Thanks for the reviews! Yes, I do have a few bad grammar habits, so I do thank you for pointing it out. I will go back and correct that. Actually, I've recently revised all chapters on the subject. Again, thank you for the reviews.
I don't own Labyrinth and am just playing with the characters. Proud of my fanfiction, but the movie was epic.
Hope you like it!
Four o'clock came, and we met back up with the boys at home. When Dad realized they'd all forgotten a cake, he brought out a three-day old cupcake from the fridge and stuck six candles in. That's all he could find. Great, I can be six again. I liked being six- that's before Irene moved in and Toby was born, before Dad turned most of his attention away from me to them.
Well, the first half of being six, at least.
Nevertheless, I closed my eyes and blew the candles out. I could smell the candles burning, even after they gave off no more light.
"What did you wish for?" Dad asked, flipping the lights back on. He was grinning, and I sighed. Well, he has no idea. He thinks he's the same, caring father he was before. He has no idea that he's more distant from me than ever.
"I can't tell you." I objected. "Then it will never come true!"
"Oh, come off it." Irene laughed. "Just tell us what you wished for. Maybe it'll come true anyways."
"Uh-uh. No way." I knew it won't. But if I keep my mouth closed, I might have a chance. It was actually a pretty hard decision; I could wish for those creatures to leave me alone forever. I could wish for Jareth to stay my friend for just as long. I could wish for a happy family, for Irene to stop hating me, or even for better friends at school. It was really hard to reach the decision I'd come to.
"Did you wish for a present?" Toby waddled up to me, holding a little yellow-wrapped box. He and Dad had brought it home when they came in earlier, and I was relieved to know this wasn't a totally botched birthday.
"Oh, thanks, Toby." I grinned at him. I liked him. He was my cute little teddy bear brother. "What's inside?" I took it from him.
"Open it!" He looked excited. I laughed and tore at the paper. In my lap lay a key chain with the logo of the water park they'd gone to.
"Oh." I stared at it.
"Toby picked it out." Dad encouraged, just thinking it was adorable. I glanced over at Toby, who watched me expectantly. I heard Irene giggle in the corner, and I sighed.
"I love it, thank you." I hugged the little boy, who squeed with joy and ran out of the room.
"Looks like you'll need your own house key now." Irene mused as I inspected the cheap novelty.
"A what?" I looked up.
"That's right. We can't let that keychain go bare." Dad stepped forward, fishing something out of his pocket. I sat up; maybe this isn't some let-down gift. Maybe it was just leading to another! A house key? They think I'm grown up enough for one of those?
Dad dropped the purple key into my palm, and I worked to put it on the key chain eagerly. So they didn't forget!
"This is just in time, too." Irene went on. "With me getting a job in the evenings, you'll need your own key to get inside. And you'll need to pick Toby up too. We've already arranged for you to ride on his bus."
My spirits fell; this wasn't a birthday gift. I was getting it anyways, because I needed it. Birthdays were about getting useless stuff you don't really need, but can have fun with anyways! But, no. I'm just getting this because of Irene's new job.
"I'm riding the little kids' bus?" I blinked. The preschoolers had their own bus- morning and evening shifts. I went to morning preschool, leaving on the bus while the big kids went to lunch. Toby has evening preschool, going home with us big kids. But now, I have to ride his bus?
"Oh, yes. So you're there with him when he gets to the bus stop, since your bus gets here so much later." Irene was smirking at me, unbeknownst to my Dad. "And you'll have to look after him until your father comes home at five."
"An hour?" I objected. I have to take care of a kid for an hour, and I'm only nine!
"If you're old enough for a house key, you're old enough for this." Dad ruffled the hair on my head. "Toby just loves you."
"Thanks." I sighed, looking back down at the key chain. It's not a symbol of freedom; it's a symbol of shackles.
"Let's put on a movie now." Dad was already in the other room. "How about that tennis movie you like?" He was talking to Irene, who was just behind him.
I hate that movie. It's so boring. There's no magic, or monsters, or kings and queens, there aren't even any fairies or dragons in it. Sword fights, I'd even settle for pirates. But no, this is the most boring movie ever, because all it's about is some old man playing tennis against younger kids, hoping to finally win a match or something.
"Where do you think you're going?" Dad asked as I started up the stairs.
"To my room." I looked back. Toby was cuddled next to his mother, playing with his knight dolls.
"It's family movie night, Sarah. Come sit down." He gestured. I bit my lip and sighed. Fine. I went over to sit on the ground, leaning against the empty chair.
I didn't even get to stay up. Right after the movie, it was 'brush your teeth and up to bed! You've got school tomorrow!'
I crawled into the bed and laid down, pulling the blankets up over my shoulders without raising my eyes from the ground. I'd perfected being able to get from the light switch to my bed without freaking out already.
A few minutes passed in silence, as red eyes started to fill the floor. Hissing became common once more; my own personal lullaby.
The bed shifted, slowly and deliberately, then released as a weight fell off it. Then my vision was blocked my a dark figure silhouetted by the light coming from window. I refused to look up from the corner of my pillow.
"I just want to go to sleep, Jareth." I whispered.
"What's wrong, Precious?" He cooed, and something touched my forehead. My eyes flickered upwards to see his surprisingly concerned expression. "You aren't running a fever. Surely tonight, of all nights, you'd be a bit more talkative?"
"What's so special about tonight?" I asked spitefully, and pulled away.
"I was under the impression it's your birthday." He looked rather confused, crouching beside my bed. He'd taken his arm back, leaning on the edge of the bed cautiously.
"Yeah, just my birthday. It's nothing special." I shrugged, and tried to roll over. But he just stood and leaned over me to stay in my view.
"What's happened? I've listened to you run your mouth every night, and tonight, of all nights, all you want to do is sleep?"
"Yeah." I confirmed, burrowing deeper into the covers. He sighed and stood upright.
"Very well. If you don't want to talk about it, then I will not pursue the subject." He conceded. "But you're certainly making me feel foolish standing here with a gift if you won't accept it. Isn't it the custom here to give to the birthday child?"
"I don't need presents- what'd you get me?" I caved easily, rolling over to stare at him. He had a small box wrapped in orange paper like those presents you see in movies. It was wrapped perfectly, with a red ribbon tied into a beautiful bow at the top.
He chuckled and crouched back down, holding it out to me.
"Open it and see." he invited.
I eyed it, once again reminded of the 'Stranger Danger' that Dad had always warned me of. Even Mom had gone on about it, before she left with a stranger. But, no. Jareth isn't a stranger anymore. I trust him.
So I sat up and took it.
"It's heavy!" I weighed it in surprise. He shifted to sit back on the bed once more. I turned it over, wondering where to tear. I didn't want to destroy the beautiful handiwork.
"Just tear through it." He assured. "That's the point, isn't it?"
I smiled and slipped a finger under the ribbon to pull. It snapped and I proceeded to tear the paper underneath off. It was a thin black box, with a cap that just lifted off. Inside was a crystal ball. Perfectly clear and sparkling in the moonlight.
"Wow. What is it?" I dropped the box and paper to the side.
"A wish." He had a grin on his face. "Everyone deserves a birthday wish, and I'm afraid that's all I can give you. So tell me, what did you wish for?"
I thought back to the stale, blue cupcake that I'd thrown out after only a bite. Irene yelled at me for being wasteful.
I shook my head. "If I say, it won't come true."
He looked amused. "Precious, that superstition is purely false. I cannot grant your wish if I do not know what it is."
"I can't say." I insisted, rolling the crystal over in my hands.
"Very well." He swept a hand over the trash and it disappeared. "Save that crystal for a special moment then. Anytime you want your wish granted, with full faith, just hold the crystal and make your wish. I give you the power to grant it, to whatever entirety you see fit." he raised his chin. "Happy Birthday, Precious One."
I grinned and hugged him. "Thank you, Jareth."
I kept the crystal with me all the time. It fit in my pockets, no matter how small. I had no doubt the crystal was magic, for it was far too large for near every pocket I managed to put it in. Every jacket I wore, every pair of jeans, I always kept the crystal with me.
For seven months, after winter came, my crazy world made absolute sense to me. One friend? She barely hangs out with me? Oh well, at least I have one. Wicked stepmother? A father who doesn't pay attention? A stepbrother who gets all the attention? Oh well, at least I have a family. Violent, scary monsters that for some reason want to attack me? No biggie, I've got a magical friend named Jareth that will never let them hurt me.
Even if he always avoided my questions. But, I didn't really care. I trusted him; he took care of me. When I was brought down by them ignoring me, he cheered me up. When I went to bed hungry, he'd sneak me treats. When I was just tired, he'd say nothing at all and stand guard, letting me go straight to sleep.
After those seven months, it went a little farther. At school, during lunch, I went to the library again. We had a power outage and I sat in the back corner, frozen, unable to run out. It was near pitch black, and no one knew I was back here. I heard the librarian walk out, and I couldn't move. Just because Jareth keeps the monsters at bay at night doesn't mean I'm not afraid of the dark anymore.
I heard something scratch the ground a few feet away, and I squeaked, backing up. The bookcase should be just behind me, I'll at least be safe on one side.
The sound was closer, and something hit the wood of the bookcase above me.
"Hhhmmm, mmh, hm." I hummed, closing my eyes and changing direction for the wall that was a few feet the opposite direction. "Hmmm, hmmm, hhmmh."
"Hmmm, hmmm, hhmmh." My humming was echoed as I walked into someone. A hand fell on my shoulder and I gasped. Suddenly, a soft white glow filled the corner and I could see the evil creatures. I could also see Jareth, just beside me, keeping them at bay once more. He was levitating glowing crystals in the air, here and there, to give us a circlet of light around us.
"Are you alright?" He asked me.
I nodded silently, clutching his arm as I stared at the creatures with wide eyes.
"They won't hurt you. I'm here." He cooed, and I trembled.
"Make them go away."
"I'm right here." He ignored my plee, and put his other hand on my other shoulder. I couldn't stop trembling. "Sarah, Sarah. Precious, how's school going?" He's distracting me. That's all he's doing, but I didn't care.
"G-g-good."
"What did you learn today?"
"Di-division."
"What sort? Tell me about it, Precious One." He insisted.
"L-like, dividing a group of nine into three groups of three." I looked around frantically. "Three groups of three, that's nine."
"What else?"
"Th-that air bubbles in clay will make our pots explode." My heart was beating so fast. "So, I had to roll my clay with a pin, to get all the air bubbles out."
"Did it work?"
"I- I think so."
"What are you making?"
"A pinch-pot. Like we did last year. They're so much fun..." I jumped when one of the creatures jumped too close. But Jareth just waved a hand lazily and the creature flew back into the wall all the way on the other side of the library. He barely paid attention.
"What color will it be?"
"Orange. My favorite." I closed my eyes, clutching his arm again. "Please make them go away."
"Will you put blue on it too?"
I opened my eyes and looked up at him curiously.
"What?"
"That's my favorite color. You should make this one orange and blue."
"Oh. Yeah. I could paint the top..." All of the sudden, the lights turned back on and the creatures scattered like cockroaches. Cockroaches? With red eyes? And tails? Hmmm.
"Sarah! Are you still in here?" Mrs. Grager called out.
"Here-" I started to shout, but stopped quickly. I looked around, but realized Jareth was already gone. "I'm right here."
I was distracted the rest of the day, comforted to know that while these creatures seem to be stepping up their game, Jareth would always be there for me. This fact became the norm, and over the following weeks, I became more confident.
"Parent-teacher conferences are coming up." I mused, putting a card down. Jareth taught me how to play this last month, and I love it. I love it, because I almost always win. "I wonder who's going?"
"I don't know." He humored me.
"Irene would never want to go, but Dad's too busy. He wouldn't want to go." He laid down some of his cards. I smiled and splayed out two more of mine, before drawing a new hand. He grimaced and took a new hand for himself.
"You have very good grades." He pointed out. "Neither must go."
"You mean, don't even tell them?" I tilted my head to one side.
"The situation is pointless. You are a star student, and any conference would only to praise your well-mannered temper in class." He went first this time. "And by merely mentioning the approaching conferences, it would cause more trouble than it's truly worth. Correct?"
"Well, yeah..." I thought about it, countering his cards and wisely keeping the two fives in my hand.
"You spend far too much time worrying about the issue, Precious." He smirked at me. He laid down a seven over top my six. I drew a new card; a five. "You should pay attention to our game."
"Oh?" I smiled, and laid down the only card that wasn't a five; a three. He tisked and set down a ten.
"That's right."
I drew another card- another five! I quickly spread them out. He promptly spread his cards out- four kings.
"Ohhhh, man." I laughed. He chuckled with me and swept the cards into nothingness.
"That's it; I won three out of five." he slipped off the bed. The creatures, which I barely noticed anymore, backed up farther to give him a wide berth. "Now off to sleep with you."
"I want to stay up longer." I objected. "I don't have school, so what's the big deal?"
"That you need proper sleep. Goodnight, Sarah." He sat on the edge of the very end.
I smiled and bit my lip. "Best five out of seven." I prompted. He eyed me and I huffed, scooting downwards. It was the last few weeks of third grade, and I was eager for the summer. Stay up as long as I want- Jareth promised it. Well, at least on the weekends.
"Goodnight Jareth." I giggled and pulled the blankets up over my head.
I heard a chuckle, before the room fell silent save for the hissing that was always there in the back of my mind.
Jareth's getting rather attached now. The question I ask for you all is, why? Just why is it that he's so fond of this random little girl? You know, aside from the fact that I wrote it with them two in mind.
R&R. I love the reviews guys!