Short Story - Fairy Eyes

Arthur wanted nothing more than to get his english homework done. And really, he didn’t think that was too much to ask.

The fairy sitting in the middle of his binder would disagree.

“Move!” he hissed through his teeth, hoping none of the other students working in the library would hear him. “I’m serious! Can’t you go bug someone else?”
“That’s the point!” she said, pouting and crossing her arms. “Were you listening to anything I just said?”
Arthur was about to argue that he would have, had he not been preoccupied with his homework, when a hand slammed down on top of his papers. The fairy would have been squashed if she hadn’t fluttered up at just the right moment.

“Aww, Artie,” crooned a voice. “You aren’t so lonely you talk to yourself now, are you?

“Shut up, Clay,” Arthur snapped. “I’m just trying to get my homework done.” 

“And are your imaginary friends being particularly helpful with that today?” Clay sneered, still speaking with a disgusting baby voice.

Arthur had to resist the urges to stab his pencil into the hand that still rested on his work. The fairy, however, seemed to have no such qualms, and tugged sharply on a hangnail that protruded from Clay’s middle finger.

Clay jerked his hand back, scowling and confused. 

“Later, freak,” he spat, and retreated to another corner of the library.

Arthur sighed and began gathering his books, his concentration for homework ruined.

The fairy pulled on his sleeve as he attempted to pack up his bag. “C’mon,” she cried. “You have to listen!”

“No,” replied Arthur simply. He was used to these kinds of shenanigans, and he knew from experience that following a fairy somewhere would usually get him locked in a closet or pushed into a pool.

“Mulberry!” another fairy flew up to the first, appearing to be in a similar frazzled state. “Did you hear?”

“I saw!” replied Mulberry. “With my own two eyes!”

Arthur decided to use the distraction to sneak away form the two fairies, ducking out of the library. Unfortunately, he wasn't fast enough and they zoomed out the door with him just before it closed.

“Did you tell him?” asked Mint, continuing on the conversation as if Arthur wasn’t there.

“He’s not listening to me,” replied Mulberry sadly.

“Well, I guess we’ll just have to show him!” Mint swooped down and pulled one of the notebooks off of the top of Arthur’s pile. Mulberry grabbed the other corner, and they both flew off with it down the hallway at a surprisingly rapid speed. 

“Wait!” yelled Arthur. “I need that!”

He ran down the hallway after them, hoping no one would notice him chasing what they would think was a floating notebook down the hall. The fairies banked suddenly around a corner, disappearing from Arthur’s sight. Arthur put on a burst of speed, knowing all too well his notebook could end up in one of the school’s toilets.

As he turned the corner, Arthur ran headlong into another student. They both fell backwards, books spilling all over the floor.

“So sorry, “ Arthur muttered as he tried to get his books back in order. “Wasn’t looking.”

“Hey, man, me either,” the other student said. “No worries.”

They both straightened up, checking to make sure they had the correct books. The fairies that had stolen Arthur’s book had been joined by three more, and they were fluttered around the boys’ heads like gnats.

If Arthur wasn’t watching closely enough he would have sworn he was mistaken, but for just a second the other student’s eyes left his, and focused onto one of the many fairies. Then, in one smooth motion that could have been a casual wave, he plucked one of the fairies out of the air and stuffed her into an open pocket in the side of his bag.

“No harm, no foul, then?” he asked, somehow missing the baffled expression on Arthur’s face. “See you around, dude.” 

The student turned and walked back down the hall, two of the fairies following him and attempting to free their trapped comrade.

“Wait!” yelled Arthur.