She sighs dramatically. “Remind me not to ask you to boost my ego.”
I grin. “Done.”
Bri looks slyly at Vince. “Just because you found your—”
“I take it back! You could definitely land a college freshman.”
“Or sophomore.” She giggles, and I just shake my head. I love how she’s always so optimist.
Bri starts to talk to Heather, so I focus on my guy. “Vince, why don’t you go sit with him?”
He makes a face. “Sick of me already? You can’t get rid of me that easily.”
I bat my eyes. “Please?”
His laugh washes over me. More than anyone, he’s keeping me sane. “You look like you’re crazy when you do that.”
“Maybe I am crazy. After all, I’m going out with you.” Just for fun, I bat my eyes again.
“Touché.” He winks and heads over to Gavin.
Gavin looks up at him then over to me. I wave. He shakes his head, frowning.
Too bad. You don’t get to decide how I live my life or who I date. Besides, despite the witches’ worrying, nothing has happened. Gavin’s father hasn’t killed anyone, and no more shamans, ex- or practicing, have shown up.
Life almost feels perfect.
* * *
THE NEXT DAY is Thursday—Vince’s big day, when he can take his driver’s license test.
“Are you nervous?” I ask. We’re waiting for his mom to pick us up from school. It’s beautiful outside, warm, green, and colorful. Flowers are starting to bloom.
“A little. Driving’s not all fun and games. It can be dangerous.” He kicks a rock.
No one knows that better than we do.
“What about you?” he asks. “Gonna study and get your permit soon?”
I shrug. “I don’t see the point. It’s not as if I would have access to a car even if I did have my license. Might as well wait.”
“Guess it doesn’t hurt that in an hour, you’ll have a handsome chauffeur at your service.”
Giggling, I bump my shoulder into his. “Don’t forget modest.”
“And witty. Don’t forget witty.” He bumps back.
“True, but you have to admit, I’m the smart one.”
“Just because you skipped kindergarten doesn’t make you smarter than me. Who helped you get that B plus on your last math test?”
His mom pulling up spares me from answering his question. “Hi, Mrs. Fuller.”
“Hello, Vince, Crystal. You sure that having Crystal around won’t make you nervous?”
He slides into the backseat next to me. “Nah. If anything, she makes me relax.”
“Good. I don’t want to hear you whining every day that you failed because of her and that you want to go back every day.” She grins at him through the rearview mirror.
“Don’t you have to wait a certain amount before they let you retest?” I ask.
“Why are you all so certain I’ll fail?” He shakes his head. I’m still not used to him not having bangs fall onto his forehead when he does that, but his hair is starting to grow in some. “You people have no faith.”
I force myself to giggle. His words hit too close to an uncomfortable truth. Although I go to church on Sunday, I’m unable to focus, always thinking about new ways to experiment. Mom won’t talk to me about her magic and I don’t know if she’s making any headway past her block.
Maybe I should talk to Father Joseph again. Ever since our last talk, I find it hard to look at him. In fact, I duck out of Mass as soon as it’s over to avoid him.
Mrs. Fuller and I wait in the ridiculously crowded driver license center while Vince stays in the car where the tester will find him. I flip through a free permit book.
“I’m nervous about Saturday,” Mrs. Fuller says.
I close the book. “Everything’s all set. My friends are going to decorate the fire hall on Friday night after bingo.”
“It has nothing to do with that. You’ve done a wonderful job planning and organizing this. Heck, you could turn this into a career and be an event planner.” Mrs. Fuller absentmindedly pats my arm. “I’m nervous I won’t be able to keep myself together. I was a wreck when he died. I bawled throughout the funeral service. I couldn’t tell you what songs were sung, what Father Joseph said, who showed up…”
“Mrs. Fuller, no one expects you not to cry.”
“When does it get easier? The pain? The sense of loss?” She looks away, tightly gripping her purse strap.
“Time helps, but I don’t think it ever goes away completely.”
She rummages around in her purse, removes a tissue, and dabs her eyes. “Tommy was only twelve. He had his whole life ahead of him!”
“Tommy lived for twelve years. He was cared for and loved for twelve years. Some people aren’t that lucky.”
The dampness in her eyes blinks away. “You always know the right thing to say, Crystal. I’m glad you’re dating my son.”
I blush. “Thanks. I’m glad too.”
A tall, burly man bursts through the doors and walks to the front of the line. Vince trails behind him and pauses to give us the thumbs up sign before answering a few questions.
Mrs. Fuller’s smile flips downward. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. Now he’ll want a car.”
“He does have a job, and he told me he’s saving his money.”
“It’ll take him awhile to save up for one, and in the meantime, all I’ll hear is, ‘Mom, can I borrow the car?’ And I’ll probably never see him.”
I watch as Vince sits down in a chair and smiles. A few minutes later, he walks over as he shoves the license into his wallet.
“No, hand it here.” His mom holds out her hand.
“But—”
“No but’s or else I’ll drive home.”
Vince hangs his head but takes it out and tosses it to her.
Mrs. Fuller looks at it then hands it to me.
“Five foot ten, huh? I wondered how tall you were. You aren’t the most photogenic, are you?” I tease, giving it back to him.
“Everyone has a bad license photo. A rite of passage or something.”
Mrs. Fuller removes her license from her wallet. “I don’t know. I don’t think mine is that bad.”
I look over her shoulder. “That is a nice picture.”
Vince dangles the keys in front of us. “If you two don’t start being nice to me, you can walk home.”
I stick out my lower lip. “I was only trying to be witty, like you.”
He snorts and throws up his hands in the air. “Why can’t I stay mad at you?”
I grin and bat my eyes. “Because I’m perfect.”
“You are. It’s scary.”
* * *
THAT NIGHT, I lie in bed, staring at the ceiling. I don’t know what possessed me to say I’m perfect. I’m far from perfect. My grades aren’t, although they’ve greatly improved this past week.
I’m far from a perfect girlfriend. Vince has no idea about the full details of the circumstances of my birth or that I’m magic and not human.
I’m far from perfect with my relationship with God. I hardly pray anymore, and although it bothers me, I do nothing to change it.
I’m also far from perfect with my relationship with my mom. We hardly see each other. Mom’s working longer hours and her free time is spent locked in her room, but I could press the issue more.
My room feels suffocating… or is that my misery?
I open my bedroom window and inhale a deep breath of the cool, refreshing air. Thousands of stars litter the nighttime sky, and the moon shines like a lighthouse’s beacon.
One magical aspect I haven’t attempted is flying. Wouldn’t it be amazing to soar through the air?
I climb out my window onto the ledge and close my eyes, taking a deep breath. If I focus on how I feel while in my true form, it’s much easier to do whatever I want.
Magic gathers around me, and I smile until I look down at the ground. The second story
seems very high.
Please, dear Lord, keep me safe.
I grin. I haven’t prayed impromptu in a long while.
After a moment, I will myself to fly and jump. I fall several feet before I can focus enough to hover. The pull of gravity weighs me down, but I fight it and zoom into the sky. Rebelled too much, it seems.
I adjust my height so I’m well above the buildings and fly around town, whooshing past my high school, Vince’s house, and the church.
Near the site of the accident, I notice someone walking, the first person I’ve seen. Before I can fly away, a large rock whizzes past my right ear.
Startled, I fall. I manage to avoid crashing onto the road and fly backward and over to the other side of the street. A tall tree is the perfect hiding spot, and I crouch on a branch and peer around leaves and flowers. Flooding my eyes with magic, I transform them into eagle mode. It takes me a moment to adjust to the darkness. Before I can focus on my assailant’s face, something grabs my leg and yanks me out of the tree. “Woah!” I land on my butt, the pavement hard and unforgiving beneath me.
A snarl sounds.
I crab crawl back a few steps. “Easy, Calder,” I say as soothingly as I can.
He snarls again, and my blood turns to ice. If Calder’s here, Gavin’s father can’t be far away. Had he been the one to attack me?
Calder leaps on top of me. His saliva drips onto my shirt, his teeth dangerously close to my throat, and I struggle to shove him away.
“Calder, down! Heel, boy!”
Gavin. I could have cried with relief, but Calder’s still on top of me, and I can scarcely breathe.
“Come on, Calder.” He tugs on the dog’s collar until the beast frees me.
I gasp and grab my chest, choking down air.
“What are you doing here?” a raspy voice calls out from the darkness. A figure steps forward from the shadows.
I glower at Gavin’s father and jump to my feet.
Gavin puts a hand on my shoulder and almost imperceptibly shakes his head. “Just going for a stroll, that’s all.”
“Why did Calder go berserk like that?” His dad creeps closer, his gait slow and deliberate. His focus shifts toward me. “Who’s this?”
Gavin stares at me, panic in his eyes.
His father scares him. This frightens me all the more.
“My…” The look in Gavin’s eyes is pleading. “My girlfriend.” He wraps his arm around my shoulders.
My first instinct is to shove him away, but his dad’s so close to us now I can smell his breath. Heavy on garlic and onions.
“We were going out for a walk. It’s a beautiful night out.” Gavin gestures toward the sky.
“Humph,” his dad says. “My son has no manners. I’m Mr. Venator.” He holds out his hand.
I feel rather than see Gavin imperceptivity shake his head again. Great, I can’t touch him. Not that I want to.
I fiddle with the cross on my necklace. “Venator. That sounds like an old name.”
Gavin’s dad laughs. It sounds deep and booming but not sinister. “Older than you’ve been around, that’s for sure. What’s your name?”
“Lydia Hall,” Gavin supplies before I can.
I stare at him. I planned on lying, but not with one of my friend’s names!
“I hope Calder didn’t scare you, Lydia.” Mr. Venator is staring at me peculiarly.
“I met him a few days ago. Maybe that’s why he came over. Calder doesn’t scare me.” Unintentionally, the words come out as a challenge.
Mr. Venator snorts. “He can hunt bear, moose, boar… the larger the game, the better.”
“Then I guess it’s a good thing I’m not a bear or a moose or a boar.”
He frowns before laughing again. “Take her home, Gavin. It’s one thing to go out for a walk during the day, but at night, who knows what could crash your party.”
Gavin steers me around, and we walk down the block and hang a left. As soon as we’re out of his father’s sight and hearing range, I shove Gavin away. “Don’t ever touch me again.”
“That’s a fine thank you for saving your hide!”
“I didn’t need to be saved!”
“Oh yeah?” He lowers his voice. “That’s twice now Calder’s reacted to you. He hates witches, was bred to, but with you, he reacts differently. More violently. He wants to tear you from limb to limb.”
I shudder.
“Why, Crystal?”
I’m so not doing this. No way can I explain everything to him before I do Vince.
I run away.
He catches up to me easily. “I think I deserve an answer.”
I don’t slow down even though I’m already breathing hard. Maybe I should give myself the endurance of an athlete with a little magical juice, but there’s no way Gavin wouldn’t realize that something strange is up.
“No, you don’t deserve an answer.” I suck down air before adding, “Thank you for what you did back there.”
He opens his mouth and hesitates then sighs. “Fine. Be that way. One day I’ll learn your secret. I can help you, Crystal.”
I roll my eyes. “I don’t need help.”
“Everyone does.”
My pace slows until I’m simply walking. “Lydia, huh?”
“First name that came to mind.”
“She on your mind a lot lately?” My desperate attempt to change the subject.
“No. Vince is my only friend here, if I have a friend.” When I don’t correct him, he adds, “Yeah, didn’t think you still thought of yourself as my friend. Can’t understand why, though. I’ve been nothing but nice to you—”
I bark a laugh.
“You think I haven’t been nice?”
I stop so suddenly he continues a few steps before realizing and turning around to face me.
“You come here, professing you never bother to make friends but make it quite clear you wouldn’t mind being friends with me. I try to get my friends to include you, but you don’t care about them. I start dating Vince, and you give me unsolicited advice—to break it off with him. And that’s not even mentioning your witch hunter of a father or witch hunting dog.”
“You think…” His jaw drops. “I don’t like you.”
Without meaning to, I smile a little. I said the exact same thing to Silver Tiger what felt like ages ago.
I clear my throat and hope he didn’t see my smile. Things are too complicated as it is. “You don’t have to walk me home.” I stomp away.
“Because you’ll fly the rest of the way?”
I pause mid-stride. “It was you,” I say slowly. “You missed hitting me with—”
“Purposely missed. I’m a decent slingshot.” He tugs the small weapon free from his jean pocket.
“Your father didn’t see anyone flying, did he?”
“I wanted to make sure he didn’t.”
Despite my best efforts, he’s getting too close to the truth for comfort. “Thanks for that. Good night.”
I race the rest of the way home with a little magical speed.
Chapter 27
ON FRIDAY, SCHOOL and the daycare are a blur to me. I eat dinner with Mom, an increasingly rare occurrence as I spend about half of my time at the Fuller’s between last minute planning for the memorial and spending time with Vince or Bri or my second best friend Lydia.
Guilt plagues me. Dear Lord, should I tell Mom about being able to fly? Or will it only make her mental block worse?
Mom and I, when we do talk, never speak about magic anymore.
I grab a romantic comedy from our pathetic DVD collection and find Mom in her room. “Lt’s watch a movie. It’s been forever.”
Gentle snoring answers me.
With a smile, I close the door and tiptoe away. Mom needs her sleep more than she needs to watch a movie about misunderstandings with corny jokes.
Wonder how things are going with Officer Wallace. Did they ever get coffee and dessert?
I walk into the kitchen. The stov
e clock reads almost seven. Another three and a half hours yet before I can head over to the fire department to decorate for the memorial service.
The phone rings, and I run to pick it up before it wakes Mom. “Hello?”
“Whatcha up to?” Bri asks.
“Not much. You sound upset. What’s wrong?” I sit on a kitchen stool even though it stretches out the cord more than Mom likes.
“I think I really screwed things up between Paula and Sean.”
Oh no. “What did you do now?”
“Why must you assume it was me?” she whines.
“Because you said you screwed things up.”
Her laughs lacks her normal jovialness. “You know how I’m friendly with everyone? Well, I think Sean is reading more into it than I intend. I do still like him, but even I think it’s a turn off that he’s doesn’t seem to notice Paula. She’s trying so hard to get him to notice her.”
I rub my forehead. So much for my little chat with him. “What are you gonna do?”
“I don’t know.” She sighs. “I don’t want to stop being friends with him over this. You’re the one who always says the majority of high school relationships don’t work out for the long haul. Even if Paula and Sean do get together, there’s no guarantee they’ll last.”
“True.” The thought leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Will Vince and I buck the odds? “Have you tried talking to Sean?”
“That’s the thing. Yes. I saw him at the mall last night, and I asked him if he wanted to get some pizza with me. I told him I only wanted to be friends, but I don’t think he got the point, and then Paula walked by.”
“If Sean likes you and you like him, Paula will get over it.” Eventually. I feel for Paula, I really do, but one thing I won’t do is manipulate Sean into feeling something for her that isn’t true. That wouldn’t be fair to either of them.
“Here’s the thing, I think Paula would be better for him. She can tame him, and he opens her up more. They’re better suited for each other. If Sean and I dated, one of us could end up killed, daring each other to do stupid, reckless stuff.” Bri sounds thoughtful and more mature than ever.
“If he doesn’t like her—”
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