Three years later

        It was a warm, breezy morning on Johns Island, Seabrook Island's next-door neighbor, and the high school was awakening. The month was April, and 3rd quarter report cards were coming out today.

Seagulls flew across the sky in flocks over the school. In just thirty minutes, the new day would begin.

In the high school's carpool line, cars dropped their teens off, and parents who drove the vehicles wished their kids luck on presentations, tests, and quizzes.

Behind a flight of stairs at the school's front was a patio. On that patio, Makenna Delling, now fourteen years old, hid behind a tree with her best friend, Jessica Hughes. Together, they spied on Peter Nelson, the hottest guy in the entire school. He was a buff, muscular seventeen-year-old with long brown hair, eyebrows, and deep brown eyes. He wore a gray t-shirt tucked into blue jeans, a long, pink, open-buttoned shirt over the t-shirt, brown shoes, and a dark gray hat.

Jessica, Makenna's best friend from school and ballet lessons, was a tall, pretty girl with long blonde hair and blue eyes. She wore a red, sleeveless top, blue leggings with star designs, and brown danskos. She wore a silver bracelet over her left wrist and a red, one-strapped backpack over her neck. She stared at Peter Nelson, who stood alone and scrolled on his iPhone, and glanced at Makenna.

Makenna had grown into a beautiful girl with a fairy-like appearance. She wore a blue and white striped top, denim pants, over-the-knee blue socks, and small heels. She also still wore the mysterious necklace with the blue horse-head pendant. Her hair was held in a high ponytail, and she wore dark blue dolphin studs in her ears. She, too, stared at Peter Nelson and waved her hand close to her cheek. "Oh my gosh, just stare at Peter, Jessica."

"I am, Makenna," she said. She reached for his heart and chuckled. "No matter what action he takes, he's always gorgeous."

"He's never going to lose his cool," Makenna said. She sighed flirtingly, and Jessica nodded.

"I'm surprised that he's not a lifeguard. Imagine, Makenna, you're drowning in the pool, and suddenly, those biceps are around you."

Makenna got an image in her head of her drowning and could almost feel Peter's arms around her. Sighing dreamily, she said, "I'm going to get my backpack." Her blue backpack was propped against a bench. Makenna headed toward it but became too focused on Peter. Therefore, she tripped and yelped as she went toppling to the ground and landed on her front.

Peter Nelson saw that and said, "Oh no!" Quickly, he stuck his phone into his backpack's pocket, which was on another bench, and hurried toward Makenna.

Jessica rushed to her friend and grabbed her arm, helping her sit. "Are you okay, Makenna?"

Before Makenna could open her mouth and speak, Peter stopped at her and kneeled, saying, "Hey, I saw you fall. Are you all right?"

At the sight of Peter, Jessica jumped in excitement and stepped back.

Makenna squealed and, in a squeaky voice, said, "Hi."

Peter smiled and rested his hand on his knee. "My name's Peter. What about you? What's your name?"

"Makenna," she squeaked quickly. "Makenna Delling."

"Makenna," he said, rocking his head up and down. "That's a pretty name. Here, let me help you up." He stood and offered his hand to Makenna, who took it and tried to stay calm. Peter pulled her up.

Once on her feet, Makenna thanked him.

Jessica approached her and nudged her shoulder, whispering, "Oh my gosh."

Peter asked, "Are you sure you're all right, Makenna?"

She gestured yes with her head. Still blushing, she picked up her necklace pendant and walked to her backpack. Grabbing its strap, she slung the pack over her shoulder and saw that Peter and Jessica had followed her. Now, all three teens stood in a circle.

Makenna soon reached into her backpack's pocket and pulled out her iPhone. She turned it on and checked the time. "Let's see, school starts in fifteen minutes."

"Fifteen minutes?" Jessica asked. She crossed her arms. "Well, what do you suppose we do?"

"Hmm," Peter said. He closed his eyes and reached for his chin.

Makenna and Jessica glanced at him.

After a bit, Peter tapped his chin and said, "Well, if you want, we could always vandalize Dr. Medford's car. Aye?"

Makenna stared at Peter. She pointed at him and said, "I sure hope you're joking, Peter. That's not cool, dude. He would expel us. Not to mention, we'd go to jail, and hoo-hoo!" She shivered. "I do not want to go to jail."

Peter chuckled and said, "Oh, relax, Makenna; you think I would do that? This is Peter Nelson you're talking to. At least Dr. Medford isn't as insane as my father."

"It's all right, Peter," Jessica said. She placed her hand on Peter's shoulder and patted it reassuringly. "Don't worry about it. All kids' parents are insane. Right, Makenna?"

She glanced at Makenna, who tapped her chin. "Define 'insane'. You think your father is crazy?" She shook her head. "My little brother is much worse."

"Oh really?" Peter asked. He lifted his eyebrows. "How so?"

Jessica turned to him and said, "Why don't you ask the fairies that live next door?"

"Ugh," Makenna said. She reached for her forehead. "It's gonna be a long day." Makenna headed toward her school's front steps. Did Jessica seriously have to mention f-a-i-r-i-e-s? Makenna had gone a full hour not thinking about fairy nonsense and that weird things had happened to her since age thirteen.

Jessica and Peter noticed she was walking away, and Jessica lifted her hand, saying, "Hey! Wait for us, Makenna!" She and Peter joined Makenna. Together, they stepped up the school's stairs and soon trekked down a concrete path with grass on either side.

As they walked, Makenna, who was still not trying to squeal, glanced at Peter and said, "Hey, Peter, this afternoon after school, Jessica and I have a dance lesson, so if you want to come and watch by any chance, we'd be honored."

"A dance lesson?" Peter asked. He glanced at her and then at Jessica. "Wait a minute. You both dance?"

Jessica nodded. "Yeah, Pete. We dance ballet, and I admit, Makenna is one of the best ballerinas ever."

"Oh, shush, Jessica," Makenna conceitedly said, though she agreed with her.

Jessica added, "Did you know she's also a professional surfer?"

"Whoa!" Peter said. He glimpsed at talented Makenna. "Really, Makenna?"

"Yeah," Makenna said, peering back at him. "I try not to brag."

"And also," Jessica said, chuckling, "she's never had one cavity."

"Well," said Makenna as she continued to walk, "I've had plague build-up and tarter but never a—" She stopped suddenly. "Ugh." Makenna placed her hands on the sides of her cheeks.

"What is it?" asked Peter. He and Jessica also stopped.

Makenna focused on a final flight of stairs and said with clenched teeth, "It's him."

"Who?" Peter asked.

He also looked forward and heard Jessica also saying, "Ugh."

She and Makenna were looking at a gang of freshmen. In the gang, staring at them with arms crossed and a wicked smile, was a tall, auburn-haired boy. He had green eyes and did not look friendly. He was dressed in a gray tank top, and over the tank top, he wore a brown leather jacket. He also wore blue jeans, a black belt, and brown shoes. Embedded in his hair was a pair of sunglasses. He winked at Makenna and approached her, with his gang following behind.

Nervous, Makenna stepped back, and Peter asked, "Who is that?"

"Jimmy Carter," she said. "He's nothing but a royal pain in the patootie, and he's in bad need of a makeover."

Jimmy continued to approach her, and Makenna gulped. On the first day of Ninth Grade, Caleb couldn't keep his trap shut and told Jimmy that Makenna was a fairy. Since then, Jimmy had been teasing her about the topic. Aside from "freak", he called her "Fairy Girl".

From where she stood, Jessica scoffed and approached Makenna's side.

Jimmy soon stopped before them. At the sight of Peter standing at Makenna's other side, he said, "Whoa," and lowered his sunglasses. "Hey, gang, check it out. Peter Nelson has decided to join forces with Fairy Girl. Peter, I didn't even realize how pathetic you are."

That statement confused and flustered Peter, but he kept his cool and didn't speak.

Jessica glared at Jimmy. "Shut up, Jimmy."

"Whoo hoo hoo," Jimmy said. "Gang, we have an angry chick over here."

His gang chuckled.

Jimmy approached Jessica and pushed Makenna aside. "Good morning, Jessica."

Jessica crossed her arms and continued to glare. "Why don't you pick on someone your size, Jimmy?"

"Oh," Jimmy said, "like you?" He cracked his shoulders and took Jessica's chin with his index finger. "I don't have a girlfriend, and a girl like you would lift my spirits."

Peter clenched his teeth, and Jessica shivered.

She glared and smacked Jimmy's hand away. "Don't you touch me!"

"Hands off, Jimmy!" Makenna said. She stepped before her friend to defend her. "No one touches my best friend!"

"Aww," Jimmy said, placing his hands on his hips. "Isn't that just so cute? Her mommy's here to protect her."

Before he could touch Makenna, Peter came in and shoved Jimmy's chest, knocking him backward. "Scram. We don't need any troublemakers like you here."

"He's right," Makenna angrily said. "You better leave us alone, Jimmy, or you'll face the consequences!"

Jimmy laughed and placed his hand on his lips. "Or you'll do what, Fairy Girl? Will you swat me with your wings or sprinkle some Pixie Dust on me? Is your companion Tinkerbell?"

That did it! Fire burned in Makenna's eyes, and she clenched her fists. "Shut up!" Her fists suddenly glowed up blue.

Noticing them, Jimmy asked, "Huh?"

Makenna, who growled, lifted her fists and opened them. A flock of doves flew out of her hands and crashed into Jimmy's face.

He yelled and tried to pull them off.

Peter and Jessica started to laugh.

Fitz, one of Jimmy's gang members, yelled, "Jimmy, are you all right?"

The doves repeatedly pecked Jimmy, and he answered, "Of course I'm not okay!" He ripped them off, and the doves took off in flight, disappearing in the sky.

Jimmy didn't waste any time. He turned on his heel. With dove feathers in his hair, he and his gang took off and left Makenna, Peter, and Jessica behind.

Makenna was the only one not laughing. Instead, she examined her hands, which were no longer glowing, and tried to figure out how on earth she did that.

When Jessica finally managed to catch her breath, she glanced at her friend and said, "Thank you, Makenna! I probably would've been pulled into Jimmy's gang if it wasn't for you!"

"How did you do that?" Peter asked once he managed to control his breathing.

Makenna didn't know, but she went ahead and said, "Magic trick. It's a trick I've been working on for a long time."

"Wow," said Peter. He peered into Makenna's eyes and took her shoulders. "Not only are you a professional dancer and surfer, but you're also a professional magician! I envy you, Makenna! You're amazing!"

Makenna blushed and reached for her cheek, but suddenly, her necklace pendant turned red as if it were angry, and a blast wave shoved Peter off her.

He flew back and yelled.

Makenna and Jessica gasped. Horrified, they placed their hands to their mouths and shouted, "PETER!" at the tops of their lungs.

Peter landed in the school courtyard's grass and yelled again as his back hit the ground, causing him to bounce. He fell on his spine and groaned.

Students entering and leaving the school who saw the action stopped, and their heads turned toward Makenna and Jessica. A few others turned toward Peter.

Makenna's necklace pendant stopped glowing.

Terrified, she stepped back and said, "Oh no!" at the sight of Peter injured in the courtyard. What did she do? She just physically hurt the hottest guy in the entire school! There was something very unusual about her necklace pendant.

Peter sat in the courtyard and opened his eyes, grabbing his elbow. He started to massage it and said, amazed, "Whoa!"

Makenna covered her necklace pendant with shaking hands and frightenedly shook her head. Did she break Peter's arm? She didn't want to hurt anybody else.

Even Jessica, her best friend, was mad. "Makenna, what have you done?" She saw that she was terrified and started to approach her, but Makenna took one hand off her necklace pendant and held it out.

"No, Jessica, stop! I don't want to hurt you, too! Just excuse me." She whirled around and sprinted toward the school's front office.

Behind, Peter called to her, "Makenna!" but Makenna didn't stop.

She rushed into her school's building. The second she entered it, she almost crashed into another teenager, but she managed to avoid him at the last second. Apologizing for being in a rush, Makenna hurried past him and soon came upon the Ninth Grade hallway that had lockers on either side of her. Her locker was at the end of the hallway.

Makenna rushed to it, and her shaking hands quickly turned the lock. Oh, how much she wanted to turn invisible and not be noticed by anyone.

Once she unlocked the locker, she threw it open, and immediately, books flew out and landed at her feet. Makenna's locker was a mess. It was filled with notebooks, pens, and papers.

Makenna bent down and started to pick up her books.

As she was doing so, teenagers walked past her and grumbled, "Freak."

Makenna wasn't offended. She knew she was a freak. She didn't even realize how much magic was concealed deep in her soul and her necklace pendant.

Soon, Jessica and Peter, who had followed Makenna to the Ninth Grade hallway, stopped behind her and said, "Makenna!" simultaneously.

Makenna gasped.

Peter kneeled and started to help her pick up her books.

Makenna shooed them away. "Guys, stand back! Especially you, Jessica!"

Peter chuckled and stood, hugging her books close to his chest. "Don't worry, Makenna, I'm all right. I think you just left a bruise on my elbow. Here, Jessica." He handed the books to Jessica and took Makenna's hand, picking her up from the floor.

They stared into each other's eyes, and Makenna sighed dreamily, Jessica as well. Peter was so hot.

After a bit, his eyes left Makenna and rolled over to her left ear instead. "Huh?" he asked, blinking. "Makenna, what's up with your ear?"

"Huh?" Makenna asked. "My ear? Is it too small for you to handle?" She knew she had small ears.

Jessica also glanced at her ear and gasped. "No, Makenna! Your ear! It's pointy like an elf's ear!"

"Pointy?" Makenna shockingly asked. "What are you talking about, Jessica? That's crazy!" She lifted her hand and reached for the tip of her left ear. She felt the tip and gasped. Makenna didn't feel roundness! Instead, she felt a point! Oh no.

Makenna lowered her hand, and fear overtook her body. She turned blue and jerked her head in Jessica's direction, demanding, "Jessica, let me see your mirror!"

Jessica nodded. She reached into her one-strapped backpack, pulled out a small handheld mirror, and offered it to her friend.

Makenna thanked her and snatched the mirror. She peered into it and screamed, "Eee!" Peter and Jessica were right. Her left ear was pointy like an elf's ear.

Yelling again, Makenna glanced at her other ear, but it was the strangest thing. Her other ear, unlike her left ear, wasn't pointy. Makenna had one round ear and one pointy ear. "What's happening to me?" she shouted, burying her face in her hands. "I look like Ozzy Osbourne! I'm a freak!"

"Easy!" Peter ordered. "Calm down, Makenna. I'm sure this is perfectly normal."

"Normal?" Makenna shouted. She pointed at her ear. "Does this look normal?" The bell rang for homeroom. Ignoring it, Makenna babbled on. "You don't understand, Peter! Ever since I turned thirteen, weird things have been happening to me! This does not look like typical puberty to me!"

"Easy, Makenna," Jessica said. She handed over her books and took her shoulder, leading her toward their homeroom classroom. "You'll feel better when we go to Gym after Algebra. We also have a dance lesson this afternoon, and I know how much you love to dance."

Makenna nodded. Jessica was right. She had to stop being a wimp.

As she was dragged away, she waved goodbye to chunky Peter and said, "See you later, Peter. Can you do me a favor and close my locker? Please?"

Peter nodded and waited until she and Jessica disappeared around the corner. Then he turned to Makenna's locker and closed it. Afterward, he turned on his heel and headed toward his own class.