Crystal Magic (Clearwater Witches Book 1)

by Madeline Freeman

  I glance back down at the text. I’ve run out of time. Taking in a deep breath, I square my shoulders and walk toward the counter. I wait until the customer has said his goodbyes before approaching Jodi. She presses her hand against her forehead and sighs, and a wave of guilt flows through me. The store’s been so busy today. I’m supposed to be helping, not leaving to go shopping with Lexie. I almost chicken out and walk away, but before I can, she looks up and meets my eyes.

  “Before you say no,” I blurt out.

  Jodi rubs the spot over her right eyebrow. “I already don’t like the sound of this.”

  The words tumble out of my mouth before I can stop them. “I got invited to go to the harvest dance and I’ve never been to a dance before and I really want to go, but that means I need a dress. Which means I need money. And a couple hours off. Well, maybe not a whole couple hours, but at least a little while.”

  Jodi’s eyebrow hitches upward. “Who invited you?”

  “It came up at West’s house last night and Owen invited me.” I catch myself. “He invited me to come along with the group.”

  A smile plays about the corners of Jodi’s mouth and heat rises in my cheeks. “You want to go to the harvest dance with Owen and Lexie and the rest of your friends? Okay.”

  “Okay?”

  She laughs, heading out from behind the counter and toward the employees-only area. “Yeah, okay. What did you expect me to say?”

  Relief washes over me. But her letting me go isn’t the bit I’m worried about. I take in a breath to steel myself before venturing further on the topic that concerns me. “Lexie’s gonna be here in a couple minutes to get me so we can shop for a dress.”

  Jodi returns, her purse in her hands. She sets it on the counter and rifles through it. “You’re probably going to Enchanted Evenings Boutique.” She pulls out her wallet and counts out some bills. “This will probably cover a dress. If it’s not enough, you can run back here and I’ll give you some more. Or, better yet, tell Bonnie she still owes me some cash from the last time we went out to dinner.” She grins, dropping her wallet back in her purse.

  I stare down at the money in my hands. I don’t think I’ve ever held this much at one time. My mom and I didn’t live like paupers, but we weren’t exactly queens either. And I’d never had the occasion to purchase anything particularly expensive. Part of me wants to push the money back at my aunt—it’s too much, and she’s already doing so much just by letting me live with her—but the look on Jodi’s face is so expectant that I push the money into my back pocket instead. “Thank you,” I say, my eyes on the countertop.

  Jodi reaches across the counter and touches my arm. “It’s my pleasure.” She pauses, catching my eye. She holds my gaze, letting her words settle into my mind. “Think of it as an advance on your paycheck, okay?”

  “Paycheck?”

  Jodi laughs. “Yeah, paycheck. What do you think you are, slave labor? I think there are laws against not paying your employees.”

  I smile. “Employee?”

  She shakes her head. “You’re silly.”

  I look around the shop. Employee. I suppose I thought I was just helping around here so Jodi could keep an eye on me. Pride swells within me, followed immediately by guilt. “It’s been so busy here today. I shouldn’t just leave you—”

  She waves away my concern. “Devin’s coming in at noon. I think I can manage things until then.”

  My shoulders relax. I’d met Devin earlier in the week. She has pink hair and a nose ring. She only works part time because she’s taking classes at the local community college.

  The bells tinkle and Lexie walks into the store. “Hey, Miss Barnette,” she says, waving at Jodi. “Krissa, you ready to go?”

  Jodi winks at me and I start at a jog for the door. Lexie bounces as she walks beside me. “I’m so excited.”

  I raise an eyebrow at her. “Why are you excited?”

  She looks at me like it’s a ridiculous question. “I’ve had my dress picked out for a month. It’ll be fun to pick one out for you. Especially since Bria won’t let me help. That girl…” She sighs.

  Four doors down, Lexie guides me into a store. I laugh. “I didn’t realize you meant this place was right down the street.”

  “It’s not like downtown is that big.”

  I gasp when we enter the store. There are racks filled with the most colorful garments I’ve ever seen. Some glitter, some shimmer, some are subtle, and some are bold. There’s so much to look at that I can’t focus on anything for more than a few seconds. I have no idea where to start.

  Lexie tugs at my arm and pulls me toward a rack in the middle of the store. She begins pawing through the dresses, muttering to herself. I let my hands skim over the fabric, enjoying the sensuous feeling of the silky material as it glides under my fingers.

  “I’m thinking blue for you,” Lexie says. “Or maybe a purple or green. You’re a cool.”

  “I’m a what?”

  “A cool. It means cool colors look better with your skin tone.” She looks at me, eyebrows furrowed. “How do you not know this?”

  I’m not sure how to respond. She doesn’t say it like an accusation, more like she’s unsure how I could have reached the age of sixteen without this information. I consider telling her that my general shopping tendencies have me grab the first few tee-shirts that fit, but I figure she’ll just look at me like I’ve grown another head, so I keep the comment to myself.

  She pulls out a dress in shimmery silver and grins. “This is pretty. Here, hold it.”

  Before long, my arms are piled high with dresses ranging from the gentle shimmer of the silver to a dark forest green. By the time Lexie shoves me into the dressing room, I begin to wonder whether I’ll make it back to the shop before Jodi closes up for the night.

  “Try on the blue one,” Lexie calls through the door.

  After hanging up the different dresses, I search for the blue one she wants me to try on. There are three dresses I would consider blue, and I choose the one that’s easiest to get off the hanger. I pull off my shirt and kick off my shoes and jeans. I’ll also need appropriate footwear, I realize. Does this store also sell shoes? I don’t think I’ve owned a pair of dress shoes since before my dad left. I even wore tennis shoes to my mom’s funeral.

  Out of nowhere, I’m hit by the memory of my mother’s presence. Perhaps it’s because Clearwater is so different than home, but I’ve been able to avoid thinking about her much. Somehow I’ve been able to convince myself I’m on an extended vacation, or I’ve been sent away to live with my aunt because I’ve caused too much trouble at home. Deep down, I know it’s not the case; I just usually ignore it. I look at my reflection, at the way the dress stretches across my abdomen and hugs at my hips. It’s just the kind of dress my mom would’ve loved for me to put on, but I was always fighting her about it. My style has always been more tomboy than glam-girl, and it bothered her. And now here I am, trying on a dress she will never see.

  I press my hands to my eyes, attempting to rub away the burning sensation. I can’t cry, not here. Not with Lexie humming happily on the other side of the door, waiting for me to come out and show her how I look in the dress she selected.

  “Hey, you coming out? Do you need help with the zipper?”

  I take in a deep, steadying breath. I can cry later. “Yeah, that would be nice.”

  “Come out and I’ll get it.”

  I touch the latch and pause for a moment before opening the door. Lexie’s eyes go wide when she sees me and a smile crosses her face.

  “Turn around, let me zip it up.”

  I turn, and when I do, I’m facing a three-way mirror. I’d seen my reflection in the changing room, but it was nothing compared to the view I have now. With the dress zipped up, it hugs me in a way that usually makes me uncomfortable. I tend to gravitate toward clothes with a bit of breathing room—nothing that shows off too much of my shape. But this is different. It makes me look sophisticated. It makes
me look beautiful.

  I hear someone clapping and turn to see a woman with dark brown hair approaching, a smile on her lips. “Wow, that is stunning.”

  I smile, shifting a little at the stranger’s praise. “Thanks.”

  “Alexis, who’s your friend?” the woman asks, her eyes on Lexie.

  Lexie pulls her gaze from me and shakes her head, smiling. “Oh, Mom. Yeah, this is the new girl I’ve been telling you about. Krissa Barnette.”

  Lexie’s mom stretches her hand out toward me and I shake it. “Jodi’s niece. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

  I nod. “It’s nice to meet you, too.” I glance at Lexie, wondering if she’ll explain what her mother is doing here. Did Lexie have to get a ride to the store from her mom? Or did she just happen past and see her daughter inside?

  “I’m not sure if Alexis told you, but I extend a discount to friends of hers.” Mrs. Taylor smiles at me.

  “Oh, this is your store?” Suddenly things make more sense. Of course Lexie would know things like what colors look best on me—her mother sells dresses for a living. Then I remember Jodi’s words as I left. “Is your first name Bonnie?”

  Mrs. Taylor nods. “Has Jodi mentioned me? We try to get together for lunch at least once a month. She’s a fabulous woman, your aunt.”

  My heart swells at her words. “Yeah, she is,” I agree, and I mean it.

  Her eyes linger on me a moment longer. “I’ll leave the two of you to it, then. I know if I stay much longer Lexie will just shoo me away anyway. Let me know if you need anything.” She turns and heads toward a curtained-off area with the word “Alterations” stenciled above it.

  Even though I’m completely sold on the blue dress, Lexie presses me to try on each of the ones she’s picked out, just to be sure. At first I find the exercise tiresome, but by the end I find I’m having fun. When Lexie declares that I was right about the blue dress and I pay for it, I’m sad the fun is all over.

  Lexie follows me back to Jodi’s shop and I’m surprised—and relieved—to see it’s not as busy as it was earlier. When Jodi and Devin see that I’m carrying a garment bag, they descend on me, insisting I show them what I got. I reveal the dress to them and they ooh and aah. Jodi seems to be in a better mood. She follows me when I go into the employees-only room to hang the dress.

  “Lexie’s mom gave me a discount,” I say, pulling the leftover money from my pocket.

  Jodi shakes her head. “Keep it. I told you, it’s an advance on your paycheck.”

  I want to disagree with her, but the look in her eyes tells me I won’t win the argument. “Speaking of work, I’m ready to get back to it.”

  “Devin’s here. Why don’t you and Lexie go out for lunch or coffee or something?”

  When I don’t agree right away, Jodi takes me by the shoulders and spins me toward the door. “I insist,” she says, pushing me gently toward the shop’s main room. “Go, have fun.”

  I laugh. “Okay, okay, I’m going.” I find Lexie perusing the bracelets and link my arm through hers. “Wanna go get a coffee? Apparently I’m not wanted here.”

  She grins. “Sure.” She selects a bracelet from the rack and slips it onto her wrist. “Think your aunt would give me a friends and family discount?”

  I shrug. “Wouldn’t hurt to ask.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Jodi does give Lexie a discount, and Lexie stares at the way the different crystals glisten in the sunlight as we walk down the block to the coffee shop. “So, what does this bracelet do?” she asks, holding her wrist out to me.

  I laugh. “Shouldn’t you have figured that out before you bought it?”

  “I bought it because I like the colors.” She pulls open the door to the coffee shop and lets me walk in before her.

  There are three people already in line and while we wait, I inspect Lexie’s bracelet. There are alternating semitransparent light blue stones and opaque dark gray ones. “I’m pretty sure this bracelet wards off flatulence.”

  She giggles. “Are you serious?”

  “No,” I say, smiling. “Jodi’s been having me learn about herbs. I don’t really know anything about the stones yet.”

  She sighs. “Oh, well. It’s pretty, anyway. And that’s what matters.”

  We order our drinks and settle at a small, high table near the front window. I ask Lexie what her dress looks like, which launches her into a description not only of the dress for Friday’s dance, but of every dress she’s worn to every dance. I try my best to pay attention, but everything begins to blur after the third or fourth description. My thoughts drift back to my own dress and excitement about the upcoming dance bubbles inside me.

  I drum my fingers on the tabletop, feeling foolish; I can’t wipe the smile off my face. I’ve found the perfect dress, I’m going to my very first dance with my friends, and I have the promise of a dance with Owen. I can’t keep my mind from conjuring scenes of the moment Owen first sees me in my dress. I know I’m stealing material from every movie I’ve ever seen, recasting Owen in the role of the heroine’s love interest, but I can’t help myself. Maybe my life is finally going to take the turn to normalcy. Maybe I’ll finally get to enjoy what people usually call the best years.

  Lexie’s voice trails off and I press my lips together, embarrassed, figuring she’s noticed I’m not really paying attention. But her gaze slides over my shoulder.

  I turn, and my stomach drops as Crystal Jamison’s eyes clasp mine. A smile curls at the corners of her mouth as she starts toward me, Bridget close behind. The memory of history class yesterday, of the trembling ground, of Crystal and Bridget staring at me floods my mind and I grip the edge of the table.

  “What do you want, Crystal?” Lexie asks, her voice cold.

  Crystal holds her hands up innocently. “Wow, hostility. We just want to say hi.”

  Lexie crosses her arms over her chest. “Hi. Bye.”

  Rolling her eyes, Crystal turns her attention to me. “I tried to catch you after history yesterday, but you ran out of the building so quickly. You looked so scared during that earthquake. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

  Bridget presses her lips together in a tight line, but she’s not entirely able to suppress a smile.

  Fear swells within me. They can’t know, can they? They can’t know I think I might have been the cause of shaking. But if they don’t suspect anything, why are they making a point of asking me? I dig my nails into my palms. “I’m fine.”

  “You hear that? She’s fine.” Lexie’s tone indicates her irritation. “I don’t see why you care anyway.”

  Crystal turns her cool blue eyes on her cousin. “Jealous much? But I guess I shouldn’t really be surprised. You’ve always had an issue with jealousy.”

  Lexie’s eyes flick from Crystal to Bridget for an instant before she snorts. “Yeah, right.”

  “Then you won’t mind if I have a word with Kristyl. Privately.” Crystal’s tone is sickly sweet, but there is an edge of challenge underneath.

  A muscle in Lexie’s jaw jumps. She wants to say yes, she would mind—I can see it written clearly on her face. She takes a slow, deliberate breath before shaking her head. “If Krissa wants to talk to you,” she says, putting deliberate emphasis on my nickname, “she can feel free to. I’ll be outside.”

  Crystal waits until Lexie exits the building before settling in the seat she vacated. Bridget stands between us, her forearms resting on the round tabletop.

  Silence stretches out for a beat and then two. I don’t know exactly what their game is, but I want them to know they don’t intimidate me. I stare unblinkingly at Crystal, willing her to speak first.

  “So,” Crystal says at last, drawing out the word. “What do you know about… earthquakes?”

  Bridget titters at the word and I get the impression I’m missing something. “Not much. I can’t say they really interest me.”

  Crystal nods. “I understand that. But if you don’t really know much about them, how can you judge
whether or not they’d be interesting to you?”

  I shift in my chair. She’s talking in code. She has to be. There’s no way she really wants to have a conversation about geologic activity. Part of me wants to shake her and demand she tell me exactly what she’s going on about, but the other part doesn’t want to know at all.

  She watches me for another few seconds before standing. “If you ever want to learn more, you know where to find me.”

  I don’t respond. When I walk out the door, Lexie is standing there, staring across the street, waiting. “Hey,” I say, stepping beside her.

  “Hey,” she returns. “You wanna go for a walk?”

  I nod and Lexie starts down the street toward the river. We don’t talk. I’m not sure whether she wants to know about my conversation with Crystal, and I don’t want to volunteer the information. What if she starts asking about why Crystal’s so interested in the earthquake? How can I explain I might have caused it without sounding crazy?

  We cross over the river and Lexie leads the way to a playground. There’s a large play structure where four small children climb, and Lexie and I walk past it to a set of four swings. We each sit down on one and stare out at the water.

  “We used to be best friends, you know?” Lexie says the words as if they’re a continuation of a conversation we’d been having. “Even though our folks don’t really get along, they dealt with it so the two of us could have a relationship. But when she started getting all obsessed with our aunt Crystal…” She sighs. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s my fault. I refused to get caught up in it like her. My dad never really spoke badly of his sister, but I always knew he thought she was responsible for her own death. So I just couldn’t get excited about learning about her, you know? She was reckless. I didn’t want to be like her. I didn’t want to end up dead. But when I told that to Crystal, she just got pissed. Like I was dishonoring our aunt’s memory by saying she got herself killed—even if it’s the truth.” She shakes her head. “And then she found Bridget, and she didn’t need me anymore.”