“We just wanted you to know that we love you, Stephen.”

Finley relaxes, and the librarian rolls his eyes again before smiling down at the two kids. "Mhm, I love you guys too. Now stop it, or I will be forced to kick you out."

He pokes Cailin hard in the stomach and he flinches, groaning and giggling at the same time as Stephen lets them go. He walks off again, giving them both warning looks, before disappearing around the corner.

Finley glares down at his friend. "I actually hate you right now."

Cailin sits up, wrapping his arms around the blonde’s small waist. Finley fights him for a moment, before he gives in, and wraps his arms around his neck. "No, you love me," Cailin teases, leaning back to look at his best friend, who meets his eyes.

The younger boy looks closely at the colors in Cailin's eyes, seeing something he has not seen before. Finley is shocked to find that Cailin has light freckles on his cheekbones, thousands of tiny ones that Finley finds himself trying to count. "What?" Cailin asks, chuckling, and Finley turns his eyes back to his friend.

He hesitates, a feeling washing over him. It is a weird one that leaves him warm and his heart flipping. Cailin must have felt it too, because the smile is gone, and for once, the brunette is the one that begins to blush.

   Before they can really focus on what they are feeling, it is gone. Like a rush of air. Finley is not sure what just happened. He definitely felt something, but it disappeared before he had a chance to think about it. But he wants to feel it again.

"Alright class, everyone should already have their wands activated. Now, we can start off with the most basic of spells," Mr. Len begins as walks in front of the scholars who are lined up side to side. They wait for command silently while a Universe Dragon stands at attention by the back doors. 

Finley is shaking in his boots, he is so excited. He wants to make his teachers proud and be judged for all good things by the Universe Dragon. This is one of many chances to get a powerful dragon himself next year.

"Now, let's start off with one of the easiest spells.... Well, easiest in my book." Mr. Len holds up his brown and boring wand, smiling. "A flame." A tiny candle flame sprouts from the tip of the wand, small, but the entire class is already entranced. "A simple light source, easy to cast, and easy to maintain. Level one stuff that should not cause too much mental strain. All you have to do is connect with your wand and imagine what you want it to do."

He walks in front of each student, letting each of them catch a closer look. "For now, we let you imagine the flame with your eyes closed. This is much easier to do than if you had your eyes open, completely vulnerable to distractions." He stops at the beginning of the line, smiling down at the first girl. "Anna, you will go first."

Anna is a small, petite, but fiery girl. She was the next one after Cailin and Finley to successfully awaken her wand, which did not go unnoticed by the school. Confident, she steps up to the middle of the classroom, right next to Ms. Green who smiles down at her calmly. "Wand up." Anna follows the command, glancing at the Universe Dragon that watches without any expression. "Close your eyes and make the flame."

Anna shuts her eyes, eyebrows furrowing in concentration as Ms. Green walks around her. "Don't try too hard, let the connection come to you."

Anna's forehead relaxes, and soon enough, a flame pops at the end of her wand. It is a bit shaky and uncontrolled, but she manages. "Good." Anna opens her eyes with a smile as Ms. Green nods at her. "Great job, Anna. Next, Liz."

Finley and Cailin glance at each other, forgetting she was even in the class. The three of them go way back. Finley is very happy to say he is an eternal thorn in her ass, just as much as Liz is a thorn in his.

"What's a girlfriend?" Finley asked suddenly by the fireplace as he sat on the carpet in the living room, with Cailin beside him. 

Christine looked up at Finley above her glasses. She stared at his gray doll eyes that were filled with concern, but curiousness as well. Christine hesitated, before she glanced towards Penelope who smiled. She set her knitting supplies down on the couch next to her. "Well…. You get a girlfriend when you like another girl and ask her to be more than just friends. Then, she's your girlfriend."

"Is it someone you like very much?" Finley asked, tilting his head. 

Cailin paid no mind to him, continuing his hard work on his drawing as Penelope's smile widened. "Yes. It should be someone you like very much. Cailin likes this girl, and now they are what people call 'dating.’ Which, I’m kind of confused on how the boys would know about such things when they’re only six." 

Penelope looked over to Christine who gave a shrug. "I read him a book that had two dating characters in it, and he asked about it. It wasn't exactly my fault." 

Penelope rolled her eyes as Finley began to look more and more distressed. "Someone you like very much? Like how I really like you?"

Penelope's smile could not get any wider. "Well…. Not really. What we have is familial love. You should date someone you really really love romantically. Someone that's nice to you, makes you feel all warm and fuzzy, and cares for you. Someone that will maybe someday come to love you back."

Finley stared at his mother for a couple of seconds, before he bowed his head and let out a sniffle that shocked the nanny. "Finley, what's wrong?" Penelope asked, quickly getting up. She sat next to the weeping child, the tears catching Cailin's attention.

"I want to be Cailin's girlfriend!" He yelled, sounding completely broken. Christine's eyes widened, Penelope raising her eyebrows. It was the first time her own son rendered her speechless. She knew she had to say something to fix the situation, Finley obviously still not understanding the term, but she could not come up with anything quick enough. Sadly, Cailin beat her to it.

Cailin frowned, confused. "You are my girlfriend, Finny!" He yelled. He sat up as the blonde sniffled, looking at his friend with big teary gray eyes.

The nannies glanced at each other. Uh oh.

"You've always been my girlfriend, because I like you very very much!" Finley smiled at this; tears being wiped away as Penelope winced.

The next day, both boys had to be sent home early, for Finley was getting overly aggressive with one of his classmates that happened to be Cailin's so-called girlfriend, Liz. Both Liz and Finley had a fight on who the real girlfriend was. Finley soon got upset when the girl pointed out that he was, in fact, a boy and could not possibly be Cailin's girlfriend.

Finley refused to talk to Cailin for a couple of hours after coming back home.

For years, the two have been in a continuous feud. On Finley’s side, he does not really know what the feud is exactly about. He understands what the term “girlfriend” means by now, and he has no romantic feelings towards his friend. While Finley would definitely not approve of Liz dating his best friend again, it is not like the blonde is hoarding him. Cailin can do whatever he wishes. So, this feud is just a nuisance to him.

So, Finley watches with a frown on his face as Liz marches forward, giving Anna a high-five before stepping to the middle of the classroom. Just looking at the girl makes Finley fizz with anger. It is not only Cailin that is causing him issues with the girl. Liz is also not very kind, which Finley uses as a better excuse to dislike her. Though, it is not much of an excuse. It seems like a fine reason to dislike somebody.

Liz glances at the Universe Dragon, who still has not moved a muscle.

Ms. Green nods at her. "Wand up, close your eyes."