Sorry for the long wait, my exams kept me down. Here goes the new chapter!
„Wilt, what was your problem with Shaula? She's one of the nicest people… euh, I mean, imaginary friends I know!"
Wilt shrugged. He thought it was a matter between him and Shaula, nothing of Sophie's business.
„It's something between me and Wilt, Sophie" Shaula bowed her head. She felt tears apparoaching; she just couldn't give Sheila away. But through all these years of protecting her ex-owner, she was about to break up.
„Well, you two certainly make an odd, but really sweet couple!"
„NO!" screamed Shaula. Sophie stared at her in shock, then placed a hand on her shoulder.
„Oh, please… hush, I was joking!"
Shaula slowly shook her head. Memories flooded back in her mind. Sheila saying your boyfriend… that big red jerk of your boyfriend…
„Shaula!" Sophie grabbed both her shoulders „but you're crying!"
It was the crucial moment. The moment Shaula t. J. F. broke up inside.
„Sheila! It was Sheila!" and she fell crying desperately in Sophie's arms.
Sheila walked up to the bathroom sink and washed her face, trying to get rid of that stupid feeling. It wasn't guilt, sorrow, or anything like that. She looked at herself in the mirror, still sensing some kind of strange pain near her heart.
An hour later, Sophie slammed open the door and walked inside with banging steps.
„Shee!"
Silence.
„SHEE!"
„I'm here!" she exited the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her, her hair wet „I'm just coming from the bathtub… how did the dedication went? Hey!"
Sophie grabbed Sheila's arm and pulled her to her room.
„Sophie!" screamed Sheila „I thought we stated clearly that none of us enters the other one's room without permission… when we were younger…"
Sophie let Sheila fall back on the bed, then opened the wardrobe. There, she picked up Sheila's jump rope.
Sheila was left breathless as Sophie lifted it up. The blood traces on it were quite evident; she had used it to tie Shaula down.
„Sophie, I…"
„Shee." and Sophie exited the room. Bety was staring shocked.
An hour later, she left town to continue her dedicating tour.
Sheila, curled up in an angle of her bed, wept silently hugging a pillow. For Shaula, it was guilt. But the other feeling…? The Terrence-related one?
„Hi, mom!" said Mac as Mom arrived.
„Hello, mommy" Terrence showed a half smile as he spoke for the first time that evening, though his voice was still steady, colourless.
Wilt walked back to Foster's that afternoon. As the imaginary friends surrounded him, he said only one thing:
„Yes, that's my story, but it's over now for 15 years. No need to talk about it any more. What we need to do now is search for our lost fellow friends. Oh, Shaula!"
The fairy came out of the room and looked at him.
„Fake" he said „I'm sorry. You're not Shaula, and that is not okay."
Suddenly her eyes flashed red.
„I'm here, right behind you!" Shaula, the real one, flew in from the open window.
„What…? Why…? I…? SHEILA!" screamed the fake Shaula, eyes glowing red more and more brightly.
As for that call, the doorbell rang. Standing there was no one else but Sheila.
„Shaula!" she called out. The two fairies walked down the stairs together.
„What do you want?" asked one of them, arms crossed.
„Sheila, finally!" the other one ran to her.
As Wilt appeared, his arm on his hip, Sheila gulped.
„I wanna take her home" she hugged the Shaula that ran to her „please."
„Sheila, I hope you understand taking her home and maybe treat her better or anything won't set things right between us" said the other fairy.
Sheila bowed her head, and walked slowly to Mr. Herriman's office without saying a word.
Sorry if it was short or anything, the story's finale is about to come in a few chapters - and that one will be long!