Aymee Parker B2 - The Cursed Mark

Chapter 26 : How to poke where it hurts not once but thrice

Even sitting in the Hogwarts Express, Aymee still hadn't swallowed the incident with the police. She continued to turn the faces of her Rubik, hoping it would help sort out her thoughts. Around her, the girls were discussing what they had done during their vacation. Rosalie kept raving about Arnold, handing out photos to anyone who wanted to see them. The redhead then turned to Aymee.

"And Aym—"

"No need, she won't say anything," interrupted Penelope with a slight tone of reproach. "What about you, Megan?"

Aymee pursed her lips. She should have expected it. In any case, she could not contradict her. For her part, Megan took a camera out of her bag, the kind that spits out the shot on a small square sheet that you have to shake.

"I got a camera for Christmas!" she exclaimed, jumping on the seat, all excited.

"Ooooooh!" said the girls heartily.

"Take a picture! Take a picture!"

Megan smiled and motioned for the girls to come close to her for a group photo. Aymee smiled with all her teeth to put on a good face. She then questioned Megan as the latter shook the photo.

"You don't want to go get one with Arvel?" she wondered.

In front of her, Astou shook her head with big eyes. Megan lost her smile. Aymee bit her lip, realizing her mistake.

"That moron—"

Megan forced herself to breathe before saying more. Aymee exchanged a look with the other girls. Seeing the faces they were making, Aymee finally understood Megan had broken up with Arvel.

"Sorry," she whispered to Megan.

Megan waved her apology aside.

"It's okay, you didn't know."

It didn't really look like it was okay. Aymee's gaze darted around, looking for a distraction. She smiled as she found one that was about Megan.

"You dyed the end of all your locks, in the end?"

"Mmm? Oh yes. I was sick of it being just the end of my bangs."

Megan undid her ponytail to show Aymee her hair. The pink looked even more neon as it contrasted with her dark hair. Megan looked down at her hair sadly.

"Arvel was against it," she added in a very small voice.

Aymee had to refrain from slapping her forehead. She really wasn't good at it, or maybe that was just her talent: not seeing the obvious and pressing right where it hurt.

Fortunately, Astou did not have the same cursed talent. She waved her right hand to show the Mark to the others.

"In the end, nothing serious happened."

"Oh yes?"

Astou nodded thoughtfully.

"I almost swallowed curds once or twice, that's pretty much it."

"Good," smiled Megan. "So it's Émilie's turn?"

The small blond turned white.

"Already?" she sighed, visibly frightened at the thought of being the group's new Mark bearer.

Aymee jumped to her feet.

"I don't know about you, but I want candy."

The girls stared at her, confused. Aymee smiled at Émilie.

"Don't you have a favorite kind? Licorice baguettes, right?"

Émilie nodded, surprised. Aymee's smile widened as she glanced at the others.