My name is Jude Malakai. I am fifteen years old, and I just urinated all over my pants.

No jokes.

You’re having a conversation – or more likely, you’re kind of forced to listen to some freakishly, strong person narrate for half an hour – and all of a sudden, a third party pops up.

They appear right behind you, and unbelievably, they happen to be an individual that you bear a particular dislike to.

Try as you might, you cannot get over your childish squabbles from once upon a time. You still carry the same negative attitude towards said person, even when you have not seen them in a long time.

You, who had most of your attention directed towards the narrator, are consequently jolted out of your zone. To complicate matters even further, prior to the arrival of the third member, not only were you hungry, but you’ve also been itching to use the washroom.

Your bladder and your stomach have been meaning to communicate with you, but you were too busy listening to “The Magical Secrets of Planet Earth,” to pay proper attention to their signals.

Moral of the story is, do not ever, like ever, hold in your pee for too long. When you need to go, just go. Even when you’re in school, on a bus, or in a fancy restaurant.

Drop everything and relieve yourself because you never know if something will appear out of the blue, and trigger an unfortunate reaction.

A warm, wet stain on a stranger-to-friend’s couch, beside two people who happen to have something personal against you.

Pee running down your legs. Warm liquid spreading under you...

Have I already mentioned my day could not get any worse?

Once again, fuck my life. From the front, the back and the sides.

Needless to say, I could not let the two of them find out I had a slight accident a few feet away from them.

What better way to redeem myself, and convince them that all was cool, than by flashing a beautiful grin in Noelle’s direction?

“Why, hello there, Noelle,” I said in a very polite, very casual tone, “It is fabulous to have you here with us. How have you been?” I crossed my legs and prayed that God would have mercy on me.

Please don’t let them notice I pissed myself. Please don’t let them notice I pissed myself.

Noelle’s glare did not leave her dark countenance. “Cut the act, Jude,” she snapped. I feigned surprise, covering my mouth with the palm of my hand.

“Me?” I said innocently, “Acting?”

So far, so good. Now, if only I could manage to distract the both of them with something.

I could shift away from my seat and pretend the pee had been there all along. That it didn’t belong to me, and had most likely come out of say, Nicolas or his parents.

It was neither a smart nor a good plan, but it was better than nothing. Besides, to be honest, I was way too embarrassed to think clearly.

“An act? Whatever do you mean?” I asked.

“Your false reaction,” Noelle said, “As per usual, your existence repulses me.”

“The feeling is mutual, dear. Yet I am acting far more cordial than you.”

Wow, where had that maturity come from? I must have grown a lot, without even realizing it! I was about to mentally celebrate until I remembered I still had a slight problem under me.

Right, the pee. The god damn piss.

What to do? Were there any ways I could use magic to make it disappear? A spell Noelle and Tony would not notice?

Was there such thing as making some liquid disappear? Absorb it into thin air? 

I was capable of doing that with solid objects, like I had done with a plate Damian had broken before. Maybe it would work with liquid? 

I shifted my concentration and imagined it vanishing. Gathered a bit of aura under my hand, so they would not notice me glowing.

It did not work. My pants were still wet.

Darn it.

What now?

“You would not find it in you to act cordial, if all you’ve been doing for the past couple of days is erasing an idiot’s tracks!” Noelle snarled, breaking me away from my useless attempts.

Ah, that would explain her unthinkable behavior. Noelle was upset because she had used some of her precious time to come to my aid, from behind the scenes. Frankly speaking, now that she mentioned tracks, I was beginning to realize that I had not even thought about other sorcerers sensing me.

I really did think I was more or less discreet. Although, after fifteen years of being locked indoors, I guess that some things must be learnt from mistakes, and not from books.

I batted my eyelashes, now extremely uncomfortable for not only sitting on a lake of pee, but also for realizing Noelle had been inconspicuously taking care of my errors.

“Me? An idiot?” I said, “Well, you must be an even bigger idiot if you spent all your sweet time erasing an idiot's tracks. Nobody told you to do anything for me, honey.”

Noelle narrowed her green eyes into menacing slits. “Oh? Acting all cocky when you know you’re vulnerable without me?”

“Us,” Tony corrected, “He is vulnerable without us.”

I crossed my arms against my chest, pretending to be as nonchalant as ever. “I could have fended off on my own. I do not need either one of you.”

Tony and Noelle shared a look.

Tony said, “You were homeless before Nicolas and I brought you to my house.”

“I was not homeless,” I scoffed, trying to cling to every last bit of my pride left, “I was simply taking a nice, long nap outside because it was a beautiful, sunny day.”

Tony and Noelle shared another look. This time, it was much longer than before.

“Much as I abhor saying this,” Noelle said, “I think you’re in need of some serious help.”

And much as I abhor admitting it, she was right. Yet, I wasn’t about to let her know what I was thinking.

“Would you like to explain why you would lend me a hand?” I asked, hoping she would not notice the anxiety in my tone.

Noelle grabbed a chair from the table and slid it towards us. She sat down, crossing her legs and sitting straight and proper.

Freakin’ princess wannabe.

Noelle flipped her high ponytail behind her shoulder. “There are only two reasons why I’m going to team up with you. One: I despise your family even more than I despise you. My greatest wish would be to see them suffer for eternity.”

I nodded, rather impressed, “For once, we can both agree on something.”

Noelle added, “Reason number two is –

I shrugged, interrupting her. “You fell for my charms?”

She bristled, “No, I still see you as an inconsequential heap of horse manure.”

“Apologies. I’m taken.”

Noelle glowered at me, “The second reason has to do with Damian Kara.”

Here we go again.

One mention of his name, and my entire mood shifts. My arrogant sneer dropped, and I felt all the hairs on my arms rising.

Goosebumps.

“I see that I've grabbed your attention,” she said dryly.

Gone was my playful attitude. Noelle knew about Damian. She knew something I did not.

I was not about to let an important piece of information slide. Thus, she had me wrapped around her finger.

For now, of course.

“Wha –” I started to say, but Noelle rose her hand, silencing me.

“I believe we should cut this discussion short,” she said, “We will resume it after we take care of the small fries.”

Tony yawned, stood up and stretched, “Good timing. I was in need of some exercise.”

I groaned, irritated.

I could not stand bloody cliffhangers. Especially when they had something to do with my one and only.

“Is this really what I think it is?” I hissed, as my aura automatically began to coat my frame.

“Indeed,” Noelle pursed her lips and rose from her seat, “We’re under attack.”

We barely had the time to blink before a deafening explosion sent all three of us flying across the room.