Chasing Silver and Gold

Preston's Magic Show

"Look, little sister. Uncle Pressy is going to pull a bunny out of his hat," I coo as I hold my little sister on my hip, watching the magic show Preston is holding before school a week later. "Let's go Uncle Pressy!"

I shouted in encouragment at my best friend as he introduces his show and then himself. I hear Sarah, Brody, Hayley, and Calvin doing the same from a distance away. I met Preston's new friends save for Calvin and Hayley after they had that fight with the monster last week. They're nice and we eat lunch and study together sometimes but we're not exactly close.

I roll my eyes as I hear Victor say something rude about Preston to Monty. I frown when I see the bully go up to my best friend and take his magician's hat, which I know is empty because I'm the one who stuck it on his head before the show.

Isabelle lets out a loud squeal like yell when she sees the bunny.

"See I told you he was going to pull out a bunny."

The bell rings as everyone starts to boo at Preston, who has a crestfallen look on his face.

"That's not magic, that's tragic," I hear Monty say from beside a smug looking Victor Vincent.

"The only thing tragic around here Monty is you following around a self absorbed jerkface like a lost little puppy with no purpose in the world," I sneer, walking past them with Isabelle in my hands and towards Preston.

I wrap my arms around Preston in a hug then taking the rabbit from him.

"Look Belle, it's the bunny Uncle Pressy made appear in his hat. It's okay Preston, he's a jerk. We both know that hat was empty before the show."

Preston gives me a smile which I return before parting ways to go to class. I really have two classes at school that I need to take, my College English and College Math. Everthing else is either a free period or an elective I don't need.

Walking to the music room, the music teacher, who's also my mom's little sister--my aunt, takes Isabelle from me and starts cuddling with her on a beanbag chair that she has.

"I'm doing great Auntie Pearl, how are you?" I ask sarcastically, sitting down on a stool in front of a mic, after looking up a song I wanted to sing.

Aunt Pearl was so furious at my mom when she found out that she left after giving birth to Isabelle and leaving her in my care. She wasn't exactly mad that I was caring for my little sister, she was angry at the fact that she abandened her newborn baby. There wasn't a day where Aunt Pearl wasn't over at the house, helping me with Isabelle.

"Hello my oldest niece, I love you too. Now you better get good use of my empty classroom before the freshman comes in."

I roll my eyes at her playfully. I did a couple of breathing exercies in between water intakes before nodding my head at my aunt, telling her its okay for her to play the karaoke music to one of my favorite songs.

Here we are again
Soutwest Gate Flight 308 and
Damn, it's sinking in
28 days until I see your face again

We checked your bags, got your boarding pass
Give me one last kiss before you leave
You said it won't always be like this
But its hard to believe

That there's a 737 on the runways
Just beggin' to break my heart
And every ticket feels like a one-way
To ten million miles apart

Oh those wings up in the air
They don't even care about the tears rolling down my face
They're always taking off, always taking you away.
I hate Airplanes.

Minutes later, I'm finsihing the song. I heard my aunt clapping her hands from beside me. I turn to look at her, just to see a sad smile on her face.

"He'll come back, you know? Your father was never one to be gone for his daughter for too long," Aunt Pearl says softly, putting a blanket over my sleeping sister. "Now that he has another one, I bet this will be his last tour."

"Yeah, right. I was his only kid for 18 years and he still up and left," I mutter bitterly, missing my dad a lot more than usual today.

"Now Clarice-Noelle. Your daddy loves you very much. He's just trying to make this world a safer place for you to grow up in, without having to deal with wordly conflict."

I sniffle as I walk towards my aunt.

"I just want him home. I miss my daddy," I cry, leaning into my aunt as she wraps her arms around me. "Isabelle hasn't even got to meet her daddy yet."

After spending some time with my aunt in my free hours in the morning, it's lunch time. I sit with Sarah, Hayley, Calvin, and Brody as we watch Preston put on another magic show.

He asks for a volunteer, which he then elects Victor. I laugh joyfully as Victor pulls out the head of a panther instead of a house cat kitten. I see Brody turn around and look at his other three friends with concern. I roll my eyes before deciding to head home for the rest of the day.

I literally could have skipped today since I didn't have no classes.

Setting my sister down in her swing and putting on nursery music, I grab the silver star out of my jean pocket. I close my eyes to get a feel of it.

Trying to remember what Brody did, I do the same thing. I pulling one of my arms back, I feel something in my hand. I then place the star into the control thing before giving it a spin.

Next thing I know, I'm in a silver suit with black spandex and silver boots.

I feel a rush of energy in my veins whichs makes me giddy with excitement. I take a peek at my little sister before rushing down the hall to the bathroom to check myself out.

I let out a squeal. This is really really cool!

I relax my posture and then suddenly, my suit disappears.

I frown once I remember that those monsters are after the star(s) that is now sitting in my palm. What does this mean exactly? Especially since I have to keep my little sister safe?

That's all I want if for her to be safe.