Chapter Six: The Friday Night Study Group
The carpet was the type of carpet that made you want to run your hands through it or lean down and press your cheeks to it. It reminded Siobhan of soft summer grass under her favorite Oak trees in her favorite park. Blissfully, she was running around inside her head instead of focusing on her math homework. She thought about what books she might want to read this weekend and she wondered how the girl day would go tomorrow. Her thoughts even drifted to earlier in the day.
She had found that Warren, Will, and Layla had returned to her group's lunch spot. They had even brought three strangers with them. Siobhan quickly assumed these were the missing friends from yesterday. She was first introduced to the really tall one that reminded Siobhan of a human highlighter. His name was Zach. Then, she was introduced to the shorter male who said his name was Ethan. The only one left was a punk looking girl with purple hair pulled up in sloppy pig tails. Her name was Magenta.
"Your powers are pretty amazing. Layla told us about how you made Warren repeat himself" said Magenta
Siobhan saw Warren look up from his book and glare at her. Magenta seemed like she had a good laugh at Warren's expense.
"Well, thanks" said Siobhan
"Too bad you didn't win your second save the citizen match" said Zach
Siobhan watched as Magenta punched Zach in the shoulder and said, "Don't pay him any mind"
"It's OK. You can't win every time" said Siobhan
"Yeah, especially when you were pitted against the all amazing, ME" said Casey
"Sure, sure" said Siobhan with a slight eye roll
"What you don't think I'm amazing?" half pouted Casey
"Oh please! It's not that. She just knows it was luck and not amazingness that won the day for you Casey girl" said Colin
Siobhan shook her head as Colin and Casey proceeded to have a mock battle with words. She tended to stay out of these aggressive flirting games between her two friends. Instead, she sneaked a glance at Warren.
Since their 'battle of the wills' yesterday, she had not talked to him. It wasn't really on purpose but she didn't feel like talking to him even if she had seen him earlier than lunch. She hoped he would just let it drop. Why did he even care that she lied?
"Everyone knows that humans are composed of 90% water, so I could take over another human's body movements, if I wanted to" said Casey
"Ha! I've seen you in the practice ring and you haven't mastered that yet" said Colin
"Well, one day I will" said Casey
The only thing missing thought Siobhan was the phrase, 'then you will be sorry'. She almost laughed at her two friends. She hoped they would realize SOON that they liked each other.
"I didn't know that Hydrokinesis could be that powerful" said Layla
"That is why I'm amazing! But, seriously, it takes a lot of hard work to get to that level of control" said Casey
"And you don't have enough control" rubbed in Colin
"Oh, snuff it" said Casey
"'Snuff it'?" asked Will
"It is from my favorite book and basically it means shut up" said Casey
"I guess you were told" said Zach to Colin
"'Burned' is another word for it" said Donald
"Not helping, brother" said Colin
"Are brothers supposed to be helpful? If so, please tell my brothers that" said Siobhan
"You have brothers?" asked Layla
"Yes, twin brothers in fact" said Siobhan
"My cousin just gave birth to twins" said Blanche, who had been quiet up till now. Siobhan wondered if she was getting over her "Will" obsession and "hate-Layla" mentality.
From there, the group started to drift off into one topic than another like rabbits jumping into their holes. Siobhan mildly paid attention as she consumed her lunch. She noticed that the Tuatha De Danann youths were mixing in well with what Blanche described as the "Super-Supers" group, since they had saved the school last year. She also noticed that Warren had not looked up from his book since Magenta's reference to previously .
"What should I do if he brings it up again?" wondered Siobhan
"Are you OK?" asked Ashling
Siobhan should have known Ashling would pick up on her anxiety. She was more grounded being of the earth clan and thus more sensitive.
"I'm fine, sort of. I am worried about if Warren will try to bring up what happened yesterday" whispered Siobhan
"Why don't you just tell him you had a vision" said Ashling
"I don't think that is a good idea" said Siobhan
"Because he was in the vision?" asked Ashling
"Yes, exactly" said Siobhan
"I am sure that it would be OK. Maybe at the study group tonight you can tell him the truth" said Ashling
"Wait, study group?" asked Siobhan
"Yeah, did you forget about it?" asked Ashling
"I guess I did" said Siobhan
"Well, we are all meeting up at Will's house around four. The plan is to study, eat some pizza, and then watch a movie" said Ashling
"A movie? Ugh" said Siobhan
"I know, but it's their tradition" said Ashling
The memory trailed off and left Siobhan back in the present. She was sitting on her stomach against the plush carpet. Her math textbook and homework were laid before her. She desperately wished a fiction book was there instead. She sighed and sat up.
"Is your math homework giving you some problems?" asked Layla
"Yep. I am stuck on these two problems" said Siobhan pointing out the villains
"Me, too!" piped in Donald
He had been on his knees using the coffee table like a desk but now he scooted closer to her and Layla.
"Well, if you simplify it like so, then you should be able to see how to solve it" said Layla
"Thanks" said Siobhan and Donald in unison
The other atrocious math problems decided to unweave themselves nicely for Siobhan and surprisingly she found herself finished with all of her math homework. It was with a huge amount of glee that Siobhan stuffed her math book back into her bag. However, the next subject was equally daunting as math.
Siobhan decided to breathe a bit before she allowed herself to even think the words, 'mad science'. She dragged in a big breath of air and then slowly released it. She felt her pulse slow down and her mind seemed to center with each breath. It was a trick her Maimeo had taught her.
She glanced around the room at the others. She noticed that Colin and Casey were both going over their mad science homework. She unhappily pushed her stuff closer to Casey. She passed Warren on her way across the room. He was sitting against the couch with what looked to be his English textbook. He didn't even look up at her. That is the way it had been all day: her feeling awkward and guilty while Warren ignored she existed.
"To tell him or not to tell him" said Siobhan once she reached Casey and Colin's little study circle
"Are you still debating that?" asked Casey
"Well, it is a really big decision for me" said Siobhan
She had never shared one of her visions outside of those within her race, who knew who and what she was. Warren was a perfect stranger and she wasn't sure she wanted him to know she had visions and especially visions with him in them.
"He is a lost one and thus one of our brethren. So, it's not like he is technically a stranger" said Casey
"Technically" replied Siobhan
"You know if you two would focus on mad science and help me to study, we might all be finished with our science assignment" said Colin
"I am not very good with mad science" said Siobhan
"Well, Casey and I are fairly decent at it, so we would be able to help you. Assuming that you two were able to get your heads in the game" said Colin
"Girls will always be able to 'get their heads in the game' better than guys" said Casey
"Now children, let's not start a fight. Mad science, remember?" said Siobhan using her sternest 'mom' voice
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The world was filled with zombies and there were rules to follow. Siobhan was laughing as rule number one popped up on the screen in bold white letters: "Cardo".
"I can't believe you've never seen this movie" said Zach
"None of us have" said Siobhan
Casey, Ashling, Donald, and Colin all nodded their heads as they watched a red curly haired actor being chased by a zombie.
"Why not?" asked Zach
"None of our families owns a T.V for starters" said Siobhan
This seemed to draw the attention of everyone. Warren, Will, Layla, Ethan, Magenta, and Zach stared wide eyed at Siobhan, Casey, Ashling, Donald, and Colin
"What? Why?" asked Zach
"Are you joking?" asked Magenta
"No, not a joke. Our families believe that there are better things than T.V." said Siobhan She didn't truly lie but it certainly wasn't the whole truth. Since her people, the Tuatha De Danann, were elementals they found that having too much technology or even metal around interfered with their natural abilities to connect to their elements. Siobhan's Maimeo had explained that this was how the legend came about that her people could not touch Iron.
"Better than T.V.?" questioned Will
"There is hiking, biking, sparing, rock climbing, etc." said Donald
"What do you do if it rains?" asked Ethan
"We read, build models, paint, crochet, sew, talk to friends and families, play with our siblings, etc." said Colin
"If we have little siblings to play with, some of us have siblings who try to steal their slice of Pizza" said Donald glaring at his brother, Colin
"What?" asked Colin
"Don't even try to act innocent" said Donald
"Hey, you two stop it. There was plenty of Pizza. Sides, I am curious to hear more about this 'no T.V.' policy" said Layla
"Yeah, aren't you guys upset about this lack of T.V.? I mean you guys don't seem to dislike T.V." said Zach
"No, we aren't upset. T.V. is ok, but since this is how it has been all our lives, we don't feel that we are missing anything" said Siobhan
"Yeah. The way I see it movies are nice every once in a while, but it isn't what I would call my main way of relaxing" added Casey
"That is strange" said Zach
Siobhan almost laughed but held it in. She thought that Zach's world was strange and hers was normal. Their world was broken into tiny shards of socialization. Her world was filled with harmony and balance. She was always connected to her people, to the earth, and to her goddess.
"Hey would you guys like some popcorn?" asked Will
"Yes please" said Siobhan
"Oh yeah!" said Donald, Colin, and Zach together
"Yes, thank you" said Layla
The rest of the group either nodded their heads or voiced their equal agreement that popcorn was delightful. Will's gracious call to act as a proper host at that moment veered everyone from questioning Siobhan and her friends about their T.V-less lifestyle. With that awkward business over, Siobhan returned to the "Warren Problem".
"Should I tell him? Will he think I am trying to flirt with him? Will he just think I am lying more? Will he think I am some freak? Wondered Siobhan as she vainly tried to re-focus on the movie.
Siobhan watched as the timid red-haired youth held out his thumb. The other individual, who previously had a gun aimed at the main character, lowered his weapon.
Will walked back in with two big bowls of popcorn. He handed one to Layla and another to Siobhan. Then he sat back on the couch next to Layla. Will, Layla, Ashling, and Ethan were sitting on the couch. Siobhan, Zach, and Magenta were on the floor just by the couch and Donald, Colin, Casey, and Warren were sitting closer to the T.V.
Siobhan remembered how pissed off she had been yesterday when Warren had called her out on her lie. It bugged her that he had noticed. She had thought he was some arrogant asshole who just glared at people. It turned out he was an observer. "Bad luck for me" thought Siobhan, "but what to do about it now?"
She wrestled with her thoughts as the characters in the movie were ambushed twice by the same two wily girls. She was vaguely amused by this but overall her thoughts were stuck on Warren.
Casey leaned over toward Siobhan's ear and whispered, "If you are wrestling this much with this issue then maybe you should just forget it for now".
Siobhan felt like a huge weight had lifted from her shoulders. She didn't have to make a decision now. She could let it go and let the goddess take care of it. She wanted to jump up and do a dance. But, she knew it would only make everyone question her and she didn't want to explain. Instead, she grabbed Casey's hand and squeezed it.
"Thanks so much my friend" Siobhan sent mentally to Casey
She now felt that she could really watch the movie and get into now. Ashling smiled over at her and she knew Ashling must have felt the happy and peaceful waves coming off of her versus the anxious ones before. Casey had squeezed her hand back as if to say, "your welcome".
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Siobhan thought it was so kind of Will's parents to drop her and her friends off at the Trailer park. They had been willing to ride the bus but a ride is always nicer. They had answered politely as the Commander and Jet stream had asked them about school and how they liked the new classification system.
"That was fun" said Casey
"It beats doing homework by yourself" said Siobhan
"The movie wasn't too bad" said Ashling
"We liked it" chimed in Colin
"Course you guys liked it" said Casey
"We are guys" said Donald
"Yep, blood and guts here we come" said Colin
The three girls just rolled their eyes and continued walking. It wasn't long in fact till Siobhan was the only one left. Her home wasn't down one of the lanes like the rest of her friends. Her home was closer to the sacred pillar than any other of the trailers.
"Hi, my girl" said Bruce appearing out of the shadows
"I'm not your girl" said Siobhan
"Not yet" said Bruce
"Please go away" said Siobhan
"You haven't even heard why I waited for you" said Bruce
"Maybe I don't want to know. Maybe I simply assumed you were being creepy" said Siobhan
"That hurts my feelings. I wouldn't never be creepy." said Bruce
Siobhan was hoping if his feelings were really hurt that he would then leave her alone. However, as her luck would have it, he wasn't that choked up about it and he continued to walk with her.
"Ok, so why were you waiting for me?" asked Siobhan
"I wanted to ask you out on a date" said Bruce
"No" said Siobhan
"You didn't even think about it" said Bruce
"I didn't have to" said Siobhan
She had reached the door to her home and again hoped that Bruce would take this as a hint to leave.
"You shouldn't be so quick to reject" said Bruce
He trailed his fingers across her cheeks in what Siobhan assumed he meant as a sweet gesture. It only made her remember when they had been younger. She had been eight and he had been ten. Bruce had just discovered his abilities and he had killed a cat. He seemed proud of himself and he had stroked the cat's face just as he was stroking hers. She shivered at the memory.
"The thing is you will be mine so you should re-think your no" said Bruce
"I will never be yours" said Siobhan
"We will see about that" said Bruce as he walked away
She couldn't believe his arrogance. She couldn't believe how much she hated him.
"Please goddess, don't let me end up with him" she prayed before she entered her house.
"Sio-be"
"Sio-be" called out Ailbe and Ailill as they raced to the door
"Don't make me fall" Siobhan laughed as her twin brothers attached themselves to each of her legs
"Boys, calm down and let Siobhan come inside" said Siobhan's Dadai
Her brother's released their hold on her legs and walked with her into the living room. "Mamai and Dadai have some good news" said the twins in unison
"What news?" asked Siobhan
"You are going to be a big sister again" said Siobhan's Mamai
"That's awesome" said Siobhan
She gave her Mamai and Dadai a hug and turned to her brothers, "You guys are going to be big brothers!"
"We will teach our baby brother all he needs to know" said Ailbe
"Who says it won't be a girl?" asked Siobhan
"Because we want a boy" said Ailill
"I didn't know that was how it worked" teased Siobhan
"Well, that is how it should work" said Ailbe
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~GottesBlume