This is the card and on the back’s a map that starts at the entrance to the woods and leads to a spot deep in Juniper Way. I looked over my shoulder and to the sides of the bookshelves. Kelly and Jonathan were nowhere to be seen, and since Isabel was the last one there and she didn’t see the card Isabel must have dropped it. And it made sense, Isabel was really cool and she, Jonathan, and Kelly did work together. But Isabel wouldn’t do that diary, she’s nice, she not like Nathan’s crowd, she doesn’t prank people for her own enjoyment, at least that’s what I think.

So instead of accepting the obvious truth I took a picture of both sides of the card and tucked the actual thing in my skirt pocket. My homework came before pranks so I finished that up. I thought about finishing my audio book as well but it was already 6:00 and I needed to get home.

Watching out for Kelly and Jonathan I walked out of the library. And I was looking out for Isabel too, but in an entirely different way. But another nail in the prank coffin was that I saw none of them on my way out. I could only wave at Mrs.Jones as I opened up the door and walked out.

On the way home I put in my earbuds and listened to music, trying to think of what happened. There’s nothing I can do if it’s a prank, but if it isn’t? The card says go to Juniper Place on Saturday during the witching hour, 3 am. But Nathan has that robotics competition in Olympia this weekend and I was actually sort of excited about going. I’ve only been back to the city four times since Mom and I moved here and I was planning to go to some fabric stores to pick up some more cool thread, or some thrift shops for some clothes. So even if the card was real there was no way I could be there on Saturday night if I was a thirty minute car ride away.

Anyway the ride home was nice, cold, quite. Not many people out after 6pm after all. But the lyric of the day goes to…

I hope I’m not my oooonly friend. OOOO OOO O OO - Truce // Twenty One Pilots

There’s no way to properly write the gravity of that line but trust me, diary it holds a lot of weight.

Nathan’s car was pulling out of the driveway when I got home so I knew I was safe from him and his friends. That really put a spring in my step when I got home, that and I sorted out what I was going to do about the card.But it is kind of cool, I was contemplating taping it to my wall when I walked in. Mom and Derrick were sitting at the dining table, eating without Nathan for once when I got in.

Mom smiled at me when I sat down at the table, her curly hair was pulled up in a bun and she was wearing the beautiful but nonfunctional pearl earrings Derrick got her for memorial day. And judging by their smooth blue blouse I could hardly tell that she had probably spent two hours on the chicken alfredo on the table. But the tiredness in her eyes betrayed her and the same chandelier that made her cool brown skin look flawless showed off bags under her eyes.

“Naomi I was wondering when you would be home, plates are in the kitchen.”

“Sorry I worried you, Mom,” I said.

Derrick chimed on, “You and Nathaniel’s crowd don’t mix, that’s okay. Stay out as long as you like.”

It's amazing how much Derick sounded like he actually cared about me. But I didn’t mention what a hypocrite he was instead I tried to make a joke.

“Just as long as they aren’t riding with us to Olympia I’ll be fine.”

Derrick shared a look with my mom and looked back at me, like he was embarrassed. Something was coming, but I didn’t know what. Eventually, Derrick spoke.

“Naomi,” Nothing good started with him saying my name like that, “We don’t think it’s necessary for you to come this weekend.”

“What?” I asked, more surprised that angry, “Why?”

He seemed cagey, “Well we just don’t think you’ll like the city and we want to give you a weekend to yourself.”

I shot a look at my mom, but she just looked away. I guess it was a unanimous decision after all. I spoke through my teeth, “Is there any other reason you don’t want me to go?”

“We just don’t think the city will fit you,” even though I literally lived in Olympia before we moved in with Derrick, “You haven’t seemed very excited about the tournament.” They make me do plenty of things that I’m not excited about diary, believe me on that, “We just don’t think you fit the robotics scene…”

There was more after that but he had gotten his point across. They, read, Derrick, didn’t want me to go because he would be embarrassed having me there. I guess it’s not only Nathaniel’s friends that are weirded out by the way I dress.

“Okay, Dad,” It was all I could do to resist calling him by his first name diary, but Mom didn’t like it when I ‘disrespected him’. Instead I just left the dining room, but not to get a plate from the kitchen but to go upstairs.

I walked into my room and grabbed Satin off of my bed. The little stuffed elephant was looking pissed, so I guess we do always match emotions. But I didn’t stay in my room, instead I went down the hall and pulled on the string in the ceiling until the ladder to the attic came out. With Satin in my arms and my messenger finally free from my shoulder I climbed fast and practiced.

From there I navigated through the mounds and mounds of old couches, chairs, and antiques to the wardrobe. I hadn’t been old enough to read the Chronicles of Narinia when I discovered the wardrobe. But I was an eight year old who had just been uprooted to a new house in a new place and I was feeling scared. By exploring the house and finally the attic I had found a place of my own. A scratched up imposing wardrop with hardwood and fake gold accents. I had even bought a lock for it, that only I had the key to open. Today I opened up the wardrobe, got in, and closed it behind me. So now I’m here diary. And Derrick’s such a freaking idiot. I don’t want to swear diary but I hate him, I wish Mom had never married him. Sure I dress a bit weird and I’m not very social but that doesn’t mean he gets to, gets to…

I’m sorry if they’s tears in your pages diary I just can’t hold it in any more.

Satin’s a great buddy to cry into diary, he doesn’t judge me, he doesn’t tell me that I’m an embarrassment. He just listens and cries with me. Sorry if there’s tears in your pages diary, I just can’t stop myself. Diary, do you think Mom hates me? I mean I know Derrick was just saying ‘we’ to seem more powerful but Mom didn’t even say anything while he was telling me I can’t go. I just wish I could be normal like she wants me to diary, but I’ve tried and I’m just. I’m just so freaking selfish dairy I can’t even pull myself together to not embarrass my mom.

Sometimes I wish I was more like Nathan, diary.

Anyway, looks like I don’t have anything to do this Saturday, diary. Maybe I should look at the card a bit more.

Naomi J. Morgan