Locatum

1. Deceivers And Attention Seekers

Present Day

What could I say?

The setting of the sky was so beautiful... one could say, perfect. The clouds were placed so immaculately and the sun lit up the sky with no intention of ducking under the white puffs of cloud.

No, not now.

...It was officially the first day of school holidays, in the second month of winter. But, to my dismay, it felt like spring.

I had received a very clear phone call from my friend Fae the previous day. We were going to the markets at Lakeside with our friend Kayla, and then Fae was to stay at my house.

After staring out of my window for several minutes admiring today's set up, I let myself fall out of bed and crawl on my hands and knees to the mirror. I began to brush my hair furiously, shrieking briefly in pain when the brush was caught in a tangle.

I changed out of my pyjamas in a rush, as I knew Fae would arrive at nine-thirty. I managed to squeeze into my black pants and retrieve a shirt that was suitable for the forecast, a white lace tee.

We were to meet Kay at the markets, well, that's what we were told.

"You better hurry up," my more-than-real, apparently imaginary friend Jack said. I sighed, struggling to fold the sheets on my bed.

"Why don't you help out?" I asked him sourly. Jack looked at me weirdly. I froze in confusion. "What?" I pulled my duvet far off the bed. Jack was still shocked, keeping that expression plastered on his face. His blonde hair moved with the breeze that came through my window, and his blue eyes glittered. It was my stupidity giving him a reason to annoy me.

"I'm a figment of your imagination," Jack spoke suddenly, making me flinch from surprise. "I'd love to help you out Jess, but..." He stopped once I groaned.

"Why do I even have you around," I whispered harshly to myself, looking up to see my mother staring down at me.

"Jessica, let me," she said in a bruising tone, scowling at my poor attempt to make my bed up properly. I heard her irritating voice shrill as I was brushing my teeth: "What did you do to your clothes?!" Hopefully that was an exclaimed, rhetorical question, because I only answered with a roll of my eyes.

I quickly hurried to the kitchen, where Jack was casually sitting up on the bench top. I heard a car approaching.

"She's coming up the driveway..." He murmured. I pushed past him, unwrapping a piece of chewing gum. I started to multi-task in the few minutes I had. I pulled my jeans up; found my wallet and jacket; then escaped to my room for a quick makeup session. A sweep of mascara to my lashes... a bit of sparkly vanilla lip gloss to my dried lips... a quick restyle of my hair, curl over my shoulders and fringe flopping across my forehead.

I glanced at myself in the mirror, seeing my inherited olive skin shine unusually, and my deep brown eyes turn golden in the sunlight.

"Shut up," I snapped, at Jack when he had a grin that obviously reflected my vain thoughts. I rested my jacket over one arm, slipping my phone into my back pocket.

The door had been knocked on and was instantly opened by one of my brothers, Brian, who was obviously happy watching television until getting interrupted by his older sister's friend.

Fae was very tiny and skinny compared to me, with shoulder length brown hair and pretty green eyes. She wore jeggings and a patterned top, with a cute denim bag strapped around her torso.

"Hi Fae!" I exclaimed happily. She smiled at me.

"Hey," she greeted softly. Her voice was one never heard unless you leaned in close, but with me she always spoke with a confident tone.