A Clover and a Bee

Lark rolls the apple around in her hand, examining it from every angle. She looks up from it skeptically. “How is this supposed to prove that you’re a mage?”

Lark has dreamt about chess every night for the past week. In the dreams, she stands fixed to a spot, unable to move for what feels like hours at a time, her only company the unspeaking fairy on the opposite side. It’s becoming tiresome.

Lark isn’t normally a very competitive person. She’s fine with being a C student, for instance, and she hasn’t shown any interest in any contests or competitions before. She just doesn’t seem to need the praise that comes from victory.

It’s the evening before Leisure Day, and Lark is free from school for the next three days. She leaves Nature and Nurture Learning Academy with a backpack full of homework, all of which she intends to ignore. Long weekends--especially ones that include a day specifically devoted to leisure--are for play, not work. She happily rides her bike through the town square, mentally planning the weekend’s activities as she pedals.

Luna grips the armrest on the passenger's side of the family's SUV. Lydia has asked her to teach her to drive, and it's proving to be an anxiety-inducing endeavor. "Don't ride the break and the gas at the same time," she snaps. "I'm not, mom!" "Yes you are! This isn't a standard--you only need to use your right foot." Lydia rolls her eyes and sucks her teeth. She presses down on the gas, determined to prove that she’s not as incapable as her mother seems to think she is. "Slow down," Luna shrieks, "you're going to hit Lark!"