Baz wasn't in Political Sciences, nor did I see him at lunch. For the billionth time I wondered what he was up to. Probably something downright evil. I'm not sure what happened in Calckulus, he seemed so upset, which is the opposite of Baz. Beads of sweat rolled down his paper white skin, and blue veins prominently stuck out on his neck. His cloudy gray eyes had dark bags under them. His shoulder-length hair jet black was a tousled mess.
"Simon!" Agatha called in her pretty singsong voice. I turned to see her and Penelope walking towards me. Penelope is my very best friend. She's insanely smart and crazy wise; I can trust her with anything. Agatha is something else. She is hands down the most beautiful girl in all of history, and everyone knows it. She has long wavy blonde-on-the-verge-of-white hair with icy blue eyes and a handful of pale freckles on her nose. She has cheekbones that can cut, and curves that she's very proud of. Not only is she gorgeous on the outside, she's pure beauty on the inside too. Just your friendly neighborhood Cinderella. And she's my girlfriend.
Agatha ran up to me and gave me a peck on the lips. Penelope made a face at us.
"I'm still not used to you guys being together," she said. I wasn't either. I really like Agatha, I always had. But I don't know, it's just weird. Something is off, and what I'm feeling scares me so much, I can't even think about it. I can't think about the reason I know me and Agatha won't work out.
I shook those thoughts out of my head.
"So guys, how about Baz today?" I whispered.
"Shouldn't you be more concerned with the Insidious Humdrum?" Penelope asked.
"Maybe Baz IS the Insidious Humdrum," I replied raising my eyebrows. Agatha slipped her hand into mine.
"Baz is a magician silly," she giggled.
"Yeah, yeah," I said dismissively. "Well he's probably in kahoots with The Humdrum." Penelope and Agatha simultaneously rolled their eyes and sighed.
When we arrived in Charms class, Mr. Charleston was waiting.
"Mr. Snow, The Mage has requested you in his office."
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The Mage's office is very neat and orderly, but definitely does not lack magic and wonder. His shelves whir with rare magical artifacts, and every now and again, a memo will fly over your head and land on his OCD organized, white desk. On display in a glass case, was The Crucible. The Mage himself is a serious middle-aged man with a crisp triangle beard and glossy brown eyes. He's as close to a father to me as it gets.
"Ah yes, sorry to keep you waiting Simon," the Mage said, making me jump.
"Not at all, sir," I told him, bowing a little. The Mage looked troubled and distant, but this was a normal look for him nowadays.
"Simon I called you here today because The Humdrum is getting stronger." He looked over at me with a grim face. "Soon he will have enough power to defeat us mages and destroy magick forever." My stomach dropped. "We need to act soon, very soon."
"How soon, sir?" I asked.
"In two months time, on the new moon." My heart raced.
"I know you can do it Simon," he said casting me a sideways glance. "You *have* to succeed."
I nodded, feeling sick. I had known this day would come for years. I should be prepared. I train hard, I get the best grades I can, and I make sure that I don't get too attached to people so I can give my life up with no regrets. I haven't followed that rule religiously, but I tried my hardest. My number one rule is to not think too much about my future and to live in the moment. But now it's all hitting me at once and I'm terrified.
