Time After Time (Book 3) DISCONTINUED

Chapter 9

"What the hell kind of mystery meat is that?" Josie asks as MG tries to swallow whatever meat he just consumed. "I have no idea, but hey whatever it takes to fit in on my first day." He smiles. "Good luck, Mystic Falls is even more cliquey than the Salvatore school, which has actual factions. Over there is where the jocks sit with the mean girl cheerleaders." MG smiles at them. "Well, she doesn't look so mean to me." Josie scoffs. "Tori Thompson? Please. The LARPers and comic geeks are probably more your speed." Josie points over at the table on the other side. "Well, maybe at our last school, but here, we can be as cool as we wanna be." He smirks. "And how cool is that, exactly?" Josie asks. "I see myself trying out for the football team....because Tori Thompson is totally into me. Yeah, she just told her friend." MG smiles. "Knock it off. No vamp powers." MG soon agrees before Ethan comes up and joins them. "I'm MG." "I remember from that flag football game, so you transferred here too?" Ethan asks him. "Yeah, and um, speaking of football, i was thinking of trying out. You got any pointers?" He asks him. "Uh, study hard instead. I just got cut." Ethan informs him. "Oh..."

"I thought we were supposed to be working with Lizzie and Kaleb?" Landon asks Hope as he meets her in the library. Hope holds up a note that says 'NO TRIBRIDS ALLOWED'. "What is that?" He asks her. "That was left on the door." Hope picks up her books and heads to a table. "Hey, you ok? I mean, i've been picking up on some weird tension." Hope shakes her head. "Never better, i've got you back. Josie and i are perfect, i mean, even last week we....nevermind. The point is everything's perfect." Hope takes a seat. "I'm not sure Lizzie feels the same." Landon tells her. "Uh, yeah. I may have tried to guilt trip Josie into taking her magic back to open a door to save you, but it didn't even happen, so i don't know why Lizzie's so bent out of shape." Hope shakes her head. "You just basically blackmailed your wife into helping you, which you could have just asked. I mean, how would you have felt if it had been me in danger instead of Josie?" He asks. "Oh, i'm sorry. Whose side are you on?" She smirks. "Yours. Always. I'm just saying, the reason you two are mad at each other is because you're more alike than you think." Landon smiles. "Take that back immediately." Hope warns him. "You're both smart, powerful witches who'd do just about anything for who or what you love." Hope sighs. "I really hope you're wrong because if you're right, i think i know what Lizzie's about to do next."

They quickly find Lizzie by the lake talking to Cleo. After a seemingly long argument, they decide to discuss that matter inside. The twins quickly come in holding a pink furball. "Oh, that is the cutest monster ever." Landon practically coos. "What is it?" "I don't know but i want one." Lizzie gasps. "Did you summon that thing?" Hope asks Cleo. "No, we must be wary of it." "More like merry. This thing could check all of our boxes. Now quick, someone throw a blanket over it and we'll find out if it can talk." Lizzie tells everyone. "Screw you!" "Whoa!" The twins drop it. "How's that for talking?" The monster asks. "Grab it." Hope whispers before it scurries away. "Oh, why did you drop it?!" Andrea asks her brother. "I didn't expect it to actually talk!" He quickly chases after it. It runs down the corridor and bursts through the wall. "Too slow. Too slow!" The four of them quickly follow it outside. "Are you sure it went this way?" Hope asks as she follows behind Lizzie. "Are you guys deaf and dumb?" The monster asks. Smoke starts coming from the vent before Hope and Lizzie's vision is blocked. A sudden push sends Lizzie into the pool. "I can't believe you would push me in!" "It wasn't me, it was the monster!" Hope looks around. "You know Hope, at least when i'm a bitch, i own it. Now for the last time, stay the hell out of my way. People always get hurt when you don't." Lizzie walks away to change her clothes. "What the hell just happened?" Hope asks the twins. "I have no idea." The twins both sigh.

Josie panics when Alaric shows up at Mystic Falls High. "Great, my dad is probably here to spy on us to make sure we're not using magic. So no vamp hearing, no vamp speed and no vamp strength to impress Tori 'crop-top' Thompson." She whispers. "I won't, i promise." They pinky swear and begin PE. "Stop looking." She whispers as MG keeps eying Alaric in his PE shorts. Back at the Salvatore School, Hope and Landon try to identify what new mini-monster just walked through their doors. "Too short." Hope shakes her head as Landon shows her another card. "Too green." He pulls another one and she smiles. "Too Gimli." Landon gasps and smiles back. "You remembered." "Of course i did, my best friend forced me to sit down and watch all the movies while Josie was away. That's a lawn ornament." Hope sighs before standing up. "This is pointless. "No, it's a process. There are literally thousands of wee folk in mythology. We just have to figure what this one is. It would go alot faster if we could share notes with Lizzie." He tries. "Not an option." Hope rejects the idea. "Apparently, i'm hazardous to everyone's health." "Ok, radical idea, i know. Have you thought about apologizing to her for pressuring your wife?" He asks. "I can't. And not because i don't want to. But because if you disappeared tomorrow, i'd do it all over again." Hope sighs. "Well, what brought me back was something you hadn't thought of. And i bet if you and Lizzie had worked together, you'd have found another way." Landon nods. "Yeah but we didn't. And i can't change the past." "Fair. But you can change the present. Starting with our current adorable little monster. But please try and make up with her soon, i doubt you'll want her at yours and Josie's wedding, still pissed at you."