The Gorgon's Curse

Chapter Three: The Quarrel

The next day went as huskily as the day before. It was a fine May morning quite the same as the last morning they had in the Gem Land and the only thing that had changed was that a year had passed. Now Lucinda was twelve years old and it was the year 1920 now. They had elementrology and after a very long while, Jessica and Lucinda quarreled. They had to produce water out of their wands when Jessica lost control and showered Lucinda with soil. It took a while to calm the girls but after they did, the girls disagreed from talking to each other and Jessica ended up crying while Lucinda ended up breaking many things due to her magic going out of control.

None of them appeared at the lunch. After the second half of their lesson. Both of them ate their dinner quietly and walked off to their rooms without even looking at each other.

"These girls!" Jackson sighed as both of them disappeared. "Last time they met, they were out making plans to vaporize our souls, and now...hey Layla!" he added as a girl with poison green eyes and blond hairs a little green from the end, came to join them at the dinner table.

"Hello, Jackson!" replied the girl smiling. "Where are Jessica and Lucinda?"

"They had a small fight!" Jackson said and Layla's smile twisted. "It wasn't small if you ask me!"

"It's fine, they'll get back to normal. They're best friends after all." Layla said slowly. "Mind if I join you?"

"No, of course not!" Jackson replied and started completing his dinner.

"Lucinda doesn't trust us! She knows!" Devin thought hard. Layla nodded. "Leave it to me!" she mouthed.

"Meet me outside the hall in five minutes!" Devin thought again.

"I'll take a leave!" Layla said politely.

Jackson nodded in response, and after a few minutes, even Devin excused himself.

Helio promptly rushed outside to have a word with Layla. "We need to do something fast! We want them together. We need to stop their fight!"

"Chill Helio! I have worked it all out! Both the girls are going to come together once they see me hanging out with you two. You might have won Jessica's trust in the past two months but she still doesn't trust me!"

"Fine!" Devin replied irritably. "But we need to wait until the barrier is open."

"I know! I have talked to mom about that!"

"Why does mom always tell you everything? Why not me?"

"I am much more trustworthy and smarter, you see!"

"I am going!" Devin replied furiously.

"Uh-huh, wait brother." she magically bound his body with green magical ropes that came from her hands. "If I get a hint of you cheating mother and me for that pretty face, I'll forget that you're my brother!" she threatened.

"It won't come to that!"

"I hope so!" she let go of him and he walked away.

The next day, they had Zoologie, the study of animals. They had a new teacher, as the one that taught them before had sent an angry resignation letter that said that he was tired of all this time pass stuff that school told him to make students study. He even wrote that he was rather interested in better and darker animals. Their new teacher's name was Madeline. She had very curly hair that were so curly and short that it barely touched her shoulders. Her eyes were colourless and emotionless. But she was not. She was quite cheerful and most of all liked Lucinda. This had smoothened her mood and that was the reason (partly) that she gave her and Jessica's fight a rest when they saw Layla again join Jackson and Devin at the dining table during breakfast.

"I thought you were angry with each other!" Jackson scowled suspiciously.

"We were!" Lucinda replied eyeing Layla with hatred. "Not now!"

"Yeah, we are best friends you see!" Jessica said, contentedly. From the look on her face, it seemed that she had no idea why Lucinda was ready to be her friend again but was glad to have a reason to become her friend again.

"So now, would Ella and Helio mind helping Christoff and Apollonia! I don't think they both can manage their cutie li'l snakes!" exclaimed their new teacher of Zoologie, Mrs. Madeline.

"Sure Mrs. Madeline!"

"Thank you but I prefer Miss, you see!" Lucinda nodded.

Lucinda had spent her year becoming more and more versed with magic. In that lecture, they had to take care of some small, venomous snake with smooth skins. After that, they had to remove their poison and defang them. "Knowing how to defang a snake is not easy, but very necessary! If you know how to defang a small snake like this, it won't be hard for you to learn how to defang a bigger and more venomous snake. But I want you all to practice defanging on a non-magical snake as their poison can cause much less harm!" explained Mrs. Madeline. "Anyone who gets a snake bite should come here to me to apply antidote on it! Your today's homework would be to find an antidote for the poison you collected, just in case!"

The day passed very sound. Layla did not join them again at the dining table.

"Who are you searching for?" Lucinda asked.

"Layla!" Jackson replied turning his head in all directions.

"Why?" Lucinda asked smirking.

"Because she came yesterday to have lunch with us," Jackson replied feeling annoyed at Lucinda smirking. "Stop grinning like that!"

At these words, both Lucinda and Jessica started laughing.

"What?" Jackson asked irritably.

"Look at your face! You are looking so-what do you say-comical!" Jessica sneered.

"Comical! Seriously! Didn't you get any other word?" Jackson scowled.

"First word I thought!" Jessica sniggered. "Are you all right Helio?" she added looking at Devin's face which was full of sorrow and concern.

"Yeah, I am fine!" Devin replied standing up to leave.

"No, you are not," Lucinda said looking at his face.

"Do you care?" Devin shot back.

"Doesn't matter!" Lucinda replied in a tiny voice.

"Then why do you want to know?" Devin asked furiously and walked away.

"Can't you even say once that you care?" Jessica asked angrily.

"No!" Lucinda replied fiercely. "I don't care what is wrong with him unless it is anything of my concern!"

"You are the most selfish person I have ever met."

"Don't call me selfish!" Lucinda said firmly, standing up. "You don't even know who he is!"

"Then tell me who he is, Lucinda! You say as if he is a foe but who is he?"

Lucinda opened her mouth, searching for words but before she could say anything Jessica walked away. Lucinda ran back to her own room.

"Not another fight!" Jackson mumbled softly and followed Lucinda. She had a head-start so she reached her room before he did. She slammed the door behind her ignoring Jackson calling her out.