Love Spells and Other Disasters

by Angie Barrett

  He clenches my hand and we look at each other. He’s practically bouncing in his seat. “Ro, it is working!”

  Chapter Five

  There’s no time to talk this out with Ethan because the bell rings and Abby is dragging me to marketing/economics class and he’s got to make it to the other end of the school for English.

  Try to get out of class, I text him quickly. Come to the library.

  Can’t!!! We have presentations

  Crap!

  We have to talk about what happened. Don’t text though. Smith will killll me

  His English teacher, Ms. Smith, will definitely kill him if he interrupts the presentations, even if it’s just his phone vibrating.

  We’ll talk at lunch

  “Andrew hasn’t stopped messaging me all day!” Mel is breathless as she approaches, her phone held up for us to see.

  Sure enough, there’s a string of texts from Andrew and they’re…oh boy…pretty steamy.

  Abby’s eyes are the size of Frisbees as she scrolls down. “Wow, Mel, he’s really into you!”

  “I know, right?” Mel takes her phone back just as it vibrates with another text. “I need a new outfit for the party.”

  I’m so close to Abby, I’m practically kissing her. I check myself and put some space between us. “What party?”

  Abby hooks arms with Mel and the two of them wander off together, ignoring my question completely.

  Okay, good. I can have a minute to myself so I can think.

  I slump down in one of the alcoves where there’s a comfy chair that’s still, somehow, unoccupied. I’ll admit, the evidence is pretty convincing. Mel and Andrew hook up and then, strangely, so do Amanda and Will in exactly the way I wrote they would. I pull out the spell book and stare at it for a full minute. What is going on here?

  There’s nothing special about the book. The cover is red and pink. It’s maybe a hundred pages long, if that. It doesn’t give off any kind of vibe that I would think a book containing magic would.

  Wait…did I just think that? Ugh. Now I sound like my mother. A book of magic? Ha! I check the publisher: Raven Heart Press. Okay, never heard of them, but that’s nothing unusual. I flip to the page with the love spell I used and read it over. The steps are straightforward, recite the spell, gather personal effects, burn the spell, then voilá, it works. I’d never believe it could actually work if I hadn’t just seen it happen.

  I was out of the room, though. Ethan was looking for me. So we were both out of the room. I mean, Abby could have done something to set it up so that Amanda and Will connected, just to convince me to keep going with our class project. I trace my finger over the words. Amanda and Will don’t even look at each other normally. There are clear lines of division in classrooms, and people like Amanda, and me, and Ethan…we just don’t mingle with people like Will, and Abby, and Mel.

  And yet…

  My phone buzzes for the millionth time so I slide it out of my pocket. I’m hoping that Ethan has figured out how to ditch English somehow.

  But it’s not a text from Ethan. My heart stutter-steps, and I have that weird hair-raising tingle I’ve been getting whenever—

  “Who’s that?” Abby swoops in behind me, peeking over my shoulder.

  I try to hide my screen before she can read the text but her eyes go comically wide.

  “Luca Russo is texting you?”

  I shrug, but convincing my heart to keep a normal beat seems impossible. I flip the phone back over. “I guess so.”

  “You guess so?” Abby pulls a chair up next to me, getting in way too close for my liking. “Do you know how many girls would kill for a text from Luca Russo?” She grabs my phone and scrolls quickly. “And you’re going out with him on Friday?”

  “I am?” I snatch the phone back and quickly read.

  Hey, it’s Luca. Just heard about a party on Friday night at one of my buddies. U want to have dinner somewhere then go with me?

  My brain and all coherent thought vacate the building. I stare at my phone like I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with it.

  “Obviously you need to type yes.” Abby pushes my phone back into my hand. “Like, right now.”

  “I just met him.” I mean, of course I knew who he was but yesterday was our first actual conversation. “He was at my house doing some work on our fireplace.”

  “Oh yeah, I heard he started an apprenticeship somewhere.” She shakes her head. “He was supposed to play football with a college out west but now he’s not. Too many concussions or something like that. Total waste.”

  “I didn’t know colleges would give up a promising player because of that.” Though what do I actually know about this kind of thing? I’ve never even had a conversation with an athlete like Luca. The closest I’ve even come to knowing anything about the lives of the athletes is whatever Ethan tells me about their various hot bods.

  “They didn’t. They still want him. He’s the one who decided he’s not going. He can play, and he’s amazing, but if he takes another few hits to the head it could be lights out.” She pulls her phone out of her pocket. “I mean, that’s what I heard anyway.”

  “Well, like I said, we just talked, briefly, at my place yesterday.”

  Abby answers a text. “He does like the weird ones, I guess.”

  Most people stare or whisper behind my back about how strange I am. Not Abby. She has always been upfront and personal with her digs. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  But she’s not listening to me, instead she’s staring at my face, plucking at my hair, giving me a slow once-over. “Still, if he likes you then I guess I’d better do something with you.” She cocks her head to the side. “We could get you something cool to wear for Friday, get you a trim or something. Maybe some makeup? There’s potential.”

  “Potential for what?”

  Another text comes in from Luca.

  Aw man, you’re not going to leave me on read are u? We don’t have to go to the party if u don’t want

  I panic. Of course I want!

  No, sorry, just in class. I’d love to go to the party Friday

  I can’t type it fast enough.

  “Okay, so we’re going to ditch. I’ve already told Mr. Tremmel and Ms. Savey that Mel and I have some school council stuff to do. And since I don’t trust you not to say something about us ditching class, you’re coming.”

  I ignore the barb. “What? Coming where?”

  Abby stands and waves impatiently. “To the mall, of course!” She motions to Mel, who’s slipping out the library doors. “Mel needs a new outfit for her date. You need some cleaning up if you’re actually going to that party with Luca. So, let’s go.”

  “Luca asked me out. He must like me just the way I am.” But that sounds hollow even as I say it, like I’m reciting a line from some kids’ movie about self-identity or something.

  If Abby rolls her eyes any harder she’ll look possessed. “You’re going on a date with Luca freakin Russo. You can’t be just the way you are.”

  Another text comes through.

  Ok, cool. I’ll pick u up at nine

  The three dots appear. He’s typing something more.

  Those three dots might kill me. Like I’m seriously hanging on three little, freakin’ dots, staring at the screen…waiting.

  You look really cute today. It was cool bumping into you

  Cute?

  Abby reads the text and snorts. “Do you want to look cute tomorrow night or do you want to look rock-Luca’s-socks-off hot?”

  I gulp. Stare at the text. Bumping into him was one of the highlights of my life, but more than that, Luca Russo is interested in me. Shock rolls through my body to the point I’m sure I’ll fall over and all this happiness will spill out. Yeah, I want to look hot tomorrow.

  I slip my phone into my pocket, ha
ting that I can’t text Ethan about what’s going on but I’m not willing to get him into trouble. I’ll text him later. “Okay, I’m in. But no makeup. That’s Ethan’s job.”

  …

  I didn’t go for the whole new me makeover that I’m sure Abby was envisioning. There wasn’t going to be some sweet-ditching-school-special-friendship bonding happening and I’m not the kind of girl who wants a total overhaul, despite what Abby and her friends might think.

  I didn’t go for the haircutstyling idea she had, either. I like that my hair is on the shaggy side and hangs in my face at times. I like that it’s maybe longer than the norm. It’s dark, really dark but with some auburn highlights, thanks to my dad who was a redhead, and I like that about it, too. No need for dye. As for the makeup idea, I don’t wear much, a bit of concealer here and there, some mascara, that’s it. Mom has always said I don’t need it and I kind of agree. I mean, sure, I’ve endured some makeup tutorials from Ethan over the years but he’s the only one I’d let near me with a palette and brush as well as any kind of color, so there was no need to stop at the makeup counter in the mall for a free do-over. If I decide I need makeup, I’ll leave that in the hands of my best friend.

  That left clothes and I’ll admit, I’ve been getting a little too comfortable with my wardrobe choices lately.

  “Those jeans look good. Really good.” Mel is standing in front of the mirror on the opposite side of the change room so I’m not totally sure that she’s talking to me until she turns and points. “You’ve got a great butt.”

  “Here put this top on, too.” Abby hands me a shirt that looks two sizes too small.

  I make a face.

  She makes one back. “Listen, I know you like all the baggy stuff, but Mel’s right—you’ve got a great body, you need to flaunt it. So put that on.”

  She shoves me back into the change room. The jeans I’m wearing are super tight but not uncomfortable. They just feel like they’re holding everything in and smoothing everything out. I don’t hate them and they do make my butt look good. I pull my sweater off and slip the shirt on. I see the first problem immediately.

  “I don’t think I can wear a bra with it.” I wince. The shirt comes off the shoulders and my bra is pretty ratty looking. It’s almost embarrassing. I’m not used to this amount of skin showing.

  “Let me see,” Abby commands, following up with a pounding knock on the door.

  I open the door and brace myself for Abby’s hawk eyes.

  “What is this?” She hooks her finger under the strap of my bra and snorts. “When was the last time you went bra shopping? Ick.” Then she cups my breasts like she owns them.

  I yelp and swat her hands away.

  “Your boobs are too big for braless.” She taps her finger on her mouth. “All those baggy clothes you wear are covering up some gems. Making me rethink this shirt idea.”

  “Oh, I saw something that would work better.” Mel takes off.

  Abby contemplates my bra again. “Yeah, no, we’re going to have to stop at my work to pick up something more appropriate. Have you ever been fitted for a bra before?” She cocks an eyebrow. “Never mind, I know the answer.”

  Mel comes back with a black halter top. “Here!”

  The way Abby smiles at Mel makes me think that they’re telepathic or something. Maybe my mom should be studying teen girls and their uncanny ability to read each other’s minds rather than testing her own range of projected messaging. “That’s perfect. Okay, try it on, make sure the size works. If it’s tight enough you could get away without a bra, maybe. I think though that we’ll need to find you something that gives a bit more structure to those massive twins of yours.”

  “They’re not massive!”

  Abby gives me an oh come on look. “They’re impressive and should be on display, not hidden away under your ugly clothes.” She puts her hands on my waist. “You have great curves. Girls would die for this to happen naturally. You need to flaunt it, not cover it up.” She’s talking like I’m some kind of newbie, which maybe I am because I honestly never thought much about my body other than that it’s different than my mom’s. She tall, willowy, more like an athlete, with lean limbs and a tight stomach whereas I always felt I was more pillowy, not lean. A lot of cushion if you know what I mean. Her and I don’t match, and if it weren’t for the similar shape of our eyes and nose, you’d think we weren’t related at all.

  “Let’s buy this stuff and head to my work. I’ll get you fitted properly with a bra that accentuates and we’ll find some sick panties, too. Gotta be ready for Luca when he—”

  “Stop.” I block her next words with my hand in her face. “Luca and I are just going on a date, like, to talk or whatever.”

  Abby sputters a laugh like she’s choking on it. “Oh sweetie, if you think that’s what’s going to happen when you get to the party tomorrow night, well, you’re in for a pleasant surprise I guess.”

  “Yeah, Malcolm’s parties are not known for quiet talk time.” Mel has an armful of tops and is quickly checking each one against her body before tossing them on the discard pile.

  Malcolm? “As in Malcolm Malone?” The wealthiest kid in school and completely out of my friend circle. He’s rich, charming, gorgeous, and also the object of Ethan’s undying silent affection. We’ve never been invited to any of his parties let alone been graced with a glance in our general direction.

  “Yep. You’re going to the party of the century tomorrow with a golden ticket because you’ll be on the arm of Luca Russo. Your social cred just went through the roof.” And I realize by the way Abby looks at me that my rising “social cred” is why she’s even giving me the time of day right now, which makes the whole dating Luca Russo thing all the more real. “And so yes, you’re going to need to dress like you belong there and trust me when I say, at some point tomorrow night, you’ll be flashing your bra and panties for all to see.”

  Um…what?

  Chapter Six

  “So you ditch school now?” Ethan has his arms crossed and his nostrils flare like he’s a dragon waiting to fry me with a fiery exhale. He’s not looking at me, though—his eyes are homed in on Abby’s BMW as she pulls out of the driveway.

  I shuffle up the steps, lugging my bags of clothes with me. I try to look ashamed but I think the way my face is scrunching up it’s coming off as terrified. Would he actually murder me steps away from my front door? “I texted to tell you where I was as soon as I knew you were out of English,” I say weakly.

  He gives me a once-over and taps his foot. “You went shopping.” He taps his foot harder. “With her! You even let her drive you home!”

  Crap, this is so not going to end well for me.

  He jabs his finger in my face. “You said you were picking up something at the mall—you didn’t say you were skipping the rest of the day. What the hell, Ro?”

  I should have texted him again as soon as I realized the trip was going to take the whole day, but trying on clothes and bras was extremely…distracting. I don’t think telling him the details will make this any better. “Can we go inside please? I’m tired and hungry.” I shuffle from one foot to the other, hoping to convey just how ready I am to get off my feet.

  Ethan glances over his shoulder at the front door. “You don’t want to go in there right now.” He drops his hand and his face loses the angry, I’m going to tear you limb from limb expression.

  I sigh, letting my full exhaustion take over, and lean against the post. “Who does she have in there today?”

  Ethan shrugs one shoulder. “The psychics? Or maybe some mediums? There’s a group of them doing a chant in the library.”

  It’s Thursday, so it could mean the psychics. Mom reserves Thursdays for some kind of group meeting where she likes to perform experiments. Usually, they aren’t in the library because she keeps business and home separate. Usually. If she’s writing anoth
er book, all bets are off.

  “I walked in by accident. Looking for you, you know, since you seem to have broken your phone or maybe your fingers stopped working so you didn’t tell me that you planned to spend the whole afternoon at the mall with Abby.”

  “I’m sorry. There was a lot happening.” Like Abby and another store associate getting way too friendly with my chest. A flash of hurt crosses his face and I regret my choice of words. “I’ll fill you in over dinner, my treat.”

  “At Teddy’s?” His expression dares me to deny him dinner at his favorite restaurant.

  “Of course.” Teddy’s is known for its all-day breakfast and only its all-day breakfast. Eating something else from the menu could result in some kind of gastro event that may or may not lay you up for days. “I love breakfast.” I force a smile.

  “No, you don’t.” Ethan’s mood flips in an instant. I may hate it but he loves all-day breakfast. “I accept your peace offering.”

  He helps me shove my bags into the side door of the garage—no sense in walking inside if I can avoid it. I never know when my mom will try to pull me into one of her experiments and I am so not in the mood today for that.

  He hooks his arm through mine and pulls me down the stairs next to him. “Now spill.”

  And so I do. The second we’re in his Jeep, I tell him everything from the moment I ran into Luca to shopping to Abby dropping me off in front of my house. And he’s silent the whole time, which is totally uncharacteristic of him to say the least. I keep looking over at him to make sure he’s actually listening but his face is unreadable and his gaze set on the road ahead until we get to the diner. When our food arrives and he just stares at his plate like he doesn’t know what to do with it.

  “Are you telling me…” He puts his hands on the table, palms down, his face calm but his eyes now locked with mine. “That you have an invite to Malcolm Malone’s party this Friday?”

  I nod and try for a smile that I know must look as weak as it feels. We’ve always sworn that if by some miraculous reason one of us got an invite to a party like that, we’d bring the other as our date, just so we can experience it together. I don’t think either of us expected the invite to be part of a date. And that the other wouldn’t be a welcome third wheel.