Bad Magic Ch. 03

No, ignore the voice, just sign the paper, fill in any name and leave. I hovered over the open slot, prepared to scribble in something, anything, yet I couldn't think of a name. I looked back, she was still watching me like a hawk.

Anything... just pick something.

I thought again about the girl in mirror, what was her name?

The answer materialized out of thin air. Of course, I thought, It was the obvious choice. I scribbled it down and turned to face the plastic princess. She flashed me a smile of approval.

"And don't be late" she said. "We're on the field on the hour, not ten minutes after, not five minutes before, on the hour."

"I'll be there," I lied, turned and left the change room. I tried to retrace my steps as best as I could, but I ended up in a section of the building I didn't recognize. The operation was enormous. It felt like a giant lab experiment. I passed by specialized fitness rooms with athletes on treadmills being tracked by massive computers, churning out data that was being intensely studied by a team of technicians in lab coats. There was an entire wing devoted to administration, and an endless flow of students, coaching assistants, and what not. I'd never realized how big the varsity sports department was. What was even more surprising was how easily I fit in. I wasn't invisible. I did catch the occasional wandering eye, but there wasn't anything menacing in the way they looked at me.

With every stride, my confidence grew. I still hadn't mastered the fine art of balancing the delicate physics of getting to my hips and breasts to work in unison, but at least I wasn't stumbling down the hallway - at least I didn't think I was.

As I walked, I felt the cool artificially conditioned air against my bare skin, my skirt slightly bobbing with every step. I was still haunted by the thought of my old clothing, the idea of wearing them repulsive. When had I even washed them last? I tended to shed them at night and just leave them on the floor, then pick up the least offensive one the next day. How had I lived like that for so long? I dreaded the idea of digging through that filthy pile of clothing ever again.

Who says you have too?

I heard the thought, but ignored it.

I eventually found my way to the facilities front doors, and passed a massive glass case that housed a variety of different trophies. No two were were alike, ranging in sizes and complexity. All were a variation of gold or silver, with a few that may have been bronze. As I passed by them, I longed to hold one high above my head in triumph. Sadly they didn't give out many trophies in math, at least none that you'd want to prominently display.

I stepped through the doors, and was embraced by the warm summer day again. I felt the sun on my bare shoulders. If Jake was still waiting for me at the side door, he'd be to my left. I stuck to the sidewalk, following it as it looped around the corner and sure enough, there he was, leaning against a tree, amused by his phone.

He didn't notice me as I crept up on him.

"Miss me?" I asked.

He looked up, his eyes widening.

"Oh... wow dude... you look... ah..." He said and started to rise, fumbling to find his feet, his eyes glued to me.

"Great?" I giggled. "Thanks and please, don't call me dude anymore. It might raise some... suspicions... Please, call me Amber."