Now that Lillian knew what she was doing, it was simple to figure out where Sarah was, and fortunately that place was in the library for study hall. This made more sense to Lillian. Sitting quietly at a table in the back of the library was much more on-brand for Sarah than using a classmate as a sock puppet. And why get involved with Karyn's conversation with Biff Meadows? Was it jealousy? Sarah had never seemed like the jealous type.
Something didn't add up. Lillian checked again. Maybe Sarah was a red herring, maybe someone else was pulling the strings. No, Sarah was definitely the source of this particular magic. And Karyn definitely didn't have any magic of her own.
In some other world, in some other life, Lillian may have suspected that a particular wishing stone may have become involved. But somehow, that idea did not occur to her now. She would have to talk to Sarah.
With a gentle pop, Lillian blinked out of existence from the grassy area behind the cafeteria, and blinked back into existence behind a bookshelf in the school library. She rounded a corner, and came upon a table where a blonde girl in a pink sweater was sitting, alone, her nose deep in a book.
"Hey Sarah," Lillian said in a hushed tone as she took the seat next to the girl, "can I talk to you for a moment?"
Sarah turned, surprised that anyone would join her here, and in particular not expecting Lillian McMillan. A quick glance downwards confirmed to Sarah that Lillian was wearing the shoes again. Something was in flux, but Sarah couldn't quite figure out what it was. She barely got the word "sure" past her lips when Lillian sat down next to her, a gentle hand on Sarah's shoulder.
"Listen, Sarah," the repetition of the girl's name was intended to make the exchange feel more familiar, "are you... are you angry with Karyn for any reason?"
Sarah was not expecting this particular inquiry. Since leaving Karyn and Biff at the bleachers, she'd retreated back into her new self. Her meek self. Her comfortable self. That moment had just been a lapse, almost a different person. And thinking about it, thinking that someone like Lillian might know what she had done... it embarrassed her more than anything.
"I... what?"
"I know that something happened between you and Karyn last period," Lillian moved her hand from shoulder to back as she leaned closer and lowered her voice, "and I want to help. But I need to know what and why so that I can figure out what I need to do."
Sarah was suddenly intimidated by Lillian's closeness. "Karyn was... Karyn was going to steal my boyfriend."
"And who is your boyfriend?"
Sarah's face turned such a bright shade, it almost matched her sweater. She didn't have a boyfriend, did she? "I don't have one."
Lillian's face softened in concern. Something wasn't right here. Sarah was clearly under the effects of magic as well. Had she lost control of her own magic and done this to herself? Things could get dangerous if that was the case. As a precaution, Lillian would have to sever Sarah's connection to magic, and maybe lower her aggression, at least temporarily.
"Sarah, sweetie," Lillian almost cooed, "I want you to do me a favor. I want you to look at this." Lillian took out her cell phone, put the camera into selfie mode, and propped it up against one of the dividers on the table. It was pointed at Sarah, and so Sarah was looking at her own face. "I want you to look into your own eyes, just concentrate for me."
The girl did so, and Lillian began moving her hand in slow circles across the cotton fabric of the sweater that lay across Sarah's back.
"Don't close your eyes, Sarah. Just look at your own picture. That's your whole world right now, alright?"
Sarah's eyes lost focus as she drank in the digital image of herself. Lillian's hand pressed just a little bit more firmly against Sarah's back as it continued to move.
But as Lillian's magic began to work on Sarah, a particular pair of chestnut-colored suede Ugg boots made a realization. They had been created by Sarah's magic. And Lillian was now erasing Sarah's magic. If Lillian was successful here, the magic in the shoes would be gone. They'd become a normal pair of shoes again.
Lillian whispered again into Sarah's ear, more soothing sounds than actual words. As her hand made another circuit around Sarah's back, there appeared to be more material in the sweater to be moved.
Yes, there wasn't much time left for the shoes. They might have been able to stop Lillian if they wanted, but they found that they agreed with her course of action. But still, there must be some way to help, in these last moments.
The V-neck of Sarah's sweater became a turtleneck. Folds of fabric appeared on her sleeves, and over her torso. The girl almost looked like she was sinking into her sweater, but no. It was growing around her.
Lillian McMillan, the shoes thought to themselves, you have complete ownership over your life now. The articulation of the thought was becoming more necessary as their connection to magic steadily weakened. Any detail that may seem strange or unfamiliar, is yours to master. You are the daughter of Linda and Richard McMillan. You are an expert magic user. You are Karyn Black's girlfriend. You are a social leader, and respected among your peers. And all of this is normal.
Sarah folded her puffy-sleeved arms under her chin, and let her head drop. The folds of the turtleneck doubled over, hiding Sarah's chin, her mouth, and most of her nose. Only her eyes peeked out above the ribbed ridge of pink cotton, and only to lose themselves in the image of eyes poking out from behind pink folds of fabric that reflected before her.
You are strong. You are confident. You are gorgeous. The shoes were fading quickly now. Goodbye, Lillian McMillan. This was it. It was over. The shoes were falling into inanimacy. They had to struggle just to remain conscious, as they formed their last three words: I love you.
"I love you, too." The words escaped Lillian's lips, but she wasn't sure why. Had someone said I love you? She blinked. Then so did Sarah. Both had left their places of concentration. The girl in the baggy pink sweater seemed smaller. She hadn't actually changed in size at all, but between the sweater that now looked too big for her, and the absence of any kind of spiritual aura, she somehow felt, to the outside observer, to be a smaller person than she had recently been.
"Hey, Sarah," Lillian caught the girl's attention. "No more picking fights with people, alright? I just want to make sure everybody's getting along."
"Okay." The sound barely escaped the barrier around Sara's mouth. "I'm sorry I tried to mess with Karyn."
"You're fine," Lillian smiled at the newly-subdued girl as she got up to leave. "Just forget it ever happened."
And so, Sarah Gibson forgot.
