Magic, Mead, and Monsters: Emerald's Song

By Tracey Claverie

13-year-old Melissa never fit in with her peers-little did she know there's a particular reason.

The skateboard-riding, D&D playing young lady lives life on her own terms. But middle school can be cruel to anyone outside the norm. And nerdy and sporty Melissa certainly isn't immune to it. Her talent for being unique earns her ridicule

• Language: English
• Publisher: Guys n Suits Publishing
• Release date: Mar 14, 2023
• ISBN: 9798218164010

Tracey Claverie

Tracey Claverie's love for fiction, particularly science fiction started at a very young age. Like many of us it was seeing Star Wars on the big screen for the first time. He soon saw many different fantastic films and Tv shows that followed. However it wasn't until Tracey came across the Harry Potter series. After reading the books in the series multiple times, It became Tracey's drive to write about fantastic worlds filled with relatable characters and lots of magic.

Book preview

Chapter One

Jazzy sounds drifted into the hallway as the soon-to-be fourteen year old opened her door. She ran across the hallway to the bathroom and locked the door behind her. The girl jumped into the shower and a few minutes later, she was out, struggling to run a brush through her long curly brown hair, hair that up till the start of middle school had been cut short. She never had the time to waste taking care of her hair, always in a hurry to get to some activity and never really bothering. But when she started middle school and the bullying started, she told her mother that she wanted to let it grow out. She thought that letting it grow out would make the bullying stop but she was wrong. It had not made any impact and they only continued the bullying.

At least she had one friend in the midst of it all. The young girl shut her eyes tight as she thought of her best friend in the whole world. He was the only friendly face within those school halls, a face she usually searched for whenever she was roaming down them. He never mocked her like the others and he did not mind that she liked extreme sports, unlike the others.

She let herself smile as she thought of summer vacation that was starting tomorrow. It was the last day of her eighth grade year and she could hardly wait. So much fun! She told Andrew that she would take him to the skate park and show off some of her stunts and he had been super excited. They had also discussed going on a family camp out. The thought of the fun that was ahead of her lightened the anxiety that she was feeling towards heading to school. She always felt tense during the week. She could not help it as she knew what awaited her.

Calm down, she told herself as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, It’s just a few more hours and we’ll be done with eighth grade. You will officially be a freshman in high school. Ninth grade cannot be as bad as seventh and eighth grade, right?

Despite the positive self talk, an image of her being shoved to the floor on the first day of school flashed through her head, causing her to feel more anxious.

Melissa, honey, you are going to be late! her mother’s voice broke through her worries.

Coming, mom. Melissa called back.

She quickly pulled her hair up into a messy bun and hurried out of the bathroom, making a beeline for her room.

She shrugged on a black tee and blue denim jeans, then shoved her feet into hightops. Melissa’s chestnut eyes darted around the room as she scanned for anything she could be forgetting. Though she couldn’t imagine what because she it was the last day of school. Nothing much was going on anyway, they would just get their report cards and of course, well wishes from teachers to have a good summer. What else was there? But she checked anyway out of habit. Nothing jumped out so Melissa grabbed her backpack.

She grabbed her headphones and the novel she was halfway done reading. She was on her way down the stairs when she heard her mother’s call again.

I’m here, mom, Melissa told her as she entered the large kitchen. She kissed her mother’s cheek and sat at the breakfast table.

Melissa’s mother, Evelyn, a slender woman, placed toast, eggs, and juice in front of her. She sat across Melissa, her fork hovering over her own food, watching her daughter eat. Halfway through her meal, Melissa paused. She looked up, meeting her mother’s eyes.

What’s wrong mom? Your food is going to go cold.

Evelyn smiled and took a sip of her coffee. She motioned to Melissa’s plate and said, Nothing honey. Go on and eat. You don’t want to be late on the last day of school, do you?

I wish I didn’t have to go, Melissa said sadly.

Evelyn placed a hand over Melissa’s and answered softly, Oh honey, I’m so sorry you have to go through this. I’m sure next year will be a totally different story.

Melissa shook her head, I’m sorry you got a daughter with so many issues.

What on earth are you talking about Melissa Rivers? Evelyn gasped. She went around the table and held her daughter by her shoulders. Softly, she said, I am so proud of you and I would never ask for any other daughter. I love you just the way you are so don’t you ever doubt that. Do you understand? You are unique, you are special and I love you.

I love you too, mom.

Do you want me to drop you off?

Oh, no need, mom. I’m riding my bike. I’m taking Andrew to the skate park after school.

All right, dear. Now, finish up.

Melissa arrived at school on her bike about a half an hour later. She took deep calming breaths. Get through today and it’s two months of pure fun., she promised herself with a smile.

She sighed as she locked her bike in the bike rack. Mom said she was unique but she did not feel that way. She felt she was some freak, just like the other kids said. Before middle school, life was great for Melissa. She had many friends and was looked at as one of the smartest in the school after winning spelling bees and district science fairs. However, at some point that became taboo. Suddenly, she was a know it all. Kids would tell her she was worthless. At some point she was told her parents didnt want her that she was a mistake.

Melissa never had anything to tell them in return because sometimes she felt that maybe they were right, maybe there was something wrong with her. And then, she thought of her mother who loved her and her best friend Andrew who cared about her. If they felt she was okay just the way she was, surely she did not need to bother about the others, right?

Hey freak, why did you even bother to show up today? But then again, I guess your mother wanted you out of the house to have a break from you. someone asked and it was immediately followed by laughter.

Melissa did not even bother seeing who it was and she hurried into the school building. Her head lowered, Melissa flew across the hallway in search for Andy on her way to homeroom. She could hear the whispers around her, some called her smelly Melly or some just had looks of disgust on there faces. Why couldn’t they just let her be? What was so unusual about being smart and different? The words screamed in Melissa’s head and she was crying on the inside. She pushed open the door of her homeroom and shut it behind her. However it offered little comfort because she turned around to face a class of cold stares.

Melissa swallowed hard and hurried to her usual spot at the back of the class. As she sat down, her eyes flitted around and she saw that Andy was not yet in class.

Pfft, I really hope she isnt going to the same high school as I am. Melissa heard a girl seated beside her say.

The girl’s friend was fast to respond, I don’t think so. I hear she’s going to that new school on the other side of the city. Thank goodness." the other girl replied.

Melissa placed her head on her desk and put on her headphones, putting the music on low so she could hear her teacher enter the class. She was wishing she was home in her bedroom and curled under the covers but life was not giving her such comfort. Melissa heard movement in front of her and she lifted her head, pasting on a smile for her friend.

She walks over tapped Andrew’s shoulder, Hey, Andy. Did something happen? You were late today.

He shrugged and said nothing to her, causing Melissa’s brow to furrow. It reminded her that he had been acting distant and weird since yesterday morning. Rather than go home together with her after school yesterday like they usually did, Andrew had asked her to go ahead, claiming he needed to see a teacher. She had not thought much of it until now. He was still giving her sass.

Is something wrong, Andy? Did something happen at home? Melissa asked in a hushed tone. Her best friend was one in a family of five boys and getting into fights every morning was kind of the order of the day in their house.

No. Can we please not talk now, Melissa? We can talk during lunch? Andrew replied without so much as a glance.

Okay. Melissa said quietly and she leaned back in her seat. She could hear the snickers from the girls and rather than have to see their mocking gazes, she turned towards the window, staring out at the summer day. It was a warm day in Long Beach and she longed to be out there, at the Skate Park and flying on her skateboard.

Melissa blinked as she saw something glittery out in the schoolyard behind a group of shrubs. Her brow furrowed as she tried to figure out what it was. Whatever it was dashed between bushes and all she caught was a bit of glitter once again. The figure sort of looked familiar. She thought. She shook her head. There was no glittery animal she could think of. For all she knew, it was just the trick of the light.

Melissa, would you rather be out there? her teacher’s voice broke through Melissa’s thoughts.

The entire class broke into laughter and Melissa quickly averted her gaze to Mrs. Hani who was standing in front of her.

Her head is in the clouds, Mrs. Hani. She is probably thinking about some star chart or something, one of them said amidst more giggling.

Silence, class! Mrs. Hani commanded and they all shut up, she glared at Melissa for a moment before she headed back to the front of the class. She placed her hand on the pile of graded tests that were on her table and said, Step forward to collect your test when you hear your name.

During lunchtime, Melissa stood at the entrance to the cafeteria, her eyes searching for Andrew. As soon as the bell had rung, he had been out of the class before she could hold him back. Did I do something to him? She wondered as she walked into the cafeteria.

Watch where you are going, idiot! someone shouted as she was pushed to the floor. Her lunch upturned on the floor and Melissa, on her knees, blinked her tears away. She looked up just then and in the crowd, she saw Andrew, just walking in with his lunch. To her shock, he quickly averted her gaze and hurried towards an empty table with a group of boys from another class. Melissa was more concerned with Andrew’s behavior than the state she was in. The Andrew she knew would hurry over to help her out. He would scold the other students, even if they never heeded his words. But today and even yesterday, he had turned his back on her. Surely she had done something to make him mad.

Melissa stood up and ran out of the cafeteria, wishing that she could leave the laughter and taunts behind her. She ran into the first restroom she saw and washed her face and tried to get rid of the food stains on her clothes. Melissa heard approaching footsteps so she quickly slipped into a toilet stall, shutting the door as other students entered the restroom.

I really don’t know where Melissa came from. You know, why can’t she see that she does not belong here?, one of the voices said.

I know, right? another voice responded. I’m glad we don’t have to see her in high school. Seeing that face everyday for four more years would ruin the experience.

Melissa recognized the voices. They belonged to two of her classmates.

Tell me about it! Well, who knows? Now that foolish Andy has finally gotten his senses back and realized that there is no point being friends with that freak, she might just realize that there is no one on her side and she will finally leave town, the first voice said. It was Susan Whitman.

Why do you say that? The voice that belonged to Susan Good asked.

Oh don’t be stupid. Haven’t you noticed that Andy has been avoiding her like the plague? Now she gets on his nerves. Come on, let’s get going. The bell’s about to go off.

As the footsteps receded, a crying Melissa emerged from the stall. She shook her head stubbornly. She refused to agree with them. Andrew was her best friend and he would never be swayed by all the meanness going around. He was angry about something and as soon as they spoke, it would be cleared up. She would not let those silly girls ruin the friendship they shared.

By the time Melissa emerged from the restroom, she had washed her face and was feeling better. Or at least well enough to head to her next class at least. Through the glass in the classroom door, she saw the back of Andrew’s head as he spoke to a few other classmates of theirs. All their backs were to her.

Smiling, she opened the door and stepped in but her steps as well as her smile faltered as she heard the words her best friend was saying.

"Well, what do you expect? Melissa is a complete oddball. You know, I cannot figure out which one she wants to be, cool or an egghead?

I have wondered what you saw in her Andy, one of the other guys said and Andrew shook his head and added,

Well, it’s not like I had any choice. Our families are friends so I had no choice but to tolerate her but it’s been oh so tiring. And you know, she thinks she is all that! I mean, all I hear from her is how good she is on the skateboard. She goes over to the park and does all kinds of stunts and showing off. Do you know that when she goes to the park, they kick her out? She goes there every day dang near to do her tricks and they keep kicking her out.

I am not surprised. Those tough guys are not as lenient as we are over here.

That’s a lie, they don’t kick me out…. The words were at the tip of Melissa’s tongue but she could not utter them as she felt torn apart on the inside.

Melissa blinked back the tears that were threatening to spill. How and why could my best friend do this to me? I thought he cared about me but alas, I was wrong. How can