Valerie returned, carrying two paperbacks, Supernatural Seduction and Bewitching Beauty. "I'm going to take these. Are you going to check the shelves, Bri?"
"I doubt Brianna would find a need for spell books," Renee answered for her.
Valerie's brow furrowed in confusion.
"Most witches need spells to influence others or to achieve a desired outcome," Renee said.
"I can do that with a thought. Which is the problem," Brianna said.
"I'm going to do some research for you. I'll see what I can find. Give me your phone number, and I'll get back to you as soon as I find something."
"Oh, thank you! That's so nice of you. You don't have to—"
"I want to," Renee said, and Brianna could tell she meant it. "Also, there's this party next weekend. Do you have plans for Saturday?"
Brianna might have had plans with Chris, or Greg, or Matt. She couldn't remember. But she would ditch any one of them in a heartbeat to hang out with Renee. "No plans."
"It's a special kind of party. Exclusive. I would love if you could make it."
"We would love to!" Valerie blurted before Brianna could get a word out.
"That sounds sweet," Brianna said.
Renee's lips curved, revealing her pearly white teeth. "The password isn't determined until the last minute to keep it as secret as possible. Here's my number." She scribbled on a slip of paper. "Call me Friday, and I'll fill you in on the details."
Valerie purchased the paperbacks and the girls exited the store.
"An exclusive party! And we're invited! I can't wait!" Valerie beamed during the whole ride home.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Mandy was already waiting at the bottom of the driveway when Brianna arrived at the bus stop on Monday morning. For a brief moment, Brianna wondered why her sister wasn't riding with Giselle, but then she decided that she didn't care. That was her problem. The twins stood a few feet apart, backs facing each other. When the bus pulled up, Brianna stepped on and headed down the aisle toward her usual seat in the back. Boys stared up from their portable video game systems and cell phones as she passed, brazenly gawking.
In her seat, Brianna put her earbuds in and closed her eyes. On an ordinary day, Brianna spent her time on the bus listening to her favorite tunes and preparing her psyche for the day. She needed to talk to Eva. What could she say to make things right? She missed her so much. She missed Dave and Pat, too.
A cute boy with spiky blond hair slid next to Brianna. "Hello, I'm Nick."
"Hi,” Brianna said.
That was all she had to say for Nick to flirt with her for the entire bus ride. It should have been more fun. It wasn't. It was too easy. Too artificial.
Nick held the school door open for Brianna and tagged along to her locker. Throngs of teenagers lingered nearby, attempting to appear nonchalant as they craned their necks over the crowd, trying to catch a glimpse.
Brianna opened her locker and retrieved her fat math textbook. A tall, lanky boy pushed Nick out of the way. "Do you want me to carry your books for you?"
Nick glared at his competition. "I got it," he said, tearing the book from Brianna's hands. The new boy also grabbed the book and pulled in a textbook tug of war.
"Stop!" Brianna said, snatching her textbook from their hands. "I'm okay. I can carry my own books. I'm going to class now. Bye."
As she walked away, Nick yelled, "Now she left, and it's all your fault!"
Brianna hoped that they didn't get into a fight, but she couldn't stick around. She had to get to Eva's locker before the starting bell rang. There was nothing more important to her.
But she never made it. Brianna was continuously stopped by boys asking her out on dates. The final bell reverberated down the hallway. Oh no. Mrs. Andrews was a stickler about punctuality.
The hallway was empty. The clinking of Brianna's spike heels resonated with each hurried step. And then there he was—the one boy in Montmorrow that she wouldn't mind stopping for. Tall, muscular, and drop-dead gorgeous. For the first time in years, he looked her way. Their eyes met and he smiled, dimples emerging on both cheeks. It was just like in the movies.
"Hi, Brianna. It's been way too long since I've seen you. Wow. You look phenomenal."
Brianna felt like she was floating on air. "Hi, Chad. Good to see you, too."
"It would be nice to see you more often."
"Definitely."
Brianna slipped into math class. Mrs. Andrews had already begun the lesson. "Miss McKinney, I believe the bell has already rung."
"I'm sorry. The hallways were crowded, and I tried my best to get here on time…" Brianna braced herself for the rebuke and detention pass.
To her surprise, Mrs. Andrews's expression was content. "That's alright. It's so nice to see you. Have a seat."
****
After math, Brianna made a beeline for Eva's locker. The tiny girl, wearing a puffy black skirt and fishnets, peered inside her locker.
"Evie," Brianna said. Her former best friend turned, brushing purple bangs away from her eyes. Sadness swept over her pretty features.
"Hi, Bri." A guy Brianna did not recognize greeted her. "What are you up to tonight?"
"Not now!"
"Brianna! What's up?" a skinny bald-headed boy asked, trying to get her attention.
"Later, please!" Brianna was getting annoyed.
Eva slammed her locker door shut. "I'm not stupid. There's something weird going on. All of a sudden you're so popular that every boy in school is in love with you, including my boyfriend! And then yesterday, I saw Mandy in the hallway all alone. She was different. A shadow of her former self. Then I realized you did something to her. I always knew there was something weird going on in your house."
"What do you mean? Don't be ridiculous." Brianna's heart raced. Her chest felt as if it were dropping into her stomach. Not only had she destroyed her friendships, but now her actions were jeopardizing her family secret. Yes, she'd had some fun, but at what price? "You're talking crazy."
"No, I'm not!" Eva lowered her voice. "At first I doubted my own sanity, but then I remembered. When we were kids, once when I was sleeping over, I had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. It was dark, and I was sleepy. I opened the wrong door. I ended up in this strange little room full of candles, incense, bottles of herbs, and stones. It was weird. I never told you about it, because I knew I shouldn't be in there. My late great-grandmother had been into that stuff, so I knew it wasn't evil. I thought it was pretty cool. But this isn't cool. I'm not sure why you did this. Maybe to get back at Mandy, and I don't blame you for that. But why would you do this to me?"
"I would never do anything to you intentionally. Please believe me."
Eva nodded, her brown eyes thoughtful. "I do believe you. I just want you back to who you were before. We all loved you the way you were. Can you go back?"
"I am me. I promise. I miss you." Brianna choked on the words, tears brimming inside her eyes.
"I miss you too, Bri, but this isn't you."
"I'm sorry about Dave—"
"You should be, but Dave and I made up. He called me the next day saying he loves me and has no idea what came over him. I told him what you are, and he's pretty angry with you for doing that to him. We’re back together, and we’re happy. Just stay away from both of us until you're back to normal, okay?"
Brianna was flooded with a multitude of emotions. Relief that Eva and Dave had made up. Sadness that she had lost all of her best friends. Worry that she might never gain control. Regret and shame in knowing the fault of her woe was her own. With a heavy heart, Brianna dragged her feet to her next class.
Chapter Thirty
"Hey, Mandy!" Logan's smile lit up the hallway.
"Hey. What's up?" Mandy stared up at her tall friend, adoration glistening in her eyes. Oh no, what if my feelings are written all over my face? What if he knows? What if he doesn't feel the same way?
"I've started going to the weight room during lu
nch hour." He held up the sleeve of his baggy T-shirt and flexed his bicep.
"Wow. You're looking cut!"
Logan's cheeks flushed at the compliment. "Thanks! Want to go for a hike after school?"
Mandy's eyes sparkled. "Sure!"
"I'll pick you up at four. Have a good day, cutie."
****
Later that afternoon, Logan and Mandy were having an absolute blast. It was like they were kids again. Rocky Ridge Mountain was the perfect setting for one of their adventures. They hiked the trails and discovered a small pond. Logan taught Mandy how to skip rocks on the water. By the time the sky began to darken, they'd identified seven different species of birds.
Mandy led the way to their final destination. Her legs ached as she climbed to the peak of the mountain. She felt peaceful as she gazed out into the distance. She wouldn't allow memories of Valerie's attack to tarnish her enjoyment of the glorious view.
"Wow. You can see all of Montmorrow from up here," Logan said.
"This is my favorite spot," Mandy said. Her town resembled a miniature toy village. She found her house. The tiny gray splotch was surrounded by a dark green blur. "I feel so far away up here, like I'm on my own plane of existence. And nothing can bother me."
"Is something bothering you?" Logan asked. "You seem to be doing so well." Worry transformed the color of his eyes from amber to burnt copper.
She nodded. "I'm okay, but my life has changed so much. It's been tough. My counselor has helped me, but I still miss having a group of friends."
"You'll always have me," Logan said with absolute conviction.
"I know. I am so grateful to have you in my life. I would like some girlfriends, though."
"So get out there and make some new friends. Any girl would be lucky to have you as a friend."
"Really?"
"I think so."
As the sun descended, Logan's straight nose and full lips were silhouetted against the neon-orange-and-golden streaks of the stratosphere. His eyes seemed to match the dusky sky. The vista was spectacular. "I come up here all the time to clear my mind," Mandy said. "It's so tranquil." And romantic, she added silently.
"By yourself?" Logan's voice revealed his concern.
"Yes, sometimes."
"That's not safe. You never know what kind of creepers could be hiding out up here. Besides, there are some real steep spots. What if you got hurt?" The sun had crept halfway below the horizon. "Let's get going. This trail is dangerous in the dark."
"Okay. I had a great time today."
"Me too."
Chapter Thirty-One
The following morning, Brianna found her crush leaning against her locker. His black fitted shirt and blue jeans accentuated his outstanding physique. Brianna was surprised that some talent agent hadn't discovered him and made him into a teen heartthrob or the spokesperson for the newest muscle-enhancing supplement.
"Hello, beautiful." Chad's big brown eyes sparkled. Brianna's heart fluttered in her chest.
"Um, hi," she responded.
Her dream boy stepped closer and ran his fingers through her hair. "I love your black hair."
Her eyes glowed with happiness. "Thank you. But aren't you dating my sister?"
He shook his head. "We broke up."
"For real?" Brianna felt like a middle-schooler again, lost in the chestnut eyes of her longtime crush.
"Yes," he said. Brianna couldn't take her eyes off his lips.
The bell rang. "Gotta go." As she spoke, Brianna ran out of breath. She was so excited that he had spoken to her, but too nervous and tongue-tied to respond. She was anxious to get away, tell all her friends, and then jump up and down squealing.
Except she didn't have any friends…
****
After school, Brianna met Valerie in the far corner of the parking lot. She opened the passenger door of the gold sedan. "Hey, Val, what's wrong?"
"Um, nothing's wrong. Why?"
"What do you mean, why? You texted me about thirteen times today to confirm I was meeting you. I canceled a date for this."
"Oh well, dates are a dime a dozen, aren't they? I just miss you. I wanted to spend some girl time together."
"Right."
Ten minutes later, Valerie pulled into her driveway. Brianna followed her through the heavy mahogany door and up the cherry stairs.
"So what's new? How are the roses working out for you?" Brianna asked.
"I'm having a great time. But there's a problem. According to the spell book, the roses are effective only for a week." Valerie lounged on her bed. Brianna sat beside her.
"We can do it again."
"I'm thinking bigger now. I want to be the Spring Queen."
"Is there a spell for that?"
"No. I want to try a power transfer. I want you to transfer some of your power into me. Just a little bit at first. Would you be willing?"
Tentative at first, Brianna nodded. She did owe Valerie, after all, and she had more than enough power to share. "Sure. I guess so."
Valerie explained the procedure for transference. The girls sat facing each other, arms outstretched, palms touching.
"Okay. Read the words on the page." Valerie nodded toward the open paperback next to Brianna's outer thigh. "Then concentrate on pushing the energy out of you and into me."
"Okay. Let me know if it's hurting you and when to stop, okay?"
"I will."
Brianna closed her eyes for a moment. As usual, the power rushed like mad throughout her body. She opened her eyes to read.
"Power in me,
I do command
To be set free,
Through the hand.
Power in me,
I will confer
To Valerie
In this transfer."
As the energy flowed into her hands, they became scorching hot. Almost all of her power accumulated in her palms, vibrating rapidly but contained within her own body. She prepared for the release.
Brianna channeled in on the energy, imagining it was contained in a tall, clear pitcher. The superfluous power bubbled at the brim, threatening to overflow. In her mind's eye, she tilted the pitcher ever so slightly. She was pleased to find that she had impeccable control of the release. The power trickled down the imaginary spout. Their hands were bathed in a soft, golden light.
After a few moments Brianna pulled away, concerned for Valerie's health and safety.
"I didn't stay stop! Keep going!"
"That's enough for now. We can always do it again."
Chapter Thirty-Two
The following day, Brianna's lunch table was swarming with devotees and worshipers. Hordes of insecure girls worked to befriend her. Some girls were hoping to discover her secret. Others just wanted to scavenge from her rejects.
"Wow," a sophomore girl said. "All these boys can't get enough of you! It kind of reminds me of how they used to flock to that girl, Mandy. But now she's a nobody. I saw her sitting outside just before, all by herself. She fell off. She dyed her hair this awful color. Nobody pays any attention to her anymore."
Fraught with guilt, Brianna jumped from her seat. "Where did you see her?"
"She's sitting underneath the big tree by the tennis courts. Why do you care about that loser, anyways?"
When Brianna darted toward the back door, so did half her table. Annoyed, she spun around to face her stalkers. "Go away!" The harshness of her words froze everyone in place. She headed outside alone.
A familiar girl with dark red hair lounged beneath the oak, head buried in a book. "Mand?" Brianna's tone was soft.
The redhead raised her chin and stared into her twin's face. Her dark blue eyes were clear and serene. Brianna did not sense any anger, but still she moved slowly. Taking a deep breath, she lowered herself to the ground.
"Red?" Brianna expressed her surprise.
"Ruby. I've always wanted to try it, but I was afraid of what everyone would think. I love it."
"It looks great."
&n
bsp; For a few moments, the twins were quiet. Brianna searched for the right words. Only sounds of leaves blowing in the spring breeze filled the silence.
"Mandy, I'm sorry. I was jealous of you. I shouldn’t have even considered taking your powers, but I was so mad at you for stealing Dylan from me at Club Ice.”
Her sister’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Dylan? What? Were you at the Club?”
Brianna raised her hand to her forehead and shook her head. “You didn’t know? Oh, I am so stupid. I'm so sorry."
"Don't be. Losing my powers was the best thing that's ever happened to me."
Brianna was flabbergasted. "What?"
"It's like I've spent my whole life in shadows of magic, but now I'm free to step into the light. I feel great."
"But aren't you lonely?"
"Yeah, but not any more than I was before. I've always been lonely."
Brianna would never have believed Mandy had been lonely a day in her life, before this week. Now, Brianna knew exactly what she meant. It was possible to be lonelier in a crowd than all alone. Brianna would trade all her new friends and powers to have Eva, Dave, and Pat back in her life. In retrospect, Brianna couldn't understand why she had ever wanted anything more.
Her sister’s change of heart did not absolve Brianna's wrongdoing. She felt obligated to try to reverse her actions. "I've learned how to transfer power. I can give you some of your power back."
"I don't want it. Any of it. But thanks for offering."
"It might help you find some friends."
"I don't want to find friends that way. All the friends you have now, all the boys you think like you? They would all disappear if you lost your powers. I'm going to make real friends. This time, they will be genuine people that like me for me."
The bell rang and the identical sisters headed in opposite directions to their next classes. Mandy's head was tipped toward the sky as she crossed campus, ruby hair shining in the sunlight.
In Shadows of Magic Page 11
