Chapter Twelve: Before the Party

Mother went and sent a messenger to Miss Abigail Smith just as I had requested. I went outside and looked for her hat, and found it sitting by a plant. I picked it up, holding it up in the air as I looked at it, thinking of a way to use it as part of my flawless plan. My mind could not trigger anything that would please me fully, so I decided to wait until Roland came home to help me. I just hoped that he would return before Miss Smith did. "Astrid!" someone called. It seemed as if my name was called out the most around the house. I wondered why.

"Yes?" I yelled in return, walking back inside. Mum walked down the steps, an excited smile on her face.

"Will you go out into town to find Roland?" I stared at her oddly. She never asked me to go out to find someone. That was always the messenger's duty. "I know it may seem odd, Astrid," she added. "But I already sent the messenger after Miss Smith. I am sure you want to go outside for while, don't you?" I continued to look at her. "Here," she grabbed my hand and put in a small, cold coin in my palm. "I want you to spend it and show me what you get when you get home."

"Why do you want me to leave the house?" I asked.

"I don't want you to leave the house, Astrid. I just need Roland to come home as soon as possible."

"All right," I said. "Here." I handed Mum Miss Smith's hat. "Don't give it to her until I'm back. And… oh yes… she is welcome to stay here for my party."

"Why? You have something up your sleeve, Astrid."

"So, I do. But it is my birthday. Give me this freedom, Mum."

"Very well. Go along now." She kissed my forehead quickly, and I happily skipped out of the house and down the street. Turning twelve had more benefits than I had expected.

The day had hardly improved since morning. The sky was covered in dark, gray clouds, and I could hear the soft rumble of thunder far away. The air was not as cool as before, but now it was extremely humid and sticky. I had to take in large breaths because it did not seem as if I was getting enough oxygen. I, though, was still very thankful to be going outside anyway, so I tried my best to make the memory acceptable.

The local school for boys was located away from the fort and towards the end of the town. I had been there before with Mum and Dad only once when Roland was sent home since he was sick. That was not too long ago, and I found my way back there easily. The building was old and gray; the stones being weather-beaten from the continuous seasons of rain and wind. Large, lush green palms lined the dirt path that led to the front door. I heard chatter not far away, and I ran ahead to see if it was Roland. To my relief, it was. He walked playfully with his friends, not to mention Alexandra Westley. He had a bundle of books and papers fixed under his arm and he laughed loudly with his companions.

For a moment, I grew envious of him. He had friends; people he could turn to whenever he needed them. People who liked him and played with him. I had none. Of course, except for Roland himself. I was introduced to many children in my past, most of them girls; but I never got along with them. They were too boring. They never wanted to do anything but play dolls and have tea. I blinked out of my memory and realized why I was at the school. I was there to hurry Roland home. "Roland!" I yelled, running to his group of friends. A set of three heads turned my way. But they only looked at me. Roland didn't run up to meet me and he didn't call back in return. Their eyes were just set on my running figure, looking at me as if I was some sort of entertainment. "Roland!" I screamed again, getting annoyed. I stopped a couple of yards in front of them, panting, and walked the rest of the way there. I stopped right in front of his face and looked down on him (I was taller than him).

"W-What, Astrid?" he asked nervously. "Why… are you here?"

"Mum, sent me," I replied. "She wants you to come home."

"For what purpose?" interrupted Alexandra. I turned to her, wondering why she was getting into business that was not her own.

"My mum ordered it and she doesn't need a purpose for her own son to come home," I said. Alexandra grabbed Roland's arm fiercely.

"Will you walk me home first?" she demanded. Roland looked at me pleadingly.

"Mum wants you to come home," I said again.

"He'll go as soon as he walks me home, so you can leave now, Annie."

"My name is Astrid, ya arsehole!" With that, I snatched Roland's arm so severely that he nearly stumbled and fell. Alexandra looked at me with angry, dark eyes. I just laughed inside and glowered back.

"You are much too hard on your own brother," she said. "Plus your mouth needs a good cleaning, with all of that foul language you use."

"If people were never meant to say them, then why are they here?" I challenged. Again, I had the urge to yank off the stupid green ribbon on her head.

"Watch how you speak to me, Astrid," she said contemptuously. "My father is the head of the school."

"I don't care. Through my eyes my parents will always be ten times better than your own!" Alexandra gasped in disgust and turned angrily on her heal, her older brother following.

"Wench!" she yelled.

"Whore!" I yelled back. Although her back was facing me as she walked away, I saw her fists clench. She didn't turn back though, and I grinned at my triumph. I turned to Roland who stood beside me, but his face was glum and irritated. He glanced quickly at me then stomped away. "What?" I asked. "What now?"

"You had no right to call her those names nor did you have the right to be mean to her," he said, without looking back at me. I growled under my breath and trudged after him. His arms were crossed over his chest and I grabbed his shoulder.

"Why? She was gonna make you disobey Mum. I helped you."

"No, you didn't! I wasn't going to disobey Mum anyway. I would walk her home then walk to our house. There's not much a difference, Astrid!"

"Mum wanted you to come home as soon as possible!" I yelled. "Besides, it's my birthday! You're supposed to be nice!"

"Well, things change! I don't have to be nice to you if you can't be nice to my friends!" Roland hurt me. I couldn't stand his words anymore. I wanted this to all stop. I wanted him to be nice to me again, but my anger got a hold of me.

"At least you have friends!" I screamed. "So go! Go and be with your friends instead of at home! I'll tell mum you don't want to come home and you can stay at damn Alexandra's house for the rest of your life for all I care!" I pushed him out of my way, and sprinted home. I hated being twelve now. I wanted to be nine or eight or seven. Back then, friends didn't matter so much. But now, they did.

I fought back my tears, reminding myself that crying was only for little children. I wasn't a child anymore. I was twelve years old. I was growing up. I ran down the busy streets and alleys, weaving through lines of people down the road. Suddenly, I stopped. My hand went to my dress pocket, and I took out the coin Mum had given me to spend. I looked at it and felt relief. Mum told me to spend it on something, and unlike Roland, I wanted to obey Mum.

I turned the other way around and walked down to a shop. It sold wooden goods, and I found a small wooden box with a lock and key to purchase. I rubbed my thumb over the surface of the coin and checked to see how much it was worth. I looked at the price of the small box. I didn't have enough. "Can I help you?" came a voice. It was deep and rusty. I looked up and saw an old man leaning over and looking at the small wooden box that was in my hands. He smiled though and many wrinkles rung around his dark, but friendly eyes. "I see you want to buy that box there," he said.

"I would like to buy it," I said. "But I only have this." I took out my coin and showed it to him. He squinted at it and looked back at me.

"You're right," he said. "That's not enough to buy you the box." He paused a moment and looked at me harder. I looked oddly at him as well, hoping to make him feel as uncomfortable as he was making me feel. "I've seen you around these streets before," he said. "You're the daughter of Elizabeth Turner."

"I am," I said. "Why?"

"Nothing. I never expected to see her daughter come into my shop."

"We've been in here before," I said. "With my Dad."

"Ah. All right then. I'll tell you what, I'll keep this box for you and when you have enough money to buy it, you can come back."

"That sounds good to me. Thank you… mister… mister…"

"Carter."

"All right." I handed him the box and then walked out of the shop, surprised that I was not angry anymore.

I lingered around town no longer and ran back home, ruining my hair and my freshly polished shoes. Mum would be disappointed, and Maggie would be furious, but I would be happier than ever. "Mum! Dad! I'm home!" I screamed as I ran up the pathway leading to my home. Before I had the chance to knock on the front door, it opened for me, and I collided into someone as I ran in. My elbow hit the hard stone floor as I struggled to get back on my feet.

"Get off me!" squealed a voice. I got up, baffled, and realized I had collided into Roland. "Why are you running so fast anyway?" He got up and dusted himself off.

"Does it matter?" I replied fiercely. "Go ahead and leave. Go to your lover's house and never come back." I nudged him aside as I walked past him. I stomped into the living room to find Mum and Dad talking together.

"Astrid!" Mum smiled. She took one look at my dress and my shoes and my hair and her smile faded. "Go upstairs and get Maggie to dress you in a new frock. When you come back I will speak to you then."

"Yes, Mummy." I left and ran up the stairs calling Maggie. She emerged from my room and gasped when she saw me.

"Miss Astrid! What did you do to your new dress? And your hair? Dear Lord, come here." She grabbed my long, skinny arm and hauled me to my dressing area. "Your guests will be here any minute! What were thinking?"

"I wasn't thinking about anything, Maggie," I said proudly.

"Exactly. Now, stop fidgeting." She clasped my new dress shut in the back and fluffed out my skirt. She took me through the usual routine with my hair and wiped any dirt off of my face. She made me wear my old, but cleaner shoes and rushed me back downstairs. "Behave now, lady!" Inside I moaned.

"Yes, I know, Maggie! I will… I will…" I entered the living room a second time, but found Roland, Mum and Dad in their. I glowered at Roland.

"Astrid," Mum began, but I barely heard her.

"Why are you still here?" I yelled, ignoring Mum.

"I live here," Roland replied calmly.

"Well, then get out!"

"You are not allowed to order me like that!" Roland replied, getting up from his seat.

"I can! I'm older than you!"

"Roland! Astrid! Enough!" Mum shrieked. "Why are you two angry at each other? Tell us." I crossed my arms and gritted my teeth.

"I told him to come home, just like you had asked, Mum," I began. "But he wanted to walk Alexandra Westley home first. He didn't want to obey you, Mum."

"That is a lie!" Roland protested. "It is true that I was going to walk Alexandra home, but I would come home straight after. Astrid though, cannot let anybody bend the rules just a little bit. She always has to obeyeveryone."

"With that look at things, you will end up in jail when you're old!" I yelled.

"That's better than continuing to live here with the worst sister that ever lived!"

"I hate you!"

"Astrid! Roland!" Mum interrupted. "It's all right. We'll work this out somehow. But first things first. Astrid, I need you to stay with me to greet your guests. They will be arriving very soon. Roland, you will stay with Dad in the backyard. He'll tell you what to do. Now, let's get moving." Mum got up from her seat and took my hand. We walked out towards the front door and sat down in a bench in between the doors and a window. "Go easy on Roland, Astrid," Mum said softly.

"Why?" I demanded.

"Because he really likes Alexandra. If you knew what he was going through, you would want people to be kind to you. Give him just a tad bit more freedom, dear."

"But Alexandra is a witch," I said. "She always makes fun of me, Mum. Why? Why is she so mean?" Mum laughed lightly.

"You are a very intimidating girl, Astrid."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you demand your space. You are in control. And because of that, people fear you as a threat."

"But that's just who I am."

"I know, but some people won't accept it."

"Then why are you making those types of people come to my party?"

"Who would you want to come then?"

"No one. Just my family."

"We can do that next year."

"Promise?"

"I promise." There was a knock on the door and I got up to greet my first guest.