Page 2 of Barbi and the Villain

A wistful sigh escapes me.

Lucky Lady Jocelyn! She gets to have him all to herself. As his love interest from book one, Lady Jocelyn has been by his side through thick and thin. He loves and cherishes her, admiring her strength and fortitude, and he always includes her in his decision-making. Despite being a pretty girl who loves pink, she is also a great fighter, and over the years, she’s managed to achieve the rank of Mage all by herself.

Ah, they make such a good team! Where will I find my own Sir Damien who will see me as his equal and treat me like his queen?

Am I infatuated with a fictional character? Guilty. But real men just aren’t the same. Maybe my standards are too high from years of daydreaming with my nose in a book instead of going out and experiencing the real world. But how can I go from heroic Sir Damien who saves the world and wins the girl, to Chad next door who is only a ‘hero’ in his video games, has seven girls weekly on rotation, and still lives in his mother’s basement?

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with living in your mother’s basement—technically. I still live with my parents, too, although it’s purely because my mom won’t let me move out until I get married. But how could I date someone seriously if the only step further would be marrying him and moving in with him in his mother’s basement?

Nope. I will pass, thank you very much.

Maybe my standards are a little too much. But I stand by them. So what if I am twenty-one and I still haven’t had my first kiss? Lady Jocelyn saved her first kiss for Sir Damien. And if Lady Jocelyn could find her match, then maybe at some point I will be able, too.

The car draws to a stop and I’m wrenched out of my thoughts.

“We’re here, miss,” Mr. Philips announces.

I beam at him. I put on my heels and dig through my small purse for some cash.

“Here,” I say as I hand the banknotes to Mr. Philips.

His eyes widen, and immediately, he shakes his head and waves his hands in denial.

“No, no. Your father pays me already.”

“Come on, Mr. Philips. I know it’s your wife’s birthday soon, so you can get her something nice.”

“You remember?” he asks incredulously.

“Of course. Mrs. Philips is a lovely woman. Please give her my best.”

When he still doesn’t want to receive the money, I leave it behind on the seat.

With a wink, I grab PomPom and head out.

“Thank you, miss. Have fun!” Mr. Philips calls out as he drives off.

Excited about the day ahead, I head to the entrance. Once security clears me, I’m allowed into the convention hall. PomPom is ever so curious as she yaps whenever she sees someone in costume—which is mostly everyone. But like her mama, she’s also drawn to pink.

A good percentage of the people present is costumed in characters from The Five Mages of Akkaya. It’s that popular, and not only for the main characters. There is a slew of secondary characters who get their story arc, all different species, with distinct appearances and abilities. It’s what makes the series so much fun! There is representation for everyone. It’s what attracted me to the series in the first place when I started reading it almost a decade ago. Lady Jocelyn is half Asian, too, which made my prepubescent struggles easier since I had someone to relate to—though admittedly, I was still a handful.

My smile grows as I spot some other renditions of Lady Jocelyn. Though we are all doing the same character, the girls have chosen different types of dresses to represent her, some longer, some shorter, some light pink, some deeper pink.

Ah, the magic of Lady Jocelyn! Anywhere else and I would have been ridiculed for my tastes in clothing. Not here, though. Everyone is so positive and accepting. I wish the rest of the world could learn more from this community.

“Barbi! You’re here!”

I turn when I hear someone calling my name, my lips stretching into a wide smile the moment I see Sarah.

“You look gorgeous,” I gush when I take a better look at her costume. She’s dressed as a mermaid, with a blue tail and a small top that only covers her breasts. Her body looks amazingly toned, which is why there are currently at least three guys checking her out.

“Thank you so much. You too. And PomPom, of course.” She smiles as she attempts to pet PomPom on the head. My cute baby lets out a loud bark and bares her teeth at her.

Sarah’s eyes widen as she takes a step back.

“Just as vicious as ever,” she mutters.

I give her an apologetic smile. PomPom doesn’t like anyone but me—not that I’m complaining.

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