18 Oct 2022, 20:50
Going Away
Gwyn wasn't entirely sure what to feel.
It was the day after her little magical outburst. Mother hadn't been displeased at the mud coating the living room as Gwyn had assumed she'd be, so that was always good. It was rare for Gwyn to do something so troublesome, even accidentally, and avoid trouble. On the contrary, Mother actually seemed happy in the aftermath.
Gwyn had known about magic since she was small, but she wasn't a fool. There was always a doubt that lingered in her mother's eyes at the possibility of her daughter actually being capable of magic. She'd shown no indication that she had a magical bone in her body for all of her life, so Mother was probably quite relieved that Gwyn would be able to attend her alma mater after last night's outburst.
Apparently she was due a letter detailing the specifics of her new school after she turned eleven. It was a boarding school in Scotland. One of the best magical schools in the world, apparently. Gwyn was going to travel there in September, spending an entire year honing her 'gift,' and she would come home a fully fledged witch, as strange as it sounded.
Part of her wondered if she'd sprout a small wart on her nose during her education, but she quickly squashed that thought. Mother didn't have a wart, after all.
She kicked her legs idly as she sat on a large rock in the spot where their yard bordered the woods. She was so caught up in her thoughts, she didn't hear the footsteps approaching her from behind. She did feel the arms shoving her from her comfortable spot on the large rock, though.
Landing on her knees and catching herself with her hands, Gwyn glared at the figure behind her.
"Hello, Gwyn," Aidan said with a cheeky smile, which fell away immediately upon seeing the look on her face.
"What's wrong?" he asked with concern, "Did I getcha in trouble yesterday with the mud? Oh my, I'm so sorry. I should have snuck you over to my house to get a quick bath and wash your clothes. I'm such a-"
Gwyn rose to her feet and shook her head, raising her hands calmingly.
"It's nothing you did, Aidan. Mother, well, she..." Gwyn trailed off, unaccustomed to losing her words in her mouth like this, but how could she do this? How could she tell her only friend, her best friend, that she was leaving for a whole year to some boarding school? The words died on her tongue as soon as she tried to form them.
"She doesn't want me 'round anymore, does she?" he asked glumly, "Shoulda known it'd happen eventually. Your mum and you's cut from a different cloth, I suppose."
Gwyn turned to Aidan quickly, pulling him into a tight hug. She tried not to break her own proper mannerisms when possible, but she couldn't let him think that he was the problem. But how could she explain that she was going to a magical boarding school without telling him about magic? He had to know that it wasn't his fault she was going away.
Gwyn was going to have to lie to her best friend, and that hurt more than anything she'd ever experienced in her life.
With her chin resting on her best friend's shoulder, Gwyn spoke clearly, devoid of emotion. She couldn't allow herself to feel anything from her own words, or her heart would break even more.
"Mother is sending me away to a boarding school. For gifted musicians, apparently. You know she's taught me piano since I was three, so it was only a matter of time, I suppose. I still have another year here, but after my eleventh birthday..."
The resigned sigh was all she got out of her friend, but feeling his arms close around her, completing the hug, was an immense relief.
"Promise you'll write?" he asked after a moment.
"Every week. You're my best friend."
The rest of the day was spent in a somber silence, but the companionship was appreciate by them both. It seemed like just yesterday they'd had all the time in the world, but now even two years seems so short. Though no words were spoken, both children vowed to make the best of it. Their friendship would never end.
It was the day after her little magical outburst. Mother hadn't been displeased at the mud coating the living room as Gwyn had assumed she'd be, so that was always good. It was rare for Gwyn to do something so troublesome, even accidentally, and avoid trouble. On the contrary, Mother actually seemed happy in the aftermath.
Gwyn had known about magic since she was small, but she wasn't a fool. There was always a doubt that lingered in her mother's eyes at the possibility of her daughter actually being capable of magic. She'd shown no indication that she had a magical bone in her body for all of her life, so Mother was probably quite relieved that Gwyn would be able to attend her alma mater after last night's outburst.
Apparently she was due a letter detailing the specifics of her new school after she turned eleven. It was a boarding school in Scotland. One of the best magical schools in the world, apparently. Gwyn was going to travel there in September, spending an entire year honing her 'gift,' and she would come home a fully fledged witch, as strange as it sounded.
Part of her wondered if she'd sprout a small wart on her nose during her education, but she quickly squashed that thought. Mother didn't have a wart, after all.
She kicked her legs idly as she sat on a large rock in the spot where their yard bordered the woods. She was so caught up in her thoughts, she didn't hear the footsteps approaching her from behind. She did feel the arms shoving her from her comfortable spot on the large rock, though.
Landing on her knees and catching herself with her hands, Gwyn glared at the figure behind her.
"Hello, Gwyn," Aidan said with a cheeky smile, which fell away immediately upon seeing the look on her face.
"What's wrong?" he asked with concern, "Did I getcha in trouble yesterday with the mud? Oh my, I'm so sorry. I should have snuck you over to my house to get a quick bath and wash your clothes. I'm such a-"
Gwyn rose to her feet and shook her head, raising her hands calmingly.
"It's nothing you did, Aidan. Mother, well, she..." Gwyn trailed off, unaccustomed to losing her words in her mouth like this, but how could she do this? How could she tell her only friend, her best friend, that she was leaving for a whole year to some boarding school? The words died on her tongue as soon as she tried to form them.
"She doesn't want me 'round anymore, does she?" he asked glumly, "Shoulda known it'd happen eventually. Your mum and you's cut from a different cloth, I suppose."
Gwyn turned to Aidan quickly, pulling him into a tight hug. She tried not to break her own proper mannerisms when possible, but she couldn't let him think that he was the problem. But how could she explain that she was going to a magical boarding school without telling him about magic? He had to know that it wasn't his fault she was going away.
Gwyn was going to have to lie to her best friend, and that hurt more than anything she'd ever experienced in her life.
With her chin resting on her best friend's shoulder, Gwyn spoke clearly, devoid of emotion. She couldn't allow herself to feel anything from her own words, or her heart would break even more.
"Mother is sending me away to a boarding school. For gifted musicians, apparently. You know she's taught me piano since I was three, so it was only a matter of time, I suppose. I still have another year here, but after my eleventh birthday..."
The resigned sigh was all she got out of her friend, but feeling his arms close around her, completing the hug, was an immense relief.
"Promise you'll write?" he asked after a moment.
"Every week. You're my best friend."
The rest of the day was spent in a somber silence, but the companionship was appreciate by them both. It seemed like just yesterday they'd had all the time in the world, but now even two years seems so short. Though no words were spoken, both children vowed to make the best of it. Their friendship would never end.