The Dark Ice Chronicles - The Magi

Chapter 11 - Just A Man And His Will To Survive

Monday morning dawns bright and sunny, which at this time of year means it's freezing. One would think that, no matter what time of year it is, it would always be warmer on clear days, but apparently in winter, cloudy days are warmer because they insulate better.

A little pro-tip: don't ever assume I'm an expert on thermodynamics.

At school, I try to look for Evan right away, but no luck. I really have no idea where she hangs out before school, if at all. At lunch, though, she tells me that normally she's in the library, but today she ran late because she had to get Rachel to school too.

"She's staying with us for a few days," Evan explains. "My parents had to work really hard, but they convinced Galadriel to let it happen."

"What'd they do?" Harris asks. He drinks some coffee from a Starbucks cup - he claims he's used this same one since September. "Blackmail the bitch and threaten to report her to Child Services?"

"Something like that, yeah," Evan says. "I'll spare you guys the details."

She sighs, then stares at the apple she's been clutching in her hand since she sat down. Finally, she throws the apple a few feet into the air and freezes it.

"Why'd you do that?" I ask.

"Needed to vent," Evan says, biting her lip very slightly.

I pull my own apple from my brown bag. "You want it? Sorry it's not the same kind as the one you just...preserved."

Evan laughs, tossing her frozen apple into the nearest trash can.

"What's the over/under on how long it'll take that thing to unfreeze?" Kevin asks as he approaches our table.

"I dunno, a day or two?" Evan asks. She turns to me and says, "Thanks, Jay, but I don't have much of an appetite right now anyway."

"Yeah, I get it." I take a bite of the apple. "How are the 'rents, by the way? Feelin' better?"

"Still both hopped up on painkillers, but they're doin' much better, yes," Evan says. "Michelle stayed around long enough to help get them home. And us."

"And you also got Rachel stayin' with you now?"

"My parents made this excuse that Adele and I needed a little extra help takin' care of them this week until they could get off the painkillers," Evan says. "All BS, of course. Adele and Rachel just took advantage of their temporarily weakened state to manipulate it into happening."

"So they're crafty little sneaks, huh?"

"You have no idea," Harris says. "I still can't explain how those two were able to pants me from twenty feet away."

"I bet they've cut class and are goin' down to the movies together," Kevin chuckles.

I roll my eyes. "People, please. You make the little ones look so bad." I look at Evan again. "They were okay with you goin' to school instead of stayin' home?"

Evan laughs. "My parents would never allow me to skip school. Not even on their account."

"Good parents," I say.

"Thanks," Evan says, taking my hand. Today she's wearing gloves, so there's no skin contact, and therefore no chance of accidentally picking up some of her power this way. But I'm still grateful for the gesture. I would've done it myself, but I'm too nervous. And I kinda wanted Evan to make the next move, see if perhaps she shares my feelings.

"And you're still gonna come to Elena's on Wednesday?" I ask.

"Of course," Evan says. "Adele and Rachel too. We all made the same commitment, right?"