A Claim to Magic

Clara

  CHAPTER TEN

It was not a dorm, it was an apartment. It had a bathroom, three bedrooms, a kitchen, and a living room. Corrie could not help it, she grinned and said, "I don't think I'm going home for the summer."

Betsy smiled too, "I call dibs on the master!" Corrie pretended to scowl, "Well, I think I should get the master," she teased, "after all I am the one who made it possible for you to be here." She laughed, Elizabeth had just called from the other room, saying that she had already unpacked her stuff into the master bedroom. Betsy laughed too. They each chose a different room, and began to unpack. Their suitcases had already been in their dorm when they had gotten there, Corrie had to guess they had been transported by magic. Corrie began to unpack, putting her clothes in the dresser, and her blankets on the bed. It was a very nice room, it had a large walk-in closet, on the inside of which there was a full-body mirror, and though Betsy had packed enough clothes for Corrie that she was able to fill two of these closets, Corrie had other plans for the extra space.

When Corrie had finished unpacking, having filled up her bookshelf without using half her books, she left to go ask Betsy for an extra shelf, she knew Betsy wouldn't need both of hers. She opened the door to Betsy's bedroom, but the room was empty, she headed towards the master, Betsy must be visiting with Elizabeth.

She knocked, but no one answered. She pressed her ear to the door. "I know," it was Betsy speaking, "and I do, but I think she might have a problem, she has seemed a little paranoid, she needs to calm down and you said she has a magical book? Do you realize what she might do with it? What if she's spying on people, trying to find out whatever she could? What if she's using the book to cheat? I mean, she's probably not, but she could be! I'm worried, Elizabeth, I'm worried!"

"I know, so am I, that's why I want you to help me tonight, because I'm worried, it's for her good." Corrie shivered, that was what she had heard her parents say before they announced that she was not allowed to go to the magic school. With a jolt, Corrie realized what they were going to do. They were going to steal the book.

"Oh, don't give me that look, I know it's not the best plan but it's not bad. Are you with me?"

"Fine." Betsy's reply startled Corrie, she had thought that Betsy would refuse, she never went behind Corrie's back, at least, not that Corrie knew of.

Corrie hurried back to her room and sat on the bed, were her two best friends really going to steal her prized possession? No. They were not, not if Corrie could help it.

................

"Sure, you can have it." Betsy replied, Corrie had asked for her second bookshelf which, as she had guessed, was completely barren.

"Thanks." She began to pull the shelf towards her room, thinking of her plans, she knew they would work. They had to.

When she had finally managed to drag the bookcase into her room, she set to work. First she dragged the extra shelf into her closet, and then she began to hang her clothes, she lined the side walls, but stopped about halfway to the end of the closet, then she began setting up the metal bar she had grabbed from the storage room. She set it up in the middle of the closet and began hanging clothes on it, making it look as if there was a wall behind it.

When she finished she stepped back and admired her work, she had created a secret room. She began moving all the extra books she had into the room, along with her copy of Fable Maker. She also stashed her sleeping bag, computer, and notebook in the room.

"Diner in the cafeteria, Corrie, are you coming?"

"Be there in a minute!" Corrie called back, "you guys go and I'll catch up!" she heard the door close, and hurried to brush her hair, which, yet again, was tangled. When she was finished she stepped out of her closet and checked to make sure the secret room was hidden, adjusting her clothes until she was absolutely sure that it was invisible. Then she walked out the door, heading towards the cafeteria.

Betsy called to Corrie, "Over here!" and Corrie made her way to the seat Betsy had saved for her, her chili in hand.

"That looks good." Betsy commented.

"Yup," Corrie agreed, "it's delicious." She tried hard to smile, but the best she could do was grimace. Betsy and Elizabeth were going behind her back to steal her book, and she couldn't get it out of her head.

Betsy looked beyond Corrie toward the rest of the tables, "They're staring." She said. Corrie frowned.

"Hi," It was coming from behind Corrie, she turned around, there was the girl that had tried to get Corrie in trouble, "I'm sorry," she stated, "I am kind of a big rule follower, I'm Alexandra Neestra." She held out her hand to Corrie, but Corrie refused to shake it, "Go away." She commanded. Alexandra scowled and marched back to her table, where her brother sat waiting for her.

"Corrie?" She heard a voice from behind her. She turned around, scowling, but then she grinned and ran to go hug her sister.

"Clara! I missed you!" she hugged Clara so tightly that she had to ask Corrie to let her breathe, "So, I heard about today, is it true? Mrs. Coleman made an exception for you?"

"Well, yes, I suppose. But it's not really that big of a deal, is it?"

"Yes! Mrs. Coleman doesn't ever make exceptions, that's why I'm in the friendship house!" Clara, Corrie's older sister, and the only one who ever made her feel important, had tried to do the same thing Corrie had done, now she had a dorm in the friendship house with her friend Maggie. Corrie grinned, and an idea occurred to her, "Will you come to my dorm with me?"

Clara laughed, "Oh, you couldn't keep me away!"