Lee was sure it wasn't a good idea, but he thought that as long it was in a public place, Charlie couldn't try anything funny. Curious to know what she knew of the Amulet of Zulo, whether she had it, and if she didn't, if she knew where it was, he considered that he'd at least meet with her. Telling himself the first hinky thing he could detect he’d leave, he set out for the library as early as he could.
She barely tasted her breakfast as she gulped it done. Afterward, Chris hurried to wash her dishes, and almost broke the cereal bowl when it slipped from her soapy, wet hands. Breathing a sigh of relief, she immediately told her mom, "Okay," when the older woman told her to be more careful, before she headed for the front hall to grab her sandals. Calling out, "Going to the library," she ducked out of the house before her mother could responded.
With her thoughts on how she might approach the young woman, she also wondered what she should tell Lee. Unsure how well it would go over if she tried to explain she'd been a fourteen year old boy, and only wanted the amulet to turn herself back into one, she found herself worried and at a loss as to what she say to explain why she was hanging about. Only a couple blocks away, Lee was also troubled. He wanted the necklace to end a family curse, but didn't know if Charlie had what she said she had, or even knew where it was, nor whether she would believe him if he told her he could turn into a dog. Thinking it sounded insane, even to him, he doubted that the young woman would even believe him.
"Of course, there could be the possibility she'd lying, or up to something," he once more thought.
Both approaching the library, Lee about a block before Chris, each lost in their individual thoughts, it was Lee who first became aware of Chris when he stopped by the information desk and deliberated on whether he should go look for Charlie right away, use the computers, or simply head home. Spotting the girl as she came in, he at first didn't recognise her. But then the eleven year old recalled she had played basketball this season on the team his mom coached, and deciding she wasn't important at the moment, even if he did find her pretty, Lee was about to ignore her, when she surprised him by approaching him and saying, "I have something I need to speak with you about."
Taken aback, Lee fumbled a minute before he replied, "Um, okay.”
It wasn't like she had planned for it. But as she entered the library and saw Lee, Chris approached him without a second thought, already thinking of what she would say. When he hesitantly agreed, she inquired, "Can we go somewhere a little more private to talk," to which Lee got a look that said he was uncomfortable, curious, and all together confused before he slowly nodded.
Neither sure where they could go, it was Lee who led them eventually upstairs and to the back of the library where there were tables often used for quiet study. Taking a seat, he waited until the girl had taken the one across from him before he asked, "So what did you need to talk with me about," in what he hoped was a casual tone, before saying, "It isn't about the basketball team my mom coaches? Cause if it is, I'm sorry. But I cannot help you there."
Flustered, her thoughts still in disarray, Chris shook her head and before she could stop herself, blurted out, "I accidentally overheard you talking with the woman yesterday. About the Amulet of Zulo," and taking a breath to calm herself, she noted the guarded look on Lee's face as she said, "I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to. But the thing is, if you are looking for the amulet, I feel I should tell you I am also," and stopping to look away, unsure what to say next, even as Lee inquired, "Why? Why would you want that thing?" Chris focused on the eleven year old boy and before she could change her mind, started to explain to him the events of the last month, who she had been, how and why she'd become who she was, and why she felt it was imperative to reacquire the Amulet of Zulo.
"And so you see, I need it. I cannot remain like this. I don't want to be a girl. I shouldn't be a girl," she finished and leaning back, she rested one arm across her stomach whilst with her other had she tapped a finger nail against the table, waiting for Lee to say something.
He wasn't sure what to make of the girl's story. To Lee, it sounded like one of the made-up stories he'd seen when he'd researched the necklace. Yet, at the same time, a part of him thought it plausible. Conflicted, he listened as Chris said, "I only need the amulet to make me a boy again. After that, you can keep it or do whatever you wanted," and thinking about this, Lee considered his options.
After a minute or so, Lee finally replied, "That's the thing. I only need the necklace to try and get rid of a curse that had effected members of my family for some time," and seeing the dubious look Chris was giving him, he, slowly at first, began to tell her of what he and others of his family could do. Gaining confidence as he went, he fell into a steady groove as he told how he discovered he was cursed and how he'd gone to live with his aunt until he could start to learn to control the change. And when he finished, he hastily looked around to make sure they were along before he glanced at Chris and began to concentrate.
Unsure if what the boy told her was true, the teenage girl was shocked when, after he'd look furtively about, glanced at her and took on a look like he was trying to focus on something. And then, to her surprise, she watched as his nose blackened, his lower jaw stretched out, his nose did the same, and within moments, she was looking at a human who had the muzzle of a dog. And as if to further emphasise the point, he opened his mouth to reveal the teeth of a canine, as well as a tongue, which he let hang out as he started to pant. Thinking that if she hadn't already had an encounter with the Amulet of Zulo, didn't know if was possible for people to change their appearances, "Or have them changed for them," she told herself, she wouldn't have believed what Lee had told her, as well as what she just witnessed. Watching as his face resumed it normal look, Chris found herself wondering if it was painful to have parts of him reshaped one way, then returned to how they'd been previously.
"Now you see why I want the necklace," Lee told her once he'd regained the ability to form words. "I can control the change somewhat. But, say I get upset, or something startles me, I run the risk of beginning to transform. And then there is my hopes, which are that if I use the amulet on myself, it removes the curse from my family. I don’t know if that'll work, but I am willing to try."
This made sense to Chris, and as she nodded, she settled for a simple, "Okay," before she said, "So we both want the Amulet of Zulo. Each for their own reasons. So what about Charlie?"
"I'm troubled by what I don't know about her," Lee answered and Chris nodded in agreement.
Both lapsed into silence and lost themselves in thought as they imagined who Charlie might really be, and what she could be up to. After a moment, Chris offered, "Why don't we meet with her? With two of us, it might be harder for her to try anything. And if she does, one of us can either overpower her, get her to stop somehow, or go get help. Though, who'd believe us, I really do not know," and lapsing back into silence, she watched Lee for a minute, upset that she found him cute and that she thought that, if he'd been about three years older, she might have considered going out on a date with him.
"Or even let him kiss me," she thought and mentally shuddered at how girly, how right, it felt to think so.
Across from her, Lee thought about what Chris had just said, but found he couldn't think of anything to add. It seemed sound, yet, at the same time, he felt there was a flaw likely somewhere. "Some glaring obvious mistake we are both making, and will regret it once we realise it," he thought and after a bit, he sighed, "I guess," but trailed off.
A silence, thick and near uncomfortable, settled between the two. Both thinking, it was finally Lee who asked, "Should we go downstairs and see if we can find Charlie?"
Chris nodded at this, even as she resisted the urge to reach out and take Lee's hand. Unaware that she was telegraphing what she wanted to do, she almost flinched and pulled away when Lee took her hand. Stopping herself from doing so, she nodded at the unsaid communication he sent her. Each feeling confident that they were doing the right thing, they headed for the stairs that would take them back to the first floor, where they planned to look for the mysterious Charlie.