“Whitehead?”
I snapped back to the present, gasping from shock of having to focus on Aiden’s face inches from mine. His breath was slow and deep, his stormy gray eyes were boring into my soul. My heart raced. I gasped a little and stepped back from him. My body was reacting to him, and it scared me. Wanting him wasn’t something I could deal with. Why was I reacting this way?
“Yeah,” I stammered, trying to break his gaze. My eyes just couldn’t seem to move away from his.
“I was talking to you, but it seems like you’re in a completely different world. You ok?” he asked with concern. His hand reached out to caress my arm.
I shuddered. “Yeah, fine.”
“Ok. Well, Juniper and Mark went in to find us seats. We should probably go in,” he said. He opened the theater door for me.
“Wait,” I said and put my hand up to stop him.
Turning, he let the door shut. He looked at me patiently, waiting for whatever it was I was going to say.
“I wanted to ask you something, Aiden. How did you know where I live?”
“Everyone knows where you live. It’s Arrow Rock, Whitehead,” he said with a chuckle.
“So, you aren’t stalking me or something?”
“What? No. I thought we were friends,” he said sounding disheartened.
“Yeah, we are. I just got worried is all. I don’t know how I feel about you, Aiden…I don’t want to lead you on or anything.”
“I know, and it’s fine. I told you I would prove myself.”
“Ok. Well, let’s go in now.”
“All right, Whitehead, after you,” he said, opening the door wide.
The theater was full—it was Friday night after all—and the closest seats J and Mark could find were two on one row and two on the row below it. That meant we would be divided. My heart was still beating like a drum from the close encounter with Aiden. My palms were sweating a little bit at the thought of being separated from my friends. “We’ll sit on the bottom two,” I said as I moved through the crowded aisle.
Aiden followed closely behind me. We sat and our hands brushed when we both reached for the same arm rest. I giggled with embarrassment and moved to the opposite rest instead. I breathed deeply, trying to relax myself before the theater went dark. I moved my eyes slightly, trying to get a sideways glance at Aiden. His chiseled face looked stormy and dangerous from the side, kind of how his eyes did from the front. I studied him. He seemed to sense me because he turned to me. His eyes locked on mine, seemingly putting me into a trance, and my hand moved toward his. Just before I gripped his fingers, J cleared her throat behind me.
My thoughts seemed to clear like fog lifting from the ground—a fog I hadn’t even realized I was sinking into until now. I turned slowly. My mind and body were not my own anymore. I looked at J. My eyes stared deeply into hers but everything still felt disconnected. I was screaming inside. I was trapped in my own body.
“Liv?”
The voice coming from mouth didn’t seem like my own. It sounded distant and foreign. “Yeah?”
She gripped me tightly and shook me. “Liv, what’s wrong?”
I glanced back at Aiden, who still looked like a wild storm brewing, and I shrugged in confusion.
“Olivia, you ok?” I could hear Mark asking.
“I think we need to go,” I said quietly.
Aiden still sat there staring at me.
“I don’t feel well, J. Can we go?” I mumbled, forcing the words from my lips.
“Yes!” she exclaimed and stood up.
I studied Aiden’s face, but I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. My body was weak as I rose unsteadily. I swayed a bit and a strong hand grabbed me. Aiden looked up with a smirk on his face. He was gripping my side.
“I’m sorry, maybe we can hang out another time,” I said.
He nodded and let go. I saw J and Mark looking worried at the end of my aisle. I stumbled my way to them. My mind cleared more, the further I got from Aiden. Mark grabbed me, holding me upright as he ushered me from the darkening theater.
SCOTT
Sebastian wanting to go anywhere with me was strange. The rest of my family had been spacy ever since I informed them about the CC, but Sebastian hadn’t seemed to care. But he rarely seemed to care about much. I was surprised he hadn’t wormed his way out of our family night. The car ride to the little convenience store on the corner was not pleasant. Sadie sat between us, because Sebastian and I couldn’t get along. I pulled into the parking lot and stopped the truck. “We’re here, guys,” I said trying to break the awkwardness.
“Let’s get our stuff. I’m hungry,” Sadie exclaimed and gave me a push.
I hopped out of the truck with Sadie following suit. I glanced over and Sebastian was still in his seat. “Are you coming?”
“Nope. I only wanted to ride in the car,” he said without looking up from his phone.
“Ok.”
I looked at Sadie and raised my eyebrows, but she shrugged. I slammed the door behind me. We hurried through the store, grabbing peppers, onions, and tomatoes. The trip took less than five minutes. While standing in line, I couldn’t hold my tongue any longer.
“Sadie…he’s up to something.”
“We don’t know that, Scottie.”
“Sadie…come on.”
Sighing, she pursed her lips together. “We don’t know anything for sure, Scottie. Maybe he’s trying to be a part of us now,” she stated with a touch of hope in her voice.
“Perhaps, little sis. Perhaps,” I said, pulling her under my arm for a light hug.
“Oh, crap,” she said and pulled away. She was looking out the front window.
I turned around to watch what was happening. Outside my truck stood Sebastian. He leaned against the door, his leg bent and smearing dirt on it. There was a couple in their thirties a few cars away, loading groceries. Every time they picked up a bag, it slammed to the ground. This happened three times before Sadie threw the peppers in my arms and made her way out the door. She sauntered up to Sebastian with fire in her eyes and grabbed his face. She was trying to make him lose his concentration so the spell would be broken. Sadie was a spitfire, her temper fierce when roused.
She grabbed his arm and dragged him away from the scene, seemingly ripping him up one side and down the other about his actions. Before I could see anything else, it was my turn at the register. I paid for my purchase and hurried to the truck. The couple had finally gotten their things in their car, but they kept looking around in confusion. Sadie had Sebastian in the seat, her arms crossed and eyes squinted as she exhaled deeply.
She was enraged.
I shook my head in disbelief at my brother doing something so stupid in public. Jerking the door open, I threw my body into the driver’s seat, dropping the bag in the floorboard. “What was that, Sebastian?” I yelled in frustration.
He shrugged, and a look of boredom covered his face.
“Sebastian, seriously, what is wrong with you? Sorcerers could have been exposed just now.” Sadie said. “And why were you torturing those poor people? What did they do to you?”
“I was bored. So I thought I’d have some fun.”
“Fun? You call that fun?” I questioned and threw my hands up in defeat. Talking to Sebastian was pointless.
Sadie simply shook her head. Her hands clenched into fists over and over again. “Let’s just go home,” she said with a look at Sebastian that spoke volumes about what she was feeling.
“Yes, let’s go home to our lovely family dinner,” he said in a mocking voice.
It took all I had to not throw him out of my truck right there in the parking lot, but I controlled my anger and drove back to Grandma’s house fuming inside the whole way. Better to have Sebastian antagonizing us than to leave him for the rest of the population to deal with.
OLIVIA
My senses were heightened; smells were stronger, sounds were louder, and everything looked sharper. I had no idea what was happen
ing to me. As soon as I got in the car with J and Mark last night, my mind had seemed less foggy, but...everything was startling me. I heard the gears in the engine moving, the grooves on the spinning tires, and my own heart beating. Loudly. J had been really worried and wanted to come home with me, but I insisted she and Mark go and have fun. I had ruined their almost date.
Aiden smirking at me as I left last night was still on my mind. It disturbed me that he seemed to think my confusion was entertaining. He hadn’t contacted me to see if I was all right, either. I turned in my bed and propped my chin on the pillow. I drummed my fingers on the blanket and tried to figure out why I felt so…odd. Like I should be angry with Aiden for some reason, but I wasn’t. He made me crazy and frustrated, and managed to confuse me greatly, but those things didn’t warrant my anger. He was just Aiden.
Sighing, I buried my face in the pillow and screamed at the top of my lungs. It was relieving. Rising from the bed, I couldn’t help but notice everything I touched was like new to me. The fabric was softer than a lamb. My phone was heavy and smooth under my fingertips. The wool on my blanket was thick and full against my skin.
Everything seemed clearer. It was like my eyes were brand new. Shaking my head, I grabbed my phone to text J that I was doing ok. I knew she was worried. I wasn’t ok, though. Things were changing around me, but I wasn’t sure why or what exactly was happening. I decided it was time to talk to my parents.
I climbed out of bed, put on my robe, and shuffled to the kitchen. The room was empty, which was surprising for a Saturday morning. I took an orange juice and a granola bar and made my way to the living room. “Mom,” I called.
There wasn’t an answer.
“Dad,” I called louder this time. Still no answer.
I ran up the stairs and knocked on my parents’ bedroom door. “Mom? Dad? Are you in there?” I yelled and pounded again.
Frustrated when I didn’t get a reply, I ran back down the stairs to look out the window. My father’s car was missing from the driveway. They apparently went somewhere and forgot to leave me a note. Anger overtook me, and I kicked the wall with my bare foot. My toes crunched as they hit the now splintered wood. I stared at only my heel showing. I stepped back when I realized it didn’t hurt. I wasn’t even sore. But the wall…well, there was a small hole in it where my foot smashed through.
I stumbled back and fell into the chair. I was unsure of how long I sat there and stared at the hole, but it felt like eternity. My arms lay on the rests and my back was slumped near the cushion. I couldn’t move from shock. Something was wrong with my body. And my mind. My whole being felt like a stranger to me. Knocking a hole in the wall should have broken some part of my foot, shouldn’t it? Yet it didn’t even sting.
My phone ringing startled me to the present. I jumped up and ran down the hall to my room and grabbed my phone from the bed. “Hello?”
“Hey, baby, we forgot to leave you a note,” my mom said. Her voice sounded crackly, like she had bad service.
“I just noticed, actually,” I said shortly.
“Please, don’t be mad, darling. We had to meet with some of your father’s associates. We won’t be home until dinner.”
“Ok. It’s fine, really. I’ll see if Juniper wants to get lunch or something,” I said in a fake happy voice.
“Baby, I’m sorry. I know weekends are usually our time to be with each other, but this is a big deal. He really needs to talk to these people.”
Yeah, right. Like we ever spent time together. “It’s ok. I understand, Mom,” I lied through gritted teeth.
“We’ll talk later, then. Call us if you need anything,” she said and hung up before I could say bye.
Staring at the phone, I just shook my head in disbelief. She could have at least let me say bye. Disgruntled, I threw the phone on the bed and took my computer to the living room. I needed to figure out how to fix the wall before my parents got home. Since I had time to do that now, I settled into the chair googling ways to cover it up.
Eventually I figured out I needed drywall and a patch. Or maybe it was a drywall patch. I didn’t know what it meant. My father never taught me how to fix things, so everything I read was like Greek to me. Frustrated, I moved the potted plant in front of it and vowed to play dumb if it ever came up.
Flopping on the couch, I reached for the remote as my hand grazed the stack of magazines from last night. Curiosity got the best of me, and I swatted them out of the way, revealing the notebook. The designs were magical looking and intricate, the lines smooth and flowing as the pen obviously danced across the cover. Each swirl held a story I wanted to hear.
Opening to the first page, I saw information about Kyle. This book was old, as the entries were written when he was just a baby. None of it made sense. What did she mean by binding? Flipping through, I saw more of the same weird sayings, none any more intelligible than the next. After about six pages, it ended and my story began.
“First Birthday: the binding occurred today and little Olivia is now like her brother. It saddens me to know my children will never experience what I have.”
I read the line at least ten times, puzzled by what my mother meant. What experiences would we not have? Did she and dad do something to us when we were babies? Is this why they were so distant? Turning the page, I saw I had far more entries than my big brother. I perused them, not understanding anything, and finally landed on the entry I came across which first piqued my interest.
Gently closing it, I placed it back on the table and covered my tracks. Texting J, I asked her to come be with me for a while. Whatever was happening, to me, with my parents, wasn’t something I was ready to share. It was terrifying, and seemed more than a little crazy. She understood, she was good like that, and offered to pick me up and take me home with her. Scribbling a note and leaving it on the table, I paced as I waited for her silver car to arrive.
The sleek vehicle pulled up, her little horn making the funniest sound as she honked. I promised myself not to think about the book the rest of the day, declaring a worry free day. J waved frantically from the front seat as I stepped outside, and I inhaled deeply as made my way to her.
No matter what was going on, J was my constant. My rock. I didn’t know what I’d do without her.
SCOTT
Sadie and I hadn’t told anyone else in our family about Sebastian’s antics. It seemed more trouble than it was worth. He just wanted attention, and I wasn’t eager to be the one to oblige. My little brother wasn’t exactly a bad seed, but his dark side came out to play more than anyone wanted to admit. I hoped it didn’t affect him as he grew older.
I was helping Grandma out at the store today. She made a bunch of dresses in the past week, and it was up to me to tag and hang them so they’d be ready for the sales floor. This was my least favorite part of the job, because one wrong move, and I would ruin her hard work. When I’d first started tagging, I’d ruined a few dresses. I’d begged to magically secure them, but she swore it left a mark on the fabric and ruined what she’d done.
She used a machine for tagging, and it constantly got caught in the fabric. It unraveled the neckline the first few times I used it. Grandma had been really upset, and I’d had to figure out how to fix them without making her angrier. Plus, I wasn’t allowed to use any sorcery in sewing because the magic sometimes lingered. I secretly thought it was a load of crap and she wanted me to do it the hard way for a reason.
I was a little discouraged while working. I’d been thinking about getting another job now that Sadie was old enough to come help, but I didn’t know how to tell Grandma. It wasn’t that I didn’t like working for her. After so long working here, I just wanted something more interesting.
I was walking toward the front with my arms full when I noticed a movement near the counter. There was a petite girl with curly black hair who looked familiar. She and a tall guy were talking to my grandma. The guy, about seventeen, had an aura. I stopped in my tracks, realizing we were in the presence of
another sorcerer. The girl laughed, and it hit me. She was Livvie’s best friend. I realized now, I’d seen her when I espied at their school and their sleepover.
I moved slowly and deliberately through the racks, hanging the dresses where they needed to go. I tried my best to hear what they were saying, but only caught bits and pieces.
“…a tux…one to match my dress…”
“…must….size…measure you…”
“…speed delivery…next week…”
I finished the racking and moved to the behind the counter with Grandma. I nodded and smiled politely and shuffled some papers to make myself look busy. I inspected the couple in front of me. Juniper was really pretty and seemed to have a contagious, bubbly personality. She was smiling a lot, but I sensed a tension between her and the sorcerer. He was somber and looked nervous. His eyes kept darting from me to Grandma. He was unsure of what to do, so I offered him a discreet out.
“Hey, man, why don’t you leave a number where I can text you when the tux arrives. It’s an extra service for express delivery,” I said, sliding him a piece of paper.
I gave him a slight eyebrow raise to let him know all was well. Sorcery feuds dated back centuries, and while I never took part in any of it, I worried others might. His yellow and orange aura danced around him, signaling he was one of the good guys. No red. He scratched his name and number on the paper and passed it back.
I thanked him and took the note to the backroom where I tacked it on the bulletin board. Markus Lowe was a complete stranger, but there was a chance he could help me with the CC. I had to keep it in mind and see if I could make friends with him before his tux arrived. Two sorcerers were better than one, and in our case, we needed a whole team on our side.
OLIVIA
I ended up at Juniper’s house for the whole afternoon. Mark had bailed on her after ordering his tux. She was disappointed when she’d picked me up, so I suggested we watch movies or go for a walk to clear our minds. J and Mark had it bad for one another, it was obvious, but this dance they did around each other, skirting around their feelings, was getting old. Tell each other how you feel, already! I felt like shaking them both, screaming it in their faces, but knew it wouldn’t be helpful.
The White Aura Page 8
