The Frights of Fiji by Sunayna Prasad (books to read for self improvement .txt) 📕

Kaitlyn’s cell phone.

Alyssa, Hailey, and Jasmine hovered over her to see what else shared information about the white gas from Master Beau’s body.

“The white gas is soaring over the Pacific Ocean,” said Jasmine. “It looks like a cloud close to the water.”

“Do you know where it’s going to go?” asked Hailey.

“Right now, it’s near Hawaii,” said Jasmine. “No one really knows what it is.”

“It has to be Master Beau’s spirit,” said Alyssa.

“Well, it sounds like it’s too simple to want to hurt you,” said Hailey. “I think you’ll be fine. Maybe it’ll stay in Hawaii.”

“Maybe.” Alyssa shrugged. But her stomach compressed. The gas might have taken the form of a cloud, but Alyssa couldn’t find out if it would leave her alone. It could stay in Hawaii, or it may travel to the continental United States.

 

 

 

 

 

19

 

During the past two weeks, neither Madison nor Jasmine had contacted Alyssa about that white gas. They probably either hadn’t kept up with the news or had heard nothing else about it.

Since Alyssa and Hailey had moved into Kathleen and Donald’s house, they’d shared the bed in the guest room. Tossing and turning under the bed covers, Alyssa didn’t touch or sense Hailey. That meant Hailey had woken up earlier. Alyssa lifted herself up and stretched. She turned to the digital clock and gasped at the time—ten-thirty. Her birthday party would start in two hours!

She jumped out of bed and did her morning bathroom routine. Then she peeled off her pale-green V-neck T-shirt and star-printed pajama pants and put on jeggings and a white square-neck shirt.

Not only had she become a teenager, but she could also obtain something Isabelle had promised to give her when she turned thirteen. But when—and how? Alyssa would spend some time at Cardinal Forest Diner. Then she’d go to Nails to Heaven. Nine other girls besides Madison and Jasmine would attend. Plus, it’d take a few minutes to drive there from the restaurant.

Alyssa entered the kitchen. Hailey, Kathleen, and Donald ate breakfast.

“Morning, guys,” Alyssa said.

“Hey, it’s the birthday girl,” said Donald. “Come sit down and eat with us.”

Alyssa sat and helped herself to a waffle, cereal, strawberries, and cranberry juice.

“Happy birthday, Alyssa,” said Hailey.

“Thanks,” said Alyssa.

“So you’re thirteen years old now?” asked Kathleen.

Alyssa nodded.

“Wow, you’re a teenager,” said Kathleen.

“Uh huh,” said Alyssa.

“And Hailey will become a teenager next July.” Donald turned to Hailey. “One more year and a quarter of being a preteen.”

Hailey nodded and ate her milk and cereal.

“Hey, when’s Alex coming?” Alyssa asked.

“He called this morning to say that he was an hour away,” said Donald.

“So he should be here soon,” Kathleen said.

“Is he flying in?” asked Alyssa.

“Nope—he’s driving,” answered Donald.

“All the way from Ohio?” Alyssa asked.

“Yep,” replied Donald. “He thought it’d be more convenient for you when you move in with him tomorrow.”

“How?” asked Alyssa.

“Well, think about it,” said Donald. “If you flew, your stuff wouldn’t be at his house for several hours. Plus, you’d have to comply with the rules and restrictions at the airport.”

“Oh—now I see,” said Alyssa. “But I like road trips.”

All her furniture had been left behind at her old house. However, at some point this evening, someone would pick up everything she’d left there and bring it here so that tomorrow it’d be ready to go into the moving van.

After breakfast, Alyssa headed toward the stairs—only to notice a car approaching her house. She turned to see a black Volvo turning into the driveway. That had to be Alex.

Alyssa grinned as she saw Alex stepping out. A goatee circled his mouth. His shoulder-length light-brown hair blew with the breeze. His opened black leather jacket bounced as he walked. Alyssa ran out to greet him. He formed a smile across his youthful face.

“Hey, Alex.” Alyssa threw her arms around him.

“How are you, Alyssa?” Alex hugged her too.

“I’m good. It’s great to see you.”

“You too. Happy birthday.”

“Thanks.”

“All right, let me just get my stuff, and I’ll meet up with you inside.” Alex removed his hands from Alyssa. “Actually, you don’t mind helping me carry some stuff, right?”

“Not at all.”

Alex carried his duffel bag, and Alyssa carried his small backpack. The two went inside, where Hailey sat on a couch and read a Discovery Girls magazine.

“Hey, Hailey.” Alex removed his black leather jacket.

Hailey looked up. “Hi.”

“I don’t know if you remember me.” Alex grinned. “I’m Alyssa’s godfather, Alex.” He hung up his jacket and sat next to Alyssa and Hailey.

“Actually—I think I do now,” said Hailey. “Weren’t you the one who rushed into Alyssa’s communion ten minutes late?”

Alex chuckled. “Yes, that was me.”

Alyssa smiled but blushed too.

“So where are your grandparents, Hailey?” Alex asked.

“Upstairs,” she answered.

“Hello.” Kathleen jogged down the stairs with Donald. They greeted Alex.

“While we wait, do you want to open my present?” Alex asked Alyssa.

“Sure.” Alyssa received the gift bag from him and pulled out a hot-pink glitter wallet. “Oh my god, this is adorable.” She looked up at Alex. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Alex smiled. “Why don’t you read the card too?”

After Alyssa read it, Donald took everyone outside to go.

 

About twenty minutes had passed since everybody had left the house. During that time, thoughts of when Isabelle would come wandered into Alyssa’s mind. What if the diner had no small spaces accessible to the customers? Also, that object she planned to give Alyssa had magic in it.

Wait—Isabelle had never said that she’d come during the day. Maybe she’d see Alyssa at night and meet her in the bathroom, like Simon had.

The group arrived at the restaurant and stepped inside the building, where a waiter led them into the private party room. Two tables had been set up—one for where Alyssa’s friends sat and the other probably for her family. Madison and seven other girls sat together, and Alyssa joined them. They all wished her a happy birthday.

“Thanks, guys,” she said.

She turned to the door as Jasmine and one of Hailey’s friends walked inside. Jasmine sat across from her and Madison. After the last two of Alyssa’s friends entered the room, a few waiters came inside to distribute baskets of bread and butter and take drink orders.

“So did either of you hear more about the white gas?” asked Alyssa.

“I don’t have my phone with me,” said Madison. “Otherwise, I’d look.”

“What happened?” asked Alyssa.

“It’d died out by the time I found it, so now I have to charge it.”

“I’ll use my phone,” said Jasmine.

“How come you guys haven’t been keeping up with me about the white gas?” Alyssa asked.

“There hasn’t been any news about it,” Madison said.

“Really?” asked Alyssa.

“Nope,” said Madison.

Jasmine looked into her phone. “Madison, maybe you didn’t think it was too interesting that the cloud stayed in Hawaii for the past two weeks.”

“Then how did it travel so far away in less than a week but stayed in Hawaii for two weeks?” asked Alyssa.

“I don’t know,” said Jasmine.

“Did it leave Hawaii yet?” asked Madison.

“I’m going to find that out now,” said Jasmine.

The waiters came back with the drinks and cups of chicken-rice soup, salad plates, and bottles of different dressings. Jasmine put her phone away and helped herself to some salad. Alyssa and Madison did the same.

“Alyssa, who is that guy with the long hair?” Madison asked.

“My godfather.” Alyssa revealed that she would move in with him tomorrow.

“I’m going to miss you,” said Madison.

“Me too,” said Jasmine.

Alyssa had her soup and salad until she heard a swish at the bottom of her feet. She leaned down and read the note.

 

Hi Alyssa,

 

First of all, happy birthday. Second, I need to meet you here to talk about Master Beau’s

spirit. I just appeared into a bathroom stall and am waiting for you in the ladies’ room. Please come now.

 

Thank you,

Isabelle

 

Alyssa crumpled the note, shoved it into her jeggings pocket, and walked toward the door.

“Alyssa, where are you going?” Donald asked.

“Bathroom.”

She continued her way out of the party area and walked to a waitress carrying drinks to ask her where the ladies’ room was. She headed toward it and entered. But she saw no signs of Isabelle.

A stall opened, and guess who stepped out . . .

“Isabelle?” asked Alyssa.

“Mm-hm,” she said. “I deliberately appeared in here and waited for you so that no one could see me.”

“How?”

“Appearances inside ordinary places can automatically close doors.”

“Oh, wow.”

“Let’s talk in the corner.”

Alyssa followed her.

“Unfortunately, I don’t have the object I was supposed to give you. But Mathias should give it to you tomorrow evening. Anyway, I want to talk to you about Master Beau’s spirit.”

“That was his spirit?”

Isabelle nodded.

“I knew it. How come it was able to go to Hawaii in less than a week but—”

“There was a wizarding battle on one of the islands, and some of the magic coming from the wands affected the atmosphere.”

Alyssa dropped her jaw. “How?”

“It made it really hot, like, high into the triple digits. And some of the magic made it last for two weeks. Spirits can’t travel in temperatures more than a hundred- and five-degrees Fahrenheit.”

“Why not?”

“It has to do with the air in the spirit. For some reason, it can’t handle extremely hot temperatures. But now his spirit has left Hawaii and on its way to the continental United States.”

Alyssa gasped.

“I hate to scare you more, but it’s going to travel to wherever you live.”

“I’m moving to Ohio tomorrow,”

“Then that’s where it’ll go. But there’s no need to worry. It can’t hurt you for at least six months.”

“What’s going to happen then?”

“There’s some magic liquid that can turn spirits into living forms. It takes at least six months to make.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t know. But it’s new and still not tested.”

“At least I’ll get that object tomorrow.” Alyssa paused. “Wait—I thought wizards weren’t allowed to travel with magical objects.”

“Mathias obtained a license for it.”

“I didn’t know you could do that.”

“It just went into effect last week. You have to be eighteen, though.”

“Oh.”

“Well, I’m going to go now. Happy birthday.”

“Thanks.”

Isabelle stepped into a bathroom stall. Alyssa left and headed back into the party section, where waiters now served the entrées. Plates of burgers, chicken tenders, quesadillas, fried chicken, and roast turkey with gravy rested in the center of the tables. The staff also brought out plates of french fries, onion rings, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, corn, and mixed vegetables. The guests served themselves and ate.

“Why were you in the bathroom for so long?” Madison asked.

Alyssa told her.

“Isabelle was here?” whispered Madison.

“She told me she was going to be here,” said Alyssa. “She said it right before we left Yanowic.”

“What did she give you?” asked Jasmine.

Alyssa explained that she didn’t have it and that Mathias would give it to her tomorrow evening. “I found out more about that gas.”

“What is it?” asked Madison.

Alyssa whispered it in her ear.

“Oh my god,” said Madison. “Th-that’s scary.”

“What happened?” asked Jasmine.

Alyssa told