by Nissa Leder
I should have expected her evil ploy when she offered to hold my clutch for me. After I inflated three balloons and tied strings to them, I headed back to the gym. The music had started, which meant that my classmates were all showing up.
But when I tried to leave the dressing room, I couldn’t. The door handle wouldn’t budge.
I hollered as loud as I could, hoping someone would hear me, but the music was too loud. Elaine had my clutch, which had my cell phone in it, so until someone found me, I was stuck.
After spending all my afternoons that week folding flowers made of tissue, polishing vases to use for centerpieces, then filling hundreds of balloons and hanging them all over the gym, I didn’t even get to enjoy the dance.
Finally, four hours later, when nearly everyone had already left the dance, Zane rescued me. Elaine had handed him my clutch and told him where to find me as she was leaving the dance. A smart move on her part, because if I’d have seen her that night, I would have gladly ripped a chunk of hair from her head with no regret. But after a fun, Elaine-free after-party, and some time in an empty room with Zane, I realized getting angry at her was exactly what she wanted, so I never spoke of it again.
Remembering that night makes me even more pessimistic about being in the same group as her now. But this time, sabotaging me will only hurt her, too.
Eventually, the line moves until it’s my turn to grab food. I load up my plate and find Olivia and Micah already done with their lunches.
“I can’t believe you two get to be in the same group.” I set my plate on the table with a thud and sit down. “And I’m stuck with Elaine.”
“Your friend from high school?” Micah asks.
“They weren’t friends, Micah. She’s her nemesis. Don’t you pay attention?” Olivia pushes her plate toward the table’s center.
“We were friends as kids, but ever since ninth grade, Elaine’s hated me,” I say.
If this were a normal class in high school, I might find the situation funny. Grades back then didn’t matter much to me, and the chance to cause Elaine some major stress would have made for an entertaining week.
But for the first time ever, I actually care if I pass my classes and the final exam.
Since it took forever for me to dish up, lunch is almost over. I scarf my food down as fast as I can and head to fourth period, Defensive Spells, with Olivia. It’s our only class together.
After we split from Micah, I ask, “So, you and Micah in the same group. Maybe this is your chance to test the waters a little. See if there’s any spark there.”
Olivia hugs her book to her chest. “I doubt he’ll ever see me as anything more than his bestie.”
This is the first time she hasn’t completely shut down my suggestion. “I don’t think your friendship is as fragile as you think. If you two give dating a try and it doesn’t work out, it might be a little awkward for a while, but I just don’t see it ruining what you two have.”
Olivia shrugs her shoulders as we enter the classroom and our conversation ends.
Today we continue practicing our blocking spells. Since we’re learning how to create fire in Incantations, this week Profesor Van Dale has been teaching us two counterspells.
The assembly earlier this morning has everyone distracted, and no one is really paying attention, so when we split into groups to practice, everyone just starts chatting.
The next two classes go about the same, until finally, school is out for the day.
After I change out of my uniform, I grab my cell phone and head to the patio area Kaz showed me on our date.
On the way there, I bump into Beck in the hallway.
He’s with a girl but tells her he’ll catch up later.
“Hello, big brother,” I say. “Do I sense love in the air?”
He laughs and adjusts his books under his arms. “Nothing at the moment, but Leana is great. So, today was the big day. Since you’re still here, I take it you’re going through with the trial?”
“I honestly didn’t know what I was going to do until the moment I had to decide, but I just got here. Plus, if our parents are as badass as everyone makes them seem, I have to have inherited something worthwhile.”
“It’s never been a matter of potential for you, Wren.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Beck scratches his head. “You’ve never really applied yourself to anything, except maybe finding any way to get Mom’s and Dad’s attention.”
“Thanks for the confidence.” I rest my hand on my hip and start to walk around him.
“Wren, wait. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings,” Beck says.
I stop. “Look, I get that I’ve had a tendency to focus more on parties than schoolwork, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be the same at Wicklow.”
“I hope you’re right. You made a huge gamble today. I just hope your determination continues for the whole year.”
“It will.” I want to defend myself and remind him of some time when I showed exactly how capable I am, but honestly, I’ve never proved the ability to stick to something long term. But feeling the magic inside me is enough motivation to do whatever needs to be done to keep it. “Is that all the discouragement you have for the day? Or is there more?”
He opens his mouth to say something, then clamps it back shut. After a breath, he says, “I meant to tell you this the other day after we got lunch with grandpa, but I asked Kaz not to date you.”
“You what?”
“Kaz is a good guy, Wren. He might seem easy-going, but he had a really bad breakup last year.”
“And what does that have to do with me?” I thought his lecture about my less-than-stellar success in the past stung, but this is ten times worse.
“You date guys for a few weeks until you get bored and then move on. I’m not judging, it’s your life. But Kaz is my best friend here. And I just don’t want to deal with the inevitable fall out you’ll have.”
“You’re an ass, Beck.” I don’t want to hear any more, so I stomp away without looking back. He calls my name, but I ignore him.
Thankfully, he doesn’t follow me.
I’d been hoping to run into Kaz at the patio, but after learning that Beck ruined any chance for a second date, I head back to my room as soon as I’m confident Beck is long gone.
After being reminded of all my shortcomings in the past, I have no appetite for dinner. As much as I tell myself to ignore what he said, I can’t help but wonder if he’s right.
I’ve never taken life that seriously. While someone like Elaine was studying and joining extracurricular activities to bulk up her college apps, I was drinking at parties and hooking up with guys. My longest relationship was two months, and it only lasted that long because my family and I went on a trip and I didn’t want to break up over the phone.
I might not have a long list of clubs and sports, but I did get a leading role in the school play junior year. But I missed auditions for the next year’s play because I was hungover.
This isn’t high school, though. This is a fresh start and one I intend to take seriously. But that doesn’t mean I can’t date someone or have fun with friends.
Olivia is still gone for dinner when I head to Elaine’s room for our group meeting. It’s been a long day, and I just want to get this over with and curl under my covers in bed.
The door is propped open and everyone else is already there when I arrive.
“How surprising that you’re the last one here,” Elaine says, sarcasm as thick as mud in her voice. “Thank you, everyone, for coming. I’m sure you’re all as serious as I am about making sure that our group is nowhere near the bottom at the end of this semester.”
Everyone just nods.
“Good.” Elaine, still in her uniform, adjusts her skirt. “I think we should meet three times a week and practice everything we’re learning in our classes.”
“Three times?” Van asks.
Elaine’s smile fades. “Do you have a
better suggestion?”
“I think once is plenty.” Van looks at Natalia and Garret.
They glance at me with deer-in-the-headlight eyes. It’s obvious they’re already afraid of Elaine. I can’t help but admire their instincts.
“What if we start with once a week, and increase it as needed the closer we get to the end of the semester?” I suggest.
Van shifts his gaze to Elaine and lifts his chin.
“Fine,” Elaine says. “This Saturday at three p.m.”
Natalia opens her mouth to protest, but thinks better of it and just agrees with a quick nod.
“See everyone then,” I say, before turning and leaving the room.
Nine
I receive a note the next day from Lucas, congratulating me for accepting a spot in the trial. Friday, a package is delivered to my room from my parents.
It’s the first I’ve heard from them since coming to Wicklow. Both Mom and Dad wrote me long letters, saying how proud they are of me and how certain they are that I’ll excel here at the academy. No apologies for hiding everything from me. No promises to explain more to me later when I’m home for break. Just more pretending that our family is somehow normal and that they’re parents of the year.
I keep hoping another note from Kaz will magically appear like the first one, asking me to meet him somewhere secret, but nothing ever shows up. Beck probably told him all my worst high school decisions to scare him off.
I don’t know why I care so much. Dating him would be a danger to the bet I made with Zane. It’s not like going on dates has to turn into sleeping with someone, but my track record for holding out when I’m into someone isn’t the greatest.
My problem was solved for me. Maybe I should be thanking Beck.
But I’m not.
I’m ignoring him. I’ve seen him twice in the dining hall and once in the courtyard, and all three times, I made it clear that I’m not talking to him right now.
Friday’s here, and even my professors seem to have a case of weekend fever. The first half of the day flies by. Even Thornburn goes easy on us in Combat, telling us to walk at least four laps around the track and then call it a day. Olivia and Micah have lunch with their group, and I can’t help but be a little jealous. Professor Van Dale spends most of Defensive Spells telling us a story about his time as a Protector before he decided to teach. After a few minutes into listening about some secret mission he was supposed to be on, I zone out and spend the rest of class doodling on a notebook. Magical History goes by even slower. We’re supposed to fill out a study guide as we read a chapter on the first European Sorcerers known to travel to America, but I only make it through five questions before spending the rest of the period fighting the urge to doze off.
Dueling, my final class of the day, thankfully gets out early. But not before I catch Elaine and Bianca whispering to each other as they glance in my direction.
I pretend not to notice. Letting them get to me isn’t worth my wasted breath. Getting along with Elaine is crucial to my future here at Wicklow, and so if it means I have to be the bigger person sometimes, so be it.
Olivia finds me in the hallway and we walk back to our room together.
She pulls out her phone and shows me a digital flyer. “Apparently, there’s a huge bonfire behind the academy tonight.”
“Another party to crash?” I ask.
“No, this one is hosted by—” she zooms in on the bottom of the flyer, “well, it doesn’t say, but it says all Wicklow students are invited. And that Alchemy Brew will be provided.”
“Alchemy Brew?” I’ve learned to own my cluelessness without feeling like an idiot. Well, at least not a big idiot. I can’t help that my teenage years consisted of beer pong and Jell-o shots, not whatever magical concoction Olivia might have grown up with.
“It’s a special kind of Sorcery alcoholic beverage. Like a mix between beer and wine. It gets you drunk fast, but when it wears off, you don’t feel like death.”
“Where has this Alchemy Brew been all my life?” I don’t even want to remember all the times I woke up hungover after a party.
“It’s super rare. Only really talented Sorcerers can make it. If any of the ingredients are even a little off, instead of getting a fabulous buzz, you basically end up with food poisoning.”
“How do we know if tonight’s will be safe?”
“If someone takes a drink and isn’t puking within a couple of minutes, then we know it’s a good batch.”
We get back to our room and decide to watch a chick-flick to kill some time. Then we meet Micah at dinner and I listen to them talk about their group. It sounds like everyone is normal and all about working together. No one is overly bossy, and they all agreed to take the weekend off and start their practices next week.
Lucky them.
We all go back to my and Olivia’s room and hang out until it’s time to get ready for the bonfire. Since we’ll be outside at night, I’m not sure what to wear. As I’m searching through my closet, Olivia says she has something to show me.
She’s dressed in a flowy maxi dress and boots, with just a light sweater to keep her warm.
“Touch my cardigan,” she says.
I reach out and rest my hand on her shoulder, surprised to find the material hot as if it has just come from a dryer. “How’d you do that?”
“It’s the first incantation I managed to fully teach myself. It’s a warming spell. No matter what the temperature outside is, it will keep my skin at a pleasant 70 degrees.”
“Amazing. When does magic develop if it isn’t taken from you as a baby?” It’s something I’ve been wondering about for a while.
“In your teenage years, though it isn’t usually fully developed until around eighteen,” Olivia says. “I first noticed mine when I was fifteen.”
“So, you were allowed to use it right away?”
“Yep. But it comes on gradually, so you really can’t do much for quite some time.”
I’m thankful to have Olivia as my friend. No matter how many questions I ask her about the magical world, she never gets annoyed. Unlike Micah who grew up in the Sorcery town of Coast Harbor, Olivia knows how life in the Ordinary world works.
I end up pairing black skinny jeans and gray boots with a sparkly purple tank and charcoal-colored sweater cardigan, which Olivia enchants to keep me warm. After putting on some light makeup, I let my curly hair go free in all its wavy glory.
A little after eight o’clock, we meet Micah at the bottom of the staircase and all head to the bonfire together.
I haven’t been behind the academy, and after everything I’ve learned since coming to Wicklow, nothing should surprise me. But when we step out the double-doors and walk down the wide staircase, my mouth falls open.
In the center of a huge grass field, a large bonfire blazes. But instead of the typical orange flames I had expected, these are bright violet.
Olivia and Micah keep walking, leaving me behind as I take everything in.
Tall hedges line the back wall of the academy, which is covered in climbing ivy leaves. Fairies, like the ones outside of Brimstones, hover through the air around the bushes. Their pastel skin glows in the darkness, emitting light like fireflies.
I pick up my pace to catch up with my friends as I pass groups of students playing games in the grass. One group tosses around a transparent football filled with green fire. Another pass around a frisbee, but instead of catching it with their hands, they slow it with their magic.
When I reach Olivia and Micah, they’re almost to the bonfire.
Now that I’m closer, I see marshmallows floating in the air inches from the flames.
Olivia notices me staring. “The Sorcerer way to make s’mores. No need for dirty sticks when you have magic.”
On the far side of the bonfire, a keg sits on a small round table. Micah grabs three plastic cups and fills them, then hands Olivia and me each one.
Olivia nods to a few guys downing their cups. “Seems the Al
chemy Brew is safe.” She raises her drink. “Cheers to a successful second week here at Wicked Academy.”
Micah and I tap our cups against hers. “Cheers.”
We walk around the fire until Olivia and Micah spot their group members hanging out together on a blanket.
“Come join us,” one says.
Micah and Olivia walk straight there, leaving me no choice but to follow.
They introduce me to everyone. Tammy is the only girl, and based on her style and piercings, she seems easy-going. Leo and Daniel both look like athletes, but Daniel comes across shy while Leo is definitely extroverted.
The five of them seem to get along perfectly. Daniel mentions something about getting caught on fire and they all laugh. Some inside joke I don’t get, making me feel even more out of place.
When I glance down at my cup, I realize it’s almost empty.
“I’ll be right back,” I whisper to Olivia as I get up and head to the keg.
The Alchemy Brew is exactly how Olivia described it. It has the same bubbly feel of beer but tastes like punch made from the ripest, sweetest fruit.
I’ve only had one glass, and the buzz is already swimming through me. Another one shouldn’t hurt. I wait in line behind three of the guys who had been throwing around the glowing football.
After I fill up my glass and turn around, Kaz is staring at me.
Kaz’s mouth curves into a nervous smile. “Hey.”
“Hi.” A part of me is angry. Our date had gone so well, and then I heard nothing. Even if it’s mostly Beck’s fault, Kaz could have at least had the balls to tell me there’d be no second date himself.
As I step away and head back to my friends, Kaz says, “Wren, wait.”
I hesitate and bite my cheek. At first, I’d just blamed my brother. But the more I think about it now, the more I realize that Kaz is a big boy. He’s capable of making his own choices.
I spin and face him again. “I wouldn’t want my brother to catch us talking. He might get mad.”
Kaz glances at his cup of Alchemy Brew and then back to me. “Why don’t we go talk. I can explain.”
