CHAPTER 17
Michael ran a hand through his messy hair. He could see Maria get out of her car and walk into the Crashdown Cafe. He wanted to say goodbye, but it'd just make her leaving even harder. He got back on his motorcycle and went to her house. He walked up to her window and peered in.
He saw that she had left her vials of fragrance oils by her bed. He knew she'd come back to get those. She practically never left the house without a tube of fragrance. He pulled a poem he'd found by Robert Frost out of the pocket of his leather jacket. The poem described how he felt about her and their relationship. He wrapped it around the vial of oil that smelled like roses, that's what he always thought she smelled of, roses, like a fresh bouquet of them.
Hopefully she'd be back for the vials or else she might never know how he really felt. He walked back to his motorcycle and drove off just as a Jetta pulled into the DeLuca driveway.
Maria grabbed her photo album, her yearbooks from freshmen and sophomore year, and she threw them into her backpack. She was about to leave the room when she turned around and pushed the vials of oils of her night stand and watched them fall into her bag along with the other things she gathered around the house that her mother had forgot to put into the suitcase.
Taking one last look round her room, she gently closed the door and made her last goodbye to her home.
She drove back to Liz's house and gave the Jetta keys to her mom. Her bottom lip trembled as she looked at her mother. Ms. DeLuca hadn't always been the perfect mom but she always tried to be there for Maria.
"Will you come see us?" asked Maria blinking the tears out of her eyes.
"Of course I will, and you and Liz can come back on weekends or during vacations"
"Mom, can we ever tell our friends about this?" Ms. DeLuca thought for a moment.
"Maybe one day."
"What do we tell them when we're gone for weeks at a time and then suddenly pop up again?"
"Just tell them we sent you away for a boarding school. It's not a complete lie."
Maria nodded. She looked at the clock. Time had passed quickly, it was nearly two in the morning. She was tired but was too anxious about the next couple hours when she and Liz would be leaving the town they'd called home. She gave her mom a kiss on the cheek and heads up to Liz's room. Her best friend was laying on her side on her bed. She wasn't asleep. Liz looked like she was frozen in time. "This is going to be harder than anything I've ever done before."
Maria nodded as she slid into her sleeping bag. She and Liz just laid there the rest of the night waiting for dawn to come. The hours passed slowly, but both of them just laid there thinking about what their future held.
At eight o'clock Ms. DeLuca came into the room and told them that they'd be leaving in an hour. Both got up and did their usual morning routine.
They walked downstairs where Mr. Parker had breakfast on the table. Neither was really hungry. They had butterflies in their stomachs. Wanting to make their parents happy, Liz ate a bowl of KIX and Maria ate a raisin bagel.
No one said much. Finally at five past. Amy stood up and pulled a velvet pouch out of her purse. She walked over to the fireplace and tapped her wand on the brick three times and muttered some words. Instantly a fire ignited and burned as if had been going for hours.
"Now girls, all you do is after I throw in the Floo powder, step into the fireplace. Don't worry you won't burn, it'll just feel tingly. Anyways close your eyes and say 'Leaky Cauldron'. It'll feel as if you're in a roller coaster, but in a few second you'll be inside a little inn. The old man there will know you and he'll tell you everything else. I have an old friend there named Windela. She be there and will help you gather all the things you'll need for school. Ask her to take you to Gringotts, a wizarding bank. She'll know what to do."
"Uh yea, Liz you got that?" said Maria raising an eyebrow and grinning making it clear that she had no way of remembering half of what her mother said. Her best friend's face mirrored hers, but she nodded.
"Ok, you girls ready?" asked Ms. DeLuca. She gave them a nervous smile and hugged both of them. Mr. and Mrs. Parker hugged both of them too, wishing them luck. Amy pulled the drawstring of the pouch opened and stuck her hand in. Her fingers were wrapped around a handful of Floo Power, she threw it into the fire. Their eyes widened as the fire slowly changed from yellow-orange to deep emerald green flames.
"Now girls" said Amy gently taking their hands at helping Maria step into the fireplace. Maria took one last look at her mom before shouting out "Leaky Cauldron!" Liz blinked and her best friend was gone.
"Your turn" said Amy. Liz stepped in, "Bye mom, dad. Leaky Cauldron!" The adults stared at the fireplace for a few minutes after their daughters were.
Amy turned towards Liz's parents, "They'll be safe now". She gave them a small smile and gathered her things and left the Crashdown Cafe.
