“Oh Elizabeth, I absolutely love them! They’re perfect!”
Visions of the dress and the shoes and Logan all dressed up danced through my head and I became dizzy with the promise of it all. I grabbed the dress up and whirled around the room thinking of Logan and me dancing. My sister laughed at my silliness and tried to bring me back down to earth.
“Serena, I do have some conditions.” She tried to sound stern. But I could tell it pleased her I liked her choices for me. She clapped her hands loudly to get my attention. The sound of her bracelets clanging together drew me away from my new dress and shoes.
“Like I said, I want you to bring him over to the house. I want to meet him before the dance, Serena. I’m serious about that.
And you need to tell him about us.”
I stopped whirling about the room and came to a dead stop in front of her.
“What?” This constituted just the opposite of what I expected her to say.
“You heard me. Tell him you’re a twitch.” She stared at me, hard. “Wait a minute. Have I missed something? Have you told him already?”
I gulped and pretended to fix the strap on my new shoe.
“Well, not told him exactly. But he may have seen something.”
“Like what?”
“I think he possibly caught me pushing.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes at me.
“Great, Serena. And if I told you to show your powers, would you have done the exact opposite?”
“It’s not like I did it on purpose!” I went on the defensive.
“This huge crowd of kids could have crushed me and I just got impatient. I just moved them is all.” I would NOT sound apologetic. They were in MY way.
My sister smacked her hand on her forehead.
“Oh, my spells, Serena.” She enunciated every word. “Did you steam-‐‑roll a bunch of innocent kids in front of him?”
“Not like that!” I replied, indignant. “I’m just saying that maybe Logan already knows something is a little off the mark”
“Well, you make sure he knows everything he needs to know. I don’t want him to get too freaked out. You know, we aren’t exactly your average family.”
“I know, I know.” How I knew. I just hoped Logan knew what he was getting himself into. Just the mention of Logan made me smile again. Elizabeth snapped me out of that quick enough.
“Hey, Lovestruck. Take your dress and shoes upstairs. I need to conjure something up for dinner.” My sister laughed at her own joke. I didn’t. I had heard it like a bazillion times.
****
I went upstairs to my room with the beautiful new dress and the new shoes from my sister. No question, I would wear this dress.
I didn’t even have to try it on to know it would fit like a glove. My sister knew my shape and measurements to the centimeter. No doubt it would be perfect. I held it up in front of me at a long mirror in the corner of the room, admiring the color, the length, the style, everything. As usual, Elizabeth had gotten it right. I admired the shoes and realized they were just as perfect. I knew she would come up with the best jewelry and hairstyle as well.
I recognized the sound of a car outside and sprinted to the window. Logan was just parking his car in the driveway across the street. He must be arriving home from baseball practice. Sure enough, he emerged from the driver’s side a second later. To my great joy, he gazed over at my house with longing. I stepped a little back behind the curtains so he wouldn’t catch me. He stood there a minute or two, as if debating whether or not to come knock on our door. He must have decided not to, because he reached into the back seat for his baseball gear and, opening the bag, began rummaging around in it. I found myself comforted by the fact that he’d come home and I knew where he was. I didn’t have any claim at all to him, but, lately, I found that I was happier when I knew he was safe. Safe from what, I didn’t know. But something told me I wasn’t far from finding out.
Chapter Six
LOGAN
I got out of the car and looked over at Serena’s house.
Everything looked normal, but as I was beginning to learn, things were not normal at all. First there was the business about the ring. I still hadn’t told my mom about it and I couldn’t even think of a way to bring it up. She might start the waterworks all over again and things had been good for a while now. I didn’t want her to get back in the bad place about Dad. I decided I wouldn’t say anything about it yet.
That decided, I reached in to the back seat to get my duffle bag. Suddenly, Serena stood right beside the car. I jerked my head up and almost smashed it on the headliner.
“Shoot, Serena, you’re going to give me a heart attack if you keep doing that!” I stood there, rubbing my noggin and wondering how she had done it again.
“Oh, Logan. I’m so sorry. I guess the excitement got the better of me. I couldn’t wait to tell you. Are you alright?”
She was so sincere and so apologetic I just couldn’t stay mad at her, even for a minute.
“I’m fine. I have a pretty hard head, anyway. What are you all fired up about?”
Serena helped me stuff my bats into my bag and zip it closed. “Well, my sister said I could go to the dance. That’s the first thing. The second thing is, she wants to meet you. You know, formally, so we would like you to come to the house tomorrow night for dinner. Can you come?”
“Yeah, no problem. What time?”
“Elizabeth says eight o’clock.
“I’ll be there.” I hoisted the bag over my shoulder.
“Okay, great.” She flashed me a brilliant smile. “It’ll be fine, Logan. Don’t be nervous. I promise you won’t forget it.” She danced back across the street.
“Okay. Bye.” She disappeared into her house and left me standing in my driveway, still smelling the perfume of her hair.
Okay, dinner at her house. Now this would be interesting. I went inside to tell my mom.
****
The next night at the appointed time, just a few minutes before eight o’clock, I stood on Serena’s front porch. The night, clear and beautiful, had a million stars in the sky. I had taken care with dressing because I wanted to make a good first impression.
On whom, I didn’t know. I didn’t even know if a mother or father existed. My mom told me a guest should never show up to a home empty-‐‑handed, so I had a bunch of flowers for Serena and another bunch for her sisters. I took a deep breath and rang the bell.
The door opened and Serena’s older sister Elizabeth stood in the foyer. She had on some kind of caftan thing in a deep purple color and lots of necklaces around her neck.
“Hello,” she said. Her voice had tones richer than I expected, but the same kind of wind chimes I got when Serena spoke, just deeper. “You must be Logan. I’ve heard so much about you. Please come in.” She opened the door wider and gestured with one arm for me to step inside.
I stepped into the hallway and she closed the front door.
“Come on in this way. We’re all in the den.” I followed her and she half-‐‑turned as she walked. “I’m Elizabeth, Serena’s older sister. We’re so pleased you could come tonight.” She continued walking down the hallway. I followed until it opened up into a big family room with impossibly high ceilings. I noticed a trio of overstuffed couches with a ton of brightly colored throw pillows encircling a fire pit. The aroma of foods I’d never smelled before filled the air and made my mouth water. Then I spotted Serena. She stood in the doorway, wearing another of those beautiful flowing dresses, hers in a brilliant turquoise. She looked like a jewel, and I held my breath as she closed the distance between us.
“Logan! I’m so happy you’re here.” Her eyes were shining and her cheeks were flushed.” She hugged me and I hugged her back. I gave her the smaller bunch of flowers and watched her eyes light up.
“Oh Logan, they’re absolutely beautiful. I need to get them in water.” She bent down picked up a small crystal vase from a table next to the door. Had it been there al
l along? I hadn’t noticed.
But it fit the flowers perfectly. I handed the larger bunch to Elizabeth and they found another vase for those as well.
“Hi Logan!” I spun around as Serena’s little sister Tabitha floated into the room. Her feet were about six inches off the floor as she glided through the air, coming to land right in front of me. I glanced over at Serena for confirmation of this. She looked at me, then at her sister Elizabeth, who just nodded, then back at me.
“Logan, I think you’d better sit down.”
****
It felt like forever since Tabitha had levitated. All I can say is it’s a darn good thing I stood so close to one of those overstuffed couches. Because when Elizabeth said sit down, that’s what I did, hard. I just fell onto the sofa behind me.
“Logan”, Elizabeth began, but Serena interrupted her.
“No, Elizabeth, I should do this. I think I owe him the explanation.”
Pointing at Tabitha, I found my ability to speak. “Well somebody better tell me what is going on. Because that is NOT
POSSIBLE.” I pointed at Tabitha. My voice rose and broke and I figured I better try and dial it down a little. “Somebody please explain.” Okay, that sounded more in control.
Serena sank onto the sofa beside me.
“This is the reason Elizabeth wanted you to come to dinner.
She thought it might be time to tell you about me, about us. So, we-‐‑
I-‐‑we’re-‐‑well, we’re a little different.”
“I’ll say.”
She ignored me and went on.
“We have certain powers that make us different from others.
We’re not witches.” I jerked my head up sharply at that, doubtful.
“Not exactly, anyway. Because I am still a teenager, technically I’m a ‘twitch’. I don’t become a full-‐‑fledged witch until the Council approves me. There are a lot of tests I have to pass before that happens. I won’t get into them here. Suffice it to say that I am not at that point yet.” She examined her hands.
I gestured at Elizabeth.
“Is she a-‐‑ a-‐‑“ I almost couldn’t say the word, “A witch?”
“Yes.”
“And Tabitha?”
Serena and Tabitha both laughed.
“Not hardly! She’s still learning.”
I leaned back into the couch cushions. This was a lot to take in. I realized Serena was watching me to see if this changed anything. Just as quick, I realized that for me, it didn’t. I still felt the same about her and quite possibly was starting to feel something even stronger. At least now I understood what was so different about her, why she had seemed so special to me. I grabbed Serena’s hand. I wanted to let her know, as overwhelming as this seemed, I wasn’t scared off.
“Wow, Serena,” I said with a sigh. “This is a lot to take in all at once. Give me a minute.” Serena hovered nearby, anxiety etching her beautiful features. I hated seeing it. I shifted to face her.
“Serena,” I ran my hands through my hair, “You have to understand, this may be a normal thing for you. But for me, I’m a little freaked.” Serena still looked worried, so I tried a lame joke.
“You’re just lucky I’m a mellow guy. Anyone else would be half out of their skin by now.” Everything she had just shown and told me lost its importance when she gave me one of her dazzling smiles. And in spite of all that had just been revealed to me, I was starting to feel comfortable there. I gazed back at her and tried to tell her with my eyes that I only wanted to be right in that place, with her. One glance at her face, and I knew she understood.
Tabitha had drifted over to her sister Elizabeth and they were both watching me and Serena. Were they waiting to see what I was going to do? I guess when they realized the drama portion of the evening had ended, it became time for the food. As if on cue, they both got up and left the room and returned with heaping platters, piled high with breads and cheeses and put them on a table. This must have been the tantalizing aromas I smelled earlier.
Serena got up and helped them serve.
“Is there anything I can help you guys do?” I asked.
“No, thank you, Logan. We have it.” Elizabeth left the room again and soon returned with more platters of appetizers. The table in the center of the room was quickly filled with delicious smelling hors d'ʹoeuvres.
“Please, help yourself.” said Elizabeth, “Let’s eat and get comfortable. I’m sure you must have more questions for us. I promised Serena that I would try and be honest with you. She trusts you. Since she does, I will as well.” As she said that, she deftly filled a plate with food, and then folded herself into a sitting position onto one of the couches. Tabitha did the same while Serena poured us all something to drink. Then Serena worked on plates for the two of us. When we all had something to eat and drink, she waved her hand toward a credenza against the back wall and suddenly music from a current band I like began to play soft in the background. I questioned her, but she only shrugged her shoulders as if to say, Get used to it. Serena sort of waved her hand again over the table holding the food and drink and all the candles of various heights lit up by themselves while the room lights simultaneously dimmed. At once the mood in the room changed and it became an intimate grotto, with the music, and food and great lighting. All of a sudden it was the greatest place to be. Serena came around the side of the sofas and sank down next to me with the two plates of food. She sat down close and set the plates down side by side. Our legs nearly touched and the air felt electric.
Serena put her hand on my arm.
“So, tell me what you want to know. I’m sure you have questions.” And I did. I had dozens of questions. Funny thing though, I couldn’t think of any of them with her sitting so close to me like that.
“Serena, let Logan eat. I’m sure he’ll ask what he wants when he finishes eating.” Tabitha saved me. I gave her a silent nod, but she gave me away with a giggle.
For a while we all busied ourselves eating. The food was insane. So many different flavors and taste combinations I had never had before! I caught Elizabeth looking at me with a pleased expression on her face, so I probably ate my fair share. Afterwards, not wanting to move from our places, we just pushed our plates aside. Tabitha left to go to her own room, and I sensed that Elizabeth had deemed this portion of the visit too “adult” for her youngest sister and her leaving constituted a pre-‐‑arrangement.
Elizabeth positioned herself on a sofa facing me, and Serena still sat next to me.
“Logan, I know you have seen a few things that Serena is…”
she seemed to search for an appropriate word “…capable of. As a twitch, she does have the powers she has shown you, as well as the ones you have seen tonight. What you don’t know is that she has several more powers, quite a few in fact, that you have not seen.
You’ve seen Serena is quite special. And not just to you and me.”
I blushed a little when she said that. I thought I’d been cool about how I felt about her sister. Clearly, I hadn’t fooled anyone. I sneaked a peek at Serena. Had she caught this too? But her eyes were cast downward, embarrassed, I realized, to be the topic of conversation. So much to learn about this girl I was falling for.
“It’s no accident we are here, Logan. In this town especially.
The Council were specific when they suggested we come to Lancaster.” She faltered here, and appeared hesitant to go on. “I suppose now would be as good a time as any to tell you about the Council.” At this point, Elizabeth arose from her seat and began to walk around the room, seeming to be more comfortable talking while moving, as if the words came easier if she kept mobile.
“The Council is our governing body. They are the deciding force behind what we are allowed to do, where we are allowed to live and with whom we are allowed to co-‐‑exist. The Council normally consists of twelve senior witches and the leader of the coven. Our current Council is not even made up of witches.
Warlocks are running it.
And they have been patient, waiting for two more members. One of them is Serena.” She peeked over at Serena, who still sat on the sofa next to me. I could see a mix of love, pride and concern on her face. She walked behind the sofa and placed her hands on Serena’s shoulders and gave them a squeeze. She continued her pacing.
“We don’t know who the other one is. Tabitha is far too young and the Council would never wait that long for her to come of age or master her powers. But we have concerns. There are some dark forces in this town, Logan.” She walked over to one of the large windows and gazed out into the starry night. “And for some unnamed reason, I feel these forces will, in some way, be harmful to my sisters and me, and even to you, Logan. Even to you.” She changed direction and faced both me and Serena and that time I knew what emotion flashed across her face for certain.
Fear.
“Even Serena doesn’t know this part.” She spoke to us both.
“I’ve been contacted and warned of impending trouble from those who mean us harm. I don’t know who they are, but I have been told to expect a benevolent visitor soon who would explain everything.” She came over and knelt before Serena. “I always knew this day would come, dear sister, I just didn’t know it would be so soon. You are special, Serena, more special than you can even know. And you Logan…” She reached out and grasped my hand too. “You must be special as well, maybe because my sister has chosen you.” I glanced over at Serena to find her blushing right down to the roots of her blonde hair. “I only hope you are up to the task that will be put before you. Serena, I know that you are. You were born to it.” I watched as both sisters embraced fiercely. When they parted I knew Elizabeth still wore a mask of grave concern.
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