Crushed

by Kasi Blake

  He kissed the tip of her nose and said, “We’ll take things slow from now on. I promise. We’ll get to know each other, take our time. We should probably take a step back and just be friends for a while.”

  Relief flooded her system. “Really? You don’t think I’m a big baby for wanting to run away from this, whatever this is?”

  “You aren’t the only one scared to death right now.” He whistled between his teeth before saying, “I hate the idea of falling for someone as much as you do. My life is far too complicated to let you all the way in. So let’s agree not to fall. Just be my friend for now. Deal?”

  He stuck his hand out, and she took it. “Deal.”

  Over the next four weeks, Kristen’s life began to unravel. Brittany was on a roll. She had enlisted Gina into some weird kind of partnership, and they were trying to ruin Kristen’s life. The brunette twit had won the coveted position of class president, and she’d taken Kristen’s place on the cheerleading squad. Somehow, she’d convinced the coach to get rid of Kristen, kicking her off the team forever.

  Kristen was sure magic had been involved. No way could that stupid girl win the job on her own merits. Gina’s popularity was on the rise, while Kristen’s declined day by day. In just one month, she’d watched everything she’d worked so hard for slowly fade away, and there didn’t seem to be anything she could do to stop it. It was one thing after another. She was on a long, crazy descent into nothingness.

  It didn’t make any sense. Brittany’s revenge spells in the past had been mean, sure, but she hadn’t dared mess with the important things in Kristen’s life. She hadn’t tried to destroy her before. How could her sister be this angry over a boy she didn’t know?

  Picking clothes out the night before school and wearing trendy fashions had lost its luster. Still, Kristen was determined not to give up without a fight. She put on sleek, white pants and a lime-green, striped top that looked like it was made in two matching pieces, a sweater over a shirt, but was a single item. The short, puffy sleeves with scalloped edges created a girlish look that Kristen usually avoided in favor of being powerful, but on this particular day she felt like playing up her feminine side.

  It was Wednesday morning. The girls were sitting at the round kitchen table, eating breakfast. Cyndi and Brittany dug into neat stacks of pancakes that were drenched in maple syrup. They could eat anything and not gain an ounce. Kristen, on the other hand, had to be careful. Sometimes it seemed like all she had to do was look at a piece of chocolate cake and her weight fluctuated up a couple of pounds.

  With that in mind, she chose fruit and a slice of dry toast. She peeled the banana while staring at the sliding-glass door that led to the garden. Since the house was located on a private beach, they didn’t have a normal backyard with a lawn or a swing, so their father had paid some guys to build a little yard on the side of the house.

  Brittany had been on her cell when Kristen entered the kitchen. After a few indistinct, monosyllabic answers, Brittany disconnected the call. An awkward silence filled the room.

  Kristen didn’t realize how quiet it was until Cyndi threw up her hands and raised her voice for the first time in what seemed like eons. “Would you two talk to each other? Please! This is getting ridiculous.”

  “I apologized already,” Kristen said while glaring at Brittany. “It’s not my fault someone is acting like a child.”

  “You’re not sorry,” Brittany said, “but you will be. You deserve everything you have coming your way.”

  “And what do you deserve besides a punch in the mouth?”

  “Bring it on!”

  Kristen tilted her head to the side as if she had a nervous tick and pictured what she wanted to happen. Sticky syrup squirted up into Brittany’s face and got on her Black Metal T-shirt.

  She screamed, “You bitch!”

  Brittany flung her hand out, and Kristen’s chair toppled backwards, dumping her on the floor before she had the chance to grab onto something. The back of her head cracked against the faux-brick linoleum. For a second, she saw stars. Wooden legs scraped against the floor as Cyndi’s chair shot out. She was at Kristen’s side in an instant, hunched over her.

  “Are you okay?” Cyndi asked while helping her to her feet.

  Kristen ignored her, eyes on Brittany. “You are so dead.”

  Brittany smirked. “You think you can take me? Do you really think you’re man enough? Go for it.”

  Cyndi cried, “Please stop fighting before someone gets hurt!”

  Kristen thought back to how this all began the first day of school, over a boy she’d crushed on a whim. Impulsive moves weren’t usually her thing. She believed in detailed planning. Making a list of pros and cons had kept her out of trouble in the past. She wished she had made a list before crushing Zach. It would have saved them all a great deal of trouble.

  Zach hadn’t been kidding about taking things slow. They spent time with each other in school, ate lunch together sometimes, and walked down the hallways while talking about meaningless issues. She didn’t see him anywhere else. Part of her was relieved, while the other part desperately wanted to kiss him again. Maybe things would have gone smoother between them if she had given him a chance instead of crushing him. She should have gotten to know him in a normal boy-girl way instead of using her powers.

  After a few slow breaths, Kristen said, “I don’t know why you’re so angry with me. Zach isn’t even crushed.”

  “That’s what you say.” Brittany folded her arms over her chest, a pinched look to her mouth. “I think you lied about retracting the spell. I’ve seen him staring at you like you’re the only girl on the planet.”

  “I honestly didn’t know you liked him this much. How many times do I have to repeat myself? If I had known, I would have stayed away from him.”

  “Whatever.”

  With a sigh, Kristen tried to reach the logical side of her sister’s brain. “Look. You dared me to crush him, and I did. Later, you told me you were kidding and that you liked him, and I said I was sorry. I removed the spell. We should call a truce.”

  “Too late.” Brittany grabbed a paper towel, ran it under the faucet, and dabbed her top with it to remove the syrup. “Someone needs to take you down, and I’m just the girl to do it.”

  “Give it your best shot, and then start running. There won’t be a safe place for you to hide.”

  Brittany shook her head. “You think you have more power than I do, that you’re better than me, but I’m going to prove you wrong this year. I’m the strongest, most powerful witch in this family. So hang on to your hat, sis, because you’re in over your head this time.”

  Kristen and Cyndi stared at each other in disbelief while Brittany stormed out of the room. It was like they didn’t even know their own sister anymore, like she’d been replaced by a pod person. None of it made any sense. Brittany had overreacted once or twice in the past, but this was beyond anything they’d seen her do before. It was almost as if she hated the very sight of Kristen now.

  ###

  Things only got worse when they reached school.

  Brittany made Kristen trip over an invisible rock as they crossed the parking lot.

  Kristen turned the gum in Brittany’s mouth to dirt.

  Brittany ran to the restroom and spit the dirt into the sink. She turned a faucet on and put her head under the running water to rinse her mouth out. Kristen watched from the sidelines. A few girls gave them weird looks before walking out. That left them alone. Just to be sure, Kristen bent over and peeked under the six stalls, searching for feet, before she spoke openly to her sister.

  “I’ve had enough, Britt. Seriously. I am so over this. Say ‘uncle,’ or I’m going to make you wish you were never born.”

  Brittany spat a few more times before turning her blazing-hot gaze on Kristen. She wiped her wet mouth with the back of one hand and said, “I’m not afraid of you. You have no idea who you’re messing with.”

  “Oooh, I’m so scared.” />
  “If you were smart, you would be. By the time I get through with you, you’re going to be a bigger loser than the freshman who chases pennies.”

  The other kids loved to make fun of Stan Paddington. They threw pennies on the ground as he walked by, and the kid chased after them like they were worth a million dollars each. Poor kid had no idea they were even making fun of him. He was an oddball.

  She was not going to wind up as the school joke. Angry at the mere thought of it, she flung both hands in Brittany’s direction. Her punk-rocker sister went through a stunning transformation. Instantly, her hair was shiny and combed with a bright red bow holding some back from her squeaky-clean face. Her hardcore clothes had been replaced with a pretty, white-with-red-polka-dots dress with a huge bow at the waist and ruffled sleeves.

  Brittany caught sight of her reflection in the mirror and screamed like she’d seen a bloody body on the floor. “Change me back!”

  Kristen opened the door and shoved Brittany into the crowded hallway before the girl could run and hide. Students openly gaped at her, including a speechless Cyndi. Kristen smiled and waited for Brittany to try to wiggle her way out of this one.

  Brittany straightened her spine and smiled. She spoke with a sweet and shy voice. “I’m tired of dressing like Britt, so I thought I would try something new. Do you like it?”

  So that was it. She was going to ruin her twin’s reputation to save her own. Kristen silently urged Cyndi to call Brittany out on it, expose her for a liar, but Cyndi didn’t do a thing. She went along with it and pretended to be Brittany. Apparently, there wasn’t anything Cyndi wouldn’t do for her twin.

  Kristen went to her locker, annoyed and a little disappointed at the non-climactic end to all the drama. As soon as the other students heard it was Cyndi dressed like a walking, talking doll from generations past, they returned to their own business.

  Cyndi walked over to Kristen and said, “I’m out of the game. Brittany told me to get out now because I might get caught in the crossfire. Something’s wrong with her. I’ve seen her mad before, but she’s totally out of control.”

  Kristen wholeheartedly agreed, but she didn’t want Cyndi to leave the competition. Then the game would be down to the two of them—Brittany and Kristen. It would get dangerous for sure without vulnerable Cyndi standing between them. Kristen didn’t understand why Brittany was off-the-grid angry. She’d agreed to let Kristen enchant someone else to stay in the game. Why would she do that? Unless she wanted Kristen to remain in the game so she’d have an excuse to attack her.

  “It’s not that bad,” Kristen said. She dialed her locker combination and opened the metal door. Her locker exploded, a small blast sending papers, folders, and books flying everywhere. A startled scream burst from Cyndi’s lips, while Kristen almost had a coronary.

  Students laughed at the prank, but Kristen shook with barely restrained anger. Her lungs constricted until she couldn’t breathe normally. Her eyes went to the mess on the hallway floor. Not only were they scattered, the notebooks weren’t color coded anymore. Everything had been turned solid white.

  Cyndi sighed before drifting away.

  “Brittany!” Kristen shouted.

  The girl stood a few feet down the hallway, wearing a nasty smirk along with the frilly dress.

  That was it! Kristen was going to kill her sister, literally. She was going to release her anger and knock the whole building down on the stupid girl’s head. White-hot rage like she’d never known before drove out every reasonable thought, leaving only the urge to commit homicide.

  She started to move in Brittany’s direction, purpose in each step, but Zach appeared out of nowhere and grabbed her from behind. He pressed her against her locker with gentle hands and stood close as if they were going to slow dance. His hands moved to her face. He leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers.

  “Close your eyes,” he said. Once she complied, he spoke to her softly. “It’s okay. Everything is okay. Just breathe. In and out. Relax. Everything is fine.”

  Zach’s voice soothed her and calmed her bubbling anger. She leaned back, following his instructions to the letter. He kept talking, repeating the phrases. Every once in a while, his lips brushed against her cheek, cooling her anger more. In seconds, she returned to a good and peaceful frame of mind. She couldn’t believe she’d almost gone homicidal in front of half the school.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  “You okay?”

  “I have it together now. Thank you.”

  He released her and took a step back. Damn, he looked good. It seemed like ages since she’d seen him. Just looking at him made her feel a hundred times better. Her gaze went to his full lips. She wanted to kiss him right there in front of everyone.

  “Do you like me?” she asked, feeling a bit insecure. “As more than a friend?”

  The out-of-the-blue question seemed to startle him. “I… uh… of course I like you.” His smile turned genuine as he brushed strands of hair from her face. “I like you way too much.”

  “What does that mean?”

  He sighed, and his warm, coffee-scented breath caressed her face. “Let’s just say that getting involved with you would really complicate my life. I’ve been trying hard to keep from falling for you.”

  Her lips slowly formed the word, “Oh.”

  “On the other hand, a little complication could be fun. I am finding it very hard to just be friends with you.” He leaned forward and brushed his mouth against hers in a teasing kiss.

  A few catcalls disturbed the air around them. The warning bell rang, and for a moment, she thought it was the alarm going off in her head.

  He added, “I guess we need to get to class, unless you want to ditch school with me and take another ride.”

  It was tempting.

  She had promised herself to have more fun this year.

  She shrugged and smiled. “I guess we could do that.”

  Zach stroked a hand down her bare arm, sending shivers up her spine. “I’ve tried so hard to stay away from you, but I just can’t do it anymore. Maybe you should come to my house and meet my sister.”

  Sister! Her heart nearly leaped out of her chest. That was the big secret he’d been hiding? He had a sister? Relief weakened Kristen’s knees. Her legs turned to jelly, and she held onto his arm. With a big smile, she said, “Sounds great.”

  “Let’s go before someone stops us.”

  He took her hand and pulled her through the glass doors. They walked across the parking lot together. Fortunately, it was empty. Everyone was inside, hurrying to their first class. She just hoped no one spotted them from a window. The last thing she needed at this point was to get kicked out of school.

  Zach asked, “Do you want to drive?

  She shook her head.

  She climbed on the back of the bike and wrapped her arms around his waist. Relaxed now, she rested her cheek against his spine. Being with Zach felt incredible. All her problems melted away, and she temporarily forgot Brittany. She was going to meet Zach’s sister. He was allowing her into his life. What could go wrong?

  ###

  Zach lived in a house that brought every scary movie Kristen had ever watched to the forefront of her mind. It was a huge, Tudor-style home with white stucco, dark brown trim, and a rock foundation. Add to that the diamond-cut windows and ivy crawling up the sides, and you had a place that made you shudder just to look at it. It answered at least one of Kristen’s questions—Zach definitely came from money.

  He opened the massive front door and waved her inside. She stepped past him into the foyer and forgot how to breathe. It was beautiful. A crystal chandelier glowed with golden light above their heads. A hand-carved staircase traveled up one wall. There were expensive paintings and pricey antiques along the other walls. She was almost afraid to move for fear she might break something.

  “Wow,” she said.

  He grinned. “Glad you like it.”

  “Will you giv
e me the tour?”

  “Sure. But first, I’d better introduce you to my sister. She’ll freak out if she hears voices.” His expression and mood sobered as he explained, “My sister is handicapped. She may look twenty, but she’s got the mind of a child. That’s why I didn’t want anyone to know about her. She doesn’t like strangers, and I don’t want her to get upset.”

  Kristen slid her hand into his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. The trust he had in her filled her with awe. Meeting his sister was an honor he hadn’t bestowed on anyone else. “One of my cousins has a handicap, too.”

  “She doesn’t like to be touched, so be careful about that. I’ll go get her. Stay here. I need a few minutes to prepare her to meet you.”

  Kristen nodded.

  Zach walked away, allowing the house to devour him.

  While he was gone, Kristen drifted into the room on the left. It was being used as a study. There was a huge stone fireplace, and the pictures on the mantle caught her attention. She inspected each one closely, even though it made her feel somewhat snoopy. There was one of Zach’s parents—at least, that’s who she assumed they were. They looked like nice, regular people, big smiles and warm eyes. There was a picture of him and his sister. The girl had dark hair and dark eyes, no smile. There was something missing from those eyes, something vitally essential.

  Between the pictures were angels carved out of wood. They were so lifelike that her breath caught in her throat. She lifted one and examined it. Amazing. The angel had such a serene expression, half-closed eyes with a dreamy smile. She wondered where Zach had found them.

  Maybe they had belonged to his mother.

  “Who are you?” a cold, mechanical voice asked from somewhere behind her.

  Startled, Kristen gasped and dropped the angel. Fortunately, it was made out of wood, not glass, so it bounced on the floor without breaking. She swung around to find the dark-haired girl from the photos standing there, teddy bear dangling from one hand. The neutral expression on her face mirrored the one in the photograph.

  Kristen looked to the open doorway, hoping Zach would appear, but he didn’t. Clearly, he hadn’t been able to talk to his sister.