by K. K. Allen
The look he gives me next isn’t a smile exactly, but I feel it deeply—like he’s been holding his breath since the day I arrived, waiting for me to say I’ll stay, then maybe I’ll choose him. It’s ridiculous, I know. My thoughts are just fantasies, obviously, because there’s no way I can be feeling this strongly for a guy I barely know.
He squeezes my hand. “Then you must like living with Rose. I know you were unsure at first.”
I nod. It was only a month ago, but it feels like it’s been so much longer. “Turns out, she’s pretty great.”
“My parents seem to think so. I mean, she has helped Apollo Beach through a lot.”
“A lot of what?” I’m so curious. Sometimes I think Rose downplays her legacy in this town.
“Well, apparently around two decades ago, there were a lot of violent crimes. Your grandparents led the effort to put an end to it all.”
I make a mental note to ask Rose about that later, but the next few moments are silent. A gentle breeze blows between us as we stare out at the water. It’s a beautiful night. The bay is calm, the stars are twinkling brightly upon us, and the thin crescent moon rests peacefully in the sky.
I start to absentmindedly imagine the sand in front of me twirling, and it begins to follow my thoughts. It’s such a subtle movement that Alec doesn’t notice. If he did, he would just think it was the wind. A hint of a smile plays on my face as I create a stronger breeze and swirl more sand into the tiny cyclone. The more I practice, the easier my powers become. It’s intoxicating. As the wind grows more powerful, my creation grows into something that resembles a miniature tornado.
“Do you see that?” Alec squints and leans forward to get a closer look.
My heart jumps. I notice Alec react, and my heart races with panic. Charlotte’s words come back to me. The moment you begin to lose yourself in your magic, hold your necklace tightly. It will guide you back to calm. It’s your best tool to keep you from using your magic beyond your limits. I heed her warning and clutch my emerald in my palm. I close my eyes and will the wind to calm.
“That was strange,” Alec says a second later.
My eyes open to find nothing but a crater of sand where the mini tornado was swirling moments ago. “What’s that?”
“You didn’t see that? A gust of wind created a small tornado right there in front of us.” His expression is one of fascination, and he gets up to examine what was once my magical masterpiece.
If Rose finds out about this, she will be furious. I shrug. “I didn’t see anything.” I don’t know what else to say. I’ve never been the best liar. My mom would always tell me she could see right through me. I try to think of how to change the subject. “Do you think Iris and Ava will ever warm up to me?”
Alec soon forgets about the sand and looks at me. “Probably not.” He smiles then shrugs. “I had hope, but I’ve given up on that.”
I make a noise in the back of my throat. “Well, that’s just great. I didn’t do anything to them.”
Alec tilts his head. “No, but you have my attention in a way I’ve never given it to them.”
I suck in a breath. “How is that?”
His gaze dips down to my lips. He inches closer, his fingers playing with a loose strand of my hair. “Maybe it’s the way I look at you when I think no one else is watching.” He leans in slightly. “Or maybe it’s the way I can’t help but smile when you’re near.” He leans in again so there’s only an inch of space between our lips. “Maybe it’s how I can have dozens of my friends together at a party and not give a damn because it’s you who steals all my attention.” His hand leaves my hair and makes its way to my neck until he’s gently stroking it with his thumb.
My heart is going crazy, its erratic beat consuming all the space in my chest. As he starts to close the final gap between our lips, my heart feels like it’s about to burst through my chest. I shut my eyes and completely give in to this new feeling of—I can’t even think.
Everything feels so perfect. Fireworks are whizzing through the night sky, lighting it up like colored popcorn. Laughter and chatter fill the space around us. A crowd cheers in response to the end of the band’s last song.
As soon as his lips touch mine, it feels like our first kiss all over again. He tastes of salt and fruit punch. I’m thankful we’re sitting this time, because my knees turn to Jell-O. His lips firm against mine before the kiss deepens, his tongue sweeping the inside of my mouth. A rush shoots through me.
When our mouths separate and our faces draw apart a few seconds later, my lips are tingling. Our eyes meet, and smiles form on both our faces. He starts to lean in for more, but in the moment before we connect, something whizzes through the air and smacks hard into the side of my face. It makes a popping sound, and water bursts around me. I gasp and reach up to touch my stinging cheek. Looking down, I find a broken water balloon in my lap.
It doesn’t take me long to guess where that came from, but I’m too shocked to move. I hear the adolescent giggles of Iris and Ava as they approach, then their annoying voices get louder.
“Oops. We’re so sorry, Kat. We were just playing around.” Iris’s voice is high-pitched and riddled with fake sympathy.
I remain silent, anger bubbling inside me again. I grab my necklace, knowing I’ll need all the help in the world to get my anger get under control.
I look over at Alec, who seems just as shocked. His shirt is damp, and he’s looking at me like he’s assessing the damage. His eyes sweep briefly over my soaked top. When his eyes turn toward Iris and Ava, he looks furious.
“It was just an accident,” Iris says defensively, although she’s still laughing.
“You two are behaving like assholes,” he says, exasperated. “You should leave.”
“Alec, c’mon. It was just an accident, and we apologized,” Iris whines.
“We’re not going anywhere.” Ava says firmly. “We haven’t even checked out the bonfire yet.”
I’m so busy swiping my hands against my drenched outfit—I’m tempted to use my powers to dry it completely, but I resist—that I don’t even notice when Iris and Ava walk off.
“I’ll be right back,” Alec says, his eyes on their departing figures. “I’m going to find them a ride home.”
“Wait.” I grab his wrist. “It was just a water balloon.” I smile. “It’s really not a big deal. Don’t send them home. It will only cause a bigger scene and give them more reason to hate me.”
He sighs and looks to be giving in.
I tug at his hand. “Walk with me to the water?”
Hesitating, he throws the girls a parting glance then takes my hand. We walk toward the water, sinking our feet sinking into the sand once we reach the edge. Fireworks are still exploding in the distance, but this time, there are thunderous pops and screams accompanying them. We both look toward the noise.
Iris and Ava are running around the bonfire, giggling.
“Are they holding fireworks?” I can’t hold back from the horror that makes it into my voice.
“What the hell is wrong with them?” Alec says nothing else. It’s all in his expression as he charges off toward the bonfire, where the girls are screaming and laughing hysterically. One of them trips and falls, but she gets back up again and continues to run.
When Alec catches up with them, things seem to settle down, so I turn back toward the water. But almost as soon as I’ve turned around, I hear another outburst of screams. I turn back to the fire to see Alec, Ava, and Iris fighting. Their voices grow louder and louder.
“Go home,” Alec roars. “You’ve been nothing but trouble all night.”
Iris turns her dagger-like eyes on him. “It’s a party, Alec. Lighten up.”
“Someone is going to get hurt.”
Iris steps closer to him and glares. “You’re the one who’s going to get hurt, hanging out with that Summer girl. I warned you about her, Alec. But you won’t listen. She’s a witch. Just like her grandmother.” The disgust in Iris’s voi
ce is clear.
And there it is. That word. Witch. Fire builds up inside me.
“Because what you’re saying is crazy,” Alec says in my defense.
Iris continues to blast me with her hateful words, and Alec continues to defend me. I try to turn off their conversation, but I’m already bristling with anger. I can feel the temperature in my body rising higher and higher like a bubbling cauldron. This is new. Not euphoric like when I used my powers before. This is different. Strange. Angry.
Something in the sky pulls my focus. Dark, ominous clouds swarm in to cover the entire beach. I panic, knowing I need to find a way to calm down before I lose control completely.
Iris throws herself into Alec’s arms and slams her mouth onto his to kiss him. Anger spirals inside of me. It’s too much. My hands ball into tight fists, and before I know what’s happening, a ball of energy explodes from my chest and hurtles straight toward the threesome.
My mouth grows wide in horror as I watch the scene unfold in slow motion. Iris reels back from my blast as she’s propelled toward the bonfire.
Terror fills Alec’s expression as he lunges for Iris and wraps his arms around her body. He yanks her back from the raging fire, and they crash onto the sand. Fire whooshes to life as if it's just been fueled with gas, then a thunderous growl shakes the sky overhead. Guests are already fleeing the hot, deafening flames, scattering in all directions.
Instinctively, I move toward the fire to help, although I don’t know how. But the moment I try to take my first step, I realize just how far my feet have slipped beneath the surface. I try to yank them free, but I’m trapped, held prisoner by the grip of wet sand. With every wave that moves over the shore, I sink deeper. My new strength is no match for the force keeping me here. I give another tug of my leg to try to free one foot, but I lose my balance. Then a great force propels me forward, and I fall face-first onto the shore.
Screams, gasps, and cries burst from the crowd of guests, who are running in all directions. When I look back toward Alec and Iris, I see that the wind has taken control of the fire completely. I can’t even see them anymore. The bonfire has nearly tripled in size, its wild flames the shape of arms, reaching outward as if trying to sweep anyone and anything into its deadly inferno.
I grab my necklace and close my eyes, my focus on the earth that shackles my legs and feet. “Release me!” I scream over the sound of the flames. Nothing immediately happens, but I’m not ready to give up. I can’t just stand here. I need to help them.
“Release me now!” I scream again, more commanding this time, my voice reverberating with the wind. The sand loosens around me, giving me the burst of confidence I need. It’s working—I look back at the orange billowing flames that are growing with every second—but not fast enough.
I use all my heightened strength to wrestle and claw my way out of the hole I’ve sunk into. I have to help Alec and Iris. I search for them again and gasp when a figure emerges from the flames. It’s Iris. I recognize her blond hair first, though half of it glows like hot embers, as if it’s about to ignite any second. I fear that’s exactly what it’s about to do.
Alec is there, pulling her a safe distance from the fire. He doesn’t see the gust of wind that sweeps the flames toward them as it doubles again in size and takes up nearly half of the beach.
“Run!” I scream.
Alec looks over his shoulder, his eyes spreading wide. He pulls Iris to her feet, but she’s too limp to stand on her own. He throws her over his shoulder and starts to run, but the flames act like magnets, threatening to catch them if they slow at all. I hear Alec scream out for Ava to run. She’s just standing off to the side, appearing frozen with shock. The horror of the scene before her is written all over her face.
Adrenaline surges through me. “Release me now!” I scream it one last time, and it’s finally enough. I yank my foot to release myself from the sand. I’m back on the shore, ready to take off toward the fire. There’s got to be a way I can put it out. But before I make it far, a wave of smoke blows toward me, encasing me like a shield. I turn in a circle. The cloud thickens into a black wall, and it’s closing in on me.
As it nears my face, I begin to gasp then choke. I fall back, feeling defeated. How do I stop the fire? I think hard, trying to recall anything that I’ve practiced that can help.
That’s it. Water. I look up at the dark clouds overhead and decide to use them to my advantage. I raise my hands, palms toward the clouds, and use all my energy, everything I possess, to call the rain from the sky. When the first drop lands on my nose, I know it’s working, but a light drizzle isn’t going to stop that fire.
I use my hand to clear the wall of smoke, but panic surges through me when I see the fire still raging on. I need more water. I look over my shoulder toward the bay’s now-restless surface. I don’t even know if this is something I’m capable of, but I know I need to try.
I face the water and let my inner strength guide me. Slowly, I raise my arms toward the waves rolling in toward the beach, then focus as hard as I’ve ever had to do. Something deep inside me vibrates, like my core is the root of my power and it’s bracing itself for war. A force radiates through me and blasts through my fingertips, commanding the water to operate at my will. Then it happens.
There’s a wave growing in the distance, gaining height as it gets close, until it’s like a tsunami, towering over the shore. With a final command, I bring the wave toward me, toward the threatening fire, knowing there’s nowhere for me to go except through it.
When the gargantuan wall of water is standing nearly an inch before me, I squeeze my eyes shut and drop my arms, giving the surge free rein to stamp out the fire once and for all. I only have time for a short breath before it crashes over me.
For what seems like an eternity, its deep currents throw me around like a rag doll. I use all my strength and held breath to claw my way toward the surface. I don’t know how far I need to rise, so I just keep on swimming, but I’m continuously dragged back down and am rapidly using up my held breath.
Breath is rapidly leaving my lungs now, and I grow weaker until darkness begins to take over my sight. My energy is depleted. My chances of holding on are slimming to zero. So I do the only thing I can think of and release my will and float freely within the lulling quiet of the water until an eerie peace fills my dreamlike state.
What makes us most powerful can also kill us.
I imagine Rose talking to me now, her stark warnings making complete sense. I should have listened. I should never have gone to the party. There is obviously so much I don’t know about myself or my powers—and clearly, there are things I cannot control.
I grab hold of my emerald. My last hope. I attempt to squeeze it tightly, but my strength is gone, my power drained. Feeling utterly lifeless, I float away into my own consuming darkness.
Not even my magic can save me now.
I’m starting to see things.
A shiny blue fin passes by me. I recognize it from my dream. Only this time, I see more of it. The V-shaped fin is a beautiful iridescent sort of blue, sparkling when it catches a glint of light from the moon. It’s attached to a long tail, narrow at the bottom and curving in until it meets the body of the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. She has long red hair, a creamy complexion, and sparkling green eyes.
I’m mesmerized by her beauty. As she swims closer, her hypnotic eyes hold mine, nulling all my thoughts of death. Then she scoops me into her strong arms and carries me up where the water meets the air. Maybe there’s hope for me yet.
We’re nearing the surface of the water when a strange black shadow covers the light from the moon. The girl’s arms slip away, and no matter how desperate I am for that small taste of air, I’m sinking beneath another wave.
My lungs burn. My muscles are weak, and just as I give up all hope, arms dip into the water above me and yank me to the surface. I scream, causing water to bubble around me as I use the last of the air in my lungs.
; Strong arms tighten around my waist and pull me to the water’s surface. I’ve swallowed so much liquid, it feels as though I’m still drowning, but the gentle breeze and the sound of waves crashing around me tell me I’m being lifted into the air.
As I fade in and out of consciousness, the rest seems to happen so fast.
I’m laid on a cold, hard surface.
The floor beneath me is rocking with the waves.
Hands push hard against the center of my chest.
I’m struggling to breathe, but it still feels like I’m drowning.
A mouth lands on mine…
Pressure flows into my lungs, causing water to gush from my mouth. Water continues to empty from my stomach, and I can finally breathe again. I gasp for air as if it’s my last breath.
There’s a tightening on my wrist, and something snaps…
Then darkness finds me again.
“Kat, wake up,” a voice pleads over and over until I’m pulled from my darkness.
I look up and find Alec, his wondrous green eyes shining down on me.
“Kat.” He’s relieved. He looks tired and scared, like he thought I was dead.
I try to sit up. I want him to know I’m okay, but I quickly become dizzy and I fall back again. My head hits the sand. Sand? Wait. I thought I was on a boat. Before that, everything is foggy.
“Just relax, okay? You almost drowned.” Alec’s concern strengthens me.
But I did drown, I want to say. Someone pulled me out of the water. Then I remember Iris.
“The fire! Alec, is Iris okay?”
“She’ll be okay, but she’s badly burned, really shaken up, and in a lot of pain. The ambulance is coming.”
As if on cue, a siren blares in the distance. I pull myself to a sitting position to take a look around. The crowd has thinned significantly, and the remaining guests huddle in clusters, while watching the aftermath of the freak fire and windstorm that terrorized the entire party.