by Nissa Leder
Eleven
After an embarrassing end to the duel against Bianca, I’m taken to the hospital wing of the academy, where I spend the next three days, hooked to an I.V, unable to do more than walk to and from the bathroom.
Apparently, the Sorcerer Flu isn’t like the viruses I grew up with. It isn’t even a virus at all. Although any Sorcerer can get it, people like me who had their magic taken from them at birth are more prone to coming down with the illness. There’s nothing to do but wait it out, although certain herbs can temporarily mask the symptoms, which is why Professor Abbey’s tea helped me for a while.
Most Sorcerers get over it in a day or two, but trying to duel while sick only made everything worse.
Olivia, who is officially the world’s greatest roommate, sneaks me chocolate every day, and tells me everything I’ve been missing in class.
For the first time in my life, I’m actually frustrated at being so sick I can’t make it to classes. Even missing half the day on Monday ended up screwing me over in the duel. But there isn’t much I can do about it, so I’ll just have to catch up as soon as I’m well.
By Friday, I’m allowed to attend classes, but only to observe. No practicing spells or combat. The only class I don’t feel behind in is Magical History. Being stuck in bed all week allowed me to read through the entire chapter on Dark Sorcery in our textbooks. For the first time ever, I earn a hundred percent on a quiz.
Even though I’m feeling normal, I spend Friday night relaxing in my room. I have no intention of overdoing it and finding myself back in the hospital wing.
Saturday comes, the day our group meets, and I’m so tempted to stay in bed. But if I do, I’m pretty sure Elaine will just come drag me to practice anyway, so I force myself to head to the courtyard on my own free will.
Elaine is sitting on a bench, underneath a tree, vigorously typing something on her phone.
“Everything okay?” I ask as I approach.
She types for another ten seconds before sticking her phone in a pocket. “My mom wanted an update.”
I don’t miss the annoyance in her tone, and for once, I don’t think it’s directed at me. “I’ve barely heard from my parents since getting here.”
“Lucky. Mom wants to make sure I don’t suddenly develop a lazy streak or forget,” she raises her hands in to air quotes, “‘how important doing well at Wicklow is to my entire future.’”
“Sometimes I think my parents are expecting me to fail, so they don’t even bother wasting energy caring.”
Natalia and Van show up, their hands locked together as they walk side-by-side.
Elaine and I look straight at each other with the same uh-oh expression. I don’t care who either of them dates, or that they seem to be dating each other. But if they break up, there’s no way our group won’t be affected.
Garrett shows up a few minutes later, and we begin.
“From what I understand, the timed exam at the end of the semester will be an accumulation of everything we are learning in our lessons,” Elaine says. “We won’t be going directly against other groups like the final exam at the end of the year, but our time will determine our rank.”
Natalia leans her head on Van’s shoulder.
Elaine blinks a few times as she stares at them. “Have either of you two thought about how dating might be a really bad idea?”
Natalia and Van both glare at her. Garrett covers his mouth with his fist in an attempt to hide his laugh.
“Who I date is none of your business,” Natalia snaps.
Elaine’s cheeks turn red, a sign that she’s angry.
“I think what Elaine means is that we all have to work together for the entire year. There is no being reassigned to a new group,” I cut in before Elaine says something that makes the delicate situation worse. “You two seem to have hit things off, which is great, but have you considered that if the relationship doesn’t work out, you’ll have to keep working together?”
Natalia and Van glance at each other, then Natalia gives another glare to Elaine before looking at me. “I’m sure if we break up, we can remain civil.”
Elaine opens her mouth but I shake my head at her.
“Then we have nothing to worry about,” I lie, knowing full well that if they end up breaking up, there’s no way our group won’t suffer. But arguing with them about it now is the quickest way to lodge a wedge between us all, which won’t do anyone any good. “So, what’s the plan for today?”
Elaine’s expression remains annoyed, but she breaks us into two groups to practice the spells we’ve learned so far, making sure to separate Natalia and Van. Neither of them seems happy to be apart, but they don’t complain.
Van, Garret, and I stand in a triangle and take turns hurling attacks at each other. Unlike dueling, where the opponents have no clue what the other is about to do, we work on one attack at a time, starting with fire. I toss fire in Garrett’s direction, and he blocks it before throwing one at Van, who does the same to me.
It’s apparent very quickly that not everyone is on the same level when it comes to the incantations. My fire comes faster and larger than either of theirs. Van has a decent grasp on the spell, but Garrett struggles to create fire at all. One time, his defensive spell isn’t strong enough to block my attack, which strikes him in the thigh.
Our school uniforms are made of a material that can stand up to magical attacks, but the jeans Garrett is wearing today aren’t, and my fire burns a hole right through them, scalding his skin.
“I’m so sorry,” I say.
“I’m fine.” He winces.
“Dang, your fire is strong,” Van says as steps toward Garrett. “You better go get that looked at.”
Elaine and Natalia notice we aren’t practicing anymore and come over.
“What happened?” Natalia heads straight to Van and wraps his arm around her.
“One of my attacks just barely slipped by him,” I say, trying not to embarrass Garrett.
The vein in his head swells, and I’m not sure if it’s because he’s in pain or humiliated.
Elaine stares at Natalia and Van, her jaw clenched.
“That’s enough for today, don’t you think Elaine?” I ask.
She exhales a huff. “I suppose so.”
Natalia and Van leave without even a glance in her direction.
Garrett hesitates, as if this is all some test.
“You really should go have that checked out in the hospital wing,” I say. “Just to be safe.”
“See you next week,” he says before following behind the other two.
Elaine checks her phone, reads something on it, then sticks it back into her pocket. “When we got put into the same group, you were my biggest worry. How is it that out of all my group members, you’re turning out to be the least of my concern?”
I can’t help but chuckle, which then turns into a full-blown laugh. “Apparently, miracles do happen.”
“Apparently.” Elaine pulls out her phone again and groans. “I have to take this. See you later.” She answers the call and walks away from me.
“Well, look who it is.” Sebastian approaches me with a cocky grin. “Rumor has it that you almost died.”
“Excuse me?”
“Bad case of the Sorcerer Flu, right?”
How did he hear about that? “I guess almost is the keyword.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.” Sebastian’s thumb rests casually in the front pocket of his distressed jeans. His plaid collared shirt is left unbuttoned over a white t-shirt, with its sleeves rolled halfway between his wrist and his elbow.
The small smirk on his face makes nervous. “Are you out here to meet some hot date?”
“That wasn’t my intention, but I’m always open to change.”
I pretend to look around the courtyard for someone. “There are a couple of girls over there. Maybe one of them is your soulmate.”
He glances in their direction. “Maybe. Or maybe it’s someone else.”
“I’m smooth in other ways too.”
I lift my wrist and glance at a non-existent watch. “Look at the time.”
“You know how to break a guy’s heart, Wren Jacobsen.” The way my name rolls off his tongue causes my stomach to flutter.
“I’m sure you can find someone to heal it for you.” I grin, enjoying this conversation more than I should.
I’ll never admit it aloud, but something about Sebastian fascinates me, which has never ended well for me. I know myself enough to know that with one wrong move, I’ll find myself waking up in his bed with my clothes on the floor.
Not only would that lose me my bet with Zane, but for once, I don’t want to succumb to old distractions. These days, I have one goal: to pass the exam at the end of the year and double my magic.
And I can’t let anything get in the way.
Twelve
The next six weeks soar by.
I fall into a nice routine, making it to all of my classes and spending at least an hour in the evenings doing homework. By some miracle, I’m at the top of my class.
When my parents finally call to check on me, I don’t miss the surprise in their voices when I tell them how well I’m doing. Still no apologies for hiding magic from me for so long, but at least they sound genuinely interested in how things are going at Wicklow.
Group meetings are still a little rocky, with neither Natalia or Elaine dropping any hostility toward each other. But so far, Van and Natalia have stayed together, and little-by-little, Garrett is improving.
Another weekend comes. It’s my favorite weekend of the year: Halloween.
Most people prefer Christmas—lots of presents and holiday cheer—but I’ve always loved Halloween the most. Fun costumes, lots of candy, and mixed drinks, the perfect trifecta.
When Olivia hands me a flyer advertising a freshman only costume party tomorrow night, I’m ecstatic. That is until I read that it’s being hosted by Bianca.
“Ugh,” I say as I hand the flyer back to Olivia. “I love Halloween. But a party hosted by Bianca? That isn’t my idea of a fun time.”
“It’s hosted by her and three other girls. I’m sure it will be fine.”
After a lot of thought, I determine my love for Halloween outweighs my distaste for Bianca, so I agree to go.
Someone told Olivia there’s a Halloween store in Coast Harbor. A bus will take students into town every Saturday morning for a few hours, but we decide to make our own costumes instead.
With just an hour to spare, I’m dressed in a red crop top and tight red skirt with a Devil headband and Olivia is dressed in all white, with a halo and feathery angel wings that took a lot of glue.
“We look hot,” Olivia says while admiring herself in the mirror.
I pose next to her and pucker my bright red lips.
“And this is why I love Halloween,” Micah says behind us. “You two look sexy.”
I’m not sure to gape or gasp when I turn around and see Micah in a pair of black pants, a tie, and no shirt.
Olivia’s eyes widen.
When neither of us says anything, Micah says, “I’m a stripper.”
“Obviously,” Olivia says, her cheeks turning pink.
“And you two can be the angel and devil on my shoulder.” He walks toward us, swaying his hips dramatically. “Too much?”
“Lose the walk,” I say.
Olivia pulls a bottle of vodka out of one of her clothing drawers. “Let’s get the party started.” She takes a drink then hands it to me.
Vodka isn’t my favorite, but after making it through two months at Wicklow, some buzzed fun sounds perfect. After I take a drink, my face contorts in disgust.
Micah takes a long drink, and then we leave.
The party is in the freshmen common area, which I’ve only been to once. It’s a large room, with couches, a pool table, and even a fireplace in the far corner. Orange and white lights are strung across the ceiling, giving the room a soft glow. Two circular tables sit by the fireplace for card games, and an area in the front corner has been cleared for dancing.
“I hate to admit it, but I’m impressed,” I say.
Bianca, dressed in a risque bumblebee costume, and another of the hostesses, dressed as a ladybug, approach us.
“Welcome,” Bianca smiles, even at me. “Drinks are over there.” She points to the bar next to the dance floor. “There are Halloween-themed cocktails and Jell-O shots. Have fun.” They continue on to the group behind us.
“That was…weird,” I say. Somehow, we’ve managed not to kill each other in Potions and Herbs, but that’s only because we never talk more than necessary. That hasn’t stopped Bianca from rolling her eyes at me or sighing if I show up to class even a second late, but I’ve learned the power of ignoring her.
“It’s a party. I’m sure even Bianca wants everyone to have a good time,” Olivia says. “Now, let’s get drunk.”
We head to the bar and I order a Spook-hito and grab two Jell-O shots.
After two trips to the bar, Olivia drags me onto the dance floor for a while until we both have to use the restroom.
When we walk back out, we decide to find Micah.
At first, we think he might have left, but then we spot him in the corner of the dance floor with his lips pressed to their group member Tammy’s.
Olivia freezes, her face whiter than I’ve ever seen it.
“C’mon.” I lock my arm with hers and lead her to the couch on the other side of the room. “You okay?”
She shakes her head and blinks. “Yeah, I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?” She gets up and heads to the bar.
I follow her.
“Four shots of tequila,” she orders. The bartender lifts an eyebrow, but grabs four shot glasses and fills them.
“Don’t go too fast,” I say.
“Two for me, two for you.” Olivia hands me a shot. “You can’t let the angel drink more than the devil.”
She clinks her shot glass against mine then downs it. I do the same, glad she ordered tequila, not vodka.
Olivia grabs another and pours it down her throat before handing me my second one. “Right now, I need to be drunker than I’ve been in a long time. And I need my roommate to join in on the fun.”
I’m not sure how fun it’s going to be when I’m puking later, but I take the other shot without complaining.
Olivia orders us each another Spook-hito then we go back and sit on the empty couch.
Within a couple of minutes, a group of people, including Bianca, have joined us.
“You two playing?” Bianca asks.
“Yep!” Olivia answers before Bianca even says what we’re playing then scoots closer to me to make room for other people.
“We’re going to play a game of Never Have I Ever.” Bianca lifts up a bottle of green liquid. “This is a truth serum. Everyone has to take one sip, which will prevent any lying for the next half an hour or so.”
Olivia claps her hands, clearly feeling the effects of the tequila.
I am too. A pleasant heat spreads through my veins as the bottle of truth serum is passed around. Olivia is handed it and takes a quick drink. Then it’s my turn.
I press the bottle to my lips and tip it up until the liquid hits my tongue. It’s sourer than I’m expecting, like a Granny Smith apple. But by the time I’ve swallowed, a sweet aftertaste takes over.
A tingly feeling tickles the back of my throat.
“Everyone raises five fingers,” Bianca says. “Then we go around in a circle, stating something we’ve never done. If you haven’t done whatever that person says, you leave all your fingers up. If you have, you drop one finger. First person to create a fist loses and has to complete one dare agreed upon by everyone e
lse. Got it?”
Everyone nods and raises a hand with all five fingers extended.
The last person takes a drink of the serum then hands it back to Bianca. She sticks a cork in it and sets it on the floor next to her feet. “I’ll go first. Never have I ever got caught by my parents having sex.”
An image of Zane and I half-naked in the bathroom when my mom unlocked and opened the door surfaces. We weren’t technically having sex yet, but we were well on our way.
My thumb curls down against my will.
Of the ten of us playing, two others drop their fingers too.
Bianca smirks at me.
The next person goes, sharing they’ve never had a threesome. Neither have I, but this takes down a finger of three others. I haven’t done the next two either, but the guy sitting next to Olivia says he’s never skinny-dipped, which takes another of my fingers.
Olivia still has four fingers. “Never have I ever…thrown my best friend in the friend zone.”
This takes one person’s finger.
Now it’s my turn, and I try to think of a good one.
Bianca taps her finger on her knee as she stares at me.
“Never have I ever had sex with a friend’s parent.” I’m not sure where the question came from, but the struggle on Bianca’s face makes me glad I thought of it.
She loses her third finger.
By the time it gets back to me again, I’m in last place and down to one finger. Bianca and a guy I don’t know each has two left.
If I think of the right question, I can bring Bianca down to one too. The perfect idea comes to me, and I double-check that I haven’t done it.
“I have never gone to a costume party as a bumblebee.”
Bianca lowers her index finger, pointing her remaining middle finger at me.
Suddenly, I realize my mistake. The tequila in me gave me liquid courage that might completely backfire. There’s one person sitting in between Bianca and me, which means if that question doesn’t knock Bianca out, she’ll come directly at me.
She kicks the girl about to ask the question, then gestures toward me. At first, the girl looks confused, then she understands.
