Felicia was quiet for the remainder of school, much to her friends chagrin. As the girls boarded the bus they quickly decided to meet up at Glorias. Texting their parents they departed the bus at her stop quickly rushing into her home. As they entered Lisa gave them a curious look.
“Wasn’t expecting to see all of you over here again,” she said. “Everything okay?”
“Sorry mom,” Gloria said quickly. “We...um.. kinda need to talk. Hope it’s okay if the girls stay for dinner.”
Lisa sighed beckoning Gloria towards the kitchen. “Gloria,” she said sternly. “Two things. One why is our home turning into the place to hangout and two does this have something to do with a certain ring in your possession?”
Gloria gulped as she looked at her mom. She could tell Lisa was slightly annoyed that everyone was spending the night her once more. Gloria could also tell that she suspected that something was amiss and that it most likely had something to do with the Ring of Age. Taking a deep breath she now looked at Lisa, resolving to be honest with her.
“Okay mom your sort of right,” she said quietly. “This does have something to do with the ring. It’s nothing bad so don’t worry but their definitely was a change that we need to figure out. Don’t worry though we’re all okay.” Lisa sighed, she appreciated Gloria being honest with her. She remembered far to many times that Katie tried to hide her activities with the ring, which she later found out about. Thankfully Gloria seemed to be a little more responsible.
“Okay Gloria,” she sighed. “Thanks for being straight with me I appreciate it. Your sister was a little more secretive about things than you are.” Gloria giggled as now turned back to her friends. “Welcome mom,” she smiled. “Sorry about having everyone over again. I promise I’ll make it up to you this weekend.”
“Hope so kid all these dinners get expensive after awhile.
Gloria quickly ran to the living room where her friends were waiting. The girls all seemed to be asking Felicia what happened, however the young blonde remained quiet. Felicia seemed slightly pale as she gazed out into space. “Felicia,” Gloria said quietly. “What happened after you and Adam went to the principals office? Please....we need to know....this...this could be something very dangerous.”
Felicia sighed as she now looked her friends over. Gloria appeared scared, which caused Felicia to feel foolish about what she was hiding. As she gazed around at her friends she could see Gloria and Naomi giving each other worrisome looks. “It’s...” she started before sighing. “It’s dumb. Adam...well...he, he kinda took the blame for everything and.....I think he likes me.”
“No way,” Diane gaped.
Felicia shook her head as the girls stared at her slack jawed. Slowly they turned things over in their heads as they took in this information. The ring had altered their perceptions of Adam. Gone was the young brother of Gloria’s crush instead they now remembered him as Nate’s twin brother. Adam, unlike his brother, was boisterous, athletic and very obnoxious. He was the kind of guy the girls wanted to avoid and he usually did the same. That a popular, athletic boy would actually have a crush on one of them seemed almost impossible. “How the hell did this happen,” Sasha exclaimed.
Felicia shrugged sadly as she looked the girls over. “I don’t know,” she mumbled. “Gloria do you have any ideas?”
Gloria rubbed her neck as she looked the girls over. “Well...the ring did talk to me,” she said sheepishly. “It said he needed her.”
“Hold up,” Sasha exclaimed. “Are you telling me the Ring is trying to play matchmaker or something?”
Gloria nodded meekly as she gazed at her friends. “Yeah I think so,” she said. “I mean it could be something else but I’m pretty sure the ring wants Felicia and Adam to be together. And before you ask what that something else is, don’t. That’s something I have to talk with Katie about.” The girls nodded, unsure what Gloria wasn’t telling them but willing to go along with her for now. “So,” Sasha asked. “How do we handle this?”
************************
“Dude are you sure this is where she lives,” Adam asked his brother. Nate sighed as he looked up at his twin. “I told you I don’t know,” Nate sighed. “I don’t even know where she lives. Hell I barely know the girl to be honest, even though we have a lot of the same classes. Felicia....Felicia is just a real quiet girl, the kind of person I wouldn’t even remember.”
Adam glared down at his brother, a grumpy look on his face. “Don’t talk about her like she’s some face in the crowd man,” he growled. “She’s very memorable. And cute. And...um...Ugh what the hell is the matter with me, why am I freaking out like this.”
Nate shrugged as he looked towards Gloria’s house. “I don’t know,” he said. “I’ve never seen you like this Adam. You usually have no problem talking with girls. What is it Felicia, you must really like her or something?”
Adam shrugged as he now joined his brother in looking towards Gloria’s house. “I guess,” he he mumbled. “There’s....there’s just something different about her. She’s smart, she’s strong, she’s....so different from a lot of the other girls I know,”
Adam and Nate now found themselves standing on Gloria’s front porch, staring at her front door. Neither boy had realized they had walked this far. Staring at the door the brothers now sighed before looking at each other. “You ready,” Nate asked. Adam nodded at his shorter brother who proceeded to knock on the door. To the boys surprise an attractive red head answered the door.
Lisa was curious who could possibly be at the door. As she exited the kitchen she could see Gloria and her friends talking quietly, a worried look on their faces. Lisa, while nervous, hoped that whatever it was the girls were going through was more high school drama than magician drama. As she opened the door she was surprised to find two brown haired teens standing before her. One was average height and skinny while the other was tall and muscular. Both boys seemed nervous as they looked at Lisa. “Can I help you,” she asked curiously.
Nate felt his throat go dry as he looked at Lisa. He had never seen Gloria’s stepmom but had heard stories she was attractive. As he looked the grown woman over he could see that stories greatly underestimated her beauty. “H..hi Mrs. Turner,” he stammered, his voice cracking. “I..is Gloria here?”
“Gloria you have visitors,” Lisa yelled.
Gloria gave her mother a curious look as she slowly approached the front door. As she approached she gasped as she saw Nate and Adam standing at her front door. “H..hi Gloria,” Nate stammered. “I...um...I was hoping me and Adam could talk to you.”
“Is Felicia with you,” Adam asked, sounding nervous.
Felicia now walked up behind Gloria, her mouth going slack as she looked at Adam. The athletic teen blushed as he meekly waved to her. “We..Umm..we were kinda hoping we could talk to you two,” Nate said meekly. Gloria and Felicia now turned to each other in shock before turning towards the the twins. Neither girl had any idea what to say to the two teens that now stood at their front door.