Boscha Noceda

Chapter 12: Suspended

Luz, now 14, was at her locker, getting her books out. Boscha was at practice. She doesn't know why they have practice when there's only a week of school left, but she wasn't going to question the Basketball captain that made the final shot at State last year. Still, without her sister nearby, Luz felt like she was in No Man's Land, especially in the hallways. She stood frozen, doing her level best to not stand out. After she slowly and calmly stuffed her books into her backpack, she noticed the noise in the halls had died down. It was at that moment she felt exposed, and her breathing turned shallow. She was determined to not lean too much on Boscha, to fend for herself, and in her efforts to calm herself, she saw a familiar book in the back of her locker. The edges of the hardcover were frayed to the point of peeling apart, but the comfort she felt in holding the first volume of The Good Witch Azura never faded.

"Papá, dame fuerzas."

Book in hand, Luz closed her locker and headed to class, when suddenly...

"Ugh, what is this baby shit?!"

She looked over and saw a familiar blonde cheerleader. Tracey Miller. The girl that likes to make Luz's life a living hell.

"What do you want, Tracey?" Luz was in less of a mood than usual to put up with her today.

Tracey flicked her hair to the side. "I want to know what you're doing still reading these lame-ass baby books... y'know, for babies."

"They're in the young adult category. I'm barely old enough to read them."

"Yeah, 'cause you're a BABY." Tracey wasn't going to let being wrong disrupt her tirade.

"Don't you have anything better to do than to harass me? You know Boscha's gonna hear about this."

Tracey's response was simply to take the book from Luz's hands.

"HEY! GIVE THAT BACK!"

The smug cheerleader kept Luz at arm's length.

"Awww, is widdle baby gonna sic big sis on me? "Cause if she does, I'll just have to rip up her baby book."

Before Luz could respond, a hand grabbed Tracey's head and slammed it against the lockers.

"Our dad gave that book to her on his death bed, so if you so much as damage the cover I will break the hollow thing you call a skull." Boscha said.

Tracey still had a hold of the book as she staggered away from her attacker.

"Yeah? I'll do you one better. You lay one more finger on me, and I'll tear baby's first book in half. I don't give a shit who gave it to her."

Boscha's fingers tensed to the point where her knuckles cracked loud enough to reverberate through the hallway. Luz could see the vein on her sister's forehead creep out from under the headband that concealed her third eye.

'Please, Boscha...' Luz thought. 'You've been doing great keeping it under control all these years. Don't throw it away...not for her or me.'

Boscha let out a yell and raised her fist.

Several minutes later:

Boscha and Luz were walking home, with Boscha mumbling words in Spanish. Luz held her book tightly, while looking at Boscha. Luz felt upset, Boscha got in trouble because of her.

"Can you believe he suspended me!?" Boscha said, "Who suspends someone on the last week of school?"

"Boscha-"

"At least I gave that blonde bitch a nasty shiner." Boscha said, smiling, "And I saved your book."

"Boscha-"

"Whatever, so what if I get an extra week of summer? I'm fine with that."

"BOSCHA!" Luz said loudly, "Why did you do that? Why did you risk your future for me?"

Boscha looked at her.

"Because you're my sister." Boscha said.

Luz looked away, only for Boscha to pull her into a noogie.

"Boscha!" Luz complained, hating it when she does these.

"Stop complaining, you little nerd, your stuck with me!" Boscha said, "Your not just my sister, you're my best friend, nothing is going to seperate us!"

The noogie made Luz drop her book, which caused an owl to fly by and grab it. Luz pushed Boscha away.

"My book!" Luz said, chasing the owl.

"Luz!" Boscha said, rushing after her.

Luz chased the owl, while Boscha chased Luz. The two of them following it into the old cabin that Boscha was found in. The door closed behind them, and there was a flash.