The Magic Pencil

Chapter 1

Claire Kane woke up in he bedroom bed, with Robert laying beside her. She really didn't mind, considering they had to share a bed anyway because of all the financial problems.
Claire had never thought of Robert any more then a best friend, but Robert thought so much more, he secretly fancied her, but he didn't let that show. Sometimes he couldn't help watch her sleep because she was so darn cute, as he states.
Claire's parents despised the fact that she loved doing art, so one day Claire gave up on them, and came to move in with Robert.
Claire sat up in her bed, and uncovered herself, being careful not to uncover Robert. Her long black thick hair all frizzy, and she couldn't help but scoff when she looked at herself in the mirror. She quickly stripped all her clothes off, and went into the non-clean shower, that reeked of rotten smell, but Claire didn't mind. She was quite used to the smell, the only thing she did mind was Cigarette smoke. She despised that smell even more then she despised her parents.
She never did want to remember her parents, but somehow they kept coming back to her in her dreams. She tried so hard not to think about them, but somehow they kept on creeping her out, like some kind of fungus that wouldn't stop.
She turned on the water, it running, and freezing her, causing goosebumps to rise all over her. Soon enough the water became to a level that was fairly warm, in the middle of freezing cold and warm. She quickly grabbed the soap that hung on a string, tied to a pole that held all the shampoos, conditioners, body wash, all the basic bath essentials.
She washed everything, turned off the water , then grabbed the towel from the pole that held up the shower curtains. She hopped out of the shower, and then wrapped the towel around her, not showing any parts of her that would be embarrassing to reveal to Robert.

She walked out of the bathroom, and saw that Robert was sitting on the bed, listening to some music. He looked up and smirked at Claire.

"Out of the shower I see." He said devilishly.
Claire gave him a death glare, and then gave him a fake smile, her eyes still in the death glare. He giggled, and then she could not hold her laughter back any longer, so she let out a laugh also. She went over to the dirty old dresser, and went into her underwear, bra, and socks drawer. She grabbed pink underwear, with a white bra, that had pink liner on the outside, and then socks that were pink. She did not exactly know why she was in the mood for pink today, she just was. She also did not mind Robert looking at her underwear, socks, or bra, she was used to it, he was her best friend after all. Her feelings were absolutely mutual when it comes to him and her. She just liked him as a friend, but deep down she did not know that she was hiding a huge crush on him.
She grabbed her outfit for the day. A pink tank-top with a half cut pink flamingo t-shirt. She grabbed pink knee length leggings, and short jean shorts. She went back over to the bathroom, her towel still rapped around her, and then shut the door. She quickly took the towel off, putting it on the closed toilet seat. Then she took her clothing and put it on, one by one. When she finished she quickly took the small comb from the corner of the cracked white sink, and then began to comb threw her thick black hair. Sometimes she wished that she did not have such thick hair, or possibly have enough money to buy a decent real brush, it was alright though, she never dreamed of getting out of her comfort zone, and her comfort zone was being poor.
When she finished she counted to the 3rd drawer on the sink, and then opened it. There stacked a bunch of towels, she took the towels out of the drawer until none were left, and looked into the empty drawer, that was not so empty. In that not so empty drawer lay a small charm bracelet that had a different colored pencil on each and every little magical charm. She could not quite explain why it was magical, it just felt so when she put it on. It gave her the confidence to show off her artwork to the art fair last year at school, and it turns out that she won.
She had gotten the bracelet last Christmas in the mailbox from some strange person named KK,  she did not exactly know what the two letters stood for, maybe a name, a company, it was something.

She slid it on her wrist, and put all the towels back in place so they would look like they were never moved, she wanted to keep the bracelet from others, because it was magical somehow, and she could not stop getting the feeling that somebody out there had wanted it. So she never took any chances.

She smiled smugly to herself, and closed the drawer, she looked at her reflection threw the cracked mirror, and her smug smile turned into a smile of approval. She always had self confidence, not matter if the mirror was shattered or not, she had the urge to always feel good about her self, because if she was not then she probably would have did something horrible to herself just because of it, and she did not want that happening.

She walked out of the bathroom, and then saw that Robert was already ready as well, of course they both share shower days, Claire take one today in the morning, and Robert takes one tonight, then it keeps going on like that. They both walked out of the room together, and then walked down the loud steps, that would make a creaking sound each time you stepped on one, then the last step was gone, so they both always had to kind of leap off the second last step.

When they got down the steps, they walked to the front door, and grabbed their backpacks from the closet, by the front door. They both put them on, because they knew they had everything, they had a certain time where they would do their homework at night. No parents lived with them, for Robert had none. He ran away from a small orphanage in one of the many outskirts of London, and found his way to this old house. The two met when they were both 13, Claire was wondering on the streets, freezing cold, because it was pouring snow out. Then Robert gladly took her hand, and guided her to his house. Ten they both became best friends and they both began to live with each other.
They both walked out of the shattered house, and began to walk on the empty streets of London, they liked to get to school earlier then others so others would not suspect that they lived alone. It all sounds crazy but it's true.
"So, I heard that you got an A+ on the London Finals." Robert began, breaking the awkward silence that beckoned between them. The London Finals, was a huge test that each student in Upper School would have to take until the 12th grade.
"Yeah." Claire mumbled shyly. She rubbed her hands together to create warmth, because the cold winter air that filled around them was not helping her get any warmer. After they were warmed up they put them to her face, allowing them to warm her face up. Then she rubbed them all over her, making sure to warm up every single inch of her body.
"It is a big deal you know." Robert said trying to assure her.
"I know." She mumbled.
"Then why are you not excited about it?" He asked curiosity filling him up.
"Well, maybe I want to go to an art school, instead of university, ever think of that!" Claire spit out at Robert, and Robert looked taken-back.
"I'm sorry, I just, my parents wanted me to be a doctor." She mumbled a little so that Robert could barley hear.
"Oh." He said. Then he scooted a little closer to Robert, he stopped her and himself in their tracks and began to hug her tightly, she smiled a warm smile, at the comfort that Robert was offering her.
They broke the hug after about a minute, and began walking again.
"So, what do you want me to get you for Christmas." He asked her.
"Well, let your creativity flow threw you, and just make up a card." She said smiling.
He smiled.
"It does not have to be store bought, it needs to come from the heart." She said very dramatically, as if a poet were saying it.
"Wow, that's deep." Robert said, giggling.
Claire giggled then replied,
"I try." Her British accent tingling off the tip of her tongue.

They continued to walk but they came to a stop when a couple people crowded Claire. They all looked very strange, and they all had smiles on their faces.

"Claire Karkins, very nice to see you again, you look fabulous sense the last time I saw you."
"Claire Karkins, it's such an honor!"
Claire had no idea what these people were even talking about. How did they even know her name? They were all very strange indeed, and the last name they were stating was not even hers.
Karkins, where had that even come from?
Claire was speechless at all the sudden attention she was getting, then Robert pushed them all way, grabbing her hand, and pulling her away from the large crowd, and running off with her into a nearby woods.
"Who were they?" Robert asked Claire in confusion.
"I have no idea. That was very strange and unusual." Claire said in the same confused tone that Robert was in.
They shrugged it off, and headed towards the outer part of the woods to see if the crowd had gone, luckily they had, and Robert walked her out of the woods, and quickly let go of her hands, his face growing as red as a tomato.
Claire did not even notice.
They continued their journey to school in an awkward silence.
Claire could not stop thinking about the strange people, who they were, why they were dressed so unusual, why did they say it was an honor to meet her, and why did they keep on calling her Claire Karkins?