TSLOTBK Chapter 2: Jorge, Sam, Emily, and Achmed

That afternoon, Jorge's screaming fans chased him around. The song "Don't Bring Me Down" played in the background.

Later that afternoon, Jorge's nanny Emily sat on his bed and talked with him.

"Jorge, it's almost your 12th birthday, and you'll be a wizard. I'm from a long line of wizards. I haven't-"

"So…you're asking me to be your next heir?"

"You bet, Jorge. Do you know why you were able to run on all fours so quickly?"  

"No, why?"

"It must be the power in you restrained for so long. The day you were born, your mother told me to help you become a wizard when you reached age twelve, just in case she would not be there for your 12th birthday, because she was a wizard, and so am I. But wizards can exercise their powers no younger than the age of twelve, and must start practicing shortly before their twelfth birthday. However, they can use one junior spell shortly before the age of twelve."    

Meanwhile, Sam was moving from California to Seattle, Washington.  Her dad had just gotten a new job.  

"But dad, the sun and beaches are in Cali! Washington is all cold all the time!" she tried to convince her dad.  

"Samantha, we are moving, whether you like it or not!" snapped her dad.  Her parents had to physically restrain her to get her to move, and even that was extremely difficult.   

Sam was lost coming home, then found herself at a rock concert.  

"Excuse me, coming through," she said.  

She starred at the attractive male singer.  

"Who's he?" she asked another girl.
    
"Oh, he's Achmed. He's our juke box hero!" she said.  

Likewise, he was performing "Juke Box Hero."

Samantha was a bit of a tomboy who didn't like to wear skirts, unlike "most" girls her age. (Or at least, that's what her mom insisted.)  She was the only tomboy in her town, but that was okay, because the boys in her town, John, Corey, George, Matt, and Michael were really cool and nice.

Jorge came into school the next day wearing tights with a couple runs under his black shorts and a black shirt with holes in the sleeves, and black leather boots to top it off. He looked somewhat paler, and his hair grew out a bit. He shocked everyone.

"Your parents are going to kill you when they find out you're wearing clothing like that!" said Joey.  

"It's a fashion statement," he remarked back.  

No one will think that young, handsome, talented Jorge Garcia who outran Pablo Sanchez is dressed in rags. He thought. A good way to conceal my identity. He also wore his fur coat over his grungy outfit, because his father would freak out if his son wore that to school.  

Achmed got a detention slip that day for talking with Sam in class.

She and Achmed made good friends from the start, and Sam gave Achmed her email address.

In detention, Tony called Achmed on his phone.   

"So Achmed, ya still in detention, huh?"  

"I regret nothing!" said Achmed in a heavier Pakistani accent than usual.  

Then Achmed got busted for another detention for talking on his phone.  

After that, Tony went to go watch Help! in his room, while Jorge went to his room to clip his nails.    

Meanwhile, Achmed was talking to Sam on the internet.

"Hey Sam. I've been having fun playing rock music on Youtube. Did you know "Stairway to Heaven" was considered inappropriate according to Clear Channel after 9/11 which happened seven years ago today? That is insulting. Among other "inappropriate" tunes include "Travelin' Band" and "Jet Airliner." But I guess them hearing about airplanes after that would make them feel uncomfortable. PS Here's a video of me singing the latter song."

Everyone knew Achmed as the rock music expert.  

Sam clicked on the link and watched Achmed.  

Jorge had a dream that night that he was shrunk with Dmitri's shrink-ray.  

When he woke up, he thought he was getting shorter.  He was 5'7 when he went to sleep, but seemingly 5'4 when he woke up.