Aymee Parker B2 - The Cursed Mark

Chapter 18 : Sharing

Aymee was trying to revise by reading for the sixth time a passage from their history textbook in her bed when the girls fell on her. They were all hands on hips and determined gaze. Aymee glanced up from her textbook, curious to know what they wanted. For Rosalie, Astou and Émilie to look like that, it's because they wanted something. Aymee handed them the bag of crisps Duncan had traded her for answers for the astronomy homework.

"You want some?"

Astou took the bag of crisps to put it away.

"I had an idea," she explained, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "And I would like you to listen before you run away as usual."

Aymee sat up as she realized they were talking about the Mark. She leaned back on her bed, keeping her marked hand against herself. Her head banged against the headboard, but Aymee pretended nothing had happened.

"No, I won't let you take it!"

"Let us explain!" insisted Astou.

"We want to share!" Rosalie added, coming to sit on the other side.

"Our plan," Astou continued before Aymee had the chance to reply, "is to pass the Mark every week. You know that, the more you wear it, the worse the misfortunes get, right? If we each wear it for a week, it will allow us to relax a little. It'll reduce its effects."

"And we are nice!" Rosalie argued joyfully. "Everyone tells me all the time that I'm too naive!"

"What does it have to do with any of it?" Aymee asked, frowning.

"Karma," Émilie explained. "The letter says that our misfortunes depend on our karma. We... We all think we have relatively low karma. That means there's little risk, right? If in addition we share the Mark, everything should be fine."

Aymee observed Émilie. The little blonde with glasses clutched her arms and her gaze remained fixed on the lower left. If her reasoning could make sense, Aymee doubted Émilie's will tagged along. Or was she doing it just to lighten her karma? A form of apology to the universe? Aymee observed the girls one by one. If Émilie seemed uncertain, it was not the case for Astou and Rosalie, who were both resolute.

"What about Megan and Penelope? What do they think?"

"Megan thinks there are enough of you four and she can do without extra bad luck."

The girls turned towards the entrance where Megan was standing. The rebel with the neon wick smiled as she approached.

"It's a nice plan," she agreed, leaning on the bedpost, "but I already have enough karma on my back without adding this mark. I know I haven't always been very sweet. With this thing on hand, me, the death threats, I'd have them from day one."

Aymee nodded. It was true that Megan had always been rather direct and frank without thinking much about it. It was indeed a bad idea. As for Penelope...

"Penelope said we were suicidal," confided Rosalie with a crestfallen expression. "That we'd better leave you the Mark since that's what you want. But I disagree! I want to do it."

"What about the holidays, mmh?" argued Aymee, racking her brain to find excuses. "We all go home for two and a half weeks."

"One more week is not going to kill us," replied Astou. "And then, I can always exchange with Ami and Djibril if necessary."

"Or me with Grant," Rosalie added with a carefree smile. "Don't worry."

Aymee observed them one by one before her gaze fell on her right hand. Besides the Mark, sthène were lots of little paper cuts. She had just gotten a new bandage on her right forearm. Earlier this afternoon, while having tea with Hagrid, she had inherited a tea burn from a sudden licks attack from Fang. Aymee sighed before nodding her head. Her body could use a break.