Mandy was already drifting back into dream world, the only place where she couldn't feel the hurt anymore.
****
A few hours later, Mandy awoke when she heard a voice in the adjacent bedroom. Who is that? It didn't sound like Brianna. Mandy heard footsteps in the hallway and down the stairs. The back door open and shut. Curious, she peered through the white blinds covering her picture window. What she saw made her jaw drop in rage and horror. Shaking with fury, Mandy stormed down the stairs and out the door.
Chapter Twenty-Four
While her organs had struggled to regain homeostasis, Brianna had slept for the majority of ten consecutive days. Once the nausea and heat had subsided, she had been struck with a persistent migraine. For the few minutes she spent conscious each day, she'd been fraught with excruciating pain.
While she slept, she dreamed. Dimples were revealed on both cheeks as Chad embraced Brianna, his big brown eyes full of adoration. She felt as though she were floating on a cloud as he leaned in for a sweet kiss. One of her favorite songs played in the background. But, no, the music was all wrong. Violins or a love ballad should accompany the gentle kiss. The hard rock sound of Red Rapture diluted the romantic mood.
As the volume increased, the image faded away. Brianna drifted toward consciousness. No! She fought. She'd been enjoying that. But it was too late. Her eyes sprung open, and Brianna braced herself for debilitating pain. She was relieved to discover the pain was gone. The music from her dream emerged from near her night table. Brianna reached for her phone with unusual speed and fluidity. Eva's name displayed on the screen.
"Hello." The word flowed from her lips like fingers sliding down velvet. Brianna's voice was soft, yet authoritative. Smooth and sexy. Strong but sultry.
"Bri? Is that you?" Eva asked.
"Hey, Evie. What's up?"
"What's up? You've got to be kidding me! I've been worried sick. You haven't been in school for almost two weeks, and I've been calling and texting incessantly with no response! Where have you been?"
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. I have been so sick."
Brianna stood and almost toppled over. She pressed her hand against the wall to help regain her balance. Her body was discombobulated by an overflow of energy. The power permeated through her veins. It spread under her skin, in her throat, down her spine, and through her bones, imbuing every part of her. Within minutes, the vertigo was supplanted by a euphoric sensation. Brianna felt like she could run a marathon, do a cartwheel, and swim against a rip tide. She felt like she could… Yes, she could.
"I'm sorry, but I have to go. There's something I need to do."
"Bri, wait! Are you feeling okay? We're practicing at Pat's tonight."
"Yes, I feel fantastic. I'll see you tonight."
Brianna checked the time and date. Friday, eleven a.m. Wow, had she been in bed for ten whole days? It didn't matter. All the pain and suffering had been worth it. She felt fabulous now. Amazing. Better than she ever had. My parents are at work and Mandy's at school. Perfect timing.
Brianna left her bedroom, ran down the stairs, and exited through the back door. In their enormous back yard, she breathed in the sweet spring air. As she loped the perimeter of the field, Brianna searched until she found the tallest tree in the yard. She stared up the tall bark at the long branches, the thick green brush, and the pieces of sunlight sliding between the rustling leaves.
The last time Brianna had climbed this tree, she had been eight years old and on a mission to fly. She'd wanted to float across the sky, feel the breeze blowing her hair away from her face, and glide on the wind. From the ground, she had watched Mandy so many times in absolute awe and wonder. It wasn't fair that Mom and Mandy hadn't let her do all the fun things Mandy did. They'd told her she would hurt herself. Well, she had her mind set to prove them wrong.
It had taken young Brianna a half-hour to reach the top. Her arms had ached and her legs had felt numb from their work. In her mind, she'd had a vision of herself triumphant, more graceful than an eagle soaring above the mountains. She'd leaped.
The reality had been different from her fantasy. Instead of soaring through the clouds, she'd ended up lying on the ground screaming in pain. She hadn't been able to move her legs and her right arm was twisted and throbbing. The blaring siren of the ambulance and the strange hands lifting her onto the stretcher were vague memories as she'd fallen in and out of consciousness on the bumpy ride to the hospital.
Those sensations had been imprinted on her soul as the worst day of her existence. Not because of the pain. Not because of the embarrassment. Not because of the torturous recovery period, the months of physical therapy, or the semester she'd missed at school. But because she had known, in that moment, that she would never be as good as Mandy. It was the day Brianna had given up magic.
Brianna shook her head as if to ward off the memory. She climbed effortlessly to the top of the tree, her arms and legs just grazing the wood. Squatting on the tallest branch, Brianna felt exhilarated and invincible. Impetuously she leaped into the open sky, arms outstretched.
Her body felt light as a feather as she floated on the wind. Laughing, she sailed across the field and executed a perfect landing on a tall oak. Brianna jumped again and flew back to her starting point. This is incredible, she thought. As she soared, so did her self-esteem. Mandy wasn't any better than her. The power felt like rushing rapids or a waterfall, moving fast just below her skin.
Standing upright, Brianna ran down the side of the tree trunk at a ninety-degree angle to the ground.
"You!" Mandy marched across the field, hands balled up in fists at her sides. Face to face, the twins were deadlocked in a stare-down. Mandy pushed her twin with all her might. Brianna stood steady.
"I hate you! You ruined my life!" Mandy screamed.
For a moment, Brianna felt awful. What she had done was wrong. Incredibly wrong. But her first taste of power made her hungry for more. There was no way she was giving this up. Part of her rationalized her actions for her own benefit, to assuage her guilt. Another part of her exploded with repressed anger. Her mind flooded with memories of Chad, Dylan, ice-skating, gymnastics, and so many other times Mandy had hogged the spotlight.
"And you've ruined my whole life! You have done your best to make me and everyone else feel like nothing while you had everything! What goes around comes around! It's called karma. You don't like the way your own medicine tastes? Too bitter? Now you've had a few days to experience what I've had to endure for my entire life. And you expect me to feel bad for you? I don't!"
The twins stood so close that their noses touched. Forgetting her new strength, Brianna shoved her sister out of her way. Mandy flew twelve feet before landing hard on the ground. Brianna gasped. What had she done?
Relief flooded her as Mandy rustled on the ground. Before her twin could stand, Brianna went inside. She wasn't going to let anyone ruin this for her. Mandy certainly never had. Now was her time to shine.
Brianna rushed to her bedroom and closed the door. Guilt nagged at her, but she did her best to ignore it. Adam Payne's melodious voice emerged from her cell phone. She picked up the call.
"You're alive!" Valerie said. "I was worried. You were in bad shape after we did the spell."
"I blacked out. The last I remember, I was suspended inside a glowing orb. What happened after that?"
"A few minutes later, the light faded, and you dropped to the ground. I shook you and screamed your name, but you wouldn't wake up. I had to carry you to my car, drive you home, sneak in your house, carry you up the stairs, and tuck you into bed."
"Oh, wow. Thanks, Val."
"My back was killing me the next day, but I couldn't just leave you there in the middle of the woods. What if something happened to you? I couldn't risk losing the— I mean, we're friends, Bri. It was no big deal. So how are you feeling?"
"Val, it worked! It really worked! I feel fantastic," Brianna said.
"That's awesome news! What
are you doing tonight? Come over!" Valerie sounded ecstatic.
"I'll come over tomorrow after work. I have band practice tonight."
“Okay, great. See you tomorrow! Bye!”
Brianna hung up the phone, walked to the bathroom, and removed her pajamas. Underneath the hot shower, Brianna tried to acclimate to the constant flow of buzzing energy beneath her skin. When she returned to her bedroom, a beautiful girl wrapped in a leopard robe stared back at her from the full-length mirror. Brianna barely recognized herself. Although her features had not changed, her skin was flawless and dewy. Her eyes sparkled like deep blue crystals. Wow, she thought, at an ultimate loss for words. Just wow.
Brianna was famished after barely eating for ten days. Even after raiding the refrigerator, she was still ravenous. She slipped on her flip-flops and decided to walk three miles to the closest pizzeria. After all, it was a beautiful day. The sun shone and the birds chirped a spring song as Brianna traveled down the windy driveway.
A half-mile later, drops of rain began to fall from the darkening sky. The sun disappeared behind charcoal-gray clouds. Gusts of cold wind raised goose bumps on the bare skin of Brianna's arms and feet. Without warning, rain fell in sheets. Torrential winds blew rain against her body, soaking her royal blue tank. Another squall drenched her face and hair. This sucks. She should have checked the weather report. Brianna wished she had a ride.
As if on cue, a gray coupe pulled alongside her and honked. Brianna glimpsed the familiar puff of orange curls through the passenger window.
"Pat, you are a savior!" She flopped into the passenger seat. "I would hug you, but I would soak you. Why aren't you in school right now?"
His expression was dazed and confused, his blue eyes glassy.
"Uh… um… I… Bri? Hi."
"Are you high? What's wrong with you?"
"No, no, I'm not high. I forgot to finish my history paper, so I cut out of school early. Then I was driving home, but I must have taken a wrong turn. I'm not even sure how I ended up here. But, wow, you look great. You look beautiful. I'm so glad I ran into you."
"Thanks, Pat!" Brianna smiled.
An expression of complete stupefaction covered his face. He stared at Brianna like he had never seen her before. His eyes revealed awe and infatuation. Then his hand reached out to touch her face. His thumb stroked her damp cheek.
What was he doing? Brianna was unsure of how to respond. She didn't want to hurt his feelings—but she couldn’t lead him on. Pat looked intoxicated and groggy as he stared at her, as if she was some kind of enchantress. Oh no, that's it! I'm bewitching Pat! But I don't want to!
She grasped Pat's hand, then brought it down from her face and let it go. "I was going to Papa's Pizza." Brianna hoped a change of topic would snap him out of it.
"Me too." Pat drove to the pizzeria. Once he parked, he jumped out and raced around to open the passenger side door.
"Stop being weird!"
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I won't be weird ever again. I'll do whatever you want."
Brianna rolled her eyes, walked past Pat, and stepped into the pizzeria. The handsome college-aged boy at the counter stared at her with the same dumbfounded look upon his face.
"What can I get you, miss?" the boy asked.
"Three plain slices."
"What a great selection." The boy's gaze fixed on Brianna's eyes.
"Make that five." Pat appeared beside her. The pizza boy slowly moved his eyes from Brianna, as though it were somewhat painful to look away. He opened the oven door and tossed the slices inside.
"Hey, so, um, would you like to hang out sometime? I'm not supposed to do this at work, but, um, do you think I could get your number?"
Brianna was flattered. "Sure." She wrote her number on a napkin.
"Thank you so much," the boy said. Brianna felt gleeful. All these boys were going to like her now.
Now. That key word deflated her elation. Although she had often patronized this pizzeria, this boy had never noticed her before. Shut up, she told the voice in her head.
Pat carried their trays to a corner booth. As Brianna scarfed down her lunch—grease dripping down her chin, sauce and cheese wedged between her teeth—her friend stared like she was a goddess. She had to figure out how to shut this mesmerizing thing off.
All she wanted was to have a normal chat with one of her BFFs. It was anything but. The cyclical conversation consisted of Pat complimenting her, apologizing for complimenting her, and begging her forgiveness before inevitably complimenting her again. Brianna finally said that she would prefer quiet. They finished their meal in silence.
"It's almost time for practice. Do you want to ride with me to my house?"
"Sure. Let's just stop at my place first to pick up my guitar."
****
Being alone with Pat was awkward, so it was a relief when Eva and Dave walked through the open garage door, holding hands. Eva ran to her best friend, wrapped her arms around her, and squeezed. "You're alive! You look great! I'm so happy to see you! School has been miserable without you," Eva said.
As Brianna returned the hug, she felt lucky to have such a strong bond of friendship. She had often felt that Eva deserved more than she'd ever had to offer. Now she could contribute so much. This was going to be the best band practice ever.
Everyone knew the routine. The band mates took their usual spots.
"Want to start with 'Unspoken Regret'?" Pat asked. They had been working on the song for weeks but still couldn't get it just right.
The difference was evident from the first few notes. Brianna played like she'd been born a rock star. Her fingers moved with deft precision across her guitar. Pat's rhythm was impeccable. Eva sang.
All this time has been wasted,
I could have just apologized,
Instead I conceal the hurt
Underneath a cloak of resentment,
Every day I put on my disguise,
Pretend I don't care,
But if you look deep into my eyes,
You'd find what's there,
Unspoken regret
is tearing me apart,
Burns down in my core,
Eats away at my heart,
One day I won't have one anymore.
Eva's voice reverberated through the garage with breathtaking emotion and quality. Brianna pushed more power out, filling the garage with magical energy. Eyes closed, Brianna swayed as she played, rocking to the rhythm, getting lost in the melody. She didn't need to concentrate on the chords. Her fingers moved as if possessed by a master guitarist.
Upon opening her eyes, she found that Dave had crossed the room. He stood inches away from her. Their eyes met and they beamed at each other, both under the spell of the music.
Put my pride aside…
I'm down on my knees…
I know I'm not perfect
And I'll never be,
But can you forgive me?
Dave dropped to his knees, caught up in the emotion of the music. Brianna did the same, leaning back, playing her guitar better than she ever had. Better than she'd ever imagined. The song ended, and Dave jumped up with excitement.
"Where did that come from?" Pat stood up from his seat behind the drums. Dave hoisted Brianna up on his shoulder.
"That's right, baby!" Dave hollered, spinning around. "That rocked!"
Brianna laughed jubilantly. It was all worth it for this. To make her friends happy. Dave put her back on her feet, and she jumped up and down, still bubbling with excitement. She was surprised when he picked her up again, this time in a tight hug. Brianna bent her knees as he spun around. Halfway through the second spin, she got a glimpse of Eva's face. Her expression was grim, her eyes distrustful.
"Put me down!" Brianna yelled, scraping her feet against floor. They stopped spinning, but Dave would not let her go. His arms were still wrapped around her as he gazed into her eyes, transfixed and spellbound. He leaned in.
"No!" She escaped from his embrace, but it
was too late. Eva was gone. Brianna raced out of the garage.
At the bottom of the driveway, Eva sat on the curb with her head in her hands. Brianna approached her best friend with caution. "Hey, Evie, you were amazing tonight." Brianna tried to act casual.
Eva glanced sideways. "What is going on with you and Dave? I saw the way he ogled you! Is that why you were out of school this week? Is that why you didn't answer my calls? You didn't want to face me?"
"It's not true. I would never do that to you. Neither would Dave."
"He didn't even come over to me after the song. He was all over you and ignored me. He tried to kiss you. Do you think I'm stupid? I should have expected this would eventually happen with a boy. But you, Brianna? We girls are supposed to stick together."
"I don't know why that happened. I'm sorry."
"Don't be," a voice from behind them interrupted. "It's wasn't her fault." Dave said.
"Then whose fault was it?" Eva asked through gritted teeth.
"My fault." Dave cast his eyes downwards.
"Do you like Brianna or something?"
"Um, I don't know. Tonight was just weird. It's…like something came over me. I don't know what I'm feeling."
Eva straightened her back, reached into her patent leather pocketbook, and retrieved her cars keys. "Well, then I'm leaving. Call me when you figure it out."
"Eva." Brianna reached to comfort her friend. Eva shoved her hands away.
"Get off me! I have a feeling you're not innocent in this." Eva got into her car, slammed the door, backed down the driveway, and then she was gone.
The night had become an emotional roller coaster. Her incredible high was followed by a painful low. Everything was going wrong. Brianna had never known two people who were more right for each other than Eva and Dave.
In Shadows of Magic Page 9
