Stirring Up Trouble

by Juli Alexander

  I wanted to smack her. Brad was chasing her like a puppy dog, but she had to turn all her charm on Jake.

  I put the lid back on my salad. “I’ve got to run,” I said. I picked up my backpack. “See you guys.”

  Jake looked up in surprise. Anya didn’t ask me to stay, and Brad didn’t even notice. I gave Jake a sympathetic smile and left.

  After tossing the plastic container of iceberg lettuce and shriveled carrots the school passed off as salad into the trash, I went outside for a breath of Anya-free air.

  After school, I was headed for my bus when Jake called my name.

  I turned to find him right behind me. “Sorry I ditched you,” I said.

  “Right. I almost forgot to be mad at you for that.” He smiled. “I’m going to Eli’s. I’m taking your bus.”

  “Cool,” I said. “Mom’s working on a bathroom on the other side of town this week. I’m so sick of the bus.”

  I fell into step with him, and he said, “I like your mom.”

  “Thanks, Jake. I like yours too.” Okay, so I was lying just a little. I had to say that, or he’d know I didn’t like her. And really, she was okay. I didn’t want to be around her while she fawned over my dad.

  “Hey, dude,” Eli said as we sat in the seat in front of him on the bus. I think I was growing on him. He was Jake’s best bud, but I didn’t know him very well. He had a girlfriend, Alicia, who Anya didn’t like, so they’d never really hung out with Jake when he was with us. His girlfriend played soccer, so she had practice after school every day.

  “Hey, Eli,” I said. I’d never heard him talk much. He wasn’t in any of my classes. He had a muscular build, more so than Jake’s. I envied his chocolate skin tone. It was like a really good tan without the sun damage and cancer.

  “We’re headed to his house to try out the new SkyRim,” Jake said. “Eli bought it last night.”

  “Cool.” I had a PS3, and I played once in a while, but I couldn’t compete with diehard gamers like them. I’d beat the fifth Harry Potter game, but that was my only claim to fame. “Mom and I are headed to the gym if she can get off early enough.”

  Saying it that way sounded so much cooler than saying we were going to aerobics class. Teenage boys didn’t have a lot of respect for aerobics.

  “What do you bench?” Eli asked.

  So much for being vague.

  Jake laughed. “Girls don’t bench press.”

  “I was kidding,” Eli said, threatening Jake with his fist.

  Eli and Jake got off at the front of Eli’s neighborhood. Then the bus dropped me off, and I let myself in the front door.

  The first thing I did was find some canned food for Jasmine. “Jazzy,” I called.

  She jumped down from the piano and pitter-pattered to the kitchen. As she chowed down, I felt a little better.

  I doubted I’d manage to eat any dinner.

  I checked my email. Nothing interesting. I wasn’t in the market to enlarge anything, so I deleted the junk mail. I emailed Camille to tell her I missed her and to ask if she was sick. I reminded her about our tests tomorrow.

  My homework took me twenty-three minutes.

  When Mom pulled in the drive at four, I was more than ready to work off some stress. I changed into shorts and a t-shirt and rushed down the stairs.

  “Zoe,” she was yelling as I came down. “Oh. I guess you’re ready.” She eyed my outfit.

  “Go change, Mom,” I said. “I’ll grab us some water.”

  Jake left school early on Wednesday to go to the dentist. I’d suffered through an algebra test and a Latin test and I was stuck riding the bus. By the time I got to my neighborhood, I was feeling carsick. I couldn’t wait to get my license.

  I’d just hit the doorway when my cell phone rang.

  My dad. He was probably calling to tell me about the big weekend plans with Jake and his mom.

  I flipped the phone with one hand, and unlocked the door with the other. “Hey, Dad.”

  “Zoe, I’m glad I got you. Where are you?” He sounded frazzled.

  I pushed the door shut behind me. “Walking in the front door. Why?” I headed for the kitchen to put down my backpack.

  “I’ve got some bad news. About Jake’s dog, Indiana. He was hit by a car today.”

  “Oh no! Is he okay?” Poor dog.

  “Not really. Sheree and Jake are at the vet now. He’s got some internal injuries, and they aren’t sure he’ll make it.” He paused. “I thought you might want to help.”

  That was a first. He’d never asked me to use magic before. But I could help. I searched my brain for the right potion. “Of course. I’ll have to check a few things. I think I know one that will work.”

  “I’ll pick you up and take you to the vet.”

  “Okay, but Jake and Sheree can’t know,” I reminded him.

  “Of course not. You’re there to lend support and if the dog happens to get better right after you visit, so be it.”

  “Thanks, Dad.”

  “I’ll be right over.”

  I went straight to the study to find the volume on animal potions. I needed to target the health potion to dogs so it would be effective. I scanned the book until I found an old potion for healing wounded hunting dogs. A quick scan of the ingredients—toad slime (again with the toad slime), eye of newt, unicorn horns… Yep. I had everything I needed.

  As I headed to the kitchen, I wondered how Jake was feeling. He loved that dog. He finally asked me out, and now his dog got hit by a car. I hoped this wasn’t going to be the fate of everyone I ever dated. I mean, it was an awful big coincidence, his dog getting hit by a car right before the dance.

  The dance!

  I stopped walking just outside the kitchen, hugging the heavy, dusty book to my chest. Helping his dog could be self-serving because of the dance and because of my crush on Jake. If I saved the dog, I’d be punished. And I wouldn’t be able to go to the dance. With my second self-serving potion in a month, my penalty would be incredibly severe. I’d heard of people emitting a horrid, putrid odor. No way could I go out if I reeked. Perfume can only do so much. Even something like the Pinocchio nose would be impossible to hide. I’d definitely have trouble finding a way to work off the punishment if I couldn’t disguise it.

  I took a deep breath. I was totally screwed. Goodbye big dance. Goodbye dream date.

  Because there really wasn’t any question. I was going to save Indiana. I had to act quickly for the potion to work, and I couldn’t take a chance on modern medicine fixing the damage. Indiana was badly hurt, and I was his only real chance.

  With a resolute sigh, I headed into the kitchen.

  Chapter Eleven

  By the time Dad arrived, I had the potion ready and had scribbled a quick note for Mom.

  He walked into the kitchen and gave me a hug.

  “How’s my girl?”

  He hadn’t called me that in a while, and it felt good. It was nice to be working together for a change instead of being at odds with each other.

  “I’m good,” I said as he released me. “I’ve got the potion ready.” I gestured to the small bottle on the counter that looked like some sort of nasal spray.

  “Great,” he said. “I knew you could do it.”

  He’d never asked me to brew a potion before. He’d taught me to do research and experiments, but I knew he had trouble with the whole idea of magic. He believed that the potions worked, but he preferred to view it as a sort of herbal science.

  I smiled at him. “I’m glad you called. Are they still at the vet?”

  “Yes. We should go.” He held the door for me and I scooped up the bottle and went into the living room. Thirty seconds later, we were out the front door and in the car.

  Jake used the same vet as we used for our cat. They had at least seven doctors working there, and you never knew who you were going to get.

  The people in the front office were too busy to notice, so Dad and I walked on back to treatment rooms. We glanced through
each of the windows in the doors but didn’t find Indiana and Jake.

  For a moment, I was afraid we were too late. “Where are they?” I asked Dad.

  His gloomy expression reflected my fears.

  “John,” a familiar shrill voice called. “You came.”

  A red-eyed Sheree walked to Dad and threw her arms around him. “He’s out of surgery, but they don’t know if he’s going to make it or not. There may be too much internal damage.”

  She turned to me, still clutching my father. “And Zoe. It’s so sweet of you to come. Jake will appreciate it.”

  “Where is he?” I asked. I couldn’t help the dog if I couldn’t get to him.

  “Jake’s back there,” she said with a gesture. “They’ve got Indiana in a cage in the back. Jake’s just standing there, looking at him.”

  Dad cleared his throat. “Why don’t you go back there with him, Zoe? Sheree and I can go to the waiting room.”

  “Good idea,” Sheree said, looking down at her designer heels. “I’d love to get off my feet for a minute.”

  I pushed through the swinging doors into the back. I’d been back here once before. Cages lined the walls. Some of the cats and dogs had just been flea-dipped. Others were sick.

  I spotted Jake’s lone form immediately. He had his back to me as he studied the cage in front of him intently.

  Moving closer, I saw that Indiana wasn’t conscious. He lay in the cage, half covered in bandages. He didn’t look good. He had a splint on one leg. The outside of him looked bad enough. I couldn’t imagine the internal damage.

  Jake didn’t notice me until I was by his side. He swiped at his eyes. He didn’t say anything and I suspected he was too choked up to talk.

  The sight of the two of them was enough to make me cry. But I had a mission, and I had to stay focused. Indiana would be okay, and Jake would too.

  I, on the other hand, might sport a giant green mustache by morning.

  “Hey,” I whispered, putting my arm around Jake. “He’s going to be okay.”

  Jake just nodded and didn’t turn to look at me. I knew he didn’t believe me.

  He stuck his finger through the cage and rubbed Indiana’s foot.

  The dog was out cold. The potion needed to be administered to him soon. I palmed the bottle in my pocket, keeping my arm around Jake. Comforting him when he was upset felt so natural. I didn’t feel any of the doubt about my actions I usually felt when I was around him.

  Jake sniffed and turned away from me, swiping at his eyes again. I took advantage of his need to keep me from seeing him cry. I took my arm off Jake and pulled the bottle from my pocket. Quickly, I uncapped it. And with one smooth motion, I squirted it into the cage at the wounded dog’s nose.

  By the time Jake turned my way, the bottle was capped and back in my pocket. I leaned closer to the cage trying to ascertain how much of the liquid had reached his mucous membranes. Several shiny drops trickled down his nose. I relaxed. That was enough.

  “He looks so terrible,” Jake whispered. “I don’t see how he can…”

  “He’ll be okay, Jake.” I put my arm around him again. “I just know it.”

  “I hope so,” Jake said. He put his arm around my waist, and we stood together watching Indiana.

  After a few moments, the dog began to stir. I knew the magic was working.

  Jake tensed. “I don’t think they want him wiggling around like that. He might hurt himself worse.”

  Before I could reply, Indiana opened his eyes. He stared at us for a moment, a light in his warm brown eyes.

  “He’s awake,” Jake said.

  Indiana made a playful sound, and sat up.

  “They said he’d be out for an hour,” Jake said.

  “I think he’s feeling better,” I assured him. “He doesn’t look like he’s in pain. He looks like he wants to play.”

  “I’d better get the doctor,” Jake said.

  “Pet him first,” I said. “He looks like he wants you to.”

  Jake opened the cage. Fortunately, Indiana didn’t jump down and prance out of the clinic. That would have been suspicious. He was still a little drugged, and he wasn’t one hundred percent yet. He licked Jake’s hand as Jake tried to pet him.

  One of the vet’s assistants walked in to check on him. “Oh my God!” she said.

  Jake turned, panic in his eyes. “Is this bad?”

  “No,” she assured him. “It’s good. He looks a lot better. His injuries must not have been anywhere near as serious as we feared.” She pulled out a stethoscope and listed to his heart. “He shouldn’t be awake, yet. But, a good response is a good response. I’ll bring Dr. McCarter.”

  Moments after she left, she returned followed by at least eight people. Dr. McCarter and two of the other vets stepped to the front, and Jake and I moved out of the way.

  “I’ve never seen anything like it,” the redheaded female vet mumbled.

  A man in a white jacket rubbed his chin. “I could have sworn there was internal damage. That kidney—” His comments got lost in the mumbling of the rest of the staff.

  Dr. McCarter opened the cage and stroked Indiana’s head. “That’s one lucky dog,” he said. He turned to Jake. “Go ahead and pet his head. Stay away from that leg and his flank though.”

  Jake leaned in to stroke Indiana’s nose.

  Sheree and Dad must have followed the group in, because the next thing I knew, she was hugging Jake. “They didn’t think he was going to make it. But I guess they’ve changed their minds.”

  Dr. McCarter nodded. “We’ll keep him for observation tonight. He’ll need the splint on his leg. The stitches can come out in a week.” He turned to Sheree who seemed to be crying more now than before. “I think he’s going to be fine.”

  I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to find my dad. He winked.

  I grinned. Saving Indiana was worth it. Even if it meant missing the dance.

  Mom had her aerobics gear on when Dad dropped me off. “Hey, honey,” she greeted. “I didn’t expect you so soon.”

  “Are you going to the gym?”

  “Yep. Run up and change, and come along.”

  “I don’t know…” Sweating wasn’t what I wanted right now. I really wanted to crawl under the covers in the fetal position and hibernate.

  “Trust me. It’ll help.” Mom came over and hugged me. “I take it the dog’s going to be fine.”

  I nodded.

  “You’ll be fine, too, Zoe,” she said. “I promise.”

  “You can’t promise, Mom.” I buried my head in her shoulder. “I really, really wanted that dance.”

  “Hey,” she said, backing away and lifting my chin. “I’m not one-hundred percent sure anything will happen. I’ve been doing some research on the loop. Helping an animal is generally okay. It depends on what’s in your heart, whether you care as much about the animal as you do Jake.”

  “Well, then I’m screwed. Because I don’t want to date the dog, and I sure don’t want to kiss him.”

  Mom grimaced. “Thank God for small favors. We have to hope that that isn’t the test. Now, go change. You may be housebound for a couple of days. You can mope then.”

  “You’re such an understanding mother,” I complained. But inside, I felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe helping the dog would be okay. Maybe Indiana hadn’t cost me the dance of my dreams.

  Mom smacked me on the butt like a football player. She knows I hate that. “Run along and change.”

  I ran. I wasn’t going to risk another swat on the butt. At least I’d be in good shape when I sprouted my horns, or my nose, or whatever.

  After all the drama of the day, aerobics totally wore me out. I barely had the energy to take a shower, and I didn’t bother with the conditioner. Rinsing it all out again would take too long. I finally fell into bed with wet, tangled hair. I was too tired to care what would happen to me. I fell asleep almost instantly.

  The fierce blare of my alarm woke me up at six thirty Thursday mornin
g. The events of the previous day immediately came back to me in a nauseating rush. Normally, I’d slam the sleep button immediately to silence the painful noise. Today, I couldn’t make myself move. Any movement could reveal some horrible curse on my appearance, and I simply couldn’t bear it. I couldn’t face the ugly truth this early in the morning.

  I kept my eyes squeezed tightly shut and counted the buzzes to keep my sanity. At ninety-three, Mom came to my rescue.

  “Zoe,” she scolded. “How can you stand that noise?”

  I didn’t care how irritated she sounded as long as she turned off the alarm, which, thank God, she did.

  “Thank you,” I said, careful to avoid any movement.

  “I’ve never seen you act like such a chicken, Zoe.”

  My eyes flew open. “Oh my God, Mom! Do I have feathers, a beak, what?” I frantically felt every inch of my face and head as I spoke.

  “Relax.” She couldn’t help laughing. “You’re fine! Nothing’s happened.”

  “Nothing’s happened?” I squeaked, my hands still on my breasts to make sure one hadn’t grown ridiculously larger than the other.

  She shook her head. “I checked on you an hour ago. I think you escaped the wrath of Zeus.”

  “You think?” My heart leapt at the possibility.

  “I’ve never seen anything take this long. Why don’t you look online for some information about time lapses?”

  I usually liked internet research, but the stakes were high, and I really wasn’t sure I wanted to know what was going to happen. “Okay,” I said with a sigh.

  Mom left to finish getting ready, and I considered my options. Not knowing was simply not acceptable. I crawled out of bed and padded to my desk. Four passwords later, I was into the alchemist chat room.

  Thirty minutes of searching provided answers, but not the ones I wanted. Apparently, there were situations in which punishments were delayed. One instance was where delay would make the punishment even greater. Like if you were already out in public when it appeared, the humiliation factor would be way higher. That way a smaller punishment could have more impact. Like, say going to school and then having something happen with hundreds of cruel teenagers there to witness it.