The first class seemed to drag on for hours, even though it was only a forty-five minute time period. Mr. Nomast could make a hot action movie boring. His voice alone could lull even the hyperactive person the the deepest layer of trance, within minutes. 'At least Alessia made it today,' she thought. 'Twenty minutes late, but still made it.' She smiled to herself thinking of her unruly friend. She never was much for the rules. Which is probably why she spent most of her time serving punishments at the ranch, instead of doing fun stuff, like normally teenagers.
Her thoughts drifted to her grandmother and her odd behavior this morning, with the tonics and what she had done with the concoction instead.
Alessia and Alex sat listening to her thoughts for the duration of the class. They wondered what her caretaker was up to and what she was actually trying to give her. Alessia praised her friends quick wit in silence. 'Even asleep she's amazing,' she thought to Alex, who smirked in agreement.
The bell finally rang and the hypnotic trance broke around the room. They were finally off to their next class, 'thank God!' Alessia heard her thought, loud and clear.
'Wow, you weren't kidding,' she thought to her brother.
'I told ya,' he thought back, rolling his eyes.
'You don't have to be a smart ass Alex,' she thought, sending him a piercing glare.
'Such language, do you kiss our mother with that mouth,' he thought back.
'Every damn morning,' she replied with a bright smile.
'I'm telling mom!' He replied in a teasing sing song thought.
'Go right ahead snitch,' and she elbowed him in the ribs and moved past him through the door. 'Cheap shot,' he thought rubbing his sore rib. 'I better not have a bruise,' he thought angrily.
'You're lucky I didn't break it,' she thought back smugly, as she made her way to Olivia, who was waiting for them, across the hall from the door.
"Hey babes, did you miss me this morning?" She asked, wrapping her arms around her dear friend and hugging her tightly.
"Of course I did!" She replied, hugging her back.
They pulled apart, "Alex told me you were under punishment, for coming home after curfew." Olivia stated. Alessia glared at her twin, 'snitch,' she thought.
'Takes one to know one,' he thought back gleefully.
"The big question is, what kept you from making curfew?" Olivia asked with a big grin.
Alessia's cheeked turned pink and her light up a room smile bared for all to see.
"Let's just say that the date I had with a certain sandy blonde haired hunk, ran a little longer than anticipated.
Alex rolled his eyes and put his finger in his opened mouth to animate his disgust.
"Shut up, jerk!" Alessia barked.
'Could you please give it to her, before she starts tapping into our minds?' Alex thought exasperatedly. She sent him a death stare and rummaged through her book bag.
"Via, I picked up a little something for you, while shopping." She said excitedly.
"You went shopping and didn't invite me?" She asked, while pushing out her bottom lip, in an attempt at a pouty face.
"I couldn't very well take you on my date." She replied.
"You went shopping as a date?" She asked confused.
Alessia bit her bottom lip, "well it was less a date and more a weekend get away." She replied sheepishly.
'You're giving her too much information,' Alex cautioned.
'She's going to find out eventually,' she thought to him. Alex rolled his eyes, 'The gift…..' he replied impatiently.
Olivia was gobsmacked, eyes bulging and mouth agape. "And your father let him live? Wait a minute," she paused and turned to look at her friend with her best serious face, "Your punishment wasn't burying Liam alive somewhere on your families ranch, right?"
Alessia waved her hand, "Heaven's no, do you think I would be in this great mood, if I had to bury my lover?"
"Lover?!" Olivia choked, while Alex shot her a warning eye.
Alessia quickly pulled out a long rectangular black box from her bag and presented it to her friend.
"What's this?" She asked, unable to contain her excitement. "A peacock!" She exclaimed, "just open it already!"
Olivia took the velvet box and did as ordered. She was left speechless. Inside was a braided silver chain with a heart shaped crystal pendant, about an inch in diameter. The crystal itself shimmered and depending on which angle you looked at it, took on a different color entirely. The very center of the heart glowed as if it emitted its' own light.
"Wow Sia, This is beautiful!" She said in disbelief.
"Well go on, put it on." She ordered her friend.
"Will you help me with it?" She asked.
"I'll hold your hair and you fasten it." She replied as she pulled her friends hair to the side, as if avoiding the chain entirely.
Once it was fixed in place Olivia turned to show it off. "Well, how does it look?" She asked excitedly.
"Stunning!" They both replied in unison.
"Promise me, you will never take it off!" She ordered her friend. "Not even when you shower!"
"What if the water ruins it?" She asked.
"It won't!" She stated firmly.
"There is a Legend behind this necklace. The legend goes that the wearer is protected by its magic, from dark forces. The wearer is the only one who can touch it. If anyone else even tries to touch it with their bare hands, it will shock them!" She stated, animating her hands as if zapping something.
"So it doubles as a taser?! So cool!" She stated.
"Is there anything else to this legend?" Olivia asked.
"Yes, it's said to bring the wearer their soulmate!" Alessia said excitedly.
"Oh no! I don't want a soul mate!" She replied in disgust.
"Are you telling me you don't like my gift?" She asked, giving her bff a hurt face so sad, that it stung Olivia's heart.
"Thank you Sia! I love it!" She replied.
"Promise me!, You will never take it off." Alessia insisted. Knowing her friend would never break a promise.
"I promise," she said with reluctance, "but if this thing causes a stalker, I'll chuck it in the river!"
"In that case, may it bring your true love to you!" She said theatrically.
Alex, finally happy that the gift had been given, butted in,
"So, are you ready for this math exam," Alex asked them both.
"What exam?" Alessia asked surprised.
"The one YOU didn't study for obviously." Alex replied.
'Smart ass!' Alessia thought back to him.
'Language!' He warned in irritation.
She laughed, as they made their way to their next class.