~𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℍ𝕚𝕕𝕕𝕖𝕟 ℂ𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖𝕤~

※𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝓌𝑜※

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽"𝔸𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪, 𝕒𝕤 𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕖𝕝𝕤𝕖 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕕𝕠, 𝕥𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕤 𝕞𝕖𝕟 𝕙𝕦𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕪."☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

I repeated the whole day again

The waking up; doing my magic show; stopping that bully

Until the 'Anne Howard' thing. The second she came I looked at her in the eye and (for added mysterious points) recited her name; house; and time that she needed me and said;

"I am not a clown; watch your words"

"Tsk" She looked at me; trying to stay strong as I answered all of her questions before she even asked them "I would never," she said; showing no eye contact.

"Well then; since we have no business together now; I will come to your resort and do my show"

Anne fiddled with her hands and bracelet.

She stood; looking at our alley; full of "grabby children" and looked at me;

"May-may I leave?"

"Why not? It's not like I can" I looked at my hands "Keep you here"

"Y-yes. Of course. I will" she said-backing away "I will go" She stepped into her car and whispered to the driver to escort her home. As she left; she unrolled her window; looking at me in the eye

"Do you want me to pay you to double? Because I, of course, can and—"

"You pay me; whatever amount over you want. It just needs to be fair. We can explain it over a cup of tea"

I tried to sound snobby; like her.

"Yes-of course. You know what? You can explain it to my mom! Yes...yes you can" She stammered until there was an ugly silence. Anne stopped looking at me; I stared at her.

"Bye!" I said, trying to sound cheerful.

"Bye." She said grimly; not even trying to sound happy.

As she drove away I had turned back the kids; bringing Poseidon. I looked at Poseidon and whispered in his ear

"You are going to finish the show; I am going to go home; tomorrow is a busy day"

He whimpered at the separation and I petted his head

"It's ok," I cooed, then he walked back to the kids; completing the show.

"And I do not want to see you on the roads buddy! You come back here" I called; pointing to my heart.

As I walked home; I could hear Poseidon bleat sheepishly as the kids pet him and fed him carrots.

As I got home my parents were the first thing I saw. They were standing in the doorway hands crossed; faces grim.

"Nora.." my mom began

"Yes..mom?" I slowly said; I can stand up to bullies and snobs, but mom? Not so much. I should have known not to stretch their patience too much.

"Where have you been?" She questioned

"Friends house! I told you" I retorted.

My mom and I weren't much of a team as me and my dad. I looked at my dad in a dad-i-need-you-to-HELP look. He opened his mouth to defend me but my mom glared at him and he went silent; slipping into the background like a snowflake in a blizzard (him being the snowflake and my mom being an avalanche-blizzard hybrid). My mom was nice but goes crazy when mad.

"Who?"

"Gina; right? Nora told me all about her. She told me she was going to her today" a voice sounded from upstairs as my brother strutted down the stairs; his too-big pants dusting the stairs.

"Oh; really Miles?" My mom asked my little brother. She looked like she was about to give in.

"Yes-yes! Of course. She is real. Loves cotton candy, volleyball and is a Chemistry boss!" Miles said greatly as if she was his role model. Of course, I know there is no 'Gina' whatsoever but I play along.

"Yeah; haven't I told you yet? Oh. Well, Gina is the best-ever" I told her. Miles gave me the sibling look that says- "Get more real" (Opening his eyes wide and pointing his pupils at mom) I sighed and said blandly-trying to sound 'real'

"She's my BFF!"

Miles smirks and gives me the 'you're-going-to-live' look. My mom's face brightened as she ran towards me, her red curly hair bouncing in the wind as she gave a big bear hug. For a person so skinny; She hugs tight.

"Oh! My baby is growing up and getting friends! The therapist worked!" She squealed.

"Before a few months, you couldn't even communicate! Right, John?" She called over her shoulder to my dad.

"Yep; Only talked to Miles, me and you," He said blandly, somehow more interested in his phone.

And an alleyway full of kids on weekends from noon to 8 sometimes. I added in my head not saying a word, only hugging her back. My parents took me to the therapist on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. We kept on that role until now. Guessing my mom believed I was making friends; she would end the therapist visits. I hugged her tighter for no reason. The therapist was dreadful "so much to be desired" As the bakery genius Bob Vine says in every show to every desert, food, and ounce of sugar they gave him. Very picky guy. But the therapist was torture. I was forced to spill my life out to her.

Which by the way; I would never do.

So, as far as she is concerned I am a popular girl who everybody loves and I just want to stop my friends from bullying others and so far my charm has not done anything. So it has been emotionally disorienting that I can't do anything to stop this terrible bullying from happening and I have no idea what to do and blah blah blah...

And she believed it.

And gave me some useless information and tips.

Which I will never use.

Because I am the one seeing bullying, like the story I used to tell my therapist.I am being bullied. Just-nobody cares. Or ever wants to care. It's not "Oh that's Nora!" It's "..."

Nothing.

I don't exist to them. I'm not even in the social hierarchy of the school. A few years ago I won a spelling competition and was supposed to get awarded in front of the whole school. I must admit: I was scared, but I thought it would introduce me to new friends.

It wouldn't be "..."; It would turn into "Goodness! You're the best at spelling! Wanna drop by my house?"

Instead the principal forgot me. He awarded the second-place2-year-old winners and the third-place winners and nobody questioned him. I was heartbroken. I had told my mom and she said she went and they had no records that I had won. No proof; My mom argued a bit but then stopped. Now it's gone and blown over but I still felt betrayed.

I asked my mom to let me go and I went to shower. Not telling her about Anne Howard. As I walked to the washroom. My brother stood in my way.

"Show me your magic" He whispered slowly, blocking the doorway

"What do you mean? If it's about the therapist I can tell you--" I retorted wanting to just wash and get my clothes ready for tomorrow

"Poisdon," he said his face was expectant and I was caught off guard. He knew; About everything.

Oh,thought-well Crud.