Derrick Grinnell's Story

---

---

{ June 21st | 6:00pm | Teraton, North Carolina }

---

---

The Summer Solstice Festival has been a staple of the Teraton community far before it became set aside for the relocation process of the supernatural community in the area. Once simply referred to as the Summer Fair, it has now come to be called by a more appropriate name. It is most greatly celebrated by the witch community of the somewhat small town, and many run stalls or have special sales for the event. Lights are strung across buildings and trees to create a magical, picturesque atmosphere. The festival is something that most look forward to, and while it is not incredibly large, it is a dear part of the community.

It serves as many things. For the witch community, it is expected that young witches, coming of age, begin to create some product, or develop some skill for a service, which they will demonstrate here. The faerie community is also known to take special joy in the event, especially the summer fae, as a matter of course given that it is a summer holiday. Many people also take it as a romantic event, and the music [different bands or DJs on various corners] as well as the lights help this concept along. It also happens to line up to be just after the schools get out, so clusters of high schoolers, middle schoolers, and elementary schoolers can often be seen in various places.

Attractions of Note
Ferris Wheel [Provided By The City Council]
The Magical Lane [All-magic Corner of Witch's Wares]
Local Bands [The best of which playing on a platform in Town Square]

---

"Five, six, seven, eight" Belinda counted, making the teen girls around her being performing a synchronized dance. She tried to focus on them but try as she might she couldn't stop watching the clock. Her class would end in fifteen minuets allowing her to run home and get dressed for the festival. She bit her lip anxiously. "Ah Miss Belinda" Mariana Royce, a little fairy teen called. Mariana bit her fruit punch colored lips. " Yes Mariana? Mariana looked around before saying "Um can we leave a little early so we can get ready for the festival?". Belinda beamed before happily releasing them from class. She hopped in her car and quickly drove to her own cottage on the beach. She quickly took a shower and washed her hair before running to her closet. she slipped on a cute little outfit consisting of a light coral crop top and high waisted short shorts which she paired with a soft sweated and platfom 6' booties. On most girls that would look overly sexy but with her baby like features Pin up make up and long hair that hung all the way to her butt, she just looked adoable in the hottest way possibe. She also just barely reached 5'6 in her booties. She slipped out her house and grabbed her bicycle. Once she securely placed her booties in the basket hanging on the front she rode to Derricks house.

Belinda finally rode to Derricks house. She paused at the door to text him when she felt it buzz. She smiled when she saw it was a text from Mel. She glanced at the screen before carefully typing a message, which was a little annoying since she had acrylic french manicured nails.




She took her key chain out her purse and pulled out her bedazzled key to her house with a D engaved on the back. She pushed his door open "Hey : Derrick where are you?" She called. She didn't search for him though. She walked into his kitchen, though she knew he probaly had nothing healthy or perishable in there. She ended up justb pouring a glass of water and sitting in his living room. She plugged her white eaphones in her ears as she waited to show. She hoped he was home. She opened up a text again to pass the time.

The whole town felt lifted on air with the buzz of the Summer Solstice. Derrick preferred to stay inside until later in the evening, when the parties were starting up or he was preparing his own. Several bottles stood tall in the refrigerator at the moment, but he would be locking up his house for the night this time around. His whitewashed home was intensely close to the fairgrounds and he suffered a headache each and every year. Good vibes were not Derrick's forte. Alas, though, his phone buzzed along the deep oak wood of his night stand. He regrettably awoke and rolled over to open the message.



He sent the message and covered his face with the blanket again. Five more minutes never hurt anyone. His mind was just beginning to drift off when his phone went off again, this time from Belinda. He read the message and then paused to stretch his long body out along his bed. Mid-stretch, he froze as the text actually sank into his mind. He looked to the side of his queen-sized bed only to find it empty. All of the Redbull and vodka had left last night's memory a hazy blur. Surely he would have remembered bringing someone home though.

Belinda's lovely voice rang through the walls of his rather small home. Through his stretch he hadn't heard the door unlock. "I'm in here," his sleepy voice called. Derrick threw the covers off of his body and slid into a pair of jeans and a black hoodie before walking out of his room, stepping over clothes on his floor along the way.

He didn't bother with walking around the corner, preferring to slip through the walls that separated him from the living room. His ghostly figure snuck up behind Belinda, and he leaned down over the couch to kiss her cheek.
"Why aren't you at the festival yet, babe?"

---

Maya was curling her long dark hair into loose waves for the celebration. Her makeup was natural and inviting and already finished. She donned a flowy yellow sundress with a halter-top neck and her modest body accented in all of the right places. It was such a good day already. Work had her so busy this past month but it paid off; she had two hundred dollars she could spend on whatever she liked tonight. She didn't often have money for events like this and she felt like gold walking.

Rafia's voice startled her, and she was glad the demon wasn't in the room to see her jerk the curling iron away. She sighed and put it away, having finished the last curl anyway.
"I've got my own ride," she shouted. "Don't hit my car on the way out, I had to park close because of that douche next door again." A moment later she heard the front door open and close and she had the home to herself. Her spirit relaxed as it always did when the demon was out of her home. Rafia always had her on edge.

She threw on gold bracelets before slipping on blue pumps, then made for her car outside. She took a deep breath to calm her excitement as she ignited the engine. The purr of the engine was a sound that emanated throughout her heart. She remembered her racing days with nostalgia and wished she could fly down the streets again. Her phone made a ping. She tried not to be irritated as she climbed out of the car and into the house again to retrieve the wallet Rafia had forgotten. Then, she was off to the festival.

The first thing she saw when she was parking was the lit up ferris wheel, standing proud next to the ocean as one of the main attractions. She wished she could teleport when she was standing in line. Lucky demon bitches. Once she was in, she began searching for familiar faces. She didn't see any, so she brought out her phone and sent a text.

Belinda was happily listening to Mariah Carey swoon in her ear when her phone buzzed in her lap. She smirked as the texts came in the first from CJ then Ciaran.


She bit her lip to hold in a big goofy grin. Cj tended to have that effect on her. He was like a male version of herself. He was adorable, flirty, and sweet. The dimples were just the cherry on top.


Ciaran was the opposite situation. The two got along smashingly but he insisted on believing she was just going to ditch him. He seemed interested in her but refused to let her get close to him. Which infuriated her to no end.

Belinda had already made herself comfortable. She draped her sweater over the side of the chair and slipped her booties off. She was locking her phone when she felt a soft kiss on her cheek. She grinned knowing it was Derrick. "Why aren't you at the festival yet babe?" He asked. She shrugged. "Because I wanted a ride there and I knew all the good mojojojo in the air would be killing you. Soooo I came to give you a boost." She turned so she was supported by her knees on the couch and was facing him. "Your welcome" She said with s grin before pulling him closer by his hoodie until their lips touched. Kissing him was natural for her almost by instinct. She pulled back when she felt herself going overboard. She knew she probably released to many pheromones but she really didn't care.
"Now lets go to that festival, your driving" She said easily as if they weren't just making out a few minutes ago. She slipped her sweater back on along with her booties, applied a fresh coat of red lipstick and pushed her big black round glasses onto her hair. "C'mon no time to waste" She said sliding her small hands into his and leading him to his car outside.

---

Once Belinda and Derrick arrived at the Festival she almost ran out the car. She was at the excitement level of a small child. She pulled him along as she searched for their friends.

Belinda spotted Mel first as they walked around. It was hard to miss Mel with her platinum blonde hair and golden skin. She raced up to her and threw her arms around her friends neck. "I've been looking forward to this like forevor! She gushed as she let her friend go.

Belinda smirked at Derricks comment before smiling and saying "Yeah I did not get this hot for nothing. she smirked and twirled a lock of her hair around her finger. "Speaking of which yes, I am aware I am breaking the biggest rule: No heels. But these are super comfy and I am super short." She smiled as Mel "Yes let's have some fun"Mel was definitely the girl for fun. Belinda couldn't wait to see what the platinum blonde had planned next. She grasped Derrick's hand in support. She was always extra attentive to him on occasions like this. She knew he was making a sacrifice to be here for his friends. She focused back on Mel in time to hear her Chris comment. She smirked mischievously "Good for them. Just going to throw this out there... She licked her lips and raised an eyebrow " They both seem like they need a little sexual interactions in their lives" She then felt her phone buzz in her little leather bag. She took it out and smiled as Cj's name popped up. She bit her lip as she responded.



She nodded as Mel suggested that they go to the games "Actually that is perfect since I just tole Cj to meet me there." She tucked a hair behind her ear. "He ows me a teddy bear" She then turned to Derrick and winked "And you owe me a funnel cake. I love festivals"

She tucked her self under Derricks arm and Grabbed Mels hand as they walkes towards the games.

---

Belinda squirmed in delite under Derricks arm as they reached the games. A big dopey bear caught her eye and she, in the most childish nature, exclaimed "Ohmergerd I want it. It's so cute"

Skye quirked an eyebrow as Jae's face transformed from uncomprehending to understanding, her mind quickly putting together Skye's subtle hints. However, the witch didn't react as Skye had expected, instead grabbing her arm and dragging her out of ear shot of the stall worker. "Um, Skye I don't know about you, but in the world that I live in...that's called cheating!" Jae said, her voice a half whisper and half shout. "I'm disappointed in you." She continued further, a rare serious expression crossing her face, "I don't get you. One day you're threatening our friendship because I lied, then the next second you're deceiving people with your illusions, that's not fair at all."

In all honesty it probably wasn't fair, but when had a faerie ever been known as just? In Skye's mind lying, outright lying to someone's face was wrong. There was no grey area for it, if you lied than you were lowered in Skye's mind. But omitting the truth was something that Skye had no trouble with. Simply allowing people to jump to their own conclusions was Skye's favourite game.
"I never lied." Skye began, a playful smile on her face revealing that she wasn't taking Jae's telling off as seriously as she probably should have. "Lying is for people who lack the will to speak the truth. All I do is show people what they want and expect to see." Skye gave Jae a pout of her own and held up her prized toy bear at eye level with the two girls. "It would have been nice for Mr Cuddles to have a friend." Skye said as she created an illusion. This time Skye's magic was focused on the stuffed toy. 'Mr Cuddles', as she had named him, appeared to move of his own accord. The line of his mouth moving down into a sad frown while tears began to fall from his button eyes. Skye blinked, pushing the illusion further and suddenly the sound of Mr Cuddles sniffing broke through the general sounds of the crowd around them. No one watching would be able to see through Skye's illusion to the inanimate toy bear that was actually sitting in her hands. All they would see was the distraught toy bear crying his eyes out and occasionally blowing his nose on his furry paw.

While Mr Cuddles 'cried' Skye's eyes happened to glance up behind Jae and catch sight of a pair of familiar faces just wondering into the games area. Skye knew Jem and CJ from their younger days since all three had grown up in Teraton together, they were always good fun to hang out with. The illusion around Mr Cuddles had reacted to Skye's excitement of seeing her friends. The bear, previously crying buckets, wiped the tears off his fur and broke into a winning smile. Mr Cuddles stood up in Skye's hand, straightened his bow-tie (because all the best toy bears have bow-ties) and began to jump madly up and down on her palm. Since Skye and Jae were standing pretty much in the middle of the area she hoped that one of the boys would see them and come over, if not Skye would ambush them when she could.

Skye broke the illusion and the bear instantly returned to a lifeless slump. At the same time her phone vibrated in her pocket, indicating another text which was most likely from Mel. However a moment later Skye caught sight of the platinum blonde walking with Belinda and Derrick. It seemed everyone was congregating around the games.
"Come on Jae," Skye said, returning her attention to her friend standing in front of her, "You've probably spent enough money on the game to outright buy the bear, I know I did." Skye coaxed, knowing that the amount of money she had spent on her game had probably been worth two of the things, "Last chance..."