How To Become A Magician 101

chapter 3

"So Britt was all like, I don't like you jeans and I was all like, I don't like your face and Connor had to break it up before one of us killed the other!"

As Nicole rambled I shifted my position to where my feet were propped up against the wall and the rest of me hung off the bed.

"I really hate her. With a passion." She complained.

"Oh, we all do, Nicky. Just no one is brave enough to say something to her face." I responded.

"One day, when I have nothing to lose imma go up and slap her makeup clad face and tell her off so good!" She sounded ticked.

I laughed at my best friends determination. "Right. You do that." I said with a laugh in my voice.

"I not kidding Carmen! She shouldn't be able to talk that crap just because her dads the mayor! She needs to suck it up, oh my gosh! Do you know what she said yesterday?"

I was listening to her heated remarks about Britt and her cronies when I heard the doorbell.

"I gotta go Nicky, somebody's at the door, call you later!"

"Call me maybe!" Her muffled voice came through the phone.  I smirked. She was a sucker for that song.

I set the phone on the table as I passed through the dining room. When I got to the door I peeked through the peephole.

my family was out to visit some people and I gladly volunteered to stay home. So I was slightly freaked when the doorbell rang. I was relived to see that standing on our doorstep was a boy about my age, with chocolate brown hair and bright green eyes.

I opened the door and looked at the boy.

"Can I help you?" I inquired.

"I'm Kingston."

I hesitated. His behavior was weird and I wondered why he came to my house.

"I'm Carmen. Can I do something for you?"

"I'm new on the block. My mother wanted me to meet new people and I saw a bunch of kids over here so..."

Oh. Ok well... "well all the kids are my brothers and sisters. I have a brother who seems to be you age." I said. We kinda stared at each other for a minuet, observing each other. He have me a one-over and took in my outfit. I had on black skin-tight jeans and a maroon crop-top sweater and black hi-top converse.

I took in his appearance as well. He had a blue and black striped shirt and baggy cargo pants that looked strangely good on him. He stared at me with a laugh on his face and i remembered that we were still standing on the porch.

I shook my head "sorry. Would you like to come in?" I asked as I moved to the side.

"Oh, no. I just wanted to introduce myself. I have to get back for dinner so... see you later" he waved and gave me a smile then left.

I walked back into the house, slightly miffed. Hmmm.

I picked up the phone and dialed Nicky's number.

"Hey... there was a boy"

***

"I like this one" Nicole fingered the fringe on a cardigan.

"That's cute" I said half looking as I separated clothes on racks.

We were in the mall, looking through racks of clothes. Lots of stores, American eagle, rue 21, JC Penney, were having sales and we took that as a sign from god to go shopping as if our lives depended on it.

As I searched through the hangers and hangers of clothes I let my thoughts wander to Kingston. I loved that name. What I kept thinking about was how brief our interaction was. He left without me knowing anything about him. He had a personality that just made you want to know everything about him, he made you want to decipher his thoughts.

"Oh. My. Gosh! Carmen this would look amazing with your hair and-" she turned over the price tag on a blue dress "only 25 dollars!? That's a great deal!" She pushed me to the back of the store and handed me the dress, then she practically shoved me into the changing rooms.

"Okay then." I muttered.

"You'll thank me when you see it on you! My fashion instinct is on point!"

I silently laughed to myself and pulled the dress over my head.

I turned around to look in the full length mirror and did a double take. This may be the only time in my 13 years that I actually look good!

The dress was a navy blue. It can a few inches above my knees and clung to my figure but in a good way. It was cinched and the waist so that it twirled around my legs. It had a thin brown belt and then a off white lace top.

"Dang, I look good! " I said.

"On point!" Nicky said through the door.

"Your so humble. I feel like I need a cowboy hat or something!" I said as I twirled, taking the dress in.

Two hours later I stumbled through the door with shopping bags up both arms and a pretzel in one hand and a coke in the other.

"I'll take that!" Zeke said as he passed me. He plucked the pretzel from my hands and I lifted an eyebrow. He jogged upstairs while taking a big bite.

"How much money did you spend!? I hope this didn't come out of my wallet!" My dad said coming through the kitchen doorway.

"No, it was all on sale and I used birthday money." I reassured him.

I could see him visibly relieved as he moved to help me with my bags.

"Well I hope it was worth it and you look good in the clothes" he smiled at me.

Later that night I slipped into my PJs, which consisted of a clingy brown shirt and short black shorts. It was simple but i felt cute. I sighed and fell into bed. Lisa had made me have a mini fashion show and i was exhausted from all the squealing.

As I drifted to sleep, my last thoughts were of the mysterious Kingston.