by Wendi Wilson
“How did you do that?” The words come out like an accusation but I can’t help it.
Bryce sighs and rubs his forehead. “I told you, Kai. I’m a witch.”
Chapter Eight
I need time to think.
That’s all I said before I ran away like a skittish deer. What I really want is to go for a swim but the fear of him showing up on the beach again keeps me hidden in my bedroom. I don’t know if he’d actually show up. He knows I can’t be seen with him. But as my mom always says, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
My entire body itches like I’ve broken out in hives. The wood floor is hard and unyielding beneath me but the coolness of its surface seems to help with the itching. My brain is running in circles, and each rotation brings me back to the same point. Bryce Howell is a witch.
For the first time in my life, a boy has cracked my shell, wormed his way inside and made me feel something. Ana was right. I’ve never really even looked twice at a guy before Bryce. It’s just my luck that he turns out to be some kind of freak of nature.
I sit up and lean my back against the side of my bed. I really wish I had a phone. I could use some advice from my best friend right about now. My face strains into a frown with the thought.
“I can’t tell her.”
The whispered words echo back at me. I can’t tell anyone Bryce’s secret, not even Ana. Regardless of how I feel about it, he trusted me. I have no idea how I’m going to pull this off. Ana can read me like a large-print book. I’ve never been able to keep anything from her. Maybe Bryce knows a spell…
I jump up and pace the floor. I can’t believe myself. One second I don’t know how I’m going to even look at him again and the next I’m wondering if he can put a spell on me to hide the truth. Guilt eats at me, and I’m not sure why. Maybe I feel it because I have to keep a secret from Ana. Maybe it’s because I’ve been secretly meeting with Bryce despite my mother’s dire warnings. Maybe it’s because, in spite of everything, I want to be closer to him. I want to know him. I want him to know me.
I rush over to my closet and grab my swimsuit. I need to swim right now. If Bryce is stupid enough to come try to talk to me, I’ll just ignore him. If Ms. Coraline sees me, she won’t be able to find fault with me. I can’t control his actions, only my reactions.
I tell myself all of this, even though I know the truth in my heart. If Bryce approaches me on the beach, it won’t matter what I do. Ms. Coraline always searches for ways to punish or belittle me. It’s just a chance I’ll have to take. I don’t think I’ve ever needed to feel the ocean around me more than I do right now.
As soon as my toes hit the surf, I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Icy water splashes everywhere as I sprint through the shallow waves. As soon as I hit thigh-depth, I dive forward and swim under the surface until my empty lungs force me up for air. I tread water for a while, letting the sea soothe my troubled mind and body.
A strange feeling comes over me, like I’m being watched. I turn in the water and scan the beach, fearing the worst. I don’t see Bryce, or anyone else for that matter, anywhere. I let my body relax and float on my back, staring up at the sky, it’s blue color fading in the late afternoon light. The hair on my arms starts to prickle as I feel eyes on me again.
“It’s probably just the old hag with her binoculars, again,” I mumble.
As I try to ignore the feeling, it grows stronger, and I start to notice changes in my surroundings. The water has calmed, the large swells dissipating, leaving just a soft current to rock me gently. I close my eyes and enjoy the feeling, then pop them back open again. The water feels...warmer.
I turn myself upright and start to tread water again, looking in every direction. As I search for a logical reason behind the temperature change, the water steadily grows warmer and warmer until it feels like a hot spring, or what I imagine a hot spring would feel like. I straighten my arm and reach forward, jerking it back when I feel the shock of cold water just outside my personal space.
Something glittering in the sun catches my eye, and I turn toward Bryce’s house. There, on the back deck, I see a lone figure leaning against the railing, sunlight glinting off mirrored sunglasses. I can tell it’s him by his build and cocky stance. As I stare, he lifts his hand slightly in a wave, then wraps his arms around himself and shivers. He waves again and turns, heading through the double doors that lead into the house. As soon as he disappears from sight, the water returns to its natural temperature.
A chill runs down my spine but not from the cooling of the water. I swim to the shore and run through the sand, barely slowing down to grab my towel. I take the stairs two at a time, needing to be back in the privacy of my room as quickly as possible. I pause at the back door, having enough sense to take a moment to dry off before heading inside. If I get caught dripping water on the floor again, I’ll be in so much trouble.
After wrapping the towel around my waist, I reach for the doorknob. Before my fingers can brush the bronze metal, it turns, and the door swings open. Panic blooms in my chest, fearing the wrath of Ms. Coraline. Before I can make a choice between fight and flight, my mother steps into the opening and beckons me inside.
“Mom,” I whisper on a sigh.
“Go, Kailani. Get to your room, now, and stay there. I’ll bring dinner to you.”
“But-”
“Now.”
I swallow any further argument and do as she says. I head up the stairs to the third floor, my chest tight as I think about the look on my mom’s face. It wasn’t anger. It wasn’t impatience. It was something far worse. It was fear.
Ms. Coraline must be on the warpath about something. Something serious, or my mom wouldn’t have looked so apprehensive. As much as I want to sneak back downstairs and eavesdrop, I decide to err on the side of caution this time and stay put in my room like my mom told me to. Maybe she’ll tell me what’s going on when she brings my dinner.
After changing my clothes, I lay down on my bed. That whole scene with mom made me forget about Bryce momentarily but as I lie down in the silence of my room, thoughts of him rush back in. I can still see him in my mind, standing on the back deck of his house, waving to me and making a shivering motion.
He did it. He used his...powers...to warm the water around me. He wanted to prove, if there was any doubt left in my mind, that he is a witch. I believe him. Bryce Howell is a witch. He can do things, out of the ordinary things, with his mind and his words. He can sense what I’m feeling.
I close my eyes with a flinch. It feels kind of ridiculous that, out of everything he revealed, the fact that he always knows what I’m feeling is what bothers me the most.
“Who cares if he can change the environment or prevent sound? He knows I like him.” I whisper to the room at large, mocking myself.
God, I wish I could talk to Ana about this. I would even settle for asking my mom for advice- if it weren’t for that whole “I’m forbidden to see him” bit. I have to keep all of this to myself. Unless I want to talk to Bryce about it. The thought sends a tremor through me.
“Kai?”
At the sound of my mom’s voice, I sit up and scoot back, leaning against the wall. She walks in with a large tray and nudges the door softly with her foot until it closes. I keep silent as she walks toward the bed and sets the tray down in front of me. When I don’t move, or speak, she crosses her arms over her chest.
“It’s turkey and cheese on white. Your favorite.”
“Thanks,” I respond, still not moving to eat.
“Come on, Kai. You need to eat.”
She moves around the room, tidying things here and there. I watch her with one raised eyebrow. Does she think I’ll just let it go? No. She knows me better than that.
“Mom.”
She turns to face me, her face looking a shade paler than usual. “Yes?”
“Come on, mom. What was going on earlier?”
“Oh, nothing, really. Ms. Coraline was on a rampage because I l
et her tea get cold, and I didn’t want her taking it out on you.”
“Really.” I made my tone as sarcastic as I could manage.
“Yes, really. Now eat your dinner, and I’ll come get the tray in a little while.”
“I can bring it down to the kitchen.”
“No! I mean...no, that’s okay, Honey. I’ll come get it. You can just hang out here and do homework or something.”
“It’s Friday. I don’t have any homework.”
“Kailani.”
“Okay, fine. I’ll stay here.” I pause for a moment. “Mom? You know you can tell me the truth, right?”
Her shoulders sag at my words. “I know, Honey. I know.” She walks through the door and closes it behind her with a soft click.
The turkey sandwich sticks to the roof of my mouth as I try to choke down a few bites. I drop it back to my plate and push the tray aside, gulping some water to aid its descent down my throat. Setting the glass back on my night stand, I lay back against my pillow and stare at the ceiling.
I wonder what’s happening downstairs. It must be something bad if mom doesn’t want me to leave my room. The old hag must be in a mood. I frown at the thought. I’ve seen Ms. Coraline in a bad mood. Hell, that’s a daily occurrence. This must be something different. It has to be.
Making a decision, I grab the tray and tiptoe to my door. The metal knob feels unnaturally cold against my fingers as I grasp it and twist. I poke my head through the narrow opening and look both ways. All’s quiet, so I step into the hall and make my way to the staircase.
I stick to the sides of the steps, hoping to avoid any creaking boards beneath the carpet. My back is sliding along the wall. I hear a noise and freeze, waiting for Ms. Coraline to pop out of the shadows and... I don’t know what. When no one appears, I take a few more steps and hit the second story landing.
Muffled voices draw me forward. If I can’t hear them clearly, that means they’re behind closed doors, probably in Ms. Coraline’s parlor. I rush down the steps as quickly as I can without letting the dishes on the tray rattle. One of the voices raises an octave, luring me to the closed parlor doors. Ms. Coraline is yelling.
“...Merryn. I know she has been seeing that boy.”
“No, ma’am. I assure you, she’s a good girl.”
I flinch at my mother’s words. I’ve always considered myself good. There’s just something about Bryce that brings out my not so good side. And I like it.
“Don’t be so naive. Kailani is…”
I press my ear against the doors as Ms. Coraline’s voice fades. She must have moved further away. I can’t make out many words, other than “young,” “rebellious,” and “pig-headed.” I huff and feel my hackles rise with that last one.
“I’ve talked to her,” my mom says, her voice pleading, “and she assured me she would stay away from him. She won’t disobey me, ma’am.”
Ms. Coraline’s voice is louder when she speaks again. “You better hope so, Merryn. I don’t make idle threats, so heed me now. If she tries to associate with him, even on a superficial level, I will pull my protection.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
My mom’s voice is very close now, and I can visualize her backing toward the parlor doors. Change of plans. I know I’ll never make it to the kitchen without her seeing me downstairs. She might figure out that I was eavesdropping. I sprint on the balls of my feet to the stairs, then take two at a time until I’m half way up to the second floor. I stop, get my breathing under control, then slowly make my way back down.
“Kailani!”
My mom’s urgent, though not unexpected, whisper stops me in my tracks. “Oh, hey mom.”
She rushes up and turns me around, leading me back upstairs. “I thought I told you to stay in your room. Why are you down here?”
“Sorry, Mom. I didn’t really want the turkey sandwich. I was still starving, so I thought it would be okay if I came down to get some fruit.”
She ushers me back to my room before speaking again. “Kai, I need you to listen to me. Ms. Coraline is...not feeling well, and I need you to stay up here. Please.”
“Okay. Sorry,” I say dumbly.
She pulls me in for a hug. “It’s okay, baby. I’ll take this tray down and bring you an apple, okay?”
“Thanks, mom.”
Once the door closes behind her, I go to my window and stare out at the dark ocean. What did Ms. Coraline mean by protection? What could she possibly be protecting me from? And why does it hinge on me not associating with Bryce?
I walk to my bed and sit. I wonder if, somehow, the old lady knows about Bryce. About his abilities. I shake my head at the thought. No way. How could she possibly know? She’s just being her normal evil self, bent on making my life as joyless as possible.
“Well, I’m not going to let her anymore.”
Chapter Nine
“I’m going for a walk into town.”
My mom’s spoon, laden with a heap of oatmeal, stops halfway to her mouth. She meets my eyes and nods before lifting it the rest of the way and taking a bite. She swallows thickly and takes a drink of her coffee.
“What are you going to do?” she asks, trying unsuccessfully to keep her voice casual.
“I’m meeting Ana. We’re hanging out today.”
Her relief is palpable. “Okay, Honey. Have fun and try to be back before dark.”
I nod and jump up from the table. I grab my jacket from the hook by the door and rush out before she can change her mind and call me back. I pause on the deck and slip the jacket on, then slowly make my way across the weathered boards to the front of the house.
Stepping onto the driveway, I slow my steps. I don’t really have plans with Ana. I feel bad lying to mom but I need to see Bryce. I just haven’t quite figured out how I’m going to make that happen. I can’t exactly walk up to his front door and knock. What if his parents tell my mom? Or worse, Ms. Coraline?
Once I reach the main road, I make a right and head in the direction of his house. My feet pick up speed, and by the time I reach the end of his drive, I’m practically running. I skid to a stop and put my hands on my knees to catch my breath.
“What now?” I mumble.
I look back toward Ms. Coraline’s house and see nothing out of the ordinary. I close my eyes, hoping a plan will come to me. When I open them, there he is, walking slowly up his drive toward me. My breath catches in my throat at the site of him, as if I’d conjured him. But I’m not the witch, he is.
I start walking again, pretending not to see him just in case the old hag has her binoculars out. I keep my head down and make sure my pace is quick enough that he won’t catch up to me. At least, not yet. I can hear the sound of his shoes crunching on the gravel, so I know he’s still there.
We walk all the way to town, me keeping my eyes forward, and Bryce trailing several yards behind me. I start to panic, wondering where to go and how this scenario is going to play out. I want to talk to him, to just be around him, but I need to make sure no one sees us. Ms. Coraline cannot find out.
Inspiration strikes, and I take a left on Fourth Street. As excitement fills me, my steps quicken, and I’m nearly sprinting by the time I reach my destination. I skid to a halt and look back. Seeing Bryce round the corner, I jerk my head toward the towering building in front of me. I wait for him to nod his head in agreement before skipping up the steps that lead to the entrance of the Santa Lorelei public library.
Walking through the doors, I take a look around and see that my hunch was right. It’s pretty much deserted, save for a few people reading at tables or using one of the many computers. I pull the hood of my jacket up to cover my hair. Its bright color stands out like a beacon, and if there is anyone here who knows me, I don’t want it drawing their attention. I head for the staircase and turn to see Bryce walking through the front door. I wait for his eyes to meet mine before turning and loping up the stairs.
Once on the second floor, I look around and sigh in relief. There’s no
t a soul up here in the reference section. I hear Bryce’s footsteps coming up behind me. I turn and give him a shaky smile. Relief floods me when he smiles back. Courage and determination, the likes of which I didn’t know existed, flare within me. I reach forward and take his hand before turning and pulling him through the towering stacks toward the back. Chills shoot down my spine when he twists his hand and interlaces his fingers with mine. The heat of his palm sears mine, and I squeeze my fingers to bring it even closer.
When we reach the far side of the floor, I zig-zag through the aisles until I reach the most rarely used section. Rows of dusty, defunct encyclopedias fill the shelves. I found this spot when I was twelve. Ana and I decided to come here to explore one Saturday afternoon. We quickly grew bored, and I challenged her to a game of hide and seek. I hid in this section for over an hour before she finally found me. It’s perfect.
“Encyclopedias?” he whispers, gazing at the shelves around us.
“Yeah. I don’t know why they even keep these anymore. You can find anything and everything on the internet. No one should come back here. It’s the best idea I could come up with.”
He looks from the shelves to me and smiles. “This is great.”
The bees start buzzing in my stomach again. Trying to act cool, I sit cross-legged on the floor and motion for him to join me. He plops down directly in front of me, crossing his legs so that his knees brush against mine. My breathing accelerates as I attempt, and fail, to calm my nerves.
“Why are you nervous?” he asks.
I meet his eyes with a sharp inhale. “I hate it when you do that.” Ouch. Why did I say it like that?
He keeps the eye contact and speaks slowly. “I can’t help it, Kai. It comes naturally to me and asking me not to do it is like asking me not to breathe.”
I lean forward a fraction and take a deep breath. “I’m sorry. You just surprised me, is all. I’m still trying to get used to the fact that you can do it. I don’t hate it.”
