen from my school bag. Erin and I stayed up for the next couple of hours, well into the night, finishing off the re-entry request forms. She helped me through it all, suggested well received answers to certain questions and even listened to me read over my essay more than once. When all was said and done, I conjured a new envelope to send the forms back.

"Drop it off at your nearest post office." Erin told me. "And use the stamp I put in the folder. It'll find its way back to the Scrivener Post."

"Erin, I can't thank you enough." I sighed. "And I mean that."

"That's what friends do."

"No, you've gone above and beyond. I...I know you don't want me to mention it, but what happened with Sigmund just then was my fault and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"It's o—."

"No, it isn't. It isn't okay. It's downright horrible and it would've never happened if I hadn't gotten into trouble. I've been mucking up just about everything since I've been expelled. You didn't deserve that. I'm sorry."

"Ah..." Erin turned away from the crystal quickly, lifting a hand to her face and lowering her head. My words seemed to have started another round of tears. "..."

"I appreciate you, I really do. You didn't have to help me and you didn't have to stay up this late either. Especially after that. I'm sorry, Erin."

"...thank you."

"I'll go to the post office tomorrow morning."

"Mhmm...call me back when you've sent them, o-okay?"

"Absolutely. Get some rest, okay?"

"I'll do my best. Good night."

"Good night."

Ending the call, I set the envelope on the coffee table and pulled myself up from the floor and onto the sofa again with a deep sigh. The Necronomicon was excited to chop it up.

"Unbelievable!" The book exclaimed. "Never would've imagined him getting that upset over a crystal call!"

"Clearly, you're too blinded by your idol to see the truth." I replied in annoyance. "He's so full of himself and so horrible, making her cry like that."

"Indeed...it was difficult to watch."

"I wish I could've done more to make her feel better. I feel awful..."

"I think the kind words you left her with were more than enough."

"I don't understand why he's so upset with me. I mean, I do...but I feel like he's taking it all a tad too far."

"Don't dwell on it any longer. Get some rest and be ready early tomorrow. The post doesn't stay open very long on the weekends."

I nodded and turned myself in for the night. I didn't sleep very well though, in fact, I hardly slept at all. I was feeling anxious all of a sudden and I wasn't sure why. I figured it might've just been from the pressure. The pressure for these forms to be deemed good enough by Milkweed's standards to even consider me for re-entry. I was afraid. What if they saw my name at the top and tossed the whole envelope to the side? What if they kept it in holding and never got around to looking through it? I wasn't sure how much longer I could manage living in Galaxy Hills.

I watched the sun rise through the crooked window in my bedroom and frowned. The entire evening had gone by already. The phone ringing in the kitchen suddenly snapped me out of my disordered thoughts. Quickly, I pulled the comforter from my body and leapt off my mattress. Hopping into my slippers, I dashed in the direction of the kitchen and answered the wall phone.

"Hello?"

"Kyle! Good morning! It's Alexander!"

"Alex!" I grinned. "Good morning—erm, afternoon to you! How are you?"

"Ha! I'm well! How about you? How's America?"

"Ah...i-it's been alright..."

"Oof! That doesn't sound very good to me." Alex chuckled. "You sound miserable!"

"Do I? Goodness, I thought I was doing a better job hiding it."

"I've always been able to read you. We're a lot alike, you know."

I leaned against the wall of the kitchen and thought for a moment. Alexander was honestly my favorite cousin and he'd shared a major secret of his with me before I left to Galaxy Hills. I felt like I could trust him with my own personal thoughts. I didn't see him as the type to go around telling everyone my business.

"Can I ask you something?" I started.

"Of course! Go on."

"Do you think I should go back to Milkweed Academy?"

"Hm?! The magic school? Why? What's happening at your new school?"

"It's horrid, Alex!" I finally admitted. "Absolutely terrible. The teacher sleeps in class, the students do whatever they please, the lunches are nauseating! I-I just can't function here..."

"The teacher sleeps?" Alexander marveled. A suppressed giggle escaped him. "My apologies. I don't mean to laugh, but that's beyond ridiculous."

"You're telling me..."

"So...you want to go back to Milkweed? Why not come back to England instead? You're always welcomed back here."

"I know...it's just, I feel like I'm missing out on my studies. I feel like I'm falling behind. I miss magic, Alex. I miss it a lot."

"I see..." My cousin hummed. "Then why the question about it? If you know you miss it and you know you don't like where you are right now, do I truly need to answer for you?"

"Well, it's more complicated than that. A friend of mine sent me some documents to re-enter Milkweed since I was expelled, and those documents take time to process. It's not a guarantee that I'll be accepted."

"But it's a good start, right?"

"Absolutely. I didn't think I'd even be approved to receive these forms!"

"Then keep your hope alive for the time being."

"It's not just that..." I sighed. "I've managed to make a lot of people cross with me over this..."

"Oh? How so?"

"...where do I even begin? Have you heard of Sigmund the Sorcerer?"

"Nope."

I was actually surprised he wasn't familiar with him as a celebrity. It was honestly a little refreshing. I took a seat on the tiled floor of the kitchen, extending the teal blue, coiled cord of the wall phone downward with me. I told Alexander everything. Everything about my time at Milkweed and how I wasn't the best wizard, about being roommates with Sigmund and how famous he was, a brief history on my life at home. Everything. It felt good venting about it. I'd kept it to myself for so long, talking about it with someone for once lifted some weight from my shoulders. And Alex was a listener, a good one at that. He didn't mind a bit that I'd decided to essentially trauma dump on him so randomly.

"So you'd be going back to a hostile environment all around..." Alexander gathered from what I'd told him. "Angry school mates, angry parents and angry teachers. I understand..."

"Exactly. But if I keep away, I don't get to study. It's my dream to study."

"So don't keep anyone from your dreams." Alex spoke bluntly. "Don't give anyone that authority. You deserve to study just like everyone else. No one can stand between you and your dreams. No one. Not Sigmund, not Uncle Oliver, not that weird professor. No one!"

"Hm.."

"I-I mean it, Kyle! Stop worrying about what people think of you or your reputation or whatever and just go for it! Especially if you get a second chance, you should walk back in and show everyone why they gave it to you. Walk back into Milkweed and do your absolute best! Don't let anyone question you! It's not about them, it's about you and your education."

"...you're right."

"I mean, really? Realm reputation? Sounds like a load of bollocks to me!"

"Pffff! Alexander!"

"Who do they think they are? Truly? If I could go to Milkweed, I'd tell them off myself!"

"That's incredibly out of character for you."

"You'd be surprised, Kyle. You'd be surprised."

Looking up at the clock on the wall of the kitchen, I noticed we'd been on the phone with one another for almost an hour. Before I ended the call, I wanted to know how Alexander's magic had been coming along.

"The book you gave me has been a godsend!" Alex exclaimed. "It's so insightful. There's terms in here that I never knew about and I'm really thankful to finally have some explanations on how I feel sometimes. Especially on surge days."

"You have surge days?" I gasped. Surge days happened when magic was pent up. Symptoms were usually tingles in the hands and fingers and light-headed feelings. It was usually common with regular, practicing wizards, so I didn't expect Alex to have that feeling. I suppose he was using more magic than he originally disclosed to me.

"Haha! Yes! And I never knew there was a word for that ticklish feeling in my hands. It used to annoy me so bad! Now I know! The index in the back of the book has really changed the game."

"Well, I'm glad." I smiled, finally standing from the floor. "If I get back into Milkweed, I'll be sure to send you more books, alright?"

"Oh, Kyle! That would be wonderful! Here's hoping you get back! I'll let you go now, you have to get to the post! Call me anytime, you hear?"

I was happy to hear from Alexander after having such a negative night. Releasing all my worries and receiving positive feedback in return had changed my entire outlook on the day. I felt lighter. I felt optimistic. I'd be sure to speak out my feelings more often, or at least try to.

After ending the call, I got myself together, collected the documents, which I pushed into a tote bag with my crystal ball and Necronomicon, and headed out of my flat to the post office. It wasn't too far of a walk and to be honest, I was elated to finally get these forms sent off. Unbeknownst to me till I was informed by the post staff, the stamp Erin had sent with the forms kept the send back completely free of charge. I had expected to pay a fee, which was typical of the Scrivener Post, but she'd helped me through it all before I even realized it.

With the envelope sent away, I was given a tracking number and the waiting game was officially on. Exiting the post office, my Necronomicon hopped into my hands when I opened my tote.

"How are you feeling?" The book asked. I shrugged.

"Not bad." I actually smiled. "In fact, pleasantly surprised. That was easy enough."

"Make sure you thank Erin for that."

"Oh, of course. I'll be sure of it."

"Did they say anything about how long it'll take to arrive to Milkweed?"

"No, but they gave me a tracking number. So I'll know exactly when it hits Merlin's desk."

All weekend long, I kept an eye on that tracking number. By Monday morning, the envelope was already in transit and on it's way out of the country. Getting on the school bus, I felt a lot better than I had the previous week. Even when the idiots boarded the bus, I wasn't as bothered as I'd been before.

"KYLE!" Fanboy greeted at full volume, as usual. "We didn't get to come around this weekend! Sorry!"

"You weren't waiting around for us, were you?" Chum Chum asked. I couldn't help but snicker towards the absurd question.

"No." I answered flatly. "I wasn't."

"We forgot that a new episode of Sigmund's show was on!" Fanboy explained, much to my displeasure. "Couldn't miss that!"

"Yeah! Yeah! He was doing fire magic!" Chum Chum went on. "He made a dragon appear and it was all WHOOOSH~!"

"OH YEAH!" Fanboy exclaimed. "It was like SWOOOSH! WOOOOSH!"

"AND THE LASERS SHOOTING OUT THE DRAGON'S EYES WERE LIKE PEW! PEW! PEW!"

"AND THE GLITTER WAS TWINKLY AND—!"

"ALRIGHT! I get it!" I interrupted in annoyance. The noise was just overwhelming so early in the day. Of course, it didn't end and that was to the shock of absolutely no one. Noise had become part of the routine, but it wasn't just the noise though. I truly didn't want to hear anything of Sigmund and his show. In fact, I didn't want to hear about Sigmund at all anymore. My original annoyance with him had turned into resentment after the incident with Erin. I'd had enough.

Seeing just how willing he was to drop association with anyone who was assisting me had honestly angered me, deeply. It was especially shocking when it came to Erin, his now ex-partner. He'd been positively obsessed with her during our time together as roommates. He'd constantly be on the phone with her whether is was talking or texting. Some evenings, I'd wake in the middle of the night for water or to use the washroom and I'd spot him wide awake with the screen of the phone, glowing against his face as he typed away. During school holidays, they spent that time together and Sigmund would always come back from the break with stories to tell me about New York, where she lived, or about whatever they'd done for fun. To think he dropped everything with her without a second thought, just because she'd been helping me infuriated me.

And he'd done it purposefully. Spitefully. He wanted me to feel guilty after the misunderstanding I'd had with him over the case with our professor. He wanted me to feel desperate for his help. He'd wanted me to stroke his ego and grovel and beg him for assistance. Finding out that I'd found another way angered him and he'd taken that anger out on someone he claimed to care about. It was ruthless, heartless, spineless and unnecessary. The entire thought behind the action was just plain callous to me. He wanted to make me an enemy and at this point, I was more than willing to oblige.

Walking into Mr. Mufflin's classroom, I took my seat at my desk and pulled out my stationary and due homework. Once the classroom was full and everyone had been seated, Mr. Mufflin took to the front of the room.

"Hand your homework forward..." He sighed, rather unenthusiastically. The class did as he instructed and once all the homework was collected, he set the stack of papers on his desk and returned to the front of the room. "Next week, the science fair is coming to the school, so make sure to bring your allowance. We'll be having class outdoors and watching a science demonstration by Ms. Olive and her class."

"Ooh! Ooh!" Fanboy whooped from his seat, much like a monkey or some sort or primate would. He frantically raised his hand, but spoke before he was even called on. "Is she gonna make something explode?!"

"Oooh!" Chum Chum echoed. "Like a volcano?!"

"Or a bomb?!"

"NO! NO! NO!" Mr. Mufflin shouted in irritation. "Sit down!"

Beside me, my bag began to glow and I knew it was from my crystal. Typically, I'd step out of the room to answer, but seeing the teacher was preoccupied, I answered then and there. It wasn't a call, but a message. An update on my tracking. My documents had finally left the country. My heart was soaring. At this rate, my re-entry forms would be at Merlin's desktop by the end of the week.

"HAVE A SEAT RIGHT NOW!" Mr. Mufflin continued towards the ninnies. I didn't mind. Right now, nothing in Galaxy Hills mattered.