Remembering Darkness

IOU 1x Explanation

(AN Picture is the academy)

Ica's POV

Still recovering from The World's Craziest Dream, I tried to push the brother-Shadow Book-brother-Markus-brother-you get the idea-brothery thoughts to the back of my mind as I triple checked my suitcase that I had everything I needed, and that my iPad was safely cushioned between a Primark hoodie and some socks.

You're probably wondering, 'How come Miss Poor Girl who's Mum is working multiple shifts at the hospital has a snazzy state-of-the-art iPad?"

Well, Mum always complains about getting rubbish presents from her parents when she was a kid. (Though, actually, if her parents are immortal nymphy nature spirits I could understand that they may not have great fashion sense.) So, instead of giving us presents, she just gives us cash for birthday and Christmas. So, if I was five, I would get twenty-five pounds at Christmas, and twenty-five pounds for my birthday. If I was twelve, I'd get sixty pounds for each.

You get the idea.

Anyway, so basically I've got a fair amount of money. And, unlike some people, (Not looking at anyone in particular, Melanie) I barely ever spend any of it. I fancied buying an iPad, because me and my sister both have absolutory cr*p phones.

I got really, really, exited when I found a second hand iPad on ebay for thirty quid. It was supposed to be in great condition, with only 'a minor dent on the side'.

Their 'minor dent' turned out to be a great whopping dent where the iPad had been bashed against something. So, the power button was smashed in.

I.E. YOU COULDN'T SWITCH THE FREAKING THING ON.

I took it to this electrician down the road, who brought it from me for a hundred quid so he could take it apart and use all the components. I then bought a perfectly non-bashed iPad from Amazon, using the seventy pounds plus some extra Christmas money.

And, even better, Melanie doesn't have an iPad.

Hah hah sucker.

Back to reality...

I dragged my suitcase down the stairs, scoffed down a bowl of cereal and brushed my teeth with Melanie's toothbrush as mine was currently located at the bottom of my suitcase. (Sorry Melanie.)

Suddenly, I felt kinda guilty for Mum. Even if she is an immortal flower nymph, she still doesn't know that we know about the whole magic thing.

I scrawled her a hasty note and left it on the kitchen table.

IOU 1x Explanation.

Ica.

PS we r not running away and abandoning u or whatever we r safe do not freak out and call the police.

Tell everyone we've gone to boarding school

Still not satisfied, I added;

PPS we know.

There.

I ran out of the door, grabbed my suitcase and bike and somehow managed to lug the two to school.

Yeah. Miss Poor Girl found a bike at the tip once, which she paid to get patched up. She then spray painted it lime green, and used white nail varnish to write 'Ica' on it, so everyone thinks it's all pricey and personalised.

Usually I didn't risk bringing my bike into school. There are bike locks you're supposed to use, but they are so hackable all the bikes go walkies. And then, the teachers BLAME YOU for not locking your property up securely, and refuse to admit that the locks are useless.