Soulmate {Book Two} The Vioval Ritual

🔮 Chapter Seventeen {Part Two} ~ Kennedy's POV 🔮

Wilson retrieves his sack of stuff from his bookbag and carries it to the center of the large walkway between the counters.
          I grab the chalk and draw a careful oval on the floor, placing the candles methodically around it. I grab the box of matches he had bought and strike one, lighting the wicks of the candles one by one. Next, I search the bag until I find a feather and the small jar of ink.
          "Of all things to use, you got us a feather?" I sigh, inspecting the white specimen.
          "It adds to the vibe. I thought it was appropriate." Wilson shrugs. I breathe a laugh and unscrew the lid of the ink. Dipping the tip of the feather in the pitch black liquid, I press it to the paper and write my name.
          "Here, write yours." I say to Wilson, handing him the feather. He does as I tell him, then sets the feather down and puts the sheet in the middle of the oval.
          "What next?" he asks, looking to me.
          "The chant." I state, bringing forth the memory and writing it down on a spare piece of paper with the ink. "Read it with me. On three."
          He nods and looks down at the paper.
          "One...two..." I pause and glance at Wilson, his eyes gleaming with hope. "...three."
          We begin to recite the words on the paper in unison. "Follow my words, find the way, through space and time, appear today. Behind your void, a world I see, open your door, reveal to me!"
          The air above the ritual space distorts, like the heat coming off of a fire. A glowing purple light spirals outwards from its source, swirling into the shape of an oval. Violet color ripples out from the center, creating the familiar watery surface of the Vioval Portal.
          "We did it!" Wilson yells excitedly, pumping his fists in the air. I chuckle in surprise and joy and fetch my bookbag from the back room. I use Wilson's plastic bag and stuff an orange and a spare sheet of paper inside.
          "Wait here. I'll only be a second. Literally, time isn't gonna move here while I'm gone." I instruct, laughing at myself and stepping toward the portal.
          Here goes nothing.
          I step through, the split second of coldness shocking my system and sending goosebumps all over my arms and legs. It's warm again in an instant, though, the still air of the science lab once again greeting my skin. I check the time. 10:45 p.m.
          I guess I'll have to sleep the time away.

###

I awaken at 7:10 a.m and rush to get myself ready, leaving the portal open---I'll be back in about two hours anyway.
          Chewing some stolen gum and fixing my ponytail, I hurry to my---to Ken's---locker and hide inside until a few people show up.
          About half an hour later, at 7:50 on the dot, I hear footsteps in the stairwell down the hall. I jump out of the locker and relock it, acting as if I just got here.
          The approaching footsteps happen to be those of Rosey, Ross's tall, beauty queen counterpart. She flips her curly brown hair over her shoulder and approaches the locker beside mine.
          Slamming the metal door open, she scans the small cluttered space. "Where is my purse?" she asks no one in particular, sounding annoyed. She pushes a few papers around in the bottom of her locker, and under a pile of random math and science sheets, is her blue sequin purse. She snatches it up and slings it over her shoulder before swinging the locker closed harshly and heading back down the hall.
          Once the loud clicking of her heeled boots disappears around the corner, I sigh, shaking my head and chuckling to myself. "Who knew the toughest jock in the school would become the fifth Kardashian?" I laugh, leaning against a nearby wall.
          "You're back." I hear a vaguely familiar voice say nearby. I turn my head at the sound to see Kylie LeBlanc---Kyle's female version---coming towards me.
          "Yup. Stuff's been a little...complicated lately. So, I haven't been able to stick to a school. Same with Wilson." I explain.
          "Oh, is he here too?"
          "Uh, no, he's got some...obligations."
          "Oh." Kylie nods her head, her short hair bouncing around her shoulders ever so slightly. I notice the fact that she keeps glancing down the hall.
          "Who are you looking for?" I ask, following her gaze to the far stairwell.
          "Ken." she answers, tapping her shoe on the floor.
          "Oh, really? What, do you like him or something? You guys seem to hang out a lot."
          "Uh..." she avoids my eyes, a nervous laugh escaping her lips. "Maybe."
          My heart jumps into my throat. "Really?" I press excitedly.
          "Yeah. I mean, have you seen the guy?" she giggles.
          "Oh, plenty of times." I reply vaguely, watching Kylie's expression as she searches the incoming crowd for Ken.
          If she likes Ken, then does that mean Kyle likes me in our world?
          Woah.
          "So, who are you waiting up here for?" Kylie wonders, glancing over at me.
          "Willnia." I tell her.
          "Oh. You'll be waiting a while, then. Her and Ken get here around the same time usually, but today Ken's coming early."
          "Hm." I nod simply, sighing. I have to wait until, like, 8:30? Screw that, I'm gonna go find myself some friends.
          Some of my friends in the main dimension are in Mr. Robinson's room, and they all usually come in early enough. So maybe if I check Mrs. Robinson's room I'll find them in there.
          Sure enough, wandering the room are a boy and a girl, making idle small talk as they weave between the desks. I decide to approach them.
          "Hey." I greet the two, and they both look at me.
          "Hi." the boy responds, smiling. His blue eyes shine through thick glasses and his platinum blond hair sits atop his pale head in waves.
          "Who are you?" the girl asks, giving me a confused look. She has dusty blonde hair styled in a bob, and her eyes are a similar color to my own; a mix of blue and gray.
          "I'm Kennedy. And you?"
          "I'm Heath." the boy introduces himself, grinning cheerily.
          "I'm Kelly." the girl says, tugging on the sleeves of her black sweater.
          Oh, they must be Heather and Kevy; they're two of the many friends I've had since elementary school. They'd be close with Ken, wouldn't they?
          "Cool. So, what're you guys up to?" I wonder. Heath smiles still.
          "Just wandering around because we're bored." Kelly says with a shrug.
          I chuckle. "Sounds fun. Shall I join you?"
          Heath laughs. "Be my guest."