Wing couldn’t sleep. It was a day before the annual graduation ceremony of fifth-graders in the magic academy, Arenyal, and her family of five were still celebrating spring festival in Nanjing, China. She wasn’t a fifth-grader, but her brother, Antonio was, and mother would be saying about the family’s reputation all year if her brother couldn’t go to the ceremony and get a job in wizardry.

Consequently, Wing had sat on the train back to Arenyal where she had just left for two days. Technically, only her brother needed to go back, but mother insisted the whole family go back to Arenyal. Father didn’t argue. He never argued with mother.

“Mother,” she complained, “it’s not our ceremony. And, since Antonio had finished the ceremony, he can come back and enjoy the spring festival with us.”

“Silence, Wing. Our family need your brother to get a good certificate and get a good job in wizardry. I would expect your brother to be the pillar of our family.”

Wing rolled her eyes. Her brother, who got C’s and D’s and never told the family, would be the pillar of the family? Her mother would rather like a worm to build up a monument.

“The fact is, mother,” Wing continued, “Everyone in the family wants to have a good spring festival. After going to Arenyal and coming back, two days will have passed. That means we’ll only get one day of celebrating! After that, Arrow and me will have to go back to the academy!”

Arrow, Wing’s little sister, began crying. Wing didn’t blame her. Who wouldn’t want to cry if their vacation had been shortened to three days without any reason?

“I wasn’t suggesting, Wing. Besides, we’re already on the train,” Wing’s mother said flatly.

As buildings and landscapes glided past, Wing sighed. She was a third-grader at Arenyal with good grades. Arrow was in elementary, and was about to continue in first grade after spring festival. Only Antonio didn’t have to go to school after the vacation. He would have graduated from Arenyal at that time.

The train stopped in the terminal station as Wing’s family stepped off the train. Wing always admired the designer of the station, since she wanted to be an architect in the future. Piles of books appeared in bookcases beside the hallway, and pens, bags, books all flied on top of Wing as she passed. A big fortune-teller ball sat in the middle of the station. Big numbers in all kinds of colors decorated the balcony. Wing couldn’t think how much enchantments they used on the station.

“Kelly,” Wing’s father put a hand on his wife’s shoulder, “I-we’ve been expecting this holiday for a long time. We can’t just go back.” Wing’s eyes widened. Her father disagreed with mother!

“Any other favor, Daniel. I’m worried about little Tony.”

“Worried about the family’s reputation,” Wing muttered rebelliously. Her mother glared at her.

“Honey, there will be plenty of time after the spring festival. At that time, Wing and Arrow will be gone to the academy, and it’ll only be you, me and Tony,” her mother persuaded.

“All right then, honey. As you wish.” Wing’s father’s shoulder sagged. Obviously he didn’t want to go on vacation with Antonio at all.

Wing focused on the mirror in front of her, ignoring her family full of contradictions. Wing had auburn hair, dark brown eyes and a pale face, which was not hideous for a teenager, but the mirror-Wing was even more beautiful. Wing turned her gaze from the mirror, immersed in the beautiful version of herself.

Wing suddenly remembered something. Of course. She had been so stupid. The mirror must have been enchanted by some love magic from the love magic class two. Class two loved enchanting love magic on objects, not on people. And the class two captain was Rovana Joy, her arch-enemy. Rovana Joy must have enchanted another spell on the mirror, causing it to confuse Wing by a prettier version of herself.

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“Wing?” A sound pulled Wing back to reality, “Pack up your things. We’re going up the castle,” her mother said.

“I know!” Wing said impatiently and grabbed her suitcase, lifting it up using a simple lifting spell, allowing it to fly above her.

As Wing’s family walked into the school grounds, they saw the Raclora river, the school’s guardian river. The Raclora river was beautiful at night. Light glittered on the river surface, and thousands of lights lit up the red castle in front of Wing. She studied the castle as she remembered the first time she saw the castle. When she was eleven, she graduated from Arenyal Elementary and came to Arenyal for studying even more complicated lessons. She was assigned to Spell Class two for studying spells, and now she was in third grade.

“Wing,” her mother called from somewhere near the castle, “walk quicker! It’s already midnight, and tomorrow will be Anty’s graduating ceremony!”

Wing tried to look over the crowd and find her mother; no luck. She tried a locator spell but suddenly remembered no magic was allowed in the school grounds. She could only run towards the castle, splashing water and her suitcase flying above her. The act of choosing the castle was a wise move. The castle was located at the highest point, and standing in it could allow Wing to see every person down the lake.

Wing recognized her mother in a red dress as soon as she approached the castle. She ran towards her mother. Just then, some fireworks exploded on top of the castle.

“Did you see that, mother? The fireworks?” Wing walked beside her mother.

“All I see is that you delayed Antonio’s graduating ceremony,” her mother replied coldly, “the ceremony has started.”

Wing felt a pang of coldness cross her heart. Of course. The fireworks meant that the ceremony has started. Her mother took Antonio’s hand and flied up in the sky. Stupid fifth-graders. They already know how to fly.

“I’ll be escorting Anty to the ceremony first,” mother announced to the family, “you can walk slower.”

Wing rolled her eyes and headed towards the castle. So much for finding her mother. Arrow walked after her. Wing suddenly thought of something. She paled.

“Mother!” She grabbed her mother by the wrist, forcing her down to the ground, “Arrow’s still in elementary!”

“So?” Her mother asks.

“And the Arenyal Elementary wouldn’t be open until four days later!”

“So?” Her mother still didn’t get the point.

“So, that means—”

“It’s time for you to take up the family’s responsibility, Wing,” her mother said coldly.

“Mother, I’m fourteen!” Wing groaned, “you can’t just—”

“By the way, isn’t Arrow going to first grade this year? Just four days, Wing.”

Wing groaned again and marched towards the castle. She was going to put up with her annoying little sister. Just four days.

She trudged on the path to her dormitory, with Arrow following behind her. Opening the door, she saw Emma Crisla, Antonio Sue and Jenn Joy all seated on their beds. Jenn Joy was Rovana Joy’s twin sister and Wing’s best friend. Everyone in the dormitory were her classmates.

“Ah,” Sue grimaced, “some party.”

“You’ve came back, Wing!” Jenn exclaimed, “You’re late!”

Wing smiled. It was the first time she ever felt to be good in school. Sue was annoying and arrogant, but it was good to have a friend. She climbed on top of Jenn’s bunk, resisted her cries, and threw off the dirty laundry piled on her bed, leaving Arrow standing in the doorway.

“Who are you, little kiddo?” Emma asked while combing her hair. Emma was a third-grader who had already received a certificate to continue in Spell class two in fourth grade. We all admired her.

“Fourth graders, please wait in the hall to wait for selecting your class,” a voice sounded in the loudspeaker. Wing shared a look with Jenn, and jumped off the bed, smiling, to wait for the annual ceremony.