Smoke and Wishes (Best Wishes Book 1)

by A. J. Macey

  "Hey, uh, I'm Lucie, and you are more than welcome to paint and draw to your heart’s content, I don't mind being around a mess." I smiled as I stepped into the shared living room, my hand held out for her shake. She was shorter than my 5'6", the top of her head barely reaching my nose. "I don't really have a hobby, but I love to run and do yoga to help relax," I divulged. I can be social. People share things about themselves when making friends right? I can act like a normal human being…supernatural, whatever.

  "Yoga? That's so awesome, I've always wanted to do yoga, but me attempting to move into those positions would be an epic disaster waiting to happen, so I keep my curvy ass firmly away from any type of physical activity.” She laughed waving her hands animatedly. "I'm going to work on unpacking my stuff then probably take a nap since I had a red-eye flight from Baltimore and an hour drive over here through morning rush hour. Maybe we can hit up some place for dinner if you want?" She started huffing again as she lugged her suitcase, which was over half of her size and bulging around the edges, to her room. I struggled to keep up with her upbeat tinkling voice as she blurred from one topic to the next.

  "Sure, I'd love to. I need to run to the campus store and grab some bedding," I announced, pulling open the front door. I waved goodbye to Sadie as I closed it behind me.

  2

  August 24th

  Friday Evening

  Lucienne

  "This place smells amazing." Sadie bounced up and down on the balls of her feet, waiting for the hostess to mark our table on her chart and grab the menus. The spicy scents from the different dishes swirled around the dining area as we weaved between a few tables to a small booth in the corner. I slid into the side that was against the wall while Sadie shifted into the other. After the waitress came by and took our drink orders, water for me and lemonade for Sadie, I scanned the menu looking for my favorite Indian dish. Aha, found it!

  "Well, I'm ready." I closed my menu and slapped it onto the table, rubbing my hands together in excitement. "I'm always down for some Lamb Vindaloo."

  “Oh no, I cannot handle spicy, it fucks up my system like no other. I'm going with the good ol' Chicken Tikka Masala." She licked her lips exaggeratedly, making me laugh. The waitress came by, jotted down our orders, and took our menus to return them to the hostess stand. Once she was gone, I turned to Sadie, a wave of nerves washing over me. You can do this, you can make small talk.

  “So, um,” I started, picking at the cloth napkin wrapped around the silverware, “tell me about yourself.” Sadie’s turquoise eyes widened with excitement, the purple frames that were perched on her button nose emphasized the pink and purple flecks in the bright blue irises. Do all supes have such vibrant eyes?

  “Well, as I said earlier, I flew in from Baltimore, not that I live in Baltimore, mind you,” she rattled, her hands fluttering about with each turn of her words. “But I grew up in Maryland with my parents. I also have a little brother, Silas. Technically, he’s only a half-sibling since my dads had to get a surrogate to have us.” She paused as the waitress returned with our drinks and after a warm thank you, Sadie continued.

  “He is my dad Brandon’s son, and they’re both humans. I’m half fae”—she gestured to herself—“pixie if you want to get technical, because my dad, Harrison, is a fae. We’re both super into art and painting while my brother and his dad are all about soccer and sports, all that nasty physical stuff.” Her facial expression at the thought of anything resembling exercise was comical. “Silas’ dad is actually the soccer coach at the University of Maryland, where my dad is the Head of the Arts department. Silas plays soccer at his high school,” she trailed off taking a sharp inhale, replenishing the lack of oxygen she hadn’t been getting during her speech. “What about you? Any family? Cool stories?”

  She leaned forward to sip her lemonade, but missed the straw a couple times. It was almost like she forgot she had hands and could grab the straw to hold it still. My cheeks were starting to hurt at the amount of smiling and laughing I’d been doing since we sat down. I like her already.

  “I actually just found out. I was adopted when I was a baby by a human, so I don’t really know anything about supes or the community,” I admitted. I took a deep breath, willing my voice to remain steady despite the nerves I felt threatening to take over. “Did you grow up in the more human-prominent community or the supe community? Is there a separation between the two? Because I came from a small town that was in the middle of nowhere.” My barrage of questions didn’t seem to phase Sadie at all. Her easygoing, bubbly personality helped coax me out of my shell. My words and questions flowed easier with her smiling warmly at me.

  “We were in an area where it’s an equal mix, but with my brother and one of my dads being a human, I spent more time with humans than supes. Especially since most supes don’t come into their powers until late teens, so almost all of us go to the same primary and high schools as humans.” I felt my eyebrows creep up my face, I had no idea supes were so integrated, but it's nice to know I’m not alone in this transition. "So, how do you like campus so far? It's pretty in my opinion, I can't wait to get out and go paint when the leaves are changing more and the weather is a bit cooler," Sadie expressed, changing the direction of the conversation as she took a sip of her lemonade, opting to pick up the glass this time.

  "I love it. I haven't had a chance to explore the town around it too much, but I had the chance to look around most of the campus. I'll show you one of my favorite spots to go and meditate when you want to go out and paint," I offered up. Thinking of the small pond surrounded by stones offset by the nearby greenery and trees put me at ease, soothing the slight tremble in my hands. It is one of the most peaceful places I've found since leaving home. Hopefully, it'll stay undiscovered by other students come tomorrow, I grumbled.

  "Oh hell yeah, that would be awesome!" She emphasized her point by pumping her fist into the air, freezing there for a moment like a still frame. "Painting scenery helps offset the scenes that I paint when my powers go all wonky."

  "What powers do you have?" I felt my curiosity piqued at the mention of powers. I tried to recall what I had stumbled across during my reading over the summer at the library but came up blank.

  "Well, I'm fae as I said, and I have a form of precognition that, when it manifests, it kind of puts me in a trance and I'll draw or paint whatever I'm seeing. I don't remember any details of the ‘vision’”—she finger quoted—"afterward other than what was drawn. It's like a compulsion, so don't freak if I look like I'm sleepwalking, well, sleep painting.” She laughed. “The shitty part about it is it’s still relatively new for me. They’re sporadic and learning to interpret what I’ve drawn or painted is still a guessing game. It’s getting a bit easier though,” she added cheerfully at the end. “What about you miss Lucie, any awesome powers?”

  "Nothing yet. Although," I hesitated, trying to figure out how to explain what happened in the library. Sadie wasn't showing any red flags of distrust. Yeah, like you were so good about reading those before, I scoffed at myself, shaking my head to clear my inner musings. "I was in the library yesterday, trying to put a book back onto the shelf, and I was just out of reach, but before I got down to move the ladder the entire bookshelf just curved. Like it was malleable and made of clay, it just folded sideways, so the slot was right within reach. And then, as if that’s not crazy enough, as soon as I pushed the book in, it straightened back out!" I whispered frantically trying to keep my voice down from any potential prying ears. Mr. Nguyen mentioned it had been a while since he’d seen that power, that admission made me a little wary.

  "Holy shit, really?" Sadie's eyes widened as she leaned closer to me. "You didn't whisper any enchantments or spells? See any runes on the bookshelf, ladder, on the book maybe?”

  "Nope. I was just frustrated I couldn't reach, and get this,” I leaned forward, my elbows coming to rest on the table. My left hand lifted to the side of my mouth to discreetly cover mouth from anyone outside our booth. �
��There was a guy who saw it and said it was something he hadn't seen in a long time."

  "No kidding, if it was what I think it is, it's some kind of reality manipulation. That shit's really rare. Holy shit, my roommate's a badass!" She clapped her hands together as she whispered eagerly, her body buzzing with excitement. "This is going to be a good year, I think. I can't wait to see what the other students can do. Wait”—she slapped the tabletop—“you said there was a guy at the library? Was he cute?" Her voice returned to an average level as she propped her chin in her right hand. The fingers of her left drummed against the side of her lemonade, waiting expectedly as she changed topics, yet again, with dizzying speed.

  "I didn't spend much time with him, but he, uh, was definitely attractive," I admitted feeling my face heat up as I remembered the walking, talking, sex-on-a-stick from the library. Thoughts of him inevitably led to thoughts of the cutie from the study area. I was sure my face was now bright red. I looked out over the dining room taking in the different customers and employees flitting from table to table to avoid eye contact with Sadie, hoping she wouldn’t see the flush creeping up my neck and cheeks.

  "Girl, yes! Don't worry, we'll find him again so you can snag yourself a man! You don't have a boyfriend, right? Or girlfriend, I mean I don't discriminate, I actually just got out of a relationship with a girl back home," she rattled on, firing one statement and question after another.

  "Nope, no girlfriend or boyfriend, but for future reference, I prefer the male species." The statement ended there. No way am I diving into my shitty love life, Sadie seems great, but no one needs that dumped on them. We continued to make idle small talk about classes as well as other hotspots we wanted to hit around town in the near future until our food came. It was definitely a change to have such lively conversation with someone that wasn’t my best friend, Charlie. Don't question it.

  When both of us were stuffed beyond capacity, we proceeded to waddle ourselves, and our food babies, back to the dorm where we parted ways at our bedroom doors. While I was tired, I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep right away, so I sank into my rolling desk chair. I dug into the rulebook that I had been given at the move-in orientation, the white pages smooth under my fingers. Some of the rules were expected, basically don’t be an idiot, go to class on time, but some were things I hadn’t expected coming from my human life.

  1. Unless given express permission, using powers on another student or any members of staff or faculty is strictly prohibited. Any use of powers that result in injury will result in suspension or expulsion.

  2. Do not attempt more advanced magic unless under the proper guidance of a teacher, tutor, or approved student. Previously covered material in class or tutoring must be signed off on by the teacher before practicing alone.

  3. It is allowed and encouraged to use protection magic on personal property. If caught messing with others’ items including, but not limited to, roommates, students, staff, classrooms, without permission, will result in punishment.

  4. Be smart, stay safe. If you have a question or any doubt, find and ask a teacher, advanced student, or tutor.

  I closed the rulebook, my eyes drooping the longer I read. My mind wandered to when I was accepted into RSU.

  “Hey, Mom. I’m home!” I called out from the front door as I slipped off my sandals and placed my keys in the bowl on the entryway table. I had the mail clutched in one arm, flipping through the stack, careful to not hit any of the injuries on my arms with the different sized envelopes. I noticed a heavy-duty cream envelope about halfway through the pile. The face was adorned with small, precise cursive addressed…to me? I flipped it over to open it and noticed the wax seal and paused. Wait, what? I thought, re-reading the name on the seal.

  I stood stunned for a few moments before walking the last couple of feet into the kitchen where my mom was sitting at the small round table flipping through one of her many recipe books. “Mom,” I called out hesitantly, “why am I getting a letter from Redwood Supernatural University?” Surely it’s a mistake, but when I look at my mom, I have the overwhelming feeling that I’m not going to like the upcoming conversation. Her mouth was pursed. Eyes glued to the page while her fingers fiddled with the edge of the recipe card. When she looked at me, her light blue eyes glistened with unshed tears.

  “Oh sweetheart, I knew I would have to explain all of this one day, but I was hoping it could wait until the end of summer,” her silvery voice cracked. She swept a stray curl of dark brown hair out of her face and behind her ear. “Come sit down, Lucie. I’ll make some hot chocolate for us.” She closed her recipe book and placed it in the ever-growing stack on one side of the table.

  I placed the unrelated mail on the tiled counter, clutching the thick textured envelope in my hand against my tightening chest. I sat slowly in the other chair on the empty side of the wooden table and tucked my right leg up, my other hand resting on the scuffed table top. I rested my right cheek on my knee and looked over to my mom.

  “I don’t know how to tell you this sweetheart, I don’t want you to get upset, but you’ll have to know this to understand the envelope,” she said as she filled the kettle with milk and placed it on the stove. “I have to tell you about your mother.” Her eyes were downcast towards the chipping tile of the counter.

  “So, you have to tell me about yourself?” Trying to joke, I felt my throat starting to constrict.

  “No sweetheart, your birth mother.” Her cheeks shone with small tear tracks when she looked at me. “You see, Lucie, I found you when you were just a baby. Not even two weeks old, bundled in a large number of blankets along with a note and some trinkets.” She moved around the counter and sat in the vacant spot at the table and held my hand gently.

  “Do you know who she was?” My voice was rough with emotions. Sniffling, I wiped the tears away on my shirt sleeve.

  “Not her full name, no, but she did leave her first. Adelaide.”

  August 25th

  Saturday Morning

  Lucienne

  My alarm rang at seven with some automated, cheery tune that grated on my already thin nerves. I pushed the new, plush comforter down my torso so I could chill my sweat coated body. Once I was able to catch my breath, I swung my legs over the edge of the twin-sized mattress, and pushed to a sitting position. I felt my hair sticking to my neck and upper back where my pajama top wasn’t covering me, deciding a quick shower would be a good idea before attempting to function like an actual human being. Or supernatural, or whatever the hell the stupid phrase would be. It’s too early for this.

  Once I was cooled and rinsed clean in the shower, I dressed in some simple, albeit a little short, black shorts and a loose grey tank. The arm holes were big enough that the band of my navy bra was slightly visible, but I couldn’t bring myself to care at that moment. The tank made my addiction to caffeine blatantly apparent with the phrase "but first, coffee" in black font. I tossed my somewhat dried hair into a messy bun on the crown of my head, slipped on some sandals, and threw some supplies in my messenger bag.

  When I was ready to head out for orientation, I realized the clock only said 7:35 AM. Oh my god yes, there’s time for coffee. I guess I should try to ingest something too, with breakfast being the most important meal of the day or some shit like that. I slipped out the front door of my shared dorm, that way I didn't rush Sadie who I heard stumbling and grumbling grouchily around in her bedroom. My sandals echoed through the stairwell as I made my way to the ground floor, having chosen to skip the line for an overly cramped elevator.

  As I made my way over to Coffeeology, the campus coffee and pastry shop, for an extra large cup of caffeinated goodness, I noticed that there was an influx of activity around the quad. Since it was still early, most of the people I saw seemed to be struggling to wake up; disheveled clothing and yawning filled the grassy area.

  I reached my destination and eagerly pulled open the front door. I was enveloped in the smell of coffee and baked deliciousness, the pleasant a
romas making my mouth water. Multiple conversations permeated the air of the softly lit shop. A few of the low sitting chairs were occupied by students who didn't look familiar, while three baristas manned the counter and equipment.

  "There's my caffeine addict!" announced a familiar voice from behind the espresso machine.

  "Hey, Em." I chuckled as I got in line, trying to avoid the gazes as a few of the unknown faces that looked my way with Em's exuberant welcome.

  "I'm assuming your usual so you can be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for orientation?” she questioned as she finished up several different sized beverages and set them on the pick-up counter. Emily, the owner of the Coffeeology, became quite familiar with my order over the summer since I stopped in on work days. I typically came in around three times a week. More like once a day… semantics.

  "Yes please, but no croissant this morning," I responded. She shot me some finger guns before setting off to work on my order. Her light brunette hair was slightly frizzy and held away from her face with a red bandana. The baristas at Coffeeology had an all-black dress code, but being the owner allowed her the liberty of wearing whatever she felt like. Today, her plump figure was adorned by a plain grey A-line dress with three-quarter sleeves and a pair of red Doc Martens that matched her bandana perfectly and tied the quirky look together. I turned back to the shop as I waited, finally taking a moment to look around the small space.

  There were a handful of clustered leather seats lining the corners, with square tables with wooden chairs dispersed in-between them. Most of the tables are filled with one or two people sipping drinks and reading paperbacks, instead of reading textbooks and writing out notes, as was prevalent during the summer when I moved to campus. I guess that's what happens when school isn't officially in.