After saying goodbye to Nora, desperate to leave her alone to stay on her good side, Linnie left the building as he dug around in his pants pocket, feeling his heart drop slightly as the normally sitting bottle spray was not there. Once he had left the building, Linnie turned and hid in the corner of the building to take his phone out of his bag, shuffling the many textbooks that he had brought with him. Turning it on, he clicked on his twin sister, Daisy's, contact information and sent her a message, hoping that he wasn't too late.
Daisy? Are you still awake?
Nah. Just cramming for this stupid history test tomorrow. Why?
You wouldn't mind picking me up, would you? I really don't think I should fly home by myself. I left my pepperspray at home.
You don't have your wand on you? Can't you teleport home?
I don't have my license yet. I have to re-take the test remember?
Right right. Yea, gimmie a min to find my wand. I'd take the car but mom and dad are asleep, hence why they didn't blow up ur phone given how late it is lol.
I know I know. I'm sorry. I just lost track of time and…I met someone.
Oooo you don't say? I'll be there in 2 mins, then you've got some tea to spill, Mister!
Laughing slightly, Linnie kept himself hidden as he shoved the few books that he had pulled out back in his bag, careful not to let any of them smash his wand. He sighed somewhat disappointedly at his wand as his mind replayed all the failed practical exams he had faced, due to being somewhat magically inferior to most of the student population. While Daisy was able to teleport on her first try on exam day, Linnie hadn't managed at all, and when given a second chance, he teleported with an arm and a leg missing, literally. He also remembered what happened earlier that day during class, where the baby had shrunk him accidentally, and he was left squealing in the corner until his teacher had helped him. With every lesson, Linnie felt a wave of laughter overwhelm him as he failed every spell and counter spell, despite knowing everything in theory. He knew the wand movements, he knew the correct incantations, but somehow..it never turned out in his favor.
Catching him off guard, a loud POOF suddenly appeared in front of him, forcing Linnie to clutch his chest and fall backwards. Daisy, a tall girl with shoulder-length green hair and hexagon shaped glasses behind her pastel green eyes, smirked slightly as she helped her brother out.
"You just can't stay outta trouble, can you?", she said jokingly, "What are you doing back here? I expected you near the front door or something."
'I-I-I just didn't want anyone to see me, and try to rob me. I-I forgot my stuff back at the house."
"Rob us? Shit, if they robbed us, I would have been like, wait? We got money?", Daisy laughed, grabbing his wand out as she grabbed Linnie's arm, "Now come on. Wouldn't want to keep mom and dad worried."
Linnie felt as if his body were being crushed as Daisy teleported him and herself back towards their bedrooms, split into two different sides. Both sides had a desk for school stuff against the lime green walls, and Daisy's laptop illuminated her agricultural studies and history textbooks that were lied around, alongside papers and pens. The twins' beds stood next to each other in the middle of the room, while a single lamp shined in the corner. Linnie tossed his backpack onto his bed and took a seat on the desk, resting his arm a bit as Daisy smiled at him.
"Sooo…you gonna tell me about this mystery woman?", Daisy pried, making Linnie squirm slightly.
"Well, it wasn't a date or anything. She just looked so sad and I thought maybe she wanted someone to talk to."
"Uh huh…", Daisy said, urging Linnie to go into more detail. "What's she look like? She got a name."
"She had this curly, cyan hair and was wearing a letterman jacket, kind of like how all the football players wear?", Linnie started to explain, but grew worried as Daisy's smile started to fade, "What? What's the matter?"
"Not Nora Cosma."
"Um…yes..her. Why?"
"Linnie, lemme ask you something.", Daisy asked, rubbing her temples slightly. Of all the people he could have interacted with tonight, he chose her?! "Do you know her well?"
"Not really. I mean, we do have AP Literature together, and occasionally I'll watch her play before we go perform with the band for half time. Why?"
"Ehhh…I think you should be careful around her, Lin."
"Why? What's wrong?"
"Well…she's not exactly student of the year, if you catch my drift.", Daisy shrugged, re-counting the last few interactions with Nora. "You know how I was late to first period this morning? That bitch shoved me in the locker in the men's room, and everyone thought I was some sort of pervert. Thanks to her, I've got detention for the next two weeks. Thank the stars I didn't get suspended."
"Did mom and dad get upset at you?"
"They did until I told them what happened. Mom's gonna make a call to the school in the morning about it.", Daisy sighed, "But anyways, I don't think Nora's the type of person you want to be associated with."
"Oh dear. I wish I would have know all that happened to you. I'm sorry."
"It's not you fault. Just please..", Daisy pleaded, "If you do get involved with her, please please be careful. I don't think she's going to treat you right if you do get with her. I mean, you saw what she did to me, and I've overheard her a million times about how weak she thinks men are, so.."
"Well, if it makes you feel better, I think she's taken already.", Linnie shrugged, "She was on her phone most of the time I was there and looked like she was texting someone, so I'm not sure. I-I wasn't going to get with her or anything, but I just wanted to make sure she as doing ok."
"Damn Linnie, you're a better person than me. If that were me, I'd have let her suffer.", Daisy said, "Anyways, I gotta get back to my studying. Let me know if the light disturbs you."
"Really quick, Daisy? Can I ask you a question?", Linnie asked softly, shuffling in his seat. Daisy nodded. "Do you um…think I'm stupid?"
"What? No! Why would you ask that? Are you crazy?", Daisy asked, the question sending her into shocked, "Why? Did she call you stupid. Why I outta-"
"No no no! Please! She didn't say anything to me, I promise!", Linnie said, his voice getting somewhat high pitched, "No. It's just…I've been thinking about all those practical tests that I keep messing up and today I had a bit of an accident in class."
"What happened?"
"Well, you know that daycare class I keep asking you to join me in…Dina, that baby that I mentor, accidentally got a hold of Mr. Langston's wand today and shrunk me with it, and well, you know I'm still struggling to transform correctly, so I had to try not to get eaten by this giant cockroach while the rest of the class searched for the wand."
"Ooo ouch! Are you ok? Did she hurt you?"
"Not on purpose. The poor dear. She felt so bad and didn't know what she was doing."
"Yikes. See, that's why I prefer pets over babies and children. They can't use wands like we can."
"Well I know, but I don't know. I love cats and dogs but taking care of children just makes me feel extra warm inside. I don't know. Just…I'm not mad at Dina or anything. It was just an accident after all. It's just..sometimes I think I'm too dependent on other people to come and send me. I'm just wondering if I'm stupid or weak."
"Ha! You're not stupid or weak by any means! Hell, you always make the best grades in history and literature, since you aren't waving a magic wand or anything. You're crazy good at theories and stuff, and it takes an incredibly amount of patience to babysit and care for those children they way you do and never ask in return.", Daisy said, smiling at Linnie, who seemed to perk up a little bit, "Just..the practical part of school just takes time to develop, and everyone develops at a different speed. Some people are born incredibly powerful while others have to wait a while longer. You're so patient with everyone else, but sometimes, I think you forget to be patient with yourself."
"I know, but it's so much easier said that done. I really don't know how you do it, Daisy."
"Just takes time. Just know that if you need help, I've got your back, and I'm not gonna let anyone mess with you..ever. Now, you should probably get some sleep. We gotta be up bright and early for this stupid test."
Linnie smiled at his sister thankfully as he moved his backpack from the bed to his desk chair, before changing into his pajamas and settling into bed, scrolling mindlessly on his phone before eventually zonking out, tuning out his sister's typing on her computer. Though he still tossed and turned as he continued to think about everything that had happened at school and the coffee shop, he eventually let his sister's words soothe him through the night, lucky that he was born a twin.