B0075M2D1U EBOK (2 page)

I also asked Anya if everything is small in Fey, since when I saw her as her tiny fairy self in the garden, I imagined that everything in their world must be small too. “We must be like giants!” I exclaimed to her. She merely shook her head and giggled. “Actually, we’re the same size as you in Fey, except we have wings.” I was surprised by that. “Why do you get small in the garden and forests then?” I asked. “Picture an hourglass,” she said, “You know, the kind with sand in it and it’s wider at the top and bottom, and really narrow in the middle?” I nodded my head. She went onto explain that each end of the hourglass was like our two worlds, Fey on one side, the human one on the other, but both existing in the same space. The small, little narrow part in the middle was the doorway between the two worlds, so in order to cross over, the fairies had to fit through that little opening; they had to become small to pass through. They would come through the earth, with the garden base and forest grounds as that center of the hourglass. The fairies could flutter there endlessly, enjoying the flowers, earth, and energy from our world, while still staying connected to theirs. Once they pass completely through to our side of the hourglass, they emerge as their normal-sized selves, minus the wings. “I wish I could do that.” I mumbled in disappointment to her.

“
Well, we’ve got fairy magic on our side,” she replied. “Maybe one day…” she told me.

The first time I saw Anya as her true size, I just about fell down. I was six years old, she was seven. One minute, I was giggling with her while I was kneeling in the dirt, and the next minute, there was a kind of mist that arose from the ground, swirling quickly, gradually taking on the transparent form of her, until finally, she was solid and whole. It sounded like when you unscrew a cap on a soda-pop bottle after you shake it up, and the bubbles are all trying to escape. You know that bubbly, effervescent fizzing sound? That’s what it sounds like when a fairy is crossing completely over to our world. Anya simply looked down at me, while my mouth hung open in surprise, and started giggling again. Then she took off running through the yard yelling, “Tag! You’re it!” I quickly scampered to my feet to ensue the chase.

Now, I don’t freak out when Anya or her brother soda-pop fizz appear to me. Shoot, it’s been 12 years since I first met them…it better not freak me out any more. There are other fairies who do it too, but I don’t really know too many of them. Mostly, they stay small and flutter around the lush ground. They like to stay connected to their world. Not many fairies (that I’ve met) are as brave as Anya and her brother. Of course, I never go anywhere. And Anya tells me that fairies live all over the world. I believe her. One thing I learned early on about fairies… they can’t tell lies…not even if they wanted too. It’s against their fairy code or something. They can withhold telling you something, skirt around a topic or not reveal all of the facts, but they can’t
actually
tell a lie.

So, there you have it. I see fairies. And one of my best friends happens to be one. You’re probably wondering if everyone thinks I’m crazy because I see fairies. Actually, nobody knows. Not my parents, not even my pain-in-the-ass brother. Oh sure, they know Anya and Brennan…but they’ve only ever seen them when they look like us. They think they live across town. I didn’t actually introduce them to my family until about four years ago. But both Anya and Brennan thought it would be better to pass them off as part-timers… you know…kids who came up to vacation in town, spend weekends at the family cottage, that kind of thing. Our little neck of the woods is a popular destination for campers and cottage dwellers. It’s usually crazy- busy over the summer, with tourists coming in from all over the state. Anya and Brennan live in a cottage on the lake that’s owned by their family. It is gorgeous. How they can afford such beautiful cottage, I don’t know. I don’t ask either. They even have other fairies that come over from time to time (disguised as humans of course) to take care of the house, keep it stocked with groceries and maintain the lawn and gardens. I’ve never met their parents; they never seem to be around. Anya said they are pretty busy in Fey with their work and can’t get away too often. But they’re always in constant contact with Anya and Brennan. All they have to do is head to the garden or forest, shrink down and zing! They’ve got their “cell phone” signal. They can see and hear them instantly. Plus, with a little fairy magic, they can sense when their parents need them home. Even though their parents never seem to be at the cottage, they have spoken to me and to my parents a few times on the phone…to keep up appearances I suppose. They must be pretty cool people if they let their fairy kids have their own house to escape to whenever they’re bored, in a whole other world even! My mother freaks if I tell her I’m riding my bike to the local Dairy Queen. “Look both ways before you cross the street. Remember to walk your bike through the intersection.” Blah, blah, blah…she reminds me every single time. Duh, mom. I’m 17. I think I can handle it.

You might be wondering why I don’t have car. I am 17 after all. Well, I’m working on that. I’ve got a job at the craft and hobby store in town and I’m saving every penny I can to buy one. (Okay, maybe not every penny…but a lot!) Geesh, a girl needs her ice cream, nail polish and new Chuck Taylor Converse shoes every once in a while! Yes, I absolutely love those retro lace-up Converse basketball shoes. You know, like they wore in the fifties? I have them in almost every color made. They match everything and they are uber-comfortable. And I can’t imagine I’d have to explain the importance of nail polish (in every shade imaginable) or ice cream. I’m addicted to ice cream. Chocolate is my go-to flavor, but any kind will do. Except coffee. I hate coffee-flavored ice cream. And lemon. Yuck. It reminds me of Lemon Pledge…like I’m eating furniture wax. Gross.

But as I was saying, other than the occasional pair of tennis shoes, my weekly ice cream treat (okay, maybe daily ice cream treat) and a bottle of polish every so often, every other penny I earn is socked away for a new sweet ride. It’ll probably be an old sweet ride, but a sweet ride nonetheless. And the best part is it won’t require me to get off of it and push it through an intersection, or pump up the tires with my dad’s old air pump.

See? I told you I’m a regular girl. Who just happens to see fairies. Deal with it.

Chapter 2

It’s the beginning of summer vacation and I just finished my junior year of high school. I am soooo looking forward to spending long days at the lake (when I’m not working) or reading a book in the garden (when I’m not working) or hiking through the woods with Jeremy (when I’m not working.) Wait. Have I told you about Jeremy yet? Jeremy is my best friend. Next to Anya that is. Jeremy is about six feet tall, kind of skinny for a guy, also with jet black hair (which I’m pretty sure he dyed, because it used to be brown.) Jeremy wears all black. All the time. Black jeans, black t-shirts, black Chuck Taylors…. Black, black, black. He didn’t always though. The all-black-I’m-going-to-a-funeral kind of punk-thing started only about a year-and-a-half-ago. I don’t really know why. I think he’s just doing his teen rebellion thing. You know, trying to be different, push some buttons, grab some attention, that sort of thing. Jeremy and I have gone to school together since we were five years old. He was even my first boyfriend….when we were five. Because, ahem. Jeremy isn’t really into girls anymore. At least not in
that
way, if you catch my drift. Not many people know that Jeremy prefers boys to girls though. Just his mom and me. Oh yeah, and Anya and Brennan. Yeah – he knows them too. But he doesn’t know they’re fairies. In fact, I think he kind of has a crush on Brennan. Even though, as far as I can tell, Brennan doesn’t roll that way. I know, I know, I should tell my best friend this super-huge thing about myself – that I can see fairies – but I just can’t. Once I realized everyone thought I had “imaginary friends” when I was little, I just figured it was easier to keep quiet about my little knack for seeing the magical creatures. Plus, after I met Anya and Brennan they made me promise not to tell anyone about their true identities. Anyhow, Jeremy and I always spend most of the summer together. Even though his fashion sense has gone berserk-o, he’s still one of my best friends.

I was looking forward to a summer with Anya and Jeremy…and probably Leo and Brennan too…those pains in my ass!

The first Saturday of summer break and the clear blue sunny skies definitely put me in a good mood as I rolled out of bed a little after 10:30 in the morning. The other thing that put me in a good mood was the fact that I didn’t have to work today. Yahoo! As I slowly made my way down the hardwood stairs in my bare feet, red t-shirt and plaid boxer shorts, I was greeted by the sound of the vacuum cleaner. I saw my mother balanced precariously on a chair, leaning over the side of it vacuuming the curtains hanging on the window. Her hair was tied back in a navy blue scarf and she had denim cutoffs on. She was barefoot too. My dad always asked us why we never seemed to have shoes on (unless I was wearing my favorite tennis shoes) and Mom would always answer, “We like to feel the earth under our feet.” I would just shrug. Eh. It’s more comfortable, I always thought. Plus, I was too lazy to put my shoes on when I was around the house.

“
Oh good! It’s about time you’re up,” my mother exclaimed as she twisted around to greet me. “You’ve got chores young lady.”

I rolled my eyes and held my hand to my mouth as I let out a yawn. “Geesh, Ma, gimme a break! I woke up like two minutes ago. I need my chocolate cereal first.” I walked through the living room into the kitchen and grabbed a bowl of my favorite cereal. My dad was at the kitchen table, with greasy car parts spread all over newspapers, tinkering away. I don’t know what the heck he was doing. I don’t think he did either. But, he loved working on broken down cars. Hey, at least when I saved enough to buy a junker for myself, I knew my dad could keep it running for me. Well, probably he could. Maybe.

I shoved some of the newspaper to the side and sat down to eat. “So Rubes, what’s on your agenda for today?” my dad asked while not taking his eyes off whatever part he was cleaning with his greasy, white rag.

“
Uhhh. Not much of an agenda Dad. I’m a teenager, remember? It’s Saturday,” I answered while I shoveled in another mouthful of chocolate puff cereal.

“
Don’t talk with your mouth full,” he replied, as he glanced over the top of his reading glasses at me. Ugh. I shook my head. Just then, the phone rang. I jumped up from the table and grabbed the yellow phone from the wall. When in the world were my parents going to move into this century and get a cordless phone?

“ ‘
Lo?” I managed to get out as I swallowed a mouthful of cereal.

“
Oh good! You’re up! What’s up, Buttercup?” the all-too chipper voice replied.

“
Hey Jeremy. Whaddya mean what’s up? I just woke up. Nothin’s up. Not since last night when I talked to you,” I crabbily answered. Duh. I have no patience in the morning.

“
You wanna hang today?” he said, ignoring my snarky attitude.

“
Yeah, but I gotta do my chores first,” I announced loudly as I glanced over at my dad who was still polishing whatever part he had in his hand.

“ ‘
Kay. Meet me at the lake ‘round noon. If you talk to Anya or Brennan, tell them too.”

“
Sure thing,” I replied.

Click. He hung up. I hung up the phone and shuffled back over to my bowl of cereal as I tried to rub the sleep out of my eyes.

“
Jeremy?” my dad asked.

“
Yep. We’re gonna meet at the lake later, ‘kay?”

“
As long as your chores are done,” he said, still tinkering away.

“
Yeah, yeah…” I grumbled. Did he
not hear what I just said to Jeremy on the phone? I was standing three feet away from him. Sometimes, I don’t think parents pay very much attention to their kids. I finished up my cereal and put my bowl and spoon in the dishwasher. Then I reached under the sink and grabbed the stuff to dust the furniture and clean the upstairs bathroom (my lovely weekend chores).

As I walked past my mother again (this time she was vacuuming the sofa), she called out, “Wake up your brother too, the trash cans aren’t going to empty themselves!” She was dancing around humming the theme song to the “
The Wiz
,” while she was sucking up crumbs from under the couch cushions.

I passed my brother’s room in the hallway on the way to the stair case; I set down my cleaning supplies and pounded on his door with both fists as hard as I could. “Rise and shine CLEOpatra!” (Heh heh…I loved calling my brother all kinds of girly names. He absolutely hated it.)

I heard my brother grunt and then…THUD! I heard him roll off his bed and onto his hardwood floor. He shouted,“DAMMIT RUBY! You made me fall outta bed!” I snickered and started to skip away from his door, “Ooohhhh! You’re gonna get it! Mom heard you swear!” I laughed. He came thundering out of his room, hair all disheveled, and chased me down the hallway. I scurried up the stairs, using my hands as leverage on the steps as he grabbed at my ankles. “MOMMMM! Leo’s grabbing me!” I squealed. “I AM NOT!” He retorted, while still struggling to hang on to my left foot as I kicked him in the face with my right. He turned his face and exclaimed, “Geesh Ruby! Do you ever wash your feet!?”

“
Shut up. Mom told me to wake you up. You have chores Dragonbreath.” Ugh. Little brothers are so immature. My mother finally turned off the vacuum and came down the hall to investigate the ruckus we were causing. Leo instantly let me go and I scrambled up the stairs.

“
Hey Ma. ‘Sup?” my brother casually nodded as he flicked his shaggy, sandy blonde hair out of his eyes and leaned against the staircase railing. My mother, not a stupid woman, knew we were up to our typical sister-brother shenanigans and sternly scolded, “Get to work, Leo.”