Petra dropped the book on her desk and slammed her bedroom door shut. She was so excited she could hardly contain it. She had spent all day reading through the book in her classes, getting chided by angry teachers for not paying attention more than once. And of course she couldn't help but hear the other students making fun of her, that weird goth girl must be reading her magic spellbooks again. But that didn't dampen her spirit. Despite their snide unbelieving remarks she knew she had a real spellbook and couldn't wait to get home to try it out. She practically skipped the whole way home.
Now alone in her room she began to prepare. This wasn't the first spellbook she had brought home and she had a closet full of ingredients from her previous attempts at spellcasting. Sure, none of them had worked before, but this time she had a real book of magic spells. She was sure of it - she could feel the magic in this book.
But Petra's search through her closet was interrupted by a knock on her bedroom door.
"Petra?" asked her mother sweetly.
Petra swore loudly. Her parents let her lock her door but that didn't stop them from bothering her.
"What? What do you want? I' m busy," she asked angrily.
"Petra, dear, you need to get ready. Please open the door and I'll help you pack," said her mother kindly.
Petra scowled, trying to comprehend what her mother was blabbering on about. Then she suddenly remembered. Her mother had talked with some of the other mothers and somehow convinced them that their daughters needed to have a sleepover, as a bonding experience or some shit like that. Like they were little kids or something! No way, not tonight. Not when she finally had a real magic book.
"Um, I'm sick. I can't go," said Petra, doing her best fake cough.
But her mother was having none of it. The door opened, having been unlocked by the spare key. Petra knew her mother had to be serious. She never used the spare key unless she absolutely had to. And the stern expression on her mother's face confirmed it. She crossed her arms and glared at her daughter.
"Now listen, young lady. We have already discussed it. And I feel I have been a pretty tolerant parent. But if you want to keep in my good graces, you will do what I asked you to do several weeks ago. Otherwise you can stay home with me and we can clean your room together. We can get rid of all this junk that is causing you to be such a troublesome girl, starting with this, " she said, as her mother reached down and picked up the book.
Petra turned pale white as her mother began to leaf through the book.
"What is this, anyway? It looks like it is written in Hungarian?" asked her mother.
Petra snatched the book and closed it before her mother could read any further.
"Okay, okay. I'll go. Just leave my room alone. And my stuff better be here when I get back, " she said sullenly.
Her mother smiled widely. "Oh, it will, I promise. We'll keep this stuff as long as you want. But I have a feeling after tonight you might not want it. Your friends will help you see how childish this all is. Then you will grow out of this ... phase," said her mother.
"It's not a phase! It's my life choice!" hissed Petra.
Her mother held up her hands defensively. "Sorry, dear. I will respect your choices. Now I'll leave you alone to pack. But you better be ready in fifteen minutes or I will pack for you."
Petra cast a glance at the frilly pink clothes hidden unused in the back of her closet. Dreading her mother's fashion choices she began to rapidly pack her things. She cursed angrily the whole time, frustrated that she would not get a chance to use the book. But as she finished packing Petra noticed a small gap in her bag and she got an idea.
There is no reason I can't bring the book and try it at the party, she thought. Those other girls will probably be so busy braiding each others hair and giving each other makeovers they won't notice if I slip away to do a little magic.
She placed the book in her bag; it fit perfectly in the empty space. It was almost like fate.
Petra smiled and ran down to join her mother, who was calling for her, thinking that this slumber party might not be that bad after all.