~~Hello readers, I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter.
I do not own anything from Mario.
Only my original characters belong to me.~~
~Back at The Ceremony~
Everything had stayed the same when my best friend Ariel and I returned to our seats.
The ceremony hadn't started yet.
Time practically stood still while Ariel and I were visiting Mario and his brother Luigi.
All of my sadness had been temporarily non existent.
I actually felt excited about the graduation thanks to those two adorable plumbers.
My mind flashed back to the moment when I helped Luigi calm down after Ariel frightened him by accident.
I sighed dreamily at the thought of me holding him.
Talking to Mario also made me happy.
Mario and Luigi really made my day.
Ariel snapped me out of my thoughts by tapping me on the shoulder. "Quit daydreaming already Sioku, you need to pay attention to the ceremony."
My face heated up as I turned to her. "Sorry Ariel, I just can't help it. I want to see them again."
"Your sisters are watching," Ariel pointed out.
I sighed before waving at Melody and Kara.
Unfortunately, I spotted Julie sitting by them.
Bad memories of our previous argument endlessly flooded into my mind like rushing water.
Ignoring them was impossible for me.
~Flashback~
"You acted like a little baby because the teacher didn't let you download that silly VeggieTales music on your computer," echoed Julie's voice.
~End Flashback~
I looked Nervously at Ariel. "This is horrible, Julie probably told my sisters all of her lies!"
"Don't worry Sioku, Kara already knows everything that really happened. You and I told her the whole story that day," she replied quietly.
I lowered my head in fear of the near future.
"Mario, Luigi, I need you. Please help me get through this event," I thought.
"Stay calm Sioku," replied Mario.
"We'll see you soon," added Luigi.
I perked up at the sound of their voices.
"Thanks guys," I whispered.
Ariel stared awkwardly at me.
Our graduation ceremony began with the school principal giving her opening speech.
Then three students gave their speeches.
We also heard a few songs.
Lastly, the principal called one person up to the stage at a time to receive a certificate.
I cheered with joy for Ariel when it was her turn to go up on the stage.
After getting her certificate, Ariel came running back toward me wearing a proud smile.
"Congrats girl," I said as I hugged her.
"Thank you so much," she replied.
It was now my turn to go up there.
I took a deep breath before standing up.
"Go Sioku," cheered Ariel.
I walked up to the stage with an excited grin as if I never got mentally scarred by Julie.
Kara took pictures on her phone as the principal handed my certificate to me.
I joyfully skipped back to my seat.
"Congratulations," said Ariel as she hugged me.
"Thanks girl," I replied.
Our ceremony concluded with a huge round of applause for all of the graduates.
The huge crowd was finally dispersed.
A feeling of relief washed over me.
Ariel and I remained seated while waiting for the crowded field to clear out.
I thought about Mario and tried to relax under the warm sunlight as it shined down on me.
It was now the middle of the afternoon.
Once the field had finally cleared out, Ariel and I began making our way toward the dining hall.
My sisters Melody and Kara intercepted us near a drinking fountain followed by Julie.
My heart raced with anticipation.
"This can't be good," I thought nervously.
Melody is a 17-year-old girl with straight blond hair and dark green eyes.
She had on black shoes and socks, black dress pants, and a white dress shirt.
"You two look beautiful today," she said to Ariel and me.
"Thank you," we replied in unison.
Kara had a disappointed look on her face as she approached me. "Sioku, I thought I specifically told you to be on your best behavior this morning."
I shivered at the angry tone in my sister's voice.
Ariel immediately joined in to back me up. "Hold on Kara, you don't even know what happened."
"Yes I do, Julie told me the whole story! Sioku screamed at Julie for asking her questions!" Kara yelled back.
"Kara, did Julie ever tell you that she put her hands on Sioku?" Ariel added.
"I only grabbed her by the shoulders," Julie protested.
I quickly tried to ease the growing tension in the air.
"Julie is right, I did scream at her. She randomly brought up an incident from last week just to mentally tear me apart," I joined in.
"That's not true," replied Julie.
Julie's perfection act was driving me crazy.
I was beginning to lose my composure.
"Oh really Julie? Why else would you approach my best friend and me with that usual annoying glare on your face?" I countered bravely.
Julie remained calm and collected.
"Your sisters deserve to know everything that you've done Sioku," she answered.
A flashback from my recent argument with Julie entered my mind, causing me to snap.
~Flashback~
"Whenever you listen to that music, I hope you think about how badly you hurt your teacher," echoed her voice again.
~End Flashback~
My face heated up with burning rage.
"What I've done?" I hollered.
I had no way to control my rising anger.
Kara immediately cut us off. "Sioku Marie, that's enough! You have no right to talk to an adult that way!"
I wasn't going to let Julie turn her against me.
An image of Luigi flashed through my mind.
I smiled knowing he was there for me.
Instead of letting Kara's tone frighten me, I decided to stand up for myself.
Julie may have had her vengeful way with me, but I wouldn't let that nasty woman drag my sister into our battle and lie to her.
I took a deep breath and stared directly at Kara. "Everything was going well until Julie started yelling at me for no reason."
Julie rolled her eyes at me.
Ariel glared at Julie in response.
"So you're telling me that Julie just wanted to yell at you for the fun of it?" Kara countered.
"Yes, Julie never lets anything go! She is obsessed with humiliating and bringing me down! That's why she chose to work with me," I argued.
Julie only shook her head at me.
Melody gasped at my answer in shock. "Sioku! How could you say those awful things about Julie?"
"It's the truth," I replied.
Ariel furiously stomped up to Melody, anger now present in her features. "I can't believe that you would stick up for Julie instead of your own sister! You have no idea what Sioku has to deal with every day at school. Julie constantly bullies and embarrasses her just for being herself! Sioku is always trapped in a prison of terror! There is never a day when she isn't in tears! Julie also falsely accuses Sioku of being dishonest! I am literally Sioku's only friend! Julie has tricked many people into thinking that Sioku is nothing but weird!"
"That's what Sioku wants you to believe," Julie grumbled at Ariel.
Melody stood completely still with a saddened but stunned expression on her face.
"Ariel, is all of that really true?" she asked quietly.
"Yes, I was in all of Sioku's classes! Julie always found a way to put Sioku on the wrong side of the page! I was the only person who had her back! Everybody else just laughed or stared at her! She was never allowed to express her interests because people would make fun of her all the time," Ariel sadly explained.
Kara stared at Ariel equally stunned.
She listened intently to the conversation.
Julie decided to join in their conversation. "All I did was try to give Sioku valuable information, but she refuses to accept it and learn from her mistakes."
I laughed under my breath at that.
"You can't be serious Julie, I make mistakes because of you. You never helped me with my work like you were supposed to. All you did in class every day was sit in a corner and stare at me," I added.
"Calm down Sioku," urged Melody.
Ariel glared daggers at Julie. "Do you seriously call verbally harassing Sioku every day giving her information? You instantly put Sioku down about something every time you hear her talking to me! All you care about is the way she looks in front of you! You don't care about her at all!"
I nodded my head in agreement.
"I just want Sioku to have a bright future," Julie argued.
I rolled my eyes at her false statement.
"Sioku doesn't believe that," Ariel countered.
Tears welled up in my eyes.
"Julie, how am I supposed to have a bright future without having the freedom to be myself? I'm constantly being judged for dressing casual or simply enjoying something! My family and Ariel have been my only light of hope in this world," I added.
The whole group fell silent at that.
"Sioku, I'm just trying to get you to act like a teenager! You live in a fantasy world all the time," Julie replied.
I tensed up at that untrue statement.
My blood boiled inside like hot water.
I felt the urge to get in Julie's face.
"No she doesn't Julie, Sioku always had one of the highest grades in her classes! Even though Sioku is autistic, she understands the difference between fantasy and reality. Sioku actually treats people with kindness and respect unlike you," Ariel protested.
I gave Ariel a thumbs up.
She smiled at me in return.
"I always see Sioku working hard on her homework and chores after school every day," continued Melody.
"Being autistic does not give Sioku the right to act like a spoiled baby," Julie replied.
I lost my composure and glared furiously at Julie. "How the heck am I acting like a baby? Does my love for cartoons really bother you?"
"Yes, cartoons are not appropriate for your age. You cry every time I try to correct you," Julie answered.
"Anybody can watch cartoons at any age! Sioku wouldn't cry as much if you actually cared about her feelings! Have you ever worked with an autistic person before?" Ariel shot back.
"No, Sioku is my first autistic student. I'm teaching her how to be a normal teen," Julie answered calmly.
"Permanently destroying my love for VeggieTales is no way to do it," I replied.
"You shouldn't watch VeggieTales anyway," Julie commented in a frustrated tone.
I glared at her in annoyance.
In the midst of all the yelling and chaos, my necklace began to glow bright green.
"Sioku! Your necklace is glowing," Ariel called frantically as she turned to me.
I didn't want anyone else to know about my necklace's enchantment or Mario and Luigi.
"Ariel... be quiet," I whispered.
"I see it too," continued Melody.
My face turned red with worry.
"Wait, what's going on?" asked Kara.
"It's nothing," I briefly answered.
"Are you sure Sioku?" replied Kara.
I desperately hid the jewel under my dress.
"Don't worry about it," I answered.
Kara glared in annoyance at my dismissive behavior.
"No Luigi, this is a bad time. I don't want you to get hurt. Please stay back right now," I thought.
The green light swirled around me like a vortex.
"Why is there a green light surrounding Sioku? Where did it come from?" asked Julie.
"Those are good questions," replied Kara.
I suddenly became invisible to everybody.
Kara scanned the empty space beside Ariel in confusion. "Where did Sioku go?"
"She was here a second ago," Ariel replied.
"I just hope she's not in danger," added Melody.
"She should be back soon," assured Ariel.
Kara looked at Ariel with a stern expression. "Do you know what's going on with Sioku? If so, spill it now!"
Ariel jumped at Kara's demand.
"No, this is the first time I've ever seen it glow. I always thought that Sioku's necklace was ordinary," she answered in defense.
"I hope you're not lying," Kara replied.
Ariel only frowned at her.
Luigi appeared beside me from within the light.
Seeing his cute face again made me smile.
"Hi Luigi," I greeted cheerfully.
I gasped happily as he wrapped his arms around me.
"What are you doing here?" I whispered.
Luigi only hugged me tighter.
I returned the hug in a comforting way.
"I missed you too Luigi, please don't worry about me. I'm not in any danger," I said softly.
He laid his head on my shoulder.
It felt good to be with him again.
I forgot all about the argument in this moment.
"Where is your brother?" I asked curiously.
Luigi only nuzzled me.
"What are you trying to tell me Luigi? Is Mario okay?" I asked smoothly.
The shy plumber nodded in response.
A few minutes later, Luigi and I released each other.
The glowing light surrounding me faded away, but it stayed around Luigi to conceal him.
Luigi was still visible to me though.
Ariel gasped in surprise as I reappeared beside her. "Sioku, what just happened to you?"
I let out a nervous laugh. "Oops, I must have spaced out during our conversation."
"Don't try to hide anything from me Sioku. You know better than to keep secrets. I want to know what's going on," Kara demanded.
My face heated up with worry.
All eyes were on me.
My hands began to sweat as I rubbed them together.
I took a deep breath and looked at her. "Kara, I didn't want to tell you about this because I was afraid of you judging and not believing me. My necklace has been enchanted since this morning."
Melody's eyes widened in shock.
She didn't understand the situation.
"I saw your necklace glow red while you were playing Mario Party. Do you care to explain why?" Kara added.
My cheeks pinked up as I looked around.
"My necklace can glow either red or green. The red light will summon Mario, and the green light will summon Luigi. That's how I met them," I explained.
"Hold on, Mario and Luigi are real?" added Melody.
"Sioku is obviously lying," answered Julie.
I decided to ignore her and revealed the jewel so my sisters could see it for themselves.
They stared at it in awe.
"Sioku, did you know this was going to happen to your necklace today?" asked Melody.
"No," I simply answered.
"Where did you get that necklace?" asked Kara.
"I bought it in a store at the mall. We went there for my graduation trip," I explained.
"I remember that day," added Melody.
Julie shook her head and smirked at my sisters. "I told you girls that Sioku is constantly living in a fantasy world. Do you really believe all of her nonsense?"
Her comment caused me to fume inside.
However, I resisted the urge to scream at her since I still had Luigi next to me.
I didn't want to accidentally frighten him.
"That was unnecessary," replied Ariel.
Julie glared at Ariel in disagreement. "No it wasn't, Sioku is always making up silly stories."
Ariel shifted her anger toward Julie and glared daggers at her. "Your snotty little comments are getting old really quick! I'm tired of hearing them! Sioku is telling the truth because I saw them too!"
Luigi flinched at the girl's hollering.
"It's okay Luigi," I thought.
He nervously hid behind me.
Julie shook her head again.
She then stepped away from the group.
Julie wanted nothing to do with our conversation.
"Ariel, are you serious?" asked Kara.
Ariel's expression softened as she looked at Kara. "Yes, it happened before the graduation ceremony started. Sioku and I were surrounded by a mixture of red and green light. Mario and Luigi appeared before us after we were mysteriously transported to a new area. Those two plumbers looked much cuter in person."
I blushed at Ariel's last comment.
Melody and Kara stared at each other.
"Where are they now?" asked Melody.
"I don't know where Mario is at the moment, but Luigi is right here next to me. He has been by my side for a few minutes now," I answered.
Ariel and my sisters looked around in confusion.
"I don't see anybody," Ariel pointed out.
"That's because Luigi has made himself invisible to everybody except me. He is very nervous and timid unlike his brother Mario," I explained.
"That's understandable," replied Ariel..
Kara stared at me as a thought crossed her mind. "Hold on Sioku, did Luigi make you become invisible to us a few minutes ago?"
"Yes, he thought I was in danger," I answered.
"Why?" Kara continued.
"He probably sensed the argument we were having and wanted to get me out of it," I answered.
"Awe, Luigi wanted to be your hero. He loves you Sioku," Ariel teased.
I playfully poked her in the side.
"Can Luigi hear us?" asked Melody.
"He sure can," I answered happily.
Kara's voice came out more gentle as she spoke to me. "I believe you Sioku, and I appreciate you for telling me about this strange occurrence in your life. Mario and Luigi are permitted to stay with you. However, I expect you to keep up with your schoolwork and chores. Do you understand me?"
"Of course Kara," I answered politely.
A feeling of joy washed over me.
Having those adorable plumbers around would make me feel safe and secure at school.
"Yes!" shouted Ariel as she gave me a high five.
I joyfully returned the high five.
"That's wonderful Sioku, I'm so happy for you! May we see Luigi?" cheered Melody.
"We should let him get used to us first," I advised.
"Good idea," Melody replied briefly.
"Luigi is emotionally attached to Sioku right now because I accidentally scared him when we met," said Ariel.
"How did that happen?" asked Melody.
"I got too excited while meeting him," Ariel answered.
Luigi came out from behind me and leaned on my side.
"I'm still here," I reassured.
Kara then shifted her attention to Julie who stood silently beside a brick pillar. "We still have a problem to sort out with you."
"I was just waiting for you girls to finish up your conversation," Julie replied.
Kara cleared her throat before continuing. "Julie, I don't want you and Sioku to be mad at each other anymore. You two need to patch things up before the new school year begins. It will benefit both of you."
Kara's statement sent various emotions coursing through me all at once.
Being friends with Julie was not on my mind.
I stared at Luigi to keep myself calm.
"I agree, I have been very harsh with Sioku lately. Sioku also needs to work on controlling her temper whenever we have a serious talk," Julie replied.
Luigi gave me an encouraging look.
I took a deep breath and joined in. "Julie is right, I do get mad easily. I also believe that Julie and I will get along if we listen to each other."
Kara gave a thumbs up in agreement.
I grinned back at her.
"Thanks little guy," I whispered to Luigi.
Luigi smiled at me in response.
"Do you honestly think that could happen Sioku? Can you two really make things right?" asked Ariel.
I could tell that she had a lot of doubt about Julie and me trying to make up.
"Maybe," I answered hopefully.
"I believe that you ladies can find something that will bring you together," added Melody.
"That's the spirit," replied Kara.
"Julie could start by letting go of incidents from the past," Ariel suggested.
"Ariel has a good point," I added.
I frowned as a song from VeggieTales played in my mind. "I'm probably not going to talk about cartoons around Julie anymore because of the VeggieTales music incident from this morning."
Luigi nuzzled me in a comforting way.
"That's fair," replied Julie.
Julie then gave Ariel a questioning look. "I just want to set something straight before we put this whole mess behind us forever. You were in Sioku's physics class with her last week. Is it true that she didn't use any cuss words toward your teacher?"
My heart began to race with fear.
"Here we go again," I thought.
I looked down at Luigi who was hugging me tightly.
"You're the best," I whispered to him.
Ariel stared directly into Julie's eyes. "Yes, I have never heard Sioku say a single cuss word. She never called the teacher names either. Sioku just wanted to protect her laptop, and I don't blame her for that."
"Did you and Sioku really play a game until class was over?" Julie continued.
"Yes, we were also laughing about funny memories. Sioku wasn't upset at all," Ariel answered.
Kara looked at Ariel confused. "If you say that's true, why did your physics teacher saccuse my little sister of such horrible actions?"
"Kara, that teacher has strongly disliked Sioku since they first met. She also considered Sioku an outcast. I've heard her talk bad about Sioku to Julie and other people all the time. She tried to give Sioku the lowest grade on purpose, but I secretly reported her to the principal," Ariel explained.
Kara stared at Ariel stunned. "That's not right at all. Sioku didn't deserve to be treated that way. Your teacher should have gotten fired a long time ago."
"All of the other students in our class avoided Sioku because the teacher told them that she lets cartoons and video games ruin her life," Ariel added.
Julie took a moment to process Ariel's responses.
She sighed heavily while giving me an apologetic look. "Sioku, I'm starting to regret not believing you. I should have left that incident alone a long time ago. I apologize for yelling at you this morning."
Hearing Julie say those kind words brought an overwhelming feeling of relief to me.
I felt my heart become a little lighter.
"I accept your apology," I replied softly.
Ariel smiled proudly at Julie and me. "That's a good first step for both of you."
"I have the best friend in the world," I whispered.
Luigi grinned at me in response.
Kara smiled and decided to join the conversation. "Sioku has never said a cuss word at home. She is also very kind and helpful. Also, I understand why Sioku would be disappointed about leaving her laptop behind. It is very expensive."
"I agree with my sister," added Melody.
Julie's expression softened as she looked between Kara and me. "I promise to help Sioku the right way next year. Sioku will definitely have the freedom she deserves in high school."
Her words did sound convincing, but I still felt unsure.
"I appreciate it," I replied with a small smile.
We heard a bell ringing over the loud speaker.
Kara pointed to the entrance of the dining hall. "We'll talk about this another time. Sioku, Ariel, you should go have lunch now. Melody and I are going home."
"I'll see you two later," I replied.
I waved at my sisters as they walked away.
Julie stood in front of me with a friendly smile on her face. "Bye Sioku, I'll see you in a few months. Have a good summer break."
"You do the same," I replied quietly.
I watched her until she disappeared from my sight.
Ariel and I entered the dining hall behind a large crowd of other students.
I gasped as I watched Luigi disappear.
The glowing light faded as well.
"What's going on Sioku?" asked Ariel.
"Luigi just left my side. I don't think he likes crowded places," I answered sadly.
"I'm sure he'll come back," Ariel reassured.
I stared at the floor and sighed.
After ordering our food, Ariel and I sat down at an empty table in the back.
Many conversations were going on around us.
I slipped into pleasant thoughts about Luigi.
Our meal was mostly silent until Ariel decided to start a conversation. "Hey Sioku, how do you feel about starting over with Julie?"
I anxiously rubbed the jewel on my necklace with my thumb. "I'm relieved that Julie wants to change, but trusting her will not be easy."
"I totally agree with you Sioku. Julie needs to earn your trust after everything she has done to you this year," Ariel replied in a serious tone.
I crossed my arms as I sadly thought about VeggieTales. "I'm still thinking about deleting that music off of my computer when I go home."
Ariel's happy expression instantly changed into one of concern. "Hold on Sioku, are you sure? You just added that new music to your collection a week ago."
My nerves began to tense up.
"I know, but listening to any VeggieTales music would only make me angry at Julie all over again. I can't enjoy it anymore," I replied fearfully.
"Oh wow Sioku, I didn't realize how bad Julie's words actually hurt you. She really scarred your mind," Ariel said quietly.
A flashback threatened to enter my mind.
I began to tremble as I stood up.
Chills rapidly covered my entire body.
My heart raced as I breathed heavily.
"Are you okay Sioku?" asked Ariel.
I only shook my head.
Without any hesitation, I grabbed my bag and started running toward the door.
"Wait, Sioku!" Ariel called after me.
I ignored her and took off outside.
Ariel immediately bolted after me.
"Where are you going Sioku?" she called again.
Her voice faded into silence as I escaped the chaos.
The wind blew through my hair as I continued running.
I stopped behind a set of portable classrooms and looked for a place to take a rest.
Fortunately, I spotted a tree stump surrounded by leaves next to a chain-link fence.
I carefully sat down on the stump.
A breeze lightly touched my face as it passed by.
It felt good to be back in a peaceful area.
The sounds of nature pulled me into my thoughts.
My necklace began to glow both red and green.
I looked down and gasped in surprise.
Mario and Luigi appeared beside me.
"Hello you two," I greeted cheerfully.
"Hi Sioku, how are you?" replied Mario.
"Okay I guess," I answered with a sigh.
Mario sat down on the stump beside me.
Luigi immediately jumped into my arms.
I held him close to me and smiled.
"I'm glad to see you too," I whispered.
He leaned against my chest and relaxed.
"My brother is attached to you," Mario commented.
"I can tell," I replied before laughing.
Mario decided to change the subject and looked at me. "Sioku, is something wrong?"
"Yes, I almost had a flashback during lunch. Ariel is probably worried about me because I ran away from her," I answered with a frown.
Mario leaned on me in a comforting way. "Don't worry Sioku, I'm sure your friend will find us."
I couldn't help but perk up at his accent.
He sounded so beautiful to me.
The three of us relaxed together as we listened to the tranquil sounds of nature.
I curiously stared down at Luigi as he slept peacefully on my chest.
He reminded me of my dog at home.
"Hey Mario, has your brother always been shy and timid?" I whispered.
"Yes, Luigi has a hard time trusting people. He doesn't like crowds either," Mario explained.
Mario put a hand on my shoulder in a concerned way. "Sioku, what is a flashback?"
"A flashback is caused by post traumatic stress. They are similar to nightmares," I explained.
I looked around as I suddenly heard a familiar female voice calling out to me.
"There she is," said Mario.
I grinned at him in response.
"Sioku!" called Ariel.
I waved at her as she came closer.
Ariel stopped in front of me wearing a concerned expression on her face. "There you are Sioku, I've been looking everywhere for you! Why did you run away?"
Luigi woke up and opened his eyes.
"Stay calm Luigi," I said soothingly.
He nuzzled me in response.
I then turned to Ariel and spoke sternly. "Please keep your voice down. You just woke Luigi up. I don't want you to scare him."
Ariel suddenly paused as she looked down at the two brothers. "Wait, they came back?"
"Yes, I'm sorry for making you worry. I was about to have a major flashback," I answered remorsefully.
"Hello Mis," greeted Mario.
Ariel's expression changed into one of happiness as she spotted Luigi in my arms. "Oh my gosh Sioku, he looks really cute with you."
I only nodded in response.
She then sat down next to Mario.
Mario blushed as he grinned at her.
I couldn't help but start laughing.
"He likes you," I whispered in Ariel's ear.
She playfully slapped my arm in response.
"Sioku, the bus is going to pick us up soon. We have to get going," Ariel started.
My face lit up with excitement. "Wait a second, do we not have physics class today?"
"No, school ends a few hours earlier today for eighth graders. Let's go," she urged.
I joyfully hugged Luigi tight. "This is wonderful news! I'm so relieved that our new friends won't have to deal with the meanest teacher around."
Ariel nodded in agreement.
I looked over at Mario as a thought crossed my mind. "You and your brother might want to become invisible."
"Why is that?" asked Mario.
"We're going to be around a lot of people," I answered.
Mario nodded before gently pulling on Luigi's shirt.
Luigi jumped and let out a yelp.
"It's just me Little Bro," Mario reassured.
I couldn't help but grin at Mario.
"Awe that's cute," I commented.
Luigi fearfully sank into me as Mario approached him.
"It's okay Luigi, Mario is only trying to help you. Ariel and I have to get on the bus so we can go home. I promise you that we'll be together again soon," I said softly.
Luigi hesitantly slid off of me and joined his brother.
Mario lovingly wrapped his arms around him.
Luigi relaxed in his brother's warm embrace.
Ariel and I exchanged a delighted look before smiling at the two brothers.
"They are so cute," she whispered to me.
"Yeah I know," I whispered back.
I stood up and brushed myself off.
Ariel followed suit and stood next to me.
"I enjoyed seeing you girls again," said Mario.
"Right back at you," replied Ariel.
"Please take care of Luigi," I added.
Mario and Luigi then vanished in an orb of light.
Ariel and I started making our way to the bus ramp.
Crowds of other students were already gathered around the busses by the time we arrived.
Ariel and I stepped onto one of the busses before sitting in a seat directly behind the driver.
Many conversations began again once more people entered the bus.
Ariel decided to start a conversation with me. "Hey Sioku, how do you think your sister Lynn will react when she finds out about Mario and Luigi?"
"I don't know," I briefly answered.
I slipped back into my thoughts while listening to the constant chattering around me.
The bus pulled into our stop a half hour later.
I secured my bag over my shoulder.
"Hey Ariel, thank you for all of your support today. You're the best friend I could ask for," I said sincerely.
Ariel pulled me into a tight hug. "You're very welcome Sioku, I could say the same about you."
I gratefully returned the hug.
Ariel and I stepped off the bus and parted ways once we released each other.
Fortunately, we were next door neighbors.
I heard Pegasus barking as I approached the doorstep.
He whimpered in excitement and scratched on the door as I opened it.
"Hi buddy," I greeted happily.
Pegasus jumped on me while wagging his tail.
I lifted the dog into my arms.
After closing the door behind me, I joyfully made my way into the living room.
Kara was sitting on the couch and watching Tv.
She paused the Tv and looked at me. "Hi Sioku, why are you here so early?"
"All of the eighth graders were immediately sent home after lunch," I informed.
I lowered Pegasus to the floor before retrieving my Nintendo Switch and it's charger off the coffee table.
"Hey Kara, may I please go over toAriel's house for a few hours?" I asked politely.
Kara looked down at Pegasus and then up at me. "Yes, but I want you back here at 6:30 so you can help Lynn and me make dinner. Take the dog with you as well."
I slipped the Nintendo Switch into my bag before lifting Pegasus up again.
"thank you, Lynn should be here in two hours. I'll see you later," I replied with an excited grin.
I then hurried over to the front door and grabbed a leash from the hook.
After clipping the leash to Pegasus' collar, I opened the door and walked out.
I then pulled out my phone and texted Ariel the good news
Pegasus and I walked along the sidewalk until we arrived at another house.