Page 150 of Sparktopia
“That’s not fair!”
I pull the can back just as she’s reaching for it. “Your share can be nothin’ if ya want.”
She tsks her tongue at me. But makes her face sweet. “Please, may I have one soda? I promise to be content with one soda.”
I let her grab it this time, then sigh.
“Well.” Clara is still nervous, because she wipes her hands on her pants again. “How was your day?”
“Boring. But yours wasn’t. I thought I told you to stay inside?”
Clara sits back down on the floor and starts doling out food. “I needed clothes. And the lost and found?” Her eyes go wide as she stares at me. “Oh, my god!”
“It’s a fucking treasure trove.” Anneeta laughs. “She said that like two million times when we were shopping.”
“Mouth, kid.”
“Sorry, Tyse.” But she’s not sorry because she snickers these words out.
“Anyway.” Clara sighs. “It was a pretty good day. How about you? Tell me what you did.”
I shrug. “Same old day.”
“Are you gonna sit?” Clara is still doling out food and she puts a container in a space that I think is meant for me.
“Sure.” The coffee table is positioned between the end of the bed and the wall, so it’s a small space to begin with. It’s also low to the ground and getting my legs underneath it to sit on the floor is a chore. But I manage because I’m intrigued by this little scenario that’s playing out in my room.
I spend quite a few unoccupied minutes thinking about last night. The overlay, the veil, Anneeta and Clara. And the spectra she found. I’m trying to figure out where this might be heading, because clearly it is heading somewhere.
Anneeta has always been a mystery. There’s just something about her that doesn’t add up. I just can’t put my finger on it. And Clara, well, where to start? She claims to come from another dimension. And since I have not only seen this place, but have also witnessed the way she can store up spark in her body, I’ve got no choice but to believe her.
“Tyse? Are you listening?”
I look over at Anneeta. “What?”
“Did you bring dessert? I’m already done.”
“No. Sorry.” I lean over, trying to see into her container because she can’t have eaten that fast. But nope. It’s empty. “Were you starving?”
She smiles and nods. Then gets to her feet. “I’m gonna have second dinner downstairs. Do you want me to bring you guys back anything?”
“No,” I tell her. “That’s cool. See ya tomorrow.”
“Yep.” Anneeta looks at Clara. “Tomorrow. Tea party at nine. My place. Don’t be late.”
Clara points to her. “You’re on.”
“Bye!” Anneeta waves and then slips through the door, closing it behind her.
Clara and I both sigh and look at each other. I’m not sure where to start, but it doesn’t matter. Her mouth opens and words just start spilling out.
“Oh, my god. The tea party?” Clara’s eyes are wide. Like she still can’t believe she got sucked into that.
“I should’ve warned ya. I meant to, but I forgot.”
“She fed me some kind of boiled mud and little pieces of grass.”
I nod, laughing. “Yep. I fell for it once, too. Ya should not have promised to go again. She’ll be expectin’ ya.”
