Project Moonlark: A Fanfiction

12. BLACK SWAN

"No, Dex! She's manipulating us!" I tried to tell him.

"I already gave away everything," Miss Wash—Jessica spoke, her wrinkled face soft. "Meet me in the office after school, 3pm."

"I'll take you there," Dex promised.

"I'm not going," I insisted.

"I didn't say you had a choice." Dex grinned. "Ready to take more exams?"

The exams were hard, and I was almost certain of my upcoming expulsion. I was sure Councillor Bronte would be very pleased with himself.

Disappointed, I walked out of Understanding Harmony, my head still fuzzy after thinking about a comprehension problem for so long. I expected everyone to walk out of their classrooms feeling upset, but instead, they burst out of the classroom doors and hung their thinking caps on their lockers, cheering and clapping. Was I the only one who found it hard? I hung my head low and followed the crowds to my locker, gently peeling my thinking cap off.

"Kristen!" I heard an unfamiliar voice call me. For a second, I thought it was Miss Washington's. Then I slowly turned my head around, and found a man with bright orange hair and dimples running towards me. Dex was holding his hand, as well as three children who looked like triplets.

"Hi, I'm Kesler," the man introduced himself, shaking my hand. "Owner of your favorite elixir shop." He beamed with pride. Dex glared at him. "Dad! Stop being embarrassing!"

"Nice to meet you," I said, following the standard greetings I'd used for all my life. "How do you know my name?"

"Dex is crazy about you!" One of the little boys behind Kesler suddenly yelled. I did what I could not to cover my ears, but he was loud. Dex's blush was redder than RedFizz.

"HE'S YOUR GIRLFRIEND!" The other boy shouted, laughing his head off. I smiled politely, trying not to roll my eyes at them.

"Are they your siblings?" I asked Dex. They had the same strawberry blonde hair and periwinkle eyes as him, and they were all a little bit chubby.

"Yes," Dex said, turning red again. "Sorry about them."

"No, you're good," I assured him. "So are families supposed to be here?" It was getting crowded in the school. Parents and siblings were everywhere, but somehow, even through all that noise, I could hear Dex's siblings.

"Yup. I'm not sure if Grady and Edaline are coming, though. They haven't left the house in ages."

"Dad, look! A Prattles' box!" Dex's third sibling, a little girl this time, shouted. She had curly hair and freckles, and she was gesturing to a floating bubble on top of my head.

"Pop it!" Kesler encouraged, carrying his daughter up to the bubble so she could reach it. Unfortunately, whatever was inside that bubble landed on my head. Ow. I didn't say it out loud, though. Those triplets would bully me for the rest of my life if I did.

The girl giggled, then picked up the box that had fallen to the ground now.

"Prattles'," Dex told me. "Are these elvin candies which taste ridiculously sweet. Most people only get them because of the pins that come inside."

"Oh my god, no way," I heard the girl breathe. "No way I just got the legendary alicorn!" She squealed, her brothers rushing to her side to take a look. She yanked out a tiny silver creature from a velvet pouch, showing it to her brothers proudly. "Look, boys, this is why ladies are obviously better!"

"Where did you learn that from?" Kesler asked, chuckling.

"Taylor Vacker," she replied, smiling like she'd just won a prize. Kesler's face darkened, but I wasn't sure the kids could tell. Dex and I definitely saw it. The triplets were too busy playing games with each other now.