Why Should I Be a Magical Girl? I'm Overworked As It Is! — Chapter 20: 'Us' Time

Today, Carmen decided to—for once—look semi-nice. Her brown hair was washed and styled in a half-up, half-down do. She’d taken a pair of scissors and cut off her split ends, ensuring her hair didn’t reach past her shoulders.

She gave herself cute bangs after debating back and forth whether she should or not.

She’d known it was a classic breakdown haircut and indulged in the intrusive thought, justifying it with the excuse that this was some self-administered TLC.

She felt great, even after she’d been standing outside in the sun for five minutes.

She checked the time right as Maya’s car pulled up to the curb. Carmen climbed into the passenger seat.

In typical Maya fashion, an upbeat pop song was playing.

“Hey girl! Oh, you look so good! I squealed when you sent me the pictures. It totally suits you.”

“Thanks, Maya. I really liked how it came out too.”

Before she could buckle in, an annoying, familiar voice in the back said, “Good afternoon, Carmen.”

Carmen turned around with a disgruntled face. Shuli sat upright in a pink backpack with a clear plastic bubble window, wearing her pink bowtie and monocle.

Maya had looped the seatbelt through the backpack’s straps and buckled it in.

“Why is the cat here?”

“Shuli wanted to see you,” Maya said, pulling into traffic.

Carmen narrowed her eyes at the backpack. Shuli was suddenly very interested in the passing cars.

“And why didn’t you tell me she was coming?”

“Because then you wouldn’t have come, silly!”

Carmen groaned, “But this was our ‘us’ time. She’s going to ruin it.”

“I haven’t bothered you for two whole weeks!” Shuli retorted. “Not one visit or word about your destiny. Do you know how much restraint that took? I deserve a medal. Or at least another salmon filet.”

Maya shook her head while turning on her blinker. “No more salmon filets for you. Not today. We talked about this. The veterinarian said you’ve gained too much weight after you ate all of my mom’s treats.”

Carmen dropped her jaw and raised her eyebrows at Maya.

“But that’s not fair! She sent my favorites! What was I supposed to do? Portion it out?” Shuli was aghast and offended at the thought.

“You took her to the vet?” Carmen asked Maya.

“Yeah, she’s been sneezing a lot. We are trying to find out why. The vet said it’s not my plants, and Shuli swears it’s not allergies. She thinks there’s a disturbance nearby, but there haven’t been any sightings of anything.”

Maya aggressively inched her car into the other lane. She made eye contact with the driver in the other car and gave them a smile, a wave, and her signature puppy eyes.

They let her in. Carmen wasn’t surprised.

Maya rolled down her window to stick out a thumbs up.

Shuli interjected, “I’m telling you! That monster that attacked the park is still out there. It’s corrupted with bad energy. Carmen needs to cleanse it!”

Carmen took out some gummy worms she’d stashed in her purse for the movies and offered them to Maya.

“Ooh, my favorite!” Maya grabbed a handful and started eating them.

Maya had come to every shift at Max’s with Shuli stories. None of the stories ever ended with a message for Carmen.

She’d guarded Carmen’s peace.

“Thank you, Maya.”

“I would have let you know if there was anything. Not that it’s your problem,” Maya said. “Oh! Before I forget…” Keeping her attention forward, Maya dug her phone out of the cupholder and handed it over. “Look at my recent pictures. I had to take a picture of Shuli so she can be documented in case she gets lost in the building.”

Carmen entered Maya’s password and swiped to her image gallery. There were already what appeared to be over a hundred photos of Shuli.

“It’s the one where she is on my quilt.”

“I see…” Carmen scrolled through all of the photos until she got to it. Shuli had her chin raised, was wearing her monocle, and was posed like an old painting of a regal duchess.

“You know, she’s never going to get lost.”

“It’s the principle.”

“We took eleven of them for my profile,” Shuli added. “That was my best angle.”

They came to a red traffic light. Carmen handed the phone back.

“How did the inspection go?” Maya asked.

“He was in and out in two minutes. Looked at the couch, looked at me, then said the fee was coming off.” Carmen crossed her arms. “I spent a whole day cleaning for two minutes.”

The light changed to green.

“That’s great, though! Did you at least have time to write?” Maya tried to sound casual.

“I didn’t.”

“Well, maybe next time?”

“Yeah.”

“Write what? Carmen, do you write?” Shuli piped up from the back.

Maya cringed and turned up the volume. “Hey, Shuli, listen to this, it’s my favorite album!”

Carmen didn’t answer.

After some time, Maya finally drove into the mall’s multi-level parking structure.

“My mom FaceTimes me nightly now.” Maya sighed. She leaned out the window to grab a ticket. “Not to talk to me. To talk to Shuli.”

Shuli bragged, “She loves me. See, Carmen, everyone loves me. Maya’s mom says I’m precious.”

Carmen kept her eye out for an open parking space and completely ignored Shuli. “How did she not question you about the monocle?!”

“She asked about it.” Maya winced. “I told her Shuli came from a circus rescue.”

Carmen snorted. “And she believed you? Park over there. A spot is open.” Carmen pointed.

“Nice catch! Well, she sent a cat tree, little sweaters, flowery vests, and a heated bed shaped like a croissant.”

“It’s an excellent croissant. It makes me feel like butter,” Shuli whispered.

Maya parked the car.

There was a rattle from the glove compartment. A thin line of pink light leaked out of the seam. Carmen finally noticed there was glitter on the floor mat, right next to her shoe.

She lifted her foot. “Is that…?”

“The wand.” Maya grinned nervously. “Shuli wouldn’t let me leave it at home.”

“I learned my lesson,” Shuli explained. “I’m never going anywhere without it. Especially when I’m near you.”

The glow intensified.

“It’s been doing that nonstop. It glows all day and leaks glitter everywhere.” Maya glanced at it, frowning. “I think it’s crying.”

“I think it misses you,” Shuli added.

Carmen was wary. “Can’t you just ask it what’s wrong?”

“I can’t understand it. Only its holder can.” Shuli paused. “Which would be you. So, just hold it, Carmen!”

“No.”

Carmen got out of the car. Maya did too. She opened the back door and got the backpack out, putting it on. Grunting at the weight.

“Hey! I’m not that heavy.”

Maya laughed and said, “I’m just teasing. Can you go invisible, Shuli?”

“Humph. Fine.”

Carmen grumbled. “You should have left her at home.”

Maya elbowed her playfully. “Be nice.”

The mall was three stories of open-air walkways. It was expensive-looking, all glass storefronts and palm trees. It was nothing like the shopping square across from Max’s. This place was in a whole different tax bracket.

Here, even the trash cans were fancy and well maintained. Restaurants spilled out onto patios with heaters and string lights. People walked around with bags that cost more than Carmen’s rent. 

She’d been to this mall before, to go to the movies with Maya. Each time, she’d left with nothing but a parking validation and the occasional sweet treat.

On the way to the theater, they passed a little old lady on a bench, tossing seed out of a paper bag. Pigeons crowded around her orthopedic shoes. There was one on her shoulder, wearing a tiny knitted scarf.

It, along with all the other pigeons, turned its head toward Maya’s backpack at the same time.

Shuli hissed, “They’re taunting me.”

“Wow, they really can sense you,” Carmen mumbled.

“What’s going on?” Maya asked.

“Shuli is hissing at the pigeons.”

“Shuli, you be nice too,” Maya warned.

“They started it,” Shuli said, refusing to break the staring contest.

“Shuli isn’t taking responsibility. Ugh, do I have to be your translator?” Carmen bemoaned.

Maya pointed her nose up. “Yes. ’Cause you love me and want me to be informed.”

The old lady smiled at them and threw another handful of seed. The pigeon on her shoulder didn’t take its eyes off of Carmen until they rounded the corner.

Carmen shivered, “That was creepy.”

“What was?”

“The pigeon on her shoulder.”

“What pigeon on her shoulder?”

Carmen gawked at Maya as she blinked innocently, clearly having no idea what Carmen was talking about. “It had a tiny scarf.”

Maya gasped, “No way! I missed it. I want to go back.”

Carmen intercepted Maya, “Nope. Forget I said anything. We aren’t doing that.”

“But… but… tiny scarf!”

Carmen grabbed Maya’s shoulders, turned her around, and pushed, glaring at Shuli, who was nonchalantly licking her paw, biting on her nails to clean them.

Carmen knew that pigeon was suspicious. Maya not seeing it was the biggest freaking giveaway. But she wasn’t going to ask Shuli about it.

No way.