Starr Academy: Year One

Part 18

Eighteen

That night I told Melerick about the battle and he was happy Marek had won. He even showed me how to use the pond to show him the battles. He smiled as we both watched the day again. He told me that this showing was only for memories in a dream.

I had been wondering if he was a part of my mind or if he was real. Melerick had lived long ago. Or he could be the spirit of the man how used to live.

I had asked Melerick about this, but he just smiled before saying that I wasn’t ready to know just yet. That I should just give myself time to understand magic more. To learn and grow before that answer was revealed.

The next morning, I slept in a little late than I had wanted to. By the time I was dressed and down to breakfast, everyone was there. I just smiled and shook my head. It was SATURDAY! No one should be up this early. Well, I was going to be.

“Hey Hope. I was wondering when you’d get down here.” Nathan said grinning. “I was hoping I’d get to wake you by jumping on your bed.”

I giggled as I shook my head at him. “You’re incorrigible.”

He smiled proud as he leaned closer my way. “And I’ll never change.” He winked at me before he turned back to his breakfast.

I giggled more shaking my head at him as I decided on my breakfast. It took me a minute to make my decision and set it on the plate. I smiled loving the way it mists out of sight. That was such an amazing way to order anything.

I listened to the group talk about what they wanted to do. We were going into town and shop some more. I know they’ll get me to spend more money on some things. I can’t wait to see where they got me to spend my money. I think that will always be the most fun about going with them to shop.

We all finished breakfast and got what we needed from our rooms before we met back up at Marek SUV. I love his SUV. I don’t know how many times I could say that. The color of it. The feel of it. It was all so surreal and perfect. I think Marek knows it too and he loves that I love his vehicle.

It didn’t take us long to leave the school. Come to find out, we happened to be the first group out. We saw others just about to go get ready to leave. Guess my group were the smart ones. There were only two other groups that were going into the garage while we were leaving it.

We were all talking while we made our way to town. Marek drove to a long strip mall in another part of town. This one had lots of places for us to go. The strip mall was split into three. Between each section there was a street and a couple of restaurants on either side of the street.

We decided on starting on one side and work our way to the other end. We had made a quick plan to get through many of the shops that we could in this first section before lunch. Even if we don’t get through all the shops in this mall, we still have tomorrow to see the rest.

I was so happy looking at the prices in most of the stores. They were in my budget. Not expensive, but not cheap either. The gang was able to get me to buy more things that last weekend.

By lunch time, I had several bags of clothes feeling like a total girl. Marek had moved his SUV to the other end of the first section so we didn’t have to walk back and then to the restaurant. That would be too much walking when we were all hungry.

I walked over to the Marek’s vehicle as he was getting out from parking it. He smiled as he took my bags from me and kissed my cheek. He wanted to put them in the vehicle himself. I giggled and took he hand when he offered it coming back to me.

We all went to cute little italian restaurant that was decorated like a cafe style. Since today was only slightly nippy out, we decided to eat outside on the large patio area. The only time you could feel it was when the wind kicked up. That’s when you felt the chill in the air.