The Smell Of Magic

Chapter 18

Disclaimer and trigger warning: sexual assault !!

"Nor, wake up" Mady sang. I groaned and slowly opened my eyes. The sun was light and warm against the tarp of the tent. Mady reached out her hand and pulled me to sit up. The wake up music was echoing across camp. I got up and changed into off the shoulder white top with black shorts. My tent mates got ready as well and we soon made our way to breakfast. We met the rest of the camp at the Dining Hall. Rowan gave me a hug from behind and I kissed him on the cheek. Ana, Brandon, Greyson, Oliver, and Finn joined us in the cluster of campers.

"I take it the date went well?" Greyson asked, pulling Kahlen into a hug. Rowan and I blushed but didn't answer. Brandon looked furious but not at Ana who was talking animatedly with Oliver. Finn and Mady were talking again and Ivy and Zady were gazing longingly at the food inside. After a few minutes, Honey lets us in. Everything seemed normal. Too normal. Everyone should have been nervous and jumpy but instead they were calm and pulled together. I turned to my sister who was chatting excitedly with Finn. Even she noticed the casual atmosphere of the Hall. I took a deep breath and told myself not to worry. We aren't going to spiral. Not today, I told myself.

I sat down next to Rowan and Finn. There was a plethora of bagel toppings spread out on the table in front of us and the buffet had an assortment of bagels. The first years were called up, followed by the thundering sound of footsteps. The topic at the table today was the upcoming movie night.

"I hope we have a movie night tonight" Oliver started. We all nodded in agreement.

"Hopefully it will be a comedy," Greyson said hopefully. Finn, Kahlen and Rowan agreed. I honestly didn't care about what movie we watched. I had scarier things on my mind. I hadn't heard Elizabeth call us up until Mady put her hand on my shoulder. She raised her eyebrows but I shook my head and we walked up to the buffet. I took a sesame seed bagel and returned to the table. I stacked my bagel with butter, cream cheese and slices of cucumber. I was so hungry that I didn't even wait for Greyson and Ivy to settle in. I shoved the bagel in my mouth and chewed slowly.

"Did you miss meals for the past two days?" Rowan asked with a chuckle.

"I'm just hungry" I managed through a mouthful of bagel. The table laughed as I swallowed.

"Anyway, are any of you doing something for the talent show?" Mady asked. I nodded.

"Rowan and I are doing it with the 'band'" I airquoted the last word since we weren't a real band.

"Nice," Kahlen said. "Anyone else?" She continued but no one else seemed to be performing at the talent show. I took another bite of my bagel as the Hall quieted down for Elizabeth.

"Quiet down, quiet down" Elizabeth called through the megaphone. "Any staff announcements?" She asked and pointed to Harry's raised hand.

"Anyone with waterfront, we are going on the pontoon today" Harry said and Mady's eyes lit up and then she slouched back in her seat, remembering who Harry was. I put a hand on her back and whispered in her ear.

"Be careful today" I whispered cautiously and she nodded. After that, we were dismissed. We all got up and made our way to the big oak doors. Rowan gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before we parted ways.

"See you at lunch" He whispered before running off to his tent. I smiled to myself as I walked to the tent. It was Friday so we had to clean the tent. Thankfully my tent mates and I aren't messy people so cleaning the tent wasn't too much of a hassle.

Mady pulled out her speaker and placed it on my trunk. I hooked up my ipod and played some music. I was in charge of sweeping so I took the broom and started by the entrance that had accumulated tons of leaves and dirt throughout the past week. I sweeped it all outside the tent, sending a cloud of dirt and leaves into the atmosphere. I then did under the beds as Zady went out to empty our makeshift garbage can. Mady changed her sheets and did mine as well while I swept under her bed. Kahlen rearranged the nick nacks on each of our trunks.