The Founder's Missing Piece

Chapter 4: Magic Lessons

"It is nice to know that you are still alive," a voice said from the corner of my dorm. I had just walked in after my second period, before lunch. I jumped five feet in the air, as Jane came out of the dark corner and hopped onto my bed.

"Jane!" I shouted, flabbergasted, "you can't just do that!"

"I would apologize, but it would be meaningless, because I am not sorry."

"Wow, rude," I said to her.

"It is also rude to abandon your cat, Cécile."

"I didn't abandon you. And you're a magical cat. You can probably take care of yourself."

"That is not the point!"

"Ok, I'm sorry! There's no need to yell."

"I may be magical, but I am still a cat. I am as much in need of food and water and care as any domestic house cat. I am just also able to help you discover and control your magical abilities. Speaking of which, you promised you would let me teach you about your unknown abilities, but you seem to have been avoiding me."

"I haven't been avoiding you. Some stuff has just happened."

"What do you mean some 'stuff' has happened?"

"I mean some stuff happened?" I said, it sounding like a question, "I thought it was pretty self explanatory."

"What stuff happened that caused you to abandon me?!"

"Ohmygosh. I did not abandon you!"

"Yes you did! I've been using the same litter box since school started. A litter box is supposed to be cleaned every day!"

"School started two days ago!""

"Yes, and you did not change it yesterday, and you did not change it today either."

"Ok, I'll change it now then. Calm down."

"Where are you going? This conversation is not finished."

"I'm going to change your litter box?"

"Oh, do not bother with that. I would hate to be a burden," she said sarcastically.

"Oh, come on. Don't be like that. I said I was sorry."

"You say a lot of things you do not mean. Things such as promising you will let me help you."

"I'm going to let you help me," I said, grabbing the kitty litter from my closet, "just not yet."

"Just not yet," she mocked me, "you can not postpone this forever Cécile."

"I can try," I sing-songed, having changed the litter box and put the bag of kitty litter away. I was walking over to sit on my bed when she spoke up again, "so let us go now then."

"What? Go where?"

"Somewhere I can teach you."

"Wait, you wanna teach me now?"

"Well, if we do not do it now, you will find another way to avoid it."

"That's not true."

"Of course it is. You are just in denial."

"No I'm not!"

"You just denied it," she said matter-of-factly.

"No-I-well..." I trailed off, knowing she was right.

"So let us go, shall we?"

"I have classes," I tried.

"You have a whole lunch period before your classes start," she pointed out.