Smoke and Wishes (Best Wishes Book 1)

by A. J. Macey

  One group in the front corner seemed overly attention-seeking. Girly laughter rang through the shop, they would whisper to one another and giggle at whatever was said. What is this? Fifth grade? Who giggles anymore? The four girls in question looked like they stepped off of a magazine cover with their high-end outfits and designer label bags. Plastic, like perfect barbies; blonde, brunette, and red hair so shiny it could blind a person. They continued to whisper among themselves as they eyed another cluster of chairs where a group of guys sat.

  There were only four of the leather seats in the group of guys, so two of them had to pull up the wooden chairs from a nearby table. One of them was wearing a burgundy jersey with the number 22 and the name Rodriguez across the shoulders in white, while the rest were dressed casually. Why are there so many hot guys at this campus? I felt my pulse jump when I recognized the cutie with the glasses and a familiar head of inky black hair within the group. I whipped my head back towards the bustling workers. Please don’t notice me. I took a deep breath, willing my heart rate to slow as Em placed the large cup of heavenly goodness on the counter.

  "Here you go, my little coffee bean, one Xtra Large Caramel Latté with additional espresso shots," Em announced cheerfully. "I know you said no croissant, but I heated up your favorite, on the house." She pushed the wrapped chocolate chip croissant over the counter towards me with a knowing look in her eyes. "Good luck today, Lucie, I know it was a bit of an adjustment when you first got here, but don’t let that get your knickers in a twist, you’ll do great," she whispered in an encouraging tone low enough that the rest of the customers in the shop wouldn’t hear. Her concern warmed my heart and brought a genuine smile to my face, causing my dimples to make an appearance.

  "Thanks, Em, I owe you one." I gave her a grateful nod as I backed away from the pick-up counter to make room for the next customer. I took a sip of my latté, weaving my way through the growing crowd within the shop. I specifically made sure to keep my eyes away from the familiar faces seated by the door. Once I was able to squeeze my way out of Coffeeology and into the quad, I took a big bite of my croissant despite my stomach’s protests, and leisurely made my way over to the Music and Arts building where orientation was being held.

  I finished off the chocolatey goodness of my croissant and tossed the wrapping into the sidewalk trash can, feeling better now that I had something in my stomach. I walked up the wide, stone steps of the building before pushing open one of the many doors. When my eyes finally adjusted to the indoor lighting, I was entranced by the high, domed ceiling with three expensive-looking crystal chandeliers. The ceilings were adorned with silver filigree and impressive architectural features that connected to burgundy painted walls with white decorative trim. Large theatre and musical posters hung on the walls showcasing the recent plays put on by the drama department.

  I realized I was still standing in the entryway, the surrounding crowd seemed to be making their way towards the auditorium, so I followed, making sure to stay far enough on the outskirts to keep my anxiety at bay. The several sets of double doors to the main auditorium were propped open, murmured voices within spilled into the lobby. I turned to the left after entering and navigated through the other freshmen to the furthest section, away from everyone, ascending the stairs that led to the amphitheater-style seating. I slid into an empty seat and took off my messenger bag, placing it in between my feet on the floor, content to enjoy my coffee in peace as I waited for the orientation to start.

  3

  August 25th

  Saturday Morning

  Landon

  I was perusing the open seating of the room when my twin threw his arm over my shoulders, jostling me into a couple on my right side.

  "Do we want to sit with everyone or do we want to sit somewhere on the outskirts?" Logan asked, making a face of discontent as he eyed the large crowd sitting in the main floor seating section. I rolled my eyes, already knowing the answer to that question when I caught sight of a girl who was seated alone a few rows up on the other end of the room.

  "How about over there with her?" I tilted my chin towards the little blonde who just finished taking a long drink from a coffee cup that looked to be the size of her face.

  "Who? Blondie over there?" Logan tilted his head, his brows furrowing. "I'm pretty sure she was at the coffee shop this morning, the one Em was excited to see." His eyes twinkled with the same mischievous glint I knew shined within mine. He pulled his arm off my shoulders and pushed through the remaining students.

  As we neared the bottom of the stairs, I noticed that she averted her eyes away from us and pulled her coffee cup up to her mouth to take a drink. Her blonde hair was pulled back, bringing attention to her delicate, heart-shaped face. She shifted as we closed the distance between her and us. Pulling her shoulders back in a steeling gesture, I caught a glimpse of navy lace through one of her open shirt sleeves. Oh, have mercy. I clenched my jaw, trying like hell not to stare at her tits. Logan veered into the row in front of her before he stepped onto the seat to launch himself to her left side.

  "Hey, lemon drop, quite the spot you snatched up over here. I love the space away from the masses," I announced, dropping into the seat after pulling off the bag I had slung over my shoulder. I stretched my arms and legs out before settling back, hands behind my head. "I'm Landon."

  "And I'm Logan, it's lovely to make your acquaintance, m’lady,” my twin stated as he stuck his hand out for her to shake. She seemed to stiffen a bit, but lowered her coffee cup and put it into her left hand, returning the handshake.

  "Lucie," she responded in a quiet voice, after shaking Logan's hand she turned to look at me. I stuck out my hand with an amused smirk on my face as I peered into some of the deepest blue eyes I had ever seen. Her hand was thin and smooth within mine, which she quickly pulled back into her lap to fiddle with the sleeve of her coffee cup. Sensing she was slightly off-put from our sudden arrival, Logan slouched down to prop his feet onto the empty chair in front of him, attempting to put her at ease by getting comfortable.

  "So what do you think of Redwood so far, Lucie?" Logan asked, his head was propped onto his right fist as he gazed at her expectantly, the lighting in the auditorium seemed to amplify the red tint in his pupils.

  "I like it so far, I haven't explored too much," she responded, sipping some more coffee, but not before I noticed her hands trembling slightly.

  "Which dorms are you in?" I asked as I slid down in my chair mimicking my brother’s position. Bad move man, eyes are up there. Chuckling, I continued before she can answer. "We're in the South Wing dorms. Luckily we were paired together, so no need to share.”

  “Not that I’d be opposed to the idea of sharing,” I shot the thought to Logan, who snorted in response.

  "That’s the best part about having a twin, knowing you'll always have a partner. In class, in dorms, in sickness and in health, in crime." Logan snickered as he looked at me.

  “She's beautiful,” his voice whispered through my mind, “have you noticed how tense she’s been since we sat down?” I sent back an affirmative, turning my attention back to Lucie.

  "I'm in the West Wing dorm rooms, and my roommate doesn't seem so bad although we haven't had a chance to really spend much time together other than dinner last night," she trailed off as the lights dimmed and a woman stepped onto the stage. Her dark curly brown hair was down, brushing against the back of her jacket. The soft pink of her blouse was a contrast against her tanned skin and her black pantsuit.

  "Good morning to all of our new students!" she announced cheerfully into the podium microphone, her powerful voice filled the auditorium. "I am Assistant Dean Lorelai Mastersen. I help mostly with the acclimation of our students to our wonderful University, as well as assisting our amazing counselors and career path advisors, but no need to worry about those for right now. I'm sure you're more worried about getting your schedule and finding your way around this expansive campus," Loralei chuckled at her own joke.

&nb
sp; “Actually, I'm trying not to fall asleep,” I mentally sent to Logan as I yawned wide enough for my jaw to crack.

  “I second that. The guys said they’d be waiting in the quad until we're done with this ridiculousness. We should see if she wants to come along, I like her,” Logan responded, stretching his arms up. He must have moved too quickly though because Lucie tensed, and her empty hand curled into a tight fist. As soon as she did, she took a deep breath, relaxing with a heavy exhale. I glanced behind her thin frame and made eye contact with Logan to confirm I wasn't the only one who witnessed the odd reaction.

  “You thinking what I’m thinking?” Logan’s thought filtered through my head.

  “She has to have dealt with some shit if she’s reacting so severely to quick movements?” Logan nodded as the assistant dean continued to rattle on about her role within the school and the schedule for the day. Not really caring about the speech, I shifted in my seat. Warm vanilla filled my lungs as I leaned into Lucie.

  "Is this as boring for you as it is for us?" I whispered into her right ear. I was rewarded with a small chuckle.

  "If you're referring to the agonizingly dry speech on the assistant dean's self-importance around campus then yes, yes it is very boring for me." She looked up at me from under her lashes with a small smile hidden behind her coffee cup. My breathing shuddered, becoming uneven with that look. Fuck, she’s gorgeous. She lowered her cup, and my gaze moved to her perfectly curved lips. Realizing I was leaning even further into her as I stared, I pulled back, settling into my original position. She chugged the last bit of her large coffee as Assistant Dean Mastersen announced the next speaker. A tall, lean, middle-aged man with light blonde hair dressed in a dark colored suit stepped onto the stage.

  "Hello everyone, I'm Dean Alexandre Renaud, and I'm excited to welcome you to Redwood Supernatural University. As my assistant dean, Ms. Mastersen stated, this general announcement will be followed by schedule distribution out in the lobby, and then small groups of you will be able to take tours of the campus if you wish. If you would rather explore the campus on your own time, then you are more than welcome to do so. The only thing I must implore of you is to make sure you read through all of the materials you collect when you get your schedules out front. Now, before I bore you all into an early morning nap, you are released. Please make your way into the lobby." The dean stepped away from the microphone with a wave and a smile on his face as he strode off stage. I shifted forward in my seat to collect my bag when I noticed Lucie looking over to the left with her head tilted as she stood.

  "Hey sleepy head, the presentation is over," she whispered, leaning down to shake Logan’s shoulder lightly. He had, unsurprisingly, fallen asleep during the 15-minute orientation. He jolted awake, shooting to his feet in a sleep-induced panic. Lucie jumped back and stumbled into my chest with a sharp inhale. I caught her arms so she wouldn’t fall over the row of seats in front of us.

  "You okay, lemon drop?" I ask in a soft voice as she straightened and threw her bag over her shoulders. I noticed Logan’s brow furrowing over Lucie’s shoulder, a questioning look on his face.

  "Yeah… yeah, I'm good. Sorry about that, I must have lost my balance," she quickly explained, shifting around me down the stairs. "It was nice to meet you both." Her arm came up in a quick wave, offering me another glimpse of lace before she curved around the half wall to make her way into the lobby with the rest of the freshman student body.

  "Well, that was different," I stated as I turned back towards Logan who had made his way down the aisle to stand next to me on the stairs.

  "Yeah, it was. I'm sure we'll see her around, let's go grab our schedules and catch up with the guys," Logan suggested. His right arm came to rest over my shoulders, making our way to the front.

  Lucienne

  Breathe, Lucie, breathe. I continued to repeat the mantra until I found the line leading to the table for last names starting with D-F. Logan was just startled, you're alright. Slowly, I loosened my grip on the strap of my messenger bag to where I was no longer strangling it. My eyes were focused on the far wall, purposely avoiding any contact with the crush of students surrounding me. Deep breaths. Thankfully, I was next in line. Almost done.

  "Name?" the woman at the table asked without looking up when the man in front of me stepped aside.

  "Envie," I responded, "Lucienne Envie." She dug through her file box and pulled a folder with my name on the tab.

  "Here you go, your schedule, map, building hours, and other important information." She handed me the manila folder with an irritated look on her face before immediately moving onto the girl behind me. I wove my way in and out of students in the lobby and out into the quad, clutching the folder tightly to my chest so I wouldn’t lose any papers. Once I moved away from the doors towards the edge of the building, I pulled out my schedule.

  Core Schedule:

  Supernatural History 101

  History Building Room 103

  Professor M. Hans

  Monday and Wednesday 0900-1045

  Introduction to Supernatural Society

  Music and Arts Building Main Auditorium

  Professor T. Rasmussen

  Monday and Wednesday 1300-1425

  Debate

  English Building Room 418

  Professor W. Crest

  Tuesday and Thursdays 1000-1145

  Introduction to Mental Shielding and Defense

  Power Building Main Auditorium

  Professor N. Dorsial

  Tuesday and Thursday 1200-1345

  Additional Requirements:

  Power Placement Lecture

  Power Building Main Gymnasium

  Monday, August 27th 0800

  Power Placement Testing

  Power Building Practice Room 1

  Professor B. George

  and Student Assistant Hudson Nguyen

  Mondays 1100-1200

  Not so bad, I thought to myself, at least it's mostly entry-level classes. My mom’s forethought in working with the school to get my schedule in order filled me with relief, there’s no way I would have been able to focus on it at the time. I stuck the sheet back into the folder deciding to read the rest of the information back at the dorm. I’d already tucked the folder carefully into my bag, trying to choose between exploring on my own or going with a group when I heard a familiar voice call out my name.

  I looked up to find Logan and Landon standing in the quad waving at me, surrounded by a group of guys. I reached up to return the wave when I felt the breath leave my lungs. Holy shit, that’s Mr. Nguyen and the cutie from the library. Again. Not sure what to do with my hand since it was still in the air doing absolutely nothing, a painful reminder of how much I suck in social situations, I settled for tucking a stray lock of hair behind my ear. A grunt and responding laughter from around the corner of the building pulled my attention away from the group of guys that had started towards me.

  "Well, what do we have here, where's your little boyfriend?" a cruel voice sneered, echoing off the stone structure where the walkway split into a small path between the buildings. I slowly edged towards the corner when I heard a thud and another grunt, followed by more laughter.

  Poking my head into the alley, I saw a small, chestnut-colored fox huddled against the stone building and three guys sneering down at the cute animal. The one closest to the fox was clad in a red sleeveless shirt and black basketball shorts, while his minions stationed behind him wore similar clothing and matching smirks.

  "What? Nothing to say, faggot?” the asshole in red prodded. The fox gave a tiny shrieking bark as it curled into itself, attempting to shy away from the bullies. I felt my hands curl into fists when Mr. Macho pulled his foot back to kick it. How fucking dare he. I couldn't stand by and let this piece of crap harm an innocent animal. Drawing my shoulders back, I moved away from my spot on the corner and into the altercation.

  “Hey assholes, leave it alone,” I bit out, positioning myself between them and the injured anim
al who remained in its balled up position, squeaking in fear. I squared up to Mr. Macho in red, nails biting into my palms.

  “Oh, look boys, the little faggot has a fairy godmother.” The bully chuckled as he looked over his shoulders to his friends. “Hm, what do you say little girl, want to play with the big bad wolves?” His dark brown, almost black eyes turned back to me with a feral gleam, lips pulled into a cruel smile. I felt my panic try to claw its way up my throat, but the whimper from the animal behind me pushed the fear of the past down. My bag slid from my shoulder and hit the ground with a thud.

  “You want a fight? How about you pick on someone who can actually fight back?” I countered as I threw my arms wide with a crazed smile of my own. The bully eyed me as he stepped into my personal space, crowding my face as he responded.

  “I wouldn’t start a fight when it’s three against one if I were you, bitch. Why are you standing up for this fucking fag anyways?” His eyes dropped to my necklace that had shifted out from under my tank top, eyebrows raised at the gold coin. “You think you’re such hot shit with that fucking thing, don’t you?” he asked, reaching out to touch the pendant nestled between my breasts. Before he could do or say anymore, I felt my fight instinct kick in, shoving him as hard as I could, tired of him practically looking down my shirt. I won’t ever let anyone treat me like that bastard again, my lip pulled up into a snarl at the thought.

  “What kind of shitty person would take their aggression out on an innocent creature. And for what? Because you’re insecure in your own sexuality?” I must have hit a sore spot for this douche, his smirk fell into a thin line, and his tanned face turned red. I didn’t have the chance to regret what I’d said before he was charging at me. My training from earlier in the summer surged forward, I yanked back my arm and shot my fist forward catching him off guard in the nose. He stumbled back, blood gushing when his friends caught him.